Tangles, Knots and Dreads. Help!! Is there an Easier Way???

[*Happily Me*]

I have to remember to fingercomb EVERY day or my hair will stick together.

I'm at work and can't upload properly. check out this tangle. and this is all THROUGHOUT my hair. :/
http://public.fotki.com/dsylla/2008/june/picture002.html (no password)


here's a vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d69b__dur9s

I've been doing mad oil rinse which help, but the tangles, knots and dreads ALWAYs come back.

 

[monica24]

^^I'd like to find out too.

 

[pureebony]

Me too, im natural and find combiing a backside!!! but I seem to always get knotted up, even when I section off my hair to wash.

 

[vestaluv1]

Well, sorry I have no advice, but I just wanted to say that at 6 months of transitioning and with 4a hair, my tangles are just as bad as if not worse than yours (and my hair ain't even half the length of yours ).
I've tried soaking my hair in conditioner, but it does't work and finger combing is a pain in the a$$. Even after 2 hours of finger combing, and wide-tooth combing, the comb doesn't go through my hair right. Whats goin' on?
Thats why I leave my hair in plaits for 5 days out of the week! Wash days are no fun at all .

 

[*Happily Me*]

Me too, im natural and find combiing a backside!!! but I seem to always get knotted up, even when I section off my hair to wash.

My nape was "natural like" and the ends alway knotted up

Well, sorry I have no advice, but I just wanted to say that at 6 months of transitioning and with 4a hair, my tangles are just as bad as if not worse than yours (and my hair ain't even half the length of yours ).
I've tried soaking my hair in conditioner, but it does't work and finger combing is a pain in the a$$. Even after 2 hours of finger combing, and wide-tooth combing, the comb doesn't go through my hair right. Whats goin' on?
Thats why I leave my hair in plaits for 5 days out of the week! Wash days are no fun at all .

If i left my hair in braids for five days, I would have locs

 

[IntoMyhair]

Are you keeping oil on your hair? I am not natural just texlaxed. I have noticed that before i cut off my relaxed ends i had a lot of tangles, matts and knots. Maybe you need to trim your ends. I seal with either vatika oil or evoo or coconut oil. And the denman D4 helps get out those shed hairs. I have not needed to oil rinse since my chop.

 

[SVT]

I try to keep my hair bunned or braided at night. That helps when I CW the next day.

Pantene Smooth and Sleek or Pantene Hydrating Curls are cheap, readily accessible conditioners that help me alot with detangling during a CW. Pantene is loaded with cones so you have to shampoo every so often to prevent buildup.

 

[vestaluv1]

If i left my hair in braids for five days, I would have locs

!
Yeah, detangling is a bit of a chore when I take them down, but even if I finger combed or combed every day it would still be a tangled, matted mess, so I might as well leave the work for for one or two days out of the week, plus I ain't got the time.

Are you really going to loc your hair DSylla?

 

[blazingthru]

My hair is not very long and I have this weird texture, I still was getting knots all the time it stopped when I started putting conditioner on my ends and hiding it at night. I stopped getting the knots. I would do this each night. I switched up to herbal essences leave in conditioner for the ends and still no problem. Now I haven't done it this week because I was massaging each night and just never got around it and I still do not have knots on the ends of my hair. Try it - I think oil dries your hair out I don't know I just notice that when I use oils my hair seems very dry so I don't use it. I put a tiny bit of almond oil on my scalp and that is all the oil my hair gets

 

[Nonie]

DSylla, I have never had hair your length so I feel a bit awkward trying to help as I have no idea really what it's like living with a mane like that. Also I do things so differently from most people--like not using products in my hair--that I cannot tell if some issues people have are due to the products or just hair texture.

I "finger-comb" my hair too, but I am only able to do it with such ease because my hair stays braided. I know this may seem redundant but since it takes so long to finger comb it anyway, wouldn't it be better if instead of leaving your hair in braids in which case it might knot up, just braid it for the night and finger comb in the AM and braid it again that night. The first time you do it will be a pain because you will have to fully detangle a section till all the strands are smooth and lying parallel. Then braid that as you smooth your fingers down your hair. When all your hair is in braids, all the strands are forced to stay parallel, so in the AM finger combing will be a breeze, and really it will just entail you separating your strands. No need to run fingers through.

Now I have to admit that this works for me because my hair doesn't have creams or gels that stick strands together. I imagine an oil might work but I don't use anything. I think if I used products in my hair, my hair would mat up too if I left it braided. I don't even get that mat/knot that people get at the base of their braids and I am sure it's because I don't have anything in my hair. I wash/condition/ACV rinse my hair in braids or twists, so again, that keeps my strands parallel with all cuticles lying facing the same direction. ACV keeps cuticles closed, further helping me with keeping strands separate.

I don't know if any of this info is useful at all. I apologize if it isn't and I am sorry that you're having such a hard time. We'd all kill for your hair, you know. We just don't realize how hard you work to keep it looking so good.

ETA: Hey, do you think Stephanie (Hairobics) might understand what you're going through and have a solution? Would be nice if she could give tips w/o pushing her products because obviously your hair is doing very well w/ just what you're doing (I prefer your thickness and uniformity all through the length to hers). I think someone said she's a nice lady, so if I were you, I'd drop her a line.

 

[BklynHeart]

have you tried using a detangling spray beforehand? I only comb my hair before washing and right now I'm using Dark n Lovely kids' detangling spray. That's been helping a lot.

 

[fluffylocks]

I get that too http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=204747


On wash days, i never detangle my hair all the way i've learned, last wash day was my first time doing that, and then when i airdry, it just makes it even worse, then you mix that with not coming daily
I've tried wearing my hair straight, so that the shed hairs could come out easier, and i could really just finger comb and get everything...but straightening's not for me.

So i think im just going to detangle good every wash day, and at night before i go to sleep comb my hair.

 

[alexstin]

I had such serious dreads, knots and tangles it wasn't even funny. Garnier Melting Masque Strength and Repair made my hair do a 180 degree turnaround. I am 14 weeks post, I only comb my hair once a week and I can still detangle in 20 min or so when it used to take an hour. I can't believe the way this stuff detangles(I detangle before rinsing it out). I was just telling DH this morning that I don't have dreds anymore! Try it! It's cheap($3) and works on me and my daughters natural hair.

 

[Ms Lala]

I get this too. My hair is nearly as long as yours though. I know that smoothing my cuticles down helps w/this. Certain leave ins help to smooth the cuticle. I like KC Knot Today. I lately have been brushing my ends w/ the goody add+shine paddle brush and applying olive oil, this has really help reduce my tangles and knots. You might also try butters for your ends since you hair is so thick. Also when my hair porosity is off it seems like I get more tangles etc..., it's like when the ph is off the cuticles won't lay down the same and I end up w/tangles.

 

[JustKiya]

Have you tried leaving in a little conditioner in your hair? I find that when I do that, my hair doesn't want to 'stick' together like it normally does, and my con doesn't have any cones in it, either.

Are you fully detangling your hair when you do comb it? I've learned, after trying to 'just' fingercomb for two weeks - urm, no. The hair, she is not having it. I HAVE to comb and use the denman EVERY time my hair is free, or I will pay for it, the next time.

And when's the last time you used a semi-acidic something on your hair? If the cuticles are lifted, you're going to get worse tangles than if they were totally smooth.

And, oh yeah. Girl, I LOVE your hair.

 

[turnergirl]

I had the same problem as a natural and even the first 6 months I was texlaxed. In the end I just had to keep my hair braided and comb through it often. I loss a great deal of hair and kept cutting my hair as a result.

 

[michaela]

Im Natural 4a
I use Qhemet Biologics Olive Cream Conditoner and Detangler.
It really helps when it comes to Getting my hair untangled and all of the knots out.Its a Great moisturizer too. A little goes a long way! Alot of ladies here like these products as well too.
HIH
https://www.qhemetbiologics.com/conditioning.html

 

[Poohbear]

It seems like it's hard to avoid tangles, knots, or dreaded/matted hair when your hair is texturized or in it's natural state. I don't straighten my natural hair often but it seems like the only thing that helps with tangles, knots, matting, and even breakage...

 

[Misseyl]

Dsylla I don't have hair as long as yours and my hair is relaxed but recently I experienced the same thing..What I did was saturate my hair w/ Scurl then try to comb.. The reason this happend to me is because after I finish exercising I would rinse my hair w/out combing everynight, well I paid for it 2 weeks later because sections of my hair dreaded up.. I patiently combed them out but never again.. Now I comb after every rinse to make sure this doesn't happen again...

I was wondering how much time it takes you to look after your hair because it's natural, long and thick.. I love your hair and I wouldn't dread it if I was you but you have to do what's best for you... Anyways, you hair is still lovely..

 

[Honi]

I don’t know why it does that where the hair sticks in the middle of the strand. Add a few shed hairs and you have yourself a dreadlock or a big *** knot. For me it seemed to be a pH problem and I think certain shampoos were the culprit. I learned that some shampoos can be too alkaline lifting the cuticle which can lead to dullness and tangling.

I apply oil to dry hair and sit under the dryer for 5 minutes. Rinse/wet the hair under warm water (it may take awhile to get it fully saturated) and then detangle under the shower stream. Knots and tangles usually slip right out at this point.

Next I mix some cheapie condish like LeKair cholesterol with a little vinegar. Apply over oil rinsed hair and let it sit. Rinse and detangle under shower stream again. I get roota toota slip doing this and I’m currently 7 months post touchup. Downside is the hair is a little heavy but I don't mind the heaviness.

 

[Cichelle]

The story. of. my. life.

Nothing really helps, in my case.

Well, there is something. Regular and thorough detangling. And I don't mean just finger combing. The only way I can keep those tangles to a minimum is to make sure they don't have time to form. Yeah, they always have time to form (like immediately after I detangle), but regular detangling keeps them to a minimum and therefore greatly reduces damage from combing them out. This is precisely why "low manipulation" regimens that include not combing for days/weeks at a time do NOT work for me.

Lots of suggestions here so I hope they work for you. Keeping my hair up helps very minimally. The fact of the matter is I have tangly hair. It needs to be thoroughly detangled often. Thems the breaks, I guess.

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Have you tried leaving in a little conditioner in your hair? I find that when I do that, my hair doesn't want to 'stick' together like it normally does, and my con doesn't have any cones in it, either.

Are you fully detangling your hair when you do comb it? I've learned, after trying to 'just' fingercomb for two weeks - urm, no. The hair, she is not having it. I HAVE to comb and use the denman EVERY time my hair is free, or I will pay for it, the next time.

And when's the last time you used a semi-acidic something on your hair? If the cuticles are lifted, you're going to get worse tangles than if they were totally smooth.

And, oh yeah. Girl, I LOVE your hair.

I really think this is ur problem D...there is no way that you are removing all of those shed hairs with just ur fingers. I used to experience the clumping thing, single strand knots, shed hairs stuck onto my rgular non shedded hair etc. I had no clue what I was doing wrong until I realized that maybe Im not combing often enough. I was doing more harm than good. I noticed that some of the ladies here can get away with that but you have twice the amount of hair that they have in the first place. I suggest you start combing at least twice a week and get use a denman maybe every two weeks or so (i use mine everyday but some people dont trust that brush as mucch as i do). Maybe the low manipulation doesnt work for your hair. I know it def doesnt work for mine.

 

[anon123]

!
Yeah, detangling is a bit of a chore when I take them down, but even if I finger combed or combed every day it would still be a tangled, matted mess, so I might as well leave the work for for one or two days out of the week, plus I ain't got the time.

This is how I feel, too. You might try keeping your hair in braids or twists for a few days and if it really is starting to loc on you then I'd say cut out the moisturizer and stick to oils or butters. Water helps our hair lock.

Okay, now

Girl, I know, I KNOW!!! My video looks just like yours! I call it connect the knots. Cuz you got a hair that's involved in one knot, but then another hair from that knot is caught up in another knot and so forth and so on. There are things we can do that will help a little bit. If we do all of them it will help a noticeable amount, but I don't think it will ever go away. There are some textures that I just believe were meant to be locs or twas and if we decide against those options, it's going to be a lot of work for us. The things that would help me (but which I don't want to do all the time cuz then my hair would be boring and/or ugly and/or gross as h3ll) are:

Lay low on the humectants. Everybody wants humectants, "moisturize" is the word of the day. Like I said, water helps my hair lock. This is not really bad in a humid environment like Chicago's summer, but in a dry environment adding moisturizers essentially means I wet my hair, it dries, I add more thus getting it wet again, it dries. Oils don't seal in doodly, once that hair dries it's going to dry. And the fastest way for me to lock is to wet my hair and let it dry over and over again without detangling. So during those times I stick to butters or oils.

Keep my hair in a position where it can't move. the more the hair can move around the more it's going to tangle. After detangling, put my hair into something that keeps the hair from moving around. twists are best for me. braids take too long to put in and take down, and like you, i can't keep them in long enough to justify all that time because after a short time my hair still wants to knot and tangle. It's a delicate balance, because if you leave them in for too long the individual hairs want to mesh together. for me the optimal time is once to twice a week to take them apart. Or you could do banded ponytails, those might be easier and work best for you.

I know you are relaxed, but a lot of texture is still left in your hair, and that texture looks like mine. can i ask, how much time does it take you to finger comb daily?

About the finger combing, I want to take it up, too. I find that I can thoroughly detangle with my fingers, but it takes much longer than when I use a comb. I usually use a pick. I tried the Denman and even after detangling with a pick that sucker ripped my hair OUT! The better brush for my hair texture is the Goody Styling Therapy add shine brush. The bristles are soft and pliable, but it still works at getting shed hair out. My hair still broke off, but not nearly as much. Following the advice of others I tried detangling more frequently. I used a shower comb and detangled every day to every other day with conditioner loaded hair. It is true that detangling became easier, i was able to do it in 10-20 minutes compared to my regular 45 minute minimum. But I was also tracking my growth with pictures every few days and I lost 1/2" of hair in two weeks before I decided that combing my hair that often was breaking my ish off! Maybe you can try detangling with a comb every 2nd to 3rd detangling and see how that goes for you, but if your hair is like mine, combing through thoroughly all the time will soon have you bald.

 

[Ms Lala]

This is how I feel, too. You might try keeping your hair in braids or twists for a few days and if it really is starting to loc on you then I'd say cut out the moisturizer and stick to oils or butters. Water helps our hair lock.

Okay, now


About the finger combing, I want to take it up, too. I usually use a pick. I tried the Denman and even after detangling with a pick that sucker ripped my hair OUT! The better brush for my hair texture is the Goody Styling Therapy add shine brush. The bristles are soft and pliable, but it still works at getting shed hair out. My hair still broke off, but not nearly as much. Following the advice of others I tried detangling more frequently. I used a shower comb and detangled every day to every other day with conditioner loaded hair. It is true that detangling became easier, i was able to do it in 10-20 minutes compared to my regular 45 minute minimum. But I was also tracking my growth with pictures every few days and I lost 1/2" of hair in two weeks before I decided that combing my hair that often was breaking my ish off! Maybe you can try detangling with a comb every 2nd to 3rd detangling and see how that goes for you, but if your hair is like mine, combing through thoroughly all the time will soon have you bald.

I LOVE this brush!!!!!! The denman rips my hair out. I really think it helps so smooth the hair as well. My twist out come out shiny when I brush w/this beforehand.

 

[anon123]

I LOVE this brush!!!!!! The denman rips my hair out. I really think it helps so smooth the hair as well. My twist out come out shiny when I brush w/this beforehand.

Definitely true. My favorite set of twists ever done was done when I applied some Qhemet olive conditioner to already detangled hair and brushed through. It took so long because I had to do it in small sections, but the twists were so light and fluffy.

 

[*Happily Me*]

Update -- I texlaxed my hair even tho I was only 7 weeks post. I couldn't even properly part it properly. It was a sloppy job indeed!

When I finished, the roots were smoother but the middle and the ends were still very tangled. it pained me to have to detangle AGAIN!! I went section by section and after detangling with my fingers, I ran a small tooth comb through it then I chopped off about an inch of scraggly ends.

It feels MUCH better at the moment

let's see how long it stays smooth

Nonie -- I have never considered no products. My hair is very dry and i guess that's from relaxing. I Lekairs Cholesterol doctored with olive, grapeseed and castor oils with a dash of SAA. hmmm, I'll try anything right now.

mwedzi, If i were natural, i'm almost certain my hair would look exactly like yours, or very close to it. I feel your struggle even though your tangles are probably a lot more intense than mine.

Water makes hair lock?? That is very interesting. I conditioner wash my hair everyday and I'm wondering If I'm creating more of a mess.... I'm going to go without conditioner washing this weekend and see how my hair holds up.

IntoMyhair - I always have some sort of oil on my hair.

BklynHeart -- I watched this video where she used a detangling spray on locs and it worked wonders.

BillsBackerz67 - I hear you on combing more often. I was being lazy but I'll need to stay on top of tangles, catch them before they form

JustKiya - I don't usually do leave-ins or anything. I didn't think I had to because I conditioner wash everyday. But I'll most likely be changing my regimen. thanks for your nice compliment

Cichelle - I would never guess that your hair tangles. And we think the early 3s don't have hair issues... I learn so much from this site

Thank you all for your suggestions and support :hugs:

 

[jkamiel]

my suggestions from experience:
- you might need to actually comb your hair. i went like 6 months without combing my hair w/ a comb and my hair said a big "UH UHHHH!"

- i coat my hair in castor oil when i wear it out or just the ends when i go to sleep because the oil is so thick that its hard for my hair to tangle (still does but less than usual)

-braid/twist your hair up at night

- maybe use a light spray moisturizer that wont let your hair stick together like creamy ones do (i use sta sof fro, brx braid spray is one too)

other suggestions
-people are raving about this steam treatment business.. maybe you should try it out

-i have a phobia of trimming but maybe you need a trim?? dunno

 

[*Happily Me*]

Oh and about the braiding, my braiding is too sloppy at the moment. I guess I can practice but the thought of detangling then braiding makes me tired. Like, there goes the WHOLE afternoon

 

[FlowerHair]

I have to remember to fingercomb EVERY day or my hair will stick together.

I'm at work and can't upload properly. check out this tangle. and this is all THROUGHOUT my hair. :/
http://public.fotki.com/dsylla/2008/june/picture002.html (no password)


here's a vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d69b__dur9s

I've been doing mad oil rinse which help, but the tangles, knots and dreads ALWAYs come back.

Girl, that's nothing. Is that what people talk about when they talk about tangled hair?
Don't bother with those tangles, just detangle/fingercomb a couple of times a week and don't think about it

That's what I do.

My hair will never, ever be tangle free - the hairs will always stick together. That's what curly and coily hair does...

Your hair is beautiful as always!


ETA. After watching the video and not just the picture, I want to ask - why do you need to detangle like that every day? Are you preparing it for an updo? I always thought my hair didn't tangle so much because it tangles like yours. I thought serious tangles were real locks sort of...
My hair is always tangled like that. Maybe because I'm a "lifelong" natural I don't bother as much? Could that be it :scratchch
Because I am completely at peace with my hair being tangled all the time. No one sees it since it's curly and clumped together anyway. Only if I need to style it in a braid or such...no I don't even detangle for that anymore. A messy braid is enough LOL
Just random thoughts ..while ripping out a few knots here and there LOL

 

[anon123]

mwedzi, If i were natural, i'm almost certain my hair would look exactly like yours, or very close to it. I feel your struggle even though your tangles are probably a lot more intense than mine.

Water makes hair lock?? That is very interesting. I conditioner wash my hair everyday and I'm wondering If I'm creating more of a mess.... I'm going to go without conditioner washing this weekend and see how my hair holds up.

Just to clarify, I meant letting my hair go from wet to dry without detangling is what will make it loc up. so if I don't want to detangle every day, i just can't wash every day. i have yet to see a bsl+ 4b natural wash and detangle her hair every day. your texlaxed hair is the closests i've seen to it. your hair is beautiful, though, that's definitely true.