What causes ssks?

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

I have never before in my life seen a single strand knot before now. Now it seems like every time I touch a strand of hair I have to cut out a ssk. What is the secret to getting rid of these dreadful things? I notice I only have them when I wear my hair in a curly style (bantu knot out/twist out). Never with straight hair. I am 37% natural 73% relaxed transitioning to full head natural. (approx). If there is a thread that already dicsusses this in detail can you link it for me? Thanks in advance.

 

[lamaria211]

IMHO I think manipulation and dryness cause ssks I never had them till this past year but I did stop getting them once I learned how to keep my hands out of my hair and my hair properly moisturizedhth

 

[Nix08]

I don't know what causes them, I have read that oil rinses help reduce them.

 

[Nayna]

How did you get that percentage? lol

I ignore my ssks for the most part. The more you allow your hair to dry stretched the greater chance you have at decreasing them.

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

How did you get that percentage? lol

I ignore my ssks for the most part. The more you allow your hair to dry stretched the greater chance you have at decreasing them.

Lol, this is the percentage that felt right

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Nix08
I never did oil rinses. I guess I could try this. ,I wonder if prepooing gives the same benefit

 

[prettybyrd]

I noticed fewer SSKs when I added oil to my regimen. Pre-poos, sealing, oil in DC...I think it all works to keep the curls (coils for me) from knotting when the strands mingle.

 

[Lanea87]

Dryness from what I learned.
Keep some lub on them strands....oil.
Not saying round around here looking like a grease monkey but the hair needs some type of slip.
I am dealing with them myself and I never let my hair dry w/o stretching it. I have coils in the middle of my head, so thats the part I gotta make sure has the oil.

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

prettybyrd
ZebraPrintLover
How exactly does one incorporate more oil without becoming a grease monkey? I seal with castor oil every night and I feel like I have less breakage with this type of heavy sealing but I am definitely always greasy. Does being greasy just come with or is there a way to prevent breakage and ssks without being greasy?

 

[Ogoma]

Might be an unpopular idea, but I think wetting my hair daily (for me water washing & conditioning) and using the LOC method focusing on my ends and edges have been why I rarely see SSKs. I'll be changing up my regimen in the fall so I'll see what a difference it makes.

 

[Ogoma]

prettybyrd
ZebraPrintLover
How exactly does one incorporate more oil without becoming a grease monkey? I seal with castor oil every night and I feel like I have less breakage with this type of heavy sealing but I am definitely always greasy. Does being greasy just come with or is there a way to prevent breakage and ssks without being greasy?

I use light oils focusing on my ends before a moisturizer. Have you tried light oils?

 

[TaylorT]

Lol, this is the percentage that felt right

lol OP your percentage equals 110%.

But for me I believe my single strand knots stem mostly from shrinkage. As a natural I believe I wont be able to avoid them 100% but I do feel like keeping my hair stretched (i.e the banding method) reduces them.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I rarely get SSKs and I always wear my hair out...and rarely moisturize....and I almost never seal. I often forget to do anything to my hair.

Then there's the people that do everything right that get the SSKs.

I don't think anybody reaaly knows why they get them, or if it's even possible to not have them. I think it just comes with the territory, to some degree, when you have natural hair.

 

[Ogoma]

^^^I wonder how much strand size plays into it. Maybe I don't get them as much because my strands are on the thicker side. Oh well.

 

[KurlyNinja]

I may be the odd ball out, but I've come to accept the fact that I'll be a grease monkey. At least to a degree. Heavy oils help keep moisture in as well as protect and help to stretch my hair. I see it as a necessary evil to keep my hair healthy. Just like some people don't like to bun, but do so in order to keep length.

 

[Katherina]

Based on personal experience with my own hair textures, I think SSKs depend on how curly/coily your hair is, and how fine. My nape is fine and 4a. I get them at my nape way more than at my front hairline and crown (3c and coarse). My fine, extremely coily hair more easily forms knots.

I dry my hair in braids or twists with rollers on the ends to increase curl size. This reduces my number of SSKs.

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Might be an unpopular idea, but I think wetting my hair daily (for me water washing & conditioning) and using the LOC method focusing on my ends and edges have been why I rarely see SSKs. I'll be changing up my regimen in the fall so I'll see what a difference it makes.

I've been recently advised to try spritzing my hair with water before mosturizing. Do you think this will help in reducing ssks?

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Based on personal experience with my own hair textures, I think SSKs depend on how curly/coily your hair is, and how fine. My nape is fine and 4a. I get them at my nape way more than at my front hairline and crown (3c and coarse). My fine, extremely coily hair more easily forms knots.

I dry my hair in braids or twists with rollers on the ends to increase curl size. This reduces my number of SSKs.

I've been airdrying in braids too but I don't notice the ssks until my hair is styled. Did I mention I finger detangle during the week and only detangle with a comb on wash days. Do you think this may be a contributor to the ssks?

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

I may be the odd ball out, but I've come to accept the fact that I'll be a grease monkey. At least to a degree. Heavy oils help keep moisture in as well as protect and help to stretch my hair. I see it as a necessary evil to keep my hair healthy. Just like some people don't like to bun, but do so in order to keep length.

HOw do yo avoid pimples and such?

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

I use light oils focusing on my ends before a moisturizer. Have you tried light oils?

I stopped using light oils when I felt like my hair was greasy for no reason and my hair still didnt feel mosturized underneath. I feel like the castor oil completely smooths my hair strands and manipulation doesnt tear my hair out after. Is there a light oil that you recommend?

 

[Nonie]

Might be an unpopular idea, but I think wetting my hair daily (for me water washing & conditioning) and using the LOC method focusing on my ends and edges have been why I rarely see SSKs. I'll be changing up my regimen in the fall so I'll see what a difference it makes.

Ogoma, not unpopular by me at all. I shared once how when I tried to deal with twists when moisturized with S Curl, my hair threatened to form knots. I usually undo and redo my twists bare and that task seems so easy. When I had product on my hair, the stickiness seems to cause knots. I shared that experience in this thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=495886

I rarely get SSKs and I always wear my hair out...and rarely moisturize....and I almost never seal. I often forget to do anything to my hair.

Then there's the people that do everything right that get the SSKs.

I don't think anybody really knows why they get them, or if it's even possible to not have them. I think it just comes with the territory, to some degree, when you have natural hair.

*CherryPie* how do you wear your hair? I think that makes a difference. I don't get them either when I wear my hair out but I COMB my hair. I don't do WNGs and I don't really do twist-outs/braid-outs. I prefer my hair combed out and I braid it every night to stretch thus keeping the hair from being loose and coiling back on itself.

^^^I wonder how much strand size plays into it. Maybe I don't get them as much because my strands are on the thicker side. Oh well.

Ogoma, you may have a point there. Maybe coarse strands may not form SSKs as easily as fine strands. Which means that while fine strands need to keep hair stretched and not over manipulate it, coarse haired folks can get away without dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's

HOw do yo avoid pimples and such?

ZLUVSNEWZEE, I am guessing that keeping hair from the face and not touching your face with oily fingers after messing with your hair may help. Diet also plays a part.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I only wear braidouts and twistouts. I hate that tangled hair that I get with wash n goes, so I never wear them. I never comb my hair unless i'm detangling after washing....and that's like once a week. I just keep rebraiding my braidouts at night.

@*CherryPie* how do you wear your hair? I think that makes a difference. I don't get them either when I wear my hair out but I COMB my hair. I don't do WNGs and I don't really do twist-outs/braid-outs. I prefer my hair combed out and I braid it every night to stretch thus keeping the hair from being loose and coiling back on itself.

 

[Katherina]

I've been airdrying in braids too but I don't notice the ssks until my hair is styled. Did I mention I finger detangle during the week and only detangle with a comb on wash days. Do you think this may be a contributor to the ssks?

When I dry in braids and twists, I still get SSKs. I have to roll the ends. This is my biggest defense.

ETA: I don't know if that is contributing to your SSKs. My hair does best when I only detangle in the shower with conditioner.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I think I have medium strands. They say, you can barely feel fine strands between your fingers. I can feel mine very well. I'm not sure that the "finger roll test" (I just made that name up.) is the best way to determine the strand size though.

^^^I wonder how much strand size plays into it. Maybe I don't get them as much because my strands are on the thicker side. Oh well.

 

[Arian]

The ones that I get come from 1) how I wash my hair, 2) shed hairs that did not come out during my initial detangling session, and 3) dryness.

If I can do better with these three things, I will greatly reduce my SSKs.

 

[Nonie]

Arian and whoever else thinks dryness has to do with it, do you think it's internal dryness? I ask because my hair is so easy to detangle when bare after a good DC and it's got internal moisture. Putting moisturizer on it just makes it more susceptible to SSKs so do you mean that if your hair was bare you'd get SSKs more?

I ask because to many moisturizer is needed on hair for hair to not be considered dry, while that's not how I feel. So wanted to understand if this is what you mean, or are you referring to hair that is in need of a DC.

 

[ZLUVSNEWZEE]

Arian
What is your washing style if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Lanea87]

prettybyrd
ZebraPrintLover
How exactly does one incorporate more oil without becoming a grease monkey? I seal with castor oil every night and I feel like I have less breakage with this type of heavy sealing but I am definitely always greasy. Does being greasy just come with or is there a way to prevent breakage and ssks without being greasy?

I add oil into everything I do. My prepoo, poo, DC, and seal.
Im not greasy but I see that you said you used CO because it works on your hair so IDK how you can prevent it.

I use light oils focusing on my ends before a moisturizer. Have you tried light oils?

This is what I do GSO or EVCO, its light for me.

But for me I believe my single strand knots stem mostly from shrinkage. As a natural I believe I wont be able to avoid them 100% but I do feel like keeping my hair stretched (i.e the banding method) reduces them.

This is where mines comes from, nap area and crown, thats where I get the shrinkage.

Based on personal experience with my own hair textures, I think SSKs depend on how curly/coily your hair is, and how fine. My nape is fine and 4a. I get them at my nape way more than at my front hairline and crown (3c and coarse). My fine, extremely coily hair more easily forms knots.

I dry my hair in braids or twists with rollers on the ends to increase curl size. This reduces my number of SSKs.

The bolded is ME!!!

 

[prettybyrd]

ZLUVSNEWZEE, I incorporated more oils into my regimen by using the LOC method, like someone else mentioned above. I rinse my hair every morning because I workout and while it's still damp (liquid) I add my jojoba hemp (oil), and then use coconut curl milk (cream).

My hair isn't greasy because I don't use a lot of the oil. I use it sparingly 1) because that stuff ain't cheap and 2) I have acne prone skin. I have also substituted apricot kernel oil or jojoba oil in place of the jojoba hemp.

My hair is a TWA right now, so I would expect to find more SSKs in my hair, because the hair is loose, but for the first time ever, I am not finding many at all. The only ones that I have found were at the very front of my hair which makes sense to me, because that is where I use oil the least.

I hope this helps, lady!

 

[Arian]

Nonie, I have a chronic dryness problem. My hair is almost brittle. So when it is brittle, tangly, etc. I have ssk issues. The only time I remember that my hair was truly moisturized was after a steam treatment. Thus, I'm looking into buying a steamer.

ZLUVSNEWZEE, in braids, twists or sections...