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MicheleClaire
August 2nd, 2010, 07:56 AM
I've just bought some gorgeous wooden hair sticks but every time I attempt to put them in my hair, something awful happens! No matter how gently I try to push them through a bun (slow wiggling around, changing entry locations) I can hear and feel hairs in the bun snapping against the pressure.

This even happens when I'm combing out my hair after a shower! First the hair stretches (eek!) and then it snaps, no matter how slow and gentle I comb. I do have fine hair, but this is ridiculous! Any advice?

Nightshade
August 2nd, 2010, 07:59 AM
What sort of buns are you making and how tight are you making them?

cindy58
August 2nd, 2010, 08:03 AM
Maybe try easing up a little on the twist of hair to make your bun?

I know this won't always work (have to comb sometimes!), but if I don't comb prior to making a bun, hair will hold better.

I usually wash at night, and don't comb my hair out until morning when it's dry or nearly dry.

HairColoredHair
August 2nd, 2010, 08:03 AM
Also, perhaps don't comb your hair while wet. Wet hair is very stretchy and easily damaged. :) Also, what sort of comb are you using?

*Aoife*
August 2nd, 2010, 08:19 AM
I think people with thick hair have to wait longer until they can manage hairsticks. I'm no expert on thick hair though!
If you can manage looser buns *tee hee* the hairsticks would probably be able to slide in easier

MicheleClaire
August 2nd, 2010, 09:16 AM
Looser buns it is, then ^.^

I use a wide tooth comb and I have to comb my hair when it's wet or else tangles occur! Ah well.

Tabitha
August 2nd, 2010, 09:27 AM
I find that sticks which are too thick/blunt-ended have this effect for me. You might want to seek out really pointy ended ones or very slim metal ones like Quattro or VK Designs (if your hair isn't slippery ... VK are very shiny in finish).

bumblebums
August 2nd, 2010, 09:35 AM
I don't know what kind of hair sticks you got, but they vary in hair-friendliness. The ones I really like are by Ketylo. They have never damaged my hair. In fact, I am wearing one right now.

Hair sticks that have carved designs on them snap my hair. I also got a bag of wooden "blanks" from a jewelry supply website, and they only worked after I sanded the ends. Before I did, they had snaggy horrible ends that were impossible to put through a bun.

SurprisingWoman
August 2nd, 2010, 09:39 AM
I would check to make sure your sticks are very smooth, use an emery board to smooth them if you have to. And, as Tabitha said, make sure the ends are super pointed. I actually use chop sticks as hair sticks. They work the best for me.

If your hair is snapping when you are doing a bun then I would try making the bun looser or even try a different style of bun. There are some buns that have different "pressure points."

Combing I would take my comb with me in the shower and comb your hair while it still has conditioner in it. Then rinse gently and you might be able to wait until it's dry before recombing.

Good luck!

MicheleClaire
August 2nd, 2010, 09:50 AM
My hair sticks are very smooth and have pointed ends ^.^ and I do comb my hair out in the shower! Teehee I just have ridiculous hair =P

mali
August 2nd, 2010, 10:16 AM
I was in the same situation! What I would do was to sink my hair in warm olive oil for 2 weeks.My hair became thicker.And the loose comb is a good ideea!:)

Deborah
August 2nd, 2010, 10:20 AM
Some of us find that NOT combing our hair at all while wet results in less breakage and (surprisingly) less tangles. Just gently finger comb the hair enough that it at least hangs more or less down, then let it dry that way. Once thoroughly dry, comb or brush as usual.

I thought it sounded nuts, but once I tried it, I really prefer it to wet combing.

Anje
August 2nd, 2010, 10:24 AM
I have had wooden sticks that have almost invisible cracks in them that catch hairs. If you've got one stick that does this and most don't, I'd guess that your problem may be a defect in the wood rather than with technique.

When you say that your hair stretches and snaps a lot when you comb it, do you mean that it stretches a whole lot? Is it mushy feeling, by any chance? If it is, you might need to do some protein treatments.

MicheleClaire
August 2nd, 2010, 11:09 AM
Nah, no mushy feeling. Just fine hair >.<

I guess I'll try just finger combing in the shower and actual combing when it's dry... I'm a bit less optimistic about this tactic, though. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

SilvraShadows
August 2nd, 2010, 11:17 PM
I guess I'll try just finger combing in the shower and actual combing when it's dry... I'm a bit less optimistic about this tactic, though. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

I've been trying this method also, well sort of. I don't finger comb. I just sort of place my strands where they need to be. Although I have to admit I like braiding right after I wash because then my hair is out of my way and I can go on with the day... I believe less handling is better for us with ultra fine hair, I just find it extremely hard to do because I have to wait till it drys, then plait.

And on those days when I just let it be, I don't have tangles after it's dried as long as I haven't been out in the wind or something. I usually make a twist to keep it from frizzing or getting in the way.

Every once in awhile I get a *snap* when I use my forks and sticks... not sure why it happens, but I hate it. But never when I'm detangling. In fact my hair never tangles from washing and I really don't need to detangle it, I just need to place it so I can braid it.

I CWC. I wash once, use conditioner, and never move my hair around too much when I am washing it. Just a gentle lifting so I can massage my scalp a little bit. I think this is why I am tangle free.

Hope this will give you some ideas... :)

pepperminttea
August 3rd, 2010, 06:07 AM
I find that sticks which are too thick/blunt-ended have this effect for me. You might want to seek out really pointy ended ones or very slim metal ones like Quattro or VK Designs (if your hair isn't slippery ... VK are very shiny in finish).

This. I have a few rather beautiful grahtoestudio designs, and they're the ones I use most often, but I can't damp bun with them because the tines are a lot larger and I do hear a few too many snaps for my liking. I use one of my 60th street forks for damp bunning, the tines are much slimmer, and no snap noises on damp hair. :)

Pixna
August 3rd, 2010, 06:20 AM
For me, a slightly looser wrapped-style bun (not a twisted bun) works best to avoid snapage. Also, inserting the stick very slowly and carefully (rather than just shoving it in) helps a lot too. I prefer sticks that aren't overly sharp and pointy on the ends, as they tend to snap more hairs for me than sticks with tips that are just blunted/rounded just a tad.

spidermom
August 3rd, 2010, 08:47 AM
Combing/brushing hair thoroughly before washing it and being very careful not to mess it all around while washing makes the comb-out much easier for me, which I do standing up in the shower with conditioner in my hair. Tight buns give me a headache and loose ones sag and pull, so I have a hard time getting just enough tension, but hairs don't usually break while inserting the stick or fork. If I had that trouble, I think I'd have to find something else to secure my buns, like small(ish) claw clips around the perimeter. Good luck finding your own perfect solution.

anthonyswife
August 3rd, 2010, 03:08 PM
I've had this problem on occasion too. I've also found that may hair tends to shed more when I wear it up for long periods. I second the above comments to make sure the sticks are super pointed, that seems to help me. It also helps me to use them vertically (like with a figure-8 bun) rather than horizontally. If your sticks are more blunt and you don't want to try filing them to a point, maybe try working a finger through the bun where you want the stick first, then follow your finger with the stick. Often your finger is more gentle for parting your hair than the stick is (or at least it was in my experience).