Styling unruly cowlick?

[doug06]

Hi, I'm a guy growing my hair out and I've found for the past couple of months there's a very annoying cowlick that refuses to style the way I want it. The hair at the side of my fringe flicks up kind of like a wave, and everything I've tried has worked in vain as eventually the flick comes back.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to tame it until my hair gets longer - I've already tried using hair cream, wax, blow drying it and hairspray.

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac324/nano0604/d2286680-0b27-4fd6-8675-4e8af467e621_zps25b02126.jpg

[ejking2]

Welcome to LHC!

FWIW, I think it looks so great! Why get rid of it?
If you really want to, I'd guess you have to bring out the big guns, like a straightener. You could also try bobby pinning it down after a wash until it's dry.

[doug06]

Welcome to LHC!

FWIW, I think it looks so great! Why get rid of it?
If you really want to, I'd guess you have to bring out the big guns, like a straightener. You could also try bobby pinning it down after a wash until it's dry.

Thanks haha, looking back it is a good picture of it I guess. Normally once I've been outside with all the wind my hairs all over the place and a mess. I was thinking maybe styling with pomade for a bit as I've seen a couple styles my length or a bit longer that I like, would that do the trick?

[ejking2]

It's worth a try, but I wouldn't think pomade would work if wax didn't. At least it might help prevent it from flying into your eyes. There's always the option of some sort of headband or bandana/scarf although it might not be your style.

[woodswanderer]

Clear aloe vera gel works well and is considered non damaging...many people can find the Fruit of the Earth brand in the drugstore. I like the wave though...

[0xalis]

That's a great cowlick you have there, you should try to rock it! If not, there's always styling gel.

[vickinight]

I'm growing out a choppy short cut so I can imagine your frustration with disobedient hair!

Something I've since learned to seriously consider is to first determine if the cowlick is a result of how the hair was cut! I had never previously realized before I got my hair cut choppy that what was making things flip out in some areas was because of the way it was cut: when I pulled the hair out perpendicular to my head, I could see unevenness and "short-long-short" bits that created the flips. So I think that should be the FIRST thing to check for.

However, that being said, I have experienced "natural" cowlicks before. I have straight hair but it's possible some of my hair has either grown out with a curve to it or acquired it along the way. That's when the styling becomes the solution, I think. Or sometimes it could be the shape of your head or body that creates them as I've had cowlicks that "grow out" when they grow out of a certain area... It's much harder to tell whether it's something internal to the hair (waviness) or external from it (such as from head or body shape or how you sleep and heat from head)...

I had a friend try to permanently perm (term courtesy of the Redundant Department of Redundancy, haha) a cowlick once with a straightening kit... It worked a bit but wasn't perfect.

Happy Growing and Happy New Year!

[restless]

Lol youre not gonna like my answer but I also have a cowlick in the front of my fringe that creates a wave like yours. Ive tried to tame it for all of my life and nothing has worked; no heat, no hair spray, no gel, no nothing will keep it down and behave like I want it to. It´ll stay down for a few minutes after whatever treatment I try but the slightest movement and its back again. It took a long time for me to accept it but that will also have to be the only advice I can give you- to accept it

You have my sympathy :p :D

(but for what its worth, I think your hair looks nice in the picture, I wouldnt even have thought about the cowlick if it hadnt been the subject of the thread. )

[yvsa]

Have you tried parting your hair on the other side?

[Nini]

You've gotta find a way to work with the cowlick, not against it, since it won't go away. The pic looks great though!

If products work for you, go for it. And depending on your work, maybe you can get away with just wearing a cap until it gets longer;)

[Firefox7275]

I used to have that: turns out my hair is wavy not straight and unruly. I actually have 2c ringlets now my bangs/ fringe is all grown out and I style my hair with the Curly Girl method.

[doug06]

Bumping this thread back because I'm still having trouble taming this thing haha. Despite the cowlick looking alright when I'm getting ready, once I step out the house into the windy weather my hair is all over the place.


I'm growing out a choppy short cut so I can imagine your frustration with disobedient hair!

Something I've since learned to seriously consider is to first determine if the cowlick is a result of how the hair was cut! I had never previously realized before I got my hair cut choppy that what was making things flip out in some areas was because of the way it was cut: when I pulled the hair out perpendicular to my head, I could see unevenness and "short-long-short" bits that created the flips. So I think that should be the FIRST thing to check for.


That's an interesting thought. I think last time I had my hair cut (and prior to deciding to grow it out) my fringe was cut unevenly, as when I pull it down the few hairs on each corner are about an inch shorter than the middle. The cowlick seems to be forming throughout the fringe though, mainly in the longer part so I think it must be natural.

I think at this point the only things that might work that I haven't tried are straightening my hair, or finding a product with a very strong hold to have a side parting or slicked back for a while. Fingers crossed this will grow out soon