single.strand.knots

[L.Brown1114]

yeah im getting them and they are pissing me off. idk how to stop them! i know they have been talked about before so if anyone knows a thread they could share th link with me or sum i up that would be great!!

 

[Nayna]

My knots have gone down tremendously just from washing my hair in braids and letting my hair dry as stretched as possible.

 

[DigitalRain]

I have them lil suckers too. Sometimes several knots on one strand. Its ridiculous.

 

[Shun34]

I just BCed for the fourth time. I cut off about 13 inches of hair. I needed a change. Now my hair is riddled with knots, and there is NOTHING I can do about them other than snip them off as I find them. When my hair was longer, I kept them at bay by keeping my hair stretched. When I'd wear it curly, as in my avatar, I'd be sure to do a search and destroy immediately after. Whatever you do, don't snap them off using your fingernails.

 

[blksndrlla]

I read somewhere that oil rinsing helps with them...so, that's what I am trying.

 

[SimJam]

bane of my existence

 

[s0.k!nky]

You cannot totally prevent knots. It comes with the territory of being natural... *kanye shrug* ...Embrace them!

 

[Nasdaq_Diva]

I rarely get SSK. When I do, it's only when I wear them as a puff or a wngo. I agree with someone else mentioning to wash in braids. That helps my hair alot too.

 

[katblack]

I just BCed for the fourth time. I cut off about 13 inches of hair. I needed a change. Now my hair is riddled with knots, and there is NOTHING I can do about them other than snip them off as I find them. When my hair was longer, I kept them at bay by keeping my hair stretched. When I'd wear it curly, as in my avatar, I'd be sure to do a search and destroy immediately after. Whatever you do, don't snap them off using your fingernails.

LOL! I am always snapping off those monsters with my fingernails. I do wonder sometimes...

 

[KurlyNinja]

I only thought natural got SSKs. but I was detangling and I found one! (transitioning w/texlaxed hair) I just wanted to let you know I spent another 10 minutes trying to undo it with a needle...

 

[Yen Oak]

I'm curious. Will an overabundance of SSKs stunt your retention? Calling all long-haired naturals...

 

[MsBoinglicious]

LOL I HATE SSK TOO!!! I will NEVER embrace them! NEVER! That’s why I Search & destroy every chance I get! Those things will eat your hair up and stunt your retention something awful!

 

[PPGbubbles]

I have cut down on them significantly by washing and DC'n in sections and for my 4 a/b texture wash and goes are out of the question... a wash and go= knot city for me and a detangling nightmare afterward.

Also I pretty much always keep my hair stretched. I set overnight via braidouts and twistwouts so my hair never has a chance to knot.

 

[MsLizziA]

I have cut down on them significantly by washing and DC'n in sections and for my 4 a/b texture wash and goes are out of the question... a wash and go= knot city for me and a detangling nightmare afterward.

Also I pretty much always keep my hair stretched. I set overnight via braidouts and twistwouts so my hair never has a chance to knot.

Co-signing and adding to this post. I would also like to add that wash and goes, not washing your hair in sections or braids or not putting them in braids while your washing, will piss you off later and mess up your hair someething serious.

I find the longer my hair gets, the more i need to do stretched styles. I just can't take them so wash and goes are a no no for me nowadays.

Streched hair styles is the way to go.

 

[NikStarrr]

I'm curious. Will an overabundance of SSKs stunt your retention? Calling all long-haired naturals...

I'm BSL and I don't stress about them. I've not seen them cause any breakage for me. Also, I only see them on the last inch or two of my hair. I think on longer hair they mainly occur on he ends because that's the part of the hair that really has the chance to curl back on itself. So I figure if I trim every few months, they'll never get too out of hand.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

In 100% agreement with ppg0069

I avoid SSKs by washing my hair in 10 braids and making sure that my hair is in a stretched state 100% of the time and never gets a chance to tangle.

Loose wash and go's as a type 4a coarse is a definite no-no, I can do wash n go's with pixie braids and mini twists.

 

[morehairplease]

not washing your hair in sections or braids or not putting them in braids while your washing, will piss you off later and mess up your hair something serious.

co-signing completely

 

[Natural-K]

I concur with NikStar I don't have a rentention issue because of them either.

I wear my hair curly 90% of the year so I don't consider them a major issue. I straighten last month for the first time in a year (siggy) and I felt I needed a trim because of them but two inches off after 14 months was okay for me. Perhaps if there was a way to 100% prevent them and still wash and go if I want I would try but since I'm not aware of how I don't sweat it.

 

[Natural-K]

In 100% agreement with ppg0069

I avoid SSKs by washing my hair in 10 braids and making sure that my hair is in a stretched state 100% of the time and never gets a chance to tangle.

Loose wash and go's as a type 4a coarse is a definite no-no, I can do wash n go's with pixie braids and mini twists.

Does this method prevent them for you entirely or just minimize them?

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Rentention was not an issue for me but when I straightened my hair it looked horrible, esp the ends, so I ended up cutting them off anyway. Now for the most part I just keeped my hair stretched and I have not gotten one new SSK since. I wear wngs infrequently...one week at most and then its back to keeping my hair straight/bushy ( now that its summer its not as sleek due to the humidity but i like it )

 

[Shun34]

I'm curious. Will an overabundance of SSKs stunt your retention? Calling all long-haired naturals...

No they won't, they didn't for me at least.

 

[bellebebe]

Single strand knots and tangles are the main source of my set backs.

ODE TO THE SINGLE STRAND KNOTS!
I hope all these things happen to you.
thumbsup::gotroasted::burning::heated::gunner7::spoiler::spammer:
​

 

[choctaw]

Single strand knots and tangles are the main source of my set backs.

ODE TO THE SINGLE STRAND KNOTS!
I hope all these things happen to you.
thumbsup::gotroasted::burning::heated::gunner7::spoiler::spammer:
​

wth? I, King Tangle of Single Strand Knots is shocked that you would dare to threaten me! That's it, girlie, I is gonna be all up in yo hurr like my name is search warrant!

Don't you let me catch you out of braids, twists, moisturizer, ACV rinse, oil rinse, honey rinse ... hell, don't let me catch YOU outside da house or its ON, little girl!

 

[Natural-K]

Rentention was not an issue for me but when I straightened my hair it looked horrible, esp the ends, so I ended up cutting them off anyway. Now for the most part I just keeped my hair stretched and I have not gotten one new SSK since. I wear wngs infrequently...one week at most and then its back to keeping my hair straight/bushy ( now that its summer its not as sleek due to the humidity but i like it )

BillsBacker that's great you have been able to eliminate them. Do you wash in twists/braids too? How often do you wear your hair straight versus natural stretched styles?

-------------

To anyone who knows what are considered "stretched" natural hairstyles that prevent SSKs where the hair is down/out? Twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot outs??

 

[BillsBackerz67]

I wash my hair down but i just make sure I dont rustle it all together and pile it on top of my head when I do wash. I use heat everyother week and i go to a salon. My stylist doesnt use high amounts of heat so Im not afraid to go that often. My siggy is a pic of my hair in its natural state a few weeks ago after being heatstyled since October 2009, so I know the heat isnt damaging.

BillsBacker that's great you have been able to eliminate them. Do you wash in twists/braids too? How often do you wear your hair straight versus natural stretched styles?

-------------

To anyone who knows what are considered "stretched" natural hairstyles that prevent SSKs where the hair is down/out? Twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot outs??

 

[Natural-K]

I wash my hair down but i just make sure I dont rustle it all together and pile it on top of my head when I do wash. I use heat everyother week and i go to a salon. My stylist doesnt use high amounts of heat so Im not afraid to go that often. My siggy is a pic of my hair in its natural state a few weeks ago after being heatstyled since October 2009, so I know the heat isnt damaging.

You and your stylist are doing a great job. Your hair is the picture of health

 

[L.Brown1114]

but i have a TWA, the only thing i can really do is twist outs and i wash my hair every week and doing a twist out every week is VERY time consuming!! plus i want to rock my natural curls. i was thinking of just keeping my hair in seneglese twists and individual braids, will that work??

 

[Lola Laughs]

I read somewhere that oil rinsing helps with them...so, that's what I am trying.

Co-signing. Oil-rinsing with EVOO has cut them down significantly for me.

 

[Nayna]

but i have a TWA, the only thing i can really do is twist outs and i wash my hair every week and doing a twist out every week is VERY time consuming!! plus i want to rock my natural curls. i was thinking of just keeping my hair in seneglese twists and individual braids, will that work??

You mean until you can wash it in sections? Because eventually you will still have to tackle them. But if you are just going to protective style for a while then yea that should work for a little bit.

 

[ryanshope]

Oil rinsing definitely helps with my hair texture. I use coconut oil/red palm oil to oil rinse with. I have started detangling more with my comb. I using use my fingers, but have found that using a comb is more effective to cutdown on the number of SSKs.