What should a bun feel like to wear?

[Ephemia]

I ask because I think I've finally got the hang of this whole updo thing (go me!) and I managed to have my hair up in a LWB for a whole college day. I have it in a disc bun now, too, and although there's the tiniest wobble it feels pretty solid. But I'm never sure how tight they should feel, and I worry about traction alopecia. Right now my bun doesn't hurt, and I'm not noticing it as much as I did when I first put it in. It didn't hurt then either, but it felt very much 'there', if that makes sense. I had to take my bun down the other day and redo it because it did start to pull quite badly.

I know buns should be comfortable, and this is, but not so much that I wouldn't know my hair's in a bun. I think I could get my little finger under the hair in various places, although I'm wary of pushing it in too far in case I upset the almighty scalp. So I guess what I'm asking is: Is the finger test the only indicator necessary to let you know whether your bun's too tight? Or should you feel no tension on your scalp at all? Could I be noticing my bun as much I am purely because I'm not used to wearing them?

[embee]

I think a bun is like anything else.... you get used to it. ;) I've worn buns now for about 10 years and really only notice if I've got something wrong with it... usually that it's too loose. When it's too loose it sags and pulls, and can sometimes pull on one or two hairs, not just all over, and that hurts. I have made them too tight also, and it pulls everywhere but doesn't really *hurt*, just feels tight so I redo it.

Practice is your friend. The hairstick/fork should be able to slide in without struggle or pain, nice and snug. Kinda the way you want a sock to fit: not too tight to pinch your toes, not too loose to slide around. ;)

[Nique1202]

If you can fit a finger in underneath the bun, it has a little wobble (but it still stable enough to hold), and it doesn't hurt or pull uncomfortably, I wouldn't personally worry about traction alopecia. I think you're hypersensitive to it A) because you're not used to wearing buns, and B) because you've been bombarded with warnings against pulling hair too tight. The way you describe it, it's almost definitely not tight enough to cause scalp problems in general. You'll get used to the feeling soon enough, and get used to determining when the bun feels wrong compared to when it feels right.

[lapushka]

Yep, I can put a finger underneath mine. It shouldn't feel tight, and you should have some "give" to it; but it shouldn't be too loose as to really wobble, because then you'll risk it coming undone. Like Nique, I feel you should get the hang of it pretty soon and be able to judge for yourself.

[meteor]

If you can fit a finger in underneath the bun, it has a little wobble (but it still stable enough to hold), and it doesn't hurt or pull uncomfortably, I wouldn't personally worry about traction alopecia. I think you're hypersensitive to it A) because you're not used to wearing buns, and B) because you've been bombarded with warnings against pulling hair too tight. The way you describe it, it's almost definitely not tight enough to cause scalp problems in general. You'll get used to the feeling soon enough, and get used to determining when the bun feels wrong compared to when it feels right.

Oh Yes, I agree! :agree:
Ephemia, I find when the bun is too tight, it really pulls everywhere or on specific hairs, like what embee described and it's almost impossible to *not* redo it right away, because the scalp feels really uncomfortable and bunning it more loosely is an easy fix.

But what you are describing in terms of *noticing* the bun and its weight is very similar to what I felt when I started bunning for the first time: it just felt *off* or heavy or I would just be aware of the unusual direction that strands were placed in... It took a few weeks (maybe over a month) to get completely used to bunning. And my hair was way shorter than yours - and it might take longer for scalp carrying calf length to adjust to new forms of styling.
If it feels uncomfortable, you could take it down, give your scalp a rest and a little massage, then, some time later, put it back up if you can - say, building up by half-an-hour or maybe by an hour each day? Soon you'll be able to go a whole day without even noticing the bun. :D Good luck and happy bunning! :cheer:

[Nini]

Well, you won't feel it. But you'll have to get used to the whole concept of course:)

[Angelnikki]

I wear high messy buns now and again and I find sometimes I hardly notice it and sometimes I can't bear it in. It pulls and hurts my head. Occasionally I might have the pins in too close to my head but once it feels uncomfortable then I just have to take it out.

[Agnes Hannah]

It should feel cool, long hair gets hot on my neck. I also wear French pleats or heidi braids too for a change from time to time. Its all practice and part of the fun of having long hair.

[EdG]

The bun feels like one's head gained a little mass. :lol: Other than that, there is no feeling.

As others have said, redo the bun if it feels like it is pulling.
Ed

[Ephemia]

Thanks guys, this was so helpful! I had my disc bun in for most of the day, and I took it down about an hour ago to give my scalp a break. I thought about redoing it, but I think that will do for today. I look forward to the day when I can bun my hair without hardly thinking about it!

[lazuliblue]

Sometimes after I have had a bun in for a while, I do want to let my hair down because I start to be able to 'feel' the bun, if that makes sense! But everyone's advice here rings true for me, so I won't add any more.

[Seeshami]

My buns feel like a grouchy hair monster pillow.

The naughty mess says, "because you treat me like a pillow. That's why I stab you with my imprisonment devices and try to lobotomize you."

Some times when it's on top of my head he offsets my equilibrium and I fall over.

The naughty mess says, "so you smack your head and lobotomize yourself."

[Arctic]

Well my hair's in different universe from your's lengthwise, but at best my updos feel like nothing; they feel so much like nothing that I forget my hair, I forget which bun I wear and how I secured it :D It doesn't happen very often though. I can usually feel my hair, it's not uncomfortable nor does it pull (if either of these would happen, I would re-do my hair), and I'm not conscious about my hair/hairstyle all the time, but I do feel it.

[missblueeyes]

I personally find that when I bun oily or greasy hair, it's more likely to start pulling throughout the day. When my hair is clean, I hardly have issues.

[dogzdinner]

I sometimes do mine abit too tight so they pull. Mainly if Im about to walk my dogs and Im worried about the possibility of my hair coming unravelled when I bend over to pick up poop!

[Ephemia]

My buns feel like a grouchy hair monster pillow.
:spitting: Best. Response. Ever.

[Groovy Granny]

Personally I feel that if a bun is not comfy it could be doing damage, so I switch it up; a different bun, hair toy, readjust the tension, or just do a new style altogether.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I can't usually feel my buns at all once they are in. Sometimes if I do a really large bun I may feel the weight of it a little but it is never uncomfortable. If it is pulling on a couple of hairs, then I would need to re do it straight away. My buns are loose enough that I can put a finger between the bun and my scalp fairly easily.

[Seeshami]

:spitting: Best. Response. Ever.

When his majesty is floor length I won't need a pillow at all ever.