WHY does my hair fly up in the back??

[Blu217]

OK, so my long, relaxed, almost BSL-length hair won't lie down in the back. Unless it's freshly washed, it sort of... raises up, like the nape hairs underneath are lifting it up or something. You can kind of see through it because my hair is fine--but all my hair is one length to the end and it's very healthy.

This drives me BANANAS, but it's a problem I've had for years. I don't use any products in my hair other than leave-in and setting lotion--no oils, nothing to weigh it down because it hates that stuff. I do nothing but airdry or rollerset. It's got lots of body and natural swing. If it's just washed, the curls lay down nicely in back and I can wear it out with confidence. But the next day, I'm all separated and raising up back there no matter WHAT I do to it, so I always just throw it in a ponytail. Forget wrapping, that just makes one flat, soft sheet of hair that won't lie down. One of my main reasons for growing it long is that I hope if it just gets enough weight on the ends, it won't be able to do the lift and separate thing back there anymore.

Anyone else with this problem? Any ideas what I might try to get my hair to lie better? Is it just the nature of some fine hair to do this?

 

[tthreat08]

It SOUNDS like the hair underneath that area grows upward. I guess when you first get it done, it's temporarily trained to go agianst it's natural pattern and go down. The next day, it probably just remembers its natural growth pattern. What to do?.....You may have to use some direct heat (responsibly) in that area to train it to go down. Good luck!

 

[Blu217]

OK, wow... like I feel like you just gave me some kind of massive breakthrough--seriously! I had NEVER thought of that! I just put my hand back there, under my hair at my nape, and there's like this... little arched trough, this space where the hair curves up, then comes back over and down. I mean, it always sort of stands away from my neck a bit at the base back there. Is that what that is--hair growing up? I never even thought of this.

 

[mermaid]

yeah, it's a cowlick like when you see someone with short hair and the hair swirls one way and then goes completely the opposite way in little circle patterns.
Irritating when you want the hair to lay flat!

 

[Blu217]

Thanks, ya'll--I'm just excited to have an answer after years of thinking my hair must just be too fine or thin to do well down--even tho I see other women whose hair looks about like mine, and theirs is falling nicely in back, no bumping up. This is actually great news!

How does everyone else's hair feel when they reach under the nape? Does it touch your hand? It's not sort of swooping up and over a little bit back there?

Any other suggestions about how to tame or control this?

 

[Blu217]

BUMPING...

 

[Blackbird77]

I have the same problem. I was also thinking that if my hair was to grow to bsl or beyond that the weight of my hair would hold it down. I haven't used heat since mid-June (drawstring pony and baggie underneath) and am waiting for the end of December to flat iron it and find out if I'm at bsl. It would be a great time to see if it hangs better.