A Hairy Situation: Styles That Could Be Ruining Your Locks
Posted on: 24 June 2016
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As they tend to spend more time on hair than the average man, it's no surprise that most women tend to fall into hairstyle "ruts," where they use the same look constantly. But did you know that there are some hairstyles that work against the health of your hair? If you're wondering if your style could actually be ruining your locks, then here's what you need to know.
Style: The Ponytail
Sporty girls and chic professionals alike, beware: your ponytail could definitely be damaging your hair. Pulling your hair back into a tight ponytail – and a tight ponytail is usually the type most women use, as it stays up all day – can cause too much stress on your hair, leading to broken strands, tension headaches, and (worst of all) a receding hairline. If ponytails are an absolute must, make sure to take them out as soon as possible and let your hair relax, massaging your scalp to relieve tension.
Style: The Bun
The same problems can besiege bun-wearers, but to an even bigger extent. Not only do you stress out the top of your hair, but (unlike a ponytail, where the tail of the pony flies free) it stresses the entire strand as it's wrapped up and in and cemented with a metric ton of hairspray. If you're just looking for a hairstyle to keep your hair up and off your neck, a braid tied at the end of your hair and then flipped back up and cinched in with a claw will give you the same effect without the massive damage. Once again, if you absolutely have to wear a bun (ballerinas come to mind), make sure to take it out and massage your scalp when possible.
Style: The Bouncy Curls
Just in case you thought it was just updo girls that needed to watch their hair, don't get comfortable; a mess of perfectly shaped curls cascading down your back is certainly a gorgeous image, but if you do it every day you run the risk of burning out – literally. If you absolutely need that curl (and you shouldn't more than twice or three times in a week), spray with heat protection and use the lowest possible temperature that still gives you a good curl. Contact your local hair salon for suggestions on ways to curl your hair without the added damage.
Style: The Stick-Straight
Deciding not to curl your hair every day could give it a rest, but not if you take it to the extreme. Just like curling your hair every day constantly exposes it to an amount of heat perfect for frying off your natural oils, so too does straightening it every day – possibly even more, since you probably go over each section twice to ensure it's as straight as can be. Like the above section, spraying your hair with heat protection before straightening will help, but try not to use your straightener more then a couple times a week to give your hair a chance to recover.