Wrist hair caught between the links of the watch
Hair gets stuck in the steel strap of watch
You know the feeling when someone grabs a hair on your arm and pulls it? What an irritating feeling that is! It can happen that a watch with a steel strap gets stuck in your wrist hair. This creates the same painful feeling that you would rather avoid. Fortunately you are not alone. I have suffered from this myself. Therefore, in this article, we will unravel the problem and cover all possible solutions.
Why does the steel watch strap hurt on the wrist?
This problem occurs when the wrist hair gets between the links of the watch band. It is difficult to prevent, because the links mold to the wrist. This creates small gaps between each link where the hair can clamp.
By moving your wrist, a little more space gets between two links. Then a hair jumps in between. As the space between the links narrows, the wrist hair will pinch between them and you will get that ‘pulling feeling’. This occurs with both stretch band watches and with a steel strap.
You can also mimic this effect with your nails. As a result, you will notice that you do not have to pull wrist hair for a long time to feel this. Often a small tap is enough.
Solutions for wrist hair between the links of a watch strap
Fortunately, the problem will resolve itself in the long run. If the watch is properly adjusted, the wrist hair in the area below the watch will slowly wear and mold to the watch. This means you no longer have hairs that make wearing unpleasant. Until then, you can take various actions.
1. Properly adjusting the watch band
Has the watch strap been shortened properly? I personally like to wear the watch (too) loosely, so that the watch moves more on the wrist. As a result, the space between the links changes faster and a hair gets caught more often. You can prevent this by properly adjusting the watch and choosing the right watch size. Watch one of the videos to make a steel band smaller.
2. Choose a different metal band
It sometimes differs per watch strap how often the hair gets between the watch. This may have to do with the quality, but it also occurs with very expensive brands (from which you can expect a higher quality). One option is to opt for a mesh or Milanese strap. This one has smaller links, where no hair gets stuck. This has a good influence on the wearing comfort.
3. Use (temporarily) adhesive tape on the inside of the watch
Do you want to give the wrist hair time to get used to wearing the watch? With this DIY solution you can still wear the desired band without any problems. Stick a piece of tape to the inside of the watch band to seal the space between the links. As a result, a hair will no longer clamp and get stuck. Please note that the watch band ventilates less, so in the hot summer months your wrist may sweat a little more.
4. Nato, leather or silicon strap
If the problem persists despite these measures, you can also choose a different tire type. Personally, I like to combine classic watches with a leather strap and sporty designs with a silicone or Nato strap. This is therefore also an option if you continue to suffer from hairs that get stuck between the steel band. Here we also list some nice style tips.
5. Is shaving wrist hair an option?
I have tried this myself by shaving a small piece under the watch strap. That was insufficient. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend it. It has little effect if you only shave the hair under the watch. You will have to shave your entire wrist to not be bothered by it anymore. And when the hair grow back, you will run into the same problem again.
Yet you see this possibility more often on the internet. So it’s definitely an option, but only do it if you’re distraught and the other options aren’t working.
Want to discover more about watches?
Discover, for example, why the watch is worn on the left wrist or how the history of watch started. We also give tips on what a good watch meets and how to clean a watch.