Research has found that pulling your hair back tightly may cause damage. Four hairstyles that may damage your hair include tight ponytails, cornrows, extensions or buns. Called “traction alopecia,” this type of hair loss is caused by trauma to the hair follicles due to the constant hair pull.
Unhealthy hair usually has a rough texture, lack of shininess and luster, have split ends, lack of moisture and elasticity even after treatment and easily broken. Damaged hair will also get tangled up and result in knots due to hair dryness.
Things like aggressive brushing and combing, sleeping on wet hair or rough fabrics that create friction, constantly pulling your strands into styles that are too tight, and heat styling are all some of the main reasons why hair breaks.
Tie Up Your Hair
Sleeping with your hair down seems like the most natural way to go but can actually be doing more harm than good, especially for those with long hair. "Never go to bed without tying your hair up (for long hair), as loose hair can tangle.
Pick a Braid, any Braid
Braid your hair before going to sleep. This old trick works every time and is one of the best ways to wear your hair when sleeping. It not only protects your hair – stopping it from tangling and breaking – but also gives you gorgeous beachy waves the next day and cuts down on frizz.
It is best to sleep with your hair down if your hair length is short. This also lets the air flow freely through your hair, which makes you sleep more comfortably. On the other hand, if you have long hair, it is recommended to tie your hair loosely to prevent knots and breakage.
Moisture is the secret to length retention and longer hair. Moisturized hair is more elastic, less prone to breakage, and less prone to tangles. This means that moisture helps you retain hair length. As your hair grows, keeping your hair moisturized will allow your hair to grow in length.
Straight to the point, the answer is yes, long hair can complement just about any face shape. It just depends on what kind of cut/style works best for you.
If your strands reach past your shoulders, it's considered long. You can opt for a mid-back length cut or grow it out to your tailbone for extralong hair.
“In general, if you have finer hair, don't grow it too long," suggests hairstylist Neil Moodie. "The longer it gets, the weaker the hair gets and so it can tend to look lank, straggly and not healthy.
Long Hair Can Make You Sick
More surface area means more places for viruses, pollution, and bacteria to settle. And when you consider that hair often sits near mouth level of others, it is no surprise that it can act like a home-grown mop for attracting disease carrying droplets.
To prevent hair dents in the morning, "weave hair into a loose braid instead of a ponytail before bed," says Mancuso. "You'll have beautiful movement when you take it down." To hold onto that natural texture, spritz a touchable hairspray like Nexxus New York Salon Care Comb-Thru Touchable Hold Finishing Mist.
"As long as the style does not place traction on roots, meaning it doesn't pull too tight or 'hurt' the next morning, it should be fine," she says. If it doesn't hurt, or if your elastic tends to slip out as you sleep, you're probably fine.
What is pineappling hair? The pineapple hair technique, a term coined by the NaturallyCurly community, is a way to protect your curly hair when you sleep. Done correctly, the pineapple hair method creates a beautiful pile of curls on the top of your head, which resembles the shape of—yes, you guessed it—a pineapple.
How Much Should You Wash? For the average person, every other day, or every 2 to 3 days, without washing is generally fine. “There is no blanket recommendation. If hair is visibly oily, scalp is itching, or there's flaking due to dirt,” those are signs it's time to shampoo, Goh says.
"Simply put, hair is at its most vulnerable when wet. Sleeping with wet hair can lead to a host of problems for the scalp: unwanted bacteria, fungal infections, skin irritation, itchiness, dryness, redness, and dandruff," says hairstylist Miko Branch, co-founder of hair care brand Miss Jessie's Original.