Are hair ties bad for your hair?
Mistakes to avoid when you tie your hair back
In a week how many times would you say you put your hair up in a bun, a pony tail or a braid? These simple hair do’s can seriously damage our hair follicle resulting in hair loss.
So what is a girl to do? You can still put your hair up, but first, you must learn how to fix your hair tying mistakes!
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Page contents
Why is putting your hair up bad?
Are hair ties bad for your hair?
Hair ties that don’t break your hair
How wearing your hair up damages your hair
Why you shouldn’t tie your hair up when it’s wet
Why using hair ties with metal fasteners are bad
Don’t use rubber bands to tie your hair
Why you should never wear your hair tie on your wrist
You can skip ahead to the hair ties you should buy here.
Why is putting your hair up bad?
Who knew picking up your hair to get it out of your face, go out, exercise, or go to sleep could have such dire consequences!
You are probably looking at the screen right now a bit skeptical. Just give me a few minutes to explain why you’re hair tying mistakes could be costing you your hair! dun duun duuuuun.
It’s not the act of picking up your hair that can be damaging to your hair, but what you are using to pick it up with.
We have all been victims of the basic black hair tie and even worse, the one with the metal fasteners. *Shivers.
These hair ties have abused our beautiful hair by snatching it off, pulling it too tight, creating sore spots on our scalp, and even giving us headaches! Okay, breathe. Sorry about that, I was getting riled up.
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Are hair ties bad for your hair?
Have you experienced a headache or a sore spot on your scalp after wearing a ponytail too tight? We have all heard pain is beauty, but this shouldn’t apply!
If you are constantly wearing your hair tie too tight, this can lead to hair loss, hair breakage, and headaches!
Instead, try this hair tie which is supposed to reduce hair headache, personally I find that it works.
Think about it, if you are pulling your hair back and tying it super tight so it can have that sleek look, or so it can simply stay in place all day every day, some damage will be done.
As a result of having your hair be under so much stress for hours, your hair follicles will be damaged. This will ultimately end in hair loss since each strand is being pulled from your scalp.
Hair is delicate, you can only pull so hard before it snaps. Then we become stressed because we are losing hair causing more hair loss.
Next thing you know, you can count the hairs on your scalp! okay, obviously I am exaggerating a tiny bit, but some truth still applies here people.
Hair ties that don’t break your hair
Just because wearing elastic hair ties is a no-no, it doesn’t mean you have to give up putting your hair up. Try using a good old fashion scrunchy, they are definitely my go-to.
If you are looking for a scrunchie with a little je ne sais quoi, these have a cute bow on them. Another fun option is the coil hair ties.
I know they look confusing but they are actually meant to prevent your hair from getting tangled and from getting hair headaches. They also don’t leave any dents!
However, if all you have are your basic elastic hair ties, then I suggest not pulling the whole hair tie off all at once.
Just like you loop it around your hair when you put it on, do the same when you are taking it off. This will help prevent you from pulling some hairs as you pull your hair tie off.
How wearing your hair up damages your hair
There is nothing wrong with putting your hair up in a ponytail every now and then, it’s easy, it’s fast, and it goes with almost anything if you style it right.
Unfortunately, if this is your daily look, then it can also be damaging to your hair. Who knew!?
If you have been wearing a ponytail this whole week, don’t worry, I too have been guilty of putting my hair up in a ponytail almost every day.
Although it’s not so bad now since I ditched my elastic hair ties with these other options.
What is wrong with putting your hair up the same way every day is that the elastic hair tie can cut into your hair shaft and cause fraying.
I used to think only styling tools did that! This is done because the hair tie wraps around your hair tightly. Your hair is literally frying away if you are constantly doing this, more so if you have thin hair.
The same applies to wearing buns on the regular or braiding it. Depending on the type of braid you do of course.
How to tie your hair
If you regularly do French braids, Dutch braids, or any other braid that starts at the scalp, don’t pull your hair too tight.
Start your braid a little on the loose side so your hair is not strained all day. If you constantly have your hair under regular tension, it can cause serious hair loss.
I am not saying you must retire putting your hair up in a bun, or a ponytail or even a braid. All I am saying is move it around.
You can do a high ponytail today, a regular ponytail tomorrow, a low side pony the next day. Switch it up. This is one of the most popular hair tying mistakes.
The main thing to remember is that if you do the same hairstyle every day in the same place, you are constantly pulling or adding pressure to your scalp/ hair that can cause damage.
So, girl, have fun and wear it natural today, bun tomorrow, and a cute French braid the next day. Don’t be afraid to mix it up!
Why you shouldn’t tie your hair up when it’s wet!
Your hair is at its weakest when it is wet. It is also at its most stretchy, so it’s easy for hair to snap off when you are brushing it or pulling it up, but that is murder!
Instead, use a microfiber hair towel to dry your hair faster.
When your hair is wet you won’t feel how tight you are pulling causing your hair to stretch too much and snap!
When your hair is stretched, the cuticle is cracked causing your hair to feel rough and look frizzy. No one wants that! Please avoid this hair tying mistake at all cost!
Why using hair ties with metal fasteners are bad
It’s been a while since I have run into those hair ties with the metal fasteners, but if you happen to still have some in your hair tie collection, get rid of them! If you value your hair, DON’T WEAR THEM!
I know it sounds like I am being super dramatic, and maybe I am a little, but those things are horrible for your hair.
The reason being is because It’s so easy for strands of hair to get caught on that piece of metal. When I used to wear them, 4 out of 5 times it would end with me saying “ow, ow, ow” as I took the hair tie off.
This always resulted in dozens of hairs leaving my scalp. Or having to stop halfway through because my hair tie would get stuck, I would then have to pull out the scissors.
Then I would end up having a hairball wrapped around my hair tie. Have you ever seen people wearing the hairball hair tie around their wrist? Yea, not cute.
Don’t use rubber bands to tie your hair
This is probably not the first thing you think of when you want to tie your hair up. That is until there is no hair tie in sight, but it is a huge mistake.
I know I have been guilty of doing this a couple of times and I always regret it.
Having a sweaty neck is much better than the pain you suffer when trying to get that rubber band out of your hair.
It almost feels like the strands of hair are being taken away from their one true love, the rubber band and hair are holding on to dear life to not be separated again. Out of all the hair tying mistakes, this is the most painful.
Using a rubber band is a sure way to lose hair, cause split ends, and cause you pain. NOT WORTH IT!
Why you should never wear your hair tie on your wrist
Although this has nothing to do with hair tying, it needs to be said. Yes, we all do it, but that doesn’t make it okay.
When your hair tie is brand new, avoid putting it on your wrist at all costs. It still is very tight, so putting it on your wrist cuts off circulation.
However, if your hair tie is loose, then that won’t cause any damage to your wrist, but it will to your scalp since you will have to wrap more times to have it nice and tight.
Cutting off circulation due to your hair tie can end up to an infection, and in worse cases, a coma.
Although this doesn’t happen very often, you can read more about it here, just to be extra safe.
Are hair ties bad for your hair?Takeaways
1. Elastic hair ties put too much tension on your hair which can lead to hair breakage, hair loss, and headaches to name a few. There are better hair tie alternatives to achieve the look you want.
2. Vary your hairstyle every day, or at the very least, change the exact location of your hairdo to avoid sore spots and your hair from fraying.
3. Putting your hair up when it’s wet is the easiest way to have your hair snap because it is at its stretchiest.
4. Hair ties with metal fasteners make it easy for the hair to get stuck and get yanked off.
5. Rubber bands are the worst thing to use to put your hair app. Hair always seems to wrap around, it is a sure way to pull your hair out no matter how careful you are.
6. Constantly having your elastic hair tie on your wrist can cut off circulation and lead to an infection.
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