Knots.. How do you banish them?

[beebstt]

When I was a natural, my biggest headaches came from washing and knots. I have a better approach to the washing process now, but I really need to know how to combat the knots. HOWW?

I am transitioning back to natural, and would love to know how some of you have banished the knots and kept your sanity.

 

[Nonie]

Dusting seems to keep them at bay as does stretching your hair. (If my hair is loose, I never wash it loose. I put it in braids and wash like this, but I'm natural.) Most people cut off knots but if you have patience, you can use a pin and undo them the same way you'd undo a knot in a thread while sewing. Some slippery product like oil or conditioner can help.

If you're getting knots on your straight hair, then maybe you're not removing shed hair first before wetting your hair. Usually SSKs bother people with coily hair.

 

[toyas08]

When I first went natural my hair I would comb out all the curl and it would knot up and mat because I didn't know what I was doing. Now I keep my hair and ends well moisturized and stretched so i have less knots.

 

[discodumpling]

Keep hair stretched n moisturize to minimize knots.

 

[Blairx0]

Stretching through setting my hair and keeping everything moisturized.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

Keeping hair stretched + heavy sealing on the ends

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

Making sure I get out all of the shed hair, is what keeps my hair from knotting up. I use a ton of slippery conditioner, and do a thorough detangling, which means no knotting. Plus I keep my ends healthy with regular trims/dusting. I wear my hair out, and I don't stretch with braids or twists...my hair is always in a WnG style.

 

[leiah]

I dry in braids and seal my ends with a heavy butter (lots of it on wet hair)