Transitioner's New Growth Tangling!!!

[Travis Girl]

I had a crazy momentito yesterday trying to comb my hair. I had tangles that started about midways up the length (where the new growth and relaxed sections meet) and I was having serious!

A couple days ago I'd washed/condished/leave in/sealed and sat under the dryer to 80% dry on low and then on high til dry (10 min). I leave in/seal every other day. So what went wrong and what can I do so that doesn't happen again??? I noticed tangles the day before. I was worried about more tangling the next day, so I flat ironed (at the lowest level of 300 degrees). I'm not the best flat ironer by any means...in fact when I do it, the length still has slight waves, but it's straight enough to get the job done with no more tangles. Oh and I have long layers throughout so it's hard to say how much new growth I have, maybe as little as 4" to 6" at the longest sections.

I was wondering if the two textures (natural and relaxed) are clashing? I don't have any problems with breakage right now and I don't want it to start. Help me over this hump, ladies...please.

 

[Lotus]

Did you have your natural hair stretched as you dried? Like was it in a pony, roller set, braids... or was it just hanging straight down?

 

[Travis Girl]

Did you have your natural hair stretched as you dried? Like was it in a pony, roller set, braids... or was it just hanging straight down?

Dried hanging down straight...Lotus thanks for stepping in!!!

 

[Lotus]

Dried hanging down straight...Lotus thanks for stepping in!!!

Always welcome. Next time try to dry your new growth stretched w/ a roller set, braids/plaits, pony tails... something like that.

Is the leave in liquidy, like water based? If so, and you're applying it to your hair after you've already straightened, your natural hair may be reverting. In my transitioning experience, the closer my textures matched while manipulating, the less breakage/tangles I had.

 

[Travis Girl]

Always welcome. Next time try to dry your new growth stretched w/ a roller set, braids/plaits, pony tails... something like that.

Is the leave in liquidy, like water based? If so, and you're applying it to your hair after you've already straightened, your natural hair may be reverting. In my transitioning experience, the closer my textures matched while manipulating, the less breakage/tangles I had.

I use Aveda DR products, but I like the Giovanni Direct Leave in...creamy. I was trying to use it on the ends but, I have long layers---so I'm trying to get all the ends, could it be that I'm using too much? You may be on to something about the reverting. I will also try to work on stretching the new growth. I'm so pitiful when it comes to rollersetting, though I love the outcome when it's done right.

Lotus, what do you do to help your textures match up?

 

[Lotus]

I use Aveda DR products, but I like the Giovanni Direct Leave in...creamy. I was trying to use it on the ends but, I have long layers---so I'm trying to get all the ends, could it be that I'm using too much? You may be on to something about the reverting. I will also try to work on stretching the new growth. I'm so pitiful when it comes to rollersetting, though I love the outcome when it's done right.

Lotus, what do you do to help your textures match up?

I feel ya on the rollersetting (my own hair) but Im getting better. Dont give up... just keep at it, you'll get better.

Before straightening - I air dried in a pony/bun, ponies under the dryer, then as my natural hair got longer I dried in 4 large plaits.

Just wanted you to know that i chopped. But before my chop, I mostly co-washed/sealed and wore a pony or a bun. I like to co-wash alot, so I only straightened or wore braid-outs on special occasions.

When I wore my hair straight I didnt 'continue' to use a water based moisturizer. After I'd initially flat ironed it, I'd use one... saran wrap and get under the dryer. Then in like a two/three days when it got dry I'd add a little coconut oil or Aphogee Oil sheen (those dont 'moisturize' but they kept my hair supple w/o reverting). Three to 4 more days of wear and time to wash.

I've never used Aveda or Giovanni... so I cant offer advise/opinion on those. But, if you're heavy handed (like me) try to scale back on the moisturizer and see if it helps. I saw Macharieamore moisturize her whole head (on her blog) with the amount of product I'd have used on just one of my sections.

 

[Ebony Majesty]

Hey Travis Girl, I used to have the same problem

When I wash my hair, I saturate my hair in conditioner and comb through. It makes it much easier to style when dry. Good luck

 

[sweetwhispers]

I used to have this problem. Then i realised that i never used to let my natural hair airdry without braiding. So now i do a french braid/cornrow thing. - my hair is no longer tangled. I find this better than just simply braiding.

 

[Travis Girl]

I feel ya on the rollersetting (my own hair) but Im getting better. Dont give up... just keep at it, you'll get better.

Before straightening - I air dried in a pony/bun, ponies under the dryer, then as my natural hair got longer I dried in 4 large plaits.

Just wanted you to know that i chopped. But before my chop, I mostly co-washed/sealed and wore a pony or a bun. I like to co-wash alot, so I only straightened or wore braid-outs on special occasions.

When I wore my hair straight I didnt 'continue' to use a water based moisturizer. After I'd initially flat ironed it, I'd use one... saran wrap and get under the dryer. Then in like a two/three days when it got dry I'd add a little coconut oil or Aphogee Oil sheen (those dont 'moisturize' but they kept my hair supple w/o reverting). Three to 4 more days of wear and time to wash.

I've never used Aveda or Giovanni... so I cant offer advise/opinion on those. But, if you're heavy handed (like me) try to scale back on the moisturizer and see if it helps. I saw Macharieamore moisturize her whole head (on her blog) with the amount of product I'd have used on just one of my sections.

I haven't tried drying in a pony. I'm afraid of the tension. Is this a high pony or down low at the nape or what? I swing back and forth with either too much or too little moisturizer.

Hey Travis Girl, I used to have the same problem

When I wash my hair, I saturate my hair in conditioner and comb through. It makes it much easier to style when dry. Good luck

Hi Stilettos, looks like I need to start buying bigger bottles of conditioner. Sometimes I worry if the conditioner is actually getting to the roots.erplexed

I used to have this problem. Then i realised that i never used to let my natural hair airdry without braiding. So now i do a french braid/cornrow thing. - my hair is no longer tangled. I find this better than just simply braiding.

Hi Sweetwhispers! I was wondering, do you undo your braids once dry or do you keep them until the next wash day? I might have to stick with plaits because I suck at braiding too---with the tangles I'd make trying to braid with wet hair---I'm libel to wake up bald from hacking all the hair off my head!