The Bun Lift Is Trending—But What Does It Do To Your Hairline?

By Jelani Addams Rosa & Powered By L’Oreal Professional Products Division

A great hairstyle can do a lot of things, turn heads, give you confidence, earn you tons of Instagram likes, but can it take the place of a major cosmetic procedure? Buns are nothing new, but it's no longer just a hairstyle that keeps your strands stylishly and securely out of your face. These days some women are relying on buns to help mimic the appearance of having a facelift!

When we first heard of the bun lift, we were intrigued, but then we began to wonder—can pulling your hair so tightly that it changes the appearance of your face be good for your strands or your hairline? To learn more, we tapped Ashley Brown, Mizani brand ambassador and stylist, to get the scoop on everything the is to know about the bun lift. Whether you only style your hair in a bun for special occasions or it’s one of your go-to hairstyles, keep scrolling for everything you need to know.

Good hair day by @pekelariley.

What is a bun lift?

A bun lift is a bun that is styled tightly enough to help pull your face taut. While the results are no way near as drastic as an actual facelift, many women claim it can help to lift your eyes and cheeks and smooth your forehead.

Good hair day by @celinenedes.

Can pulling your hair too tightly damage your hair?

Yes, and Brown wants people to know buns aren’t the only styles to be wary of.

“Pulling hair back tightly, whether it be from, braids, buns, or ponytails can put stress on your hair shaft and scalp. Stress on your hair shaft can cause strands of hair to snap off from the constant pressure the hair elastic puts on the hair,” she explains.

Your strands aren’t the only thing at risk of experiencing damage. Tight styles like the bun lift can wreak havoc on your scalp as well.

“Pulling hair back tightly puts stress on your scalp, which results in tension on the root and follicle of the hair strand. Continuous tension is very bad for your hair and scalp,” the stylist says.

Continous tension on your scalp can not only lead to redness and irritation but also much direr side effects like traction alopecia. Traction alopecia is a scarring form of hair loss caused by repeated or excessive pulling and weight on the hair strands. It’s most common to see scarring from traction alopecia around your edges and hairline, but excessive pulling and stress can affect your entire scalp and cause the hair loss to spread.

How long it takes to see the effects of frequent tight styling depends on a few things, including your hair type.

“If your hair is fine, and not very dense, you could easily suffer the side effects of tension within days, even hours of rocking the same tension causing style,” Brown explains. “If you have medium to thick hair, with medium to thick density, you can get away with wearing buns (or styles that induce tension) on a regular bi-weekly or bi-monthly basis and have minimal to no issues.”

Your hair type is only part of the equation. If your strands are chemically treated or are fragile and prone to breakage, constant tight styling may compromise the integrity of your hair. If you’re unsure whether or not you are suffering the side effects of frequent tight hairstyles, be sure to schedule an appointment with a trusted stylist.

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How can you repair strands that have been damaged by tight styling?

If your hair is suffering the consequences of the bun lift, not all hope is lost, but first things first—ditch the bun! The best thing you can do for your hair is to give it a break from the constant styling, so let down your hair—your strands and your scalp will thank you. As far as repairing damage goes, you’ll have to tackle to issue twofold, first your strands then your scalp.

“Your mid-shaft can suffer breakage because of the constant banding of the hair with the hair tie. To repair this, I would recommend a Mizani Strength Fusion Treatments prior to wearing the style as well as after to ensure you are doing everything possible to keep your hair shaft nice and strong,” Brown says. “Follow up your treatments with regular use of Mizani 25 Miracle Milk, which is a leave-in treatment. The treatment has 25 different benefits, seven of which are strengthening to ensure you are doing everything possible to reinforce those weakened hair strands.”

Now that you’ve given your strands the TLC it desperately needs, it’s time to address your scalp. Ditching the bun will help to provide immediate relief, but if your hairline and scalp are truly suffering, it’s time to make an appointment at the salon.

“The Mizani Scalp Care Shampoo and Conditioner system can help to stimulate the health of the scalp...visit your professional stylist to receive a back bar, professional only, Mizani Scalp Care intense treatments for maximum scalp health,” Brown says.

If you’re dealing with traction alopecia, however, your course of action may not be so simple. Traction alopecia is a scarring form of hair loss, but it can take years to see the effects clearly. If you catch the hair loss early enough, you may be able to help stimulate hair growth with topical products such as minoxidil. Once your scalp scars, however, the hair loss is usually permanent, and you may not be able to grow your hair back.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the health of your hair, be sure to make an appointment with a trusted stylist.

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How often can you wear tight styles if you care about the health of your hair?

Whether you love how buns lift and sculpt your face or just want to keep your hair out of your eyes, buns as a classic style that we can’t imagine parting ways with for good—and the great news is, you don’t have to! While constant tight styling my lead to damage, that doesn’t mean you can’t slay a bun every once in a while.

If you have thick, healthy hair, Brown says you can wear a bun or similar styles weekly and suffer minimal damage. If your strands are on the finer side or are fragile and prone to breakage, Brown suggests only wearing buns a few times a month or for special occasions.

Interested in more professional hair care advice? Use our salon locator to book an appointment at salon near you.