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View Full Version : Hairstyles for APL friend w/ chronic pain?



Tassledown
February 12th, 2019, 10:19 AM
Hey, I'm posting for a friend who's not joined yet. She's got curlier/thicker hair than mine at not-quite-APL and two small children on top of it all. She's struggling with growing her hair out, as much as she wants to, because she can't even get a third of a way through a braid without major pain (not just fatigue.) Not having similar experience, I'm not sure what hairstyles to direct her towards for maintenance styles she can put in and ignore for three/four days and we don't live close enough for me to do it for her as often as she needs it.

What kind of easy buns are possible for curly APL, with minimal time spent with arms "up"? What kind of hairtoys are best for facilitating them? I can get away with amish pins and leaving in milkmaid braids for three-four days, but she doesn't have the length yet to get away with that as a solid hold. I know we have a lot of people here who live with similar restrictions, but it hasn't come up in any threads I could search up.

Thanks to y'all for any suggestions you have.

MusicalSpoons
February 12th, 2019, 10:30 AM
Peacock twist with a claw clip - not one to be left in for long periods of time but it is quick and simple.

Erm, cinnamon bun held with little claw clips, maybe? Again, not a style to leave for days though.

Can she do a single English braid? If so, that can be clipped up quickly and easily, again with claw clips. Oh, just re-read your post, so no - I'll leave it here in case it's useful for anyone else though.

Hmm. I'll have a think, though I have no experience with shorter hair, but my arms fatigue really quickly and burn if I hold them up too long so I can empathise. It's very kind of you to ask on her behalf! :blossom:

TatsuOni
February 12th, 2019, 10:30 AM
The only things that comes to mind now are peakock twist (not sure if you could leave this for days though)or using a hairnet snood, or scarf to put the hair under.

Edit: I see now that me and MusicalSpoons wrote at the same time

Also, a rope braid might work if she starts with a ponytail base, as those are quicker to do than English braids.

Groovy Granny
February 12th, 2019, 11:20 AM
wrong thread

GrowlingCupcake
February 12th, 2019, 11:36 AM
Claw clips but you would have to redo this every day.

spitfire511
February 12th, 2019, 12:13 PM
With the others on claw clips - at this length I would do a small simple bun and hold it with multiple very small claw clips. Maybe this would ease the strain on her having to do it daily if she only had to work with small clips with easy springs? It only takes a moment to pull up and stayed very well in my experience. Good luck to her! :flower:

SurprisingWoman
February 12th, 2019, 01:29 PM
She should be able to do a bun with spin pins. They can stay for days, especially if she does it while her hair is wet.

milosmomma
February 12th, 2019, 08:10 PM
I would say a satin scarf, she could even leave her hair loose underneath and there are different ways or tying where she could leave the length down, or flip her hair into it like plopping and secure it all inside. She could clip it up into a bun first and then remove the clip or whatever was holding it before securing the scarf. Maybe amish pins to secure a cinnabun, by itself or under a scarf as the pins will be hidden within the bun.

lapushka
February 13th, 2019, 06:29 AM
I rather not discuss my health on the public part of the forum, so... sorry. :flower: Can't get into one thing without mentioning the other and well... Maybe ask the mods to move the thread?

gardengirl13
February 13th, 2019, 12:57 PM
I don't have hair anything like your friend but I have health issues that limit what I can and can't do. My hair is in pretty rough shape due to my health and not being able to care for it and due to hair issues being part of my health stuff. But I do a twist in the back, kind of like a peacock twist and just use a claw clip, it changes as it grows to how I do the twist part. I also do a messy bun with a scrunchie, not sure if it damages my hair or not, but it's quick and easy, and sometimes that and my health has to be more important then my hair. I do take the bun down daily and shake it out to keep it from knotting. The claw has to come out every day obviously. But both are so quick and easy it's ok to do it once or twice a day.

cjk
February 13th, 2019, 07:15 PM
Armpit length means she is going to have to raise her arms to do anything. What motions are most comfortable for her? Not all pain is equal.

A French twist is easy, and is secured with a comb, fork, or stick.

Braids, though lovely, require finger dexterity which she may or may not have.

A high ponytail would be easy, particularly if raising her arms all the way is more comfortable than part way.

Tassledown
February 14th, 2019, 01:15 PM
Thank you all for so many kind responses, I appreciate it very much! There's been a lot of really good, useful ideas and hopefully they'll give her stuff to try!

@Lapushka, I appreciate not wanting to discuss your health on a public forum, but my friend hasn't joined LHC at this time so it'd be hard to link her to a private thread. Would there be any rules problem if I started a second thread in private of this type for that response (I'm also not sure whic private forum would be suitable), or are there other ways you'd be comfortable sharing your experience? Thank you for looking in, if nothing else.

lapushka
February 14th, 2019, 04:55 PM
Thank you all for so many kind responses, I appreciate it very much! There's been a lot of really good, useful ideas and hopefully they'll give her stuff to try!

@Lapushka, I appreciate not wanting to discuss your health on a public forum, but my friend hasn't joined LHC at this time so it'd be hard to link her to a private thread. Would there be any rules problem if I started a second thread in private of this type for that response (I'm also not sure whic private forum would be suitable), or are there other ways you'd be comfortable sharing your experience? Thank you for looking in, if nothing else.

No it's OK, leave it here; a lot of other people have given great advice already! :) :flower: