DEALING WITH MATTED HAIR FOR 12 HOURS!!

[EagleEyes85]

Ok so a few days ago I started to notice little mats forming in my hair. I figured it to be build up and I made the mistake of washing my hair. I literally had to cut a patch of matted hair out. Then I got advice to use coconut oil on my fingers and detangle. Well, Ive been doing that and even a little conditioner for 12 hours now straight!! The nape of my hair has literally mashed into one big matted ball. Im so frustrated and sad. I dont want to cut it because it would be a disaster, but I dont know what else to do.

Please has somebody ever dealt with this? Im seriously about to BC and even my new growth is matted .

 

[faithVA]

sharmeans. Hold on until a few more ladies come on line. There are plenty of people who have been there before. Let them try to help.

 

[metro_qt]

I dealt with this... I even have some threads made about it from 2006 I believe...

It took 12 more hours of combing after my full head matted...
I saw a couple of hair specialists who just pulled out my hair more...

In the end, my mother got the matts out for me... Conditioner, a fine tooth comb, some movies and some patience

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

Do you have a pic?

Personally all mats are not the same. If I can see the type of matting you are referring to then I can give you a more accurate solution. All mats cannot be detangled while moist. Can you take a pic with your phone?

 

[EagleEyes85]

Do you have a pic?

Personally all mats are not the same. If I can see the type of matting you are referring to then I can give you a more accurate solution. All mats cannot be detangled while moist. Can you take a pic with your phone?

Ok I just took pictures of it. It looks like a ball at the back of my head and its hard. Last night it was much bigger, but I reduced it a bit.

 

[Honi]

Its not too bad. I helped a friend get hers out. Hers was the size of a hockey puck. Oil and acv helped alot. Let it dry about 80 percent. Use a rat tail comb and gently pick it apart section by section. Patience! It can be done but i had some sore hands afterwards.

 

[divachyk]

sharmeans, unfortunately I had to cut mine out a few years back. I've learned better techniques for dealing with this since that point.

Soak knot in Mane 'n Tail detangler - the tighter the knot, the longer the soak required. I use my fingers and a safety pin to work through the matted hair. Go slow & be patient.

I read somone used Hawaiin Silky to remove dreads that was LOC'd for years. I've not tried it but I would with having read this.

Things that don't work for me is re-washing the hair, trying to detangle with conditioner or oil or trying to pick out the knot with a comb. I know some swear by conditioner and oil but they don't really work for me as well as Mane n Tail.

Good luck!

 

[EagleEyes85]

Thank you ladies. I just went out from store to store trying to find the Mane and Tail detangler, but its 6am in Cali and hardly any stores are open. I just bought some more oil and ACV. Im going to try and keep detangling before I resort to drastic measures. The knot is in an awkward position to cut it out, I would have to do a full BC.

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

Ok I just took pictures of it. It looks like a ball at the back of my head and its hard. Last night it was much bigger, but I reduced it a bit.

OH my word!! Sigh.... girl how did that happen?

Yea that knot needs to soak for awhile. Start little by little because some strands you'll find aren't really matted in with the knot & will most likely slide out easier if you start out really small. Find someone to help you (who knows haircare & wont rip out your strands).

I had a knot like that once. I left that mess right there. I would wash & detangle right around it. lol I left it for 3 months! Then one day I was prepping for my relaxer & it was gone. Must've fell out. Lol!!

 

[Evolving78]

OH my word!! Sigh.... girl how did that happen?

Yea that knot needs to soak for awhile. Start little by little because some strands you'll find aren't really matted in with the knot & will most likely slide out easier if you start out really small. Find someone to help you (who knows haircare & wont rip out your strands).

I had a knot like that once. I left that mess right there. I would wash & detangle right around it. lol I left it for 3 months! Then one day I was prepping for my relaxer & it was gone. Must've fell out. Lol!!

I ended up cutting mine out. That's how I ended up with haircut! Lol

 

[KittyMeowMeow]

Also, be sure to section and braid areas you're not working with or that you've already freed so they don't rejoin the tangle. Good luck!

 

[nurseN98]

I would agree with the mane & tail. I don't know if you happen to have a horse store near you but Cowboy magic is the best detangler I've ever used. But most people don't live next to those kinds of stores so the mane&tail would be 2nd best. This has happened to me before and finger detangling thoroughly then with a comb with a detangler is the IMO the best way to deal.

Good luck to you!

 

[EagleEyes85]

OH my word!! Sigh.... girl how did that happen?

Yea that knot needs to soak for awhile. Start little by little because some strands you'll find aren't really matted in with the knot & will most likely slide out easier if you start out really small. Find someone to help you (who knows haircare & wont rip out your strands).

I had a knot like that once. I left that mess right there. I would wash & detangle right around it. lol I left it for 3 months! Then one day I was prepping for my relaxer & it was gone. Must've fell out. Lol!!

Thank you ladies! Honestly I have no idea how this happened. I was doing my regular routine, but I did notice the mats after I switched to a different co wash conditioner, garner fructise. Also I started detangling once a week so maybe these things led it it? Idk I'm 13 weeks post but when I get outta this mess I'm going to reevaluate my regimen

 

[EagleEyes85]

divachyk

Ok I just bought mane and tail detangler and I have a question. By soaking it do you mean spray it on and baggy it?

 

[janeemat]

Thank you ladies! Honestly I have no idea how this happened. I was doing my regular routine, but I did notice the mats after I switched to a different co wash conditioner, garner fructise. Also I started detangling once a week so maybe these things led it it? Idk I'm 13 weeks post but when I get outta this mess I'm going to reevaluate my regimen

This right here is the thing to do! I lost of lot hair last year in May while stretching. Almost everything that I tried was locking my hair. This is when I reevaluated my regimen and decided unless I am transitioning, stretching would be at a mininum. I found what my hair really likes and that is what I stick with. Good luck!

 

[divachyk]

My hair tangles a lot janeemat -- pic proof of why I don't stretch. I tried stretching and it's not for me. 10-12 is my max.

sharmeans, no, I wasn't referring to baggying (my bad). Just saturate the knot really, really well to the point it's soaking wet. Let it sit for a while. Try wiggling the knot to loosen hairs that are not deeply tangled in the knot. Move those to the side and pin them out of your way. Now, try wiggling the knot to remove more hairs. If nothing happens, spritz more and wait. Keep massaging and working the knot until some hairs loosen and you can work with the knot. Remember, always move & pin those hairs away from the knot once you get a few of them to go free. I also pick the knot with a safety pins The pin is small enough to create a tiny opening inside the knot to get some movement and wiggle room to loosen hairs.

Report back and let us know how it's going.

 

[EagleEyes85]

Huge update:

So I continued to detangle with the M&T and conditioner etc. I had also gotten the Sally's knock off of Paul Mitchell's The Detangler, which actually was really good as well. After a while whenever I sprayed the detangler underneath the mat it burned really badly.

I went to my cousin, a stylist who took a look at it and suggested I just cut it. So with that I went ahead and made a decision I had been toying with for 3 years now. I BC'ed! I thought I would be sad and angry, but Im actually happy! My goal is to grow hip length natural hair now. So I finally got rid of the creamy crack and Im now a natural. Yay! :superbanana:

Thank you ladies for all your support and I learned a valuable lesson I wont forget.

 

[MileHighDiva]

Please post a pic of your BC! I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that. Also, please take care of your scalp/skin where it was burning under the mat. I was emotionally vested in you getting that knot out. Happy Hair Growing!

 

[virtuenow]

Congrats on your bc sharmeans. Many of us got to the BC at the end of a detangling nightmare (that is the demarcation line). I think you'll love embracing your natural hair . The way you got here will make you appreciate it even more.

 

[EagleEyes85]

Please post a pic of your BC! I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that. Also, please take care of your scalp/skin where it was burning under the mat. I was emotionally vested in you getting that knot out. Happy Hair Growing!

Thank you @MileHighDiva I definitely learned a big lesson from this experience that I wont forget. Because of you ladies I now have the info to combat tangles and mats if it happens again and also learned how to prevent them.

I chose to BC because when my cousin went through my hair, we discovered I had other tangles/mats that were forming in other parts of my hair, so I just decided to go for a new HHJ natural. I have been considering going natural for a while, but I was afraid of the BC and transitioning for a long time. Now that Ive done it, its not that bad.

Here are photos of my relaxed hair ( BSL/MBL) and now my BC.

 

[MileHighDiva]

Look at you with curls poppin' already! It looks gorgeous! sharmeans

 

[havilland]

Girl! I missed this! I am so sorry u had to cut your hair but happy that you are happy with your hair cut! Congrats! You are soooooo beautiful and so is your hair.


(To anyone reading this after the fact for tips....

if you are in a long stretch or long term transition, detangling with oil twice a week and keeping your hair stretched, well moisturized and in sections is going to be the key to your success.

Don't go days on end without touching your hair. I used to take an applicator bottle and just apply some oil to my roots every couple of days.

Not detangling for days and letting the two textures mingle will cause Those two textures to lock up on you in a harsh embrace and fight to the death for a hair cut. This happened to me at about 22 months post. I was able to get all but one knot out and didn't have to cut all my hair off, but it was battle of the dreds up in my head for sure.

I wish I had the safety pin tip. I bet that would've gotten that last knot. )

Here's a picture of the knot that I had to cut. She was in the middle of a 17 inch long strand of hair and had relatives all over my head that day and I was able to get all of them out of my head but her. I still hate her......lol

 

[Lilmama1011]

OH my word!! Sigh.... girl how did that happen?

Yea that knot needs to soak for awhile. Start little by little because some strands you'll find aren't really matted in with the knot & will most likely slide out easier if you start out really small. Find someone to help you (who knows haircare & wont rip out your strands).

I had a knot like that once. I left that mess right there. I would wash & detangle right around it. lol I left it for 3 months! Then one day I was prepping for my relaxer & it was gone. Must've fell out. Lol!!

How the he!! was it just gone?! Lol

 

[Nazaneen]

I was going to say try a Tangle Teezer?
I'm glad you made a decision you're happy with!
When I was 8 i somehow ended up with a massive ball of matted hair in the back of my hair. My father gave up trying to detangle it lol and took me to a salon who ended up cutting my hair short, bob length . I cried lol.

 

[MystiqueBabe]

Why do people allow their hair to get matted in the first place?

 

[EagleEyes85]

Why do people allow their hair to get matted in the first place?

I think it happens faster and to alot of people than we think.

I totally agree with havilland and thank you for the compliment btw .

I look back and realized that I did get a bit lazy or unmotivated with my hair over the past month. I just got so wrapped up in other issues I neglected my hair. I used to co wash every Tuesday and dc/ wash every Saturday, then a couple of weeks ago I switched to only washing/detangling on Saturdays. Thats when the clumps built up. I did wrap my hair at night and moisturize and seal it, but when I wake up I would just re apply moisturizer and seal it then slap it in a bun. I didn't take the time to truly oil and pay attention to what my new growth and old hair was doing.

When I saw the mats forming, I thought it was simply build up, like when I put eco styler gel, and that I could simply wash it out. This is when the tangle happened. So I completely agree that relaxed ladies should pay attention to their new growth very closely about 8 weeks post or more. I was a few inches from waist length so that was a bummer, but I'll grow it back.

 

[butter_pecan]

Thank you ladies! Honestly I have no idea how this happened. I was doing my regular routine, but I did notice the mats after I switched to a different co wash conditioner, garner fructise. Also I started detangling once a week so maybe these things led it it? Idk I'm 13 weeks post but when I get outta this mess I'm going to reevaluate my regimen

I know you already BC'ed but just wanted to say that Garnier Fructise products are a nightmare on my hair. I've seen them work for a few people, but they leave tangles and knots in my hair :-/

 

[pre_medicalrulz]

Why do people allow their hair to get matted in the first place?

Lol I doubt anyone ALLOWS their hair to mat up. Things just happen...

 

[EagleEyes85]

I know you already BC'ed but just wanted to say that Garnier Fructise products are a nightmare on my hair. I've seen them work for a few people, but they leave tangles and knots in my hair :-/

OMG Im so glad to hear someone else has troubles with garnier fructis. Usually if I have a lazy hair week, I can detangle and keep moving. Ive had mats before that I was able to detangle with no problem. Seriously it wasn't until I used their products that it got this bad. It may work for some, but I will no long use their products ever.

 

[BlackHairDiva]

Sorry I didnt reply to this thread sooner... I've dealth with that numerous time when removing my braids... There is only 1 way to deal with that lots of Oil..Penetrating Oil...and patience!!! untangle little by little.

For the ladies who are reading this message. If you hair is braided..oil your hair with a penetrating oil like Grapseed oil, or argan or coconut.... Oil the hair daily...why? Because when your remove them braid your hair might be simply matted at the root but it will not take a million years to remove the matted section very often you will be able to simply untangle with your fingers and comb through the hair like Buttah!

if your about to take your braids out this week..grease them real good... or your doing it now and strugling. Oil all the remaining braids and the one hair that is unbraided. Sit under dryer to make the oil penetrate... doing as often as possible it will get mushy and easier to untangle.