Does the weight of you hair ever become a problem?

[k_hepburn]

With hair of ii/iii thickness and just past waistlength, I realise I am actually just a "shorty" compaired to some of the other members here whose length shots leave me in awe. Nonetheless, I have recently begun to notice the weight of my hair. I never used to other than in a "just had 4 inches of hair chopped off on my annual hair dresser's visit - wow, that does feel lighter" way. But for the past months, I do occasionally get the feeling of carrying quite a bit of weight at the back of my head. Sort of not quite but almost bothering me. While I just love the thick, quite formidable buns I can create now, I have begun to wonder if it could get uncomfortable if I would grow it much longer.

Does this happen for you? Have any of you ever considered / decided not to grow their hair any longer because the weight of your hair bothering you? Or is this just a silly question since there are a lot of member her with much thicker and longer hair then mine, it obviously does not bother them?

Curious

katharine

[wolf girl]

Definately not a silly question!

I too notice the weight of my hair. Not so much when I wear it down or in a bun. I really notice it when it's in a high pony tail. Sometimes it's to the point where it gives me a headache.

[capelli lunghi]

I've pretty much gotten used to the weight.. I've never had short hair.. so I don't know what a "light" head would feel like.. lol As long as everything is well balanced and all my hair isn't pulling on just a few threads in an updo.. I don't even notice it. On occasion when I get a headache, I really do notice the weight and have to have my hair down.

[KatKeRo]

i have very fine hair and it's incredibaly light. So no problem for me.
I envy people with thick hair.

[HeavenlyTresses]

Has anyone had to cut their hair or maintain it at a certain length because it is too heavy? I haven't been able to wear buns for years because of the weight and within the last year my braids are starting to give me headaches.

But, alas, not a good enough reason to cut it yet. :)

[HeavenlyTresses]

Haha, I posted mine and then saw yours, maybe an admin can get rid of mine. I guess great minds think alike?

[Ursula]

Yes, the weight of my hair does become a problem. That is actually one of my signs that I need to trim - if my hair is uncomfortable. However, a small self-trim of 1-3 inches is usually enough to provide relief, and that relief tends to last until I've grown quite a bit more. So my hair still gains length, just at a pace that I set, based on my own comfort, rather than the pace it would go at on its own.

[eadwine]

If it is giving you that much trouble I would suggest layers. It will lighten the load :)

[Islandgrrl]

My hair used to be at knee length and yeah, it was really heavy.

Play around with the positioning of buns & updos. I discovered that one huge bun on the back of my head felt like an achor. So I experimented a lot with 2 or 3 smaller buns that were wrapped with a section of hair to tie them all together (that made sense in my head, hope it translated well into writing!). Much better weight distribution that pretty much took care of the headaches.

Good luck!

[Euphony]

I can't remember exactly who it was - I'm thinking Lady Godiva, but she took all of her very long (below knee length) hair that is very thick (iii) and weighed it by putting all of her hair in a bucket of sorts on a scale. There was a picture of this procedure on the old LHC, finding her hair weighed very little - less than 6 ounces, I have hair toys that weigh more than that. So my point is, perhaps it is something else causing these headaches - hair doesn't weigh much.

I have a friend that recently cut off her waist lenght hair to a bob, she weighed the ponytail, and with the tie on the ponytail her hair weighed 2 ounces.

[spidermom]

I have days when every up-do is too heavy, and my hair is much shorter than yours. A wrapped braid like my avatar can almost always be counted on to be comfortable, but some days I am too clumsy to braid. I like my hair long, though, so I'm willing to put up with it.

[prosperina]

My hair is by no means as long as some of you ladies' hair, but it is really thick and I do find that if I wear it up a lot my scalp gets itchier sooner--my hair stays nice and clean and soft, but my scalp is unhappy. I wonder if this is because the weight of the hair makes my scalp hot then makes it sweat and then my head itch...? If I wear my hair down for the first day that it's clean, I can cut down on the days I wash. It's kind of counterintuitive.

[TammySue]

I was JUST thinking about this. Now, I don't think my hair is very heavy, but lately I have been getting neck pain and headaches in the back of my head when wearing my hair up. Today I have a braid down my back and my neck feels much better. I think I'm going to try a bit of experimenting with this!

[BlndeInDisguise]

I do once in a while get headaches--mostly because the weight of my bun exacerbates my TMJ. Usually it's only when I've been traveling or something.

I have a friend who probably has off the charts thickness (I'm going to say it's probably around 5 1/2 inches) and her hair probably went to mid thigh, maybe a touch longer. She finally had to cut it off to waist or something.

[AJoifulNoise]

There are certain styles that put a lot of strain on my head and neck because my hair is thick and heavy. Mostly braids. A single one is fine. And two seperate ones are fine. But, if I start making a whole bunch out of one pony it gets really heavy. Especially when my hair is wet. I still do it, but not that often.

[Finoriel]

I think that´s the point: to find comfortable hairstyles for the own head of hair ;)
For me the most comfortable styles are wrapped around the head, flat buns like cinnamon or braided buns and all kinds of braids. Styles based on french or dutch braids seem to be most balanced.
Wide buns like a beebutt-bun or high buns are really uncomfortable for me and can cause headaches.

I once calculated on the dates of an average head of hair (medium thick and medium number of hair) how much it would weight at 1m length. The weight was really surprisingly low, I will see if I can recreate the calculation :)
But I think the exact_range_of_comfortable_hair_weight ( :D nice word combination) is very individual and even though hair is not really heavy there can be people who can´t stand the weight. Especially those suffering from tension migraine can have problems with this, but then nothing is really comfortable *sigh*

[vindo]

My hair always used to be the not heavy type of hair. but now at butt length its starting to feel really heavy in buns, updos etc..
The length also seems to get heavier..when I let it down it really falls with some weight to it..like recently I noticed the sound of my ends slapping a chair :uhh:
Maybe Im just not used to it because my hair always had lots of taper..;)

The weight is starting to bother me though..I have to figure something out :(

[HeavenlyTresses]

I find that when my hair is down and loose it's not heavy but when it's in one single braid my kids will pick it up and when they drop it, it's almost like whiplash. My kids always want to put it in the produce scale at the store. I am definately going to have to start doing multiple braids and maybe braiding them looser. I feel if it's not a tight braid it's gonna fall out or look like a mess.

[dancingbarefoot]

I can't remember exactly who it was - I'm thinking Lady Godiva, but she took all of her very long (below knee length) hair that is very thick (iii) and weighed it by putting all of her hair in a bucket of sorts on a scale. There was a picture of this procedure on the old LHC, finding her hair weighed very little - less than 6 ounces, I have hair toys that weigh more than that. So my point is, perhaps it is something else causing these headaches - hair doesn't weigh much.

I think it was Dianyla, but I could be wrong. But yeah, it's not that heavy at all.

I don't notice the weight of my hair most of the time. If I braid it while it's wet, I can tell that it's heavier than when it's dry, but only when I'm picking up the braid itself (to bun it, for example). My scalp doesn't notice at all. :shrug: It's not like my hair suddenly got heavy overnight, either. It grows at a fairly average rate, and your scalp has time to adjust to it as it's growing.

ETA: I just want to edit to say that yes, of course there are times when I have an unbalanced updo with my hair pulling more on one strand than the others. But I don't consider that a problem with the weight of my hair. That's an unbalanced updo problem, and they can happen at any hair length.

[Euphony]

I didn't mention before that if I have my hair in an updo that is pulling on just a few strands of hair it gets pretty uncomfortable. I've learned to just take the stick or whatever toy I'm using and reposition it and I'm good to go. There are some days I have to reposition several times, and some days when I miraculously get it right and it's freaky comfy all day. However when I'm not feeling well my hair has to be down. I had pneumonia for a couple of months last year and I could not wear my hair up, it was just too much. But I probably wasn't feeling well enough to get my hair 'right' and didn't want to be bothered by it.

hahaha Emichiee's post made me think of something my husband finds amusing. He likes when my hair is down and he lifts it up to let it fall so he can hear it slap the couch or pillow or whatever. He has thin hair so he never experienced the 'slapping' sound when his hair was long.

[Saranne772]

I find that sometimes my hair is too heavy and I get bad headaches (and I am already migrane prone) so I just have to be careful of my styles- spread the weight!

[jojo]

Because hair grows on average of 1/2 an inch a month, we have time to be accustomed to the weight of the hair, therefore i don't think this is the issue more in the up-do the higher the bun, pony etc the more chance of headaches.

My hair at its longest which was waist, no means long by LHC standard didn't cause me headaches when down but if up and high, i got horrendous headaches therefore my theory is headaches come from forcing the roots into an unnatural position, especially over a few hours.

I always found a low hair up do much better in preventing headaches. My hair is no way considered long at 22" but i get headaches even now with high buns or pony's.

[daeana]

the weight is definitely more noticeable in some styles than others, but like many have already said, the key is to experiment and find styles that work for you. i've also found that when it's wet, i can't let it just hang there, otherwise that ends very poorly...

[Silver & Gold]

My hair isn't very long either. About shoulder length. When I wear it down, in a braid or fastened up in a bun with a hair stick I don't notice a thing but if I try to put it in a mid to high ponytail the pull of the hair drives me nuts after just a very short time.

[LindsayNichole]

My hair is mid-back, the longest it's been in about ten years. I wanted to grow it out last year, but ended up cutting off several inches in July because the weight was giving me headaches. I was going to try again to grow it out, and just be more patient and experiment more, but I'm about read to cut it again. *sigh* It's fine if I leave it down, or tie a scarf around it to keep it out of my face. And for a while, it was fine in a single braid...but I'm even getting headaches from that some now. I already get a lot of sinus headaches, and sometimes migraines, so I don't need my hair helping the headaches along any. I don't want to cut my hair though! But summer is coming, and I'm in Texas, so I have to be able to pull it up off my neck when I get hot. If I have to cut it, I will. *sighs again* I think I'll try layering it first though, and seeing if that helps with the weight enough.

Also, I can't use hair sticks without getting a headache, no matter how many times I try to redo it and reposition the sticks. It's hard enough for me to get the sticks to hold my hair, but then they give me a tremendous headache within a few minutes.

Any suggestions? Like the original poster, I have shorter hair than many of you, and while mine is thick, it's not as thick as could be. So I feel like this shouldn't be such a problem for me. But it is. And I want the headaches to stop. (Yeah, three sentences in a row that start with a conjunction... :P)

[Alun]

With thinnish, fairly fine hair, which I've had all my life, BTW, I know it will never weigh anything. It's waist length now, and if I could grow it that long I would trip over it long before weight became an issue. Not that it would grow that long, because it breaks, you see. I often envy thick hair, but those with it have at least one problem that I never will.

[Iylivarae]

I don't have that long hair (yet), it's just about an inch longer than waist. I do notice the weight, if I don't comb my hair properly before putting my hair in a bun. The weight of the bun will just pull on some smaller strands, which hurts quite a lot...
If i do the bun correctly, there is no problem at all.

[zift]

I also have thick and long hair and regularly get scalpache from buns. Sometimes you cannot position them right and one or two strand pulls and sometimes it gets heavier as time passes. You put on a bun and some hours later you cannot stand it. and to release tension I had to let it loose. I get scalpahce from ponytails too but low ones sometimes can last long. It's normal that they cause pain though when you leave it loose they hang by themselves but when you gather them together and it puts more of the weight in your crown area and the nape is more relaxed. I never get scalpache causing from my nape, it's always on my crown and that's why I felt much lighter when I shaved my nape area. My crown had to carry less weight. So it can and does happen with long haired people but that doesn't mean you have to cut to get rid of it. You should give a chance for different styles. And now if I had to choose between wearing loose hair everyday and cutting I'd wear it loose...(but I have thigh lengthed hair I realize it's not so suitable for say floor length or longer)

[Stagecoach]

I don't have thick hair, but I do sometimes notice the weight of my hair. Certain styles are difficult if my neck is tired or something.

I also copy Ursula in that occasionally my hair does feel to heavy, but an inch or so off seems to alievate the problem for many more inches!

[EdG]

My hair doesn't weigh enough to feel heavy, even at upper-calf length.

My hair's weight does become problematic when it's wet. I have to be careful until my hair has dried. :D
Ed

[Dianyla]

I think it was Dianyla, but I could be wrong. But yeah, it's not that heavy at all.
Yup, that was me who took a picture. My hair at the time was knee-length and weighed 12 oz. Hmmm... wonder what it weighs now?

[Euphony]

Yup, that was me who took a picture. My hair at the time was knee-length and weighed 12 oz. Hmmm... wonder what it weighs now?
OOOOOOOO I had the weight cut in half! Do you have that picture handy? I thought it was so interesting!

[Rapunzelwannabe]

I think I get more sensitive to the weight at some points, because even if my hair were at my chin I'd still get headaches from my hair being pushed behind my ears, which is one of the kinds of 'hair headaches' I get now. I get them from having my hair in a bun as well, but if it's loose enough I'm usually fine

[JennQ]

My hair is thick and knee-length, but the only time it bothers me is when it's up in a bun. If it's not clipped right (I'm addicted to clippys) it pulls on one spot and hurts my head. Hair sticks are worse! I call it having my hair screwed on too tight. The most comfortable way for me to wear it is to make two braids and hair-pin them around my head. It looks fabulous (like a crown), but I'm too lazy to do it often, and when I take it down my hair looks crimped and frizzy until I wash it.

[nicolezoie]

It's a weight distribution thing. I remember when my hair was waist length I couldn't do high ponytails anymore because of the weight and scalp ache. Eventually I figured out what to do with all the weight. These days, at almost ankle length (crazy - it's actually at extreme lower calves) I've come up with some rather strange ways of keeping it up... they look odd, but are super comfortable. Not for public outing, but I suppose I *could* get away with it... :) I cut off the legs of a pair of nylons and am using the waist portion as a large head wrap to hold my bun in place. I also use those wide headbands backwards to hold buns in place. It looks odd, but at the same time.. I think I've stopped caring if people stare at my odd hairdos.

[Dianyla]

OOOOOOOO I had the weight cut in half! Do you have that picture handy? I thought it was so interesting!
I'm trying to remember what I named it... dangit. If I can't find it I'll reupload it.

[Dianyla]

Aha! Found it!


http://diane.rokatek.com/hair/hairweighin.jpg

[marajade]

Ah. . this has been a concern of mine for a while now. . my hair gets pulled at my widows peak a lot. . and I haven't found a solution and I'm concerned I might be thinning because of it. One thing I like to do is to sit on a comfy recliner and put my hair up over the back of the chair. . INSTANT HAIR LIFT! :)

[Stagecoach]

Ah. . this has been a concern of mine for a while now. . my hair gets pulled at my widows peak a lot. . and I haven't found a solution and I'm concerned I might be thinning because of it. One thing I like to do is to sit on a comfy recliner and put my hair up over the back of the chair. . INSTANT HAIR LIFT! :)

I always part my hair either in the middle or on the side to relieve this. If I pull my hair straight back, my widows peak feels like it's just getting ripped out!

[Curlsgirl]

Like others I don't think it is really the weight but the "pull" on the hair at my scalp. I haven't been able to wear high ponies in a long time, since probably 20 inches or less. Anything that pulls a few or more hairs at or near the upper back of my head causes problems. Sometimes it feels okay at first, like today, and then after an hour it starts hurting. If I don't do anything it can cause a major headache for me. It is something I am learning is a part of thick hair for me. I just adjust it and go on. The thing I am wrestling with now is that all of the sudden it seems it is in the way more when it's down which is what I used to always do to avoid any problem. Also a single braid sometimes is hard to get where it doesn't pull a few hairs because there is more of it to braid I guess. Mine is not long at all really either. I think it is more a matter of scalp sensitivity than weight really unless maybe you go to really long lengths.

[k_hepburn]

I deliberately phrased the original question as widely as possible, but maybe I should clarify that for me there are actually two situations when the weight of my hair may become noticeable.

One is, as has been discribed a number of times in this thread, if the anchoring of a bun is too tight or to unbalanced, causing the weight of the bun to put strain on one or several individual strands of hair. It's one of the reasons why I am currently favouring large u-shaped pins for my buns (if I use several, the weight and "pull" gets distributed more evenly) rather than hairsticks).

But I've also noticed another phenomenom lately, in particular in the evenings after wearing my hair up during the day, and that is that the muscles at the back of my neck are feeling rather stiff and strained. Of course, that could also be caused by spending too many hours at the computer, plus having slacked off with exercising a bit for the winter months may be contributing as well. But I still somehow feel that the weight of my hair is contributing to this too - something about the sense of relief in my neck muscles when I take my hair down... Maybe I'm just not moving my head as freely during the day if my hair is tied into a (usually low) bun?

katharine

[Caldonia Sun]

The weight of my hair has been a problem for me. When it was at it's longest, about 24", the weight of it really irritated an already irritated SD scalp. I cut a good bit off, my scalp felt better immediately and I am having far less problems with it now. I know it sounds crazy, but for me, I think the weight exacerbated the scalp problems.

[haircharmer]

I deliberately phrased the original question as widely as possible, but maybe I should clarify that for me there are actually two situations when the weight of my hair may become noticeable.

One is, as has been discribed a number of times in this thread, if the anchoring of a bun is too tight or to unbalanced, causing the weight of the bun to put strain on one or several individual strands of hair. It's one of the reasons why I am currently favouring large u-shaped pins for my buns (if I use several, the weight and "pull" gets distributed more evenly) rather than hairsticks).

But I've also noticed another phenomenom lately, in particular in the evenings after wearing my hair up during the day, and that is that the muscles at the back of my neck are feeling rather stiff and strained. Of course, that could also be caused by spending too many hours at the computer, plus having slacked off with exercising a bit for the winter months may be contributing as well. But I still somehow feel that the weight of my hair is contributing to this too - something about the sense of relief in my neck muscles when I take my hair down... Maybe I'm just not moving my head as freely during the day if my hair is tied into a (usually low) bun?

katharine

I read your post and thought ahah! I work on computers for a living and after a long day I too will have a stiff/sore neck. Even before my hair had gotten longer my neck would be stiff. I just try to take more breaks and stretch when I can. Hope this helps!

[pinkpanther2070]

I wish I had this problem

[Teacherbear]

In one word, nope. :( It is pretty dern thin.

[Haldir]

I wish my hair was thick enough for it to feel heavy. But nope, it isn't a problem because my hair's awfully thin :(

[rubyredslippers]

My hair has never been long by LHC definition, but I've gotten headaches before, it's part of what prompted me to cut off about 8 inches in the tenth grade (I haven't had such a huge chop since). I guess I was about BSL then . . . perhaps a bit shy. But then I usually got those headaches when I was really exhaused. his was, however, relieved by the cut. I'm past this length now, though, and I haven't really noticed them recently, so I guess I'll see what'll happen as I grow longer:D.

[Deborah]

My hair is extremely fine and probably just medium thick, but I have still had this problem several times. Right now my hair is a couple of inches below the waist, so it's not too bad. Often by evening though, I simply have to let my hair down and loose. When it gets much longer, it sometimes begins to cause a lot of pressure, so I will have a good amount cut off (6 - 12 inches) because the weight is just bugging me, and it immediately feels better. (My hair is very fast growing, so losing half a foot to a foot has never been traumatic.) I never have to cut it to more than a couple of inches above the waist to get complete relief.

I think we are just all different, and the amount of pressure one scalp feels comfortable with, another might find to be somewhere between uncomfortable and downright painful. I say do what feels best to you. :flower:

[AprilElf]

Depending on the style of my bun, some days I can be very aware of the weight of my hair, and other days not so much.
I remember the first time I put my hair up after wearing it short for a while; it gave me headaches until I got re-accustomed to the weight.
Now, though, the weight isn't really a problem.
But if I do develop a headache for some other reason, then wearing an up-do just seems to aggravate it, and I have to take it down.
(And if I can find some suitable scales tomorrow, I'm going to do some weighing ...!)

[Stagecoach]

But I've also noticed another phenomenom lately, in particular in the evenings after wearing my hair up during the day, and that is that the muscles at the back of my neck are feeling rather stiff and strained. Of course, that could also be caused by spending too many hours at the computer, plus having slacked off with exercising a bit for the winter months may be contributing as well. But I still somehow feel that the weight of my hair is contributing to this too - something about the sense of relief in my neck muscles when I take my hair down... Maybe I'm just not moving my head as freely during the day if my hair is tied into a (usually low) bun?

katharine

I know what you saying. When my hair gets to this point, sometimes I can just live through it, but often I'll have just a 1/2 inch or so taken off, and it seems to help... I don't know why.

[quidscribis]

I have a friend who probably has off the charts thickness (I'm going to say it's probably around 5 1/2 inches) and her hair probably went to mid thigh, maybe a touch longer. She finally had to cut it off to waist or something.
5 1/2" is off the charts thickness wise? :eek: I guess that puts me off the charts, too, since I'm at 5 3/4", which is thin compared to how it was a decade ago at 7 or 8". Now you have me wondering what the upper range is really like.

On to headaches... I'm not sure if how I wear my hair contributes to my more recent neck problems, but I'm now sure wondering, and I'll be paying attention to that. The neck problems got so bad that I've been dizzy nearly all the time and falling down whenever I make any sudden moves. Like, you know, sitting up in bed, standing up, bending down, walking down a hallway...

[Ria]

For me beyond the pull on single hairs from a badly pinned bun there can be some neck tension caused by certain, especially unfamiliar, updos. My theory is that I unconsciously brace against unfamiliar weight distribution like the slight backwards tug from a freely swinging high pony braid when you turn your head quickly. Some buns seem to have the same effect especially if they are loose (turning head more carefully in case they come undone), unusually low on the neck (may hold my head at a different angle so bun or stick doesn't distract me by bumping into my neck) or in other ways noticeable. Hair styles that I am 'aware of' during the day are more likely give me neck tension that those I am not, if that makes sense, so I figure it is an unconscious response on my part ie. I hold/move my head differently.

I also think there is a psychological relief to letting ones hair down in the evening like curling up on the couch with a comfy blanket or in your PJ's or what ever works for you. It can be a setting to let your whole body relax and isn't necessarily due to the weight of the hair that is being undone.

I wouldn't rule out though that even if hair is relatively light the scalp is potentially quite sensitive to even small fluctuations in weight. If you have ever had a small chip in your tooth you now how huge it feels to you tongue even if you can hardly see it with the naked eye. I wouldn't rule out that some people's scalps, more so than others', are also unusually sensitive to weight and weight distribution.

[zift]

5 1/2" is off the charts thickness wise? :eek: I guess that puts me off the charts, too, since I'm at 5 3/4", which is thin compared to how it was a decade ago at 7 or 8". Now you have me wondering what the upper range is really like.


Ugh 7-8"!:surprise: How is that possible,you're one person right? :lol:

[kashencarrie]

My hair is finally to classic and I have had alot of neck issues lately. For me it is not the weight, but more the things it gets caught on - rolling over on it, etc. It seems my head is constantly getting put in weird positions because my hair is caught.
Then, when I wear it up the fact that the bun/whatever hairstyle pushes my head forward - like against the car sear, or on the couch also bothers me. I'm not sure what to do yet - as it bothers me when I wear it up and when I wear it down.

[MissHair]

Updos can be a problem. I always get a headache..

[Neon Gloss]

My hair is so thin, that even when it was long, there was barely any weight to it.

My stepsisters, on the other hand, are twins, and they've had ii/iii hair at waist length (they've had it at classic a few times too), and the weight never bothered them.

[sweetkandi]

The reason why my hair is short now, is just for that reason. Back when I started my current job in sep. 06, I was told that I had to wear my long hair up above my shoulders. I did, and I kept getting headaches all the time, cuz the weight of my hair being pulled on top of my head in a bun. So I cut it. :( But now I want it long!

[Lady Godiva]

Yeah, it's heavy, probably 14-15 ounces by now. The updo is heavy, but it's not like my hair grew overnight, so my neck and shoulder muscles were able to adjust as my hair was growing. I do have some neck pain from time to time. My worst problem isn't the weight so much as bumping my updo, which will cause it to shift position. Not only does this cause a momentary sharp pain, but it causes imbalance. Balance is the main key for keeping updos stable, comfortable and secure.

No, I won't be cutting for this reason. I'm very happy with this length and don't plan to grow longer, at least for now. :)

[quidscribis]

Ugh 7-8"!:surprise: How is that possible,you're one person right? :lol:Yep. :) But my brother had even thicker hair. Hairdressers loved him. :D

[goldenwaves]

It's not a problem for me, but my hair is not as long as yours. Perhaps if it's too heavy, you could get it thinned. :)

[Mitzy]

My hair is incredibly thick and coarse. When it was all one length about 3 years ago, the diameter of my pony tail at my nape was 6" around. My hair is heavy. (16 oz is heavy, think about having two full cans of coke on your head all day!) I used to get headaches from updos when I was a teen and we would have our hair put up for choir competitions. It was almost to my waist back then.
I agree that is partly from holding your neck/head/shoulders in a position (maybe) that you are not as comfortable with or used to. I also think bending your hair in a way it is not used to makes it feel strange and/or hurt. I ALSO think the pulling causes it. My hair is not as long now and I can wear it up most of the time. I start out wearing it in a certain style at home for short periods of time and build up. That lets me get used to it and lets me work it out so it stays up. I have long layers, but I don't think they help with the weight much.
I actually knocked my cousin down with my braid once when I was a teenager, but she was a puny little thing!

[n3m3sis42]

My hair is fine and is only on the thin side of ii, so I doubt it will ever be too heavy. It's only a little above waist length at this point, but I seriously doubt that added length will ever make it heavy unless I somehow end up growing it past floor length or something. I do notice it being extremely *hot* sometimes when I wear it down, though. The other day, even though it's thin, I swear I felt like I was wearing a fur cape!

I have a friend whose hair is very thick and rather curly. I've never really touched it but it looks like it's probably on the coarser side in terms of texture. She used to have it longish (somewhere in the neighborhood of BSL) and ended up cutting (and donating to LoL--don't hurt me) because she said it gave her headaches due to its weight.

I would hate to have headaches, but the idea of having hair thick enough to feel that heavy does inspire a bit of envy in me.

[n3m3sis42]

I read your post and thought ahah! I work on computers for a living and after a long day I too will have a stiff/sore neck. Even before my hair had gotten longer my neck would be stiff. I just try to take more breaks and stretch when I can. Hope this helps!

I have this problem, too. Like you, I'm pretty sure it's not hair-related for me because I've noticed it even when my hair was quite short (and also because my hair isn't really all that thick or heavy). I also have problems with shoulder tension from my work and on one occasion when I was coding on a particularly tough project, I somehow managed to pull one of my pectoral muscles. Sad, isn't it?

I've learned to force myself to stretch my upper body a few times a day, at least briefly, and to try to get up and walk around at least once or twice during the day.

[ladystar]

When I wear my hair up the hole day my scalp feels sore, when I take it down. I usually wear it in a braided bun. I think once it gets longer I am going to have to figure some else out with my thick hair. Let us know if you figured it out lol.

[Saranne772]

Well, I have also noticed this when I wear my hair up. If the weight is not evenly spaced I get a bad headache. If I am already experiencing a migrane I cant wear my hair up

[flapjack]

I get the same problem with updos, if my hair isn't distributed "right" for my head, it will start hurting within 5 minutes and I always take it out and redo it... or grab some tylenol if I absolutely can't take it out because I'm out of time or something.


I also have to watch it when it's wet. I let it come off my back to rinse out completely but when I do that, I take one hand and hold up the hair at my neck so some of the weight goes onto my hand. Because there have been times where it's been under running water, flopped off my back and actually made me lose my balance a little, hahaha. I also have a really tiny neck and a small body in general, so part of me wonders if that has an effect.


There are also times when it's fully dry but just feels heavy, particularly in the mornings, I have noticed. In general, I'm used to it because I've always had fairly long hair... but there are definitely days where it's obnoxious.

[connie]

Maybe some people are just more sensitive to the weight? My ponytail only ended up weighing 2.5 oz, but it was definitely enough that I could feel a difference. But then again, even the weight of a ball cap is too much for me to tolerate.

[julya]

The weight of my hair is only an issue if an updo is unbalanced. If it is, I just take it down and try again.

[Mrs_Zombie]

Hey Katherine,

When i had my hair at BSL it made my head and neck hurt by the end of the day from the weight of it. I would guess it added about 2 pounds of extra weight (i didn't realize how much 5lbs was. LOL). I couldn't wear it in a ponytail for too long because it would again hurt my head.

I'm hoping to have come up with some sort of a solution by the time it reaches that length. For now, i received a haircut back in February which left my hair extremely thin (about 1/3 of what it used to be) and 2" shorter. I cried, needless to say, but i guess it's a good thing because i can grow my hair and let my neck and head get more used to the weight.

So yeah, that's me, but it doesn't deter me from wanting it hip length (right now its a couple of inches past shoulder). I guess layers will probably be the way to go for my hair. I believe my ponytail was 5.5" last time i measured, without including my bangs and some strands that are still too short to be held back.

[Nevermore]

I think you hit the nail on the head Katharine: neck tension from low updos can cause headaches. Today I redid my braided bun because it was too low. I needed it higher or I held my head funny and my neck started to hurt. I ponytail to contain layers and whatnot before I do my buns, so the most comfortable updos are ones that I do with a ponytail a bit higher than mid-head. I sometimes get killer headaches from low blood sugar or being tired and my hair seems SUPER heavy then, but everything feels heavy then, so I know it isn't my hair.

For what it's worth, I have an odd layer-y sort of thing going on in the back, as well as a deep V shaped hemline, so I don't have all the hair I could have, if I had it this length (nearly hip on me in the back) and cut straight across without layer-y stuff, but I really don't think it's ever going to become a problem. If it does, I'll switch to a single braid from the nape, pulled to the front and rested on my body instead of hanging straight down.

[Igor]

Aha! Found it!


http://diane.rokatek.com/hair/hairweighin.jpg

Alright, this made me curious :redgrin: My hair, completely dry (More than 24 hours since my last shower) weighs in at a little more than 200 grams / 7,05 ounces
http://22757575.dk//ida/photo/images/Weight.jpg

[Alun]

My hair's too fine/thin for it ever to be a problem. I could grow it much longer and it still wouldn't weigh anything. I guess whenever I am envying others with thicker hair I should count my blessings!

[honeybunch]

*sigh* I can't wait to have this problem...

[socks]

I sometimes have problems with my hair's weight when I wear it in a low updo or braid, but I can usually alleviate headaches by wearing it loose for a couple hours. There are about 62 inches of hair sprouting from my head, so I guess occasional discomfort is to be expected. :shrug:

[Blueneko]

My hair is not long, but I have a weight problem with it when it is wet. It gets really heavy in the shower. Back in the day, I piled my hair on my head to wash it, so it was up and "lighter," but now having it down, it just gets heavy during the wash.

[Magicknthenight]

I think i once had this problem but it was when i was in the shower and my hair was wet. It was then..i realized how heavy it was. Since then i really haven't had any problems though. I guess it was just a one time thing?.:wacko:

[silverwoods]

My hair is fine and is only on the thin side of ii, so I doubt it will ever be too heavy. It's only a little above waist length at this point, but I seriously doubt that added length will ever make it heavy unless I somehow end up growing it past floor length or something. I do notice it being extremely *hot* sometimes when I wear it down, though. The other day, even though it's thin, I swear I felt like I was wearing a fur cape!
[snip]
I would hate to have headaches, but the idea of having hair thick enough to feel that heavy does inspire a bit of envy in me.

My hair is similar to yours. My hair is fine but seems to have super-insulating qualities on hot sunny days (especially since it's dark).

I suspect I could grow my hair down to my heels and it would still not feel heavy. I can't even really "flip" my hair (like they do in commercials) without violently flinging my head to and fro...not exactly quite the effect I'm looking for! :p

[talula_fairie]

YES.

Hair that's on the coarser side of medium, plus being an iii, it definitely gets WAY heavy. One of the reasons I've never successfully grown it all the way out before.

[Anje]

Digging up this thread mostly because I finally got around to finding a rather fantastic biblical claim about hair weight, and I thought people might want to comment....

II Samuel 14:26
"Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair from time to time when it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard."
(200 shekels ~ 2.2 kg ~ 5lbs)

[natt i nord]

I'm at BSL and do not have the problem of weight. It's so light... I'm an just-such ii and have fine hair. So I willl proably never get the problem of too much weight. They're just so light, but I don't know if I'm not completely wrong. I'll see in a few cm... :D

Edit: Damn, you should read the thread before posting, natt i nord. To the quote: 2,2kg!? Holy ****! *goes to weigh her ponytail*

Edit2: Just realized it's impossible for me to weigh it... Too short.

[heidi w.]

When down, my hair's weight isn't an issue in any way.

When it's up, the weight can become an irritation some days. This, though, is more related to placement of the bun, the type of updo, the tools used to place and hold the hair up.

I find the least irritating is the regular ole bun, where hair is spiraled about in wider and wider circles such that it spans the entire back of my head. ETA: This distributes the weight.

Dividing the hair in some way also helps, such as the casual summer look of two smaller buns somehow situated a little more on top or kindof the side of the head. ETA: Again, this distributes the weight.

The irritation is a result of any hair, and a single hair is the worst, somehow being pulled. Often, during the day, the hair's position settles a little -- typically ever so gradually sliding down. (I actually notice this effect on bumpy roads in a pretty noticeable way when driving the car.) Hairs can then be pulled in an unpleasant way. IF allowed to persist, what occurs over time is the capillaries just underneath the scalp's skin is irritated, and rather swells with irritation, and now a headache of some sort can result.

SO, sometimes re-positioning, placing in an alternative updo, letting the hair down so the scalp skin can rest helps.

Changing the type of updo and position of updo from day-to-day helps (and sometimes during the day it must be done). (This also prevents lines of demarcation caused by binding, say, a braid or ponytail at the same locus each month, or any thinning that can occur if one uses the same hair tool or pins in the same position day-after-day-after-month....it's really important to change the updo, hairstyle daily.)

I actually do have braided length days to allow the scalp skin to thoroughly relax.

I recommend not sleeping in buns, but sometimes it can't be helped. Sleep is a great time to allow scalp skin to relax and recover from any tension. You can loosely braid length, or use scrunchies down the length, and coil hair alongside your head, or just above your head (when it reaches a certain length the weight will remain in place or hang down the edge of the bed and stay in position -- for down the side of the bed, use a smooth cloth for the hair to slide against)

Scalp massages are helpful, too -- and I like gently placing my hair length over the front of me and massaging the scalp this way.

Do your best to avoid overly pulling hair. The worst cases of this have an issue with traction alopecia, which I have actually witnessed. One young lady I could tell she pulled too tight and her hairline changed in an unusual pattern with this practice she had a habit of for over several years. She was unwilling to consider my suggestion to loosen the hairs a bit, loosen the tension.

I admit if it's too loose it almost feels strange.

heidi w.

[JamieLeigh]

I guess I'm used to it also. I had nearly knee-length hair in high school, and it was a lot thicker then than it is now (and I'm right at classic now). I've never had really short hair, since I was about 10, so I never really notice the weight anymore. It's always just been there. :)

[Carolyn]

Nice to see this old thread resurrected. No I can say it's really a problem. The one style I can't do due to weight is a high ponytail. Now and then I'll get a bun misplaced on the back of my head or I'll do a bad job of skewering in hairsticks and I'll get huring and pulling. That's easily remedied and not really due to heavy hair. When I wear my hair down, I don't feel the weight of it at all. I like the feel of my bun or the heavy slap of my braid on my back. That's a happy thing.

[Drynwhyl]

Yes it has. Even if i manage to make a bun that won't fall apart from the weight, I get a headache from it.

[swanns]

I have iii hair just past tailbone, and I barely notice I have it when it's up in a bun, and it really doesn't weight at all. Or, maybe it does but I'm just so used to I'd only notice it if I cut it (which is NOT going to happen!)

[MoonMaiden90]

I've not been able to tell a difference between chin-length and waist-length. I hope it continues to not bother me. (shrug)

[LadyGunn]

<snip>I do notice it being extremely *hot* sometimes when I wear it down, though. The other day, even though it's thin, I swear I felt like I was wearing a fur cape!<snip>

I'm always cold but I had my hair down the other day & it was so hot, I had to put it up to keep from sweating!

The weight does get to me, but it seems to be mainly days that my fibromyalgia is acting up, so anything & everything hurts. Yesterday & today are both "heavy hair days", so I'm trying different buns to keep it out of the way, yet cut down on the headaches. Not working very well thus far - my hair is too short for an infinity bun & I only have sticks with me at work, so no ficcare-based styles. :(

ETA: I'm at can-I-call-this-hip? length with medium hair that measures as ii in thickness, although it feels & acts more like iii, if that makes sense. :shrug:

[yogachic]

With updo's I did feel it did. When i got my hair cut, my head felt so light immediately.

[sukhi_v1023]

Bump!

I finally hit BSL! Yay!

Now I'm getting headaches! Nay!

I've always found that when my hair gets longer, it tends to start creating issues with cleaning the scalp and also the weight starts to feel like too much. I'm partly growing my hair out for personal satisfaction, and partly because I'm getting married in August of 2010. It's a traditional Indian wedding, and so I was hoping to have lovely, long, lush waist-length locks.

In pursuit of that goal, I grew out the layers (cut 2 inches every 2 months til all the layers were gone, and now it's straight and BSL - my hair grows quickly).

This is the first time I've had BSL hair of one length in years, and I now remember why I was so keen on having it stay at APL length with layers. When I was younger, I used to have knee-length hair that used to be braided regularly by myself or my mum. And I used to suffer insane headaches because of it.

My hair isn't super thick, but I have many strands on my scalp, and they get knotted fairly easily (wavy texture), especially after washing, and it just hurts my head having it long.

So now I want to cut it off. And I really want to have waist-length hair for my wedding. But the headaches! Oh the headaches!

[klcqtee]

My hair is very short compared to most LHCers (APL), but it's thick (6.5" circumference). When it's wet, I can't put it in a bun comfortably for any amount of time, it's too heavy-headaches and a sore neck.

[ericthegreat]

Actually, I have just the opposite feeling.

I need the feeling of the weight of my hair on my head. I never take a haircut or even a dusting session lightly, anything I remove I "feel". I have recently decided to get highlights in my hair, and because my recent decision requires much more careful upkeep, I have had to do several S&D sessions and a major trim to keep my ends as healthy as possible. I have taken up to 2 whole inches off my hair. Doesn't seem like much I know, but I went from past tailbone to just around hip length in one haircut. Yes, my ponytail "feels" thicker, but something as simple as braiding my hair becomes a bit more awkward. I have to concentrate more on holding the sections to braid my hair and also tie it higher up, whereas before I would loosely braid my hair and it would hold. 2 extra inches on the ends really makes a big difference!

[Tinose]

Digging up this thread mostly because I finally got around to finding a rather fantastic biblical claim about hair weight, and I thought people might want to comment....

II Samuel 14:26
"Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair from time to time when it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard."
(200 shekels ~ 2.2 kg ~ 5lbs)

It could be dreadlocks. Since those trap the shed hair, I imagine that would get heavy enough to need cutting off relatively regularly once they're long.

I have nothing really to say to the actual topic, since my hair's light enough that I've never had a problem!

[Eniratak]

Usually, no. However, if I wear my hair in a high ponytail for an extended period of time, I get headaches.

[Loreley]

I have the same problem (iii hair). I can't wear my hair in an upper ponytail because it causes me headaches. I can make buns only on the lower part of my head, almost at my neck. But I won't cut it! I rather have the headaches than shorter hair. :cheese:

[adiapalic]

I have only ever suffered under the weight of my hair during the 3 migraines I've had in my life. (All due to stress from senior year at college). My head was so sensitive to any sound, sunlight, movement, and even the weight of my hair--heck, I even had to rest my head on a pillow the right way or it was agonizing.

So, problems caused from the weight of my hair? None at all! I do get a tinge or a pulling ache if I wear a high bun or high pony-tail for too long, or I didn't set a bun or braid right.

But I've also had at least waist length hair for almost ten years--so my neck muscles have had time to adjust to the weight. I've gained nearly 10 inches in the past two and a half years (with trims), and I can definitely tell my hair is a bit heavier than it used to be--no headaches from it though. :)

[verene]

Maybe it is just because my hair is fine and fairly thin, but I have never had a problem with weight. I was excited when at about waist length and sopping wet, while tilting my head back I could feel a slight tug on my scalp from the weight of my hair! It made it feel like it was getting long. :cheese:

This isn't to say that I've never had hair induced head aches; too tight of tension on a bun, or a heavy hair toy will make my head ache after a time - but that's not the weight of my hair causing the pain, just how I'm wearing it.

[Gypsy]

My mom had waist length hair all her life (except for one year when she was little and had it cut into a little bob- it made the newspaper. It was a long time ago. News was easy back then, lol!); she cut it into a pixie about 23 years ago because of the headaches and neck pain and has never let it grow past her ears since.
My chiropractor said a lot of his patients had significant relief in their necks after cutting just a couple inches off their hair.
I'm willing to let it grow and risk the owies. If it's too much, then I'll deal with it.

[MissManda]

My hair is approaching waist-lenght, and yes, I'm starting to notice the weight of it. I may have finely-textured hair, but I have tons of it and I remember when I had classic length hair as a child. I was always afraid of my braids and ponytails smacking people because of the uber-swing I felt while I walked/ran. lol I also remember when I was 12 and got my hair cut into a bob and now much lighter my head felt.

I can only imagine how those who have thick, coarse hair feel. . . I have a great deal of respect for them. :D

[FrozenPrincess]

I do feel like my hair is rather heavy when it's in a ponytail. But in a braid, bun, or just loose and flowing free in the breeze it feels quite weightless.

[Wicked Princess]

I was wondering if this happened to any of the LHC-ers just the other day! I'm glad this thread was resurrected (I wasn't here for the start of it).

For a long time, I thought my hair was unbearably heavy. I had neck aches quite often, and my shoulders and upper back were so tense that I could feel those same aches in my jaw.

Then I realized that it wasn't my hair...it was improper weight distribution of my updos! I used to wear my hair in a giant jaw-clip, in a style that can only be described as this weird, morphed ponytail thing that made it look like I had shorter hair than I really did.

Now, though, I've discovered that three small clips hold my hair better, and distributes the weight of my average bun more effectively, and I rarely have problems with updo weight. It even holds while jogging! At night, if I notice any neck tension, I just slip my sleep cap on a couple hours early...I imagine this offers the same comfort a snood does (I've never worn a snood, though).

[Sissy]

the weight of my hair doesn't bother me, but I realize there are people with much thicker hair than I :)

[Hiriel]

I notice the weight of my hair when it's in a bun. Not in a bad way, but when it's been in a bun all day, it will start to pull, sort of forcing me to look up. Which is a good thing for my posture, as I tend to look down into the ground ;)

However - I try to remember to rinse my hair with cool/cold water in the shower, and I hate cold showers. So I arc my back so that I can rinse my hair without getting the cold water all over me. That is an excellent way of exercising the abs - wet hair is HEAVY ;P

Oh, a friend of mine quite recently cut her hair from BSL to shoulder (curly, no idea how long it would be if straightened) and she said she noticed a huge difference in weight. Hair may not weigh all that much, but if you pick up a glass of water and just hold your arm straight, you'll notice quickly that a little weight can feel very heavy ;)

[Runzel]

The only time my hair's weight becomes bothersome is during a headache. Thankfully, I've discovered an easy solution: two loose "indian" brainds, crossed once behind my neck and then placed in front of my shoulders, so that the bulk of the weight is borne directly by my shoulders and back.

[Teakafrog]

Yes. I was getting headaches a lot, and when I trimmed about 2" and got some more layers last time, it helped. I know that technically hair doesn't weigh a lot, but it sure FEELS heavy. That's one reason I've decided not to grow past waist. But that's just me. Any style I do (even down sometimes) will feel heavy when I get a migraine.

[sukhi_v1023]

I've been thinking. Although hair doesn't weigh very much (depending on how much of it you have), it does hang from you scalp day in and day out. And as another member said a littler earlier in this thread, a glass of water isn't heavy, but hold it out all day long, and it definitely won't feel light any more.

Anywho. I'm considering that I may have to go back and get my one length BSL hair layered. Long layers, but layers nonetheless. It might help me with my heavy-weight hair. Lol!

[Cantabile]

I've wondered about this myself as my hair is inching towards TB length. I know that even long hair is only a couple ounces, but for some reason, it still feels like it weighs a lot. I wonder if it's the way I'm holding my neck that contributes to the problem? I'll definitely be experimenting with some other up dos though, to distribute the weight about.

[Keildra]

I think my length weighed down my curl because I've changed from a 3c at pixie to 3a/3b MBL