Finding the Right Hair Rollers, Avoiding Hair Roller Dents

Roller head may not win you any brownie points in the bedroom or in your relationship, but your hair sure will thank you. And the guy in your life will appreciate the great hairstyle in the morning. Outside of rollers not being the sexiest thing to wear in your hair, two other common problems are deciding which hair rollers fit your hair type and which ones will help you avoid the annoying hair roller dent that happens with many rollers.

Rollers with teeth tend to tangle on hair and pull out more hair than they curls. Sponge rollers have a habit of pulling hair out too, even with the end paper because the clips can sometimes get caught and twist. Magnetic rollers are much better for avoiding hair pulling, but they can also leave hair dents without attaching the clip over them.

After hearing a discussion in a Skokie Walmart with two ladies in the cosmetics aisle, both consumers were having challenges finding the right hair rollers. One lady's hair was so thick that she couldn't find any that wouldn't leave hair dents all over her hair. Another lady didn't worry about hair dents because her hair was so straight and oftentimes wouldn't stay curled for longer than a couple of hours, even with hair spray.

Everybody's hair type is not the same, but women can all benefit from using hair rollers that don't pull their hair out or leave a rollercoaster ride across their heads.

"There are plenty of ways to avoid hair roller dents," said Chicago hairstylist, Ms. Bennett from Brown Sugar Beauty Salon, located at 523 E. 71^st St., to Shamontiel, Chicago's Black Hair & Health Examiner. "Using Velcro hair rollers that attach to the hair work, and make sure to wear a hair net at night. Or, try using long bobby pins. They lay flat and don't do anything to tangle or leave dents in your hair. And then there's magnetic rollers."

However, magnetic hair roller selections oftentimes suggest using them on damp or wet hair to avoid hair dents. For black women whose hair doesn't dry straight or who want to avoid constantly wetting their hair, dampening their hair each night can be a task. Hair lotion and styling lotion may do the trick, but for thicker hair types, the curls may come out stringy.

"Your hair doesn't have to be wet to use magnetic rollers," said Ms. Bennett. "The instructions may say that, but it's not necessary. And if you just use the roller without the clamp, there are no hair dents."

But magnetic hair rollers tend to be hard and uncomfortable to sleep in. So, Ms. Bennett also recommends using hair rollers during the day under a hair dryer. This will stop the wilder sleepers from tangling their hair, losing rollers overnight and avoid hair roller dents.

"Use hair pins for the rollers," Ms. Bennett explained. "With hair pins, the curls are straight all the way to the end and stretches your roots."

For those who have really straight, thin hair, using hair rollers under a hair dryer also make it easier to mold the curls. For those who want to avoid constantly using excess heat on their hair with curling irons, flat irons and hot rollers, shaping the hair as soon as its washed with a onetime hair dryer and rollers or using rollers that fit your hair texture may be the answer to all your curling problems.