Help Me Keep My Hands Off

[HintOfMint]

Hi, my name is HintOfMint and I am a chronic hairpetter.

I have a problem with constantly having to touch my hair, or more specifically, the crinkly little buggers! I have these random hairs that are far more crinkly and rough than the rest of my hair. I don't usually pull them out, but I do single them out and run my fingers along their length. It's such a distracting habit, and there are so damn many of them!

However, when I do this too much, I end up creating big mats of tangles. Wearing my hair up doesn't help because a lot of new growth is crinkly as well and so they'll stick up out of my updos. So I'll play with those and end up pulling more crinkly strands out of my updo, ruining my hair style.

Any advice to help me keep my hands out of my hair for my hair's and my sake? Anyone know what I'm going through and want to commiserate?

[Viola88]

You should get something to put in your hands to replace playing with your hair like a squishy bouncing ball or a tangle (http://www.tanglecreations.com/).

[Natalia]

Wish i did but i am nearly your polar opposite. I hate to mess with my hair i want to put it up and not have to touch it again till i shower at night. Going wo really re-enforced that though since i didnt want to get it any more dirty than it was going to get anyway. I have fine light colored hair that shows when its not so clean.

Maybe try one of those invisable hair nets so everything stays down? Wear a snood/hat so there is a barier between you and your hair? Maybe oiling it will help with the texture of the wirey ones? Good luck!

[MaryO]

I've read that it takes 30 times of doing or not doing something to create a habit. So perhaps when you realise that you're fiddling with your hair immediately stop and fold your hands and count to ten or something. Hopefully this will be long enough to continue doing whatever else you're doing at the time. And then just rinse and repeat! ;-)

[berr]

Put it up and gel down the new growth. :D

[sarahramen]

I do this exactly!!! I used to bite my nails for over 10 years and when I was finally able to quit, after a month or so when finals came around (a stressful time, when I normally 'relapse') I replaced that bad habit with a new one, pulling out the wirey/ squigly hairs. now I have a whole bunch of sticky-uppy baby hairs along my part. I have since stopped pulling them out as much, but I still run them through my fingers all the time. So now I need a new habit to replace that one. anybody come up with a new beneficial/ helpful habit?

[rock007junkie]

Put it up and gel down the new growth. :D

I would do exactly this.

[jlb]

I do this all the time, now that my braid is long enough to hang in front of my shoulder I pretty much constantly play with the tail on it. We won't go in to how much I mess with the hair when I wear it down. Let me know if you find a solution.

[~honeyflower~]

I don't know if this will help or not, just an idea. Maybe wear winter gloves so you are aware what you do with your hands since its almost winter,it could be a habbit breaker in disguise!

[hufflepug]

I get those crinklies too, but I pull them out. Even though I know that's bad. Same with grays. I need to wear a space helmet or something to keep my damn hands off.

[mzBANGBANG]

Sounds like you need some behavioral conditioning :P Heard on NPR the other day that self-grooming is now considered part of obsessive compulsive disorder (I'm a nail biter, personally). Really it is about replacing the behavior with something else, and then rewarding yourself for follow through.

I'm going to stop there, I just saw an opportunity to finally use my psych degree. Ah, old dusty. :cheese:

[HintOfMint]

Thanks for all the input, y'all!

I've been pretty good about it so far. Today I wore my hair up, but I pinned my bangs back so that I wouldn't have a parting for the little crinklies to stick up.

I'm planning to give myself a manicure once my laundry is done so that whenever I feel like picking, I'll look at my hands and admire them instead. Not a perfect strategy but if it doesn't work, I'll have pretty nails!

[missannie]

I always have my hands in my hair. Its a comfort. I can't help myself. I massage my head and pull on my hair. I don;t think i could stop!

[jacqueline101]

Id try to wear it up.

[Saldana]

I'm sorry you are having trouble with this....but it's reassuring to know that I'm not the only crinkly-hair seeker and puller! I've tried to stop, too....I think the 'replace the habit with something else' works pretty well.

[0xalis]

Oh yeah, I do that too. I get irritated with crinkly hairs and cut them off sometimes. I try to ignore them because they're still hair and they're obviously adding volume :lol: Even wearing my hair up will not stop my hands! I pat it gently to make sure the bun/whatever isn't falling out. Don't get me started on when my hair's in a ponytail.