How to Make High Ponytail with No Bumps

Easy instructions for getting a smooth, stylish high ponytail

Co-authored by Christine George

Last Updated: May 4, 2023 Approved

High ponytails are popular, and for good reason: they are fun, flirty, and chic. You can wear them sleek and smooth or curly and voluminous. Unfortunately, when you pull your hair up so high, you may get some bumps on the top, sides, and back of your head. Luckily, there's a trick to getting rid of those bumps: creating a stacked ponytail.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Prepping and Sectioning Your Hair

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1
Wash your hair, then blow dry it towards the back of your crown. The goal here is to dry your hair so that it goes towards a certain point: the back of your crown. This means that you'll have to dry the hair on the back and sides of your head upwards, and the hair at your front hairline straight back. ^{[1]
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- Use a paddle brush or a denman brush to brush your hair while blow drying it. This will help position it better as well as make it smoother.
- Lean forward when blow drying the hair on the back and sides of your head; it'll make things easier.
- While not completely mandatory, this will help "train" your hair to lay in a certain direction and reduce bumps.
2
Flat iron your hair if you want a sleek ponytail. Make sure that your hair is perfectly dry first, then apply a heat protectant to it. Next, straighten your hair using a flat iron. If you "trained" your hair while blow drying it, make sure that you flat iron it in the same direction. ^{[2]
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- For example, if you blow-dried the hair on the back and sides of your hair, then pull the flat iron upwards rather than down.
- If your hair is naturally straight or thin, you can skip this step. If your hair is thick, curly, or textured, straightening it will make it flatter, sleeker, and more manageable.
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3
Mist your hair with hairspray or dry shampoo if you need texture. Sleek hair is great and all, but it can be difficult to work with. Luckily, dry shampoo and hairspray will both add texture to your hair, which will help your ponytail last throughout the day. ^{[3]
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- This is completely optional.
4
Part your hair in half horizontally where you want the ponytail to sit. This is just like creating a half-up ponytail, except that you're making it high on the back of your crown. Twist and secure the top part into a temporary bun, then do the same thing with the bottom part of your hair. ^{[4]
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- This may seem a like a lot of extra work, but working in 2 parts is key to getting a sleek, bump-free ponytail.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating the Double Ponytail

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1
Pull your hair into a half-up ponytail at the back of your crown. Undo the temporary bun at the top of your head. Gather the hair into a half-up ponytail at the back of your crown. Don't tie your ponytail yet. ^{[5]
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- This is where your high ponytail will end up, so play around with the position until you are happy with it.
- Creating a double ponytail is ideal if you have very thick hair.
2
Smooth the hair gathered into the ponytail with a comb. Hold your half-up ponytail in one hand; keep your thumb under the ponytail. Using your other hand, run a comb from your hairline and towards your ponytail-holding hand. Grab and gather the hairs into the ponytail. ^{[6]
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- Keep going until you get the smoothness you desire. Do the top and sides. Make sure that the teeth of the comb reach your scalp.
- If you need extra smoothness, apply a light-weight gel to your hairline, and slick it back towards the ponytail. This will reduce frizz and flyaways, helping your ponytail become smoother and sleeker. ^{[7]
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3
Secure the half-up ponytail with a hair tie. If you can, use a small hair tie; this will reduce any bulk. If your hair is thin or fine enough, then you may be able to use a clear hair elastic instead. ^{[8]
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- Be sure to smooth your hair down as you pull it into the hair tie.
- This completes the first stage of your bump-free ponytail!
4
Add the rest of the hair to the half-up ponytail, smoothing it as you go. Undo the bottom temporary bun. Pull the hair up towards the half-up ponytail. Run a comb through the sides and back of your head, just like you did with the first ponytail. ^{[9]
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- Try to get the hairs as smooth as possible for this. You shouldn't have to use any gel for this.
5
Secure both ponytails with another hair tie. Don't undo the first ponytail. Just add the bottom hair to the first ponytail, hold everything together, and wrap a hair tie around it. Be sure to smooth your hair into the ponytail as you do so. ^{[10]
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- Make sure that the elastic is new; older ones that have lost their stretch and elasticity won't hold your style for very long. ^{[11]
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- Consider using a bungee ponytail holder instead. It's a piece of looped elastic with hooks on each end. ^{[12]
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- At this stage, your ponytail is complete. If you want to upgrade it, read on!

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Upgrading Your Style

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1
Straighten the ponytail more with a flat iron if you want a sleeker look. Don't undo the ponytail. Just grab strands from the tail, and run them through your flat iron. Your ponytail should already be relatively straight, so don't worry about being too perfect here. ^{[13]
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- Focus on the ends of your ponytail, especially if you have layered hair.
- You don't need to use more heat protectant, since the initial coating you did when you first straightened your hair should be enough.
2
Tease your ponytail if you want more volume. If sleek and straight isn't your game, then tease your ponytail instead! Grab a chunk from your ponytail, then backcomb it at the base with a comb. Keep doing this until you get the fullness you want. ^{[14]
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- Always do the underside of each section, not the top. If you do the top, it'll be visible in the finished look.
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3
Use a toothbrush sprayed with hairspray to smooth down flyaways. Those small baby hairs around your temples can ruin a sleek look, but luckily, they are easy to take care of! Take an old, but clean toothbrush, and mist it with hairspray. Then, before the hairspray dries, gently comb those wispy hairs down. ^{[15]
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- If you don't have a toothbrush to spare, you could try a boar bristle brush or a smoothing brush instead.
4
Wrap a strand of hair around the base of the ponytail to hide the elastic. Whether or not you do this is entirely up to you! Simply take a ¹ ⁄ ₂ in (1.3 cm) wide strand of hair from your ponytail, then wrap it around the elastic. Push a bobby pin through the end of the strand and into the base of the ponytail to hold it in place. ^{[16]
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- For a nicer finish, smooth the end of the strand down with gel before you bobby pin it.
- This is a great way to hide a bungee-style hair tie.
5
Set your look with hairspray to help it last longer. If you straightened your ponytail for a sleeker look, consider using a shine spray instead. This will help make it glossier. Shine spray is also great for naturally curly or coarse-textured hair. ^{[17]
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- If you're just looking for extra hold, focus on the hair that's going into the ponytail. If you're looking for extra shine, focus on the tail itself.
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6
Add a hair accessory if you want to match your outfit. There are lots of options to choose from, from flowers to hair combs to be-dazzled hair ties. Choose something that you think will go great with your outfit, then add it in. ^{[18]
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- It's best that you do this after you've finished spraying your hair, as hairspray can damage or dull a nice hair accessory.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Is it bad to wear a ponytail every day?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

I wouldn't recommend a tight ponytail every day because too much tension is not good for your hair follicle. This tension can eventually compromise and break the hair. I always suggest a loose ponytail with a scrunchie for an every day style.

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Question

What if my hair parts in the middle?

Katie Nguyen

Community Answer

My hair parts in the middle as well! Just flip your hair upside down, comb through the middle with your fingers (the middle as in your hair part), flip your hair back up, and keep your head bent back. If you don't bend your head back, your hair part will come back.

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How do I get rid of frizzy hair without hairspray or any heat products?

Kh3347

Community Answer

If you were naturally born with frizzy hair, then you might need to use a product either in the shower or after you get out, like a smoothing gel. If not, try using coconut oil. It helps straighten and smooth out hair. Lastly, make sure you're using conditioner along with shampoo as conditioner can help minimize frizziness.

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Tips

You can try pulling your hair into a single ponytail, but be sure to comb it back often as you do so.

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You don't need to have straight hair in order to get a bump-free ponytail, but straightening your hair will make the task easier.

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Warnings

Never use a flat iron on wet or damp hair. Always apply a heat protectant first.

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Avoid wearing your hair in tight hairstyles daily or for long periods of time, as this can be uncomfortable and cause headaches. It can also damage your hair and even lead to hair loss.

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Things You'll Need

2 hair ties
Brush
Comb
Hairdryer (optional)
Flat iron (optional)
Hairspray (optional)
Gel (optional)
Bobby pin (optional)
Toothbrush (optional)

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How to Make High Ponytail with No Bumps

Steps

Prepping and Sectioning Your Hair

Creating the Double Ponytail

Upgrading Your Style

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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References

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