ponytails bad?

[Chocowalnut]

I use ponytails pretty often. Are they really bad for your hair? If so, how do you secure a braid?

[StellaKatherine]

Hmm.. I still use ponytails but I try to wear them on the different lengths at different days. I use ponytail holders that do not have metallic parts and then I use silicone ones. I think silicone holders were not too bad ? Then can use ribbons inside your braids and close the braid ends with them. If anyone have other ideas I would be happy to hear ;)

[memeow]

I think this, like everything else, depends a bit on your hair and the specific hair tie you use to make ponytails. I've pretty much stopped wearing them because I thought the little wisps around my face might have been breakage from ponytails. But I haven't worn them in like 9 months and I still have the little wispy bits, so maybe not.

I agree with StellaKatherine that the most important thing is mixing up styles. If you always make your ponytail at the same spot on your head and it causes any damage at all, it will end up putting a lot of wear on the same handful of hairs. Ponytails also don't do much to protect your ends, so you may want to work in some more protective styles, like buns or folded braids.

I use the folded ribbon elastic to secure both braids and ponytails. I really hope they don't cause damage....

The one other thing you might try to avoid is tightening your ponytail by splitting it in half and pulling on both sides. This pushes the elastic against the hair backwards, which can break off bits of the cuticle (like back combing).

[Madora]

Yes, ponytails are bad.

Why? Two things: repeated use of ponytails can lead to traction alopecia of the very delicate front and side hairs because the hair is pulled back too tightly.

A ponytail placed in the same spot day after day can lead to hair breakage (from the ponytail holder). Eventually, the hair thins, and in worst cases, you end up with a nasty balding spot that can take some time to heal.

Lastly, for the sake of your hair, use a one piece barrette to hold the hair instead of the ponytail.

One piece barrettes (Goody makes them) are perfect for holding the hair..and braids also.

Believe me, I've seen pictures of scalps that have suffered from too much ponytailing. The pictures were enough to turn your stomach.

I don't say that you can't use a ponytail holder OCCASIONALLY. Just make sure the holder has no metal in it, and don't pull back the hair tightly!

If you are doing a simple braid, just detangle your hair, comb it away from the face, section the hair in 3 parts, and begin to braid.

The "sectioning" method helps too, if you are doing braided buns. No need for ponytailing!

[mouse2cat]

Madora makes some good points but I don't think it is as terrible as all that. I doubt you'll get bald patches.
The factors are:
How tight is your pony
What kind of elastic are you using. (I think this is the number one problem with causing damage)
Is it in the same place everyday? I'd mix it up with braids and different styles which is honestly more fun
Hair type. (is your hair dry or damaged? does it tangle easily?)

[meliel]

When I was a bit younger, I used put my hair back into a ponytail quite often... It wasn't even very tight. I found that the hair around my temples began to break off as they are such delicate hairs, and my hairline began to recede. Think of it this way: when your hair is in a ponytail, you're tugging on all those hairs which are probably already sensitive to pulling to begin with. You're putting pressure on those hairs. I've stopped putting my hair back in a ponytail so often, and only do once every few months. The hairs on my temples have started to grow back considerably. I found that even braids didn't protect my hair so much because all these shorter hairs still stuck out, and would in turn break even further while I tossed and turned in my sleep. I've found the right hairstyle now to keep my hair happy and healthy and without damage... I'm not as self conscious about my hairline as I used to be and it's a good feeling. Just be careful with how often you keep your hair in a ponytail.

[Madora]

When I was a bit younger, I used put my hair back into a ponytail quite often... It wasn't even very tight. I found that the hair around my temples began to break off as they are such delicate hairs, and my hairline began to recede. Think of it this way: when your hair is in a ponytail, you're tugging on all those hairs which are probably already sensitive to pulling to begin with. You're putting pressure on those hairs. I've stopped putting my hair back in a ponytail so often, and only do once every few months. The hairs on my temples have started to grow back considerably. I found that even braids didn't protect my hair so much because all these shorter hairs still stuck out, and would in turn break even further while I tossed and turned in my sleep. I've found the right hairstyle now to keep my hair happy and healthy and without damage... I'm not as self conscious about my hairline as I used to be and it's a good feeling. Just be careful with how often you keep your hair in a ponytail.

If you don't mind my asking, meliel, what was the hairstyle you found that keeps your hair happy and healthy without damage?

Thank you!

[meliel]

Madora, I have found that a bun held with a hair stick is the safest option for my delicate hair :) I rarely have the need to use an elastic! I make the bun as comfortable/loose as possible (without having the hair stick fall out) and concentrate on slightly tightening the lengths of my hair so it'll hold, rather than tightening the hair that is at my scalp. I'm not sure what the name of the bun is but I'm thinking it is possibly a variation of the lazy wrap bun. It keeps my hair detangled as well, it's just overall the best option for me. :o

[Madora]

Madora, I have found that a bun held with a hair stick is the safest option for my delicate hair :) I rarely have the need to use an elastic! I make the bun as comfortable/loose as possible (without having the hair stick fall out) and concentrate on slightly tightening the lengths of my hair so it'll hold, rather than tightening the hair that is at my scalp. I'm not sure what the name of the bun is but I'm thinking it is possibly a variation of the lazy wrap bun. It keeps my hair detangled as well, it's just overall the best option for me. :o

Thanks for the detailed info, Meliel. Very interesting..and hair friendly!

[ChrissieM]

I used to keep my hair clipped back with a barrette either in a ponytail at the nape of the neck or a half up and I got a lot of breakage. In that case the ponytail was bad because I clipped it the same place all the time. Even with ponytails held with elastic bands I got breakage on the underside of my hair because it would rub on my shirt collar. A bun held with a fork is my solution to that problem.....No more breakage.

[Eastbound&Down]

I have to wear my hair up in a bun every day for work (military) and I find the best way to protect it is the make sure it has leave in/oil where the band is going to be and try not to pull it back too tight. I don't have any damage as of yet. But if you have the option to wear it down, I would go with a braid as a protective style :)

[lapushka]

I don't think it's as bad as Madora says either. I had high piggytails from age 5/6 all through age 10/11, and they were *tight* and always in the same place. I never had and don't have bald patches.

[Zesty]

I don't think it's as bad as Madora says either. I had high piggytails from age 5/6 all through age 10/11, and they were *tight* and always in the same place. I never had and don't have bald patches.
Yeah, I think the balding thing/traction alopecia *can* happen, as Madora said, but it seems really unlikely -- and scary to think about haha. I think the only people I've ever heard of having that sort of problem with a ponytail are gymnasts/cheerleaders who wear their hair pulled very tightly every day and also do other damaging things that put their hair under stress in order to get the hold and the look they want/need for the sport (hairspray, etc.). I'm sure a lot of other things go into it as well that would cause some to have problems and others to not, like diet, products used, hair type, sheer genetics, etc. I remember during one Olympics noticing that one of the Russian gymnasts had large bald patches behind her ears that appeared to have been caused by tight ponytails.

ANYWAY, the point is that while it's unlikely that the average person's ponytailing would cause bald spots, it can cause breakage for some and isn't a particularly protective hairstyle, which is why a lot of people avoid them. So it's not like everything will be ruined if you wear a ponytail now and then (or even more than now and then), but there are more hair-friendly options out there.

[jacqueline101]

I wear pony tails and I use a scrunchi that has helped with the tightness of the pull. I vary the placement of my scrunchi also and I wear other styles. As others said it's the tightness and repetitive use that make it bad. Avoid metal pony rings.

[ponyguy]

before I found this site, I would wear ponytails exclusively. I had a lot of wispies which drove me crazy, so obviously, to solve that problem, I would get my hair wet every time I made a ponytail in order to slick it down tight....resulting in more wispies. It took me awhile (longer than i'll admit to) to realize I was causing more and more wispies by doing that. now I do a braided bun with spin pins. A lot of times I don't even bother to tie off the end of the braid. wispies are still there, but much reduced, so yeah, I'm a believer in the "ponytails cause damage" thing.

[Lyv]

I've never had ponytails damage my hair or cause any breakage. Now that it's long enough to go in one I've worn it up almost everyday. I do use metal free holders and I only loop it around enough to secure it without being tight. If you use those small clear plastic hair bands try coating them in olive oil when you want to take them out. It usually makes them snap after a few minutes so you don't have to worry about pulling any hair out with them.

[Madora]

Another unfriendly thing about ponytails that I forgot to mention: mechanical damage

That ponytail is subject to rubbing on clothes, getting tangled in the wind, or with too much motion, rubbing against chairs. You get the picture. It gets tangled. If you don't take the time to detangle several times a day, you will regret it later that evening. Detangling almost always means a bit of mechanical damage, no matter how careful you are.

Check out http://fashionphobia.us/croydon-facelift-hair-2014/

Check out Nicole's photo and see what tight buns have done to her hairline! Ouch!

[Lavenderhaze]

In addition to hair breakage, I read somewhere ???? That Tension is very bad for hair at the Roots. That the constant pulling can cause baldness or receding hairline areas. don't know if this is true or not but it sort of could make sense.

For decades after washing my hair, I routinely pull the front part up in a jaw clip for about half an hour so that it dries away from my face.
It appears that the hair around my face has gotten very thin and looks receded, although that could certain be true due to age as well.

[Madora]

In addition to hair breakage, I read somewhere ???? That Tension is very bad for hair at the Roots. That the constant pulling can cause baldness or receding hairline areas. don't know if this is true or not but it sort of could make sense.

For decades after washing my hair, I routinely pull the front part up in a jaw clip for about half an hour so that it dries away from my face.
It appears that the hair around my face has gotten very thin and looks receded, although that could certain be true due to age as well.

Yes, pulling hair back from the front and sides, if done tightly, day after day, will lead to traction alopecia. The affected areas will show a receding hairline..some are worse than others. The front and side hairs are very delicate and need to be handled very gently.

[sarahchant]

My 12 year old daughter insists on wearing her hair in a ponytail every day since she has an athletics class at school and her WL hair drives her nuts (but she loves it long). Other than French braids with a fabric headband, we struggle to find protective hairstyles that fit a pre-teen girl who is quite a tomboy. She has MAJOR breakage and wispies around the front of her hair and I'm sure it's from years of daily ponytails. I'm going to keep following this thread for all the good suggestions like I've seen so far.

[Madora]

My 12 year old daughter insists on wearing her hair in a ponytail every day since she has an athletics class at school and her WL hair drives her nuts (but she loves it long). Other than French braids with a fabric headband, we struggle to find protective hairstyles that fit a pre-teen girl who is quite a tomboy. She has MAJOR breakage and wispies around the front of her hair and I'm sure it's from years of daily ponytails. I'm going to keep following this thread for all the good suggestions like I've seen so far.

Have you tried Amish braids? They hold like a rock and are easy to do. Comfy too!

[sarahchant]

Have you tried Amish braids? They hold like a rock and are easy to do. Comfy too!
No, we have never tried that and I am going to search for it right now! Thanks for the suggestion! We definitely need yo find something that will hold through volleyball and basketball practice!

[LadyLongLocks]

My hair is too long and heavy to wear a ponytail, but I DO make a ponytail first before I do many buns. I use 2 metal free elastics. I go around twice. This keeps the hair together for me. It also helps keep the nape hairs from drooping. The ponytail actually helps distribute the weight. My hair is floor length at the moment. My hair is not damaged from ponytails and all of my buns are loose around the hairline.Wearing a regular ponytail is not an option for me unless I bun it after. I do miss shorter hair and wearing a ponytail. I was advised to use ribbon instead of elastics, but have not tried that yet.

[lunalocks]

What an honor posting right after LLL. I LOVE your hair.

I have stopped wearing pony tails. A few years ago I wore a pony nearly every day and 3 to 4 times a week for an hour of aerobic dance. During dance found myself periodically tightening the scrunchie. This went on for 2 or more years. One day while putting my hair up in tube curlers (I used to do this once or twice a year) I found the hairs that would be on the very inside of the pony, or protected, were perfect. No splits, no breakage. The rest of my hair was split and damaged. I still have 6 to 8 inches of ends that are thin and extremely fragile and I am certain it is due to pony tail damage.