Single Strand Knots: maybe I should accept them

[Curlykale]

Since reaching full shoulder length my hair has started to get SO MANY single strand knots! I used to search and destroy, then I dusted and then I had a trim. Now I want to put away the scissors.

I tried to air dry in stretched styles.
I moisturize and seal every single night with a natural water based conditioner and grapeseed oil/ avocado butter/ murumuru butter and some kinky curly curling custard, drenching my ends.
I tried to detangle with a denman comb more often.
I tried to baggy.
I deep condition with Aubrey Organics alternating between protein and moisture and I use natural products and no cones.
I tried oil rinsing and I keep my hair in a bun all the time.
I avoid glycerine, humectants, drying gels.


Maybe they are meant to be there.
I'm tempted to go back to cones: would it work?

Sigh.

 

[LunadeMiel]

My only remedy for them is to keep my ends straight

 

[Rocky91]

maybe using some heat every once in a while would help.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Have you tried washing your hair while in big braids or twists...not allowing the hair to shrink up at all? I accept single strand knots to an extent, a few here and there, but if it gets out of control, I have to resort to other means.

 

[SimJam]

Im in the same boat sister. but what Ive realized is that I just have to be more patient when Im detanging. I think they are here to stay.

I keep my hair in twists which helps and I have serious HIH sysdrome which further exacerbates the problem ... but Im working on that (some strands have like 5 SSKs on them, but this is in a small area that I usually twirl/play with)

why are u avoiding humectants etc?????

 

[Lebiya]

Same problem for me - in fact I’m still dealing with this right now.

I will BKT or texlax (I'm leaning towards bkt)- either way I have to try to loosen my curl pattern. SSK has bobbed me length.

 

[Curlykale]

Thank you everyone, I'm sorry it's a shared problem.

Lunademiel: My only remedy for them is to keep my ends straight

Really? Maybe I should braid and curl whenever I moisturize... Which means every night....

Rocky91: maybe using some heat every once in a while would help.

I wish... the problem is I get heat damage very easily and had to chop off a lot of hair because of that... I don't fry my curls but as soon as I even blow dry I get many split ends, not sure what I prefer :-(

KCcurly: Have you tried washing your hair while in big braids or twists...not allowing the hair to shrink up at all? I accept single strand knots to an extent, a few here and there, but if it gets out of control, I have to resort to other means.

(I love your blog ). I must say this time I was tempted to "just leave them". If you say so, then I will eliminate them tonight and I will never allow the final part of my hair it to curl. I've never tried this technique.

SimJam: I have serious HIH sysdrome which further exacerbates the problem ...

Me too! Oh no... I didn't know it was a cause, I am always playing with my ends.

why are u avoiding humectants etc?????

Because where I live the weather changes all the time but it's often dry and humectants happen to suddenyl draw moisture out of my hair instead of doing the opposite thing. i.e= If I spray glycerine or put honey on my hair right now it will become dry and full of tangles in 10 minutes. I guess I live in the wrong place. LOL Sometimes they work but I don't want to take risks with them being so moody.

Lebiya: Same problem for me - in fact I’m still dealing with this right now.

I will BKT or texlax (I'm leaning towards bkt)- either way I have to try to loosen my curl pattern. SSK has bobbed me length.

I understand... I have texturised for 14 years and single strand knots never appeared (but I had breakage)... Sometimes I think that maybe it would be possible to grow hair to a certain length and then constantly trim. But this would be possible only as long as the knots happen on the last inch of hair...

 

[Curlykale]

If they didn't look bad I would actually... perm my ends only, with a curly perm, creating a bigger "curl". And then I would never trim again until waist length. I wonder if anyone has tried this crazy idea from my desperate mind.
If you ever try it please let me know :-D

 

[Rocky91]

hmmm...what styles do you wear your hair in most of the time??

 

[Curlykale]

hmmm...what styles do you wear your hair in most of the time??

I'wearing it in a bun all the time because I want to reach at least armpit length. I love my curls but I can't wash & go for this reason. The bun is always done on stretched air dried hair.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

I'wearing it in a bun all the time because I want to reach at least armpit length. I love my curls but I can't wash & go for this reason. The bun is always done on stretched air dried hair.

BEFORE u reach for a relaxer (geeeez) i know noone likes greasy hair..

but consider layer your ends with shea butter or grease ..... reduces knots, frizz, etc
Ever do braidouts/twistouts and get that bushy end thing? aside of porosity, etc. i would look at applying a layer of product "just to your ends" <<< a product that has weight, not absorbs

 

[alive]

I don't have too much of a problem with SSKs and my hair is of the very dense predominantly 4b variety. As far as I can tell, some of the differences between what I do and what you do are:

1. I use S-curl (which has glycerine in it)
2. I don't disturb my hair when i moisturize mid week (I spray the scurl on and run a light layer of oil over that)
3. I don't bother trying to wear my hair curly. I admire it as I wash and I smile as my hair shrinks into a TWA while wet but that's as far as i go with leaving my hair out or curly
4. I trim once a year (i know, taboo; but my hair doesn't need trimming because I never wear my hair out) When I hit APL, i might start wearing my hair out but for now, I am focusing on retaining all my growth

I don't know if this helps any, but I know that there are a few type 4s on this board that don't have too many SSK issues. It might help to compare what you do with what the ladies that don't have that problem do

 

[Rocky91]

I'wearing it in a bun all the time because I want to reach at least armpit length. I love my curls but I can't wash & go for this reason. The bun is always done on stretched air dried hair.

bunning, at least for me, doesn't really help with the knot issue. i think my ends just get smushed up and they're not happy.
my best styles for preventing knots are either blowouts (which might not be an option for you since you said you get heat damaged), and twists n curls or braid n curls. using the small rollers on my ends really helps them dry in a stretched out state, which prevents knots.

 

[Curlykale]

BEFORE u reach for a relaxer (geeeez) i know noone likes greasy hair..

but consider layer your ends with shea butter or grease ..... reduces knots, frizz, etc
Ever do braidouts/twistouts and get that bushy end thing? aside of porosity, etc. i would look at applying a layer of product "just to your ends" <<< a product that has weight, not absorbs

geeeez indeed, I know
I did notice that when my ends are supergreasy with avocado butter they behave better and I don't mind having them full of product if something works. Interesting, never checked porosity and never layered sealants. I'll do both, thank you...
I saw that Kimmaytube sprays diluited acv with ph 4 to 4.5 when she detangles... I will do it when I moisturise and then layer the strong stuff... Hmmm very interesting...

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I hated my SSK when I was natural, but my hair really did retain a lot of length. My relaxed hair really isn't horrible, but I am missing the ease of wash n gos. Maybe with future research, I can master the SSK monster.

 

[Curlykale]

Alive:I admire it as I wash and I smile as my hair shrinks into a TWA while wet but that's as far as i go with leaving my hair out or curly

Rocky91: bunning, at least for me, doesn't really help with the knot issue. i think my ends just get smushed up and they're not happy.

This is interesting as well.
I don't curl the ends of my braids with something when I air dry (I tuck them in), so part of my ends are, in fact, free flowing / the braids are more on the big side which doesn't help, and then I bun the day after which doesn't solve the problem.
I will admire my curls under the shower like you Alive from now on (vanity and laziness not allowed anymore).

 

[BillsBackerz67]

Buns usually dont help with ssk....if anything may make it worse because ur combining all your curly hair together into one mass and the ends are stuck to eachother all day or even longer (ie wet bunning). If your ends arent smoother out prior to bunning they will more than likely knot up.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

geeeez indeed, I know
I did notice that when my ends are supergreasy with avocado butter they behave better and I don't mind having them full of product if something works. Interesting, never checked porosity and never layered sealants. I'll do both, thank you...
I saw that Kimmaytube sprays diluited acv with ph 4 to 4.5 when she detangles... I will do it when I moisturise and then layer the strong stuff... Hmmm very interesting...

i didn't know she used it for detangling... i know she uses it to close her cuticles... while in the shower for hours yah, your hair swells, the pH thing really helps me with smooth ends (her leaving formula on your ends should help... is it helping?)

 

[Curlykale]

I hated my SSK when I was natural, but my hair really did retain a lot of length. My relaxed hair really isn't horrible, but I am missing the ease of wash n gos. Maybe with future research, I can master the SSK monster.

Yeah, I definitely understand what you say about being on the 2 different sides. When I was texlaxed I had no knots but a lot of breakage. I went natural and I don't have breakage, but I have knots. From this thread I'm seeing that some naturals in this planet (and with different textures) have mastered the monster and they are actually human, which gives me hope!

 

[Curlykale]

Buns usually dont help with ssk....if anything may make it worse because ur combining all your curly hair together into one mass and the ends are stuck to eachother all day or even longer (ie wet bunning). If your ends arent smoother out prior to bunning they will more than likely knot up.

Yeah... I add water, conditioner and seal everyday then I bun, so it's almost like daily damp bunning

 

[Curlykale]

i didn't know she used it for detangling... i know she uses it to close her cuticles... while in the shower for hours yah, your hair swells, the pH thing really helps me with smooth ends (her leaving formula on your ends should help... is it helping?)

Well, I'm not using her formula because my hair deeply refuses castor and jojoba but this ph thing might be the key. I need to buy some ph strips if you say it's making your ends smoother. I do have hard water, which might be the only possible cause of these non smooth ends (as moisture is not missing). I saw a video from her today and she says that she uses jojoba and aloe mainly to achieve the right ph, so I will use something else and make it a 4.5 and see what happens. I'm excited as I have been 100% lazy on this.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

How is wet bunning going for you? Ideally I want to transition to hair long enough to bun when I BC. I'm going to make that goal, some day.

 

[Curlykale]

How is wet bunning going for you? Ideally I want to transition to hair long enough to bun when I BC. I'm going to make that goal, some day.

That's great, good luck on your future journey!
I followed exactly your idea when I transitioned: I had my last texlax, then I waited for my natural hair to be long enough to bun and then I chopped the texlaxed part.
Seeing as the texlaxed part didn't get single strand knots and it loved conditioner and protein, damp bunning (not wet bunning because keeping the hair always wet gave me breakage) was very good for my transition. I used coney conditioners and conditioners with a little bit of protein and I left them in my hair (as my texlaxed hair was sort of curly/ to style it...).
I made sure I used satin scrunchies and nothing bad ever happened.

It was quick and easy and I didn't get mad, I really liked it.
Sometimes I used homemade flaxseed gel as well (for braidouts) as it worked well for both textures (especially when ph balanced).

 

[MsLizziA]

Either wash in braids or just braid the ends of your hair and let them dry and take them out. This is what stopped my SSKs

 

[brucebettye]

If they didn't look bad I would actually... perm my ends only, with a curly perm, creating a bigger "curl". And then I would never trim again until waist length. I wonder if anyone has tried this crazy idea from my desperate mind.
If you ever try it please let me know :-D

Don't do it. I am texlaxed and I still have problems with single strand knots. Damp bunning has help cut down on my single strand knots.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Well, I'm not using her formula because my hair deeply refuses castor and jojoba but this ph thing might be the key. I need to buy some ph strips if you say it's making your ends smoother. I do have hard water, which might be the only possible cause of these non smooth ends (as moisture is not missing). I saw a video from her today and she says that she uses jojoba and aloe mainly to achieve the right ph, so I will use something else and make it a 4.5 and see what happens. I'm excited as I have been 100% lazy on this.

i dnt think pH is actually the key.... its more of a log term effect on the strand.... allowing the cuticle to lie flat/smoother, proper water absorption, no porosity issues etc etc etc
but YEAH, THE ALOE VERA JUICE (LIKE ACV) closes/smooth my cuticles
i could marry aloe vera juiceerplexed i mean it is the best thing ever on my hair

my scalp loves it, that old remedy aloe vera juice, glycerin & water <<< priceless

i read another poster say they use coconut oil to dip their ends (very hot, not quite boiling)

flat iron the ends (i woundn't personally... but it could maybe smooth them)

try aloe vera gel on the ends

 

[Tiye]

Since reaching full shoulder length my hair has started to get SO MANY single strand knots! I used to search and destroy, then I dusted and then I had a trim. Now I want to put away the scissors.

I tried to air dry in stretched styles.
I moisturize and seal every single night with a natural water based conditioner and grapeseed oil/ avocado butter/ murumuru butter and some kinky curly curling custard, drenching my ends.
I tried to detangle with a denman comb more often.
I tried to baggy.
I deep condition with Aubrey Organics alternating between protein and moisture and I use natural products and no cones.
I tried oil rinsing and I keep my hair in a bun all the time.
I avoid glycerine, humectants, drying gels.


Maybe they are meant to be there.
I'm tempted to go back to cones: would it work?

Sigh.

I thought the anti-cones movement was over. Why can't you try just to see if it works??

It all depends on what you're willing to accept about your hair. I decided for example that I no longer accepted hair I couldn't get a comb through. I acted accordingly. Problem solved.

 

[My Friend]

That's great, good luck on your future journey!
I followed exactly your idea when I transitioned: I had my last texlax, then I waited for my natural hair to be long enough to bun and then I chopped the texlaxed part.
Seeing as the texlaxed part didn't get single strand knots and it loved conditioner and protein, damp bunning (not wet bunning because keeping the hair always wet gave me breakage) was very good for my transition. I used coney conditioners and conditioners with a little bit of protein and I left them in my hair (as my texlaxed hair was sort of curly/ to style it...).
I made sure I used satin scrunchies and nothing bad ever happened.

It was quick and easy and I didn't get mad, I really liked it.
Sometimes I used homemade flaxseed gel as well (for braidouts) as it worked well for both textures (especially when ph balanced).

Has someone tried just relaxing/texlaxing/perming their ends only until they've reached WL then trimmed back to natural?

 

[nikolite]

I wish... the problem is I get heat damage very easily and had to chop off a lot of hair because of that... I don't fry my curls but as soon as I even blow dry I get many split ends, not sure what I prefer :-(

Maybe you should try rollersetting your hair without heat. I do this to straighten my hair before I style it, and it keeps my hair soft and moisturized but the hair and ends are straightened, better than if I were to stretch my hair with braids or blow dry.

So I pre-poo, detangle, wash, and DC in 8 plaited sections, and then I ponytail rollerset each section while the hair is still wet (after adding my leave-in and oil). This is done Friday night and my hair dries overnight. By the morning its ready to style. I also keep it wrapped up in a bathing suit cover-up, so since it dries slowly with the heat from my head, I think its slightly like baggying a little.

It may also help to wear styles that keep the hair stretched and straightened most of the time, like cornrows, braids, buns, or twists on stretched hair. Where puffs, WNG's, shrunken twists less often if at all.

I also S&D my SSK's, without trimming my entire head. These 3 things have helped tremendously for me in preventing SSK's.

 

[LHLover]

Either wash in braids or just braid the ends of your hair and let them dry and take them out. This is what stopped my SSKs

This is definitely what helped me too. I put my hair into a pony tail, braid it and let it dry over night. Once it's dry I either take the braid out or leave it into a bun. I think the key is to have your ends dry straight/stretched. HTH. Good luck!