style with the least amount of damage potential

[wectmall]

I was wondering what everyone thinks is the best style that causes the least amount of damage? When I am around the house and to sleep at night, I twist it on the top of my head and then put a lobster claw clasp over the very ends (so the bun portion stays on top of my head and has no clasp) it stays fairly well, but it looks terrible!

Any other suggestions? I really want to know what others have had success with while growing out there hair that gave them little to no damage.

thanks!!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

For sleeping I wear my hair loose inside a silk sleeping cap, it works wonders.

[wectmall]

I am going to try this. Do you gather it up in a psuedo-bun? Do you comb it all out first? Is it tangled in the morning? thanks!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Well, if it is bunned during the day I just take the fork or hair stick out and put the sleep cap right over it and go to bed. I don't comb it first. It only gets combed in the morning once I am dressed. I then take the cap off and comb my hair out. There are never any tangles :)

[lapushka]

A loose braid comes to mind. Or a peacock twist, if your hair is still shorter and can't be bunned yet. Or, a loose cinnabun or LWB (lazy wrap bun).

When I was still growing from shoulder, I wore a peacock twist (later more log roll-like) from shoulder-APL to hip. At that point I could start to bun and have been wearing a LWB since, each day every day. And there's been no damage even after more than 2 years of this. I don't tighten it, though, I wear it loose, but not so loose it falls out - if that makes sense. :)

At night it's just loose, so it can "breathe" a little. ;)

[Rebel Rebel]

I've been wearing my silk sleep cap around the house too. It's 100% protective. I've noticed it really keeps my hair smooth and clean for longer periods of time. I feel my hair is really too thin/fine for buns so I wear a side braid usually and a claw clip as my 3rd choice. I can't say I love how any of these look but for around the house, I feel just fine. I'd say for sleeping a silk pillowcase or a silk cap has made quite a difference in reducing damage and friction in my easily tangled hair.

[Deborah]

For me a bun is the most protective daytime style, and a single braid down the back works best for sleeping. I cannot keep anything on my head when I sleep, so sleeping caps don't work. They end up lost in the bedding or on the floor. I can sleep on a silk pillowcase though, and that seems protective too.

[rouxlala]

A loose braid comes to mind. Or a peacock twist, if your hair is still shorter and can't be bunned yet. Or, a loose cinnabun or LWB (lazy wrap bun).

When I was still growing from shoulder, I wore a peacock twist (later more log roll-like) from shoulder-APL to hip. At that point I could start to bun and have been wearing a LWB since, each day every day. And there's been no damage even after more than 2 years of this. I don't tighten it, though, I wear it loose, but not so loose it falls out - if that makes sense. :)

At night it's just loose, so it can "breathe" a little. ;)

Googling all of these now. lol

[meteor]

My favorite is a braided bun, based on a simple English braid that's not too tight. This allows me to take a stick/fork out whenever necessary (e.g. for the night) and then reuse/rebun the same braid in the morning with minimal manipulation and minimal tangling.
The bun itself will depend on the length of hair, e.g. my progression with length went like this: folded braid, braided cinnabun, braided LWB, braided L-Infinity.

Coronet braid (faux crown braid) is great for minimal manipulation, too, but it tends to require more complex pinning/fixing to prevent sliding on me.

[ReadingRenee]

A loose braid comes to mind. Or a peacock twist, if your hair is still shorter and can't be bunned yet. Or, a loose cinnabun or LWB (lazy wrap bun).

When I was still growing from shoulder, I wore a peacock twist (later more log roll-like) from shoulder-APL to hip. At that point I could start to bun and have been wearing a LWB since, each day every day. And there's been no damage even after more than 2 years of this. I don't tighten it, though, I wear it loose, but not so loose it falls out - if that makes sense. :)

At night it's just loose, so it can "breathe" a little. ;)

Question about the bolded part. What do you use every day to hold your LWB? A hairstick? what about at night? Just wondering because I haven't mastered wearing a hairstick every day and cant figure out how I would use one at night.

[pailin]

Question about the bolded part. What do you use every day to hold your LWB? A hairstick? what about at night? Just wondering because I haven't mastered wearing a hairstick every day and cant figure out how I would use one at night.

This will depend on your length and thickness (mine's about 3.5 inch circumference). Maybe also on layering or taper which can affect your ability to tuck the ends in. I know some people manage a LWB or a nautilus at APL, but I only began trying it at BSL or midback. At that point, I could manage a center held LWB but it wouldn't stay- as soon as I started to walk around it would fall down. So I stuck with a cinnablob of sorts (with a hairstick). When I got close to waist, suddenly I found I could do a LWB and it stayed- it's been my go-to for over a year now and it holds well, usually with a single stick (unless I'm having a really slippery hair day; then I need 2 sticks, a fork, or a Ficcare ). A braided LWB took a little more length. I think I just needed that extra length to give me enough wraps that it would be secure.
For night, I think a lot of people bun on top on top of their heads. I can't do this without it pulling strangely. So I very occasionally braid my hair overnight, but mostly I just leave it down. I just keep a hairstick under my pillow so I can throw it up quickly when I get up.

ETA If you can't put your hair up with hairsticks, don't feel bad about claw clips. They work and usually aren't bad for your hair. I used those and scrunchies down to about BSL, when it became more comfortable for me to use sticks. Or to braid of course.

[zashin66]

The only thing i can do is either a very loose braid or about three braids down long; otherwise it gets too uncomfortable. i can almost sit on it now. When I wear it loose, I end up having to wake up to move the hair around. If I put my hair up, it has to be on top of my head which leaves sore spot in the am. I use soft cotton pillow cases or polyester satin; depends on how humid it is.

[akurah]

I actually throw my hair up over the pillow, so there's a little pool of hair above the pillow. I don't tie or otherwise secure it. It usually stays put.

[Shiranshoku]

I put it in an english braid and tuck it between the mattress and the headboard. When it's colder, I roll the braid into a flat bun and wrap a silk scarf around my head. The latter is better to avoid damage, but I can't always be bothered. :-)

[lapushka]

Question about the bolded part. What do you use every day to hold your LWB? A hairstick? what about at night? Just wondering because I haven't mastered wearing a hairstick every day and cant figure out how I would use one at night.

I use a 2-prong aluminum fork, either by Ravenslair or by Quattro, kind of depends on my mood. But it is *always* an aluminum fork. I find those the most comfortable. At night it's just loose. I fold it underneath my head at night, or lay it behind me (I hardly move).

[Chromis]

For me a bun is the most protective daytime style, and a single braid down the back works best for sleeping. I cannot keep anything on my head when I sleep, so sleeping caps don't work. They end up lost in the bedding or on the floor. I can sleep on a silk pillowcase though, and that seems protective too.

This is me too!

I think any of the buns that don't require a bunch of twisting are probably your best best for limiting damage. Most damage for me comes from tangles, so lower manipulation styles give the least chances for those to sneak in! I really detest claw clips myself. They often have sharp seams, my hair got caught in the hinge, and they broke anyhow.

Hairforks are probably the most foolproof. For LWB, try a fork or try a thicker stick. They fall right out on me if I use a thin stick. Braided buns are another good option, and then you are all ready for night when you take it down! Braided nautilus is probably the easiest to do bun I can think of. Again, try a thicker stick or a hairfork. There are tons of nice affordable hairforks out there and plenty of gorgeous more expensive ones too. Something for everyone! I think wodden three prong forks are probably the very easiest to use. (You can also bent a cheap metal double pointed knitting needle into a fork and spend no more than you would for claw clips!)

Note: Lots of I thinks in here since this is all highly personal and subjective!

[ReadingRenee]

This will depend on your length and thickness (mine's about 3.5 inch circumference). Maybe also on layering or taper which can affect your ability to tuck the ends in. I know some people manage a LWB or a nautilus at APL, but I only began trying it at BSL or midback. At that point, I could manage a center held LWB but it wouldn't stay- as soon as I started to walk around it would fall down. So I stuck with a cinnablob of sorts (with a hairstick). When I got close to waist, suddenly I found I could do a LWB and it stayed- it's been my go-to for over a year now and it holds well, usually with a single stick (unless I'm having a really slippery hair day; then I need 2 sticks, a fork, or a Ficcare ). A braided LWB took a little more length. I think I just needed that extra length to give me enough wraps that it would be secure.
For night, I think a lot of people bun on top on top of their heads. I can't do this without it pulling strangely. So I very occasionally braid my hair overnight, but mostly I just leave it down. I just keep a hairstick under my pillow so I can throw it up quickly when I get up.

ETA If you can't put your hair up with hairsticks, don't feel bad about claw clips. They work and usually aren't bad for your hair. I used those and scrunchies down to about BSL, when it became more comfortable for me to use sticks. Or to braid of course.

Thanks for the info and the ideas! I think my hair may just be too short to hold a stick all day right now. I just hit BSL and maybe I just don't have the length. I can use them for short stints like at work, but not for all day.


I use a 2-prong aluminum fork, either by Ravenslair or by Quattro, kind of depends on my mood. But it is *always* an aluminum fork. I find those the most comfortable. At night it's just loose. I fold it underneath my head at night, or lay it behind me (I hardly move).


Thanks for the clarification and detail. :) I might have to check out some aluminum forks when my hair gets longer.