Quick Detangling Question: (I'm a transitioner...)

[blksndrlla]

For a while I have had a great detangling routine. As of late, not so much... I am on the search for a new co-wash conditioner to help with the detangling process, but that's another story...

My hair was finger detangled, and slid throught the jibere pretty well...but the denman...it's another story. It ripped more out than detangling. I know I need a conditoner w/ more slip, but really what counts as detangled? All that said...how much do you detangle? I mean in regards of the spacing of the teeth on the comb.

*I detangle under running water...

I have searched on this subject, but didn't find a direct answer...I checked my strands and they are not spongy or like straw (well, it was kinda hard after that Giovanni, but I rectified that). It is snapping at the line of demarcation and I don't want to lose any more hair!

Maybe I just need to find that super slippery co-wash conditioner...

Thanks for the help ladies...hope the post wasn't too confusing.
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ETA:
I solved my problem ladies...thanks so much!

 

[blksndrlla]

---bump---

 

[AfroKink]

I didn't transition so I don't have much advice to give. Someone recently started a thread on detangling, you might be able to get some tips there
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=416814

Lys

 

[LoveCraze]

Well I found it best to detangle with plenty of product out of the shower using the type of wide tooth comb that has interlocking teeth. A nice product that I found to give me plenty of slip is Silicon Mix. After I detangle with SM, I DC under a steamer. After rinsing, I further detangle the relaxed ends with a smaller tooth comb or Denman as I style/set my hair. In this way I can make sure there aren't any knots left that may have slipped through the wide tooth comb. If your hair is snapping, pulling while wet, you may need some protein. You can test your strands to see if that's the case.
HTH.

 

[Bun Mistress]

First, you may have to give the denman a rest. I don't use it but when I was as far along as you, I think I tried it.
Every few months I have had to change something up and I remember when my detangling method failed me. I had to stop combing for about a month. Also it may be time for you to start washing in sections (happended to me when I reached apl).
Just some things to consider. Also I finger detanlge almost nightly which helps (I think.)

I hope some of this made sense.

 

[blksndrlla]

thank you to everyone for your responses...

I just washed and detangled...I found the culprit...It was the product. I changed conditioners and my hair was back to normal... I also did it in sections (thanks for that reminder...)

whew...that's a load off my chest. I have been struggling with my hair for weeks now. Now, I can push my BC date back again! ( i moved it up to december from august...y'all know I would've been in here crying!)

 

[KiSseS03]

Hey blksndrlla! Congrats on the transition.

I'm 11 months into my transition. There were times that I thought I would never reach my goal of an 18 month or longer transition, mainly because of the issues with tangling, but I have finally found a solution to my detangling issues, and now my hair is a breeze.

My number method for easy detangling, is never to let my hair tangle in the first place! To do this, I leave my hair in tightly braided sections for my entire wash routine! I actually put my hair in 6 braids (2 in the front, middle and back).

My transitioning style of choice is the roller-set, because it keeps my hair moisturized, soft, pretty and most importantly NO TANGLES.

When I'm ready for a wash, usually every 3-4 days, I part my hair and add some oil and/or conditioner and then braid the hair into my 6 neat tangle-free sections. Occasionally I'll do an overnight pre-poo, but more often than not I'll shampoo right away.

I absolutely DO NOT unbraid my hair during the shampooing process! I then follow up with a DC with heat, with the braids STILL in. Finally I rinse out the conditioner very well with the Braids STILL in.

Finally when I'm ready to roller-set. I take down each section, only as I'm ready to roller-set. I gently add my leave in, and only then do I pass my wide tooth comb and knock-off Denman through each section. It literally takes less than a minute, because I have not allowed my hair to tangle, by having it wet and loose in the shower. I comb mainly to stretch the hair for the rollers, and to remove any shed hair.

This is THE best thing that I have discovered for my hair, I lose 1/4 of the hair that I use to lose when washing, and the "detangling" process (ie. combing) takes 5-10 minutes tops, as opposed to 20-30! I'll probably continue this when I'm fully natural.

 

[blksndrlla]

I may need to look into roller setting...esp. since it is winter!

 

[Stella B.]

Hey blksndrlla! Congrats on the transition.

I'm 11 months into my transition. There were times that I thought I would never reach my goal of an 18 month or longer transition, mainly because of the issues with tangling, but I have finally found a solution to my detangling issues, and now my hair is a breeze.

My number method for easy detangling, is never to let my hair tangle in the first place! To do this, I leave my hair in tightly braided sections for my entire wash routine! I actually put my hair in 6 braids (2 in the front, middle and back).

My transitioning style of choice is the roller-set, because it keeps my hair moisturized, soft, pretty and most importantly NO TANGLES.

When I'm ready for a wash, usually every 3-4 days, I part my hair and add some oil and/or conditioner and then braid the hair into my 6 neat tangle-free sections. Occasionally I'll do an overnight pre-poo, but more often than not I'll shampoo right away.

I absolutely DO NOT unbraid my hair during the shampooing process! I then follow up with a DC with heat, with the braids STILL in. Finally I rinse out the conditioner very well with the Braids STILL in.

Finally when I'm ready to roller-set. I take down each section, only as I'm ready to roller-set. I gently add my leave in, and only then do I pass my wide tooth comb and knock-off Denman through each section. It literally takes less than a minute, because I have not allowed my hair to tangle, by having it wet and loose in the shower. I comb mainly to stretch the hair for the rollers, and to remove any shed hair.

This is THE best thing that I have discovered for my hair, I lose 1/4 of the hair that I use to lose when washing, and the "detangling" process (ie. combing) takes 5-10 minutes tops, as opposed to 20-30! I'll probably continue this when I'm fully natural.

How clever of you to leave your hair in braids for the entire shampooing process! I too, am 11 months post and learned how to shampoo in loose braids about 4 months ago. It really does help with the tangles. I'm gonna try leaving the braids in the whole time like you on my next wash day. Gotta figure out how to keep the braids from coming a loose tho, the pressure from the water just makes my relaxed ends unravel! Thanks for the wonderful idea-I'm all for methods that will help keep my fragile strands on my head. I do have a question for you-How do you apply the conditioner to each section, so that it gets down in the scalp section, and within each braid? I do use an applicator bottle for shampooing. Do you think that could work for conditioner too?

 

[KiSseS03]

How clever of you to leave your hair in braids for the entire shampooing process! I too, am 11 months post and learned how to shampoo in loose braids about 4 months ago. It really does help with the tangles. I'm gonna try leaving the braids in the whole time like you on my next wash day. Gotta figure out how to keep the braids from coming a loose tho, the pressure from the water just makes my relaxed ends unravel! Thanks for the wonderful idea-I'm all for methods that will help keep my fragile strands on my head. I do have a question for you-How do you apply the conditioner to each section, so that it gets down in the scalp section, and within each braid? I do use an applicator bottle for shampooing. Do you think that could work for conditioner too?

Hey chica!

Let me tell you, I have transitioned in the past, and I have never ever made it this far with my strands in tact!

First, to keep my braids from coming loose I have to put elastics on the ends of my hair. I'm very careful about not putting them in too tight, and I'm careful to remove them gently.

As far as making sure the conditioner goes through, the application bottle sounds like a great idea! I have a sensitive scalp so I have to make sure that I condition my hair and NOT my scalp, so I mainly work my fingers into the roots of my hair (the driest part) after that I take tons of conditioner and run it down the length braid. I always DC with heat and the conditioner makes it's way through the whole braid. It really works, trust me, I was skeptical, but if you use a good rich conditioner it will make it's way through the strands with no problems.

Ever since I discovered this method, I have been having a love affair with my hair!

 

[Mortons]

I detangle under running water with conditioner in my hair. I normally use a denman, which doesnt seem to take out any more hair than usual