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View Full Version : Can fine hair be worn loose all the time?



sapphire-o
September 12th, 2008, 02:16 PM
I'm just complaining about DH's hair. It's 26" now and fine and wavy, typical Scandinavian type. He insisted on wearing it loose all the time, claiming even ponytail is a bit uncomfortable. The problem is the tangles are soo bad! I detangle and braid it every night for him and it's driving me nuts. I've never been able to run my fingers through it. Seems like his hair would start to knit itself into a net. Frequently I need to snip off some tight knots. His hair is virgin and doesn't have many splits.

He has satin pillowcases, seamless combs and brushes, very nice hair products and oil it before washing. The problem is he just wouldn't wear it up. Is there anything else we can do about the tangles? I know cones make it easier, but he's using CV shampoo bars, not sure if those can wash out cones.

ChloeDharma
September 12th, 2008, 02:35 PM
Would he consider a loose braid? To be honest i can't imagine wearing my hair loose all the time without it tangling. The only thing i can think of is getting into the habit of finger combing alot during the day to prevent the tangles building up.....but i still imagine that would cause a fair bit of cumulative breakage over time and probably isn't a good plan for growing much longer.
Oh, the other thing though, maybe henna/cassia treatments might help?

Arctic
September 12th, 2008, 02:45 PM
If he has greasy hair, finger combing often isn't a good solution as it makes, at least my hair, dirty really quickly.

I have no idea why, but I've read many saying that fishtail braid is "masculine" and many mens like it. Or how about caterpillar (multiple hairbands down the length)....

wendyg
September 12th, 2008, 04:12 PM
Cones often don't go well with fine hair anyway. They really trash mine.

wg

spidermom
September 12th, 2008, 04:42 PM
It sounds like your DH has the same hair type as my DS. He usually wears a ponytail, but it turns into a big matt pretty fast, and he doesn't detangle it for days. He will often ask me to do it. I wish he'd cut it short; I really do!

Ohio Sky
September 12th, 2008, 04:58 PM
You said he oils before a wash, but maybe oiling in the mornings he doesn't wash will help as well.

I always treat my hair to extra coconut oil on the days I leave my hair down, and it helps prevent a lot of tangles.

spidermom
September 12th, 2008, 05:03 PM
You said he oils before a wash, but maybe oiling in the mornings he doesn't wash will help as well.

I always treat my hair to extra coconut oil on the days I leave my hair down, and it helps prevent a lot of tangles.

Here's another thing I don't understand -- people saying that oiling their hair prevents tangles. In my hair, oil attracts/holds dust and fabric fibers and who knows what all, which causes tangles. I like just about everything else about oiling, but lately I only do it pre-wash, if I remember.

freznow
September 12th, 2008, 07:10 PM
I can't even prevent tangles when it's up, so maybe I'm not a good person to answer.

But I have to say, the right oils make a difference. The thing is, for my hair to be low on tangles, the amount of oil required makes it look greasy. (It doesn't attract lint for me, because it keeps the hair weighted down and less fly away, which means it attracts less lint.) I haven't really tried it, but maybe aloe gel would help? Things that limit movement of the hair are probably the best bets.

Maybe less washing? Different product? My hair behaved very nicely when I CO'd with VO5 and honey, but not nicely when I use an over cleansing shampoo bar.

And I second the loose braid idea.

Magdalene
September 12th, 2008, 07:12 PM
maybe one of those leather wraps? those always look masculine to me.

psycho
September 12th, 2008, 11:13 PM
I used to wear my hair down all the time too...in fact, I didn't learn how to do my own styles until I was 16. Most of the time I wore my hair down, except when my best friend got tired of it and started coming over every morning before school to fix it for me :p. Yes, it tangled HORRIBLY all the time.

Now I rarely wear it down, but the oiling does help it slip a lot easier and it doesn't tangle nearly as much. It also tangles a lot less now that I've gone cone-free, but every head of hair seems to react differently to that.

As for the type of oil...I usually wear EVOO in the winter because it's heavier, but it does attract gunk like nothing else. I don't seem to have any problem with gunk with jojoba, but again every head of hair reacts differently :D

tameriska
September 13th, 2008, 08:40 PM
If it is really driving you nuts, let him know, if he wears it down he is responsible for the tangles, then he can get them out. Wonder how long it would take him to start wearing it tied back?
(besides if it is this bad (tangling) now, what will it be like when it gets longer?)

Katze
September 15th, 2008, 12:45 AM
I wear my hair down 90% of the time and am happier with it; it looks thicker and I can show off the waves when it's down. Up, it's almost impossible to get smooth and lying nicely, and I get terrible "scalp cleavage" so I look like I am balding. Add to that fuzzy layers, baby hairs, and bangs, and I have to re-do updos constantly, so they are a lot of work as well as being unflattering.

Personally the best way of dealing with my unruly, wavy, fine hair is to clip it up when out of the house, then take it down when indoors. This helps encourage the waves, and I also get to enjoy it. As a cyclist, I like keeping it out of the wind as much as possible.

My BF is also a finie, though thick and curly, and he wears the same hairdo (ponytail) most of the time. His biggest problems are dry ends (which no updo would stop) and matting at the crown (ditto).

So yes, if you are careful and treat your hair well, I think you can wear it down. I do notice that if I want my hair to look good, I have to wash it more often - every 2-3 days instead of every 4-5.

Nini
September 15th, 2008, 03:25 AM
I wouldn't have thigh length hair if I wore it loose, and I've got stick straight, fine Scandinavian hair.

My hair tangles if I look at it hard, so putting it up is a necessity now, but I'd often wear it lose when I was approaching waist.

I suppose it depends on how long your husband wants his hair, and if he's willing to comb it himself;)

Nini

aisling
September 15th, 2008, 03:55 AM
Of course you can wear fine hair loose all the time, but it will most probably affect the amount of length you can gain and the overall quality of your hair. If you want longer hair, past waist and want it to look good, I think updos, some way of securing your hair and preventing tangles, are necessary.

wendyg
September 15th, 2008, 04:48 AM
You say you're braiding his hair at night; does that mean he's sleeping with it braided? I'd find having it tied up 24/7 uncomfortable, too. Maybe he'd be better off sleeping with it loose and then he'd be able to stand wearing it in a ponytail or braided during the day.

wg

MsBubbles
September 15th, 2008, 07:21 AM
This may be irrelevant - but does he cycle a lot around town, or ride a motorbike? If so that would (obviously!) make the knots worse. My Swedish hairdresser used to say to me "Yes, yes, you have very Swedish hair!" and I never knew what she meant until now.

Recently I went on a training ride (on inline skates) with another girl with long straight BSL hair. Her hair is not as fine as mine. She wore hers in a pony tail and it looked great fanned out across her back, and my pathetic, twisted and frayed braid looked horrible in comparison. Next training skate I wore a ponytail. Oh man was that a mistake!! Took me 2 hours to get a comb through my hair afterwards and I pulled a bunch of hair out in the process :(. Never again.

So maybe your BF can wear it braided or tucked up during windier times/activities, to reduce the knotting, but it wouldn't have to be up all the time.

sapphire-o
September 15th, 2008, 06:38 PM
Thank you for all the tips! I guess tangles is unavoidable for his hair type. His problem is he only knows how to do a ponytail. I think I'll have to force him to learn some simple buns or braids. I can't be chasing him around to put his hair up all the time. :) Of course loose does look good on him, it looks thick and wavy. When I put it into a braid or bun it shrinks so much you couldn't believe that big mass can fit in there. :D

He doesn't ride motorcycle or anything. Mostly an office guy. I gave him a horn comb and a wooden brush for using at work. I think he rarely use them. He's only a couple inches away from goal length, so hopefully it shouldn't be much worse. Maybe I should work on finding a better leave-in for him.

Charlotte:)
July 21st, 2010, 09:43 PM
I have fine hair and wear it down almost every day. I use Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship and my hair almost never tangles. It seems that cone shampoos actually work very well with fine silky hair.

RachelRain
July 21st, 2010, 11:07 PM
I almost always wear mine loose, and it's superfine. I can sit on mine though, which can cause issues, so I'm starting to try to wear it up more often, at least to avoid the yank from sitting on it.

that said, I notice those super wide tooth combs are good for my snarls - the ones that look like a fish spine and only half the ribs. are those detangling ones? anyways, I use one tooth to pick at the snarl until it comes undone - works great so far :) and water helps too. I don't know why but if I soak my head in a shower or something before I comb out really bad snarls it helps immensely.

pepperminttea
July 22nd, 2010, 04:22 AM
I very rarely wear my hair down, purely because whenever I do the tangles (and their related damage) would stop me growing it longer. Oiling helps me, but my hair doesn't react well to cones. If he's happy with not getting much past mid-back length, and fairytale ends, I'd say let him detangle it and don't worry yourself.

haibane
July 22nd, 2010, 05:25 AM
I have fine hair and wear it down almost every day. I use Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship and my hair almost never tangles. It seems that cone shampoos actually work very well with fine silky hair.
Hi, you sound like my hair twin! :waving: I also have fine, straight hair that tangles very little, likes cones, and I wear it down.
This seems kinda rare though. There was an interesting thread recently about tangles ( http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=42983 ) and most people with fine hair posting in there had big issues with tangling.