ALL 4b’ers DO you TRIM your single strand knots?
- Thread starter Lebiya
- Start date
JustKiya
Well-Known Member
No, I don't touch em. *shrug* What's the point? They are going to turn right around and show back up again. 
Okay, for detangling. I rarely wear my hair out, so when I'm detangling, it's usually from a one day twist out, at the most.
After I've DC'd my hair (but before I rinse it out) I get in the mirror in the bathroom, and part my hair into roughly 6 sections. Starting with the front, I grab my hair and make a 'ponypuff' and using my wide tooth comb, I start combing through the very ends of the pony puff, stopping to detangle with my fingers any major knots. As I comb through it, my hair stretches, and I keep detangling until I can take the wide tooth comb from root to end without catching. Then, I move to a medium tooth comb, and do the same thing. Then, I move to the denman, and do the same thing - by this time, my hair is TOTALLY detangled and deshedded. Then, I put that section of hair into a two strand twist, and move on. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to do my whole head, outside of the shower.
Then, I hop into the shower, take one section down, brush though it with the denman, and then holding the end of the section tightly, I scratch and rub my scalp in that section to get all the conditioner off of my scalp, and then I let the water flow through that whole section, loose, and run the denman down it a time or two - at this point, my hair is as stretched as it'll get, and I put it back into a two strand twist. I go through my whole head like this - takes about 15 minutes, or so.
I then let my hair mostly dry in the TST, take them down one at a time while still a little damp, run some castor oil through them, run the denman through one last time, and put into a fat braid to dry.
Once my hair is fully dry, I take it down and style it.
I hope that helped, some.
Okay, for detangling. I rarely wear my hair out, so when I'm detangling, it's usually from a one day twist out, at the most.
After I've DC'd my hair (but before I rinse it out) I get in the mirror in the bathroom, and part my hair into roughly 6 sections. Starting with the front, I grab my hair and make a 'ponypuff' and using my wide tooth comb, I start combing through the very ends of the pony puff, stopping to detangle with my fingers any major knots. As I comb through it, my hair stretches, and I keep detangling until I can take the wide tooth comb from root to end without catching. Then, I move to a medium tooth comb, and do the same thing. Then, I move to the denman, and do the same thing - by this time, my hair is TOTALLY detangled and deshedded. Then, I put that section of hair into a two strand twist, and move on. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to do my whole head, outside of the shower.
Then, I hop into the shower, take one section down, brush though it with the denman, and then holding the end of the section tightly, I scratch and rub my scalp in that section to get all the conditioner off of my scalp, and then I let the water flow through that whole section, loose, and run the denman down it a time or two - at this point, my hair is as stretched as it'll get, and I put it back into a two strand twist. I go through my whole head like this - takes about 15 minutes, or so.
I then let my hair mostly dry in the TST, take them down one at a time while still a little damp, run some castor oil through them, run the denman through one last time, and put into a fat braid to dry.
Once my hair is fully dry, I take it down and style it.
I hope that helped, some.
Lebiya
Well-Known Member
I got mine from Sally's - tucked away on the bottom shelf.
Is sallys an online store?
I've tried looking for this brush in stores but I cant find it...when I ask for a "denman brush" the clerks look at me like im crazy!
jkamiel
New Member
i haven't trimmed at all so i guess that'd be a no. theyll always come back so i don't think there's much of a point.
as for detangling i don't really use a comb. every time i retwist my hair i finger comb each twist using castor oil (cuz its nice and sticky and catches shed hairs) and take out the shed hair. this really cuts down on knots. keeping my hair moisturized is key
as for detangling i don't really use a comb. every time i retwist my hair i finger comb each twist using castor oil (cuz its nice and sticky and catches shed hairs) and take out the shed hair. this really cuts down on knots. keeping my hair moisturized is key
JustKiya
Well-Known Member
Aphogee? meh, I'm nervous about protein in natural hair, and would be most reluctant to suggest that you do that while in braids/twists, as that means that you can't be TOTALLY certain that it all got rinsed out, so personally, no, I wouldn't do it. Your hair might be less protein sensitive than mine though, so definitely take your own hair into account.
On wet hair, I just go for whatever conditioner I'm DC'ing with - byt the time it's sat in my hair for an hour or two, it's as soft and slippy as it's going to get. On dry hair, the only thing that I've found to work (without retriggering shrinkage) is either plain old castor oil, or Eqyss Survivor Detangler.
On wet hair, I just go for whatever conditioner I'm DC'ing with - byt the time it's sat in my hair for an hour or two, it's as soft and slippy as it's going to get. On dry hair, the only thing that I've found to work (without retriggering shrinkage) is either plain old castor oil, or Eqyss Survivor Detangler.
JustKiya
Well-Known Member
Nope - well, they have an online presence, but it's a brick store - Sally's Beauty Supply. Skip the clerks, they have no clue - look at where the brushes are, and check ALL of them - esp. close to the floor.
I think Ulta might sell them, too.Sunshine0801
New Member
I trim my single strand knots because it minimizes tangles. I don't have too many of them, so it's not really a big deal for me.
I detangle my hair while it is loaded with conditioner. I begin with a wide tooth comb and finish with my denman. I detangle in sections, and loosely braid or twist my hair (while the conditioner is still in) when I am done. Then I rinse.
I detangle my hair while it is loaded with conditioner. I begin with a wide tooth comb and finish with my denman. I detangle in sections, and loosely braid or twist my hair (while the conditioner is still in) when I am done. Then I rinse.
No, I don't touch em. *shrug* What's the point? They are going to turn right around and show back up again.
Okay, for detangling. I rarely wear my hair out, so when I'm detangling, it's usually from a one day twist out, at the most.
After I've DC'd my hair (but before I rinse it out) I get in the mirror in the bathroom, and part my hair into roughly 6 sections. Starting with the front, I grab my hair and make a 'ponypuff' and using my wide tooth comb, I start combing through the very ends of the pony puff, stopping to detangle with my fingers any major knots. As I comb through it, my hair stretches, and I keep detangling until I can take the wide tooth comb from root to end without catching. Then, I move to a medium tooth comb, and do the same thing. Then, I move to the denman, and do the same thing - by this time, my hair is TOTALLY detangled and deshedded. Then, I put that section of hair into a two strand twist, and move on. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to do my whole head, outside of the shower.
Then, I hop into the shower, take one section down, brush though it with the denman, and then holding the end of the section tightly, I scratch and rub my scalp in that section to get all the conditioner off of my scalp, and then I let the water flow through that whole section, loose, and run the denman down it a time or two - at this point, my hair is as stretched as it'll get, and I put it back into a two strand twist. I go through my whole head like this - takes about 15 minutes, or so.
I then let my hair mostly dry in the TST, take them down one at a time while still a little damp, run some castor oil through them, run the denman through one last time, and put into a fat braid to dry.
Once my hair is fully dry, I take it down and style it.
I hope that helped, some.
Thanks for this..................I guess you have to have patience detangling
JustKiya
Well-Known Member
Oh, definitely. I don't detangle my hair when I'm in a bad mood. Honestly, though, only taking an hour to detangle is a blessing - before I figured out how to handle my hair, I could be detangling for 3-5 hours easy. 
And it's longer now than it was then 
It makes me understand why some sistas just don't detangle, at all. If I wore my hair out consistently, I wouldn't even bother with detangling - I'd just get occasional trims to get rid of the worst knots. 
msa
New Member
Well, if I were being a good girl I would trim my single strand knots. But what usually happens is that I end up pulling them off because I'm too lazy to get up and get the scissors. If I don't get rid of the knot, it'll just cause more tangles in the end. Generally, I try to trim them instead because that's better for my hair.
I've found that if I don't play in my hair while it's wet or while I'm styling I don't get as many knots. That's because every time I stretch an individual coil to see how long it is, it causes a knot somewhere on the strand (try it with a piece of broken or shed hair, if you pull from both ends it usually creates a knot somewhere along the strand). So, I try not to do that anymore and that cuts down on the knots.
As far as detangling...I don't really do it. It's too much manipulation for me to comb through my hair repeatedly trying to separate strands that don't want to be separated. So, while conditioning my hair I run my fingers through it to get out any obvious tangles. And my conditioner really does the rest of the work because I don't find many tangles at all. Every once in a while when I feel like I really need to detangle I'll use my goody styling brush (the one with jojoba) while I have conditioner in, and that works well.
I've found that if I don't play in my hair while it's wet or while I'm styling I don't get as many knots. That's because every time I stretch an individual coil to see how long it is, it causes a knot somewhere on the strand (try it with a piece of broken or shed hair, if you pull from both ends it usually creates a knot somewhere along the strand). So, I try not to do that anymore and that cuts down on the knots.
As far as detangling...I don't really do it. It's too much manipulation for me to comb through my hair repeatedly trying to separate strands that don't want to be separated. So, while conditioning my hair I run my fingers through it to get out any obvious tangles. And my conditioner really does the rest of the work because I don't find many tangles at all. Every once in a while when I feel like I really need to detangle I'll use my goody styling brush (the one with jojoba) while I have conditioner in, and that works well.
Ms Lala
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if I'm 4b but I"m type 4 something or other and I have single strand knots. ANyway I have stopped trimming them, it just got to be pointless. I would trim and they would come right back, I have learned ways to minimize getting them and I just leave the ones that do form right there. If I ever start wearing my hair pressed I will probably trim them. But for curly styles they're really not noticeable. I was loosing alot of length obsessing over and trimming knots.
I am not sure what my hair texture is yet b/c I am transitioning but I did noticed single strand knots. I would have to totally agree that DETANGLING THROUGHLY has stopped those monsters in their tracks. I was only using a wide tooth comb which was not good enough, then I followed everyone advice and bought a denman brush and it has been a godsend. I could not have made it this far into my transition without one. Here is the link to the one I purchased from Sally Beauty Supply
http://www.sallybeauty.com/http://w...00,default,pd.html/SBS-103200,default,pd.html
http://www.sallybeauty.com/http://w...00,default,pd.html/SBS-103200,default,pd.html
JustKiya
Well-Known Member
Interesting - I haven't noticed more tangles from my single strand knots, but I suspect that's because I'm making sure that I'm getting out all of the shed hair that would end up tangling around those knots anytime my hair is loose...... hrrrmmmm. :scratchch I notice most of my tangles are from shed hair, full stop. The less shed hair in my hair, the fewer tangles. The more 'held in place' the shed hair is, the fewer tangles.
I do not know how to detangle properly, seems whenever I try someone's method for some reason I fail at it. But I did try the aphogee and immediately put my hair into twists because I am real uncomfortable with sticking my loose hair into a dryer to shrink/mat all up. It was a &^%@! nightmare! Just when I thought my hair couldn't get any more knotty, I go and do that. I gave the Aphogee away after one use.
Same here. But I don't know what to do about it because, unlike Kiya, I do notice that the SSKs are often at the center of a bad knot. My shed hair is most likely to get caught on the SSKs. But I don't wear my hair as restricted / tied down as Kiya, so that is probably contributing to my knotting.
Kiya, I can't believe you can do all that to your hair in 45 min. *passes out*
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JustKiya
Well-Known Member
Girl, it's taken me two years of trial and error, and a couple of months of thoroughly detangling weekly/biweekly. I noticed, in the beginning, that if I skipped/halfassed a session - even with my hair in twists - it was MURDER to detangle. But, if I do it regularly and thoroughly, it seems to stay 'easy'. I think it's because I stay on top of my shed strands - I don't let them build up/get loose much, at all. And, I'm lucky in that usually, it's only the ends (last 3-5 inches) that I really have to detangle - most likely because my hair is usually stretched, somehow. If I had to detangle from root to tip, it would take me at least 2.5 hours, I think. *shudder* That is reason #1 that Wash and Go are simply NOT a hairstyle for me - nuh-uh.
One of these days, I'll do a detangling video. I also think the exorbiant amount of conditioner that I use helps, too - a minimum of 8 oz - minimum. I prefer 12.
zzirvingj
New Member
I would say that I will trim off the single strand knots...about once a year 
Other than that, I'm like whatever. If I see em, I actually try to ignore them before my OCD kicks in and I feel that sudden nagging urge to grab some scissors. Like JustKiya said...what's the point?
One time I spent half a day dusting single strand knots and splits, and less than 2 weeks later those SSK's were BACK...and they were DEFINITELY new ones cuz I kid you NOT...I dusted like every friggin hair on my head LOL
It's not THAT often I wear my hair down and straight, and not SO many of them, that it interferes with the health or look of my hair.
Other than that, I'm like whatever. If I see em, I actually try to ignore them before my OCD kicks in and I feel that sudden nagging urge to grab some scissors. Like JustKiya said...what's the point?
One time I spent half a day dusting single strand knots and splits, and less than 2 weeks later those SSK's were BACK...and they were DEFINITELY new ones cuz I kid you NOT...I dusted like every friggin hair on my head LOL
It's not THAT often I wear my hair down and straight, and not SO many of them, that it interferes with the health or look of my hair.
Ms Lala
Well-Known Member
If I wear my hair loose and it is unstretched I will have more tangling and knots. I have stopped wearing wash n goes all together because I would have a head full of knots after. I think I am going to try a wash, twist,take loose and go w/kinky curly and see how that goes.
LadyEuphoria007
New Member
I don't trim mine b/c it seems that they would just come back any way...and I seem to have a lot...
Plus I can't even see that much of my hair to trim LOL.
Plus I can't even see that much of my hair to trim LOL.
If I wore my hair out consistently, I wouldn't even bother with detangling - I'd just get occasional trims to get rid of the worst knots.
That's what i'm about to do now! And cut some shape while I'm at it.
And, I'm lucky in that usually, it's only the ends (last 3-5 inches) that I really have to detangle - most likely because my hair is usually stretched, somehow. If I had to detangle from root to tip, it would take me at least 2.5 hours, I think. *shudder* That is reason #1 that Wash and Go are simply NOT a hairstyle for me - nuh-uh.
One of these days, I'll do a detangling video. I also think the exorbiant amount of conditioner that I use helps, too - a minimum of 8 oz - minimum. I prefer 12.
Hmmm, that's food for thought (@ the bold) Maybe I can keep my hair easy this time around.
When I look at my detangling videos (it's very informative to watch yourself), it seems I also do the most work on the last 6" or so. Thought sometimes there are some killer knots near the scalp and they drive me so crazy because you don't have room to work your hands and fingers around to get them out. Anyway. But I thought I was having trouble precisely because I wasn't doing it from root to tip. Argh, so frustrated! So much well-meaning advice from so many that contradicts each other.
Qurlyqt
Active Member
No longer sure of my hair type so I just give up on attempting to categorize it. About the knots, I keep hearing a voice "step away from the scissors" and I'm listening now!
I got a Ouidad cut in April, thought that meant I could wear wash & go more frequently - KNOT! From April to June, I cut my hair 4 times! My efforts to get rid of the knots were futile! My smooth ends lasted for less than a week.
I attributed them to wearing my hair loose. So I decided to do another 1/2" trim and put my hair in a bun. Although I haven't worn it loose since the first part of June, the knots have still re-appeared.
Therefore, I'm convinced they will remain. I'm trying to ignore them...
I got a Ouidad cut in April, thought that meant I could wear wash & go more frequently - KNOT! From April to June, I cut my hair 4 times! My efforts to get rid of the knots were futile! My smooth ends lasted for less than a week.
I attributed them to wearing my hair loose. So I decided to do another 1/2" trim and put my hair in a bun. Although I haven't worn it loose since the first part of June, the knots have still re-appeared. Therefore, I'm convinced they will remain. I'm trying to ignore them...
theprincess098
Member
Unfortunately I havent learned to ignore them so I rip them out as soon as I see or feel em.
I usually do trim mine off they really annoy me but what want to know does single strand knots slow down the growth of the hair or does hair grow at the same rate? I have no idea why this thought just came into my head and yes I know its sounds a little off but if it doesn't hinder growth them ill stop cutting them off and let them be because they come back regardless
Mrs.TheBronx
New Member
but is it just happening because we have naturally curly hair? or is it a process like the two strand twist that make them reappear?
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