Your Hair Tie Is Probably Breaking Your Hair

If you're rocking long locks, chances are a hair tie (or two, or seven) are not far from you at any point in time. Although they are absolutely necessary and a huge part of our lives, it turns out, hair ties can be damaging your hair. The good news? There are ways to avoid hair destruction. Phew!

Turns out, your hairline can be very sensitive and hair ties can really put your hair and scalp through the ringer. If you wear your hair back in a tight updo day after day (cough, top knot, cough) then your hair ties might be breaking down hair follicles, causing hair to fall out and even contributing to a permanent receding hairline. Yikes.

To keep your hair healthy, it's best to switch up your hairstyle often, rotating where you place hair ties to avoid damage. If you aren't sleeping with your hair down, now is the time to begin: sleeping in a hair tie is even more damaging at night because you're tossing and turning. Similarly, you should avoid putting hair ties in when your hair is damp or wet, because wet strands are more likely to break.

I hope you're using snag-free hair elastics already, and steering clear of notoriously painful metal fastened hair ties. Below, I rounded up more strand-friendly hair ties that will keep your locks long and strong.

1. For Thick Hair

L. Erickson Grab & Go Pony, $18 for 15, Amazon

2. For Everyday

Emi Jay Hair Ties, $11 for five, Amazon

3. For The Gym

Scünci No Slip Grip Evolution Hair Ties, $3 for 20, Bed Bath & Beyond

4. For The Weekend

Lindsay Brook Hair Scarf, $9, Etsy

5. For Work

Natasha Couture 'Theodora' Scrunchie, $22, Nordstrom

Image: Kaboompics_com/Pixabay; Courtesy of Brands