Hair Loss and Headbands

“Headbands seem to be an accessory that comes and goes, though I’d argue that one is never actually out of style”. (@MargoandMe)

I am writing from Dale Dale café in El Tunco, El Salvador, staring out at the surf break, crashing against the shore of rocks. Those damn rocks. As I do so, I feel my hands wandering around my scalp, feeling my dry and partially dreaded hair extensions before resting on my trusty headband. My now, very holey tan trusty headband has been with me for since I was 11 years old. It came as a belt with a little blue dress I chose as a child. The dress is long gone, but my headband has been everywhere with me. It literally has been to every country I have ever been to, it attended University with me, went through puberty with me- I think you get the gist. You name it, my headband has been there.

If you have not already guessed- this post is all about headbands.

My holey tan headband moved from being a belt to being my trusted headband one desperate day. As a child, I searched high and low for my usual headband to hide my hairline of my now hair braided scalp, without luck. I find headbands crucial, as they hide my hairline, the only give-away that my hair is not ‘normal’. My belt, being fabric, was my closest alternative, without going as far as ripping my clothes apart, and that’s how our journey began.

Headbands are so much more than just a security blanket. You only need to consider Blaire Waldorf (Gossip Girl) to know how big their impact can be and how awesome they can look, completely transforming an outfit.

The issue with my trusty tan headband, is just that- its tan…a similar color to my face making me look bald in almost all photos…. which is ironic since it traveled the world with me, where I undoubtedly took a tonne of photos and I wore it to blend my other hair solutions in which I used to not look bald!

I’ve been asked many times “if you don’t like what you look like in it, why do you wear it?” the answer is simple, I have never been able to find a headband as quality as this one- the unique blend of fabric, gives it just enough stretch to ensure there is no slippage, the pattern including tiny holes allows my hairline to breath, without uncovering what I am trying to hide. This headband is the only one I have been able to cliff jump in Jamaica, surf in El Salvador, bathe elephants in Thailand, scuba dive in the Cayman Islands in, all without ever falling off. Finding a solution which provides that kind of security and freedom is challenging and why I have kept it with me for so long.

Get ahead, get a Headband

Over the years I have had so so so many headbands, they are great for covering my hairline and for blending in my chosen hair solution. But they are so much more than that. Whether you are using them to dress up or dress down, they are a stylish way to hide a bad hair day, to dress up a basic hairstyle like a ponytail, and to turn heads.

Not all headbands are made equally, and none are as dual purpose as my trusty tan headband. If you are hunting for a trusty headband, here some tips which make all the difference;

1.   Invest in headbands that tie up. These provide you the most flexibility and security. Being able to tie them yourself, as opposed to an ‘elastic band’ type headband means that you can tighten and loosen it based on the circumstances. For example, if I am jumping into the water I usually tighten it to counter the pressure of hitting the water.

2.   Choose a fabric that has a small amount of stretch, but not too much stretch. If it has too much stretch as soon as you have any pressure against it, it will slide right off, and tightening it will only cause it to slide off your head faster!

3.   Choose a headband that has tiny holes, almost like the patterns you see in lace, this way you can reduce the risk of tan lines….. There have been far too many times to count that I have removed my headband to see a thick white tan line in its place.

4.   Choose a headband this is at least 8cm wide. My trusty tan headband is roughly 15cm wide. You can easily fold your headband to be thinner if you want, but you also have the security to cover more, if need be.

I’ve been searching markets and fabric stores worldwide for a replacement and alternative colors, without luck. I will continue my search and be sure to let you know the details once I have found a replacement. However, in the meantime, I may have to settle for stitching up the holes forming in my old trusty tan headband together.

Take a moment to think about it! Can you think of something you have relied on/ trusted in over the years without realizing it?? Its kind of fascinating to think about how much reliance we place in objects!