HELP, my hair looks like a matted mess

[Phia]

Okay, I just took out my braids after two months and I detangled before I washed and everything. When I was combing it out there were bigs knots (not shedding) that came out of my hair because it was so tangled up. So now my hair is thinner than before and I don't want to relax my hair for at least another 8 weeks, and I have tons of new growth,(my head look horrible) does anyone have advice on how to smooth the new growth and to make my hair look more presentable?

 

[JenniferMD]

After shampooing I would let the hair air dry and then flat iron it once dry (since you have a lot of newgrowth). I'm sure your hair will be fine, the aftermath of braids usually freak people out before they get a relaxer. Make sure you keep your hair moisturized until your relaxer and oh, did you deep condition your hair yet? It's important that you build up the strength of your hair.

 

[aqualung]

In your situation, I'd personally get a touchup such that excessive hair isn't lost.

If that's out of the quesstion, consider this.
1. Wash and condition the hair with L'Anza strait line shampoo and conditioner. Don't rinse the conditioner out.
2. Sit under the bonnet dryer for an hour with the conditioner on your wet hair.
3.Comb through your hot, wet hair such that there are no tangles even in the new growth. It'll be easier than you expect to comb through the new growth because of the L'Anza and the heat.
4.Apply your leave-ins and style your hair in a braided vaselined bun that'll stay all week. This way there's no excessive manipulation while you've got 2 textures of hair.

 

[Blacktresses]

What usually happens when you take your braids out are the knots or clumps of hair that grow around the added hair ( if you have added hair ). Do not wet your hair prior to taking down the braid ( It only gets worse when that's done). The knots that are left must be unraveled as well. YOU MUST TAKE YOUR TIME and do the knots. By doing so, you will have alot more length left.

Let me know what happens....

 

[bimbabe]

Phia,
Since you don't want to relax your hair for another 8 weeks are you going to put in more braids?

Please don't rush to detangle try to save every strand you can by being gentle. Don't panic sometimes we think we get all the knots and we haven't even started resulting in "underdetangling".

 

[soulchild]

for detangling matted hair, Rusk Invisible detangler is really good. For smoothing your new growth, off the top of my head, these are what some use: Wild Growth Oil, Profectiv Root health, Healthy Hair Butter, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil. Best of luck.