Man buns can cause hair loss and baldness, claim specialists

It’s one of the biggest male grooming trends of the year, but apparently there may be a dark side to the man bun.

A Harley Street Clinic has reported a surge in patients suffering from traction alopecia – a condition caused by the hair constantly being pulled back in the same direction.

The hair specialists claim the popular style, which requires a healthy head of hair to sport, is actually responsible for a growing number of male hair loss cases.

Dr Hair Transplant Surgeon at The Private Clinic of Harley Street says: “In my practice, over the past year, there has been a significant increase in young men suffering from traction alopecia due to the way they wear their hair.

“Styles such as the ‘man bun’ and ‘top knot’ require the hair to be pulled back tightly in the same direction which, after a period of time, causes the hair follicle to loosen from its roots. This causes the hair to thin and results in permanent hair loss”.

Up until recently, this type of hair loss had typically been associated with women, due to the physical trauma caused by braiding, hair extensions and over-styling. However, the clinic claims that the condition has recently become prevalent amongst men who have jumped on the man bun trend, as seen on celebrities such as Bradley Cooper and Zayn Malik.

The Private Clinic reports the number of patients undergoing hair transplants is up by 9.1% in the last year, and more than 5% of male patients were those with long hair, tied back into a top knot or a tight bun.

Dr added: “While the hair loss resulting from this form of damage is gradual, and often takes 2-3 years to become apparent, the hair loss which results is permanent. Since most of the patients I see are fairly young – in their twenties and thirties – it is clear that the damage is being done from a young age.”

If you’re worried about losing your hair to the trend, Dr advice is simple: “To avoid this form of hair loss, men should restrict the amount of time spent with their hair in very tight buns or pony tails, as this will reduce the level of stress put on the hair.

“If they are noticing the hair thinning, falling out or they can see bald patches, they should seek the advice of their doctor or a hair loss specialist, as they may be able to recommend certain products which could help to increase hair density, or even refer the patient for treatment.”

So, men, it seems however fashionable the ‘top knot’ is, this may be one trend that you’ll want to leave firmly in 2015.