I have waist length hair. I don’t like how I look with no hair or a buzz cut, and I find longer hair easier to manage. I’m not dead-set on this length, it just seems the best config for my life in general.

When it’s not gardening season, I wash my hair 2x per week. I have a super low tolerance for greasy or dirty hair and this frequency works.

I rely on bug spray while gardening. I wear full coverage clothes and try and spray the clothes, but I need to spray the exposed skin on my face and neck. This leads to spray or the spray+sunscreen+dirt combo getting in my hair.

I have tried special clothes and hats (including with nets) but I get bit right through them. I want to avoid getting bit because of the risk of disease, but honestly I mostly want to avoid hearing or feeling them on my skin. Thermacell type products have not been useful.

Currently I try and pile my hair in a hat and today I am trying to wrap it in a kerchief first. The bulk isn’t great with the hat. My hair type is 1a, but I imagine people with more texture also deal with this challenge.

So I guess my questions are:

  1. Do you have tips/tricks for keeping long hair clean while using bug repellent?
  2. If your solution is a protective wrap of some kind, how to you keep the sun off your face/neck if the bulk prevents the use of sun hats?

Thanks!

  • kindnesskills@literature.cafe
    3·
    5 hours ago

    Sunhat (wide brim that goes all the way around) with mosquito net atop it so the brim keeps the net away from the skin.

    A bit of hair in a flat bun under it, so theres a cm of distance between scalp and hat to avoid getting bit through the top. Or find a hat with bite-proof material (fishing, hiking and hunting stores most likely). Remaining hair in a low braid to keep the net from your neck even when bending over, and getting the hair out of the way.

    There are electric mosquito repellants I’ve been considering as a way to keep them away without putting anything on me, especially when as stationary as when weeding or with multiple people in a small area.

    After gardening, you can rinse your hair out with just water, to remove dirt and sweat. It’ll get rid of debris without affecting your washing schedule.