How does it feel?

[Schnail]

Hi everyone who uses hairsticks (and everyone else too!),

I've seen a great deal of hairstick buns around the place and have been experimenting with the various styles (e.g. cinnamon, "easy hairstick bun" etc). I think they're quite pretty but the stick tends to press into the back of my scalp when I leave them in too long (i.e. more than an hour). Is this normal?

Any hints or tips on how to prevent this? Or is it simply a matter of practice?

Thankyou in advance for any help :)

[manderly]

It's possible you are making your bun too tight or inserting your stick too tightly :) I usually forget mine are on my head.

I once lost my ketylo for quite some time, overturning couch cushions and looking everywhere. When I popped in the bathroom and turned on the light, I discovered I had woven it through some hair at the tippy top of my head. :rolleyes:

[Flynn]

I second that it might be too tight. I also wonder whether you may have woven it a little funny...? With a little experimenting, you should probably be able to stop it from pressing into your head, but still have a good, tight bun. (Not that I know much in that regard -- that is, in the learing-to-use-hairsticks regard -- ... I've been using pencils as hairsticks since I was ten or so, and have never really made a serious attempt at a "proper" hairstick "style".)

[KnightsLady]

I find sticks are more comfortable than pins and rarely noticed. Sounds like the bun is too tight or the stick is not in a good position in the bun. Keep experimenting with it. I don't find it necessary to scrape the stick along the scalp to get a good hold, so it doesn't end up lying directly next to my scalp. However, I use the bun in my sig below mostly and if the stick goes through the right loops it just holds.

[Monsterkitti]

Yup I agree with that everyone else has said, when Ive got a bun nicely balanced I will often forget its there.

However if an updo is too tight it does start to annoy my scalp, press against it too hard. Its mainly practice getting the spot between too tight and falls down :)

[SHELIAANN1969]

I wear my bun all day long, from 7:30 am till around 5pm, during my work hours, because I have a headset on and it will catch and pull my hair if I don't have it in a bun.

At the end of the day, I have irritation, usually I have to tighten up my bun at least once, and it may be in a position that rubs the stick against my head.

Sometimes a stick will irritate and I can't get it to be comfortable at all, and have to get a fork instead.

It's practice, and finding out exactly what will work for you, it took me a good while to figure out *my* secret combination! :D

[SimplyViki]

I'm in almost the same boat, still in that learning process, even though I've been using hairsticks now for almost a year. Sometimes mine are too tight on just one little, tiny spot of hair and it feels like the stick is pressing, but really it's pulling on that little area. I haven't quite mastered the art of the perfectly balanced updo yet. Good luck to you, and hopefully we'll both figure it out soon.

[embee]

I usually am unaware I have the stick(s) in my hair. My guess is you've got something pulling somewhere.

When a new user I found it helpful to make a ponytail first. Then the stick had something to work against and catching my hair just-so wasn't as important. Without an elastic the stick would frequently be too tight or too loose. Now I do not need the elastic but may use it if I'm going to be *very* active, just as insurance. My hair is slick and straight and slips easily.

[JamieLeigh]

The ones like the Chinese bun and woven bun, that have a ponytail as a starting point and have the stick(s) placed behind the elastic, do tend to rub against the back of my head if I leave them in all day. But I think it's just the fact that the presence of the elastic presses the sticks against my head. Other styles, like a cinnabun, infinity or figure-8, don't bother me at all. :)

It just takes a little practice. Everyone has to start somewhere; I did too. ;)

[Schnail]

Great, thanks for the advice everyone. I'll keep practicing - like Monsterkitti said - it's the balance between too tight and falling out that I need to find. :)

SimplyViki - all the best also in finding an updo that balances.

Thanks to everyone else too :D

[Igor]

I see you’re only at 30 inches. It might be that your hair is simply too short for the thickness to create a self-stabilising bun. The same thing happened to me, I had to wait until hip length or so before it really worked. One thing I found that helped, was to add some longer, fake hair to help wrap the length around the base