Hair headache!

[Ponymad21]

I know it's common to get a headache from a ponytail but I get extreme headaches if I put my hair in anything but two braids!
Anyone know why or how I can stop this?

[pailin]

All I can think of is, is it too tight? Is it just buns and ponytails giving you headaches?

[Ponymad21]

Low bunches, fishtail braid and half ponys also give me extreme headaches

[Ponymad21]

Do you think hair sticks might make a difference

[Nique1202]

I would guess that your follicles are just not used to being moved around or styled in a way that's not that specific style. Try styling your hair differently for a half an hour once a day for a few days, then for a full hour, and so on. Especially if you can do a different style each day (like, a bun on the back of your head one day, a single braid the next, a bun on top of your head the next day, twin buns on the side of your head the next day, or whatever) this will help your follicles get used to being moved around, if there's any room for that. It's also possible that your scalp just won't like anything but two braids, but hopefully you can train it to accept whatever styles you want to try.

[meteor]

I would guess that your follicles are just not used to being moved around or styled in a way that's not that specific style. Try styling your hair differently for a half an hour once a day for a few days, then for a full hour, and so on. Especially if you can do a different style each day (like, a bun on the back of your head one day, a single braid the next, a bun on top of your head the next day, twin buns on the side of your head the next day, or whatever) this will help your follicles get used to being moved around, if there's any room for that. It's also possible that your scalp just won't like anything but two braids, but hopefully you can train it to accept whatever styles you want to try.

^ This is excellent advice. :agree: I had this issue, too, and slowly building up time of wearing hair in the new way (15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hours...) is what helped me over time. :) I never force it and I take the style down if it hurts and re-do it in a more comfortable way. Then, I may try again later.

[Cg]

It may be the weight/thickness of your hair.

When mine was thick, I got daily headaches even before waist. The only way I found to help was to distribute the weight around as much of the scalp as possible. Coronet braid if your hair is long enough, modified coronet otherwise. I also had it thinned often, but I wouldn't recommend that except as a last resort.

Using wide forks rather than sticks might help, and/or clamping with several small claws rather than one large one.

Hope you can find some of the advice in this thread useful. If you're not pulling too tightly and you vary the styles but still get headaches, you might just be blessed with lots of heavy hair.

[spidermom]

I used to have to bun my hair, take it down, bun it, take it down .... multiple times per day. Now I can pretty much count on my hair being comfortable all day. Part of that is learning not to do it too tight, the other part is to find the sweet spot.

I also find that spreading the weight over multiple points is better than one point like a ponytail. Even a stick, which secures at 2 points, is better. I'll often wear two buns instead of one to spread the weight. My current favorite style is to braid it from behind one ear to the other ear (horizontal across the back of my head), then fold the length of the braid below or above the part going across the back of my head and pin it into place with roller pins or bobby pins. It looks elaborate and the weight is spread over many points.

[lapushka]

I know it's common to get a headache from a ponytail but I get extreme headaches if I put my hair in anything but two braids!
Anyone know why or how I can stop this?

How long is your hair. Typically with iii hair or hair that's about that thick, it takes until waist/hip to do most buns and styles comfortably. It is because of the thickness. If you are managing styles, you are probably doing them too tight.

[Ponymad21]

I was at waist but I'm a bsl as of yesterday :(

[Ponymad21]

I think you are all righ, my hair just isn't used to going on a different direction, I was killing after my short shower where I had it in a lose bun

[meteor]

I used to have to bun my hair, take it down, bun it, take it down .... multiple times per day. Now I can pretty much count on my hair being comfortable all day. Part of that is learning not to do it too tight, the other part is to find the sweet spot.
Very true! :agree:

Ponymad21, since you mention that only 2 braids are comfy for you, my next step would be to try to do 2 buns from those 2 braids either side by side or interwoven in the back a-la Horseshoe Braids (http://www.stylista.ro/imagini/2013/10/coafuri-cu-impletituri-coafuri-nunti.jpg). Alternatively, try bringing those 2 braids upward in a Milkmaid/Heidi Braids (http://glamour-hairstyles.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/milkmaid-braid.jpg) fashion or double Coronets (http://i.imgur.com/vF93cxs.png) if the hair is long enough for that. I really hope you'll find some comfy styles soon. :)