ibetph Why Do Braids Hurt So Bad?

Q: I wear hairstyles like box braidsibetph, cornrows and sleek ponytails, but sometimes they make my head hurt. Why does that happen? Should I be worried?

How you wear your hair is often about more than looking and feeling good. For some people, a hairstyle is a form of self-expression, making a little pain seem worthwhile.

For others, it’s a way to feel connected to cultural heritage, said Dr. Victoria Barbosa, an associate professor of dermatology at the University of Chicago. And sometimes, slicked-back buns or protective styles like summertime braids, which are meant to safeguard your hair from damage, are just convenient, she said.

But any hairdo that involves tugging can trigger what experts call external-traction headaches; and consistent tension can lead to hair loss.

“No one wants to spend their hard-earned money, often hundreds of dollars, on a style that they then have to take down prematurely,” Dr. Barbosa said. “But sometimes it comes to that.”

Tension headaches cause a dull pain or pressure, or the feeling of a tight band, around your head. But external-traction headaches — which experts previously called ponytail headaches — are primarily felt where hair is pulled, said Dr. Susan Broner, a neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

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