Detangling/Matting/Shedding Issues

[CurlyActress]

So I don't know why, but detangling has become an issue for me. It wasn't bad last winter when I stayed in PS styles of course, but I still have been keeping my hair stretched, so idk. I have been losing a handful of hair each session and sometimes almost two hands cupped together. I have a lot a SSKs as well. Also a new problem has come up. I have matting issues at the root of my hair. My hair like to clump and form ringlets I guess and when I detangle they have knots at the root or further down. I have to pull each individual strand out of the know to slide the hair down that's shed from around my base and that get's really tedious. Is there a specific reason why this is happening? Any experiences dealing with this?

How I Detangle:
-on wet hair with loads of condish
-on very slightly damp hair
-always with a widetooth comb and in sections

 

[ONAMSHN]

Do you comb your hair daily?

 

[sweetlaughter]

^^^To add to this question, how exactly are you wearing your hair daily? Are you doing W&Gs, braid outs, twist outs? And, how are you wearing your hair when you go to bed?

 

[StarScream35]

Is your hair drier in the summer vs winter? Do you sweat more in the summer? Clearly it has something to do with the seasonal change if you are keeping the same regimen.

 

[CurlyActress]

I did try WNGs a few times but I don't know if that's the problem because even when I dry stretched out, by next wash day it' still tangle/shed city.

ONAMSHN and I don't comb daily. Only when I wash my hair which is usually every week, maybe week and a half.

sweetlaughter I wear my hair mainly in twistouts and braidouts.

Brighteyes35 It must be that it's drier in the summer. I feel that the sun robs so much moisture from it. I don't sweat that much.

 

[southerncitygirl]

don't wash & go. do braidouts, twistouts, roller sets or bantu knot outs to keep the hair stretched. even with the ladies here that have looser textures most don't wear wash & gos anymore than 2-3 days. hair that is 3c or higher in texture should be stretched to lessen tangling.

 

[ajoke]

When was your last trim? I had serious issues with tangling, which miraculously stopped once I had a much needed trim.

 

[ONAMSHN]

This is my problem as well. My stylist says I need to because your hair naturally sheds daily, and those hairs have to go somewhere. So they just shed and get tangled in the hair that is already attached to your head. And with all of those hairs staying in place a week at a time...your hair has no option but to tangle and/or mat. Hope this helps...

 

[CurlyActress]

When was your last trim? I had serious issues with tangling, which miraculously stopped once I had a much needed trim.

I probably do need to get one. I usually get it blown out or str8 to trim so I havent done it cause of the heat outside

This is my problem as well. My stylist says I need to because your hair naturally sheds daily, and those hairs have to go somewhere. So they just shed and get tangled in the hair that is already attached to your head. And with all of those hairs staying in place a week at a time...your hair has no option but to tangle and/or mat. Hope this helps...

I think this may be a definite option. My only concern is breakage and damage from constant manipulation. How do you combat that?

 

[ebonyseas]

As my hair grew longer i discovered that I was having matting issues at the roots like you are. As suggested above, one option is to wash or co-wash more often so that the shed hairs don't tangle the rest of your hair. However, if you are afraid of over manipulation, you should def try to detangle your hair before your wash, and try to remove as many of the sheds as you can. I do this by using a mix of oil and conditioner to lightly dampen hair and cause slip so it doesnt break during the process, then comb the hair out in small sections, braiding each section so that it doesn't retangle. You can wash your hair in the braids too, to minimize detangling during the wash. If your ends look fine then try this before a trim.

 

[NappyNelle]

How often are you deep conditioning? Your hair probably does not like to be 'out' every day. I would start protective styling after a trim.

 

[faithVA]

hair naturally sheds daily, and those hairs have to go somewhere. So they just shed and get tangled in the hair that is already attached to your head. And with all of those hairs staying in place a week at a time...your hair has no option but to tangle and/or mat.

you should def try to detangle your hair before your wash, and try to remove as many of the sheds as you can. I do this by using a mix of oil and conditioner

I know you are concerned with over manipulation but you will loose far less hair by attending to the shed hairs regularly than if it matts and you struggle through matted hair. You can remove a lot of shed hairs just by finger detangling, you don't have to use a comb.

Removing the shed hairs early elliminates the matting, reduces the tangling and also can prevent creating SSKs higher up your hair strand. They are bad enough on the ends but when you get them high up, they are miserable.

And after my scary matting scenario, I made sure I used oil and water to remove the shed hairs before I let water hit my hair.

It has been over a year and I haven't had a matting problem.

You have received a lot of good advice from the other ladies.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I've learned that i can not go more than 3 days without thoroughly detangling AND deshedding my hair...or i get SSKs and knots galore

I fingercomb, widetooth comb and use my denman all on wash day every 3 days...i finger comb on all other days and i wear a wash n go on the daily.

 

[CurlyActress]

I know you are concerned with over manipulation but you will loose far less hair by attending to the shed hairs regularly than if it matts and you struggle through matted hair. You can remove a lot of shed hairs just by finger detangling, you don't have to use a comb.

Removing the shed hairs early elliminates the matting, reduces the tangling and also can prevent creating SSKs higher up your hair strand. They are bad enough on the ends but when you get them high up, they are miserable.

And after my scary matting scenario, I made sure I used oil and water to remove the shed hairs before I let water hit my hair.

It has been over a year and I haven't had a matting problem.

You have received a lot of good advice from the other ladies.

I see. This i what I started doing when I detangle. I think what happened was that I used to wash twice a week and late spring and summer I become really lazy and went to a week+. I'm going to go back to my old schedule and I am due a good trim. Thanks ladies!

 

[CurlyActress]

So I washed Thurs and Im just now detangling again. Here's what came out.

these are what is matted around the roots. I pull all the individual strands out and slide this down the last couple.

How much hair came out after detangling and rebraiding.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[tarheelgurl]

Aloe vera juice has really helped me with detangling....

 

[ThickRoot]

I detangle once a week when it's time to wash. I really don't do it on wet hair anymore because I lose less hair. Before I wash, usually the night before I sit down with QB Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee and my fingers and I just feel around in my hair for knots, mats, etc. When I find something I put some Ghee on it and work the knot out and it's not hard to do. My hair is usually detangled before water hits it. After I wash, dc and rinse and have my leave-in applied and my hair is damp/drying I use a wide tooth comb then a medium comb to go through my hair section by section. Sounds like this takes a really long time but not really.

I don't feel I lose a lot of hair at all. HTH.

 

[Evolving78]

that's why i went back to locs. i just couldn't deal with the loose hair anymore.

 

[CarefreeinChicago]

So I washed Thurs and Im just now detangling again. Here's what came out.

these are what is matted around the roots. I pull all the individual strands out and slide this down the last couple.

How much hair came out after detangling and rebraiding.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

This is exactly how my hair looks after washing a big glob of hair in the shower

 

[makeupgirl]

I got this same problem after keeping my hair in french braids for 3 weeks without washing it because I got too busy. Now after sweating all night, my hair is a matted mess so I got a fast education from this.

 

[lovegymnasts]

So I washed Thurs and Im just now detangling again. Here's what came out.

these are what is matted around the roots. I pull all the individual strands out and slide this down the last couple.

How much hair came out after detangling and rebraiding.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

I also wash and detangle weekly.
This is normal shed hair loss for me and I do not have matting or bad tangling problems.
I also do not have concerns about my hair thinning or breakage. Most people describe my hair as thick so I am not concerned about this amount of hair when I am detangling.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

Aloe vera juice has really helped me with detangling....

Me too. I saturate my hair with aloe vera, then add coconut oil. I let it sit for an hour and then I detangle in sections and braid my hair up before shampooing. This has made detangling sooooo much easier for me.

ETA: I detangle once a week (sometimes two weeks if I'm really busy).

 

[StarScream35]

So I washed Thurs and Im just now detangling again. Here's what came out.

these are what is matted around the roots. I pull all the individual strands out and slide this down the last couple.

How much hair came out after detangling and rebraiding.


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

I can see why you are concerned. This would have me freaked out too. But before you freak out too much why don't you take some time and check about 80% of those strands to see if it's breakage or shedded hairs. I know it's time consuming but WORTH it! If they have the white tips then this is normal and there ain't nothing you can do..............all nature there but now if there is breakage then clearly something is wrong. How often do you comb your hair? If you comb once a week and this much hair comes out then probably this is normal?

 

[EasypeaZee]

Aloe vera juice has really helped me with detangling....

I used aloe Vera juice maybe once or twice but what I really rely on ( besides detangling in sections) is kids organics moisturizing detangler with Shea butter... Honestly my new best friend after my wide toothed detangling comb

 

[keepithealthy]

How often are you deep conditioning? Your hair probably does not like to be 'out' every day. I would start protective styling after a trim.

A lot of my detangling was cut down when I began to DC regularly and use a good leave in. I currently use the Kimmay method and keep my hair stretched as much as possible. If you have color in your hair you should definitely dc more because the hair can be dryer. I also agree that it might time for a trim. I hope you get to the bottom of this. HHG