Confess Your Mechanical Damage Sins :)

[cathair]

I think most of my splits come from mechanically damaging my hair. I think I am improving, slowly. Actually noticing what I am doing that is damaging it seems to be the hardest part for me. So I started making a list of things I do that I think probably split my hair.

This is how far I have got so far :)



Catching hair in the hinges of my glasses
Leaning head back of sofa and rubbing the back of my head without noticing
Bag straps
Coat zip
Hair down in the wind (but it feels so good..)
Letting tangles go too far
Rubbing my hood on my hoodies
Not filing my nails quickly enough, so little burs catch my hair
Getting my hair stuck under my bra when I am getting dressed and having to pull it out again
Burning/singeing it
Head banging
Touching it too much, especially the front
Pulling my hair out of a bun instead of unwrapping it


I think there are probably a lot more that I haven't though of. If anyone can point out any more I would be grateful and add them to the list :)

[MegaMystery]

How about getting your hair caught underneath your backpack-strap? Happens to me all the time unfortunately :(

[partlycloudy]

Sleeping! Just the pillow rubbing against my hair seems to do the most damage for me. And fiddling too much with it when it's wet.

[Bagginslover]

Oh boy!
-Wearing it down too much (and all the associated rubbing, catching and tangling that goes with it)
-redoing updos multiple time per day (either because they slip loose, or someone asks to see my hairtoy, and I love to show them off)
-Fiddling with the ends (I love to stroke them when watching the TV)

[Simone_Fatale]

Mechanical damage of hair cannot be avoided and it's simply something I don't really focus on that much. Hey, I can't wear my hair under bulletproof glass all the time and can't worry about every single split end. We're meant to enjoy in our hair, not stress about it :)

[redsiren]

I think my biggest sin is brushing when wet:/ I know I shouldn't but my hair looks like crap when I just let it dry *hangs head in shame* I don't wear it down a lot anymore because it causes so much tangling but I used to untill a few weeks ago because a friend said it look so much better down, it does but I feel better when it's up and out of my way.
Ooh, and I like the surprised looks when I do take I down:)

[jacqueline101]

I've burnt my bangs, former perm and bleach damage. Getting caught in purse and bra straps. Wearing it down and tangles.

[Bagginslover]

Mechanical damage of hair cannot be avoided and it's simply something I don't really focus on that much. Hey, I can't wear my hair under bulletproof glass all the time and can't worry about every single split end. We're meant to enjoy in our hair, not stress about it :)
Oh I agree with you completely, I don't stress about it, and I do enjoy it lots (thats why its down so often ;) ). Knowing where my damage comes from isn't a bad thing though ;)

[lunalocks]

My greatest damage came about a few years back when I began aerobic dancing and had my hair in a pony (in a soft scrunchie) . I would constantly re tighten the pony without really realizing what I was doing. I discovered the damage when I put my hair in rollers (something I only did twice a year) and discovered that many of the hairs on the outside of my pony were broken off. Fast forward to the present where I have splits, many feathers, on the last 2 inches, again on what was the outside of the pony. I have learned some secure buns for dancing, and no more ponys.

[Neneka]

I got a lot of damage when I needed to wear a helmet at work. I used a silk scarf under the helmet but I got a lot of damage anyway. Nowadays I don't get much mechanical damage. I am really careful (or obsessive shudder:).

[rock007junkie]

-Brushing hair when wet.
-Ripping out knots. Sometimes I get too frustrated and just rip it instead of calmly comb out the knot

[ravenreed]

Sunday I went to the local Folk Festival and both belly danced and sang. I decided to wear my hair in a high pony tail with lots of flowers and whatnot. When I went to get out of my car, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't stand up all the way, and realized that most of my ponytail was completely sucked up into the seatbelt-retractor. I have done this before, so I really should know better!

ETA: I brush my hair when wet all the time with my Tangle Teezer. It never damages my hair.

[HintOfMint]

You know those kinky, wiry, random hairs? I have a verifiable ton of them and I can't help but fuss and play with them. I don't pull them out, but I do touch them. So when I reach in and find one, I separate it from the rest of the hair. Unfortunately, this fussing causes HUGE tangles. It's terrible really.

Combine this with sleeping with my hair loose (I keep losing my spin pins!), It's a miracle I have any hair left.

[Bagginslover]

I brush wet too, if I don't, it's a mass of tangles when dry ;)

[CurlyCap]

I sleep with my hair down and on cotton pillowcases because everything else isn't comfortable. I refuse to be uncomfortable for my hair.

[jeanniet]

Sunday I went to the local Folk Festival and both belly danced and sang. I decided to wear my hair in a high pony tail with lots of flowers and whatnot. When I went to get out of my car, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't stand up all the way, and realized that most of my ponytail was completely sucked up into the seatbelt-retractor. I have done this before, so I really should know better!

ETA: I brush my hair when wet all the time with my Tangle Teezer. It never damages my hair.

OK, I'm not laughing at you, but this is totally funny. I can completely see me doing this!

[Firefox7275]

Before LHC and before Curly Girl I used to
- rip a brush through my hair upside down before washing
- brush tangles out of only barely damp hair after washing
- play with my hair constantly, wet and dry
- wear a ponytail 24/7
- repeatedly brush hairspray into wet or dry hair during a work shift.

I had breaks all around my face and at the back where the ponytail sat, starting to suspect I also had hair pulled out at the roots as I have small tufts all at one length. Had to cut back from at least BSL to armpit between six and eight years ago having had massive mid shaft breaks within the ponytail during a period of excessive hair twirling. Didn't stop me continuing to abuse my hair for several further years tho.

I still
- sleep on a regular pillowcase with loose hair
- detangle (wide tooth comb, gently) product laden curls when dry
- play constantly albeit with one curl at a time.

[MsBubbles]

Heh. I kind of don't really care about my ends any more! I never oil my hair. I should. It's dry like old straw on the ends. Haven't found any oil that did anything worth a damn. My ends are so thin, and they're getting trimmed off every month, so I just don't really care about them any more. Maybe I'll start caring again once the post-shed-thickness grows down.

[shutterpillar]

I think the worst of my mechanical damage comes from my bass guitar strap, my purse strap, and forgetting to sleep with my satin bonnet on. It's pretty clear that my hair is scragglier in the spots that get stuck on the straps on the side that I wear my purse/bass strap. It would probably resolve itself if I wore my hair up more often, which I have been doing successfully.

[march_sun]

wearing a hat at work, combing while wet, washing too much...the list goes on

[ghost]

Lately, s&d with the scissors we have in the desk at work :( I've got to stop playing with the end of my braid, because if I find split ends anywhere I get this impulse that I HAVE to cut them off, even if I don't have my good shears with me. I'm sure what I'm doing is probably more of a hindrance than a help.

[Seeshami]

When Mess really pisses me off I brush him vigorously and rip through knots.

The Naughty Mess says, "When Seeshami really pisses me off I catch her in doors and strangle her in her sleep when she forgets to put me in a bun"

[hafattack]

I love elastics and bobby pins. I just can't help it! I also wear it down much more than I should :)

[McFearless]

I tend to toss and turn a lot at night and tangle my hair. As well as massage it excessively and constantly run my hands through it, catching my fingers in single strand knots. Though when it is long enough to put up the constant touching isn't an issue.

[WilfredAllen]

A few months ago I cut with dull scissors. The consequences were awful :( I learned my lesson well.

[faellen]

Mechanical damage of hair cannot be avoided and it's simply something I don't really focus on that much. Hey, I can't wear my hair under bulletproof glass all the time and can't worry about every single split end. We're meant to enjoy in our hair, not stress about it :)

Totally agree with you. If I was worried about damage from wearing my hair down and suchlike I'd seriously never enjoy my hair!

[starlamelissa]

Sometimes I brush with one of those plastic bristle brushes, goody makes them... They gave a plastic woodgrain style handle. It's a nostalgia thing for me, that's what we used as kids in our house. The bristles are like a paintbrush or something.

I wear my hair down a lot.

[truepeacenik]

Sunday I went to the local Folk Festival and both belly danced and sang. I decided to wear my hair in a high pony tail with lots of flowers and whatnot. When I went to get out of my car, I couldn't figure out why I couldn't stand up all the way, and realized that most of my ponytail was completely sucked up into the seatbelt-retractor. I have done this before, so I really should know better!

ETA: I brush my hair when wet all the time with my Tangle Teezer. It never damages my hair.

Another laughing with you. I have done this numerous times. It seems it the signal of yet another awkward length reached. You'd think post classic that would stop, but nooooooooooo.
I even managed to have a near mishap in the loo. Not dunking it, but almost stepping on it to rise. I'd dropped my head forward, being half asleep. Steeped on the ends, started to rise and no go.

I worked folk festivals for years as a venue employee. I once caught the ends in a light I was installing. I found out one third of the way down the ladder. I though my coworkers would die laughing. They did help, and quickly. But they were all laughing.
One gave me his spare scrunchie. I came here and read up on sticks the next day. Now I have a forest of sticks.

[teal]

My worst activities are probably wearing loose braids or similar, and combing when damp. I just can't leave my hair down to dry very often... it drives me nuts if it's loose while damp and I invariably get it tangled up in something or someone. I used to rip through the knots from lack of patience, but I'm proud and admittedly somewhat surprised to say I don't do that very often any more. I've discovered that it doesn't actually take me that much longer to put the comb down and pick apart the knots by hand.

[~honeyflower~]

I had my hair in a French braid all winter, of course I would take it down for sleeping,brushing and washing it. But I couldn't find other ways to wear my shoulder length hair so I have a spot in my hairline thats thinner.

Now my hair is longer and I can experiment with buns, so I'm happy!

[browneyedsusan]

Umm... I confess that I tease (gently) and hairspray. Probably 3 or 4 times a week. It works great for molding and stabilizing victory rolls, pin curls, and other retro updos. Bobbypins stay in like a rock when it's teased.
There. I said it. Out loud. :blushing: I'm a teasing, hairspraying junkie.

[Hatsumomo]

I still use heat stylers on occasion but I think that kirby grips are probably the worst for me. My hair seems to snag in them if I'm not careful....oh and bag straps. Car doors are an occasional problem too :(

[Rufflebutt]

I pay almost no attention to preventing mechanical damage. I know I would have less splits, but I just LOVE to wear it down.

[leslissocool]

I get too lazy to get up and get a pillow case when I wash them, so I sleep with no pillow case with my hair loose :couch:.


My hair doesn't really get mechanical damage though, and for that I'm REALLY lucky!

[AnqeIicDemise]

I get lazy and pull the ouchless pony tail holder otu of my hair instead of unwinding it. Sometimes, when I'm too flippin' lazy I just go to sleep with my hair loose. Usually when I've taken a shower too late at night and its too hot to blow dry. -nod-

[Vintagecoilylocks]

I wear my hair in braids. I'd be a crazy bald person if I did'nt. Now on detangling day if I could just figure a way to undo the tip of the braid with out my curls tangling I just might make it to knee. I always end up creating a knot I have to cut out.:rant::taz::disgust::brickwall

[NoRush]

I brush it, no comb (I hate it and my hair does too)
I leave it down a lot. Which is weird since I never used to before, maybe I just like that it doesn't tangle as easily now that it's healthy :p
I sleep with it loose sometimes.
It gets caught in straps/necklaces/straps.
I touch it too much, epecially the front sections.

And counltess other thing I'm sure, but I wouldn't enjoy it half as much if I were always stressing about damage, for me there is no point in having long well cared for hair if I can't enjoy it and show it off :bounce:

I'm careful with it, I don't fry it or rip through it or back comb it and such, but day to day rubbing doesn't mother me excessively, it' a part of it's sad dead life imo :p

[winship2]

I think my biggest one is that I "comb" root to tip. Whether I'm just detangling with a crochet hook (the blunt end, guys, not the hook!) or using my fingers, or (very rarely) a wide-tooth comb, it just doesn't feel done right without starting from the roots. I don't think it causes a ton of damage, and I don't shed too much, but I know I lose some hairs I'd otherwise keep.

[irishlady]

My hair is currently only at shoulder length, but it gets trapped underneath my shoulder at night when I sleep. At least I use satin pillowcases.
I also tend to comb it too roughly at times, and (prepare yourself) I straighten it once a week :/...I think it does depend on the person though, because my hair hasn't really shown much of a difference to when I go heat free, but maybe that's because I'm careful to use heat protector spray. Still not good for it though, I know :(

[battles]

If I don't wear my hair up in a sleeping cap, my hair is starting to mat when I wake up. Sometimes I lose my sleeping cap.. I wear my hair down quite often, but I see no point in having long hair if I can't enjoy it. I also comb my hair damp, but I think that causes less damage than detangling after it dries would. shudder:

[LadyCelestina]

I pay zero attention to where it goes once it's down and out of my mind...So it gets caught in stuff.
I also comb while wet and sometimes even comb it while blow drying to make it dry quicker.ETA: Oh,and on the rare occasion I use a product for hold,I comb trough my hair too :o
And I toy with my ends when I'm nervous,that's it.

[HumanBean]

I also tease and use hairspray occasionally for certain hairdos. I use the blow dryer on my bangs after washing (once a week) and the straightener on them most days.

I think that's it.

[Natalia]

My mechanical sins are -

- Sleep with it loose and wet
- Wearing buns in the same place for long periods of time.

Overall i think im pretty good. I have a no hands in my hair rule once it goes up, i dont sit in highback chairs where it would rub, i rarely wear hoods, i rarely wear it down. It pretty much goes up and gets left alone till it gets washed.

[faerielady]

My number one mechanical damage cause was my hair elastics. Even though they were the ouchless kind, wearing my hair in a ponytail at the nape of my neck for a year (basically every day I'd just brush it and put it in a ponytail) has caused my hair to break on the outside of my ponytail. So I'm going big elastic free. I have some tiny terry elastics for braid ends, but other than that, there will be no ponytails for a long while.

[SleepyTangles]

I must confess that most times I'm too lazy to wet my hair and use a bit of jojoba to detangle them. I always end up fingercombing them roughly, tearing the knots and pulling everything! And keep doing it every time even if it makes me cringe... :o I am a little bit masochistic, probably.

[alexis917]

When I'm nervous, I touch my hair incessantly.

[kidari]

I'm training for a marathon right now and sometimes I split my runs into two and I have been washing my hair twice a day, which is part of the reason why I have cut a bit and I'm considering cutting back to BSL for ease.

[millyaulait]

I wear buns with elastics & it causes matting.... Which I impatiently rake through with my fingers & then my TT.

My hair gets poofy and weird after this. Pretty sure this is why my hair hates me.

No splits yet though! :lol:

[Khristopher]

Another one touching hair all the time here! But it's just so nice and soft I really enjoy it. Lately there's some days I'm just to lazy to braid or bun it before bed and the next morning I wake up with a dry brittle bird's nest in my head. But heavy oiling with EVOO fix it like a charm, and I don't do that so often anyways.
I do leave it down almost everyday but that's because I'm just around the house. I bun it when I go outside. So that's about it, I think :)

[meteor]

It used to be: hair sucked into blow dryers, brushing (and snapping) wet all the time, getting stuck on chairs, bag straps, etc...
I got much, much better since LHC advice: especially ditching blow-frying, and using buns and braids constantly.
My biggest problem though (and please forgive me if it's TMI) is mechanical damage during sex. I get a lot of damage (snapped hair, tangles...) and I need to detangle for a couple hours after. I also feel like my hair needs to be washed more often because it looks like this horrible tangly mess and loses all shine after mechanical damage, I think. I still haven't figured out what to do about that. :confused:

[lazuliblue]

Oh yes, and I don't wear it up at night. I'm hoping when it's longer it will stay in a bun.

[nobeltonya]

I was sleeping with my hair loose the other day :O which wouldn't normally be a problem, except my husband and I co-sleep with our 2 boys... and 3 males can NOT lay still for anything... my youngest son ended up with several strands of hair above my ear wrapped around his hand and at some point just yanked them out!!! Not sure if they broke or what, but at least I didn't end up with a gaping hole lol b/c it hurt! :disco:

[arjay.d]

The last 5 or 6 weeks, my hair has been really waxy, so I haven't been combing it but once a week or so. Along with wearing it down on my walks home (to accommodate my sun hat) this has made it into a big, dry, knotty mess. Hopefully, it will get better soon.

[Jenny31557]

I've been slacking with being gentle to my hair these last few days. So it has been thrown up into a messy bun with an elastic band. I could be more careful when taking the elastic out... I could also be a little more gentle when I'm detangling. I will be more gentle from now on. :o

[queenofheartz44]

I brush my hair when it wet, I don't have a tangle teaser yet.

I'm totally guilty of spraying perfume on the underside of my hair and then twirling/brushing it to spread the amazing smell throughout. :)

Relaxer and flat iron once a week. I know I know the relaxer is "terrible" and I should eliminate the flat iron (I'm working on the flat iron bit right now)

[Leeloo]

I take it down from an updo a lot and also not very careful about getting perfume sprayed on it.

[Coolcombination]

I don't oil it, I wash every other day, I brush while wet and wear ponytails and elastics far too often

[Robot Ninja]

I wear it down on windy days (not even because I want to be pretty, but because I'm too lazy in the morning to take 30 seconds and braid it,) I sleep with it loose when it's still damp, it catches on jewelry and bra straps, I've caught the ends in my purse zipper or boot zipper a few times.

Oh, and then there was the computer chair with duct tape on the back. It was cheap duct tape, so the edges would start to peel and curl and catch my hair. The first thing I did when I discovered LHC was throw an old shirt over the back of that chair.

[massivecnqstdr]

I brush it when its wet. Its quite short, so I don't really get much resistance or tangling at all.. so.. I'm hoping it ain't so bad! We'll see if I can break the habit as it gets longer..

[sarahthegemini]

1) I comb my hair whilst wet. I only do this so I can distribute oil evenly though, and I use a wooden comb (mostly) :o
2) I wear my hair down a lot. I don't like my hair up, in fact it's only been up for the past week or so because it's too hot to have it down (plus I haven't washed it in about 4 days)
3) I wash my hair daily (apart from the past few days simply because our shower broke and I gave up washing it over the sink) I CWC though so I'm not too naughty
4) I roughly shove my hair into a messy bun during sex, it also gets pulled :o

[PraiseCheeses]

My braid always gets trapped underneath my back and ground into the sheets when I'm sleeping, and I comb it too much when it's wet/damp so it's under control.

Also, my fluffy cat sleeps on my head, and before she settles down she'll step all around my head as. close. to. my. scalp. as. possible. I can't tell you how many times she's gotten her fluffyfeet stuck and broken a bunch of hair trying to get free. Yes, this happens whether my hair is bunned or braided.

[queenofheartz44]

It used to be: hair sucked into blow dryers, brushing (and snapping) wet all the time, getting stuck on chairs, bag straps, etc...
I got much, much better since LHC advice: especially ditching blow-frying, and using buns and braids constantly.
My biggest problem though (and please forgive me if it's TMI) is mechanical damage during sex. I get a lot of damage (snapped hair, tangles...) and I need to detangle for a couple hours after. I also feel like my hair needs to be washed more often because it looks like this horrible tangly mess and loses all shine after mechanical damage, I think. I still haven't figured out what to do about that. :confused:

OOH doo princess Leia buns! Everyone loves Star Wars!:p

[chen bao jun]

I used to have a ton of mechanical damage sins before LHC: washing hair in hot water, using harsh shampoo (this causes mechanical damage for curlies), rubbing it around on top of my head roughly while washing, braiding it and ripping the ends off when they knotted while unbraiding, sleeping with it loose on cotton pillowcases, resulting in unintentional dreads...
Now I'm pretty good. I do still need to be careful to vary hairstyles more so that I don't get breakage from wearing my favorite fake crown braids (created with french braiding going up my head). I also want to aware in winter of hats (big cause of mechanical damage for me if I don't wear a satin cap under them) and the rough collars of winter coats, hoodies and sweaters (need to put a scarf between),
I did wear a France Luxe barrette today with that steel spring. I wonder, how damaging are they really? I usually always use sticks, spin pins, Amish pins, ficcare or scrunchies.

[Tinyponies]

Before LHC - these make me cringe
Wearing hair in two braids all the time with/without hats (oh the tangles)
Rubbing my back and neck with towel after a bath and a clump of nape hairs would always get in there and roll up and then ripping that out
Cotton and brushed cotton pillowcases
Dry dry ends! Argh they were so bad
Getting braids caught on hoodie zip constantly
Brushing with a stiff plastic bristle brush and ripping through tangles
Pulling off broken hairs (white dots)
Taking hot showers (hot as I could stand)
Not protecting hair from sun, wind, cold
Smooshing hair upside down while washing and using lots of shampoo all over and rubbing it all (arrrgh)
Leaning on whatever, chairs, sofas, car seats with braids or loose hair
Swimming in public baths and in the sea without a swim cap
Ripping through hairs as it tangled when I was quickly and roughly braiding
Burning/singeing on camp fires
Hot air swoosh when opening oven door!

And more, I’m sure

This lot sets my teeth on edge to think of it now, and it wasn’t even that long ago. And I wondered why I was stalling/shortening at bsl. !!

[blesseddamozel]

My day-to-day bag is a backpack that features a metal zipper that faces my back in order to ward off pick pockets. I love it but my hair has gotten tugged on by that zipper so many times..... I try to remember to wear buns if I'm going to use it.

My worst sin had to have been back when I was 14-16 and "scene" hairstyles were a big thing. I used to often use the so-called "layering technique" that involved rubbing a shaving razor (shudder:) up and down the ends of my hair to thin them out. No wonder I had such thin ends when I grew my hair out at that age!

[Milady_DeWinter]

The last inches are a bit thinner in my right... Due to the backpack I usually wear in my right shoulder. I only started caring about it 4 years ago or so ^^'

[hollygolightly]

to do and undo braids or buns all the time, just because I like to feel my hair. Also and I don't know if I'm allowed to say this but sex is where I think I get all my split ends. I've tried all the hairstyles but non of them prevent my hair from getting all dry and tangled

[Natalia_A00]

I always wear my hair down (80% of the times)
Touching it all the time
Not redoing my braids for a long time, wearing the braids I did for the night all day
Lying down on my hair (on my bed, on the sofa etc)
When a knot is very difficult to detangle sometimes I don't have the patience to do it properly and carefully and I rip it off or pull lol

[Natalia_A00]

The last inches are a bit thinner in my right... Due to the backpack I usually wear in my right shoulder. I only started caring about it 4 years ago or so ^^'

Backpack damage is definitely a thing, I always wear it down and the constant friction and getting caught in the backpack is doing some damage lol

[Natalia_A00]

Sometimes, when I'm bored in class and I find a split end I "pluck" it or tear the hair strand in half

[Zesty]

I'm pretty good now... I'm irritated as hell by the tall collar of my warmest winter coat rubbing my nape hairs. :justy: But I don't like to be cold.

Before the LHC I would brush my hair wet and wear it down all the time.

[Begemot]

I used to be awful about my S&D practices. No cutting with sharp scissors, just ripping the breakage off. Sometimes I would even bite off split ends :bigeyes:

Now my biggest sins are probably my habit of touching my hair too much and my love of brushing.

[Dung Beetle]

The glasses hinge thing bothers me so much! I've actually been trying to invent something to solve that problem. I thought maybe tiny magnets of opposing poles that would keep the hinge bits from being able to touch each other and pinch out my hair, but that's not very good. Tiny bits of dental floss across the hinge gap to keep the hairs out? Then you have little string loops sticking out. A stretchy thing that covers the whole arm of the glasses including the hinge? They already make those and they look awful (and don't work).

I would totally buy the product that could fix this, if it existed!

[Patience32]

Most recently my wedding and engagement rings have been the worst. They were soldered together but had begun to separate at the top. Everytime I would mess with my hair I would snag it between the rings and rip some out. I kept forgetting to take my rings off and I have found a ton of feather splits on my left side halfway down my hair.

Aaaaand my curling wand....my hubby loves my hair curled so it is hard not to revert to that for date nights and such.

[gustavonut]

I brush my hair pretty carelessly sometimes, but with this length I feel like I never get snags or break any hairs. I use hairspray often, mainly because it keeps my “look” together and if I don’t use it I have so many more flyaways. I also straighten my hair sometimes but just the very ends because they flip outwards and I always feel like that looks totally ugly on me.

[priinnz]

In addition to everything mentioned in the first post, also car seat belt.

So far I usually wear my hair down, but waiting to get some hair toys to motivate myself to wear it up.

[C_Bookworm]

Before the LHC I would brush my hair wet and wear it down all the time.
:rollin: This is my current sin. It’s a calculated thing at this point...I enjoy the tactile sensation of wash-and-go hair and wearing it down enough that I’m good with the trade off...but I also realize as my goal length keeps shifting lower that I’ll have to change routines to make it past a certain length

[VenusianMane]

I take hot showers, wear my hair down practically all the time (sleep with it loose as well) and maybe there's even more but I can't recall

[tekla]

I used to be awful about my S&D practices. No cutting with sharp scissors, just ripping the breakage off. Sometimes I would even bite off split ends :bigeyes:

Now my biggest sins are probably my habit of touching my hair too much and my love of brushing.

Hah, I was the same! As a matter of fact, I used to have a strand of hair on my right hand side that was very damaged at the ends because I simply kept touching, braiding and playing with that hair. Now I try not to touch my hair that much (it's surprisingly difficult!) and I'm planning to buy a good pair of hair scissors for S&D.

[lithostoic]

Past couple days I've beem brushing my hair (dry) trying to get a decent length pic. Still looks like **** and I don't even want to post rhe pic.

[sophia_]

Oof shudder: before (and even a little while after) I started lurking here I would just tear knots out of my hair if I couldn't be bothered to brush them; knots that developed from poor choice of conditioner and wearing it down all the time (not to mention teasing...)
My brushes were either plastic or metal (or on occasion a fine-tooth comb), and I would just tear through everything from the top down, wet and dry.
The list goes on, lol. I also used to put elastics in ponytails really sloppily and just tear them out, they would always take a few hairs with them. I owned a pair of sunglasses that would get caught in my hair constantly and I would just tear them out (I only got rid of those in February of last year so those tufts of broken hairs are still growing out).
As well as heat damage from curling, I had a really awful old iron that caught my hair in a hinge every time and I would just tear it out.
My thin ends make sense when I think about how poorly I've been treating them, lol. I really try hard to avoid any damage now.

[lemonlollies]

Wearing it loose in bed, always wake up with tangled hair, lol. I used to be a lot worse though - pre. LHC I would often drag my hair into a messy bun, then at the end of the day I’d rip through it with a brush instead of detangling. No wonder my ends are a mess!

[Haven]

I think 99% of my splits are probably from mechanical damage shudder: I've worn it exclusively loose for a long time... it gets caught under all manners of clothes and bags and it tangles while I sleep, not to mention is subject to my fiddly hands.
I'm trying to wear braids more often, especially while sleeping, and it already feels a lot better - on 3rd day hair right now and usually it would feel pretty tangly and a little dry at the ends, but I've kept it in a braid with an oiled tassel yesterday and today and it feels very nice.

[Larke]

This thread is making me sad. I love leaving my hair loose, brushing it out a lot, changing hairstyles multiple times a day...basically touching it. :P It just feels so strange that, in order to have longer hair, I have to make it disappear into buns for months and years. I tucked my french braid the other day and of course that's less damaging than keeping it loose, but suddenly it's like I barely have any hair at all! But I still leave my hair loose first two days after a shower as a calculated decision that I rather be happy with my appearance than keep my hair 100% damage-free.

[Haven]

Headphones are dangerous! I was wearing some with my hair down just now and it got caught in one of the joints where the ears swivel for easier storage. Tried to carefully extricate hair but lost a couple strands. :(

[Katsura]

My biggest sin is propably not taking time brushing it gently enough.

[Joules]

I'm quite rough with my hair when I wash it. My excuse is that it's covered in conditioner, it shouldn't get damaged :lol: but, like, in order to cover it with conditioner I need to "brush" it with my fingers, and sometimes I feel all the pulling and tugging that's happening.

I also brush my hair wet. BUT I do it with a Tangle Teezer, and my hair is never tangled, because I slather it with conditioner so much. I don't feel any damage from it.

Also my favorite claw clip sometimes catches a few hairs into its coil thingy and rips them out if I'm not careful enough, but I hate it and plan to get a new claw clip. Other than that, I'm pretty good with my hair.

[Joules]

This thread is making me sad. I love leaving my hair loose, brushing it out a lot, changing hairstyles multiple times a day...basically touching it. :P It just feels so strange that, in order to have longer hair, I have to make it disappear into buns for months and years. I tucked my french braid the other day and of course that's less damaging than keeping it loose, but suddenly it's like I barely have any hair at all! But I still leave my hair loose first two days after a shower as a calculated decision that I rather be happy with my appearance than keep my hair 100% damage-free.

It's a matter of habit. I'm pretty sure none of the ladies here who wear their hair up all the time feel like they have no hair :) I got used to wearing my hair up all the time pretty quickly. Now I don't feel pulled together and "ready to take over the world" (figuratively speaking) unless my hair is in a bun.

You can't keep your hair 100% damage-free, even with updos. When your ends are 5-6-7-10 years old, they're gonne be damaged just from all those years of brushing and washing. Updos just help save them and keep them as healthy as possible. When your hair is short to average length, it really doesn't matter, but when you start aiming for longer hair, updos are the only way to go. Of course we all are different and some people start to need updos later than others (some can go until Classic with their hair down all the time), but still.

[Liosan]

I love to free my hair from the clawclip when I’m riding my bike or when I’m outside and the wind is blowing. Especially when I’m on my way home from work. It gives me a fantastic sense of being free! :pegasus:

My hair is close to shoulder, not very long yet. Even so, I did this yesterday and it caused some tangles. I should stop doing this, especially when my hair gets longer. But it feels absolutely amazing after having short hair for so many years.

[victorian girl]

I lean against everything all the time (even now as I'm writing this). I still can't figure out what's best to use to secure the braid ends - even the softest hairties feel damaging. I mostly wear braids at home (it's easier for lying down - I'm often sleepy and have low blood pressure etc), although it would probably be better to wear everything up. I still didn't get myself that satin pillowcase. Sometimes I think I re-do my hair too much during the day. But that's probably it:)

[meteor]

This thread is making me sad. I love leaving my hair loose, brushing it out a lot, changing hairstyles multiple times a day...basically touching it. :P It just feels so strange that, in order to have longer hair, I have to make it disappear into buns for months and years. I tucked my french braid the other day and of course that's less damaging than keeping it loose, but suddenly it's like I barely have any hair at all! But I still leave my hair loose first two days after a shower as a calculated decision that I rather be happy with my appearance than keep my hair 100% damage-free.

Ha-ha, very true. I sometimes think how cool it would be to be able to take all the hair off 90% of the time and then just put it back on like a wig once in a blue moon, just because it can be such a struggle washing it and combing it and wearing it down while trying to prevent tangling and mechanical damage. So up it goes in a bun .... all the time. :lol: For example, I didn't even realize that I passed a length milestone, because I almost never get to see my own hair down, lol.
I'm happy to hear that you manage to enjoy wearing your hair loose on a regular basis, Larke! :thumbsup:

[cjk]

I enjoy my hair. I wear it down, braided, bunned, and in ponytails regularly.

While it is increasing in length, length is not specifically my goal. If I can't enjoy it, if caring for it becomes a choice instead of a joy, then I'll know it's time for a trim.

Haven't reached that point, yet.

[Natalia_A00]

This thread is making me sad. I love leaving my hair loose, brushing it out a lot, changing hairstyles multiple times a day...basically touching it. :P It just feels so strange that, in order to have longer hair, I have to make it disappear into buns for months and years. I tucked my french braid the other day and of course that's less damaging than keeping it loose, but suddenly it's like I barely have any hair at all! But I still leave my hair loose first two days after a shower as a calculated decision that I rather be happy with my appearance than keep my hair 100% damage-free.

Same! I like buns, but I prefer wearing my hair down
sometimes I stress out thinking about the tangles and damage but right now I don't really care anymore. I want to enjoy my hair and split ends are unavoidable. They will always appear. My hair is fine and fragile so every time I commit "a mechanical damage sin" they appear. So I have to stop stressing about them.

[TwilightMermaid]

If one or a few hairs got left out of a hairstyle I would just pull them out.shudder: That was when I was younger. I would also rip brushes through my hair while braiding, as it was drying, because I would often rebraid my hair a few times. Oh, also sleeping on a cotton pillowcase.

[Tinyponies]

If one or a few hairs got left out of a hairstyle I would just pull them out.shudder: That was when I was younger. I would also rip brushes through my hair while braiding, as it was drying, because I would often rebraid my hair a few times. Oh, also sleeping on a cotton pillowcase.

Oh my gosh yeah, pre lhc when braiding I would just quickly do it, hairs that got in the way would just get ripped! Maybe 7-10 ish a time! It’s not that I didn’t care, I hated it, but I had no idea. My hair was so dry, grabby and perpetually knotty.

I’m sure there are things I still havent learned yet :)

Taking care of my hair ie doing protective things is such a joy, I can’t even explain. After my entire life of wanting long hair but having no clue. So reading this thread is fun and also useful!

[blackgothicdoll]

I didn't have scissors or nail Clippers nearby so I ripped off an ssk. I used to do this all the time before my hair journey and now I usually practice control, but this was a double and I was trying to rip right at the knot but I just ripped and the strand broke wherever. Ugh so bad... I'll be better ._.

[enting]

I'm not gentle enough when I comb, either fingercombing or with a comb.
I still pull out hair.
I need improvement on inserting hairtoys gently. I still snap hairs sometimes.
I'm not good at always moving my hair out of the way when it's down. I get it caught under my laptop, between my back and the couch... and I wear it down a lot while at home.
I use tiny silicone hair elastics for braid ends even though I know they break my hair.
I wear a wool hat to sleep sometimes and my pillowcase is polyester. I don't use silk/satin hats or pillowcases.
Sometimes I rip out small knots if I don't have a scissor around. Sometimes I bite off split ends. I've yelled at others for doing that too, so I'm bad and a hypocrite when I do this!

[jessicasantana]

touching too much and wearing down everyday, i know i shouldn't but i just can't avoid :couch:

[FrayedFire]

Easy to admit: my glasses catch and break this one section of my hair, I usually get 1-3 strands a day this way. I used to wrap yarn around the hinge to mitigate it.

Shameful habit: I fiddle with my hair, twirl my ends and stuff... not too bad.

Secret admission: I like having my hair played with (and pulled). I know it's damaging buuuuuut >.>;

[Lizabeth94]

Definitely washing my hair everyday, sometimes even twice a day, but I have to because of my job and I can’t avoid it. :couch:
I also struggle with touching it too much, especially when I’m feeling anxious.

[crowhands]

Ooof... this got me.
My glasses are slightly bent (and I cant afford new ones) so the bangs that I've been trying to grow out get continuously caught in my glasses, its infuriating.
The other thing that gets me is the fact I wash my hair wayyy too often for someone with hair as long/thick as mine... I can't help myself, its too oily too quickly! Shampooing almost every day causes some serious breakage, I dunno how to fix that. Big mistake.

[PeaceTeaRules]

I occasionally just rip the comb through the tangles instead of calmly and carefully detangling. Oof. Hearing the snap of broken hair should be incentive to stop tho. :oops:

[Nineteenbirds]

Any hair gadgets made of metal or elastic damage my hair, so I haven't worn metal barrettes in decades and I finally stopped wearing a ponytail last year. After I bought several metal Flexis I realized that even those were slicing my hair. One night a few months ago, in a moment of weakness, I wore a half-up with my favorite Flexi and the next day I had a lot of 5-6" ends sticking out on both sides. It made me so sad because I love those things and I have some really nice ones. But now I only use leather or wooden accessories. And I have one acrylic stick that I really like.

[cjk]

My glasses are slightly bent (and I cant afford new ones) so the bangs that I've been trying to grow out get continuously caught in my glasses, its infuriating.

www.zennioptical.com

You might find this helpful. I know I do!

[Ylva]

A few days ago, I needed to go out in a hurry and I was really angry and frustrated, so I brushed my hair quite violently and that indubitably resulted in some unnecessary breakage. I felt really bad about it afterwards - not really for the sake of my hair but for my own sake, because I should love myself more than that. In the future, I hope I'll be able to avoid such situations.

In general, I guess it's bad that I like to use cotton pillowcases and sleep with my hair loose, but I just don't find sleep braids or buns comfortable. I need the freedom! On daytime, I also like to wear my hair down in braids, so that causes some friction.

[spidergoat]

Lately it's been brushing my hair too quickly, which results in those horrid snapping noises. I've learned to be more careful when inserting my hair toys, and I sleep on a satin pillowcase with a satin sleep cap, although I'm worried about what that will do to my hairline. I used to sleep on a cotton pillowcase with it loose (for about six months last year when a lot of life stuff was going down), and that definitely did a number on my ends. I washed it more often than usual this past week, which probably didn't help. Other than that, I think I play with it too much - I have to fix my buns throughout the day, and it's nice to touch my hair.

[FrayedFire]

I got another one - if I'm foolish enough to leave my hair loose while cleaning, it gets caught in the broom/vacuum handle and rips out. Ouch!

[BerrySara]

Lately it's been brushing my hair too quickly, which results in those horrid snapping noises. I've learned to be more careful when inserting my hair toys, and I sleep on a satin pillowcase with a satin sleep cap, although I'm worried about what that will do to my hairline. I used to sleep on a cotton pillowcase with it loose (for about six months last year when a lot of life stuff was going down), and that definitely did a number on my ends. I washed it more often than usual this past week, which probably didn't help. Other than that, I think I play with it too much - I have to fix my buns throughout the day, and it's nice to touch my hair.

Gosh same here lately about brushing too quickly. And when I do hear the snapping sound, I seriously cringe and feel myself get frustrated. Which just makes me want to be done with the detangling even faster. And then a few more snaps..
I have found I need to be in the right mindset to detangle lol. Cant be short on time.

[Knightly]

Brushing like a beast! I get desperate and start brushing strongly from the roots lol I feel soooo bad!

[Begemot]

I couldn't figure out a way to keep my hair up comfortably under a tight beanie and a helmet, so it was just a loose mess. I have to admit, I didn't even try very hard to protect my hair... I was just lazy and not prepared :couch: French or dutch braids could have worked but I'm still no good with braiding my hair. Taking the beanie and helmet off and putting it on, off and on, on and off, and just trying to finger comb my hair a bit in between. Poor hair, I promise to be better for you from now on.

[Stray_mind]

I went out in the wind today with my hair loose. *shrug*

My hair was being blown around and rubbing against my jacket.

[spidergoat]

Not sure if this counts as a damage sin, but I realized recently that when I stretch out on the couch to take a nap, I flip my hair up so it is loose on top of the pillow and the arm of the couch. Of course the texture of the pillow is very rough, that tapestry kind of fabric. Maybe I should put a satin pillowcase on one of those pillows or keep a bed pillow with a case like that to take naps on. I can't see that pillow/couch fabric doing any good to my hair. Also, the cats walk on it.

I used to have a cat that would try to eat my hair when I went to sleep. I'd wake up to my hair being pulled and these *crunch crunch* sounds. I miss that cat :laugh:

[blushy]

just...brushing it really hard :wail::wail::wail: I have no patience when it comes to brushing my hair, I just rip through it........:boohoo::shake:

[Aeonian]

I brushed my hair under the shower with a tangle teezer, I never brush my hair, ever! LOL

[UP Lisa]

I have very fragile hair, and I don't always take the time to be as gentle with it as I should.

[cjk]

When braiding my hair yesterday it was being very clingy. I heard some snapping, so I know I broke some strands.

[ynne]

Catching hair in the hinges of my glasses
Bag straps
Coat zip

All of that. D:

I should also be more careful when removing bobby pins. I just don't have the patience, though!

[Blossoming Bird]

I detangle in the shower by brushing it. Wet. The amount of hair that ends up coming out is shocking :o

[Begemot]

I got a strand stuck between the hinge of my glasses and I couldn't get it off nicely... the whole hair got pulled out, root and all :justy: I need laser eye surgery.

[Simpscone]

I'm constantly touching and playing with my hair - I need to stop!

[Begemot]

I'm constantly touching and playing with my hair - I need to stop!

Hey, wanna do a "no unnecessary touching" challenge with me? :grin: There used to be a thread for it but I haven't been able to find it. I have had this problem as long as I have been into long hair and growing. I touch and play with it and do S&D too much and I think it's going harm my hair in the long run.

[Simpscone]

Hey, wanna do a "no unnecessary touching" challenge with me? :grin: There used to be a thread for it but I haven't been able to find it. I have had this problem as long as I have been into long hair and growing. I touch and play with it and do S&D too much and I think it's going harm my hair in the long run.

That's a great idea! I've had a look for a thread too with no success, should we start a new one?

I'm currently wearing my hair down a lot and wurly and I just find myself "scrunching" it throughout the day, or playing with individual wurls. I'm sure this can't be good for my hair, no matter what I'm trying to convince myself!

I wanted to try a wearing my hair up challenge because I thought that would help, but with the weather not being warm here yet I've been enjoying it down too much!!

[Begemot]

That's a great idea! I've had a look for a thread too with no success, should we start a new one?

I'm currently wearing my hair down a lot and wurly and I just find myself "scrunching" it throughout the day, or playing with individual wurls. I'm sure this can't be good for my hair, no matter what I'm trying to convince myself!

I wanted to try a wearing my hair up challenge because I thought that would help, but with the weather not being warm here yet I've been enjoying it down too much!!

Maybe it's better to make a brand new one. I asked somewhere here on the mane forum about the old thread but no one seemed to remember it. It was maybe 2013 or 2014 when I lasted visited it so maybe it just has been dormant for a long time and got buried deep. I believe it was on Polls&projects and had some funny title but I still haven't managed to find it. Anyway, I'll go and make a new thread! Let's start fresh :)

edit. here's the thread, I moved our conversation there :) https://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=149456&p=3667315#post3667315

[blvnkness]

I've gotten out of most of these habits, but here are some of mine (both old and current):

-When I used a straightener, I'd clamp down hard enough so you'd hear the strands pulling, snapping, and straining
-Getting my ends caught in jacket zippers and quickly zipping/unzipping to free them
-Rubber bands as hair elastics/ties (honestly I don't know what in the world I was thinking when I did this)
-Crinkling my hair into a knotty and VERY mussy bun on the days that I was in a rush (and metal hair ties, ouch)
-Brushing my hair from top to bottom and vigorously untangling the ends by practically hitting my locks with said brush as though it were an axe

I've since stopped doing most, if not all of these but goodness knows the temptation of being careless still lingers.

[lapushka]

I've gotten out of most of these habits, but here are some of mine (both old and current):

-When I used a straightener, I'd clamp down hard enough so you'd hear the strands pulling, snapping, and straining
-Getting my ends caught in jacket zippers and quickly zipping/unzipping to free them
-Rubber bands as hair elastics/ties (honestly I don't know what in the world I was thinking when I did this)
-Crinkling my hair into a knotty and VERY mussy bun on the days that I was in a rush (and metal hair ties, ouch)
-Brushing my hair from top to bottom and vigorously untangling the ends by practically hitting my locks with said brush as though it were an axe

I've since stopped doing most, if not all of these but goodness knows the temptation of being careless still lingers.

^^ Good description. That is exactly what I used to do as a teen.

[spidergoat]

I've been doing pretty good with taking time to brush my hair slowly in the mornings, but today I was short on time and patience and I definitely heard some snaps as I was brushing.

[cjk]

After visiting this thread a few days ago I got thinking about it and realized, I'll bet mechanical damage is why my beard has not gained any notable length in several years.

Today I begin using protective styles.

https://i.imgur.com/EcRj7iy.jpg

[SwanFeathers]

After visiting this thread a few days ago I got thinking about it and realized, I'll bet mechanical damage is why my beard has not gained any notable length in several years.

Today I begin using protective styles.

https://i.imgur.com/EcRj7iy.jpg

Lol just be careful, instead of getting one hair caucht in something, it might be half your face.

[lithostoic]

I sleep with it loose. I used to always braid it but I feel like it tangles more that way. And when I brush I'm not super gentle. I do start from the ends and work my way up but I have to go back down and back up several times because I get knots near the roots and it's very annoying. Hair that was JUST detangled gets more tangles.

[Simpscone]

After visiting this thread a few days ago I got thinking about it and realized, I'll bet mechanical damage is why my beard has not gained any notable length in several years.

Today I begin using protective styles.

https://i.imgur.com/EcRj7iy.jpg

That is an iconic beard braid!

[zmirina]

- I've just started braiding it to sleep. Before I always slept with it loose, and generally never braided it .
- Playing with the tip of the braid
- Using rubber bands to hold my ponytail and braids in place for exercise

[Ylva]

I haven't worn my hair up in almost a month or so. I just don't feel like it. I've just had it in a braid, mostly.

[cm006j]

Not putting on my sleep cap or my sleep cap comes off during the night and letting tangles go for too long are the biggest ones I'm guilty of!

I have episodes of clinical depression and during those times it's very hard to keep up with taking care of my hair. Like even brushing it :( But I'm still managing to hang on to my long hair!

[Begemot]

I have to wear a scarf or a beanie for work and I haven't really figured out how to wear my hair yet. I'm not entirely sure what would be the best way to protect my hair. One day my beanie kept sliding back and I had to pull it back and forth which made my canopy matted by the end of the day.

[cjk]

I have to wear a scarf or a beanie for work

Okay, I'm curious. What do you do?

When I'm in a hardhat I do double braids, it avoids the tensioning mechanism in back and is much more comfortable.

[LittleHealthy]

Wearing it down. For about 2 weeks straight. Had to do an S and D session as damage control ;)

[MusicalSpoons]

Wore a braided bun, then braided the ends with satin ribbon 'to protect them' and slept in it, thinking being encased by satin (makeshift bonnet from a pillowcase) would be fine.

Nope. Sleeping in a braid is still just as damaging as it was before. My poor ends where the braid shredded! :wail:

[FrayedFire]

Keeping messy braids for days longer than they look good.

[floralgem]

Wearing it down
Always playing with it
And the grand daddy of all sins: splitting split ends or just pulling them out.

[lithostoic]

Sleeping with it down. Surprisingly, I have it in two loose rope braids tonight.

[Simpscone]

Wearing it down for most of the time!

[Hedwig]

Wearing it down for most of the time!

Same here! Plus I‘m notorious for getting my hair caught under my tote bag straps and then kind of ripping it out of there. Lol I really shouldn‘t complain about my damaged ends, I think considering what I put them through they could be worse. :D

[Kalamazoo]

https://i.imgur.com/EcRj7iy.jpg


Lol just be careful, instead of getting one hair caucht in something, it might be half your face.

Wow, cjk, what a great idea! This opens a whole new realm of hairstyles! You could French/Dutch-braid from your chin up, and then continue back into your scalp hair...a whole new meaning for "helmet hair"! Then you wouldn't have any trouble with bending forward & your beard getting in things. I dunno though. You may need to beware of societal impact from following my brainstorm...

But it looks really cool!

Maybe rope braids?

[Kalamazoo]

Back on-topic! I want to wear my hair down more, because I like the way it makes me look, and the way I feel when I play with it. But I keep putting it up, because it's too hot, too windy, ... At some point, I'm probably going to decide that it's long enough so that NOW! is the time to enjoy it!

I don't think the way I play with my hair damages it.

I did quit using any sort of so-called "damage-free" hair ties, because they were causing white dots, and went to securing the ends of the braids by bobby-pinning them to my head.

On the bobby pins, I found some that have just one hump instead of three. They seem to stay in well enough, but don't pull the hair so much when I take them out.

And metal barettes? Oh my. I stopped using those like about 50 years ago, because they were just like scissors, slicing through my hair!

Hairsticks? They don't stay in for even 5 minutes. Well, that braided Chinese bun was an exception. I really should learn more hairstyles...

[Begemot]

The other night was pretty terrible for me sleeping arragement wise. I got a big nasty knot as result and was so tired and frustrated that I wasn't gentle at all when sorting it :(

[lithostoic]

Sleeping with it down. Surprisingly, I have it in two loose rope braids tonight.

Bad idea. The nape tangles were killer. I may as well just leave my hair down!

[Nox_Inber]

Bad idea. The nape tangles were killer. I may as well just leave my hair down!

My hair ends up in worse condition when I sleep with it braided and it's baffling :shrug:

[MusicalSpoons]

My hair ends up in worse condition when I sleep with it braided and it's baffling :shrug:

The handful of times I've slept on braided hair, the braid shred ended up all split ends, right throughout the length! Even sleeping on satin, it ended up all dried out and rough feeling. I just gave up wearing braids overnight (well, and daytime too, but in the daytime braids just dry out even in a bun. They don't end up all damaged like they do overnight).

[Nox_Inber]

The handful of times I've slept on braided hair, the braid shred ended up all split ends, right throughout the length! Even sleeping on satin, it ended up all dried out and rough feeling. I just gave up wearing braids overnight (well, and daytime too, but in the daytime braids just dry out even in a bun. They don't end up all damaged like they do overnight).

Do you move around a lot when you sleep? I toss and turn all night so I think that might contribute to why my hair doesn't respond well to braiding for sleep. I got split ends too but definitely not to the extent that you described. I'd run away from all braiding at that point! :run:

[MusicalSpoons]

Do you move around a lot when you sleep? I toss and turn all night so I think that might contribute to why my hair doesn't respond well to braiding for sleep. I got split ends too but definitely not to the extent that you described. I'd run away from all braiding at that point! :run:

I spend a lot of time in bed due to fatigue, and I tend to move a bit when I'm semi-conscious (before and after I properly sleep). When I actually sleep, I don't move at all! But the same happened before, when I spent less time in bed not sleeping ( = less movement before and after). My braids shred before I finish them though, unless they're *very* heavily oiled :lol: so there's no way to win besides not braiding :shrug:

[Kalamazoo]

If I sleep with my hair braided, I bend forward while I'm detangling it into a ponytail from my crown, & then start braiding while still inverted. Once the base of the braid's established, I stand upright and finish braiding, then coil it into a cinnabun centered on my crown, and put in a few bobby pins. Then I use a satin pillowcase. For me, that results in zero tangles.

YMMV. Your mileage most likely WILL vary!

Oh wait. Maybe that ONLY works for me BECAUSE my hair's only about hip length. Oops. :couch:

[AutobotsAttack]

Occasionally I pile my hair on my head when I shower. I don’t do this often at all. But maybe every blue moon out of a year I’ll just be taking a shower really quick and shampoo and condition my hair in a giant pile on my head. This always leads to tangles. Always.

[CuteCrow]

Does touching your hair a lot count as mechanical damage? Because it seems like I can't keep my hands out of my hair at all :lol:
Any tips for that? I do it unconsciously most of the time.

[Nox_Inber]

I spend a lot of time in bed due to fatigue, and I tend to move a bit when I'm semi-conscious (before and after I properly sleep). When I actually sleep, I don't move at all! But the same happened before, when I spent less time in bed not sleeping ( = less movement before and after). My braids shred before I finish them though, unless they're *very* heavily oiled :lol: so there's no way to win besides not braiding :shrug:

I'm in a similar situation, I spend a lot of time laying down due to health reasons. I think I end up fidgety when trying to sleep because I already spent so much time laying down during the day that my insomnia kicks in and I get restless despite being exhausted :doh:. I gave up on braiding because it either comes undone, rubs on my pillow and splits, or I end up laying on it and getting a headache. I tried wrapping my hair in a silk scarf but then I end up with follicle pain and it rubs and knots. At least wearing my hair down to sleep is super low effort :D Maybe that's because I'm only APL so it's easy to adjust it as I moved around. Shredded braids sound really intense though :bigeyes:

[qvbit]

It's always bag straps for me. I wear my handbag on my right hand shoulder and I literally just realised, coming to this thread, that it must be the reason why my hair is thinner at the bottom on the right hand side of my head!

[milosmomma]

Nox_inber, have you tried a silk/satin pillow case? Or just wrapping the scarf around your pillow? At all it should be enough to help the friction using only a pillow cover at night. I know it helps me a ton, I move alot while sleeping.

[Siv]

My nape hair never gets longer than three or four inches before it breaks off... Because of nape tangles that I tend to just rip through and not bothering to protect it from rubbing against collars...

[barnet_fair]

My braid always gets trapped underneath my back and ground into the sheets when I'm sleeping, and I comb it too much when it's wet/damp so it's under control.

Also, my fluffy cat sleeps on my head, and before she settles down she'll step all around my head as. close. to. my. scalp. as. possible. I can't tell you how many times she's gotten her fluffyfeet stuck and broken a bunch of hair trying to get free. Yes, this happens whether my hair is bunned or braided.

This is adorable!

My main mechanical damage sin is wearing a backpack with my hair down or in a ponytail. I hardly ever do this now, but I used to think I could get away with it by flipping my ponytail away from each side as I put on the shoulder straps. Of course this would lead to very flustered moments getting off the train where my hair would get caught while I was trying to juggle my ticket and anything else in my hands.

My heart goes out to any longhair in this situation, and I want to offer a little prayer for all the hair I've seen caught in shoulder straps during my commute.

[Nox_Inber]

Nox_inber, have you tried a silk/satin pillow case? Or just wrapping the scarf around your pillow? At all it should be enough to help the friction using only a pillow cover at night. I know it helps me a ton, I move alot while sleeping.

I've always preferred bed textiles like cotton or linen but I've never actually tried a silky pillowcase. I might try wrapping the scarf around my pillow to see how I like it. I can see it being useful for when I'm laying in bed during the day, I'm usually on my back so there's more hair in contact with the pillow versus at night where I'm on my side :)

[clandestine]

I always take my LWB out and but it back up to show people how to use a stick....I ended up showing my last period class today :p

[FlowerDance]

Even though I have a super sensitive scalp, I cant help but put my hair in a high ponytail when I need my hair out of my face!😭

[Aroha]

We were driving with the car top down today. My hair was loose and blowing in the wind, I LOVED it. Afterwards, tangles. I still think it was worth it.

[Zesty]

To update with a new confession... I've started sleeping with my hair loose. I use a silk pillowcase but it's quite long enough to rub on the cotton sheets, plus husband likes to pull me over to him at night and I have to arrange my hair so that it's not under either of us. I have more splits but for now I've decided the tradeoff is okay.

[MusicalSpoons]

Wore my hair in a braid (instantly shredding) for a special occasion. I did make sure the material of my top was reasonably okay, and tied it off with ribbon, oiled the tassel and ran a sheen of oil down the length. I didn't twig that the back button on my top would be a problem though :doh: and yeah, totally shredded after 5hrs.

Some TLC now is in order!

[ElanorWavy]

Sleeping with loose hair.
This feels most comfortable for me. All the buns I can do with my SL hair pull my hair and this hurts a bit. It feels like I'm pulling hair out on the front of my head. I had a silk sleeping cap but it always moved at night, left me with a red mark from the elastic on my forehead and it irritated me. I do sleep on a silk pillowcase. Does that make the loose hair less bad?

[MusicalSpoons]

Sleeping with loose hair.
This feels most comfortable for me. All the buns I can do with my SL hair pull my hair and this hurts a bit. It feels like I'm pulling hair out on the front of my head. I had a silk sleeping cap but it always moved at night, left me with a red mark from the elastic on my forehead and it irritated me. I do sleep on a silk pillowcase. Does that make the loose hair less bad?

Silk pillowcase should help, yes :) My satin cap was elasticated and didn't work for me for several reasons, and I've recently been able to modify it into a drawstring closure. It feels like it ought to just slide off but it really doesn't, it's just not as secure to stay on once I get up. I recommend giving something like that a go if you want and are able to.

[SwanFeathers]

I like to curl my hair (which is only slightly wavy naturally) and the tangles that come on wash day are unholy :(

[ElanorWavy]

Thanks, I might get one with a drawstring and see if it helps! :) It does keeps my hair smooth during the night.

[Dung Beetle]

We were driving with the car top down today. My hair was loose and blowing in the wind, I LOVED it. Afterwards, tangles. I still think it was worth it.

Then it WAS worth it. What is beautiful long hair for, if not for such moments? :)

[Aroha]

Then it WAS worth it. What is beautiful long hair for, if not for such moments? :)

Thanks, Dung Beetle. I agree.

[Haziel]

Wire shower caddies are evil

[AJNinami]

Wire shower caddies are evil

This made me laugh. I'm so sorry.

I used a plastic brush today, and accidentally tore straight through a tangle.

[Andthetalltrees]

Worn loose 24/7 and I detangle wet hair in not the most gentle fashion. But my hair isn't worse for the wear so I let it slide

[Sparkles122]

Does blow dryers count as mechanical damage? I confess, I own a blow dryer and I love it. I almost never ever let my hair air dry. I never use the hot setting. It always warm and sometimes cool.

[Begemot]

Does blow dryers count as mechanical damage? I confess, I own a blow dryer and I love it. I almost never ever let my hair air dry. I never use the hot setting. It always warm and sometimes cool.

I think it depends. Some hair types and textures are more resilient to heat, chemical and mechanical damage. Some study suggested that while blow-drying damages the surface, it's worse for hair to stay wet longer periods of time since it damages the cortex of the hair (if I understood this right). So for some blow-drying could be beneficial. Damage is often cumulative though. Like how one or two sessions of very high heat can give you serious damage and using low heat and cool setting regularly won't destroy your hair in an instant but the damage may show once your hair grows longer. I personally feel it's better to play it safe and not mess with my hair too much (I have blow-dried my hair 3 or 4 times this year) but everyone has to figure out these things for themselves, what works for them :)

[Arciela]

Sometimes I just sleep with it totally lose and cotton pillow case. It will look pretty dry the next day..but with a little fixing its acceptable lol. I need to start braiding again at least..uggh,

[renaatijs]

Wearing it down too much and twisti my strands when I get nervous!

[Begemot]

Yesterday I wore my hair in a ponytail all day and my ends rubbed against my scarf. There was no actual tangling but the some part of ends felt matted :( I had to separate them with my fingers.

[ebillan]

I just started taking scuba diving lessons and every time my hair gets caught in the goggles somehow. I had to get my instructor to un-tangle me last time, and I still tore out a bunch of hairs by the end of the night! I've tried different ways to braid my hair out of the way to no avail!

[SpottedBackson]

Tickling the cats nose with my ends... and then the cat catches them and chomps on them.

[S&S]

I flat iron my hair about 3 /4 times a month :P

[shelomit]

I'm dealing with a lottt of breakage from repeatedly placing my bun/braid at the same juncture, so that's longterm malfeasance at work : p But oh, the things I did to my hair as a kid. . .

- Walked through a doorway and gotten a lock of hair caught in the strick plate
- Closed it in car doors
- Glued some hair onto one of my mother's decoupage projects
- Knelt down to fasten a zippered shoe and winding up zipping some hair into it, discovered only once I stood back up
- Jumped out of a tree I had climbed without realizing that I had a lock stuck in the bark
- Absentmindedly braided a hoodie tie into a braid (probably not very damaging, but still ridiculous)

Not exactly mechanical, but there was one especially traumatic incident as a small-ish kid when my family went out to a fancy-ish restaurant. I can't imagine this was up to the fire code, but they had lit candles sitting on top of the toilet tanks in the restroom! I didn't notice them at all until a good swatch of my hair was gone. And that one doesn't even begin to touch the time when my dad lost most of his beard while burning trash : |

[Laurab]

Oooh, the childhood stories are bringing back memories.
In middle school chorus there were these AWFUL chairs that would catch your hair on the metal bar on the back of the chair. It ripped out many of my hairs and hurt, and I know I wasn't the only one having this problem.
This isn't about me, but I also remember once in summer camp a girl was laying on the ground and a teacher stepped on it at the same time as she was sitting up, and it pulled out a pretty big chunk! Like, more than one or two strands! the teacher felt AWFUL, but the girl thought it was really funny, luckily. Though to be fair that's a good lesson about not lying on the ground with your hair sprawled everywhere in a public place, I don't blame the teacher.

Also would anyone else pull hairs out on purpose as a little kid?
It sounds gross now but I remember girls trying to get like one strand from a bunch of different colors to see what they look like together lol.

More recently I've been trying some new accessories out and unfortanely broke a couple of hairs in the process. I'm not super concerned about it, but it's a reminder to be careful.

[Stray_mind]

Yesterday i wore a half pulled trough ponytail with a pretty rough hair tie. Was just too lazy to make buns so grabbed a closest lying thing and put my hair up with it.

[SleepyTangles]

I've caught myself playing with my ends lately. The unevenness of the shape is very tempting, I just feel the urge to touch it again and again.
I snapped out of it, as soon as I realized what I was doing :scared:
My hair is too short to s&d properly, so I need to stop.

[itskate]

I love my cotton pillowcases for comfort and sentimental reasons (my mom made me a bunch in fun prints years ago) and I will not be giving them up so I sleep with my hair loose on them...but since trimming off all my bleach damage I have no trouble detangling in the morning. The only thing is I suspect my cat chews my hair in my sleep sometimes... so I might need a silk bonnet anyway....

[shelomit]

The only thing is I suspect my cat chews my hair in my sleep sometimes... so I might need a silk bonnet anyway....

Oh no! Does the cat also chew hair when you're awake??? What an odd habit.

[itskate]

Yes! I've never met a cat who has the same fascination with hair. When I pick her up she'll try to chew it as well. She also is obsessed with thread and since I sew I have to be very careful...so anything with that texture she wants to play with, I guess. I usually think she does it to get my attention, so I hope she doesnt actually do it at night... but it's so frustrating!

[shelomit]

Yes! I've never met a cat who has the same fascination with hair. When I pick her up she'll try to chew it as well. She also is obsessed with thread and since I sew I have to be very careful...so anything with that texture she wants to play with, I guess. I usually think she does it to get my attention, so I hope she doesnt actually do it at night... but it's so frustrating!

Wow O.O I think the most annoying habit of a cat that I've lived with was a housemate's cat who loved to bite paper (the more important the paper the better, obviously).

[RunOnCaffeine]

Yes! I've never met a cat who has the same fascination with hair. When I pick her up she'll try to chew it as well. She also is obsessed with thread and since I sew I have to be very careful...so anything with that texture she wants to play with, I guess. I usually think she does it to get my attention, so I hope she doesnt actually do it at night... but it's so frustrating!

Two of mine like hair. One will rub and pull it when sat down (she did it to longhaired company last week too) and the other goes for mine when I'm asleep (he wakes me by pulling near my hairline) or when it's braided.

[LittleHealthy]

I often wear mine down when I have my baby in the carrier. So she is often pulling on my hair or it is getting caught under the straps!

[Linden]

I wear my hair down in a braid under my turnout gear, and it always rubs around and gets damaged. I have yet to find a better alternative, since I can't fit it under my helmet.

[elise.autumn]

My ends must have mechanical damage from english braids flying around during soccer. I ordered Quattro forks to see if those will hold a braided bun, like a natalus bun, instead.

Sometimes I play with my hair, especially along the scalp. It's a bad habit I try to be aware of so I can stop.

I used to sleep with it down every night (and often damp). Now I do a braided bun.

[SleepyTangles]

I looove detailed, intricate, metallic headbands, even if my hair get stuck and I need to untangle, pull or straight up yank them out of my hair.

[jenn14]

I comb my hair when it's damp, I wear it down most of the time, and I don't have a silk pillowcase! I think mechanical damage is where pretty much all my damage comes from. I'm working on learning fun ways to wear my hair up to help prevent some damage, especially when i leave the house. My coat gives my horrible tangles and the seatbelt in my car is even worse!

[SnowDancer]

Hair elastics to secure a bun.

I really want to get some scrunchies but I just keep forgetting. I have a few hairsticks but I don't use them as much as I should.

[misspage]

I hate how I look with my hair in protective styles, so it's always worn loose. I think the most of my damage nowadays comes from that, as I like to run around in the forest. No joke.
Also, those darn bag straps.
In the past I used to re-braid my hair everyday and the hair ties may have damaged it, despite the fact that they didn't have anything my hair could snag on. It was likely the friction and manipulation that was causing splits to my bleached and dyed hair at the time.

[sophia_]

I've been wearing my hair loose more often around the house recently, slippery devil! Sometimes I just don't bother redoing my bun when I get home.

[0xalis]

Even though my hair is not very long at all, I actually managed to catch a few strands in the car door!!! :(
I'm also addicted to touching it, I try to be gentle at least.
And... (tmi sorry)... try as I might, it's pretty hard to keep my hair safe when doing "adult stuff" :rolleyes::lol:

[illicitlizard]

Brushing while wet and catching my hair under my bag strap are the most common sins I commit at this length. Second could be solved by always having my hair up but I don't mind a bit of mechanical damage at this length, it's nice to have my hair down sometimes :)

[tulirepo]

I just love love love elastic hair ties. I braid my hair daily and regular type small hair ties just don't do the work, they slip out and I have to re-braid my hair... I've noticed a big difference after wearing only regular type of hair ties for a two weeks but I'm not sure if it's worth it or not.

[SThr]

My pulled back hair constantly gets torn by my headphones! But I have to wear the headphones, and keeping my hair down would cause more damage. So I guess I'll just keep a halo of damage.

[patchoulilove]

Yikes: getting caught in my coat zipper...
Twisting and handling my ends when my hair is loose.
Letting it be wild in beachy air by the sea for a week and the subsequent tangles...
It's been a rough few months! Haha

[leafygreens18]

Fiddling with ends and my wispies has given me accidental side bangs......

[Taliesyn]

Bumping this fun thread!

Current sins:
- I play with my hair too much, can't help myself I just like to feel it
- Brush/Comb too often
- I do not sleep on a satin/silky pillowcase


Past sins:
- Rubbing towel on wet hair to dry it
- Rough brushing when in a hurry
- Hair elastics
- Combing wet hair (for me its a no-no, hair tangles a lot)

[Shug]

I only allow myself to do this every once in awhile with only 1 hair but it’s so satisfying to grab a hair with a split end and peel the split allllll the way up, could be disastrous if it became a habit though.

[Myx]

Hm...I comb (very gently!) when my hair is still damp, I find it easier to detangle that way...I comb and play with it too much, I just can't help myself! I keep it down a lot when I'm not at work, even when sleeping (though I do have a silk pillowcase).

In the not-too-distant past, on top of these sins I used the dreaded Revlon styling brush hair dryer thing. While I loved the results I got with it, the sheer breakage was just unreal on my fine hair. Despite only using it once per week with a lot of heat protectant, just the damage from the plastic bristle brush part itself was pretty bad, my hair went from being fairly uniform in length to having shorter bits poking out everywhere. I also used to do pinup hair on occasion, which used hot rollers if I forgot to use sponge ones the night before, and a lot of teasing and product.

[knobbly]

I don’t known that getting one’s hair caught in one’s glasses is a sin, folks. It’s just like, inevitable for glasses wearers sometimes. Not saying I love it! It hurts and is sad! But it’s not a moral failing either.

My main sins are brushing more roughly than I should when I’m tired and playing with my hair a lot as a stim when watching tv. Twirling, braiding, tying a piece in a knot and then letting it unravel (I don’t mean a real knot that would catch a comb, I just mean taking a lock of hair and making a half knot shape with it,) stroking, finger combing, etc. It’s soothing to me especially when watching something that provokes anxiety or tension. But it’s also part of the reason I grew my hair out in the first place, and I’m not gonna stop stimming with my hair anytime soon. :wannabe:

[tuanyiji]

I gained too much weight during our fight against cancer, and I can’t take down the gold ring (I tried various method and almost turned my finger purple so I gave up. The edge would sometimes caught one strand and it might snap it off.
I have no other solution but to lose weight in hope that I can take it down and reshape it.
I lost 4kg so far so it’s in progress.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1004882451283333200/IMG_8785.jpg

[Myx]

I gained too much weight during our fight against cancer, and I can’t take down the gold ring (I tried various method and almost turned my finger purple so I gave up. The edge would sometimes caught one strand and it might snap it off.
I have no other solution but to lose weight in hope that I can take it down and reshape it.
I lost 4kg so far so it’s in progress.


First off, congrats on the progress, that's awesome! I haven't been here long, but I've seen your story, it's quite inspiring. I'm anxiously awaiting the results of your experiment with Baohuashui overall, it's been interesting.

As for the ring, that looks painful...is it possible to maybe get a jeweler to carefully cut it off and repair/resize it? I had a friend do that with his wedding ring when he broke a finger which swelled up in a short time, and the repair was indistinguishable.

[shelomit]

I gained too much weight during our fight against cancer, and I can’t take down the gold ring (I tried various method and almost turned my finger purple so I gave up. The edge would sometimes caught one strand and it might snap it off.
I have no other solution but to lose weight in hope that I can take it down and reshape it.
I lost 4kg so far so it’s in progress.


If it is at all hurting you, you can take it to a jeweler and get it sawed off and repaired. Not typically very costly.

[SandyBottom]

I redo my bun numerous times a day. It's better that way though.

[tuanyiji]

First off, congrats on the progress, that's awesome! I haven't been here long, but I've seen your story, it's quite inspiring. I'm anxiously awaiting the results of your experiment with Baohuashui overall, it's been interesting.

As for the ring, that looks painful...is it possible to maybe get a jeweler to carefully cut it off and repair/resize it? I had a friend do that with his wedding ring when he broke a finger which swelled up in a short time, and the repair was indistinguishable.


If it is at all hurting you, you can take it to a jeweler and get it sawed off and repaired. Not typically very costly.

Thank you both for your suggestion.

The thing is, I have had the ring on for about seven years now, my gaining weight is a process of over a year, and so the ring sits comfortably and can move around freely at the base of my finger, the callus has grown around it so I basically feel nothing and forget about its existence on a daily basis unless it catches something like hair. The fattening is the meat part, that's between the second knuckle and the third knuckle, if I try to force the ring up over a certain girth, the metal would constrict the blood flow. And 4kg of weight loss means it can move up 2-3mm now, and I'm pretty sure by the end of this year, I can take it off easily if everything works out.

It's a memorable piece from a late family member, and I don't really want to break it simply because I got fat, that's very dishonorable in my culture. I want to take it to my grave if I can (or gift it to my future child), so now I just work on losing weight, and hopefully, I will have the option of taking it down when I absolutely have to, but no harm's don't if I don't take it off. It's far from an amputation situation yet, don't worry about me. lol.

[lithostoic]

Wearing a scrunchie and re-tightening it when it slides out. Buns just aren't stable enough yet to wear at work. I'd have to take it down and redo it every hour which just isn't practical.

[illicitlizard]

Oh gosh where do I begin, forgive me hair gods I have absolutely mechanically sinned (and I'd do it again :p )


Redoing my hair multiple times a day
Not putting it up before heading to the beach or driving with the windows down - listen the detangling is worth it but it's probably my biggest sin
Getting caught in zippers/car doors/on my earrings or other jewellery/under me or other people
Constantly playing with my hair particularly the ends

Past sins:

Hair elastic with metal bits
Brushing aggressively (I'm impatient as all hell, tangle teezer is my friend for this reason)

[Shug]

Ok I confess that last time I brushed my hair I yanked the brush a little too hard ����

[blesseddamozel]

I still wring my hair out sometimes after I shower...I try to be as gentle as possible but I just hate having sopping wet hair when I'm around the house

[LongLocke]

I’m definitely way too rough on tangles when i run across them (which is thankfully not too terribly often)

[Flidas]

I towel dry my hair way too roughly, and I brush my hair when it is wet :shrug:

[tuanyiji]

I went to the garden to take photos of my blooming dragon fruit tonight. I didn’t wear a hat or a cap, and about five of my hair got snapped off by the pricky branches. T.T
The flowers are just too damn lovely though, so I think it’s worth it.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1009834701197938708/IMG_9222.png

[Shorty89]

Wow! Those flowers are gorgeous and so big!

[tuanyiji]

Wow! Those flowers are gorgeous and so big!

Yes, the dragon fruit flower is generally 30-40 long.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1009814504474955776/IMG_9174.jpg
when it’s in full bloom, could be 15-25cm wide, if you count the green petals, that could be as big as 40cm.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1001725273378668557/1009831962015453184/IMG_9204.jpg?width=1389&height=1389

We had more last night and this time I remembered to put on my cap.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1001725273378668557/1010376574501138484/IMG_9285.png

Cactus is my passion, I also have planted many other edible cacti, and recently I am very glad to find out some people use cactus as a replacement of aloe vera for hair care, and I am going to try it this weekend since I have plenty of those cacti (the variety shown in the video) and aloe in my garden

https://youtu.be/OVjcn_BIpu8

Cactus oil for hair is on my future agenda as well. I’ve already got some fenugreek.
https://youtu.be/Tf5EjvDlG5w
https://youtu.be/7GuxgqloLUU
https://youtu.be/v7nWLHi1xEQ
https://youtu.be/QGBeLdnnz8I
https://youtu.be/ff60wRGVbfo
It so happens I have okra in my garden as well so I’m going to try this Caribbean hair care as well. I also got some hibiscus.
LOL having your own garden leads to so many new discoveries for hair care.

[lapis_lazuli]

A couple months ago I used a generous amount of hairspray to set a braided style and it was SO hard to finger comb through before washing it out, some hairs were definitely snapped.

[Iyashikei]

I do a lot:
Brushing my hair when wet
Not putting it up when cycling
Redoing my hairstyle multiple times a day
Yanking my brush through, especially when tangled (look, it's the only way to get everything out when in a hurry)
Touching my hair all day long (ADHD here)