Unruly tufts occur when a strand grows in the opposite direction to that of the rest of the hair. You will never be able to completely get rid of these clumps, but with the proper tricks and techniques you will at least be able to tame them.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Basic Techniques
Step 1. Wet your hair
This technique should be used immediately after washing your hair, but if it is clean and dry you should at least sprinkle some water on the tuft.
The roots are usually the first to dry out, so you need to make sure that the roots in the clump area are very wet
Step 2. Part your hair
Use a comb to clearly mark the line while they are still wet. If you wait to do this when the hair is dry, the parting will not be well defined and it will not last.
Step 3. Brush the hair in the opposite direction to the tuft
Brush the section of hair where the rebellious tuft is by passing the brush in the opposite direction to the direction of the tuft itself. Keep your hair in this position for now.
You will later change the direction in which you hold your hair, but it is important to start by holding your hair in the exact opposite direction to that of the tuft
Step 4. Dry your hair
Start with the warm jet while the tuft is still brushed as mentioned before. You just have to lightly (not completely) dry this section while holding the tuft in place.
- You have to use a hair dryer and work fast. If the hair starts to air dry it will be more difficult to change the direction of the follicles. You will need to wet your hair again and start over.
- Hold the hair dryer close to the tips and direct the air along the stem, concentrating most of the heat near the roots. While drying you should hold the hair dryer along the hair shaft.
- Use the lukewarm or cold setting. Gently drying your hair will avoid long-term damage and keep it from flying while you dry it.
Step 5. Change direction as you dry
Before the clump dries completely, start brushing it up and down, moving it in various directions to blur and free the roots.
- Work slowly and gently pull your hair in various directions to avoid tangles. If you started by moving the tuft to the left, move it to the right as you dry. Then brush your hair up and down.
- One cycle should suffice for less rebellious tufts. To be able to change the style of the more indomitable ones, it may be necessary to repeat the process several times. If you dry your hair in various directions you prevent it from settling in one position.
- You can also alternate which side you use the hair dryer on while changing the direction of the hair. This prevents one side from drying out and becoming frizzy while the other side is still damp.
Step 6. Brush your hair straight and let it cool
Once the hair is dry, brush the tuft straight - or in the direction you want it to go - and let it cool in that position.
Alternatively, if the tuft is in the fringe, brush the other hair away from the tuft and let it cool like that for one to three minutes. You may be able to make your hair lose its old style. When the hair has cooled down, brush the bangs straight down
Method 2 of 3: Additional Tricks for Indomitable Wisps
Step 1. Try various types of brushes
If you can't tame a rebellious lock with the technique just described, one of the first things to do is change the brush you usually use while drying your hair. Choose a brush that grips wet hair well without breaking it.
- The round (cylindrical) brush is better than the flat one because it grips and holds the hair in greater tension. Likewise, it may be easier to control tension when using a smaller diameter round brush.
- If brushing is difficult for you, you might even try holding your hair in place with a fine-toothed comb.
Step 2. Apply volumizing product to damp roots
The volumizer is a mousse that adds weight and body to the roots of the hair, which will help you keep the hair in the opposite direction of the tuft.
- Plus, the extra weight helps your hair stay smoother and straighter.
- The volumizer in mousse does not make the hair shiny, so it is less noticeable, while the gel is probably a little more visible.
Step 3. Change the row
Try doing the row in various ways instead of always doing the same one. You may not believe it, but you may be able to hide or eliminate a rebellious tuft simply by parting it elsewhere before drying your hair.
- Brush the front part of the hair forward and line up closer to the ear on the side where the tuft is.
- If the tuft remains even when you change the position of the line, try to do it in the middle of a zigzag. Keep experimenting with various possibilities until you find the one that keeps your hair down.
- When trying a new row, you may need to use a medium hold fixer. It may take a few days to "train" the hair to accept the new part.
Step 4. Keep your hair taut as you dry it
The brush may not be sufficient to hold the unruly tuft in the desired position. If so, put your thumb on the brush to hold your hair taut as you blow dry.
- Put the thumb of the hand holding the brush under the section of the tuft before going through the hair dryer. Place the brush over your thumb, thus pressing the hair between your thumb and brush.
- If you can't maneuver your thumb and brush together, you could hold your hair between your thumb and forefinger, without a brush. Dry the rest as usual.
Step 5. Use bobby pins to flatten your hair as it cools
Most unruly tufts are eliminated by drying, but if you find the tuft curling and returning to its starting position you may need to hold your hair in place even as it cools. To do this, use bobby pins or hair clips.
Bobby pins are usually the easiest way to hold your hair in place, but if you notice that they leave a small groove, try using the appropriate hair tape. Comb the dry hair in the opposite direction to the tuft and put the tape. Keep the tape on all night, then take it off in the morning and shake your hair
Step 6. Put some modeling gel on dry hair
Sometimes a rebellious tuft tries to return to the old position even after you have tamed it with drying. To keep it in place all day, put some grease on that section of hair.
- Get some grease between your thumb and middle finger. Rub your fingers to make it warm and soften.
- When the grease has softened, squeeze the section of unruly hair between your fingers and spread the product over it. Run a comb through your hair to distribute the product evenly.
- You could also use a hairspray.
Step 7. Curl your hair
If none of these solutions work, you may be able to mask the tuft by adding waves or curls to the other hair. You can use whichever method you prefer: curling irons or curlers.
If you don't want your head all curly, you could use the curling iron just to give a slight wave to the side where there is no tuft. In this way you balance your look and the tuft will seem made for it
Step 8. Use the hair straightener
In some cases you may be able to remove the tuft by smoothing it with the plate. Take the roots of the rebel tuft with the plate and slowly slide it along the entire length.
- When using the straightener choose the lowest temperature that still gives results. Too much heat can damage your hair in the long run.
- Choose a narrow plate, which will be able to get closer to the roots without burning the skin.
Method 3 of 3: Treatments at the hairdresser
Step 1. Get your hair straightened by the hairdresser
Root straightening is a chemical treatment done by the hairdresser that "relaxes" or weakens curly hair. When used at the root of an unruly tuft, that part of the hair can become flatter and smoother.
- Ironing usually takes around eight weeks.
- The treatment is usually done to smooth out all the curls, but to get rid of a rebellious tuft you will only have to do it at the roots.
- Although there are kits to do the treatment at home, we recommend that you rely on a hairdresser who will be able to perform it in a more accurate and targeted way to eliminate the tuft.
Step 2. Get a short cut
Depending on where the tuft is, a short cut could eliminate the problem or mask it.
- This trick works especially if the unruly tuft is near the nape of the neck. If it is high, near the top of the head or the forehead, the short cut could be almost useless.
- Make sure that the portion of hair with the tuft is cut shorter than the rest. If the cut is even, the tuft may be longer than the rest due to its direction.
Step 3. Grow your hair
The heavier weight of long hair can sometimes tame a unruly tuft, so making the hair grow a lot may cause the tuft to flatten spontaneously.
- Stretching your hair is useful if the tuft is on the nape of the neck and sometimes even if it is on top of the head.
- A tuft on the front can be hidden with a long thick fringe.
Step 4. Get your hair down
Talk to your hairdresser and ask if there is a way to hide the tuft by climbing your hair. If the tuft is in an area that can be shortened or covered with another layer of hair, it may work.
- Layered cuts are very useful if you have thick, wavy or curly hair, which holds its shape more easily.
- If you have thin hair, talk to your hairdresser and ask him for advice on how to make it thicker and heavier in order to remove the tuft.
