The "E" Word... Let's Talk EDGES

One of the reasons I decided to cut the relaxer out of my hair was because of my thin edges.  I also had hair that was thinning as it grew longer with way too much shedding but the edges of my hairline was a huge concern for me.  I never had super thick edges growing up, before I even relaxed my hair.  My mother kept my hair in cornrows or ponytails for the most part which may have contributed to the thinner hairline.  So, 2012 came and I Big Chopped with the biggest hopes of growing thick, luscious hair with the hairline to match.  Here I am 3 years later with edges that are really no better than they were then.

I may not have the worst hairline but I am conscious about the thinner areas when I'm styling.  Having full and healthy edges is something that is glorified in the Black Community and seen as "better".  A thinner hairline is sometimes thrown in the same basket as having unhealthy hair.  In my experience, I always thought my hairline was so thin because of the relaxer but after having no relaxer for over 3 years now, I'm questioning that theory altogether.  While I don't regret going Natural, best decision ever, it clearly wasn't the solution to my issue.  Now, a thinning hairline can also be caused from too much tension.  Ponytails, braids, wigs, weaves... Any of those things can produce tension along the hairline.  For about 1 year after Big Chopping, my hair wasn't long enough for any type of Ponytail.  In that year, I wore my hair loose in Wash & Go styling and therefore applied absolutely NO tension to my hairline.  The only difference I noticed was an increased thickness (slightly).  The hair itself remained short as if broken off and refuses to grow as long as the rest of my head.  Yes, I've challenged myself to give those areas extra TLC by doing different treatments, applying JBCO (Jamaican Black Castor Oil) daily and be cognizant of styling.  None of these things have worked for me over the years.

Is it genetics?  If my mother has a thin hairline and her mother has a thin hairline, am I out of luck?  All I know is that I've spent the past few years learning how to care for my Natural Hair inside and out.  You would think having beautiful healthy curls would be enough to not care about some edges, but truthfully I don't classify my hair as 100% healthy when my hairline is not where I want it to be.  Yes, writing this will bring attention to an area that I'm super self conscious about but I know this is something that so many black women struggle with.  Having a thinner hairline is not seen as attractive and we've all seen the memes about women with extremely thin edges or even none at all.  Do I want a thicker hairline to please other people?  Not at all.  It's a personal struggle and desire that would just make me feel better about the overall health of my hair.

I'm interested to hear your stories!  If you've struggled with a thinning/thinner hairline and have turned that around, PLEASE give us the secrets.  If you're still having problems, believe me, you're not alone!  XOXOMCS