Does Wearing a Tight Bandana Cause Hair Loss?

Hello Dr.,
I am a 22, almost 23, year old male. From the age of 14 until 20 I wore a bandana very tightly on my head everyday for at least 12 hours. Although it has been claimed a myth that head-wear does not cause hair loss, I believe that this has had something to do with it. I wore that thing to the point where my scalp actually hurt, and yet I continued wearing for at least another year in this state. My hair loss originated in the front, at the peak of my hair line. After I quit wearing the bandana, my hair loss either stopped or continued at an unnoticeable rate. I didn’t like the balding spot on the front of my head so I began wearing a hat that rested on the lower part of my forehead, not putting any pressure on my hair line. With too many people asking what my hair looked like, I decided to pull the bandana back out, as to expose a majority of my hair. I then began to notice an increase of hair loss. What should I do?

Thanks for your time!

Yes, a tight bandana can cause traction alopecia. Many Sikhs have hair loss from the turbins they use throughout the adult life. I have even seen 13 year olds who have been wearing turbins with complete traction alopecia and no side or frontal hair left. These tight turbins can produce hair loss in a relatively short period of time. I have transplanted some of them to address this traction hair loss.

Get a diagnosis from a competent doctor, then follow his advice. If you stop the tight bandana and the hair loss is not permanent, give it a year or so for recovery before doing anything more radical to it.