Braces and Long Hair Advice

[Bazal]

Heya,

First of all - sorry if this topic belongs in another thread - if I made a mistake I hope the moderators move it.

So I have an upcoming trip and I need advice on 2 items - yes you can laugh!!

1- So I have invisalign - my question is - should I dive with them or take them out? Supposed to have them on for 22 hours. Anyone ever dive with those?

In case you're not sure what they are - they are a tray of irritating hard plastic that make your jaw/teeth hurt
invisalign - Google Search



2- LONG hair... OMG is this a problem - hopefully some ladies have some advice. I have long thick wavy hair. I tried braiding it and diving. BUT - I had the worst possible tangling EVER in my life each time I dived that way. Yes I combed it before the braiding. I suspect it may be the salt water? Not sure - I used a TON of conditioner and oils but the tangling was insane! I would wash my hair each day - when I "unbraided" my hair - the three strands separated fine - but the insane tangling was within each strand.

Any lady advice on this? How to place your hair while you dive or anything for that fact?


Thanks!!

 

[CuzzA]

Can't help with the hair issue, but one of the guys I dive with has that invisalign thing and he takes it out for every dive. I wouldn't dive with it if it makes your jaw/teeth hurt.

 

[Bubblesong]

Salt water "opens up the cuticle" of the hair strand and give it body, (according to my hairdresser) and that is why there are Beachy Hair products with salt in them on the market. But for us it means it turns our hair into steel wool every dive. My Blond Hungarian Hair relents under spray detangler, but my daughter's thick Italian hair needs an expensive product called smoothing serum. My best suggestion is to bring a small amount of a bunch of products and experiment on your individual type of hair
I would leave the mouth piece on the boat; one less thing to lose in the water and, (since it is clear), never find again.

 

[Land Fish]

You may find this useful: Dealing with long hair

Personally, I braid my ponytail or split into two parts under a thin diving cap.

 

[TMHeimer]

People don't wear thin diving caps near Detroit (I wore a "swim cap" in Panama).... Hoods for sure! But maybe you mean cap under hood? I'm a man, but the only thought I'd have is try to spread your hair real thin so you can tuck the hood in under your wetsuit (drysuit?)--that is IF the water is cold enough that you can't leave the hood bib out. Hey, I don't have that problem pushing 63....What a nasty problem you have.....

 

[Marie13]

I've got short hair so I can't comment on the hair issue...although nearly every picture taken underwater of me without a hood shows bangs caught in the top of mask.

If you don't have one hair issue, it's another.

 

[Land Fish]

People don't wear thin diving caps near Detroit (I wore a "swim cap" in Panama).... Hoods for sure! But maybe you mean cap under hood? I'm a man, but the only thought I'd have is try to spread your hair real thin so you can tuck the hood in under your wetsuit (drysuit?)--that is IF the water is cold enough that you can't leave the hood bib out. Hey, I don't have that problem pushing 63....What a nasty problem you have.....

I meant a thin cap as I usually dive in tropical waters like 28-30C. Courtesy of living in SEA So the cap really is to keep my hair out of my face and mask.

Hood is a bit tricky for me. Had to add a hooded vest for mola mola dives, and I braided the hair just behind my ears and folded at the back of my neck. A bit itchy to start with but I had a good seal along my face, so I'd probably do the same if I do cold water dive ('cold' by the standard of a tropical fish btw )

 

[Land Fish]

I've got short hair so I can't comment on the hair issue...although nearly every picture taken underwater of me without a hood shows bangs caught in the top of mask.

If you don't have one hair issue, it's another.

What about leaking mask??

 

[Marie13]

My mask always leaks from the bottom anyway, due to very prominent smile lines on my face. Not from the top. Multiple masks have not solved the issue. They all leak, it's just an matter of how much. Current one is the best. I now use silicone grease on my smile lines. I don't believe I will ever have a dive where I don't have a leaking mask. It's just a fact of life. The water comes in when I equalize. I get a lot of mask clearing practice.

 

[Land Fish]

I get a lot of mask clearing practice.

You and me both

I'm a bit like emoji in real life...apparently expressions like lol, wink, grin etc don't go terribly well with mask seal...just saying