An Australian hair colourist and mother, Marlie, has issued an urgent “hairline SOS” warning, imploring women to reconsider a popular hairstyle that she claims is causing an alarming increase in bald spots and tension alopecia. The stylist, based in Tahmoor, Australia, took to social media to share her concerns, emphasizing the significant damage being done by the much-loved slick back look, whether it be a slick back bun or a slick back ponytail.

The slick back style has become a global phenomenon, gracing fashion runways and red carpets alike, with high-profile celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Maya Jama, and Molly-Mae Hague frequently sporting the sleek, often heavily gelled or hairsprayed, appearance. Despite its widespread popularity and seemingly enduring trend status, Marlie asserts that the constant tension required for this style is detrimental to hair and scalp health.

According to Marlie, the daily practice of tying hair up tightly in a slick back fashion leads to the hair being pulled out from around the hairline, resulting in a condition known as tension alopecia. This condition, characterized by hair loss due to prolonged or repeated tension on the hair follicles, is something Marlie claims to be seeing with unprecedented frequency in her career. She firmly advised, “Stop with the slick backs – I am seeing more tension alopecia now than I ever have in my entire career.”

In her widely viewed TikTok clip, posted under the username @hairbymarlieau, Marlie not only highlighted the problem but also offered practical alternatives to mitigate hair damage. She recommended using scrunchies or claw clips instead of tight elastic bands, explaining that these accessories exert significantly less tension on the hair and scalp. Her advice was clear: “Alternatively, use a scrunchie or a claw clip – they don’t have as much tension and it’s so much better for your hair and your scalp.”

Marlie’s stern but helpful warning resonated deeply with a large audience, with her TikTok video quickly garnering over 164,400 views, 1,861 likes, 131 comments, and 2,144 shares. Many viewers expressed feeling “attacked” by the expert’s concerns, yet were overwhelmingly grateful for the valuable advice. Comments poured in from individuals who shared their personal experiences with hair thinning and bald patches caused by similar high-tension hairstyles, affirming the stylist’s claims. One user, working in the hospitality industry, raised the challenge of needing to tie hair back frequently; to this, Marlie reiterated that it is still possible to tie hair up without applying excessive tension, reinforcing her core message of prioritizing hair and scalp health.