Calling all naturals who are mid back or longer

[testimony777]

I reached mid back a little while ago and the closer I get to waist length the harder detangling gets. How did detangling change for you ladies once you got to midback and beyond? I would appreciate any tips you all can give. TIA

 

[Victorian]

Bumping because I'm in the same boat. Knots are starting to drive me nuts. I'm looking into cream rinses and more acidifying conditioners, but would like to hear any other tips from long-haired naturals.

 

[Country gal]

Bumping for more responses because I need the inspiration.

 

[Bublnbrnsuga]

I think detangling issues come with the territory as your hair gets longer.

For me, I have been so hesistant in detangling, I cut it down to once a week.

 

[Qetesh]

i have always been midback or between brastrap and midback. but i am new to the forum so i am not sure how much help i can be.

I personally found that VO5 strawberries and cream comditioner detagles my hair pretty easily, its so cheap i dont feel bad at all putting large amounts on my hair and once its lathered on the comb glides right through even if i have my hair over my face and flip it back ext. I also find that hot oil treatments moisterize and make my hair more manageable. also always starting from the bottom and working my way up. after i am out of the shower if i want to comb through it for a roller set ext i keep a spray bottle, with a mix of distilled water MSM and leave in to keep it moist while a section each part off and comb. I have found this dramaticlly cut down on all my tangles.

 

[FlowerHair]

Well it's impossible to want perfectly detangled hair every minute of the day anymore, I just detangle with my fingers once or twice a week and call it a day.
No one can see that it's tangled anyway. As long as it's not locking I'm fine.
Seriously, the curls look better too if I don't comb and brush.

I only detangle with lots of conditioner in my hair.

The hair goes through stages, all of a sudden what worked 2 months ago doesn't work anymore. That's the hard part of growing out.

 

[Ms Lala]

I am encouraged to see naturals with hair this long. Please continue to post. Sorry I don't have any tips to give.

 

[Cichelle]

My hair has always been prone to tangles, but as it creeps past the bottom of my bra strap, it takes longer and longer to cowash/detangle. I have always been a daily cowasher, partly because I need to regularly detangle my hair or bad things happen. (Putting it off usually results in the worst tangles ever. My hair has been like this for as long as I can remember.) Anyway, as my shower time extended into the ridiculous, I have been trying to cowash every third day, instead of every day. But I have to be strict about keeping my hair up during the in between times to avoid knots that make me want to cry. (I made the mistake of sleeping with my hair loose one night. )

I wish I had some tips. I don't use a comb or brush anymore. I detangle with my fingers only. The longer my hair gets, the more I baby it. I am happy to have these "problems", though, because it is also true that the longer my hair gets, the more I love it.

 

[Ayeshia]

I sure wish I was able to get away with detangling my fingers, but my hair is super duper coily so the more shedded hair that I miss with my fingers the more it builds up with time hence the more tangles....the shedded hair that gets caught contributes most to my tangles. So I need my comb. I also find that unless my hair has a super fresh trim my hair will never be able to glide through the comb. I used to think that tangled hair = bad ends which was why I trimmed so much.

What has helped me is dousing my hair with conditioner and gently/slowly combing from the ends up. When Im done detangling a section in the shower I twist my hair up and proceed with the next section. Then after all sections are detangled I remove the twists add more condtioner to my hair, esp the ends and them comb all of my hair back in one direction or I lean over and comb it all to the front. Then with my hands I remove the remainder of the shedded hairs that my wide tooth comb didnt catch. I never detangle when Im in a rush.

 

[scarcity21]

i have always been midback or between brastrap and midback. but i am new to the forum so i am not sure how much help i can be.

I personally found that VO5 strawberries and cream comditioner detagles my hair pretty easily, its so cheap i dont feel bad at all putting large amounts on my hair and once its lathered on the comb glides right through even if i have my hair over my face and flip it back ext. I also find that hot oil treatments moisterize and make my hair more manageable. also always starting from the bottom and working my way up. after i am out of the shower if i want to comb through it for a roller set ext i keep a spray bottle, with a mix of distilled water MSM and leave in to keep it moist while a section each part off and comb. I have found this dramaticlly cut down on all my tangles.

OT but Qetesh how do u make the distilled water MSM?
what benefits have you seen from using it?
i know most ladies ingest the MSM pills or powder but i did not know you can make a topical spray out of it!
Do tell

 

[PittGirl06]

I like this thread...you long heads inspire me. I am not quite at my goal yet but I think if I keep beign a good girl, I may reach bsl by the end of NEXT year. My hair just grows kinda slow...but I'm gonna take my twists out this weekend and possibly blow out my hair just to take a look at progress. I have been in twists actually for a month...shoot, I better gets to undoin' them bad boys fo' they start lockin!

 

[Mija]

Lint is my enemy so I stretch a target (meijer, or walmart) bag and wear it like a baby bib with my hair parted down the middle. I fold the hair and squeeze the water out, detangle from the bottom up and apply leave-in, butter, & oil, put it in two buns, and then put a tissue or paper towel over each bun, and then a towel over the tissue and squeeze the water out.
I wear the hair bib everytime I do my hair (am & pm). I'm a bunner so this cuts down on lint & knots from my clothes too. HTH

 

[ekomba]

Lint is my enemy so I stretch a target (meijer, or walmart) bag and wear it like a baby bib with my hair parted down the middle. I fold the hair and squeeze the water out, detangle from the bottom up and apply leave-in, butter, & oil, put it in two buns, and then put a tissue or paper towel over each bun, and then a towel over the tissue and squeeze the water out.
I wear the hair bib everytime I do my hair (am & pm). I'm a bunner so this cuts down on lint & knots from my clothes too. HTH

Mija omgggggggggggggggggggggg your hair is off the hook so long!!!!!!! that s beautiful! the length is puuuuuurfect lol!!!

 

[Lucia]

I haven't really had much problems detangling after reaching Bra strap, it used to be a nightmare when my hair was shorter, I make sure I use mist bottle, or my hair has some conditioner in it, I use a K-cutter comb (thanks IRIS) and finger comb. I dust the ends when they knot or feel like they're splitting, I keep my hair very moisterized.

 

[Mija]

Thank u Ekomba- but I'm trying to be like you with all that crazy growth!!! - I seen ur shoutout thread (2 inches a month) and raided Walmart for some msm !!!!

 

[camellia]

My hair has always tangled like crazy. I've given up on having perfectly detangled curls all the time. Because I wear buns so much, I really just detangle with my fingers and a spray bottle of Evian, lightly misting each section as I work. Then I use a little dab of hemp seed oil to keep it silky as I move on to the next section. Detangling with my fingers keep the hair loss down better than even the most wide toothed comb. Then I put my hair back up and it's relatively smooth and tangle free.

When I wash my hair in the shower I carefully comb under the full pressure of the shower, the tangles just "fall" out. That's the only time I get my hair perfectly smooth and free of all tangles. My arms get too tired otherwise.

 

[The Girl]

Yes Mija has given me quite the inspiration!!

 

[testimony777]

Well it's impossible to want perfectly detangled hair every minute of the day anymore, I just detangle with my fingers once or twice a week and call it a day.
No one can see that it's tangled anyway. As long as it's not locking I'm fine.
Seriously, the curls look better too if I don't comb and brush.

I only detangle with lots of conditioner in my hair.

The hair goes through stages, all of a sudden what worked 2 months ago doesn't work anymore. That's the hard part of growing out.

I had to bold that last part because I can so relate.

Thanks for posting this and thank you ladies for bumping it, I didn't think anyone was going to see it because I posted so late last night.

 

[Ms Lala]

Thank u Ekomba- but I'm trying to be like you with all that crazy growth!!! - I seen ur shoutout thread (2 inches a month) and raided Walmart for some msm !!!!

Sorry to get OT but are you taking msm supplements or applying it to the scalp. If to the scalp what r u mixing it w/my hair is growing slow and I need a growth aid that doesn't stink.

 

[Natakue]

i'm glad someone asked this question because i've been wondering the same thing, especially lately. my hair seems to be getting knotted more often if i'm having problems now, what's going to happen if my hair actually gets to bsl unstretched?

 

[ekomba]

Thank u Ekomba- but I'm trying to be like you with all that crazy growth!!! - I seen ur shoutout thread (2 inches a month) and raided Walmart for some msm !!!!

lol girl thanks i checked your siggy too! we share the nature made super b complex in common girl i want your length! haha

 

[kristina]

I'm not midback yet but perversely this thread makes me want to cut a few inches- the knots and detangling issues motivated me getting braids again.

I've got nothing.

 

[testimony777]

I see a lot of you ladies finger comb. I may have to try this. My problem is not so much that my hair tangles more now that it is longer it is that it is more difficult to comb.

The last time I tried finger combing I didn't think my hair was adequately detangled, but I think I need to take the advise of two of my favorite curlies and give up on having perfectly detangled hair

Oh and not to be OT on my own post but you ladies have some gorgeous hair. Mija I am adding you to my hair inspirations list, and I feel you on the lint thing, lint has become my new arch nemesis.

Thanks again ladies for the posts. There some really good advice here.

 

[Lucia]

I see a lot of you ladies finger comb. I may have to try this. My problem is not so much that my hair tangles more now that it is longer it is that it is more difficult to comb.

The last time I tried finger combing I didn't think my hair was adequately detangled, but I think I need to take the advise of two of my favorite curlies and give up on having perfectly detangled hair

Oh and not to be OT on my own post but you ladies have some gorgeous hair. Mija I am adding you to my hair inspirations list, and I feel you on the lint thing, lent has become my new arch nemesis.

Thanks again ladies for the posts. There some really good advice here.

look in the mirror your hair is gorgeous

 

[Mahalialee4]

I so not have any problem detangling after I shampoo. My combouts are relatively easy. I section it off about 6 good sized sections and comb from the tips to the roots with a bone comb wide spaced teeth. My problems being natural is that since I mainly airdry, I have to keep it from becoming packed together because of the thickness. I notice, that the hair in the back is more finicky than the front as the ends always want to grab and cling to each other and I refuse to be trimming every month. What works is making sure that my strands nearest the ends are oiled with EVO often to eliminate friction and rubbing of the strands on each other, loosening the hair out more to the air every evening and allowing it to puff some. Keeping the hair packed together all the time (clumped) seems to prevent the inside strands from getting enough moisture and oils. I also have to give the back of my hair more attention to avoid any locking and dreading and so I give it more lubrication more often than the sides and front and crown. The back has always been the challenge area for me. Hope this helps at all. bonjour

 

[FlowerHair]

Yes, lint is a problem if I wear my hair down a few days.

I also wanted to add that the hair strands' thickness play a big role in this. My best friend has very thin hair strands and her hair tangles like crazy. I sometimes help her detangle her hair when we braid eachother etc. I can comb one handful of hair and then twist it loosely and move on to the next. When I go back to the "detangled" hair it's just as tangled up as it was from the start! So hair type plays a big role. My strands are thick and hard and don't tangle as much.

 

[Mahalialee4]

That's it Flowerhair!: My ends want to tangle up cause they are fine strands and curly. By the time I work my way around my head, I have to start over....I guess it goes with the territory,eh? bonjour

 

[Lucia]

Yes, lint is a problem if I wear my hair down a few days.

I also wanted to add that the hair strands' thickness play a big role in this. My best friend has very thin hair strands and her hair tangles like crazy. I sometimes help her detangle her hair when we braid eachother etc. I can comb one handful of hair and then twist it loosely and move on to the next. When I go back to the "detangled" hair it's just as tangled up as it was from the start! So hair type plays a big role. My strands are thick and hard and don't tangle as much.

I think you're right Flowerhair, it must be thickness, cause my hair is very thick.

 

[testimony777]

look in the mirror your hair is gorgeous

Aw, thanks Lucia

 

[mslionheart]

I see a lot of you ladies finger comb. I may have to try this. My problem is not so much that my hair tangles more now that it is longer it is that it is more difficult to comb.

So you mean it's more difficult to get the comb through your hair when you detangle? If so, do you detangle with a lot of product in your hair? Generally if I'm going to detangle I make sure my hair is saturated with something, be it water, conditioner, or some sort of detangling lotion or cream (I like Qhemet's Olive Cream Detangler for this). It lets the comb slide through my hair and I don't feel like I'm ripping out strands.