PDA

View Full Version : Stopping hairstick bun from pulling?



hairhair
September 23rd, 2012, 10:00 PM
I'm very excited, because yesterday I started being able to sort of twist my hair and put it in a hairstick.

I don't know what the bun is called, but basically I start by ponytailing it (no elastic), then twist/curl it around like a cinnamon bun, until it forms a circle or more, then stick a hairstick (or a pencil in my case) through the middle of the coiled/curled tube and out the other side, turn it around and push it back through along my scalp, trapping the ends.

The problem is that it's waaaay too tight. I can loosen it once it's in, by wiggling the hairstick (pencil :D) around a bit, but it it seriously so tight when I do it that
a) when I "turn it around and push it back along my scalp", the end scratches so hard I feel like I'm actually cutting my scalp. In fact I think it would bleed if I did it in the same spot repeatedly
b) whole sections of my scalp skin lift up from the tension of the hairs
c) once it's in, before I loosen it, the pressure of the stick against my scalp is painfully tight

This cannot be good for my hair (or my scalp) so I was wondering what to do to stop it from being this tight, even briefly? Should I not push the stick in so far before "reversing" it? Coil the bun less tightly?

Also, is it normal to feel a slight pressure of the stick against your scalp in this style? That's what's holding it up, right?

Sorry, hairstick (pencil) newbie here!

Thanks!

Madora
September 23rd, 2012, 10:14 PM
Buns never should be so tight that they hurt. You can damage your hair if you're not careful.

I think you should wait a bit until the hair is longer. Try a Gibson Tuck instead.

DragonFlyPie
September 23rd, 2012, 10:39 PM
I'll be watching this thread for more ideas, because I cannot use hair sticks without severe pain. My hair is very long, so it shouldn't be an issue, but i swear, if the sticks aren't pulling or poking, they are falling onto the ground. So I have no idea what to do besides just never use sticks. They usually hurt so bad pressing into my scalp or pulling at my hair that i get a migraine anyway, so can't use them that long. This has been true for any length of hair I have had that was long enough for a bun. All my cute hair toys pull my hair or press painfully against my scalp (again, if there's no pain, that means the toy is falling out & all my hair will be loose in a matter of seconds.)

I've resorted to using french jaw clips only, or double french braids.

gthlvrmx
September 23rd, 2012, 10:46 PM
I have this problem with hairsticks too, i could never find the perfect balance. i always had them pulling on my scalp. i tried making the updos less tight and it helped because i realized-durr the hairstick takes ROOM XD and if i pull it under the scalp hair and out through the bun, its gonna pull those scalp hairs MORE. so i tried a pencil bun and only made the stick go through the bun, not grabbing any scalp hair. my problem is the damn hair close to the hair, it gets pulled too tightly. i resorted to spin pins that give me a problem sometimes with tightness, but i fix it by pulling the strands that feel too tight out from the bun more :)

so maybe making the buns loose would help and dont twist too tight on the first coil.

sparrowswing
September 23rd, 2012, 10:54 PM
I can't start in the center like that. It catches too much hair, which is what causes it to pull tight. I think a lot of people need to do it that way to keep it tight enough to stay in or something, but for me, just hooking a little bit of that twist and then pushing into the scalp hair is enough. I've actually snapped a couple of hairsticks trying to start in the middle of a bun.

Also, the thickness of the hairstick makes a big difference for me. Thick hairsticks usually put extra pressure on my scalp where they sit, so I prefer thin ones for most buns. Honestly, my DPN U-pins are my favorite for making buns that will hold tight without pain all day.

DancingQueen
September 23rd, 2012, 11:06 PM
I say coil it less tightly. In the beginning, you may doubt that the stick can hold it up, but trust me, it can. Just coil it fairly loose, the bun will seem bigger too. :D

hairhair
September 23rd, 2012, 11:08 PM
Thanks guys! I'll try hooking it just through the edge of the twist and not twisting so tightly.

Just to clarify, it's not that the actual bun is too tight -- I can easily get it to sit securely without hurting, by loosening it once I've made it (my hair has been like this since I made that post until now). However, in the process of making it, there is this momentary extreme tightness that I can't seem to avoid.

Thanks again! :)

MinderMutsig
September 24th, 2012, 04:18 AM
I'll be watching this thread for more ideas, because I cannot use hair sticks without severe pain. My hair is very long, so it shouldn't be an issue, but i swear, if the sticks aren't pulling or poking, they are falling onto the ground. So I have no idea what to do besides just never use sticks. They usually hurt so bad pressing into my scalp or pulling at my hair that i get a migraine anyway, so can't use them that long. This has been true for any length of hair I have had that was long enough for a bun. All my cute hair toys pull my hair or press painfully against my scalp (again, if there's no pain, that means the toy is falling out & all my hair will be loose in a matter of seconds.)

I've resorted to using french jaw clips only, or double french braids.
You need someone who can irl show you and let you feel how a stick should be inserted. Inserting it a cm to the top/bottom/left/right/center can make a world of difference and so can the way you proceed through/under the bun to the other side.

Maybe there's an LHC-er near you who is willing to help?

catamonica
September 24th, 2012, 09:10 AM
I tried the hairsticks. My hair is at hip. And the sticks wouldn't hope the bun. So I use wide old
fashioned bobby pins. A low braided bun. My hair stays put. It's very comfortable.

shutterpillar
September 24th, 2012, 09:19 AM
What type of stick are you using? I have to use thinner ones or else my buns do seem a little too tight for comfort. I bought a huge thick stick at a renaissance fair over the summer and it is definitely too wide for what little hair I currently have. It'll probably work great once I reach waist, though.

ETA: The moment of tightness is probably because you are twisting too tightly to begin with. It's a very fine line to get the right amount of twist to where its loose enough, but it hold your hair in place. Definitely something to practice. You'll figure it out though! My first stick buns were either WAY too loose, or so tight that I felt like I had a facelift. lol.

spidermom
September 24th, 2012, 09:29 AM
You can make a looser bun. Just be sure the ends are securely pinned between your scalp and the bun. There is kind of a magic spot and tension that you have to find, though. Too tight and it hurts, too loose and it falls out. I had the same problem. Now I can whip a bun up in about 10 seconds if I have to.

Dandelion6
September 24th, 2012, 09:34 AM
ETA: The moment of tightness is probably because you are twisting too tightly to begin with. It's a very fine line to get the right amount of twist to where its loose enough, but it hold your hair in place. Definitely something to practice. You'll figure it out though! My first stick buns were either WAY too loose, or so tight that I felt like I had a facelift. lol.

That's funny:p I didn't get the hang of hair sticks till my hair was mid back. Now I can't really see wearing my hair up any other way. I love them. Practice, really. It's just a matter of finding the right amount of tension as you are wrapping/inserting stick.