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View Full Version : The Ponytail Dent (how can I make it go away?)



ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 06:51 PM
I do not use a ponytail holder, but I have to bun my hair to dry it or I resemble Hermione circa Philosopher's Stone. Bunning is the only way to dry it smooth and work with its natural texture, which is wavy. It encourages a nice ringlet. But I end up with that unfortunate dent around the base of the bun, which I assume is from the twisting because I do not use ponytail holders for this reason! (Gah!)

Okay, moving the bun up did not help, it just moved the dent up on my head. I prefer to bun at the nape of my neck. My hair will only do it's ringlet thing if I twist clockwise, so twisting in the opposite direction didn't help. Making two buns didn't help.

I have tried taking the bun down at various points in the drying process, combing, wetting the dented area and letting it air dry. Nothing helps. I have given up heat styling but I am tempted to run the iron over that section because it looks so awful. Any advice?

clichepithet
August 11th, 2010, 06:55 PM
Stop bunning with a band? You could always do a cinnabun with sticks.

ETA: Sorry. I misread. I think. I'm confused, again, so please ignore me. Move along people, nothing to see here...
:whistle:

ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 06:57 PM
I do not use bands (ponytail holders). The twist of the bun makes it happen in my hair.

Thinthondiel
August 11th, 2010, 07:01 PM
I'm not a bunner, so I'm not sure if this will work, but have you tried twisting more loosely close to the scalp?

julliams
August 11th, 2010, 07:01 PM
I have this too but it's not super-pronounced. I just live with mine. I really don't think there is any way to eliminate it but I will be watching this thread to see if anyone has come up with any ideas.

Is it possible that you are tightening the coil a little too much? I would imagine it would loosen up naturally once you put the hairstick in anyway. I twist clockwise too and I start my coil at the top. Do you start at the top or the bottom?

ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 07:03 PM
I start at the top. I have to pull it somewhat taut in order to smooth the hair down at my scalp, or it dries really wild and I don't think it looks very nice or professional. I use two little clips, the kind you squeeze with the teeth, to secure the bun because I find pins and sticks often tear at my hair when I put them through a wet bun.

julliams
August 11th, 2010, 07:20 PM
Can you post a pic of your dent? Maybe it looks worse to you but is actually quite acceptable. Maybe we can compare dents - LOL

julliams
August 11th, 2010, 07:22 PM
I just had a thought. I only put mine in a bun when it's about 60 - 80% dry. I still get the smooth effect and the drying time is cut down. I wonder if the dent you have is due to it being set in from wet??? Just a thought. Have you actually tried drying it to almost dry and then putting it in the bun. I honestly think you will still achieve a smooth look after a couple of hours but maybe the dent will be less?

ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 07:28 PM
The top starts frizzing almost right away if it isn't pulled taut (and oiled) from wet. I can catch the curl pretty well if I let it dry a bit first, but not the top.

I guess what bothers me about the dent is that it is up higher in the back than it is in the front (because the front hair has a longer way to go before the twist in the back) so I can't disguise it as part of the curl because it is clearly a dent.

I have tried the opposite, taking it down when the bun is still wet and twirling the length until its dry and set in the curl, but that doesn't always work for the curl and I end up with the crazy waves I'm trying to avoid.

I don't like to let it be crazy waves because it isn't as shiny.

ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 07:34 PM
By the way, I don't mean to be super negative and shoot down every suggestion, I just have tried a lot of things without much success and maybe I'm asking an impossibility.

julliams
August 11th, 2010, 07:38 PM
I know what you mean. We might have different kind of hair so what works for me won't work for you. Hmmm... Perhaps wear it as a half up with a nice high pouf at the front in order to disguise the dent and then you can have your long waves out behind you? http://www.beauty-and-the-bath.com/poof-pouf-poofs.html

ElusiveMuse
August 11th, 2010, 07:46 PM
I usually keep my part and twist or braid the front hair back loosely like a circlet, or just put it back in a low barrette. I keep my part and smooth it down rather than pull it up like the pouf. But I want to wear my hair down sometimes because I worry that pulling it up all the time causes damage.

ETA- BTW julliams, your hair is so pretty. I love the style in your avvie.

getoffmyskittle
September 2nd, 2010, 04:48 PM
I've never figured this one out either (see sig pic for a particularly egregious example). I just stopped caring.

spidermom
September 2nd, 2010, 04:50 PM
I don't think I've ever had that happen.

Kome
September 2nd, 2010, 05:15 PM
I hate to tell you this, but it's your hair type. I've tried everything and it never goes away. I find that buns don't do this as much so long as you do a LOOSE bun with a stick or fork. :)

loralie
September 2nd, 2010, 07:29 PM
What if you kept the very top layer of hair out of the bun? So, you pull, say, an inch thick chunk of hair from your crown (across the top, that would normally be your top layer with hair down) and pull it aside, then bun everything under it? Then give this layer a little extra TLC- a bit of oil and some gentle twisting to get it to wave a bit. That way, when you take out the under-hair it will be nice and wavy the way you like it and the "bump" will be hidden by the top layer?

I dunno, I have this same issue too. I let my hair dry down the first day, then usually put it up for sleeping at night. The only hairstyles I can do after a bun/pony are half-up styles with a messy bun or braid.

Kathie
September 2nd, 2010, 07:35 PM
I only care about the dent if I'm planning on wearing my hair down at night when going out etc. To soften my dent I would move the position of my ponytail during the day. Id start with my usual high pony/bun and move it down towards the nape in the afternoon. This really helped me.

Roseate
September 2nd, 2010, 07:44 PM
Have you tried different types of bun for your damp bun?

Maybe an untwisted style like the lazy wrap (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=72) or the pencil bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0k3dD4qX34) would help.

Both of these are shown with sticks in the instructions, but you can also secure them with your clips; I use the pencil bun as a damp bun with claw clips often.

ETA: Also, taking the bun down every couple hours and putting it back in another location on your head could work; I usually do this. I also like doing this because it lets in some air and helps it dry faster. I understand if that's more fiddling with your hair than you want in your day, though!