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Do Rubberbands Damage Hair?

Healthy, undamaged hair has a tightly closed cuticle layer. This protects the inner cortex from becoming dry. The cuticle layer of our hair allows our hair to keep its elasticity, shine, strength and moisture. Once hair is damaged, there is really no way to fully repair it.

  1. The Outcome of Damaged Hair

    • When we damage our hair, either from using rubber bands, over-processing or stressing it by pulling it back too tightly over and over again, this can result in decreased shine, brittle cuticles, uplifted cuticle scales and possibly even the removal of the entire cuticle layer. Damaged hair is hard to manage. It is weak, porous and dry.
      Using rubber bands, a hat with tight elastic or anything that causes stress on the hair can result in breakage. If you keep it up, you may even end up with a bald spot.

    Hair Accessories

    • In addition to the damage that rubber bands can do, pins, clips and various other hair accessories, if applied to the hair too tightly, will cause the hair to break. Instead of rubber bands, try fabric scrunchies, which are less harsh on the hair, and use combs and clips that have rubber padding.

    Choose Wisely

    • When shopping for hair accessories, buy pins that have a ball-tipped surface that is smooth. Your hair clips should be loose-fitting to minimize breakage, and you should put the clips and pins in different places on your hair so that breakage is not localized.

    Hair Can Stop Growing

    • Dr. Zoe D. Draelos, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, notes that her patients who routinely wear their hair in ponytails and use rubber bands report that their hair is no longer growing. The hair has been broken at the scalp and traumatized by use of the rubber bands, causing growing to cease. Dr. Draelos explains that rubber bands and other hair accessories can do extreme damage to the physical structure of hair.

    Avoid Certain Hairstyles

    • Dr. Paul McAndrews concurs that rubber bands should never be used because their difficult removal causes hair trauma. He further notes that hairstyles that pull on the hair, such as cornrows, should be avoided, because this type of hairstyle weakens the hair shaft.

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