PLEASE READ IF YOU WEAR SEW IN WEAVES, BRAIDS, CORNROWS, ETC!

[jamaraa]

I'm glad you posted this about shed hair. Shed hair MUST be gotten rid of to avoid tangling and breakage. Don't be alarmed by hair that "washes" out after combing and brushing...that's just removing the last bits.

OP your advice is ACES!

 

[dcprdiva]

Girl you are telling the TRUTH. I have learned so many times about this fact. Don't be scared just grab some S Curl spray and comb through it.

I knew I recognized that picture hey Jonathan and Momma! LOL

 

[SmartyPants]

That happened to me once before. Now when I take out braids or a sew in I comb it out after I take each braid out. I then comb out with a wide tooth comb and apply conditioner. I detangle with the conditioner and then rinse and shampoo. I do a deep condition after that. I have learned my lesson!

I don't wear braids anymore. But, after one disaster like the OP described, this is what I started doing with subsequent braided styles!

 

[kandegirl]

Good Post. I always detangle my hair after braids and cornrows under a weave and a friend of mine almost had to cut her hair off due to matting when she didn't detangle her hair well enough. But another friend of mine will not detangle her hair after braids, she goes to the salon the next day and the stylists put perm in her hair to detangle it. Sound crazy to me but it works for her and her hair is healthy.

 

[Keen]

Thanking God for my Denman and the LHCF member who suggested it... (Thanks Charlotte!)

 

[Hairsofab]

Honestly, combing out the hair before hand does not work for me. I cannot get a comb through my hair when I take my braids down and I don't even try.

I prefer to, and always have, gently washed my hair after finger combing it to untangle.

I am sure a lot of the shed hair is removed from the finger combing, but I cannot tell you how much comes out while washing it gently in the shower. I sometimes end up with a clogged shower on braid removal days!

I agree. I would lose more hair by trying to comb through my dry hair before it was wet. I think it depends on your hair type, your hair thickness, and how the person who braids your hair braids it. When I take down my cornrows after a couple of months. I co-wash, then clarify, then deep condition. Then I dry it slighltly, and when it is still damp I go through and detangle with a wide tooth comb and then a regular tooth comb. I've never had any issues with hair loss. However, my hair is natural 4b/4z, medium length, and extremely course kinky not curly or anything, and my hair braider makes sure that each section is picked out/detangled before she starts the braid, she doesn't just grab a section and braid, like I've had some stylist do.

 

[naturalgurl]

YEP! Learned this first hand years ago. Luckily I noticed tangling right away. It could have easily been my whole head instead of just part of the middle.

 

[infojunkie]

Now you tell me...

 

[HoneyDew]

I agree. I would lose more hair by trying to comb through my dry hair before it was wet. I think it depends on your hair type, your hair thickness, and how the person who braids your hair braids it. When I take down my cornrows after a couple of months. I co-wash, then clarify, then deep condition. Then I dry it slighltly, and when it is still damp I go through and detangle with a wide tooth comb and then a regular tooth comb. I've never had any issues with hair loss. However, my hair is natural 4b/4z, medium length, and extremely course kinky not curly or anything, and my hair braider makes sure that each section is picked out/detangled before she starts the braid, she doesn't just grab a section and braid, like I've had some stylist do.

I just removed some braids that I had in for about 5 or 6 weeks and there was NO WAY I would have been able to comb through that nest! There was just too much NG and kinks to comb through my hair at that point.

I made sure I had no knots or anything, but my shed hair was shampooed out. My hair is fine.

I rinsed it with water in the shower and went right to shampooing a few times. All that hair came out seamlessly. After conditioning it, I was able to detangle under the running water with my Jilbere shower comb, no problems.

I suppose the way a person removed their braids has a lot to do with it, as well.

I just know that combing out the hair that had shed does not work for me and causes more harm than good.

But we all know – what works for some doesn’t work for others.

 

[jazzyto]

Thanks for the tip, I just got a sew-in yesterday and will try this method when I take it down in about 6wks.

 

[BrownEyez22]

THIS IS THE TRUTH!!!

I learned this in 7th grade after a braid take down that came with a throbbing head, blood shot eyes and tears. Me and mama in the bathroom trying to untangle a matted mess. Thankfully I didn't lose much hair.

I am 23 now, whew, never again...

I love micros and I ALWAYS pick out each fuzzy matted ball that collects and separate it with my fingers then comb through it, after each and every braid I take down. If its too rough I add this braid removal spray or condish/moisturizer anything that will give slip.

My hair does not even see water, if I can't comb thru it after a take down.

 

[hothair]

I've always done this and had great results from sew-ins and braids. As I loosen each braid, I detangle with my fingers and then comb, it takes out the shed hairs, and makes it easier to comb through when all of it is down.

 

[bluwatersoul]

This is crucial. When I redo my briads, after I take out the extension I coat the section with some jojoba so that teh little clump will slide off and I can easily do any detangling before rebraiding. The oil and being gentle helps insure less breakage for my fine strands.

 

[Anancy]

Oh boy thanks for this, i just took my twists out the other day after two months. I only detangled a bit, but not enough before washing it and my hair was still dangled.

Im sitting here with mayo in my hair thinking i'll jump back in the shower and hope for the best, but i think i'll detangle properly now.

Thank you again.

 

[Noir]

I agree with a couple of the other girls. It really depends on your hair type.

When I used to wear weaves and it was for me to better to wash, condition and then detangle.

I have tried both ways and I lost more hair combing dry.

 

[Kimiche]

This is a great topic. My hair is really thick when natural, so after I take down braids my hair becomes very unmanagable. When I had braids in a few years ago, I didn't have the patience to comb out each section. Plus when I did that my hair would get tangled up again anyhow. So I just combed it a little. I ended up losing a good amount of hair. I have learned that I need to comb my hair after I take out every braid, because once all the braids are out, all hell will break loose.

 

[brownbean96]

Good post. I'm planning on taking out a sew-in soon. I planned to prepoo while still in braids - conditioner, jojoba, hemp seed oil wit heat - then finger comb. Then was, possibly in twists, then deep condition. Any other methods?