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I've been growing my hair out since 2000 and got a lot of advice from this board back in 2000-2004. I got busy and stopped hanging around this board but still have wavy long hair. Unfortunately it has never gotten past my shoulders in the back and the top barely gets to a ponytail holder and I just shaved the sides because they would only get to a fuzzy 2 inches and looked all strange.
So, I've been wondering for years why my hair is so brittle and seems to break early. I started thinking to how I've been wearing my hair at work and maybe this is it. I would let it dry and then brush it as straight as possible (I have wavy hair) and pull it back to a ponytail holder that was all elastic. Then I would spray my head/hair with water and then use a water based hair gel to keep it that way.
So would wetting hair in a ponytail holder and then letting it dry that way make it break? I have started wearing it down at work now and people I've worked with for years didn't know I had locks!!
It sounds like you could very well have been experiencing damage caused by a combination of the elastic, overbrushing (straightening hair that 'wants' to be curly), and the tension from being kept in a ponytail for extended periods of time. Wearing it down - along with maybe trying a good quality leave-in conditioner - might bring you some pleasant results. Keep us posted :)!
Best,
Val
That's what I'm hoping! Took around 17 years for me to change because people kept saying I was going bald and it was a genetic thing but my hair just got thin and never just fell out except in one area (my dad is bald so maybe there's nothing I can do about that one area in top/back of my head).
I'm just wearing my hair in a loose ponytail at night after my hair is dry from water wash and using one of those frilly looking ponytail holders but are probably more gentle and it's black. It's similar to the picture attached.
They also make silk pillowcases and other things to protect your hair at night. Years ago I read on this site that your hair is susceptible to damage at night...especially if u have wavy or curly hair like me, so u should protect it with a braid at night (which I can't do) or by putting it into a loose ponytail. I just chose the loose ponytail at night and tangles disappeared.
What I just bought was a silk ponytail holder like that scrunchy picture I posted at the link on the bottom of the page.
Silk Ponytail Holder
Hours before tying up my hair in a loose ponytail for the night, I've also started using this organic hair repair creme that moisturizes the hair/scalp after I wash, but it may be preventing hair tangles along with a ponytail at night.
HairI think these guys have the best ties on the market..
https://thelonghairs.us/pages/hair-ties-for-guys
I like those!!
Marty
I'm wearing my hair down most of the time now, but like one of those videos shows having your attached hairs get in your food is no fun and sometimes a hair tie is needed. Hopefully these will for my 7 1/4" wrist! I got the Rock and rollers pack and a head band for the gym.
Marty
https://thelonghairs.us/pages/hair-ties-for-guys
I also started to think that wearing my hair in a tight ponytail for over 12 hours a day was not allowing the ends to get moisturized from the scalp so the ends kept breaking within a year. Now I'm putting cool water from my washed hands onto my scalp a couple times a day and trying to move them from my scalp to the hair ends...figure it moves some oil off my scalp every couple hours.
If you are pulling the hair back too tightly in a ponytail, you can develope what is called Traction Alopecia. This happens to many people of African descent who use traditional braided hairstyles. But it isn't unheard of in others who braid/tail their hair frequently and too snug.
Obviously, the remedy is to take a break from styling that way. And tail loosely in the future. Hair elastics made of rubber that aren't properly wrapped, allowing the rubber to be exposed, can cut hair strands. Silicone elastics or the soft, fabric types are better. Tail more loosely, and use a styling product to smooth down strands. A hair gel or pomade would probably do the trick.
