5 Ponytail Tips and Tricks

Ponytails have been around since the beginning of mankind. Images of the earliest cavemen and women indicated that they tied their hair back off their heads with various “natural” pony holders such as vines, soft twigs or pieces of animal fur. The ancient Egyptians, both men and women wore versions of ponytails to keep the intense heat off of their necks and faces. Japanese males have also donned the ponytail – in the medieval era men pulled their hair tightly into short stiff ponytails with shaved front parts of the head.

Here are 5 tips to take into consideration when donning a ponytail.

1. Excessively tight ponytails, where the hair is pulled with extreme tension from the hairline to the base of the pony can increase the risk of tension alopecia, a hair loss condition. This is truer when ponytails are worn for extended periods of time. Avoid the potential problem by wearing looser ponytails or by taking a break in between wearing the style.
2. Always remove a ponytail before sleep: Going to bed with a tight ponytail can cause scalp stress and strain. It may also cause unnecessary tangles when the tail parts of the hair get entangled with the pony elastic.
3. Ponytails should always be secured with hair friendly elastics or clips. One of the biggest mistakes that ponytail wearers make is securing the base of their ponytails with rubber bands rather than hair friendly elastics that have special coatings to prevent pulling and ripping of hair.
4. Hair with shorter layers may hold tighter when prepped with a strong holding gel or mousse. As strands dry the shorter layers will stay put.
5. High ponies set at the top of the head near the back of the crown provide a “mini” facelift by putting tension of the face and emphasizing the cheekbones.