Ok you all, I've agonized over this long enough. Which protects your hair more - a good conditioner, or updo? And you can't say both, ok? Here's why: when I condition my hair, I can't do updos. And when I don't condition my hair, I can do updos. So which is better for my hair? Conditioning it, and possibly getting damage from leaving it down, or not conditioning so it's like Velcro, and putting it up? Help me solve my problem! :D

If you can explain your answer below, I'd appreciate it. Ultimately, I know that both is better, but since I'm not finding that an option, I want an "either-or" type answer. And we'll discuss which products might be causing the problems in another thread, ok? ;) After I get these results back, I'm gonna be quizzing you updo queens on what products you use in a different thread.

I voted for the conditioning because in high school I had very long hair that looked like hell and thus stayed up in a bun most of the time. What killed my hair? Well, along w/ harsh cheap shampoos, there was inadequate conditioner (i.e.....omg! I have no idea what conditioner I used on my hair when I was in high school! I remember Pantene, but I wasn't a slave to it...whoa...and high school was only 7 years ago)...and definitely no deep treaments. I think the best treatment my hair ever got was my post-swimming showers...ultraswim conditioner is very cool. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! :D

My for me it's updos - I very seldom leave my hair down and it helps alot against damage from the sun, prevents breakage and split ends etc.

But then it's no problem for me to do both condition it and wear it in an updo, so it's hard to say which helps more. I usually spray a mixture of conditioner, monoi and destilled water on my hair before putting it up (sometimes destilled water only).

Ooops, I messed up, I meant to vote for updos, I think conditioner only goes so far, so I would say that the only sure fire way to keep hair safe is to put it up so it doesn't get into trouble.

I have been using relatively gentle shampoos for years and always condition well, but I have only been keeping my hair up for less than a year. I have noticed less breakage and other damage. When my hair is down it tangles, get caught in things, and is subjected to friction, weather, and fiddling.

-Elspeth

I voted for conditioning. Updoes, if done with good tools and all, are very protective, no doubt. But they only protect the hair from one of the many hazards: from friction. What about dry air, wind, cold, sun, air conditioning, pool and sea water... You need a good, moisturizing conditioner to shield your hair from those things.

I voted conditioning. This is because:

-When I was on my low conditioner routine (LoC), I wore my hair in updos most of the time. My hair seemed to accrue damage very quickly.

-Then, I got a trim and switched routines.

-Recently, I've been conditioning well (lots of CO washes and deep conditioning) and wearing my hair down a lot. My hair is currently in great condition -- very soft and silky. It certainly tangles more when it's down, but conditioning and gentle detangling seems to work fine without causing a lot of damage. (I tend to fingercomb through out the day if I'm wearing it down, too.)


Cheers,
Jonobie

I voted conditioner.
Updo's can do damage! If you use the wrong hair toys, if you twist too tightly, or wear your hair up too often. IMO.

I could leave my hair down all day without problems if I:

1. spray a generous amount of leave-in/detangler on my hair in the morning
2. comb out my hair & spray more detangler throughout the day to prevent snarls

I voted conditioner as well... I wear my hair down about 99% of the time, it's just got back to waist length after a trim a few months ago to even up old layers that were growing down and my regime of pre-shampoo warm oil, deep conditioning once every week plus a leave-in has given me maxium moisture from root to tip. Updos just give me headaches.

i voted for conditioner as well. i'm updo impaired. but i see a need coming for either braids or updos soon, cos my hair is becoming tangle-o-rama at the ends.

just a thot - if your hair can take in oil or glycerin, can you try misting before an updo. violeta's leave in or fox's leave in arent as heavy as cone conditioners and doesnt make your hair updo-disqualified. :D

Conditioner. Can't live without it. Updos make my head hurt and I swear they yank out more hair than whatever would get damaged from leaving it down. When I want to protect my hair, I tie a big scarf around it (this also hides the fact that it's so fraggin SHORT).

I voted conditioning because I believe that updoes put too much stress on my scalp as they are too heavy and could cause hair lose.

I really don't know (I'm leaning towards conditioner, but I don't know for a fact so didn't vote).

But, I was wondering, don't you have a preference for wearing your hair up or down regardless of which is the most protective? Looks, comfort? I'd think that those factors would be equally if not more important than protection for deciding what you're gonna do. Now is the present, and all that :wink:

Iris

The mere thought of how my hair would react without conditioner makes me want to even forget I thought THAT thought. Back when I was first doing a bunch of wacky experiments to see what worked best for my hair I tried going a week without any conditioning and oh boy. I may as well have signed up for a hairloss clinic. I had to wait for my hair to completely dry before attempting to detangle, which at the time was between 3-4 hours. Anytime sooner than that it was all about snap/squeek/sticky central and me crying my eyes out at the amount of hair that would accompany those sounds. I *need* the slip! Updos are of course protective, but at the same time in order to be able to put my hair into any updo, it needs to be slippy enough to detangle along the way, and conditioner is required.

Both are important, but conditioner is probably the top of the two.

Meg

After some thought I have to say conditioner. I would never be able to detangle my hair without conditioner. My hair would be a dried out mess without conditoner. I love buns. And I've seen a difference in my hair's condition since wearing it in a bun more. But without conditioner the hair in the bun would be in terrible shape.

I can just about imagine living without updos (though I really wouldn't want to!) but I can't imagine living without conditioner.

I would think conditioning protects hair more but that's because I can't imagine my hair without conditioner. It'd be a mess. Also, I don't put my hair up very often and it's doing alright.

Rather than picking, can I say "it depends"?

On a day you plan to be very active, out in the wind, or working around machinery, an updo may be more protective. On a day where you're more sedate, the dangers of friction and getting your hair caught in things would be less, and conditioner may be more protective. So rather than always using one, pick based on your plans.

Also, can you braid with conditioner in? That might be another good compromise. Your hair conditioned, and also organized to prevent tangles, and some reduction of friction.

I've only recently started to use conditioner. Before I only used shampoo, that I never used on the length though. I did have quite some damage, but was wearing it loose all the time as well. Now I am conditioning everytime I wash and having updo in about 6 days a week. So I still need to cut some damage our from my non-caring days. I would like to wear it more loose though again. But I am scared a bit that I will damage the hair again then. But I do think both are required to prevent damage.

I voted for updos -- even though my hair drinks conditioner and I am updo-challenged. I feel that conditioner helps with detangling, enhancing shine, frizzies, etc. But if hair gets tangled, caught in things, played with too much, etc. that will make it most vulnerable. So I feel that updos actually do the protectecting, to help avoid circumstances that will pull hair and fray ends.

I couldn't survive without conditioner, I'd end up with a knotted mass in days! The fact I can't updo makes this an even easier vote :wink:

My first thought was up-do's.
But i think practically out of the two conditioner would be the best.
In a perfect world where you had time to de-tanlges your hair inch by inch carefully and put it into a perfet up-do with no stress points and expensive hair friendly toys then i would say up-do's.
But in reality daily wear and tear is what damages hair so conditioner really helps with this.
So it really depends on the rest of your routine and hairtype i suppose. But i voted up-dos
I think up-do's physically protect hair more,
But conditioner repairs hair more.

Can I vote for both?

I'm another person who wouldn't be able to detangle without conditioner, (specifically silicone conditioners).

But if I wear my hair loose, it gets all tangly, plus gets caught on everything.

So I need both!

i either wear my hair down or in just a ponytail pretty much 100 percent of the time. my hairs processed but i dont think thats added to the damage. most peoplei know with long hair leaveit down and its fine. just dont get it stuck under backpacks and messenger bags, and dont slam the car door on it like i do.

i think shampooing takes some of the natural moisture away and you should put it back with condit.

Conditioner!

I know some people believe you can overcondition, but that's not true in my case. I say the more the better!

i can't live without either. my hair would be dry and unmannagable without condition. i wear my hair up 99.9% of the time also. between my kids, dogs, and the hubby when i wear my hair down someone is always pulling on it. so an updo is my bestest friend. esp in the summer, it gets so hot here. i hate it when your hair gets all sweaty underneath and stuck to you, yuck !!

I voted for conditioner. I hardly ever wear my hair up.

Updo's, mainly because I work with power tools for several hours every day. Yikes! :scared:

I had to vote conditioner. Keeping your hair properly moisturized is very very important. Pinning up dry crunchy hair will just cause it to break. I find that I can "updo" better when my hair is wet. It then holds through the natural drying process. Another thing to try is washing not too often. "Day old" hair is less slippery than fresh washed. You may be able to "updo" on the second or third day. And an updo can mask the fact that your hair is not freshly cleaned. HTH :)

I chose conditioning, 'cause updo's can break your hair off. I used to wear updo's all the time when my hair was longer (ponytails, french rolls) and my hair broke off right in the top of my head. It still isn't right and that's been years ago! :(