FYI: airdrying can make you bald!

[tada1]

Check this out: I have been battling severe dreds, tangles, and matting to say the least. The most recent combat was last weekend. I was so frustrated that i threatened to chop off all my hair. Thankfully, my SO was there. He simply had me lie on the bed and he spent 4 HOURS. Detangling my hair with NO breakage. He used afro detangler to moisturize as he went along, and sealed them strands with oil too . Y'all know i aint got patience like that--I actually fell asleep somewhere along the line.

Anyway, fast forward to Monday. I relax my hair, airdry it and voila--them vicious dreds were back and fiercer than ever. Today is Thursday, and I just finished detangling my hair--3 DAYS of my LIFE Y'ALL

So what am i really saying? If your hair is texlaxed and you can relate to my experience, ask yourself these four questions:

Can your hair be described as texlaxed 4a/b?
Do you regularly scarf your hair down while its still damp?
Do you try to do bantus or braidouts on wet hair?
Do you wet your hair and let it dry without thoroughly combing out shed hairs?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you know what to do. Buck the trend and do what works for you.

That is all

 

[likewtr4chklit]

Wow. I never actually air dried without detangling it first. If I do air dry, my hair is in a tight bun for like two or three days. And I NEVER sleep without something covering my head. What exactly are you doing after you wash it? Maybe you should switch up your technique.

 

[tada1]

I actually just found out that the culprit in my case, was that I adopted the lo-mani regimen and wasnt detangling more than once a week. Couple the few shed hairs left in with texlaxed hair, and I ended up with a war on my hands

I know better now

 

[ebzonix]

Wow. I never actually air dried without detangling it first. If I do air dry, my hair is in a tight bun for like two or three days. And I NEVER sleep without something covering my head. What exactly are you doing after you wash it? Maybe you should switch up your technique.

My question also, the best way to air dry is after you've detangled. I usually don't see a problem if you detangle and put it up some sort of way.

 

[ebzonix]

Aha, I understand now.

 

[lilmsjanet]

i dont think i ever really detangle anymore as soon as im done washing i put my hair up in a ponytail or in my scarf but lol i dont think airdrying can make u bald u just have to be patient taking out the tangles it usually takes me 4 days to take out my tangles and nots but i just section it and braid it up for me and my hairs personal saftey cuz i feel ya on the just choppin in all off part

 

[TaurusAngel]

Although i'm not texlaxed, i am relaxed and i experienced the same thing with airdrying. i would always detangle and did a braidout it. i wrapped with a satin scarf. When i woke up and i started unbraiding, i had all these strings of hair just coming out. They would not stop coming out. i ended up have to rewash and flat iron. I got my relaxer the next week and she had to trim almost an inch off. So yeah, i been stopped the airdrying.

 

[BostonMaria]

I actually just found out that the culprit in my case, was that I adopted the lo-mani regimen and wasnt detangling more than once a week. Couple the few shed hairs left in with texlaxed hair, and I ended up with a war on my hands

I know better now

That detangling with your fingers stuff is not for everybody. I wouldn't dare try it. One time I went a whole month wetting my hair without combing it and I had it in a ponytail the whole time... before you throw up I was pregnant with my daughter and sick as a dog. So anyway by the time I went to the salon my hair was shedding badly and I ended up having to cut it a few inches. Now that I'm natural I detangle every morning. Well at least now you know better

 

[BostonMaria]

Although i'm not texlaxed, i am relaxed and i experienced the same thing with airdrying. i would always detangle and did a braidout it. i wrapped with a satin scarf. When i woke up and i started unbraiding, i had all these strings of hair just coming out. They would not stop coming out. i ended up have to rewash and flat iron. I got my relaxer the next week and she had to trim almost an inch off. So yeah, i been stopped the airdrying.

When I was relaxed the same thing used to happen to me if I wet my hair and didn't blow dry or rollerset afterwards. I'd have crazy breakage. Amazingly enough, it didn't happen when I was transitioning. I'm not sure why.

 

[TaurusAngel]

When I was relaxed the same thing used to happen to me if I wet my hair and didn't blow dry or rollerset afterwards. I'd have crazy breakage. Amazingly enough, it didn't happen when I was transitioning. I'm not sure why.

thats the exact issue I have!!!!!! My hair goes through some issues,lol. i have to rollerset or flat iron afterwards or it tangles up. i tried so hard to airdry, but it just didn't work.

 

[Neith]

I wonder what makes some people get tangled and others not tangle.

I have naturally coarse mostly 4a hair that is texlaxed... with more than 8 weeks of new growth.

I only detangle with a comb once a week after washing. I fingercomb twice every day. On wash day I lose very little hair. Overall I lose very little hair and I have very little tangling. I airdry EVERY day. At the end of the day my hair is shrunken to the max and a little dry, but it's not tangled and just needs some moisturizer.

It's not a question of me having a soft texture, cuz I assure you I really don't ... it's weird how the same types behave differently!
​

 

[twinkletoes17]

I've never had a problem airdrying. If I know I'm free and need to wash my hair that day, I do it in the morning so I can roam about without having to worry. Maybe 30-60 minutes later when my hair is less damp, I start detangling, and that takes me like 3 minutes max. After that I roam again with my hair down, or I put it up.

If I don't do that, I usually just put my hair in 4 cornrows and I'm done for the day. Take em out the following morning and I'm looking like Hillary Banks!! I say you should give it another try. My hair strives from airdrying, no heat =D

 

[The Princess]

Im 4b and I air dry all the time. My NG used to dread around week 6 from the time of my relaxer. The key I learned is I had to comb through my NG no matter how long it took. When I went to a professional beautican, my hair had grown and thicken up alot, I had alot of shedding hair in my head cause I was not comming it out. Now this time around I im a week 6 from the time of my relaxer and I only had 1 dread in my NG, and I took my time and comb in out and loss no hair. With time you will get better at Air Dry hair. This is the only method I use along with tying it down with a scarf.

 

[Paradox]

I do braidouts and can go a long time without combing with minimal breakage. most of the time I forget to comb my hair and I don't have knots. I definitely contribute it to Giovanni Direct leave in conditioner, good oils such as castor oil and coconut oil, water and of course the braid outs..and perhaps the Honeysuckle rose deep conditioner.
I have been transitioning for 2 years.

 

[Cichelle]

I'm natural, but that low manipulation thing almost ruined my hair. Went days without a thorough detangling and then woke up to a NIGHTMARE. Shed hair is the culprit for me. I must remove it regularly or it causes major problems. I only air dry my hair, but I would never dream of doing it without detangling. That's just asking for trouble.

I hate long detangling sessions. I've had ones so bad that I felt physically and emotionally exhausted. Afterward, I suffered from what I call PDSD, post detangling stress disorder. The symptoms are that after a particularly bad detangling session, you become paranoid about tangles and fanatical about removing shed hair for fear you will get the rat's nest again if you don't. (Flashbacks are not unusual.)

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating somewhat. But man, those knots and tangles...

 

[SelfStyled]

Im 4b and I air dry all the time. My NG used to dread around week 6 from the time of my relaxer. The key I learned is I had to comb through my NG no matter how long it took. When I went to a professional beautican, my hair had grown and thicken up alot, I had alot of shedding hair in my head cause I was not comming it out. Now this time around I im a week 6 from the time of my relaxer and I only had 1 dread in my NG, and I took my time and comb in out and loss no hair. With time you will get better at Air Dry hair. This is the only method I use along with tying it down with a scarf.

COSIGN

Pretty much everything you said. I only air dry and I think that has turned my hair around for the better. Up until 6 weeks I can get away with some light raking every few days and a major comb through detangle once a week. After 6 weeks I have to detangle the NG more than once a week or it will dread up.

 

[sunshinelady]

You have a very nice SO, marry that dude. I struggled with dreds as well until I started to detangle my hair more frequently with a small toothed comb. If you do a good one at least once a week, you should stop have so much of a problem.

4a/4b hair naturally wants to dred IMO. Mainly because it is so dense and the strands twist on themselves.

 

[sunshinelady]

When I was relaxed the same thing used to happen to me if I wet my hair and didn't blow dry or rollerset afterwards. I'd have crazy breakage. Amazingly enough, it didn't happen when I was transitioning. I'm not sure why.

Your ends were straight. less friction.

 

[Qetesh]

i have never had a problem with airdrying. thats all i do 90% of the time either as a wash and go or a braidout

i do notice my hair breaks alot less if i detangle it a few times a week.

 

[Amerie123]

When i tell you ladies, OMG how bad i wish i saw this thread last night before my air drying disaster. Never again. It didn't get matted or dreaded (and maybe because my hair is short and i OD'd on conditioner), but man, that wasn't a good idea at all. not only was it ugly when it dried (and unfortunately, i was forced to use a flat iron to style- which I've been trying to stay away from), but there was a little more breakage thank i'd like to see. The breakage could have been worse, but the only thing im thinking is NEVER AGAIN. I would rather blow dry than to do that again, and what sucks the most is i thought i was gonna be good cause i used the aphogee reconstructor, which has been doing good for me, and i DC'd, so for the results to be like they were, all cause i airdried, wasn't good. So, a lesson learned.

 

[Soliel185]

I used to find random knots and dreds in my hair (mostly the back) when I was only detangling with a wide tooth comb. The problem was, the teeth were set so wide apart, some of the knots just slipped through, and the teeth were too wide to catch the shed hairs. So though my hair looked detangled, it wasn't truely.


Now I detangle first with the shower comb, then with a detangling comb, and finally my denman, all while soaking wet to damp with my leave in's and moisturizers added. Now when I airdry in a bun, I can take my hair down and run my fingers through it with no problems - despite the fact that it is a gigantic confused 8 months post messapotamia at the moment.

 

[lovenharmony]

Airdry queen here I don't have any issues with airdrying...after I shampoo, I moisturize, detangle with a comb and braid my hair. When I take it out in the morning, it's nice and soft. I comb and braid my hair every night because the shed hair would wrap around the rest of my hair.

 

[Covergirl5906]

I just recently discovered that my hair can't stand airdrying either...It's not due to tangles so I'm not sure what it is...in an effort to reduce use of heat I washed my hair last week and airdried....that whole week I suffered an unusual amount of breakage and shedding.....I washed again and blowdried this time...and no problem this week....I don't know if it's because heat seals the cuticles or what but my relaxed hair doesn't like airdrying at all...when I was natural I had no problems with airdrying....

 

[tada1]

the tangles it usually takes me 4 days to take out my tangles and nots but i just section it and braid it up for me and my hairs personal saftey cuz i feel ya on the just choppin in all off part

4 days??? girl, i need to shut up and quit my complaning

i would always detangle and did a braidout it. i wrapped with a satin scarf. When i woke up and i started unbraiding, i had all these strings of hair just coming out. They would not stop coming out. i ended up have to rewash and flat iron. I got my relaxer the next week and she had to trim almost an inch off. So yeah, i been stopped the airdrying.

That's strange that you still have problems after detangling properly . Im not giving up on airdrying yet. Im just going to have to invest the time in detangling properly and ditch the whole lo-mani thingy. My hair says heck naw!

I wonder what makes some people get tangled and others not tangle.I fingercomb twice every day.​

That's the answer to your question right there in bold. You finger comb twice a day, so there really isn't any room for those shed hairs to come back and haunt you or even dred for that matter
​

I hate long detangling sessions. I've had ones so bad that I felt physically and emotionally exhausted. Afterward, I suffered from what I call PDSD, post detangling stress disorder. The symptoms are that after a particularly bad detangling session, you become paranoid about tangles and fanatical about removing shed hair for fear you will get the rat's nest again if you don't. (Flashbacks are not unusual.)

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating somewhat. But man, those knots and tangles...

girl, u aint lying you actually sound like my psychology professor

You have a very nice SO, marry that dude. 4a/4b hair naturally wants to dred IMO. Mainly because it is so dense and the strands twist on themselves.

He is really fun. He even offered to help me again if my hair decides to dred up. Apparently, it didnt feel like 4hrs to him Dude is just racking up all my brownie points

Airdry queen here I don't have any issues with airdrying...after I shampoo, I moisturize, detangle with a comb and braid my hair. When I take it out in the morning, it's nice and soft. I comb and braid my hair every night because the shed hair would wrap around the rest of my hair.

I'm officially jealous

 

[prospurr4]

If your hair is texlaxed and you can relate to my experience, ask yourself these four questions:

Can your hair be described as texlaxed 4a/b?
Yes...I am texlaxed 4b.

Do you regularly scarf your hair down while its still damp?
Yes...but ONLY after it has been thoroughly detangled. Otherwise, I'm just asking for tangles and matting.

Do you try to do bantus or braidouts on wet hair?
I do twistouts on damp hair, but again, only after detangling.

Do you wet your hair and let it dry without thoroughly combing out shed hairs? Never, ever...

OT: I'm impressed that your SO took such care with your hair...very nice!

 

[Poohbear]

If you want to avoid dreads and tangles when drying texturized or natural hair, you should airdry in braids/plaits, twists, or rollers, or you should try blowdrying. Make sure you detangle your hair very very good before letting your hair dry.

 

[TemiLnd]

I air dry alot...
Once washed and consitioned...I comb with thru with a wide comb and then twist / braid outs or sthg to hold a shape and allow to dry manipulation free..

 

[tada1]

I air dry alot...
Once washed and consitioned...I comb with thru with a wide comb and then twist / braid outs or sthg to hold a shape and allow to dry manipulation free..

good for you . I found out the hard way, that the key is to never let the hair go from wet->dry without detangling/combing

 

[BrooklynSouth]

Y'all have not read Coffee's post about the AWSOME DETANGLER yet..huh?

 

[Neith]

I dunno, maybe the texture (not only curl pattern) has something to do with it.

After I thoroughly detangle my hair, it doesn't tangle up much for a long time. More than a week. I am able to wet my hair and airdry every single day and all I do is fingercomb except on wash day.

My hair never dreds up either. AND I have 3 months of newgrowth...

It's funny...