Haircare for the chronically ill

[Kherome]

I rarely post here, mostly because of my chronic health conditions that limit me to maybe 20 minutes of computer time per day. So I am spending a bit of that time here to research and ask if there are any other people here who are disabled/chronically ill that have come up with easy or doable ways of managing their hair. Thanks for any ideas.

[lapushka]

I'm chronically ill (not elaborating on it here), and my mom does it for me. Still it is a lot easier than having short hair that has to be styled more than once a week (every day practically).

[Fairlight63]

I hope that you get some hairstyle ideas. This is of interest to me right now because I am going through some Sciatica pain in my back right now. It is hard for me to braid my hair, when I stand straight up to look in the mirror I get shooting pains in my leg. So it makes it hard to deal with my hair right now.

[millyaulait]

I employ a lot of benign neglect due to my illness.

I wash it over the bath (bent at the waist) with the shower head. I also have a chair/stool/thingie in the shower if I feel well enough to sit up, and that way I can just sit and let the water from the shower head above me wet my hair. I also CO wash, which I think its easier than shampoo + conditioner because there's less manual movement of the arms if that's an issue for you. Quickly slathering on conditioner only takes a minute or so & I can quickly sit back down and rest.

I keep my hair up like most people here, but can't braid it, so I use a hairstick and make a knot-like bun at the top of my head & it works well, and I can do it in 3 seconds and with only one hand.

I've found rooibos tea pretty beneficial for when I'm having a run of terrible days. If I have my hair in a up-do, and it's looking gross or greasy, all I have to do is spray rooibos tea on it and once it dries all the greasies disappear! It's very, very quick and it's made my life easy if I haven't had the energy to wash my hair in a while but I have to make myself presentable for something.

I guess it does depend on where your disability/illness hinders you. Hope this helps! :flower:

[jacqueline101]

I agree benign neglect and braided styles would work best.

[Kherome]

I don't prefer braids. For now I mostly use a stick or fork in a nautilus bun.

[spirals]

I'm sorry you all are going through this. I have chronic pain, but I can still do daily actvities. I just don't always want to. I had a pinched nerve my neck last February, and temporarily lost function in the outer half of my right hand. I'm right-handed, so that was hard, and I had trouble lifting that arm as well. My hair was only apl at the time. I don't remember what I did. I think I must have misted it with water and scrunched the curls into place with my left hand. I do remember having to go out and wanting to at least not have a rat's nest on my head.

[dulce]

I have a chronic eye condition that causes frequent retinal detachments that require total bed rest for over a week while recuperating from the surgery each time,I found a caterpillar braid[ over one shoulder in front] with soft fluffy scrunchies helps prevent tangles and is easy to redo while still in bed.Braids down my back get all frizzy due to rolling over in bed and the friction.

[Kherome]

Caterpillar braid? Do you have a tutorial? I guess I don't know what this means. Thanks

[Fairlight63]

I think a Caterpillar braid is small cloth hair ties every few inch. down the length of your "pony tail".

[lapushka]

I still have the same hairstyle I had when I was APL, which is a peacock twist, it's just folded in on itself a few times and then a claw clip is put over it. That's it, 6 days out of 7 (not including wash day).

[dulce]

Fairlight is correct on what I meant by caterpillar braid.

[Natalia]

I rarely post here, mostly because of my chronic health conditions that limit me to maybe 20 minutes of computer time per day. So I am spending a bit of that time here to research and ask if there are any other people here who are disabled/chronically ill that have come up with easy or doable ways of managing their hair. Thanks for any ideas.

I have chronic health issues as well. Im lucky enough to be able to manage wo and occasional bbbing most of the time. As far as styling its pretty much up in a nautilus it goes and i dont touch it again till i go to bed. If i cant wash it i put in in a satin sleep cap to keep the pollon, dirt, dander ect... from making my allergies flare while i sleep. I put monoi oil on my wet ends on occasion and thats about as much special treatment as my hair gets. I decided a few years ago that if i have to stuggle with my hair i ont enjoy it so i went with the most low maitenance things that made my hair happy. Keeping it up and my hands out of it keeps it cleaner so washing isnt so tiring. I always bathe in a bath/shower combo so i can sit in the bottom or on the side since i cant stand long enough to completely bathe. I have a double shower head one removable with an extra long hose which helps alot. We have a water softener because of my skin problems but it helps my hair too, my dad fills it for me.

Im pretty stubborn about asking people for help but as im upstairs i do ask family to bring me various things because i cant go up and down like id need to be able to. I keep a hospital/er go bag with basics like a big comb thats easier on my joints, bands for braids, a u-pin to keep it up if needed, and a 8oz bottle of condish i can use to basin wash with or use as a leave in. Thats been working ok for me thus far if i cant braid i cinnabun or nautilus it and try to leave it alone. As i get worse it keeps evolving but those are the stable parts.

[Natalia]

Forgot to mention i take ribose before showering to help minimize the weakness so i can lift my arms

[italianamama]

I've got chronic pain (fibromyalgia) and some mobility issues (arthritis in my hip and spine). I usually go for a braid on my bad days. I've got a pinched nerve in my neck from a cervical sprain so sometimes I can't get my arms up high enough to do a bun. I usually end up braiding over the shoulder of my good arm :)

[airmid]

I have chronic pain, though I can still get around and do most things normally, thank goodness. I do find it interferes with haircare though, especially during a flare-up. Since it effects my shoulders, on a bad day I can't really do things that require putting my arms above my head, so I go for side-braids- I comb with my less-painful arm and quickly braid it on the side, and leave it at that. On good days I can do a braided bun or cinnabun on the back of my head, as long as I do it quickly- so I do something with a minimum of pins, like a hair stick or spin pins. Also, on days that I am very dizzy/tired, I sit on the edge of my bed and do my hair- saves having to stand for any length of time and I can practice good posture while doing it. :)