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My hair is shoulder length, and very wavy. As such, I have to tie it back into a ponytail on occasion. However soon after, I begin to get a bad headache. It happens everytime. The ties are a little snug, but I haven't seen any that are larger. (they are the usual rubber wrapped in cotton, or some type of fabric.) Any help would be much appreciated
--Tony
you could try a scrunchy.
I could, but my ponytail is about a fist and a half long, so I dont know if that would look quite right. or work at all.
Should look fine. Remember, dark colors look better.
Keep looking. You can get these not-to-big-looking knit fabric ties that are not so tight. The only problem with them is the tail tends to slip to the nape of your neck (but this has always been OK for me). Try Wal-Mart, maybe Claire's (in the malls), and big department stores like Mirvyn's.
The problem is not how tight the band is around the hair but how tightly the tie pulls the hair. How tight it pulls the hair varies with how far it is from the head when tied.
Even when tied somewhat loosely, I find that hair ties pull on my hair after there has been enough time for some slippage. This is because the hair slips unevenly. What you want is for the tension to be distributed as evenly as possible over all the hairs.
One thing I've found that helps this is to braid the hair before adding the tie, even if it's just a couple of stitches.
I am a massage therapist, and I see clients who suffer from headaches where the way they wear their hair is part of the cause. In addition to trying to find ties that aren't so tight, you might try some scalp massage. Your entire head is covered with very thin but very large muscles. Using your fingertips and beginning at the temples work in slow circles using enough pressure so that your fingertips do not friction across your scalp but actually move the scalp. While you are working in the temple area, open you mouth like a yawn. You will feel just how tight the scalp muscles are when you do this. Work slowly and sytematically back toward the back of your head. After this. Take small handfuls of hair close to the scalp and gently but firmly pull it in several directions. In places where that is really painful, hold it and breathe deeply several times. You will feel the pain subside and your scalp relax. I suggest this at bed time and just before putting your hair in a tail.
My hair is shoulder length, and very wavy. As such, I have to tie it back into a ponytail on occasion. However soon after, I begin to get a bad headache. It happens everytime. The ties are a little snug, but I haven't seen any that are larger. (they are the usual rubber wrapped in cotton, or some type of fabric.) Any help would be much appreciated
But not your nails! Massaging your scalp is a good way to get oil off of it, which is often what is the cause underlying itching. In effect, your scalp is saying, "I have some oil for your hair, rub your hair against me to get it!" But don't use your fingernails, use the tips of your fingers instead, as suggested. Your nails can cut, tear, and damage your hair. Remember if you can, where hair grows, to massage away itches, and not scratch them!
As a longhair it is also a good idea to keep your nails short, or at least in good condition on the ends. Ragged edges on your nails can damage your hair, and the longer your nails are, the more apt they are to have sharp or torn areas on their edges.
Whatever you use to tie the hair, make sure to release the tension a bit after tying it. To do that, hold the hair tightly with the fingers just above the band, and slide the band down a fraction of an inch. With practice you will get just enough tension to still make the 'tail look god, but not enough to pull on the roots and pull out hair or give yourself a headache.
Tony, here's what I've found out:
The small ones cause headaches. Get yourself a black, dark green, or dark blue hair scrunchy. Wear it and realize that you no longer have headaches.
-J (currently ponytail-less, but growing back)