Why don't you let your hair down?

[jt623]

I have had BS length or longer most of my life, and although updos can be very pretty.......I don't know. The last stylist that paid me to my hair in an updo ripped out lots of hairs. I like my hair down!:p

[Wildcat Diva]

If it's windy, then it will get mondo tangles. I'm on a bit of high alert when it's down... watch out, seat belt, gym bag strap, uh-oh. When I put it up, I feel more relaxed.

[GrowingOut]

I have a very zippered backpack and Krav Maga six days a week, I'd have half the hair I have in my head right now if I let it get ripped at and pulled that much.

[midbackorbust]

The same as the other said, plus I worry about it rubbing against my clothes :scared:

[jupiterinleo]

I put it up if I'm moving about, either inside or outside, but if I have friends over or I'm laying around on the computer I'll have it down.

[jt623]

No tangles in wind for me unless walking on the beach for miles and miles and miles...etc.....I'm still trying to figure out how to change my profile picture. lol

[spidermom]

Wear it down if you want, but for the really long lengths (tailbone and beyond), you will probably have to start wearing it up at some point. The ends get very fragile and need protection.

[lunalocks]

At BCL if I wear it down even once, I pay for it in split ends or worse. So I only wear it down when it looks really good, and I know I will not be out in the wind, in and out of the car, catching the ends etc. Last week, at the airport meeting someome, I had it down and leaned against a wall and some hairs caught on a screw holding the molding. Pulled a few hairs out, and snagged a few more. Ouch.Won't do that again.

[neko_kawaii]

Why would anyone rip hair in order to put it up?

[Nadine <3]

I'm guilty of wearing mine down most of the time. I don't plan on growing it any further than waist though.

[Madora]

I never wear it down because I abhor tangles with a passion.

[LauraLongLocks]

I wear my hair down when

1. there is no wind
2. it's not too hot where I would be smothered by it
3. I'm not going to be around kids
4. my husband is taking me out on a date or another special occasion

The occasion has to meet all these requirements, so I wore it down on my anniversary (December 17th), and again for a sweetheart's dinner/dance in February, I wore it in a half-up. I don't foresee wearing it down again for quite some time, especially now that the spring time wind has really started to blow where I live.

[Marbid]

I dont like how puffy my hair is from brushing out my curls, which i find necesary for wearing it up... Wearing it brushed out and loose is a recepie for disaster even if i am just at home... Only time i wear it down is after hair wash for drying, or wearing it in its natural curl pattern. I like updoos.. I find them cute on me.

[Aderyn]

I used to always wear my hair down (past BSL wavy/waist stretched), but it is just so much more convenient to wear my hair up. It gets it out of my face, prevents tangles, and has actually helped me not feel so awkward about my face (haha). I also can't stop touching it when it's down, and it doesn't get into anything when it's up. Very important when in a lab setting. I have sensitive, acne-prone skin (not so bad now that I'm older) and wearing it up has eliminated the little bit I've still struggled with. I could probably get away with wearing my hair down regularly if I really wanted to (I've been hovering around BSL-waist for nearly a decade without an issue, and that was with poor care) and still grow to at least BCL without an issue as my hair is quite sturdy, even though it's fine.

I do occasionally wear it down, but that is when I'm inside, at home, or where I know the tangles/damage from my surroundings will be minimized (no wind, rain, walking around campus with coat and backpack, etc.)

[untangleme]

1.) It distracts me/gets in my way
2.) I used to really struggle with trichotillomania, and had bald patches. I fear that I have bald patch in the back, even though I know I don't
3.) People sometimes comment on my hair when it's down, and it makes me a little uncomfortable/anxious (I have a hard time accepting compliments)

[untangleme]

1.) It distracts me/gets in my way
2.) I used to really struggle with trichotillomania, and had bald patches. I fear that I have bald patch in the back, even though I know I don't
3.) People sometimes comment on my hair when it's down, and it makes me a little uncomfortable/anxious (I have a hard time accepting compliments)

[darklyndsea]

I used to wear my hair down all the time, but when it got to about classic length it was so annoying to keep out of the way that I cut it. Since I've intended to grow my hair longer than that ever since, I started wearing it up ASAP so that I'd be used to it by the point that I feel it's necessary. Add in the fact that my hair practically felts when I leave it down, and barely gets any tangles when I put it up...

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I don't wear mine down because:
a) it would tangle
b) it would always be getting in the way.

I do however enjoy SEEING it down for a couple of minutes while I comb it in the morning before it goes up for the day.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I don't wear mine down because:
a) it would tangle
b) it would always be getting in the way.

I do however enjoy SEEING it down for a couple of minutes while I comb it in the morning before it goes up for the day.

[RapunzelKat]

I just prefer wearing mine up. It's more comfortable, and I don't have to deal with detangling throughout the day. Also, my hair is long enough to become a serious nuisance when down if I'm not in the mood to deal with it. Updos need not be damaging, if you choose the right ones and secure them in a hair-friendly way. Done right, they can actually protect your hair from damage.

If you love having it down though, wear it down! :)

[Frida]

I don't wear my hair down often as I'm in a lab most of the time and I worry that I'll set it on fire or get chemicals on it :p I also get lots of tangles if I wear it down. It's just so much easier to put it up and forget about it. I do like to wear it down if I'm having a lazy day at home, though.

[Jumper]

I like to let it down and be free when I'm sitting around, or if I want to look pretty.

But mostly it just gets in my way if I want to actually do something.

And I have a problem being aware of just how long it is, I work with women who straighten their hair and leave it down all the time and I'm just like "How can they stand to leave their hair down?!" Because I don't think about my hair being a good 4-6 inches longer than theirs and how much I hate the feeling of it brushing my elbows as I try to work fast. In my head my hair is only as long as theirs.
I did wear it half up to work and the down hair got really tangled so I didn't do that again.

[tlover]

I can't wear my hair down. Or well I can if I want chicken/rabbit poo, dishwater, tangles, dirt in it and don't mind it ending up in the sewing machine, Dirty laundry, the cats mouth, boiler etc but well I do mind, I want my hair and the only way leaving it down would with my Lifestyle would be to have short hair

Edit: I can't even wear braids down, they end up in Everything too, so I usually didn't wear braids Before coming to LHC.

I do wear my hair down sometimes, like I did at x-mas (but I got annoyed at it) and half a day in January

[Lirona]

I have had BS length or longer most of my life, and although updos can be very pretty.......I don't know. The last stylist that paid me to my hair in an updo ripped out lots of hairs. I like my hair down!:p

Are you talking about fancy salon-type updos? With heat, teasing, hairspray, etc? When we talk about "keeping our hair up," we usually mean buns, braids, and twists, not elaborately pinned and glued hair creations.

[HoneyDayTripper]

If I'm at work and it's going to be really busy, I have to pull it back or I pay for it tangles. On a chill day I'll wear it down and I always feel a lot prettier.

[0xalis]

I don't wear my hair down when I'm busy doing anything. I don't wear it down on my way to or from anywhere, and I don't wear it down if it'll be in my way.
At school or home, I'll take my hair down if I'm not moving around a lot or whatever.

My hair's fairly resilient, and I might have to maintain here at APL for a while anyway for unrelated reasons, so it doesn't really matter.

[Toffeemonster]

I had to wear my hair up to try to stop my baby grabbing and ripping/chewing it. Wearing it in pony tails with hair ties did damage it, but not as much as if it were down, it was constantly catching in things. I switched to using chopsticks to put my hair up a week ago and I'll never go back. I have lost next to no hair in the last week, normally I'd have lost it every day to hair ties, to my baby pulling it, from it snagging on things, from brushing, and it'd come out in clumps when washing. I have literally counted the hairs I've lost in this last week, on my hands, the difference is unbelievable, I expect my hair to be long, thick and in much better condition a year from now. I think it's alot down to the length of your hair too, obviously if it's longer, you're going to notice it gets caught in more things and as the hair is older, it'll get damaged easier, but I've now come to realize even if it's shorter, it's probably getting damaged by rubbing off chairs etc, without you realizing it. That said I love watching my hair blow in the wind, it's kind of mesmerizing.

[Siowiel]

I'm selfish and want to keep the pleasure of ogling and feeling my hair to myself and very special people in my life as I'm not here to decorate anyone's world and can do well without the attention of random strangers. :p

And I want to grow it, if possible, down to my ankles (tailbone now), if that's not possible, to terminal, so I need to protect my hair, I don't want it to tangle and it keeps the hairs out of my face/the stove/cat's claws.

Sometimes I feel like 2/3 of people who are at the beginning of the hair-growing-journey ask this question.

[lapushka]

Nevermind tangles. Longer hair (longer than BSL) just *gets* *in* *the* *way*! :lol:

[Marika]

You've been a member of this forum for 10 years and you ask this question! :D What everybody already said and it's just common sense really. It gets in the way and tangles = damage = not able to grow greater lengths.

[kaydana]

Because I don't want to. It's my hair and I'll wear it how I like.

[NuclearApple]

I wear it down once a week now that it's shorter, but when it was longer i used to wear it up because it would break and get caught in chairs and doors. I love my hair down too, but it would get boring after a while.

[Soltimus]

I prefer wearing my hair down. It's almost hip now. The wind doesn't bother me and I try to just keep an eye on it and move it out of the way if need be. Maybe I'm lucky as my hair doesn't tangle very easily even if it's been blown around.

I do have to wear my hair up for work, and when it gets greasy I usually wear it up or just in a plait with a fabric head band so it's not so noticeable. Personally I don't want to grow super long hair just to have it hidden away in an updo.

[Misschilly]

I just feel comfortable with it up and it's been up since I could start to put it up so it feels strange to have it down..=)

[Stiria]

Wearing it up are more convenient. I wore it down all the time until it hit waist, and I remember being so annoyed with my hair all the time. It was everywhere and got in the way! Besides, updos are so much fun! If I wore my hair down I would start to worry about how it looks, if it was frizzy or tangly, and I would have to comb it several times a day to make sure it looked presentable. An updo looks the same when I leave the house in the morning and when I come home in the evening.

[ErinLeigh]

Why would anyone rip hair in order to put it up?

Mine used to rip putting it up or taking it down and I thought up was more damaging for me (I have short hair anyway)
Lapushka though I needed to try a different size clip. Tried a new one and sorted it out. I stopped having issues. Maybe that is happening?
OP does your hair catch on the bands, clips, or pins that you are using?

I wear mine up just because I hate hair in my face. Like really hate it. I wear it down on date nights and hanging out with friends but any other time is up just for convenience to answer you original question. Mine is all about convenience.

[lazuliblue]

Because the advice given by several people on here who have TBL+ hair is that if you want to get your hair that long, you need to keep it up to protect it!

[woodswanderer]

Somehow, these blanket statements get to bothering me. Everyone has different hair with different characteristics...not to mention different goals for their hair. I can certainly get my hair past tailbone while wearing it down most of the time. I don't even know how long I could grow because I always trim when it is approaching classic for my convenience. I generally only wear it up when outdoors or while being active. I do wind up with a small amount of damage, but my splits are very minimal and not at all noticeable. To me, it is a trade off that I am happy with. I still support people who wear their hair up most or all the time. I'm sure that everyone has a different reason such as trying to grow v.s. maintain length, having more fragile hair, wanting no damage, wishing to avoid the extra attention, safety, loves the look of updos, etc.

[sally_neuf]

Ahhh rubbing it against my chair, trapping it under my purse, the wind making me eat my own hair, hair balls watching me from every corner of my flat :shudder: I think I'll keep it up

[followingup]

i wear it in a side braid most of the time. when i put it up, it's usually because i don't want it to get dirty, stuck in something or get damaged. i find a braid is like a compromise between up and down.

[Wosie]

Ahhh rubbing it against my chair, trapping it under my purse, the wind making me eat my own hair, hair balls watching me from every corner of my flat :shudder: I think I'll keep it up

Haha, I like the "hair balls watching me from every corner". :laugh: It's the same for me!

I wear my hair loose most of the time (as I am at home most of the time) but whenever I go out I virtually always put it up in one way or another, ever since January 1st this year. Wind creates far too many tangles for my liking, and it's something I can minimize a great deal with updos. Also, my scalp seems to itch way less when I have my hair up.

[chen bao jun]

Obviously the OP is one of the group of people who can grow long hair (as least as long as she wants it to be) while wearing it down (stronger hair) and who doesn't mind it getting in the way.
My hair won't grow past bra strap unless the ends are protected and I want to grow it longer than bra strap. Besides,I mind it getting it getting in the way.
We do get these threads a lot. At least once per week I see a new one. I think this is the influence of the culture. It used to be normal to wear your hair up (and have long hair)until 1920. Girls used to look forward to the age when they were old enough to 'put their hair up' (about 16)--it meant they were mature, not a little girl anymore and able to be courted, married. Now however, having your hair up signals you are repressed, or afraid to be pretty or whatever. It's the influence of all these movies where the 'plain' girl takes off her glasses and shakes her hair loose and turns out to be 'hot'. Even though the beautiful actress actually looked beautiful with her hair up and with glasses on, too. and having your hair up does not make you plain--though few look good with hair skinned tightly back (you have to have a supremely symmetrical face to get away with this), there are plenty of 'up' hairstyles which are softer and ways to work with your hair to soften any feature that is not your most attractive.

[HazelBug]

Convenience. That's why it's up all the time. Also, I'm afraid I might throw up on my hair. (prego nausea) I've even been sleeping with it up so If I feel icky in the night I won't get sick on it. I dread the idea of having to wash it when I really don't feel like it.

I would probably wear it down a little more otherwise since I'm home most of the time. I don't think I would get too much damage at this point yet.

[furnival]

I'm another one whose hair won't grow longer if I wear it down. Plus: getting in my mouth, getting in my food, in my face, catching on buttons, on buckles, on other people's buttons, getting in other people's food and faces and mouths, caught in blinds, ripped out by snagging in a bannister and spending more than an hour detangling at the end of it all- and that was the only day I've worn it down for years... F*#* that! :p

[ichosethis]

I wear my hair up and typically in a bun because when it is down or in a ponytail I tend to get a nest of tangles right at the base of my skull that is difficult to get through and sometimes it's so bad that you can tell it's there from behind. I also wear it up because, since discovering I have less trouble with tangles if I wear it in a bun, I have also experienced a lot of growth. I spent years stuck around APL and now I'm at waist.

[elea]

ya, shared food should not include share the hair in it. i fully agree *;O)

personally, i not know how some manage long hair down all day.
i bemused how anything else, other than getting the escapee locks from wherever they decide to get trapped, manages to get done.
it looks nice though

[lapushka]

I'm another one whose hair won't grow longer if I wear it down. Plus: getting in my mouth, getting in my food, in my face, catching on buttons, on buckles, on other people's buttons, getting in other people's food and faces and mouths, caught in blinds, ripped out by snagging in a bannister and spending more than an hour detangling at the end of it all- and that was the only day I've worn it down for years... F*#* that! :p

Funniest thing I've read in a while! :lol:

[meteor]

Convenience, for sure!

My hair used to be long when I was a teenager and I wore it down all the time, but I would always cut it above classic simply because my hair was driving me mad! Getting caught in things, feeling hot under the "blanket" of hair, sitting on hair and constantly detangling is what happened when I wore hair down.

It's so much easier when I put it up and forget about it. Updos are a major relief!

[Ambystoma]

I wear my hair loose most of the time (as I am at home most of the time) but whenever I go out I virtually always put it up in one way or another.

I'm the exact opposite :laugh: - I usually wear it down when I go out, but at home or work then the convenience factor wins and up it goes - I find anything longer than waist can be a real nuisance left loose re:getting into stuff and I can't be bothered watching where it is going while unloading the washing machine etc.

[Rushli]

The first time I wore my hair down to let it air dry in January it got spit up on and I had to rewash the ends. For me, it is all about connivence too. Plus little 3 month old grabby hands can tear lots of hair out. I want to grow my hair out to a little past classic to 48" - just because I want to say I have 4' of hair! This goal works pretty well with the fact that we 2 more kids, so I have lots of mandatory wearing hair up time ahead of me (6-7 or more years.) After that, I plan on cutting it to a length that I know I can do the updos I want but also lets me wear it down. It does not tangle at this length, so I hope it is pretty good down the road too. I love how soft it is so even if I just wear it down around the house in the future, I would be happy.

[Nae]

Because I hate the feel of hair on my face, in my mouth, caught on my glasses and brushing my elbows. (Is that a bug?!?!? ARGHH!!)

[catamonica]

On weekends I wear my hair down. 4 1/2 days in a low braided nun is just enough. Mu hair has to breath. It feels good to wear it loose.

[FallingDarkness]

I'll wear my hair down three days a week, just because I like the way it looks. Weekends when I'm just around my house I'll have it up, and two days at school I'll either put it in a bun or braid it.
I know that it's healthier to have it up, which is why I make an effort to put it up, but because my hair is nowhere close to "long" yet, I don't have too much reason to worry about it bothering me. :P

[ladylowtide]

I wear my hair up so it out of the way. I think I have hair that could grow fine without being babied. Mostly I just get in mood wear I don't want anything touching my neck or face, then I put it up.

[battles]

Mine is short at the moment, but when it's longer I like wearing it up because it tangles too much. It also gets in my face, in my mouth, eyes.. It also screws with my sensory issues some days, so I feel better having it up.

I really like the idea of having it up around everyone and only taking it down for DBF. ;)

[Laurenji]

Even when I was little, my mom would put my hair in braids or buns, so I just grew up with it being out of my face. I've never really worn it down much, because like everyone says, it just gets in my way far too much! I can't stand the closed-in feeling I get when my hair falls down and shuts off my peripheral vision. I don't like the feel of it touching my face. I don't like it getting caught in my food. I don't like the feel of it wrapping around my neck like it's going to choke me. I don't like it getting caught in my coat.

Honestly, if DH didn't hate short hair, I would probably cut it all off. I feel like either really long hair or a pixie are the only options for me, because those are the only two lengths where I can keep my hair completely out of my face. It's also the reason I don't really think I'll go back to having a fringe, because even though I like the look of it on me, it's always in my face. >.<

[LongHairLesbian]

I let my hair down when I can, but if I have to go outside, or even just do things during the day, I have to keep my hair tied back. At waist length, it gets caught on everything, and knots are a huge pain. Although, it's super fun to let my hair down when I've kept it in braids non stop for two whole days, and my poker straight hair is big and wavy and glorious. :crush: I know that the grass is always greener on the other side and folks with big, wavy hair have their own problems, but for me, there is no greater feeling than having SUBSTANTIAL hair, hair that has texture and volume! Makes me feel like a real life mermaid, haha. :o