Are elastics the enemy?

[Friesiangirl]

I want to avoid damage to my hair at all costs. It's half dyed and half virgin LOL. I plan to grow out all the chemically dyed hair and chop it, and then only do S&D. I may Henna it but I want to wait until my hair is at least BSL before doing so.

However, could someone critique my hair routien?

I was a CO person, but I have slowly switched over to WO. I rinse serparate from my showers because I have a detachable shower head to I lean over the bathtub and do it (for now, because it's only barely shoulder length). I try get my scalp and roots really good. I use luke warm/warmer water.

I gently glide my hands down my hair to squeeze the water out then I wrap a towel around my hair (Turban style? Gently with no rubbing)

I'll combed it when it's semi-dry with a wide tooth comb and put up in a clip. (Ponytail, then twist into a bun shape). I keep the extra hair back with a fabric elastic thingy.

In the evenings, when needed, I oil with Sweet Almond Oil and use a BBB and Peachwood Comb (from China :D)

I want to know though, because I was using elastics a lot, (no metal parts), are they really damaging? I was worried so I stopped using them.

Thanks!

[berr]

They cause my hair to break at the nape area. I do use them occasionally just to pull my hair back but I try not to leave them in too long. The end of my braid doesn't seem to be effected by the elastic I use there. I think the damage I get at the nape is due to head movement. JMO

[sipnsun]

It may depend on your hairtype. Mine is fine and elastics will cause breakage over time. I only use satin covered scrunchies now. My best friend has thick, courser hair and wears a pony pretty much everyday and never has problems with breakage. I agree with berr, most of my breakage is usually at the nape though, but over time if worn everday, my ends will break also.

[AJoifulNoise]

I'm noticing a lot of my damage is from elastics recently.... So, I'd have to say they can be pretty damaging...

[Anje]

I think in addition to hairtype (mine's fine and damages easily, too), it also depends on the type of elastic you use. My general opinion is the softer and wider an elastic is, the better it is for your hair. Lately, I've been sticking with those little terrycloth (aka toweling) elastics and teeny jaw clips on the ends of my braids, and it seems they're not contributing to breakage there.

For people with hair like mine, though, I recommend minimal styles that start as ponytails. I wore exclusively ponytails from shoulder length to low BSL, basically every day. Pulled it back into pigtails once and discovered I had a big chunk of broken hair right where the pony was. It's taken a long time, and a lot of ponytail-less styles, but that chunk's grown back.

[spidermom]

I won't risk elastics without wrapping a ribbon around my hair first, then an elastic over that. I also use scrunchies.

[insideitall]

For the ponytail, I use a thicker no metal elastic.

My "running braid" is a braided ponytail - tied off several inches from the end with a thinner elastic, the metal piece positioned so it doesn't touch the hair.

My "regular braid" does not have a ponytail and is tied off as close to the end as possible with one of those little plastic elastics that look like they belong on braces. Those allow me to get much closer to the end. They slide out very easily. I will not use them if there will be more than an inch or so of hair because otherwise it will get tangled. I usually only braid my hair like that when it's wet/damp so it is much less likely to be tangled, also.

I have not noticed any breakage from elastics. I suppose as long as they are not being wrapped too many times and aren't being yanked out, they should not be a problem for most people.

[1nuitblanche]

Ponytail holders break my hair. At least I think that it's them--my mom tells me periodically to stop using them because I have a suspicious number of short hairs at my nape and my brow that are all about long enough to fit into my ponytail and little more. Once my layers are longer, I plan to use braids or maybe hairsticks more.

[Anje]

Pay attention to how you take elastics out. It's less damaging if you undo them the way you put them in, rather than sliding the whole thing off.

This may also seem obvious, but DO NOT tighten your ponytail , such as by sliding the elastic up or grabbing two sections of hair and pulling them! If a pony is loose, just take it down and re-do it.

[SHADOWSCODE46]

No, elastics aren't the enemy, especially after I discovered these (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P34109&searchString=snag%20free%20elastic#).

http://www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P34109/P34109_hero.jpg


I SWEAR by them. No matter the hair type. I can literally yank these out of my hair from the base and it just gently slides right out. I ONLY use these but I have to buy a few packs now and then because they some how go missing.... and end up in my mums hair. :D

[EvaSimone]

No, elastics aren't the enemy, especially after I discovered these (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P34109&searchString=snag%20free%20elastic#).

http://www.sephora.com/assets/dyn/product/P34109/P34109_hero.jpg


I SWEAR by them. No matter the hair type. I can literally yank these out of my hair from the base and it just gently slides right out. I ONLY use these but I have to buy a few packs now and then because they some how go missing.... and end up in my mums hair. :D
These look great! I only can use thinner elastics for my hair (the thick ones are just too bulky). I hardly ever wear ponytails but I use elastics for my braids.

As for the OP's question I would skip the elastics at least in ponytails and try to vary your hairstyles so you don't create damage by continually putting stress on your hair in the same spots. (Says the person who uses only TWO, thats right two hairstyles... a cinnabun and a braid. :rolleyes:)

[Shanarana]

I use those small scrunchie like elastics if I wear my hair in a braid at night. I have those so called "safe" elastics that I am very careful in putting them in and taking them out. I try not and use those to much.

[anna1850]

I used to put my hair in a ponytail before bunning it with those scunci no metal elastics and they were fine at first but after about 6 months I had massive breakage. I remember going on a boat trip on a windy day and even though my hair was in a bun I had all these little short hairs flying round that had broken off from the elastic.

So I stopped using the elastics about a year ago and I'm pleased to say that all the breakage has gone and even in the windiest weather, all my hair stays in place :) It does depend on the hair type I think and how often you use them but for me they are a definite no-no. I do still use them to tie off a braid at the end though which seems OK but I very rarely use them for ponytails.

ETA: If I want to do a ponytail now I either use a hairagami, a Ficcare clip to do a waterfall twist or a ribbon.

[lind01]

I've finally realized that my rubber bands are damaging my hair. I would pull all my hair up into a messy bun with an elastic. What is was doing was straining and breaking my hair. I try really hard....well, now it's not so hard since I have no hair, ha!.... I try to use only clips now.

[Ohio Sky]

They cause my hair to break at the nape area. I do use them occasionally just to pull my hair back but I try not to leave them in too long. The end of my braid doesn't seem to be effected by the elastic I use there. I think the damage I get at the nape is due to head movement. JMO

Mine seems the opposite. I don't wear styles that start with an elastic all that often, but it's because of the headache factor. I have never experienced (or noticed) breakage there.

I never thought I'd be so paranoid about my hair that I would want to avoid hairties, but I recently realized that when I tie my braid off with one of the wide scuunci metal free elastics, it leaves that part of my hair dry and fuzzy looking. Not necessarily breakage, just... I dunno. Maybe the material sucks the moisture out of my hair or something it's weird. I've started using clips at night instead.