Why bunning works -- another theory.

rawsilk

Well-Known Member
I just came across a thread on another board where women focusing on growth extolled the virtues of bunning for growth -- but not just any kind of bun -- in particular, HIGH buns (or pony tails for that matter). Apparently, there is an old wives tale from other cultures that placing hair very high on the head, creates just the right amount of "tension" to make it grow. This stands to reason if you google hair pulling and Indian women. A bit of tension stimulates the follicles and increases oxygen and circulation. Who knew?! And to think, all this time, I thought that bunning was just about low manipulation and protecting your ends.

Has anyone else ever heard this -- e.g., in the Black American, Latin or Caribbean communities? (I personally have never heard that but have always noticed my hair felt "better" and "seemed longer" after wearing high for while. I also remember that in every pic of grand and great-grand they had their long hair piled way high.)

Now that high buns are in style, I wonder if any of the bunning ladies on here have noticed more growth than usual. ??

Caveat -- everything I read on other sites/boards cautions what we already know: too, too much tension (e.g., from elastics, etc.) will cause breakage to the hair strand and the hairline.
 
It just makes so much sense from a logical perspective and the cultures w/ long hair that incorporate "pulling" etc. -- they can't be the only ones who knew about this.
 
Ah!! It's the same thinking behind braids and cornrows being so tight. I think that's the black equivalent. Unfortunately, braiders take this too seriously and have a lot of us walking around with no edges and broken off hair :nono:.
 
I don't really believe it, but I do know that when your hair is very long it's much more comfortable to wear it higher up due to the sheer weight of the hair...

Low buns are a nono when you have heavy hair.
 
Nope i have seen setbacks from bunning in fact I live in a Dominican neighborhood and many bunners & ponytail wearers have thin see through edges from pulling their edges too tight... many ppl have edges that are much finer in density than the rest of their overall head. Ppl with a overall finer strands this is a no go as well.
 
Exactly! Too-tight is a no-no especially for AA hair which is more fragile around hairline etc. But high-bun might be the biz. They weren't that popular until a year or two ago, really curious to see if ladies who are now doing high buns are getting better results than they did with low ones.

It could be true for non-tight bun. Tight buns are another story though.
 
But see, I think this is a chicken/egg type of deal -- after your hair gets long (heavy), I wonder if wearing it up high helps. I'm into acupressure points and energy centers and all that stuff so this hits home for me.
I don't really believe it, but I do know that when your hair is very long it's much more comfortable to wear it higher up due to the sheer weight of the hair...

Low buns are a nono when you have heavy hair.
 
Nope, not what I'm suggesting at all -- braids/cornrows all over just create "thin-edge" effect all over.
Ah!! It's the same thinking behind braids and cornrows being so tight. I think that's the black equivalent. Unfortunately, braiders take this too seriously and have a lot of us walking around with no edges and broken off hair :nono:.
 
Nope, not what I'm suggesting at all -- braids/cornrows all over just create "thin-edge" effect all over.

Oh no. I'm not saying that's what you're saying. I was saying that the idea that the idea of tension making your hair grows exists in the black community too. The focus is braids though instead of buns.
 
I don't think they were talking about "make your eyes slant" tension -- just the "tension" ("pressure" is a better word) from wearing hair on top of your head in terms of blood flow, energy flow, etc. And the "pulling" that Indian women do is more of a yank/massage technique. When I get a sec, I will find and paste links. (I don't want anyone to get the idea that I am advocating tight anything - especially those painful looking plats from back in the day.) Even when I do a "slicked back" bun, I don't use a brush anymore - just a scarf and a bit of product.

My main point: maybe there is more to "bunning" than just protecting your ends.
 
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