Kim Kardashian May Suffer From Traction Alopecia — Here’s What She Should Do

Kim Kardashian’s luscious mane is almost as famous as her booty, but when she gave her glam squad the day off on Monday, her tresses were looking a little sparse. Kim stepped out in New York City wearing a topknot that revealed patchiness surrounding her hairline. What happened?

Is Kim’s recent 70-pound weight loss responsible for her thinning hair, or could it have been the birth of 9-month-old Saint West? “It is very common for mothers to lose some hair (postpartum hair loss) and for people to lose hair when rapidly losing weight (telogen effluvium),” trichologist Dr. David Kingsley tells Yahoo Beauty via email. “Hair loss often occurs about 3 months afterwards. These types of hair loss conditions, however, are more evenly spread over the scalp rather than just patches. Once the weight normalizes for a few months, the hair should begin to regrow normally, unless there is a vitamin deficiency. Postpartum hair should also improve, but this can take a little longer.” Since Kim’s hair looks patchy mostly around her hairline, her weight loss and recent pregnancy might not be the problem.

Kim claims to shampoo only twice a week in order to maintain her hair’s natural oils. Celebs have been practicing co-washing and infrequent washing for years now, but the doctor says this could also play a role in thinning Kim’s hair. “In general, not washing frequently will not maintain ‘healthy’ natural oils as the oils will get dirty from general pollutants in the air, and so will become dirty and even cause flaking or itching,” says Kingsley. “Just as her face would get dirty if she washed it infrequently; the scalp is also skin. I find washing more often will help as you would also condition the hair more often as well.”

But perhaps the biggest culprit is Kim’s fondness for tight hairstyles like braids, weaves, extensions, and facelift ponytails. “Hair extensions can most definitely pull on the hair follicle, causing traction alopecia (breakage) and/or hair loss, as the hair is physically pulled from the scalp,” says Kingsley. “Usually, if treated with scalp masks and hair strengtheners, such as British Science Formulations Root Energizing Mask and Hair Strengthener, the hair will grow back. However, long term ‘pulling’ can lead to permanent hair loss. It is something that needs addressing quickly.” So what should Kim’s next move be? “The healthiest long-term option would be to wear her hair without any extensions, and she will see some improvement.”

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