Q I have to have my hair up at my job and I usually wear a ponytail. But of late, it's been giving me head tension. Why? Also, I recently had layers put in my hair but I don't like having too many bobby pins in to secure them as this adds to the headaches. What can I do?

A Switch jobs if wearing your hair up is causing you head trauma. Being made to do menial tasks at work, filling in for slack colleagues and a lousy pantry - these are the things that should be giving you headaches at work, not your hair.

Seriously though, ponytails can cause head tension if your hair is extremely long and thick.

'It's the weight of the hair that causes the tension, especially if you wear your ponytail high on the crown and it's secured too tightly,' says Eugene Ong, creative director of Urban Hair by Ginrich at The Heeren.

In extreme cases, it can even cause neck and back pain. The solution, he says, is to wear a ponytail lower, securing it at the nape as this gives better weight distribution.

Now that you've had layers put in, do prep hair with a strong hold gel or mousse first. Try Redken Hardware 16 Super Strongwear Gel, $32, from Urban Hair by Ginrich, 04-15 The Heeren.

Apply a dollop of the product to damp strands, then comb through to neaten the shape of your ponytail before securing. This will help the shorter layers stay in place.