Just An Observation About My Natural Hair (Can Anyone Else Relate?)

[Vshanell]

I get little tiny knots at my ends, it's always happened. It doesn't happen straight though.

I don't think it has anything to do with the style of your natural hair, hair that naturally has curl and kink...wants to curl and kink, even around itself.

ITA. I have a ton of knots. I read somewhere that over time the knot rubs against itself so much it creates a tear or split. This may be why you're seeing splits too. I've actually seen this happen on my hair. Man, I wish I could find that article. It was very informative and had pics and everything.

 

[justNikki]

The single strand knots....I've been battling those since I had about 5-6 inches. I've trimmed and trimmed (I trimmed about 3 inches within 7 months to get rid of scab hair) hoping this would solve my knots problem. I just got a flat iron and professional trim yesterday, but somehow, I don't think it's going to prevent them from occurring.

I do think it comes along with the wash and gos as that's when I really see them most. It doesn't seem to matter whether I comb or finger detangle, same thing, as long as I WnG, I have single strand knots, but butter/lubricant on the ends does help.

 

[meaganita]

I get little tiny knots at my ends, it's always happened. It doesn't happen straight though.

I don't think it has anything to do with the style of your natural hair, hair that naturally has curl and kink...wants to curl and kink, even around itself.

Yep, I agree w/this. I never had split ends when I was relaxed, just major breakage.erplexed Anyway, ever since becoming natural I've had to deal with knots & splits and it bugs the crap out of me! I usually do a search & destroy for 'em, and I've gotten more trims natural then I ever did relaxed. But it seems like nothing really works. Naturally coily hair just twists around itself and turns into a knot. One time I caught one before the knot fully tightened and was able to untie it. Other women have suggested using safety pins or needles to try to loosen them. But my knots are usually too tight & tiny for that. For now, I'm just going to try to deep condition with SUPER SLIPPY conditioners, to see if that helps....

 

[Ms Lala]

I have less splits than I did when I was relaxed. I think DC'ing and dusting has helped with this. BUT I do get knots. I have noticed significantly less knots since I stopped wearing shrunken styles. If my hair is loose it is stretched out because it is longer now and the knots are inevitable if I wear it shrunken. When I was using heat regularly I had fewer knots but more breakage so I'm trying to find a balance. I think I'm going to use heat 1x per month.

 

[Victorian]

I can definitely relate. I always had to spend a little time detangling because my hair is super coily and very fine, but it seems like once I hit BSL+ the knots started to get seriously unpleasant. I just don't have the time it takes to really detangle thoroughly every day, and if I don't detangle thoroughly I started getting those matted disasters that always result in hair loss.

Anyway, I recently straightened and cut my hair for this very reason. I would still like to grow my hair out again, but I think I'm going to have to take a different approach and not wear my hair shrunken, as others have mentioned. Too bad, 'cause I love my curly puff erplexed And even when I starting wearing it in a bun every day, where the ends weren't loose, I kept getting knots. It's like the knots would form spontaneously in my hair during the course of the day. And then they weren't even at the ends; some were closer to the root. I think that's what really sent me over the edge

 

[Poohbear]

When I wear my hair out it's primarily wash n gos but I don't have problems with tangles. Do you ladies think it's bc my hair is still short?

Yes, I think it is because it is still short. When my hair was your length, I didn't have any splits or tangles either.

 

[Poohbear]

ITA. I have a ton of knots. I read somewhere that over time the knot rubs against itself so much it creates a tear or split. This may be why you're seeing splits too. I've actually seen this happen on my hair. Man, I wish I could find that article. It was very informative and had pics and everything.

Ouuu, I hope you can find the article! I would like to read it too.

 

[jtsupanova]

My hair used to get knot and splits somethin terrible if i wore my hair in shake n go's all the time. I curretly wear my hair in twist and twist outs and i don't have much of a problem with single strand knots but do get splits every now and then. I used to trim my hair all the time thinking that it would alleviate the amount to knots and splits that i got but it would only make it worse. Now I only trim to even up my hair. I think that washing the hair in sections and only styling wet hair hepls alot with this issue.

 

[bLackButtaFly]

My hair used to get knot and splits somethin terrible if i wore my hair in shake n go's all the time. I curretly wear my hair in twist and twist outs and i don't have much of a problem with single strand knots but do get splits every now and then. I used to trim my hair all the time thinking that it would alleviate the amount to knots and splits that i got but it would only make it worse. Now I only trim to even up my hair. I think that washing the hair in sections and only styling wet hair hepls alot with this issue.

You took the words right from my mouth. If I do wash and go's forget about it, my hair is tangle city, but I usually keep it in twists, or twist out, and I have no problem. Also my hair has always been one to tangle, so it's no biggie. I see 300% improvement on the amount of breakage to what i used to see when relaxed.Or even fromearlier this year b4 I started doing right by my hair. I used to see those little pieces everytime I put my hand in it. Now mayb one or two, bu nothing write home about.
I also was my hair ins ections and I only brush it with conditioner on it and wet, never ever dry. I think this has helped too.
event he trimming thing is me to a tee. I used to trim all the time, now I know I just do it on schedule. I got it from my white curly haired friends who said she trims every three months if that and that's it. She was like anymore and my hair would never grow. (genius!)

 

[glamazon386]

Yes, I think it is because it is still short. When my hair was your length, I didn't have any splits or tangles either.

Oh goodness... Don't scare me like that Pooh. I thought I was getting off easy since I read some people saying they had tangles even with a TWA.

 

[Sha76]

Poohbear,

I read somewhere that curly hair only has the ability to take care of itself for 3-4 inches of hair . After that length extra moisture would have to be added to prevent splits b/c the natural sebum cannot make it that far.

WHen I was natural I noticed, I had more splits and knots around that length too. And when this happened, I would have to change my regimine to adjust. The trim you just got was a good a good thing, but you may need to look into adjusting your regime for length.

I have also found the same is true with relaxed hair. But the length of change is longer since it straighter ( but only for like an inch more).

I wish I remembered exactly where I read that info.

 

[CurleeDST]

check out kemi21's natural hair album. she has a perfect explanation why she constantly wears stretched styles with her long hair - to minimize knots and tangles. check her out on fotki.

 

[Poohbear]

check out kemi21's natural hair album. she has a perfect explanation why she constantly wears stretched styles with her long hair - to minimize knots and tangles. check her out on fotki.

I'm always up in Kemi21's album! Her hair is long and beautiful. She wears twists most of the time. For some reason, as my hair gets longer, I can't wear twists for long anymore. The ends of the twists start to unravel. And even if I twist them back up with product and everything, they still unravel.

 

[CurleeDST]

oh ok, yeah her hair is gorgeous. perhaps you can detangle in shower and braid it up at night to keep it untangly. kemi's album has a great explanation as to why she no longer wears shrunken fros and what to expect if we do.


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I'm always up in Kemi21's album! Her hair is long and beautiful. She wears twists most of the time. For some reason, as my hair gets longer, I can't wear twists for long anymore. The ends of the twists start to unravel. And even if I twist them back up with product and everything, they still unravel.

 

[lsw29]

When I was relaxed I hardly ever had knots and split ends, but now that I am natural I experience more shedding, split ends and knots. I will say I experience less when wearing my hair in straight styles.

 

[CurleeDST]

last time i relaxed i thought it would help with tangles and snarls and i traded that for dried out hair. try paul mitchell's the detangler.

 

[sunnydaze]

Man I get knots and I am still relaxed so I am gonna get them something terrible when I am done transitioning..erplexed

 

[Soliel185]

I think that with curly hair in general it's alot harder to immediately recognize splits and knots. Whenever I see someone w/ normally curly hair wearing it straight, they nearly always have at least an inch of split ends. I think they just blend in with your hair when it's in its' natural state.

 

[aja1121]

I have been wondering what to do about the knots and tangles lately. Even pondering a serious hair cut out of frustration. I did not have this problem when relaxed either.

I have learned the following lessons regarding tangles and knots.

Lesson 1: I cannot go over these knots with a flat iron thus I have not straightened my hair for months!
Lesson 2: Stretched styles create less of a problem.

When I coat my hair with conditioner, even gel it lengthens the hair and I get less tangles, matting and knots. A few times I let my hair shrink all the way and regretted it come wash time. It was so tangled and matted I wanted o cry.



ETA: I think it is so bass ackwards that I have learn how to take care of my natural hair but I know how to make relaxed hair thrive. PSA- parents please re-consider relaxing your daughters hair before she knows how to take care of it in its natural texture. sigh.

A mixture of vegetable glycerin, gel and water got me through my knots...it was the best ever. I just sprayed it every morning and night. If I knew back then, what I know now, I would have did an entire head baggy at night as well. My hair is so used to the straight routine now......the ends are thin and split.

 

[Poohbear]

oh ok, yeah her hair is gorgeous. perhaps you can detangle in shower and braid it up at night to keep it untangly. kemi's album has a great explanation as to why she no longer wears shrunken fros and what to expect if we do.


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Thanks CurleeDST, but detangling in the shower and braiding it up every night is TOO MUCH manipulation for my hair strands. My hair is very tightly coiled (small tiny springs) and if I detangled and braided at night, I would have hair all over the sink.

 

[neenzmj]

I have found that since I went natural I have lots more knots and tangling; however, I would attribute this to the nature of curly hair, which tends to intertwine around itself very easily. The answer for me has been to apply lots of conditioner before I detangle (in the shower with running water on my hair) in addition to re-wetting and detangling daily. I find that the longer I wait to detangle, the more knots I seem to get.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I have nothing to add other than to tell you how beautiful your hair is.

 

[Poohbear]

I have nothing to add other than to tell you how beautiful your hair is.

awww thanks DDtexlaxd!

 

[CurleeDST]

Oh I learned this the hard way , the longer I go without combing or detangling definitely the WORSE it gets as far as getting my fingers or a comb through my hair wet.

I have found that since I went natural I have lots more knots and tangling; however, I would attribute this to the nature of curly hair, which tends to intertwine around itself very easily. The answer for me has been to apply lots of conditioner before I detangle (in the shower with running water on my hair) in addition to re-wetting and detangling daily. I find that the longer I wait to detangle, the more knots I seem to get.

 

[Poohbear]

I have found that since I went natural I have lots more knots and tangling; however, I would attribute this to the nature of curly hair, which tends to intertwine around itself very easily. The answer for me has been to apply lots of conditioner before I detangle (in the shower with running water on my hair) in addition to re-wetting and detangling daily. I find that the longer I wait to detangle, the more knots I seem to get.

Maybe I need to go back to doing this. Time for me to stock up on A LOT of conditioner if I'm going to wet and detangle my hair daily. I think this is an ideal technique for dry natural hair that's growing and retaining length. I've seen so many grow their hair long from doing this routine (you, Cichelle, mermaid, and more).
But I also realize my hair is a kinkier texture than you all. Hopefully this routine wil work for me though. I'll just bump up the usage of conditioner and moisture since I have more hair now.

 

[chickory_bee]

I used to get knots in the end of my natural hair, but to overcome it I have been making sure that I keep my ends very well moisturized.

 

[Qurlyqt]

I never had knots while relaxed nor when I went natural. But as soon as I got to shoulder length, they appeared! I have dusted, major trims, seek & destroy, etc. and still unable to keep them at bay. No matter how I wear my hair (twists, buns, etc.), I always keep my ends moisturized but those dreadful knots NEVER completely disappear. I'm learning to accept that it's just a part of wearing natural hair... sadly.