Buns in which the sticks are inserted vertically have too much drag

[jeanniet]

Well, that's kind of an obtuse title, but I think some of you may know what I mean. My hair is finally long enough to do buns like a nautilus, figure 8, etc., but I'm having a hard time with the ones (like the figure 8) that are vertical. As soon as I put the sticks in, the bun feels like it's really dragging down and pulling, and even if I can stand to leave it in, it tends to fall out of shape pretty quickly. It helps if I put the sticks in crossed (inserting them at the 10 and 2 position), but even that pulls. This wasn't a problem when my hair was shorter. I'd really like to do more variety of buns so that the stress isn't always in the same place, but the only buns that feel comfortable are horizontally oriented. Braided buns won't work until my hair is longer. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can relieve some of the pressure with those styles?

[luxepiggy]

Personally, I've always preferred using 2 sticks inserted crosswise for better weight distribution (^(oo)^)v

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff33/shoppingpiglet/dollarsticks.jpg

[ellen732]

I find a fork definitely works better for vertical styles and I use my sticks mainly for buns.

[jeanniet]

What kind of bun is that, Piggy? It does help if I put the sticks in crosswise, but it still starts to feel very uncomfortable after a while. Maybe my scalp is just too sensitive to the pulling.

[ravenreed]

I usually use just one horizontally placed stick. Vertical sticks catch my nape hairs when I turn my head. If I do a second stick, it is just slightly offset from the first.

[luxepiggy]

What kind of bun is that, Piggy? It does help if I put the sticks in crosswise, but it still starts to feel very uncomfortable after a while. Maybe my scalp is just too sensitive to the pulling.

That is a exploded porkbun - a casual variation on piggy's original/standard porkbun (^(oo)^)v

Do you feel pulling/tension on the hair as soon as you insert the sticks? If so, you're probably wrapping the buns a bit too tightly. Also, experiment with the placement of the sticks - certain angles are often much more comfortable than others. Over time you should be able to find the best placement for each type of bun through a bit of trial & error.

[jeanniet]

I usually use just one horizontally placed stick. Vertical sticks catch my nape hairs when I turn my head. If I do a second stick, it is just slightly offset from the first.

Can you do a figure 8 with a horizontal stick? Maybe I should just try an infinity bun, lol.


That is a exploded porkbun - a casual variation on piggy's original/standard porkbun (^(oo)^)v

Do you feel pulling/tension on the hair as soon as you insert the sticks? If so, you're probably wrapping the buns a bit too tightly. Also, experiment with the placement of the sticks - certain angles are often much more comfortable than others. Over time you should be able to find the best placement for each type of bun through a bit of trial & error.

No, my buns are loose enough. It seems to be the weight of the bun itself that's pulling.

ellen732, I tried a 60th Street fork yesterday and had the same problem. Forks are fine horizontally and not vertically. Maybe I need to just stop fighting it and do horizontal buns. :p

[jeanniet]

I just tried an infinity bun and it's holding just fine with no pulling. It looks like crap :D but feels great. I'll keep trying with the figure 8, but at least I know I can do it sideways.

[ravenreed]

My figure 8's are anchored with pins first, then other stuff is added. I find that figure-8's don't hang on well with just sticks, especially near the top.


Can you do a figure 8 with a horizontal stick? Maybe I should just try an infinity bun, lol.

snipped...

[jeanniet]

OK, I should try using some amish pins, then. It makes sense that there's too much weight otherwise.

[CarpeDM]

I'm afraid I'm no help. I have the same issue with any vertical updo, the pulling makes me take it out instantly. I can only do buns horizontally...

[jeanniet]

My main concern with the horizontal 'dos is that you're always inserting the stick/fork from one side or the other, so the stress is just in those two spots. I just worry about causing thinning eventually, but if there's no pulling then I could be worrying for nothing. I'm going to try a figure 8 with amish pins and if that doesn't work then I'll just bag the idea until my hair is long enough to do some braided buns.

[jojo]

I usually use just one horizontally placed stick. Vertical sticks catch my nape hairs when I turn my head. If I do a second stick, it is just slightly offset from the first.

Yeah I find this too, like the stick will just hook it self round a few random hairs and bug the hell out of me! I use my small sticks for vertical and my long ones for horizontal do's.

[Kelikea]

Are the figure * and infinity bun not the same? I do mine horizontally. It feels better and stays better. doing it vertically actually bent my hairstick. I also like the Chinese bun because it doesn'http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8987&pictureid=117345t pull.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=8987&pictureid=117346

[ravenreed]

Another trick is to use one of these (http://www.sallybeauty.com/snap-clip/SBS-424125,default,pd.html?cgid=Hair15) clips in the nape hair where the stick wants to grab hairs. If I place the clip in the right spot, there is no loose hair for the stick to catch on. :D Those are my go to clippies, by the way. I use them for all sorts of things, including keeping headscarves on.



Yeah I find this too, like the stick will just hook it self round a few random hairs and bug the hell out of me! I use my small sticks for vertical and my long ones for horizontal do's.

[Milui Elenath]

When I wear vertical hairsticks I get caught on low lying tree branches, the beads in my hallway etc etc.

I also find they pull, two sticks are better but like you mention jeanniet it still is uncomfortable and inevitably falls out. I just try to place the sticks in different positions and use buns that don't require poking the hairstick through like the lazy wrap bun and chinese.

Shorter hairsticks work better for not getting caught though! :D

[QMacrocarpa]

I mostly use horizontal hairsticks too, though not always at the same point on my head (depends on the bun and how high I want it).

For a braided bun at your current length, it might work to divide your hair in two sections (top and bottom), braid each, coil the top braid around its base, pinning as you go, and then wrap and anchor the lower braid around the bun.

[TrudieCat]

I can't use hairsticks in vertical styles, either. I use forks in vertical pencil buns, but those are the only vertical styles I can make work without pain. :shrug:

It didn't occur to me that putting the stick in the same way every day might cause thinning - I'd imagine that any thinning resulting from that would be pretty minor, esp. compared to thinning as a result of using hair elastics.

I'm not sure there's any way to avoid some small amount of mechanical thinning damage regardless of what you do with your hair, unless you just don't ever touch it and also don't move your head or rest it on anything, ever. :D

[JamieLeigh]

I'm in the same boat...horizontal sticks just work better for me. I can do vertical when there is another stick a little further clockwise, helping to support it. :p

[HintOfMint]

I use spin pins to hold vertical figure 8 buns (and horizontal ones for that matter). I've tried sticks before and they're never comfortable on me, always pulling in one way or the other. Spin pins and bobby pins are my thing.