Traction alopecia occurs when hairs are constantly being pulled upon, usually by tightly braided hairstyles or elastic bands holding hairs together. This traumatizes the hair follicles, and the hairs fall out before the end of their growth period.
Traction alopecia is usually a temporary hair loss condition.
When a hair is pulled from a follicle before the end of its growth phase, the follicle makes a transition to the resting stage, and after 3-4 months begins to grow a new hair. Repeatedly pulling out a hair from a follicle will eventually result in finer hair growing back, and eventually no new hair growth. The follicle will simply quit growing new hairs. After hairs are pulled, the follicle takes 3-4 months to recover, and during this time the unwanted hairs are gone. Repeating the procedure on the new hairs that grow out will result in finer hairs growing back, and eventually will result in permanent hair loss.