Updos are painful for my scalp. Advice?

[MissMB]

I work in an office which does allow me to wear my hair down but it can become quite bothersome and tangled. I tried wearing braids for a while but they became horribly messy and unprofessional from friction with the back of the chair.

I've been wearing my hair in a Figure 8 bun with two sticks for months, until it became apparent that my scalp starts aching within minutes. My hair is just past tailbone length. All I have is to use is hair ties and hair sticks... any comfortable and long-lasting style ideas??

Thanks for reading.

[Firefox7275]

Some of the long hairs find it more comfortable to wear two buns instead of one, or wrapping braids around the head to spread the load. :)

[jojo]

The Gibraltar bun is a comfortable bun and it has great staying power, plus a braided bun is a good choice. Number 8's give me headaches after a bit, i find wearing my bun lower and spread out really helps.

[shikara]

Wearing updos was terribly problematic for me - there was always tugging, or pulling, or sagging. It seemed that nothing worked - pins, sticks, claws - you name it. Anyway, I do two different things now when I want it in a bun. For a low nape bun, I will fold a small scarf into a band and tie it. Then I take my hair, manipulate it into a bun (usually a twisted chignon) and attach it to the scarf itself with two large bobby pins. For higher buns, I made a small band that has a tab on it, and goes from ear to ear. I pin that to my hair, make a bun (maybe a single braid that I lift up, a twisted chignon...) and I pin that to the tab. Then I put a nice band (plastic or fabric) on top of that. Let me know what you find that works for you so I can try it out. I might start wearing a faux milk maiden braid (two braids wrapped around - with just one it's noticeable thinner as it gets to the end!!) and pin it. I've tried it at home and it works well. Good luck!!

[PrincessBob]

I, too, have a very tender scalp. Some days, some updo's just hurt too much. I suggest trying different methods of securing the up-do. I gave up on pinching bobby-pins, andtrying to make hair-ties distribute my buns. I learned that my hair likes a thinner hair-stick, that my silver hair comb works best when I have it angled so its curve matches the curve of my head. Spin pins made updos easier on my scalp, but even more than that I discovered that I like to make multiple buns it distributes the weight and decreases tugging. Also a second for the milk-maid braids. Taping (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqbAdvL8kME)takes a little bit of time, but will make a very secure hair-style. I think that you could also try making pigtailed braids and make them into the popular Folded Braid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg3D3eOtcq8) style. The Vortex Bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSf1vv8oB6g&feature=related)is also well known for distributing the weight over a wide area and looking posh.

[Simonsmama]

check out Torrin Paige on youtube. She does many updos, maybe one of them will work for you

[celebriangel]

I have heard the nautilus bun is excellent for distributing weight - many here use it as an everyday bun because of its comfort.

I would also *really* recommend spin pins; you only need say 2 if you are using hair sticks as well, and they are super comfortable. I find bobby pins the most painful, unpleasant things on the planet, personally. They pull my hair out. :(

I am at BSL and already I feel a figure 8 is uncomfortable some days, even though I can only just do it properly! My hair is quite thick.

Bunning your braid will help it stay in place better. Torrin Paige's videos are excellent; she talks as well as shows you the styles, which really helped my uncoordinated self to learn to french braid and things. She does a "masara", which is a french braid pinned up, basically. It looks quite lovely and if you pin it all over then it should distribute the weight comfortably.

And the thing where you wrap your braid round your head should also be secure and comfortable. And if the female longhaired prime minister - I can't remember which country, but I think it was poland, perhaps, or unkraine - can wear it to work, so can you! Good luck!

[Madora]

@MissMB...

To protect your hair, try wearing it up more often. If your hair is not up more often, then your scalp may revolt (at first) with wearing an updo. The only way that I know of is to wear the style up for a short period of time, and increase the time you leave it up over a period of weeks. That way, you'll acclimatize the hair follicles to being taken in a different direction.

As to comfortable hair styles, here's one of my favorities:

1 Detangle hair thoroughly with wide tooth comb
2 Part hair horizontally from top of one ear across the back of the head to the top of the other ear
3 Take all the hair ABOVE the part, detangle it, then place it in a ponytail.
4 Divide the ponytail hair in 3 sections. Braid the sections together. Fasten off with hair friendly band.
5 Take the braid and wind it COUNTERCLOCKWISE around the ponytail base, pinning with HAIRPINS (not bobby pins) in the 4 directions (n/s/e/w). Weave the hairpins into the braid, just don't stick them in!
6 Take all the hair BELOW the part. detangle it, then ponytail it as close to the braided bun already made.
7 Section the hair in 3 parts. Braid the 3 sections together. Fasten off with hair friendly band.
Take the finished braid and wind it CLOCKWISE around the ponytail base, pinning with HAIRPINS (not bobbypins) in the 4 directions again. Tuck the end under the braid bun already made.

8 SPECIAL NOTE! If you want to hide the first ponytail band, then before you begin the style, take a very thin section of hair and wrap it around the ponytail base and pin in place with tiny CRIMPED hairpins (2" or smaller). Continue with steps outlined above. This style can also be accomplished without resorting to ponytails..you just have to be more careful in manipulating the strands. I cheat..I use a small tortoiseshell ouchless barrette to hold the ponytail, then take it out when I'm finished with the braiding process. This method is a lot gentler on the hair than using ponytail holders!

You can buy crimped hairpins at Sally's.

This style can also be adapted easily by exchanging the braids for twisted strands instead. Or you can have the first bun be a twisted strand bun and the final bun be a braided bun.

I wore this style a lot at work (my hair back then measured 47 inches and was very, very thick).

At present, I prefer crown lace styles...either a 2 strand rope or a 3 strand French English or Dutch crown braid around my head. Comfy all day, easy to do, and firm as a rock!