Although these stretchy little things are always going MIA, we depend on them to keep our pesky stray hairs out of our faces. You'll rarely see a girl without one on her wrist, and they're everywhere - yet nowhere - at the same time. Because of them, we get to rock hairstyles like the low pony, the fishtail braid and even the famed messy bun. Welp, we've got some bad news. Turns out those hair ties you so heavily rely on, are actually workin' against ya. This isn't to say you should toss your new pack out, just be weary of the damage you could be causing. Here's the lowdown on your elastic ties.

"The Bad & The Ugly"

Are you noticing that your breakage and flyaways are all in the same spot (about halfway down the length of your hair - where your pony would be gathered)? That's no coincidence. When you put your hair up, day after day, you're repeating the cycle of stress on your strands in the exact same spot. And constant wear on your follicles and hairline can lead to issues such as thinning, breakage and even scalp sensitivity over time - yikes! But it's not all bad news ...

"The Good" While opting out of ponies for good is out of the question, there are some things you can do to prevent the dreaded breakage! At the very least, you can prevent this by putting your pony up in different spots. Some days low, some days high, and some days, you double-up! Other things to look out for would include:

• Wear your pony loose. Yes, a tighter pony can act as a quick-fix "facelift," but hair breakage is never the solution!
• Stay away from elastic bands that have metal or glued seams. Use snag-free or fabric hair ties instead - they won't tear your hair out or cause that annoying pony-crease.
• Do not, we repeat, do not tie your hair up when it's wet! Your strands are more prone to damage, post-wash, and can stretch and snap.
• Dry hair can also be susceptible to damage and breakage, so keeping hair hydrated and moisturized with regular masks and/or a leave-in treatment like Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser Heal & Seal Treatment is absolutely essential.

We've got plenty more advice on hand! Check out our hair tips and tutorials here.

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