Surgery and hairstyle

[Amazinggrace]

I am going to be having a neck surgery soon, and am not allowed to have anything metal in my hair. I usually use bobby pins, or roller pins to secure my hair.

I will be in the hospital at least 24, up to 36 hours and need a hairstyle that can be left for that long. Once I get home I plan on a single braid for resting and recovery.

Any suggestions?

[Wanderer09]

Pigtail braids, tucked up in a scrub cap?

[Amazinggrace]

Pigtail braids, tucked up in a scrub cap?

This is my first surgery, do you wear a cap, like the doctor wears, while you are in the operating room?

[Mountaingrrl]

I'd say one or two braids, damp-braided to last longer, and secured with ribbon/cloth.

[cwarren]

Crown braid or a top knot bun secured with an elastic.

[Amazinggrace]

Crown braid or a top knot bun secured with an elastic.

A crown braid, is one of my go to styles, but I use 10-14 bobby pins to secure it.

Do you secure a crown braid without bobby pins, or know of a tutorial that shows how to?

[Tea Lady]

Yes, you will wear a cap. I recently had surgery, and I just put my hair in a plain English braid. Then I tucked the braid up in the cap they gave me. It's just a poofy cap with a circle of elastic to keep it on your head. It worked really well. The only thing I found is that during my recovery period I needed to re-do my braid at least once a day while resting in bed after surgery. The hairs in the braid at the base of my neck would escape the braid. If I didn't re-do the braid, I would get a lot of nasty tangles. But my hair is prone to tangling anyway.

Good luck with your surgery!

Tea Lady

[coneyisland]

For the surgery you might want to bun your hair on the top of your head. The Good Hair Days hairpins are made entirely of plastic.

The Scuba Do Rag has a rear pouch (or pocket) for hair so it would hold pouched a single braid at rear. It can be a little challenging to tie on; it needs to have its front band stretched horizontally across the brow.

A particular one in the Goody line of hair bands, the "Elizabeth Hair Band," is a metal-free, slightly stretchy mesh band about 2 1/2" wide. It is great for wearing under slick (slippery) weave scarves to make them much less prone to sliding.

[coneyisland]

This is my first surgery, do you wear a cap, like the doctor wears, while you are in the operating room?

Yes, you will wear one configured like a shower cap, but of different material. You can wear your own hair restraints under it if they are metal-free.

They will want all of your nails to be clean (unpolished).

[darklyndsea]

Amish or interlaced braids would work really well, IMHO.

[Alvrodul]

Amish or interlaced braids would work really well, IMHO.
I second this! When I had surgery last summer, I wore my hair in Amish braids - the braids stayed in place when I had just tucked them into place, without any need for hairpins or such - and they stayed in place, untouched, that way for about three days. And they were quite comfy to lie on, to - no big bump of a bun!

[julliams]

I think I would go with two english, french or dutch braids with bands in without metal. That way you can sleep comfortably and your hair shouldn't get too messed up. All the best for your surgery and hope you have a speedy recovery.

[Amber_Maiden]

Pigtail braids, tucked up in a scrub cap?

I think this is a great idea.

[MasCat]

I would vote for a faux crown braid taped in place with ribbon :) - two french or dutch pigtails tied into a crown braid by taping it with ribbon. I think it would be rock-solid and not bad to lie on.

[heidi w.]

Since it's the neck they'll be working on, you need the hair well out of the way. I suggest that instead of a single braid that you will be more comfortable with pigtail braids. These can be folded up around the head in the surgical cap that they'll likely have you wear during surgery. This prevents you sleeping on a lump on the back of your head. In braids, any followup they can just move a braid and not all of your hair. For the duration you'll be there, it'll hold just fine. However, at home you may wish to continue this for a while to make it easier on you to manage after-care.

Good luck and hope all goes well.
heidi w.

[Amazinggrace]

Thank you all, I appriciate the help.

I've never needed surgery, and am nervous about having it done. The nurse mentioned that I did not want my hair to get caught in the stiches, at all, so I needed to be prepared with hairtyles to keep it out of the way.

[SaucyWench]

Is the surgery to be on the front or the back? You mentioned stitches getting caught. If it is the middle back of neck (along the spine), go with braids on either side of your head. You won't have to brush/comb the back this way.

If the surgery is on the front (throat), then I should think either one on either side or just a simple one down the back.

When I had major surgery a few years ago, I wore braids on either side (so, no lump in the back). They fit just fine under the scrub cap I wore during surgery and stayed neat after. I was in the hospital for 4 days (abdominal hysterectomy surgery) and I would have been unable to do a back braid by myself, so the side braids made more sense.

By the way, don't be afraid to ask if a nurse could help you with the simple brushing and braiding!! The nurses were very sweet and were nice about helping me re-braid each morning. Depending on the type of surgery, you may not want to move your neck too much!!

FYI: Bring a little basket filled with diabetic candies and mini bottles of hand lotion. Make a simple little sign saying: "For you: A little something and a BIG thank you, to ALL the hospital staff! I really appreciate your care!!!" and stick it on the basket. Encourage EVERYONE, on staff, that comes into your room to take some candy and grab a bottle of lotion. It really shows you care about the job they do and everyone can eat diabetic candies and the nurses, the ones I know, love hand lotions! I find that the more you thank the staff (everyone, from nurses to the guy or gal that empties the garbage can), the better your care.......... It's nice to show you thought of them even BEFORE you were admitted!

Best wishes on a speedy recovery!!

[Amazinggrace]

Is the surgery to be on the front or the back? You mentioned stitches getting caught. If it is the middle back of neck (along the spine), go with braids on either side of your head. You won't have to brush/comb the back this way.

If the surgery is on the front (throat), then I should think either one on either side or just a simple one down the back.

When I had major surgery a few years ago, I wore braids on either side (so, no lump in the back). They fit just fine under the scrub cap I wore during surgery and stayed neat after. I was in the hospital for 4 days (abdominal hysterectomy surgery) and I would have been unable to do a back braid by myself, so the side braids made more sense.

By the way, don't be afraid to ask if a nurse could help you with the simple brushing and braiding!! The nurses were very sweet and were nice about helping me re-braid each morning. Depending on the type of surgery, you may not want to move your neck too much!!

FYI: Bring a little basket filled with diabetic candies and mini bottles of hand lotion. Make a simple little sign saying: "For you: A little something and a BIG thank you, to ALL the hospital staff! I really appreciate your care!!!" and stick it on the basket. Encourage EVERYONE, on staff, that comes into your room to take some candy and grab a bottle of lotion. It really shows you care about the job they do and everyone can eat diabetic candies and the nurses, the ones I know, love hand lotions! I find that the more you thank the staff (everyone, from nurses to the guy or gal that empties the garbage can), the better your care.......... It's nice to show you thought of them even BEFORE you were admitted!

Best wishes on a speedy recovery!!

The surgery is on the front. I won't be able to turn my head, except in tiny movements for a week.

The basket is a great idea, thank you.

[moxamoll]

Torrin has a video (http://youtu.be/1P7MiC_GvHY)showing how to secure her faux crown braid with ribbon taping - it would probably work well for a full crown braid as well.

[Alvrodul]

For my surgery, the incision followed the front "edge" of my right ear, then it sort of looped up and backwards under my earlobe, then turned down again and went a short way down the side of my neck. Keeping my hair confined and well out of the way was the most important thing for my chosen hairstyle - as well as comfort. I figured that if the braids fell out of the weave, it would be no problem tucking them in again - as it happens, the braids did stay put until I took them down to redo the braiding a few days after the surgery. And the braiding itself is just good, old English braiding - nothing fancy. :) A crown braid might be difficult to manage unless you are practiced at doing it - it was so for me, which is one reason why I opted for the Amish braids.

[Macaroni]

Topknot anchored with non-metal ties?

[lapushka]

I'd go with a topknot as well, or a sock bun right on the top of your head. No chance of your hair getting in the way when they have to move you, or roll you over.

[heidi w.]

The surgery is on the front. I won't be able to turn my head, except in tiny movements for a week.

The basket is a great idea, thank you.

I've brought in thank you candy for the nurses, and I even once brought in a stuffed animal for myself, and it got stolen by the folks who do the laundry -- not the candy just the stuffed animal. I assume it wasn't stolen outright as kind of got wrapped up in the stripping of the bed of its sheets. So just be aware, your candy basket may disappear. It does happen. But generally, nurses appreciate the thought.

heidi w.

[morguebabe]

Pig tail braids work well. That way you aren't laying on braids (which tends to hurt me) and since it's neck this way your neck is free.

[carolinaberry]

Any type of ponytail or braid secured with a no metal ponytail holder.