How awful are claw clips?

[whiteisle]

Please tell me not too bad! It's the easiest thing for me to use and I'm planning on keeping my hair up quite a bit for while since my "hack job". I'm totally put out about the whole experience so I've decided to just put my hair up and forget about it but I don't have the time or patience to do much else than a claw clip or pony. Even a simple english braid won't do because of the layers around my face are too short and the whole thing ends up falling out.

So am I going to damage my hair by wearing it twisted up in a claw clip alot?

[bahannas]

I always wear claw clips - anywhere from the teeny tiny ones to the ones almost as big as my hand. I've never had any noticeable damage from them. Just be sure that your hair doesn't get caught in the hinge when you take them out. :)

[lapushka]

Please tell me not too bad! It's the easiest thing for me to use and I'm planning on keeping my hair up quite a bit for while since my "hack job". I'm totally put out about the whole experience so I've decided to just put my hair up and forget about it but I don't have the time or patience to do much else than a claw clip or pony.

I used a claw all the way from shoulder to BSL and am still using it almost daily. I also mostly forget about it and have it in a peacock twist. I'm a iii too and can't do the more intricate updos yet (just managing a cinnabun at BSL but it still gets untangled after a while). It doesn't hurt to wear a claw clip if you don't have to lean back, there's no hair being pulled or snagged. I certainly can't see any damage from it, and it's actually quite a comfortable way to put your hair up at those intermediate lengths.

[Carolyn]

Check the plastic parts for rough seams. Sometimes that can be taken care of with something like a metal nail file. If your hair gets caught in the hinge then stop using that clip. There ARE non damaging claw clips out there. France Luxe makes some beauties.

[Shermie Girl]

Jaw claws aren't evil. Choose clips that have smooth, seamless teeth (or use something to sand and polish the seams) and don't use any that catch your hair in the hinge. If you feel that it could possibly be stressing your hair, just shift the position of your updo from time to time so that you aren't putting all of the friction on the exact same spot, all the time.

Transition lengths can be a real pain and jaw claws are a lifesaver at those times. :D

Lapushka, I am still dealing with hair that wants to spring out all over the place when I put it in a cinnabun. I can't wait for my length to catch up with my thickness and get past that nonsense. :lol:


ETA: Carolyn snuck in and posted while I was typing all slow and junk. I didn't copy her... Honest. :lol:

[whiteisle]

Oh, wonderful!! Thank you all so much for the input. I'm not so worried now. :D

[Carolyn]

ETA: Carolyn snuck in and posted while I was typing all slow and junk. I didn't copy her... Honest. :lol:
We speak from the same experience :D

[Almandine]

After owning a pair of claw clips for a long time with no idea how to use them, I finally figured out I could use them both on either side of a bun instead of a stick. I find they're very secure and I have never had a problem with my hair catching in the hinge. So from experience I'd say they're fine, although it's relieving to read the same from previous posters.

[girloctopus]

After owning a pair of claw clips for a long time with no idea how to use them, I finally figured out I could use them both on either side of a bun instead of a stick. I find they're very secure and I have never had a problem with my hair catching in the hinge. So from experience I'd say they're fine, although it's relieving to read the same from previous posters.

I agree with this! I do try to sand down any noticeable seams, but a double claw clipped bun is one of my most stable and comfortable styles, especially post wash! Just have to be careful with the springs.

[Wicked Princess]

The majority of my experience comes from my time pre-LHC. Since my hair was BSL, until it was classic...claw clips were almost exclusively what I used to put my hair up. I never actively grew my hair and would cut it fairly drastically (hip to BSL) fairly often...so the time period I mentioned was pretty much a ten year span of cheap, claw clip usage!

I didn't file any seams down, but I was sensible enough to throw away clips that had my hair catch in the hinge. They were just cheap, plastic claw clips from a drug store. The only time I saw any damage was if that hinge caught it my hair.

I didn't even own a hairstick until about four months ago! :o

[AgnesONutter]

From 7th grade until just a year ago (so 9-10 years) I used those small claw clips to secure buns and whatnot, without any real problems. It is just a matter of using common sense and having patience when removing them as with bobby pins and the like or they can catch and pull. I don't know why I stopped using them, really. Perhaps because I prefer the ease of just a stick or scrungie when putting my hair up and taking it down? I think that is it. :)

[Syaoransbear]

Haven't suffered any damaged and I wear them daily. If anything, my hair is more damaging to the clip! I was walking upstairs when I heard a cracking noise behind my head, and then when I touched my hair the clip fell out and was broken in two pieces! I think my hair attacked it :P.

[little_cherry]

I use them quite a bit on my shoulder length hair....actually I'm sort of addicted to them. I own about 20 :)

[MsBubbles]

Another claw-clip fan here. I splashed out on a ficcare when I first started reading LHC posts, but stopped using it because my hair got so badly tangled in the hinge when I took it out. And if I didn't put it in exactly in the correct place first time, I had to take it out, get it untangled and start over. I hear ripping sounds when I try to insert a hair stick, and the hair sticks usually slide right out again.

So! Claw clips work great for me, little or large. I can use lots of the little tiny ones to secure buns around the edges, which helps the bun stay neat/contained, and eliminates the painful tugging that the heavy ficcare causes.

Since they don't tangle up in my hair and I don't hear ripping sounds when I put them in or take them out, I conclude they aren't awful at all.

[jera]

I agree with this! I do try to sand down any noticeable seams, but a double claw clipped bun is one of my most stable and comfortable styles, especially post wash! Just have to be careful with the springs.

That's a good idea. Mine have seams. I never thought of sanding them down. Now I will. :p

[Sabayon]

I agree that claw clips are not necessarily damaging, but if you want an alternative I recently bought a Goody Ouchless Flex barrette (http://www.goody.com/Products/Accessories/Barrettes/Classic/ComfortFlex_Updo_Barrettes.aspx) and love it. It allows me to do all the same styles I can do with a claw with the same amount of effort but is so much more comfortable and completely non-damaging. So I think claw clips are basically fine, but this is a nice, and quite cheap non-damaging alternative.

[Tabitha]

I love claw clips and have quite a collection of different sizes - there are some lovely ones out there including France Luxe as already mentioned. I use them for half ups as well as casual log roll/twist styles. My favourite is this silk-wrapped one:
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/4622/hamamatsuumbrellaswrapp.jpg

[Tovah]

I agree that claw clips are not necessarily damaging, but if you want an alternative I recently bought a Goody Ouchless Flex barrette (http://www.goody.com/Products/Accessories/Barrettes/Classic/ComfortFlex_Updo_Barrettes.aspx) and love it. It allows me to do all the same styles I can do with a claw with the same amount of effort but is so much more comfortable and completely non-damaging. So I think claw clips are basically fine, but this is a nice, and quite cheap non-damaging alternative.

I'm wearing one now, and it's my favorite! I have a brown one and can't find a black one. I was going to look on line, but you found them for me. I have millions of claw clips, but prefer the goody barrette. I do have very fine hair though, I think those with thicker and coarser hair would have difficulty fitting into the barrette.

[Rhiannon7]

I have not seen any damage and i wear a claw clip to pull a braid up so the ends will not be damaged at work, wear the claw clip about 4 times a week. and i simply fold the braid up and then fold under to hide the ends then use the claw clip to hold it all together.

As long as the hinges do not pull hair or tear it out all is ok.

[whiteisle]

I agree that claw clips are not necessarily damaging, but if you want an alternative I recently bought a Goody Ouchless Flex barrette (http://www.goody.com/Products/Accessories/Barrettes/Classic/ComfortFlex_Updo_Barrettes.aspx) and love it. It allows me to do all the same styles I can do with a claw with the same amount of effort but is so much more comfortable and completely non-damaging. So I think claw clips are basically fine, but this is a nice, and quite cheap non-damaging alternative.


Oooo! I saw those in Target one day but didn't get one. Now I will!!:D

[lorig713]

Claw clips didn't become a problem for me until my hair grew much longer (35"+). At that point, it pulled out hair when putting it in and that's when I stopped using them. My hair is too long, heavy, and fragile now. If they are not causing you a problem, keep using them. :)

[Sabayon]

I'm wearing one now, and it's my favorite! I have a brown one and can't find a black one. I was going to look on line, but you found them for me. I have millions of claw clips, but prefer the goody barrette. I do have very fine hair though, I think those with thicker and coarser hair would have difficulty fitting into the barrette.

Actually my hair is very thick and I can fit it in the larger ones with room to spare. The large ones hold almost as much as my medium flexi-8. I've noticed the drug store hairtoy makers doing a lot better at making things that work for thicker hair. Even a year or two ago I could rarely buy anything but elastics from Goody or Scunchi, now they have clips and barettes that work.

[Kate199023]

I sure hope claw clips are not bad either. Other then a ponytail is the only other way I know to put it up. It bugs the crap out of me if its down.

[MultiCultiCurly]

I'm sooo glad everyone seems to find them non-damaging, as I used to wear them just about daily for half-ups, and still own a few. I never got nice ones, just the cheapy plastic ones with decoration. Never caught in the hinge (crossing fingers!), but I should have definitely sanded/filed the edges, the seams weren't smooth.....:doh:

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I have about 4 of them, and they work well for me. The only reason I don't wear them more often is that I find them - unbeautiful. But if you are careful they shouldn't cause any damage.

[MissHoney]

I sleep in mine :doh: I at least try to only use small ones very high on my head, but this week I have been airdrying my hair overnight by twisting my hair into a tube and clipping it upwards. It's easy to snatch off my turbie twist then unclip and let it fall, no digging for a bobby pin.

[0xalis]

Clips aren't evil, but beware the cheap ones! Cheap plastic ones from the dollar store can have really rough seams, although I'm pretty sure you can sand them down to make them more smooth. Cheap doesn't always mean bad, [trust me I'm poor,] but you have to be really careful.