Eeeep!!! Somebody stop me, please...

[SheWolf]

I am trying to grow out my bangs. Right now if I pull a strand straight, it hits about an inch below the eye. The problem is my hair is very wavy and the bangs curl up and make wings. And in humid weather it looks even worse.
Product does not help, it only... holds the wings.
Blow drying? I'm trying to stay away from that, my hair gets too dried out from it.
Combing in the opposite direction has zero effect, the wings are boss, apparently.

I am this close to cutting those stupid bangs again, argh!...
I know it would be really dumb, I've been trying to grow them out forever, but it's making me nuts.

Any tips, or do I just have to suffer it for several more months?

[tiamimi]

I am trying to grow out my bangs. Right now if I pull a strand straight, it hits about an inch below the eye. The problem is my hair is very wavy and the bangs curl up and make wings. And in humid weather it looks even worse.
Product does not help, it only... holds the wings.
Blow drying? I'm trying to stay away from that, my hair gets too dried out from it.
Combing in the opposite direction has zero effect, the wings are boss, apparently.

I am this close to cutting those stupid bangs again, argh!...
I know it would be really dumb, I've been trying to grow them out forever, but it's making me nuts.

Any tips, or do I just have to suffer it for several more months?
Have you tried a headband of some sort? Not necessarily one of the plastic ones but maybe a cute wide ribbon or a thinner scarf tied around your head.

[SheWolf]

Have you tried a headband of some sort? Not necessarily one of the plastic ones but maybe a cute wide ribbon or a thinner scarf tied around your head.

My head shape is all wrong, those never stay... I may very well have to look like an 80s nightmare, for a while...

[noelgirl]

I was at that stage last summer, and for me getting past it involved a lot of pinning them back. Out of sight, out of mind. You can also try headbands or braiding them back. It's an annoying stage, but if you stick to your guns you should be past it pretty quickly. I started growing my bangs out around this time last year, and by fall I was able to tuck them behind my ear.

[theshadowpuppet]

I had this problem and still do, on occasion. I parted my hair to the side and clipped it. If you use a bobby pin it shouldn't even be noticable.

[spidermom]

Take little pinches of your bangs and twist them back, pin down with whatever works. Learn to do a lace braid across the area just above your forehead.

[MadPirateBippy]

Clips are your friends! CLIPS! Also side combs you leave in your hair. Both are your friends.

[aahavaa]

I have the same problem and my bangs are about the lengths of yours more or less.I'm also trying to avoid flat ironing them though believe me some mornings I am tempted.I had six horns coming out of my forehead the other morning.haha. But how about trying a couple of large rollers, those do tame mine somewhat at least for the first day or two and it involves no damaging heat.
If you cut you will have the same problem I think in a few weeks.

[GlassEyes]

Could you braid them into the rest of your hair?

I'm just trying to think of suggestions not already mentioned, but you could just pin them back.

[SheWolf]

Thanks everyone. *note to self: buy clips*


I started growing my bangs out around this time last year, and by fall I was able to tuck them behind my ear.

Really? Wow... that's actually not that slow. I should be able to handle that... *must get clips*
Oh the things we go through for long hair, LOL.

[SheWolf]

Oh, I forgot: About the braiding suggestions: I suck at it. Seriously, it's pathetic. :o

[AJoifulNoise]

I know you nixed the headbands, so this may be a silly question... But what about bandanas and scarves?

Either way, I know you can win The Battle of the Bangs, as I call it. I, too, had problems with them. They'd part down the middle no matter what I tried. And, my stepmom was always pressuring me to cut bangs. Argh. So glad I grew them out and kept them that way!

[SheWolf]

I know you nixed the headbands, so this may be a silly question... But what about bandanas and scarves?

Either way, I know you can win The Battle of the Bangs, as I call it. I, too, had problems with them. They'd part down the middle no matter what I tried. And, my stepmom was always pressuring me to cut bangs. Argh. So glad I grew them out and kept them that way!

No, anything around my head slides off. Also it looks weird, on me.
I just experimented with a large Flexi: I secured a bun way up high then bobby pinned the wings and that looks a bit severe but not too bad.

I think I probably need to be ... patient. Aack.

[*BelievingAgain]

Oh I am going through the 'growing out fringe' stage yet again, so I understand! My favourite tricks are twisting little sections of my fringe back into my hair and then holding those twists (or little plaits) with a bobby pin or pretty clip on each side of my head. I think it really is a matter of getting a little creative, and playing. Some of my best and most comfortable solutions during these growing-out pains have come from playing and thinking outside the square. HTH! :)

[lynnala]

Repeat after me, bobby pins, bobby pins, bobby pins...

[Carina]

I understand how frustrated you must be.I started growing my bangs out last summer.My best friend was bobby pins.Now they are long enough to stay in my buns and that is the best thing ever:cheese:.Good luck to you.:D

[MermaidGirl]

Get thee to a Rite-Aid or a CVS or a Target or somewhere where you can buy some cute, decorative bobby pin-type clips (if you want to have a little flair) or just some plan bobby-pins that will match your hair color, and pin those bangs back, girl!

I totally feel your pain. I am in the process of growing out my bangs, and they hit that point, as you well know, where they are too long to wear as bangs, but too short to ... well, do anything else with, really. Luckily for me, my stylist never cut in a thick fringe, so my bangs were rather easy to hide by pinning them back when they got annoying.

Before I knew it, my bangs got to chin length and are really easy to tuck behind my ear, or if they dry just right, they actually curve around my chin and look kind of cute. They are past the super annoying phase and are MUCH easier to manage and it is just clear sailing from here on out and I will continue to let them grow. Whatever you do, RESIST THE URGE TO CUT! You obviously want to grow them out, and you will just have to go through this annoying stage again. Remember, summer is coming and with it you will probably have a growth spurt, so just bear with it. ;)

[SheWolf]

Get thee to a Rite-Aid or a CVS or a Target or somewhere where you can buy some cute, decorative bobby pin-type clips (if you want to have a little flair) or just some plan bobby-pins that will match your hair color, and pin those bangs back, girl!

I totally feel your pain. I am in the process of growing out my bangs, and they hit that point, as you well know, where they are too long to wear as bangs, but too short to ... well, do anything else with, really. Luckily for me, my stylist never cut in a thick fringe, so my bangs were rather easy to hide by pinning them back when they got annoying.

Before I knew it, my bangs got to chin length and are really easy to tuck behind my ear, or if they dry just right, they actually curve around my chin and look kind of cute. They are past the super annoying phase and are MUCH easier to manage and it is just clear sailing from here on out and I will continue to let them grow. Whatever you do, RESIST THE URGE TO CUT! You obviously want to grow them out, and you will just have to go through this annoying stage again. Remember, summer is coming and with it you will probably have a growth spurt, so just bear with it. ;)

I feel like those guys in catastrophe movies... Picture SheWolf, armed to the teeth with bobby pins, hair all over the place, looking like I've just jammed all ten toes in high power electric sockets, brandishing wide tooth combs and paddle brushes, bellowing "I'm going in!!!"
Dude, I'm the Rambo of volunteer hirsutism.

[a12345]

Stay strong! As someone with a similar hair type and bangs that are growing out, I totally sympathize with you! I also don't do well with headbands because something about the shape of my head makes them always fall off. A Buff does work but I don't really like the way they look on me, so I just wear them around the house when I feel like it. Also, I bought some mini bobby pins that are great for keeping my bangs pinned up. I like the mini ones because the full size are too long for what I need and then end up sticking up off my head - not a good look! I'm also trying Monistat to see if I can get my bangs to grow quickly. Maybe some of these things will work for you, too? Best of luck!

[Heidi_234]

My hair is quite curly and I'm (still) growing out my bangs, (they are jaw length now). The thing that helps me the most is pin them back with bobby pins after each shower until they're dry and then pin them back every night. It keeps them quite straight and manageable. No heat styling, no products, just stroke them to back on the top of your head, not towards the ears, and pin them. Works like magic.

[MermaidGirl]

I feel like those guys in catastrophe movies... Picture SheWolf, armed to the teeth with bobby pins, hair all over the place, looking like I've just jammed all ten toes in high power electric sockets, brandishing wide tooth combs and paddle brushes, bellowing "I'm going in!!!"
Dude, I'm the Rambo of volunteer hirsutism.

:D Well, hopefully the bangs will grow quickly with summer coming and you won't have to wrestle them into submission for too long! In the meantime, of course, clips!

[MimiKeki]

I'm in the exact same situation. I'm also growing out my fringe, and they seem to form annoying flicky-wing shapes. To remedy this, I've taken to just clipping them back with a bobby pin or two. I find it works fine.

[Dorothea]

I have long, wavy, pesky bangs. I usually pin them to the side or clip them up.

[SheWolf]

It turns out I suck at clips, too! :eek:
So for now, I must spend a few months looking like a punk version of Cousin It.
:( Oh well.

[spidermom]

Oh, I forgot: About the braiding suggestions: I suck at it. Seriously, it's pathetic. :o

Everybody sucks at braids when they start. Practice.

[SheWolf]

Everybody sucks at braids when they start. Practice.

True. And I do practice. My braids look more like rat tails than braids but hey, it's got to start somewhere, right? Let's just say it's my homemade look. ;)

[feralnature]

So many of us have gone through the growing-out-bangs stage.

I bought some "Headache-less Headbands" at Walmart and they are great. I also had many, many cute little clips of all types and got quite creative.

When you are growing out your bangs just embrace the crazies. Don't fight it, just play with it....and DON'T CUT!

[redneckprincess]

try a side swept bangs and just clip them behind your ears for a couple months

[nicolezoie]

Back when I grew my bangs out the ONLY options were headbands, bandanas, bobby pins and barettes. Since I could never manage bobby pins no matter how hard I tried, and headbands and bandanas were NOT in style (late 80s) my last option was barettes. In those days I used to part my hair WAY over on the side, and my thick bangs and wave made for an annoying curl at the ends that didn't so much wing as curl under and get in my nose and mouth. What I used in the very beginning were small barettes in a "half up" sorta way, which kept them out of my face. But, once they got long enough to ear tuck them, I started parting my hair closer to the center which made it easier. That took more getting used to than the growing.

[free_hug]

Same story here... pixie growing out, curls falling RIGHT in my eyes. Hairpins & bandana save my life. Hairpins = the small, simple black ones - all others make outgrown pixie look like nursery school style :)

[Jules diamond]

I had the same issues several times. My advice would be to tuck it behind your ear or pin it back and just wait it out.

[Tap Dancer]

Headbands were my best friends when I grew my bangs out. And right now there are so many nice headbands available. The cloth ones rock! I never wore regular headbands before because they squeeze my head and make it hurt, but you can wear the cloth ones all day. :)

[Tap Dancer]

My head shape is all wrong, those never stay... I may very well have to look like an 80s nightmare, for a while...

Oh, I didn't see this before I posted. But, seriously, try one. It took me years to finally grow my bangs out for good. I was convinced I had a "huge, weird forehead" and I didn't. Showing off your face just takes some getting used to. I bet you don't look as bad as you think.

[helen2806]

I'm the same, and when my hair is wavy it looks really odd. Like spidermom said, I'd definitely practice braiding - it took me a while but now I can braid the front of my hair across so it keeps all the short bits tucked in, and then I wear the rest down.

Also you could try a quiff. I know not everyone likes this style but I do, and it's really quick and easy

HTH :)

[Firefly]

I am going through this with longer side pieces (about chin length) that I've decide to grow out. I can juuuuust barely keep them back in an updo, but they usually wind up slipping out. My hair is wavy too and as I've grown them out they are trying to curl and look flipped-- it's awful! I, too, have a hard time wearing bandana's the regular way (back behind the ears, tied at the nape of the neck). But I found a way that works for me: I wear it more hat-style... with the front just above my eyebrows and the back tied around the middle of the back of my head (I hope that makes sense-- there's a pic in my album). This stays nice and secure, and keeps the pieces under wraps, literally.

I am determined not to cut them again, even if it looks bad for a while. Be strong, this phase will pass quickly!

[Anje]

Been there -- I don't look good in headbands either, but when I was growing my bangs out, I still lived in those stretchy wide fabric ones. For that matter, I see skinny elastic ones all over my school (well, I did until the undergrads went home this week), coupled with ponytails, and the main purpose is to keep bangs back.

There is an element of having to get used to how you look with your hair pulled back from your face, and I can totally understand headbands slipping off... They slide back on me, too. Start with them close to your hairline, like an inch or so back. That'll last for a while, at least. (Dread point where bangs brushed back go to your crown -- still hard to get behind your ears, but they stick out of headbands. Clip them to the side then.)

Hang in there -- it's totally worth growing your bangs out, even if they're really annoying for a few months, and it takes ages for them to catch up to the rest of your hair. You'll be able to get them behind your ears before long.

[pointydog]

I sympathize completely. I never knew my bangs grew straight out in front until I cut off a 3' braid of hair and gave myself a nice bob and fringe.

I was 14 at the time, and I spent the next year wearing a headband made from a folded bandanna. It became a sort of fashion statment, but there was no way I could do anything else. I learned my lesson though...

You can wet them down before putting on a headband or side combs, they will stay better that way.

They grow out pretty quickly, when you look back on this time you'll be suprised at how quick it went and pleased with how many more option you have once they get past your ears.

[templeofvenus]

I just pinned mine to the side then as it grew longer made a small quiff at the front or wore hairbands. I grew the fringe right out and it took a year and was a bit of a pain, but not as much as I had thought! However I have just had the fringe put back in again as I think I like it with a fringe best lol. I would say just pin the hair back and try and forget about it and the time passes and before you know it the fringe is long.