Protective styles damaging your hair?

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

Have you noticed that while wearing your protective styles, i.e. ponies and stuff, you've experience hair breakage around the hair line (nape and edges)? This is a concern for me because I am trying to protect my ends by wearing ponytails wrapped up and even baggying but I feel the constent stress by pulling my hair back is going to eventually break off my hair in the back and thin out my edges. :look:

Anyone experience this in the past? If so, what did you do?

longhairluva · Jun 21, 2007

^^^^this is exactly why I can't to protective styles. My hairline is to fragile for any kind of pulling.

shynessqueen · Jun 21, 2007

You sould try loose ponies. This will take the stress of your hair.

*Frisky* · Jun 21, 2007

You just have to make sure you aren't bunning your hair too tight and when its really wet..that will cause breakage. Use ouchless bands preferrably soaked in olive oil or some type of oil, that helps with breakage as well.

CoCoEspresso · Jun 21, 2007

I never have tension on my hair line because I don't pull my hair back so tightly. However, I was wearing a low ponytail for a few weeks and I noticed that my nape was becoming weaker. I was not pulling my hair at my nape, but because it was already fragile and shorter than the rest of my hair, the style that I chose contributed to more breakage. I have since stopped wearing that style and instead wear it up in a French roll. A protective style should not prevent you from performing any natural motions such as turning your head. There can be too much of a good thing. If you notice that in your attempts to protect your ends, that you are sacrificing the health of another part of your hair, then you need to reevaluate you styling choice. Why don't you try to vary your styles? How about changing it up weekly or every 3-4 days?

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

CoCoEspresso said:
I never have tension on my hair line because I don't pull my hair back so tightly. However, I was wearing a low ponytail for a few weeks and I noticed that my nape was becoming weaker. I was not pulling my hair at my nape, but because it was already fragile and shorter than the rest of my hair, the style that I chose contributed to more breakage. I have since stopped wearing that style and instead wear it up in a French roll. A protective style should not prevent you from performing any natural motions such as turning your head. There can be too much of a good thing. If you notice that in your attempts to protect your ends, that you are sacrificing the health of another part of your hair, then you need to reevaluate you styling choice. Why don't you try to vary your styles? How about changing it up weekly or every 3-4 days?

You mean like a pony for a few days and then maybe a braid out the next few days? Like that?

CoCoEspresso · Jun 21, 2007

luvmesumhair said:
You mean like a pony for a few days and then maybe a braid out the next few days? Like that?

Sure, that seems like a good idea. I think that variation may help to alieviate boredom as well. Currently I have been sporting the same style every day for months, and it gets really monotonous but it's effective. I do allow myself a Saturday pass, though.

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

CoCoEspresso said:
Sure, that seems like a good idea. I think that variation may help to alieviate boredom as well. Currently I have been sporting the same style every day for months, and it gets really monotonous but it's effective. I do allow myself a Saturday pass, though.

Sounds like an idea. Thanks.

Divine Inspiration · Jun 21, 2007

I did. My remedy was to a) not pull so tightly. I had to let go of the desire to have those "perfect" slicked buns because they're not healthy for my hair. b) I started keeping my hair super loose for bed so it would have a break. c) I used various serums and oils on my temples and did massages to help them flourish.

camellia · Jun 21, 2007

No, but I don't make super tight, sleek buns either. I vary the position of the bun on my head and I never pull my hair back tightly.

neenzmj · Jun 21, 2007

I wear protective styles and I haven't experienced any problems. I think this is because I don't pull my hair really tight and because I get bored wearing the same hairstyle over a certain length of time, so I tend to switch up frequently, thus alleviating continuous stress on any particular part of my hair.

Radianthealth · Jun 21, 2007

Divine Inspiration said:
I did. My remedy was to a) not pull so tightly. I had to let go of the desire to have those "perfect" slicked buns because they're not healthy for my hair. b) I started keeping my hair super loose for bed so it would have a break. c) I used various serums and oils on my temples and did massages to help them flourish.

This is what I did to restore my hairline. It is very important that you not pull your hair back too tight, especially not when it is wet because it will dry and shrink and make the style even tighter. My hairline is now full and healthy from wearing loose styles treating it gently and massaging daily. I also have not brushed my hair in over a year. I only use seamless combs, usually wide tooth ones.

I started a challenge to improve my hairline, there are also before and after pictures in my album

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/archive/index.php/t-89518.html

Mook's hair · Jun 21, 2007

I do lots of braids cornrows and braid/twistouts fro protective styles.

I always notice damage from ponytails but it is not my front edges. it is always the spot where the ponytail is secured and sometimes my nape. Even the ouchless bands seem to cause damage.

KhandiB · Jun 21, 2007

When I rotate styles it fares better for me.

When I was hardcore Bunning (that lasted all of like a month :lol:

) My edges damn near disappeared ..

So now I will bun for a few days, wear it out, wash, braid out etc,..

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

Divine Inspiration said:
I did. My remedy was to a) not pull so tightly. I had to let go of the desire to have those "perfect" slicked buns because they're not healthy for my hair. b) I started keeping my hair super loose for bed so it would have a break. c) I used various serums and oils on my temples and did massages to help them flourish.

Good Idea. I do the same thing thinking I need to have my edges slicked back :lol:

I have decide whats more important. Nice hair style or nice hair!

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

trimbride said:
This is what I did to restore my hairline. It is very important that you not pull your hair back too tight, especially not when it is wet because it will dry and shrink and make the style even tighter. My hairline is now full and healthy from wearing loose styles treating it gently and massaging daily. I also have not brushed my hair in over a year. I only use seamless combs, usually wide tooth ones.

I started a challenge to improve my hairline, there are also before and after pictures in my album

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/archive/index.php/t-89518.html

Thank you for your advise. Can you please post a pic of a Seamless Comb so I can have an idea what it looks like? Thx.

preciousjewel76 · Jun 21, 2007

luvmesumhair said:
Thank you for your advise. Can you please post a pic of a Seamless Comb so I can have an idea what it looks like? Thx.

Seamless combs don't necessarily look different from other combs. It's not a name brand; it's a type of comb that is made without seams. If you currently have a comb, look very closely at the teeth. You should see very small ridges (seams) going vertically down the center of the teeth. Seamless combs don't have these, which means that a seamless comb will not snag your hair.

Here's a link to the seamless combs sold by Tenderheaded.com:

http://www.tenderheaded.com/combs.html

luvmesumhair · Jun 21, 2007

preciousjewel76 said:
Seamless combs don't necessarily look different from other combs. It's not a name brand; it's a type of comb that is made without seams. If you currently have a comb, look very closely at the teeth. You should see very small ridges (seams) going vertically down the center of the teeth. Seamless combs don't have these, which means that a seamless comb will not snag your hair.

Here's a link to the seamless combs sold by Tenderheaded.com:

http://www.tenderheaded.com/combs.html

Thanks Precious!!!

CoCoEspresso · Jun 21, 2007

Hate to hijack, but I ordered my combs from hairsense.com. They have a larger selection.

TLC1020 · Jun 21, 2007

I mostly wear a pontail bun, the only breakage I've gotten in the past was at the nape. What I did to curb that was loosen the scarf I wear at night & tie the scarf in the front or side instead of the back.. I have a loose pontail so it's not tight where my edges are breaking b/c I comb them downward then to the back to keep them smooth.. My ends are twisted then wrapped around the hair ball & covered with a satin scrunchie to secure the ends..

When doing protective styles make sure they are not too tight where it put tension on the scalp or hair ;-)

Protective styles damaging your hair?

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