Hairstyles when you have very few spoons and straightened doesn't suit you

[febury]

I have ME/CFS. I've always struggled to make my hair not look awful which I've always just accepted as something I'd have to live with but I had cancer last year and experienced good hair days for the first time in my life when I got to wear wigs. It made me feel so much better about myself that it's made me wonder again if there's a way to achieve a good hair day on almost no spoons now that I have shoulder length hair again? I don't suit it straightened or tied back unfortunately - I need some volume at the front at least. Waves look great but I don't think I could ever do a whole head. Are there any really easy down do's anyone can recommend? Or something that's only styled at the front?

Pixie cut?

Short doesn't suit me either unfortunately. I need volume.

And length

I used to use clay on the roots to scruffle it up. So just air dry, then rub some clay or wax between all my finger tips and sort of scrunch the roots around. Like bedhead- volume at the roots, toussled.

Also a spoony! I only wash mine occasionally which really saves spoons! I suit it in a twist with a clip, Though, so the ends add volume on the top.

I have very fine hair. If I scrunch dry it with mousse it gives it a bit more body. Day one I wear it down, days two and three in a pony tail as the mousse stops it being flat to my head.
Might that help?

Is it long enough to use the sleep in overnight curl bands? (Sorry I’ve clearly forgot the proper name)
I find the bouncy blow dry style much comfort to sleep in

I've never heard of clay on the roots. Is there a brand? Dry shampoo felt like a game changer but when I got cancer everyone said to stop using it and I thought that was the only thing that did that apart from that cornflour stuff which I should probably try. Do. you brush it before you air dry it?

Modern perm with larger curls?

What does scrunch drying involve? I'm clueless about hair! Does it involve a hairdryer?

It's a bit longer than shoulder length at the moment. I just ordered a curl band but then I was reading they're uncomfortable to sleep in so I thought I'd maybe wasted my money!

How do you mean the bouncy blow dry style? Is that a a style of curlers?

Would a shortish bob help...the layers give volume without too much drying and faffing about.

Sickofthehip - I tried a japanese perm 10 years ago but it didn't really work - it just looked frizzy. I tried a normal perm about 5 years ago and that wasn't great either. Unless the tech's improved since then?

How do you style layers? I think I had layers before but I could never tell they were there or else they seemed to make my hair look less thick but maybe that was because I couldn't style it properly. Never know if it's my fault.

I am the laziest in the world when it comes to my hair. I comb it before bed, scrunch some mousse into it, and stick it into two high pigtail plaits (yes it looks absolutely ridiculous and my husband never gets bored of laughing at me). In the morning I take the plaits out, ruffle it with my fingers, and voilà. Lots of volume and beachy waves without any need for heat styling or faffing about in the morning.

That sounds effective MonsteraMama - what kind of mousse? Is it not uncomfortable to sleep in?

I have a revlon one step - I basically brush it through my hair when it’s about 60% dry. Gives it that sleek but bouncy look like a hairdresser blow dry, not poker straight straighteners style. I have always been absolutely terrible at styling my hair but even I can get it looking decent with this. Might be worth a try?

If wigs made you happy and confident just continue to wear them, alternatively a topper might be an alternative if it’s volume at the roots you are after.

I bought a Revlon OneStep actually and was impressed with the results but struggled to use it recently as it's so heavy. I have fewer spoons since I bought it because my partner moved in and I spend some of them talking to him now. But I also forgot to try drying it a bit before starting so maybe that would be less effort.

Wigs are really hot now I have more hair and I feel weird wearing them now I don't have cancer. Do you have to style your hair to go with a topper?

I don't understand the reference to spoons in this context.

Sock bun at night

It just means energy (fewer spoons means less energy).

Wouldn't a sock bun be hard to sleep in? I could try 2 though...

Me neither! What does it mean? Very tired and wondering if it's something super obvious?!

I’m not sure that the spoons term is generally understood?

Anyway, the cornflour based baby powders (Burts Bees) do a similar job to dry shampoo.

Oh ok. Thanks for explaining.

Having a little chuckle to myself at the irony that it takes more 'spoons' to write it that way as there are more letters 😁

Anyhoo - I too have awfully fine hair. For me the key is finding the right shampoo and conditioner that doesn't make it heavy and then mousse and hairspray when styling.

Good luck 👍

I'll try the burts bees stuff. Probably want to avoid hairspray given I've had cancer. May try mousse. Never achieved anything with it in my teenage years despite a lot of practice though!