Hair amnesia

[Pixna]

The past month or two, I was able to do a couple of bun styles (Pencil Bun and Magic Knot Bun), which were really keeping me going. I was thrilled. But this past week, my hair (not my fingers) totally "forgot" what it was supposed to do (or just got very uncooperative), and now I can only do a single bun style (the Lazy Wrap). Luckily, I love the Lazy Wrap Bun, but I find it interesting that my hair is so challenged by what seemed to come so easily before.

Does your hair ever seem to have amnesia?

[Palonia]

First off, I just wanted to say hi Pixna!

I am having trouble with some of the styles I used to do years ago. I can't seem to do a 5 strand braid now for the life of me, but I know I used to be able to do up to a 6 strand. I have layers right now that I am growing out though, so I'm not sure if that is part of the problem.

[Pixna]

Palonia???!!! Is that really you???!!! Where have you been???

I was MIA for several years (as explained in my blog). But I'm back now...and growing back to long with a vengeance! :smirk:

It's WONDERFUL so see you!!! :waving:

[Palonia]

It's really me. =) It's great to see you here too! I'll send you a pm.

[Purdy Bear]

My grandmother told me about this when I was young. She used to do a Gibson bun on very very regular basis and it looked brilliant, and then suddenly it didnt want to play. Some women also tried rag tieing, back brushing etc but it just wouldnt look the same.

[Pixna]

Thanks for your reply, Purdy Bear!! It's good know this is not an "unusual" experience and that women have been dealing with it for many decades (or longer, depending on how old your grandmother is). I'm actually relieved to hear that it has happened to someone else. I hope more people will chime in, or Grandma and I are going to feel like anomalies! :smirk:

[rags]

Well, I think it's more "finger amnesia" for me! The only thing I have trouble with is Dutch and French braids. If I've been wearing a lot of Dutch, I won't be able to make a good French one and it will take several tries to get back in to French. Then I can't do a Dutch one!! :rollin:

I just concentrate very, very hard with every single step and I can do it now. But when I first learned to Dutch braid (after doing French braids for years) forget it! I couldnt' do a French braid for weeks.

[restourceful]

Hi Pixna. :waving: I promise I'm not stalking you, it's just that you and I seem to have some of the same things going on these days and I'm shy about starting threads.

My hair recently *forgot* how to do just a regular old cinnabun! No matter what I tried, it just would not do it. :justy:It was very frustrating since that was my go-to style when nothing else would work. Then, just as suddenly, I was able to do a really big pretty one for a wedding yesterday. :shrug: Go figure.

[little_cherry]

When I was learning the fishtail, I forgot how to French/Dutch braid. It was the most peculiar thing!

[Pixna]

Rags, at first I thought it was finger amnesia, too, but my fingers seemed to know what to do, but it was my hair that forgot how to behave! Of course, I'm impressed that you can do both a Dutch and French braid. I don't think I even know what a Dutch braid is. I can do a basic English braid (well, when my hair is actually long enough to do one), and that's about it. I'm glad your fingers regained their memory! :laugh:

Restourceful, do I need to get a restraining order? ;) It really is ironic how we are sharing the same hair challenges. I'm happy to know your hair's memory was restored just in time for the wedding yesterday. Do you have any pics of that big cinnabun? It sounds like it must have been beautiful!!

Hi, Little Cherry! Isn't it weird how our fingers can "forget" how to do something that once was second nature? Did it finally come back to them how to do a French/Dutch braid?

[restourceful]

Restourceful, do I need to get a restraining order? ;) It really is ironic how we are sharing the same hair challenges. I'm happy to know your hair's memory was restored just in time for the wedding yesterday. Do you have any pics of that big cinnabun? It sounds like it must have been beautiful!!

I know! I almost hesitate to post in your threads because you must think all I do is follow you around like a puppy. :puppy: But then I can't resist because you start the best threads! :D

Unless some photographer (there were FIVE!) at the wedding got a shot of the back of my head, I don't think there are any pictures. I managed to get a stick in it just in time to leave the house and we forgot the camera. Bummer. And I wore my new dogwood stick I made a couple of weeks ago, too.

[Carolyn]

Oh yeah. Me too. I'm not sure if it's a brain fart or what. A certain style will go fine for a while and then it will stop working for no reason at all. I have no idea why. So I just go on to something else that works and later on go back to the failed style. Likely it will work again sometime later. It's one of those unexplained things that happens.

[little_cherry]

Hi, Little Cherry! Isn't it weird how our fingers can "forget" how to do something that once was second nature? Did it finally come back to them how to do a French/Dutch braid?
The funny thing was I was Dutch/French braiding a few days prior to learning the fishtail and forgetting to fr/dtch! :o

Yes, eventually the movements came back to me! Thankfully I did not forget how to fishtail in the process! It really helps if I close my eyes while I braid.

[Pixna]

Oh darn, Restourceful. Well, you could post a pic of your handmade dogwood stick!! :gabigrin: I'm glad you like my threads. Sometimes I wonder if people think my topics are goofy. I appreciate your reassurance that they're not -- or that at least we share the same goofy tastes and interests! :p

Carolyn, I'm truly relieved to know you share this bizarre phenomenon (and glad that it's just temporary!). Thank you! :heart:

[ArienEllariel]

Oh darn, Restourceful. Well, you could post a pic of your handmade dogwood stick!! :gabigrin: I'm glad you like my threads. Sometimes I wonder if people think my topics are goofy. I appreciate your reassurance that they're not -- or that at least we share the same goofy tastes and interests! :p

Carolyn, I'm truly relieved to know you share this bizarre phenomenon (and glad that it's just temporary!). Thank you! :heart:

Nah, your threads are always interesting. I find myself posting in them alot actually.

I have issues with my fingers forgetting how to do something more than my hair. I get dyslexic fingers or something when I try to switch off between french braiding to dutch braiding or vice versa.

[Pixna]

Thanks, ArienEllariel! :flower: Ah, finger dyslexia -- that's another problem altogether (but probably not an uncommon one!).

[restourceful]

It is worse if you are ambisinistrous...or something of that sort. ;)

*See, Pixna, I even learn new words in your threads!*

[Pixna]

It is worse if you are ambisinistrous...or something of that sort. ;)

*See, Pixna, I even learn new words in your threads!*

LOL!!! Thank you for brightening my day, Restourceful!! :laugh: And, geez, that word describes me so aptly, too!! :silly:

[Joette]

I've had this happen to me, but I think it has to do with length changes. The very first style I managed to put in my hair was a simple 1 stick twisty bun thing. I don't even know if it has an official name, it was just the first "how to use a chopstick" hair video I found on youtube that I could follow and make work for me. I used that one style for several weeks and then all of a sudden it wouldn't stay in any more. I'd noticed when that happened that I'd gained just enough length for my ends to be in an awkward place where they didn't want to stay tucked, even with bobby pins. After a few more weeks the ends wrapped around to a happier place, and it would stay again.

Which is a long way of saying "No, it's not just you." :D

[Pixna]

Thanks, Joette! Ya know, I was wondering if that might be it. The funny thing is, I accomplished a bun style today that I haven't been able to do before, so out with the old and in with the new! :) I probably gained enough length to finally do it, whereas the amnesiac buns will need to be adjusted somehow. Or...maybe they'll just regain their memory in a few more weeks (with a little more hair growth). My hair might simply be at some awkward stage where certain buns just aren't working right now. On the other hand...maybe my hair just has amnesia! :smirk:

[restourceful]

The funny thing is, I accomplished a bun style today that I haven't been able to do before, so out with the old and in with the new! :)

Do tell. Or better yet, show pictures. You know I love new buns! :inlove:

[Pixna]

Do tell. Or better yet, show pictures. You know I love new buns! :inlove:

Oh, it's "just" a Nautilus Bun, or something along those lines. It's the first time I could do one that is close to "normal" (or what I THINK is normal). It's not a major milestone, but it's one I'm really thrilled with, especially since my other two staples (the Pencil Bun and the Magic Knot Bun) aren't working for me right now. So I've got the Lazy Wrap Bun and Nautilus-ish Bun in my skimpy repertoire this week, unless my hair suddenly regains its memory of how it's supposed to function with the other two buns. You probably have already mastered this one, though, so it's likely only new to me. :cool:

[restourceful]

Oh, it's "just" a Nautilus Bun, or something along those lines. It's the first time I could do one that is close to "normal" (or what I THINK is normal). It's not a major milestone, but it's one I'm really thrilled with, especially since my other two staples (the Pencil Bun and the Magic Knot Bun) aren't working for me right now. So I've got the Lazy Wrap Bun and Nautilus-ish Bun in my skimpy repertoire this week, unless my hair suddenly regains its memory of how it's supposed to function with the other two buns. You probably have already mastered this one, though, so it's likely only new to me. :cool:

Nope. :nono: *looks scornfully at shortest layers, yet again* I wish I could do all those lovely longer hair buns. My shortest layers don't give me enough bulk to make them work. They stick out everywhere and make a huge messy conglomeration of looseness all over the back of my head...and, well, the front too, since they fall out of all the lovely longer hair buns. But I'll get there sooner or later. Something to look forward to. *sigh*

[Pixna]

Ohhh. That's a bummer, Restourceful. You've got so much length over me that I was certain you could do many more buns than I can. Hopefully, we'll both reach our goals at the same time....SOON!! :agree:

[restourceful]

*extends hand for shaking* That sounds like a deal to me! :deal:

[Akiko]

Wow. I just saw your new avatar. Your hair really grew!!!

Sorry to bother. I know it has nothing to do with the thread topic. But I just wanted to say that. :flower:

[Cirafly24]

I have this problem too! It's especially frustrating in the morning when I'm getting ready for work. Normally I can toss my hair up into a nautilus bun, put a stick through it, and be on my way within 5 minutes. But sometimes, it's like my hair is just rebellious. A bun that held like a rock the day before simply falls out, or my ends won't stay in, etc.

I've been having this problem with cinnabuns lately...the twisted hair gets all lumpy and poofy and won't lay flat. *sigh*

[Pixna]

Hi, Akiko! Thank you so much! :flowers: For a compliment like that, I don't mind if it's off topic! :gabigrin:

Cirafly, I'm sorry that's happening to you, too, but I'm glad to know it's not just me. It's really freaky, isn't it?! :brains:

[little_cherry]

The amount of times I've had to restart my braids is amazing...sometimes I forget in the middle of a braid...ahh...I'm only 28. :D

[Ksenia]

This happens to me all the time, I think it's a combination of being clumsy and my hair having a mind of its own (hey, some of it is old enough to be in gradeschool so it's not such a far-fetched possibility!). I restart braids all the time, or I "cheat" and steal hair from one of the strands to thicken up another if I can't be bothered to undo everything. I wear a French twist fairly frequently when I'm in a hurry or my hair isn't freshly washed (a clip as big as my hand is the only way to keep it up if it's not slightly damp), and lately especially I've been finding that I'll get this weird "pouf" on the top right of my head. It's not even a centred pouf!
And restourceful, might I say how much I love your hair in that French braid! All of the different shades of silver just make it stunning! Oh, and is there a special tag to get the name of someone you're mentioning in your post to show up in bold, or do you just put bold tags around the name like I did there?

[Rhiannon7]

Yes! i used to be able to do an infinity bun but now i can't. Now all i can do is the bee butt bun and the lazy wrap bun. but hopefully once my hair grows longer the infinity bun will be back in my repertoire. my hair and fingers even forgot how to do a french braid.

[Pixna]

Thanks, Ksenia and Rhiannon7. I'm kind of glad to know it's not a length issue (that is, my hair isn't too short or in between lengths for certain buns), because if you both are having the problem at your lengths, then it's got to be that our hair (and/or fingers) have amnesia (or at least selective amnesia). And Rhiannon7, it's a relief for me to know I'm not the only one with a limited bun repertoire, or one that seems to be limited by amnesia! :laugh:

[restourceful]

And restourceful, might I say how much I love your hair in that French braid! All of the different shades of silver just make it stunning! Oh, and is there a special tag to get the name of someone you're mentioning in your post to show up in bold, or do you just put bold tags around the name like I did there?

Ksenia, I just hit the [b] key on the upper left of the reply box to bold the names. It just makes it easier to find yourself if someone has replied directly to you. I got in the habit on the Salt & Pepper thread where all the Renegrays do it.

Thanks so much for your kind words about my grays. I have embraced them and they are a part of my identity now. I've decided I am going to age gracefully instead of trying to be something I'm not. I think I look much better gray and I'm saving so much money and time NOT dying my hair.:cheese:

[walterSCAN]

Ugh! No, you're definitely not alone!

Currently, my hair has forgotten how to do french twists, and last week it refused to do anything but be braided... This happens to me all the time! A bun will work beautifully and perfectly for a couple weeks, and then my hair forgets how to do it right... they come out loose, too tight, lumpy, the ends stick out, off-center no matter what I do... :mad: Even rag/ soft roller curls do this to me sometimes. My hair does what it wants. ;)

I'm like you though, also, in that the lazy wrap is usually what works if all else fails... except last week! I don't know if it's dyslexic/ amnesiac fingers, my hair growing to randomly awkward lengths, or just stubborn hair...

[Ivy~Rose]

I understand! My hair is currently boycotting a braid bun, it'd much rather fall down! Not a big loss for me as it's not one of my favorites. I just got my first pairs of hair sticks a couple weeks ago (plastic for now...) so I'm discovering some buns that my hair loves that I thought it'd never do! You win some, you lose some :)

[windinherhair]

I haven't noticed my hair having amnesia, but when I was teaching myself the fishtail, I almost had to teach myself the french braid again! I had done the french braid for years, and my mind got it all mixed up. :p

[Ksenia]

Thanks restourceful, I figured it was just a regular bold tag but wasn't certain if there was something I'm missing. It's a good way of doing things. And naturally greying hair is gorgeous, you get such variation in the streaks that it makes things like French braids into works of art.
Pixna, I find that often my hair will go through "moods". For a few weeks, all I can do is a French twist, then I'll lose that completely and do nothing but buns for a while, then those won't work so it's on to braids. It might have something to do with the distribution of oils on your hair in relation to hormonal cycles or environmental conditions. I find that in summer my French twist goes on holiday and I'm stuck doing figure-8s and buns for a while. And then there is of course plenty of finger amnesia in this too, sometimes you do something without thinking so often that all of a sudden when you do try to think it through you realise that you've forgotten it!

[Pixna]

Thanks, walterSCAN, Ivy~Rose, windinherhair, and Ksenia. :flower: I really appreciate your views on this, and I'm grateful I'm not alone in this dilemma!

[SpinDance]

I also find that every so often that buns I do all the time just stop working right. It seems to be length related for me, rather than hand related, and goes away after I get another quarter to half inch of length. Seems to come back irregularly, which is frustrating. I've got on my to-do list to go see if any of the buns I wasn't able to do before may now work. That would be fun!

[Pixna]

Thanks, SpinDance! If you hair's memory returns for those previous buns you did, please let us know! :)

[SpinDance]

Oh yes, it comes back after it gets a little longer, or I've trimmed some of the fairy tails off. Then at some apparently random time it starts happening again. I've only learned to do what I consider real buns in the last year, and it's happened 2-3 times so far.

[merseaone]

The past month or two, I was able to do a couple of bun styles (Pencil Bun and Magic Knot Bun), which were really keeping me going. I was thrilled. But this past week, my hair (not my fingers) totally "forgot" what it was supposed to do (or just got very uncooperative), and now I can only do a single bun style (the Lazy Wrap). Luckily, I love the Lazy Wrap Bun, but I find it interesting that my hair is so challenged by what seemed to come so easily before.

Does your hair ever seem to have amnesia?

My hair forgets who is in charge. My hair forgets to grow sometimes.:D

I find sometimes after hair grows a while it is hard to do some of the hairdos we are use to doing so it takes "US" time to relearn the 'do' with that extra hair.

[merseaone]

Okay, after reading about all these buns, is there a Buns for Dummies book somewhere? I've never heard of most of these buns!

[Ksenia]

I had a serious case of hair amnesia this morning! I went to put my hair into two French braids, and after three tries gave up - it just looked messy, and I remember I used to be able to do nice clean double French braids. I'll have to give it another try in a couple days and see if this was just a temporary case of hair amnesia or if my hair is starting a rebellious phase.