You’ve probably been in this scenario: you’ve showered and freshened up ready to go out on your daily routine, an evening or a special day out. You’re all dressed and almost ready to head out the door with just the final pièce de résistance left to put on in the form of your favourite fashion accessory- your necklaces, chains or bracelets.
Your beautiful, dazzling jewellery made with Chain links are ready to put on around your neck or your wrists. But you’re wincing in anticipation that your hairs- whether fine or long, are about to be jerked out at the base of your neck or wrist. Just the mere thought of it can be enough to make your eyes water right?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a man or woman and you wear chain links on your neck or your wrist, when the links are brushing with the hairs on either of those areas on your body the annoying sensation are along the same lines. We’ve all been there and it’s enough to make you feel why you’d ever bothered.
Sound familiar?
It probably will unless you’re naturally endowed with a superhuman gene that has endowed you with life-long baby soft skin on your wrists or neck or you’re a super yogi that has mastered the mind receptivity to pain. But for the rest of us, who aren’t as gifted and don’t want to spoil the start of a great day ahead, we’ve got the perfect antidote in the form of our latest buying guide: our top suggested styles of Sterling Silver Chain link that won’t pull on your hair.
Here we’ll advise on what parts of the chain can pull on your hair, which specific chains are just serial culprits and those which are the super hero “go to” styles.
Why do certain types of Necklace Chain pull on hairs and others don’t?
Whilst our hair on our neck tends to be thinner for both men and women, versus those on our wrist thicker, especially for men, it’s natural that some chains styles will bring about the pulling sensation for finer hairs than thicker hairs.
Many a time however the pattern of the link is responsible in combination with the size of the links. Specifically, Chain links that have the ability to form a pincer position to trap the hair are the most notorious. Pair this with a physical aspect: if the width or thickness of the chain links are similar to the thickness of your hairs the more likely to catch.
Which Necklace Chain Types are more likely to pull on your hair?
Sterling Silver Omega Chain Link
The Omega Chain link isn’t generally a favoured style to wear daily but for occasional wear and mostly styled just at the base of the neck. The style of link pattern allows for a narrow gap and when the chain flexes, can form a pincer to pinch fine hairs and sometimes the skin depending upon the variety of omega link. Variations include flat omega links as well as the round omega links- closer to snake chain in shape. Dare we say it but some find it easy to remember this chain by calling it the “OW! Mega!” Chain. Omega chains however have a mirror finish unlike other chains and most of the time are worn just above the collar bone. They tend to catch the finger hairs so if you’re a lady a finer omega chain may be better than thicker styles owing to less area of the link coming into contact with the skin.
Sterling Silver Snake Chain Link – Classic.
The classic Snake Chain Link style is a sleek style of chain. It has the ability to give the appearance of a thin, seamless stream of silver. The gaps in this style of chain are designed to be minimal to give way to the luxurious shiny appearance, much like the omega chain. However, those gaps can catch finer hairs.
But if you are keen on the Snake Chain style, we’d recommend opting for the newer style “Real Snake Chains”. With the design minimally different, the snake effect is almost identical albeit with much reduced friction.
Sterling Silver Herringbone Chains
Wow, what a beauty and a classic. Herringbone chains feature a beautiful pattern very similar to those scales found on a tropical fish. But the generally flat design of these chains means all of the chain touches the skin. With several gaps small gaps between the patterns in the chain, this is a perfect hair trap.
What parts of a Necklace Chain can pull on hair?
The most obvious are of course the links. The second being the clasp and sometimes its jump ring. Lastly the ends of the chain – often known as the caps – where the clasp itself is attached and its opposite end where the clasp is hooked onto.
For the bulk of this post we will however cover the Link characteristics, specifically starting with the style of link and then the size of the link.
Which Necklace Chain Types won’t pull on your hair?
The vast majority of chains usually won’t catch hairs and so whilst we won’t write a complete list of these chains, here are our top suggestions for chain styles that won’t catch hair whether fine or long.
Sterling Silver Ball Bead Chains
The majority of good Sterling Silver Ball Bead Chains are made with solid, round, smooth highly polished links. The nature of the surface lack any gaps. As a result of this the links have nowhere to hook onto. Regardless of fine hairs or longer hairs Bead Chains whether being rounded or oval in shape are the friendliest and most comfortable chain to wear. As the size of the bead links increase or decrease also make no difference either.
Sterling Silver Box Chains
A highly popular and recommended chain link style, whether the classic standard box chain or the rounded box chain – it is a timeless cubed shape that sits well on necks and wrists comfortably. Whilst there are gaps in between the links, they’re unlikely to pull on the hair because the size of the gaps are proportionately wider allowing any hair to pass through. Generally the edges and corners of box chains aren’t sharp either.
Sterling Silver Curb Chains, Sterling Silver Figaro Chains and Sterling Silver Marina Chains.
All three are similar in class of their formation. At the heart of these chains are a Curb Link. The Curb link is seen in the Figaro chain with the addition of one link in the pattern of three being elongated. Whilst the Marina chain is almost the same as a Curb Chain in its shape but with a vertical bar in the centre. All three styles of chain regardless of their dimensions: fine, medium or thick are amongst the most hassle free and comfortable to wear during the day and even at night when sleeping. Whether as a chain around the neck or on the wrist – these styles also are unlikely to catch on any fabrics from your clothes either. It’s probably why it has endured as a timeless classic and is still a highly popular pattern of link.
Sterling Silver Cable Chains and Sterling Silver Anchor Chains
Again highlighting the link shape and formation will quickly make it easy to understand why Cable and Anchor chains which are almost identical won’t pull your hair. Each chain link style is crafted simply by shaping a rounded wire into an oval shape. The process is repeated for the next link and paired with the first one. Each link is identical to the other in every aspect. Cable Chains being usually finer and Anchor Chains a thicker with the addition of a flat diamond cut surface. But the point being that there is virtually not much hairs of any thickness whether on or near the neck or the wrist can pinch. The surfaces of the links are completely smooth much like the Ball Bead Chain and the gaps in between each oval link large enough to hair not to get caught up in painfully.
In general as a rule of thumb, bolder thicker and larger linked chains with simple shapes are least likely to pull on your hairs. Those with intricate designs will vary. Some intricate designs if crafted properly without sharp sections carefully considerate of the wearer with the area exposed to a person’s skin smooth are perfect. One example is our exclusive Sterling Silver Twisted Foxtail Chain. On appearance it is highly intricate. In fact we’d go so far as to say as one of the pinnacles of chain link craftsmanship. Yet to the touch this chain retains a frictionless, textured feel with the diamond cut links and weave like pattern. Crafted with the aim of stylishness and practicality should be the ultimate balanced approach for any chain link style.
