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View Full Version : Help! Any hairstyle feel like my hair is being ripped out!



Zazzles
October 18th, 2018, 08:15 PM
So the past few weeks I’ve had to wear my hair down because anything else I try really aggravates my scalp and follicles. It becomes tender and swollen to the point of serious distraction.

I miss being able to put my hair up. I used to wear my hair up almost everyday. So much so that my coworkers were genuinely surprised I was wearing it down and how long it is. Now I’m getting more tangles and splits because it is down.

I’ve not changed anything in my routine, but if I wear my hair in a bun, braid, or even just pinned back, it hurts. It used to be that if I made sure it was a loose style, I would be fine. Now even a loose English braid feels like it is pulling.

The only thing that has changed is the weather is getting cooler. Could that have something to do with it?

My hair is just past BSL, thick, fine, curly or wavy depending on day, and has some layers in it.

Any ideas on what could be causing this pain or how to combat it?

blesseddamozel
October 18th, 2018, 10:06 PM
It could be that your scalp is more dry because of the cooler weather? Just a guess though. You can try oiling your scalp, wearing your hair down maybe until you've oiled and washed it 2-3 times (I don't know if just one time would be enough to make a difference.) Hope you can figure it out and that your scalp feels better!

Lady Stardust
October 19th, 2018, 01:15 AM
I’m sorry to hear that you are going through this. The only thing I can think of is migraines, they can make your scalp very sensitive. Do you get any other pain? I think it would be worth going to the doctor to see what they suggest.

Joules
October 19th, 2018, 01:22 AM
You said you hadn't changed your routine, but what is your routine?

lapushka
October 19th, 2018, 05:30 AM
Since you don't have any changes in the length (it didn't used to be longer, did it?) I'm a little puzzled by all this. What styles are you doing. You could possibly change it up? Have you tried a LWB (lazy wrap bun) yet? It was the earliest bun I could manage (for iii at around hip).

If you do have thick hair, BSL might be too soon, and you might have forced your hair before and are now getting the "results" as it were.

I would try a log roll, Gibson tuck, things like this that pull less.

Joules
October 19th, 2018, 05:50 AM
lapushka, OP said even loose English braids are too much, I don't think the actual pulling is the culprit here :hmm: there's either a scalp issue, or something internal (migraines, nerves, something like that)

lapushka
October 19th, 2018, 06:18 AM
lapushka, OP said even loose English braids are too much, I don't think the actual pulling is the culprit here :hmm: there's either a scalp issue, or something internal (migraines, nerves, something like that)

Hmm, if there is no length change, then I'm really puzzled here.

Let's just hang on and see what the regular routine is? :)

akurah
October 19th, 2018, 02:59 PM
If tension on your hair is causing your scalp to swell you might wanna go to a doctor.

Zazzles
October 19th, 2018, 04:30 PM
Thanks for the ideas so far! I don’t think it has to do with migraines. While I get them from time to time, I haven’t had one in months.

As for my routine, it is pretty simple: I wash my hair every few days alternating between using a selenium sulfide shampoo and a milder sulfate free shampoo. I concentrate this on my scalp and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it out for about 5 minutes to get any residue out. Then I apply a leave in made for Shea butter, coconut, castor, and a few essential oils to the ends and mid shaft of my hair and rinse it with cool water to help smooth the cuticles.

My scalp gets really itchy if any sweat or dirt is left on it. That’s why I use the medicated shampoo and I will also rinse my scalp and hair with just water in between washes on nights that I feel like there is anything that will start to irritate it. I’m also hesitant to oil my scalp to often because it seems to make the itching worse.

To dry my hair I plop it with a T-shirt for 10 or so minutes to stop it dripping and then let it air dry.

I’ll also deep condition it with an egg, oil, and honey mask when my hair feels dry feels dried and in the colder months I’ll also use a light oil, like jojoba or almond on my ends as needed.

My go to buns were a disk bun with a hair stick or a messy bun using a spiral hair tie. Both were very comfortable all day, held well, and took almost no time to do in the morning. While I’ll take the time to ensure it’s healthy and cared for at night, I hate having to spend a ton of time to look presentable in the morning.

My hair has been growing longer as I’ve been working on growing it out. It is the longest it has ever been and while it might be a contributing factor, I don’t think it is the primary reason for the pain given that it started so suddenly. One day I’m fine as long as I don’t pull my hair tight when putting it up, and the next, I can’t wear it up in any way shape or form. I tried to put it in a low pony that was so loose the hair was falling out just to get it out of the way, and I had to take it out within 5 minutes.

ETA:
The swelling is in the individual folicles. They are the same ones that feel like they are being pulled.

lapushka
October 19th, 2018, 05:15 PM
My go to buns were a disk bun with a hair stick or a messy bun using a spiral hair tie. Both were very comfortable all day, held well, and took almost no time to do in the morning. While I’ll take the time to ensure it’s healthy and cared for at night, I hate having to spend a ton of time to look presentable in the morning.

My hair has been growing longer as I’ve been working on growing it out. It is the longest it has ever been and while it might be a contributing factor, I don’t think it is the primary reason for the pain given that it started so suddenly. One day I’m fine as long as I don’t pull my hair tight when putting it up, and the next, I can’t wear it up in any way shape or form. I tried to put it in a low pony that was so loose the hair was falling out just to get it out of the way, and I had to take it out within 5 minutes.

ETA:
The swelling is in the individual folicles. They are the same ones that feel like they are being pulled.

You say you can do buns at BSL but your hair is ii/iii. I am iii and I could only do a bun (LWB, aka lazy wrap bun) comfortably at hip, before that length it all seriously pulled.

Could you have forced it in previous months? Now only to pick up the pieces?

If I were you I would try a peacock twist/log roll style with a claw clip until you reach more length, but that's me. :flower:

Corvana
October 19th, 2018, 05:35 PM
You say you can do buns at BSL but your hair is ii/iii. I am iii and I could only do a bun (LWB, aka lazy wrap bun) comfortably at hip, before that length it all seriously pulled.

Could you have forced it in previous months? Now only to pick up the pieces?

If I were you I would try a peacock twist/log roll style with a claw clip until you reach more length, but that's me. :flower:

I'm also at about ii/iii (more on the ii side at 9.5cm), and have done a totally comfortable, and all day, disc bun since APL. Before that I was pulling too much, and it could only last a few hours.

I have had to further modify my disc, though, at BSL! I was using one finger and my thumb, and now need two fingers and I make my thumb loop a touch loose. I also use forks when my scalp is more sensitive as I can make the bun even more loose and it'll stay very secure.

Also, OP, I'll massage my scalp when it's feeling sore for no reason I can determine other than tension, and it helps a ton.

Zazzles
October 19th, 2018, 09:45 PM
You say you can do buns at BSL but your hair is ii/iii. I am iii and I could only do a bun (LWB, aka lazy wrap bun) comfortably at hip, before that length it all seriously pulled.

Could you have forced it in previous months? Now only to pick up the pieces?

If I were you I would try a peacock twist/log roll style with a claw clip until you reach more length, but that's me. :flower:

Most buns I can’t do. I’ve tried them and either they pull or they fall out. The only reason a disk bun works is you divide your hair in two before wrapping. Messy buns, at least how I do them, use a hair tie and don’t require nearly so much length. I’ve been doing them since SL and the look nice and are comfortable since APL. I’ve started to notice my hair is getting heavy enough that it slips throughout the day. Not so much that it falls out, but it travels from the top of my head to my nape by lunchtime.

Claw clips were my go to style for about 6 months. They helped me get past SL, but once I started reaching APL, I couldn’t use them comfortably anymore. My hair doesn’t fit in them and I have to pull it tight to have a chance at compressing it enough to make it work. Despite each strand of my hair being fine enough it’s practically see through, I has so many strands growing out of my head that my ponytail is currently 4 1/2 inches when compressed. When I twist it to put it in a clip, that doubles or triples it...

If it was just a matter of my scalp needing a break, which has happened from time to time and usually only lasts a day or so, I would think it would be resolved by now. It has been nearly two weeks...


I'm also at about ii/iii (more on the ii side at 9.5cm), and have done a totally comfortable, and all day, disc bun since APL. Before that I was pulling too much, and it could only last a few hours.

I have had to further modify my disc, though, at BSL! I was using one finger and my thumb, and now need two fingers and I make my thumb loop a touch loose. I also use forks when my scalp is more sensitive as I can make the bun even more loose and it'll stay very secure.

Also, OP, I'll massage my scalp when it's feeling sore for no reason I can determine other than tension, and it helps a ton.

I don’t currently own a fork.. I might have to look into one if I can get my scalp to calm down enough to use it..
massaging sometimes helps and sometimes doesn’t with me.

What’s aggravating to me is that even the loosest styles, that shouldn’t have any pull whatsoever to them, still feel like someone is grabbing just one or two stands here or there and pulling them, not so the break, but enough to hurt. I go and make sure that they aren’t actually being pulled and it usually results in that section being looser than any other part, but it still feels like it’s being pulled...

MamaLou
October 20th, 2018, 06:49 AM
My scalp also starts to hurt very easily, and my hair is in between APL and BSL. The thing that works for me is to put my hair in a super low (as low as you can go) bun, which i secure with some spin pins and a scrunchy for more security (and it looks pretty). This does not hurt my scalp at all! It feels the same as having my hair loose. I also leave the part in my hair when I do this bun, I feel like this also helps my scalp.

enting
October 21st, 2018, 05:56 PM
You may wish to try multiple claw clips at once rather than trying to hold all your hair in one claw clip. I find they pull less than hairpins or sticks. Either that, or a hair fork may help distribute the weight better.

If your scalp is visibly irritated, is it worth seeing a doctor about?