My hair is Knot City

[CostaRita]

Hi there! It takes me a long time to get through my tangles in the shower with conditioner and a wide-toothed comb. All of the knots are in the back and they're nasty.

I'm wondering if you guys have any tips for preventing knots.

I sleep with my hair down and with a satin pillowcase, but I haven't for the past week because I'm lazy and haven't done laundry :P I toss and turn a fair amount. I've read that putting hair in a bun is better.

Is it better to de-knot when the hair is dry? I've read that hair is weaker and more prone to breakage when it's wet. I'm not the most gentle to my hair when I'm combing it.

It's better if I comb my hair daily, but I usually shower every other day, and I only comb it when I shower. The longer I go without showering/combing, the worse it gets.

Tips?

[LauraLongLocks]

Being a straighty, my perspective is probably not going to fit your needs very well, but I'll give it a try.

A lot of curlies on the forum prefer to detangle when their hair is wet and slathered in conditioner. However, you are correct that hair is weakest when it is wet. If you detangle when it is dry, it will likely become frizzy in the process. You may find that you need to re-wet it and possibly put some leave-in conditioner on it to help redefine your curls afterwards. Maybe re-wetting can be done with just a mist from a spray bottle so that you don't have to wait hours for it to get dry again.

No matter your hair type, don't sleep with it loose. You are asking for major tangling sleeping with it loose, even if you have satin pillowcases. Put it in a loose braid or bun it at the top of your head.

That's the best I can do. Sorry if I am no help at all.

[Panth]

Most of the advice you're going to get by posting your own thread is going to be from straight-haired people. I'd recommend asking either the Type 3 thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96338&page=17) or the Wurly and Curly thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369&page=192).

Re. wet hair. It is true that hair is weaker when wet. However, most people also find that wet hair (when also laden with conditioner or other slip-inducing products) detangles much, much more easily. Hence, many people prefer to detangle wet, conditioner-laden hair than dry hair. Personally, I'd never try to get out serious tangles dry.

[Halliday]

Put your hair in two braids at night. I actually had to cut my nape hairs short and will be keeping them like that, because when they are long they dreadlock horribly. Comb your hair daily with a wide tooth comb. You could try using a coney conditioner because they prevent tangles. Argan oil and mineral oil for leave-ins are my saviours also.

[CostaRita]

Thanks for the tips everyone! They're all helpful!

[pearlsandpinups]

My hair isn't very tangle prone and a completely different type than yours (I'm a straighty!) so take my advice with a grain of salt! For me 'cones 'cones and 'cones give me major slippage and I rarely EVER get tangles. Like, I even sleep with my hair loose on a cotton pillowcase (I'm getting a silk one for Christmas, yay!) and I don't even get tangles. But yeah, for me, silicones are my friend, haha.

[lapushka]

Use a deep conditioner to get the tangles out in the shower, or a conditioner that is more moisturizing / has more slip (silicones).

[sourgrl]

Most of the advice you're going to get by posting your own thread is going to be from straight-haired people. I'd recommend asking either the Type 3 thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96338&page=17) or the Wurly and Curly thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369&page=192).

Re. wet hair. It is true that hair is weaker when wet. However, most people also find that wet hair (when also laden with conditioner or other slip-inducing products) detangles much, much more easily. Hence, many people prefer to detangle wet, conditioner-laden hair than dry hair. Personally, I'd never try to get out serious tangles dry.

Bolding mine. I find the knots, especially the fairy knots, are more difficult to remove if I let it dry first. I work a little bit of oil (argan) through the length when I detangle dry.

[meteor]

I sleep with my hair down and with a satin pillowcase, but I haven't for the past week because I'm lazy and haven't done laundry :P I toss and turn a fair amount. I've read that putting hair in a bun is better.

I recommend getting back to using satin pillowcase, maybe adding a silk/satin sleep cap and sleeping with hair contained.

Washing hair in twists/braids or sectioned should help dramatically reduce post-wash tangles.

[ARG]

I'm a straight-y, so I wouldn't be willing to offer any advice just wanted to say your hair is lovely!

[Anje]

I'm a sleep-cap fan myself for keeping down the knots at night, but braids are good too (if you're not like me and end up lying on top of them, off the pillow!). If you wake up with it somewhere across the room, don't dispair! Sleep caps take a week or two to train yourself not to fling it in the middle of the night, but you do eventually learn to leave it on.

What are you doing with your hair during the day? Wearing it down during the day is vastly more tangle-inducing for me than wearing it down when I sleep.

[Madora]

Hi there! It takes me a long time to get through my tangles in the shower with conditioner and a wide-toothed comb. All of the knots are in the back and they're nasty.

I'm wondering if you guys have any tips for preventing knots.

I sleep with my hair down and with a satin pillowcase, but I haven't for the past week because I'm lazy and haven't done laundry :P I toss and turn a fair amount. I've read that putting hair in a bun is better.

Is it better to de-knot when the hair is dry? I've read that hair is weaker and more prone to breakage when it's wet. I'm not the most gentle to my hair when I'm combing it.

It's better if I comb my hair daily, but I usually shower every other day, and I only comb it when I shower. The longer I go without showering/combing, the worse it gets.

Tips?

Tangles only generate more tangles if they are not detangled regularly (meaning every day). Also, try to avoid tangles (well, the majority of them) by wearing your hair up, or confining it in some manner. Since you are blessed with curly hair, you're going to find tangling a much more aggravating nuisance than a person with wavy or straight hair.

I guess my one tip would be to section your hair when you shampoo (create a center part) and try and keep each side separate. Also, when detangling, detangle in small, pencil thin sections. After detangling, clip the detangled hair aside so it does not get mixed in with the tangled hair.

Detangling in small sections allows you to isolate the tangle more easily and then work it apart with your fingers.

If you detangle dry, then I suggest a drop of Mineral oil to help ease out those snarls. You also might try dabbing a bit of MO on your comb's tines (not more than 3 drops) and then trying to detangle that way.

[vega]

Costa Rita take madora s advice ive been using this method for 5 weeks an had minimal breakage its all about patience and no rushing while detangling good luck

[lapushka]

Most of the advice you're going to get by posting your own thread is going to be from straight-haired people. I'd recommend asking either the Type 3 thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96338&page=17) or the Wurly and Curly thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369&page=192).

Yes. This. ^^ You are probably going to even get more knots if you want to do things "the straight way".

[jeanniet]

Definitely get that pillowcase washed! Also either bun loosely at night, or try a pineapple (loose ponytail on top of your head). Some people can get away with just throwing their hair loose up over their pillow, but doesn't sound like you're one of them.

If you don't CO, try conditioning twice and detangling after the second conditioner. Even if you do CO, make sure you condition again after washing, and detangle then. Experiment to see what detangles best for you--fingers, comb, or a brush like a TT or Denman. If all else fails, get a super detangler like Kinky Curly Knot Today--makes detangling much easier!

[LauraLongLocks]

Most of the advice you're going to get by posting your own thread is going to be from straight-haired people. I'd recommend asking either the Type 3 thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96338&page=17) or the Wurly and Curly thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=369&page=192).

Re. wet hair. It is true that hair is weaker when wet. However, most people also find that wet hair (when also laden with conditioner or other slip-inducing products) detangles much, much more easily. Hence, many people prefer to detangle wet, conditioner-laden hair than dry hair. Personally, I'd never try to get out serious tangles dry.

Well, I did say that my hair type is completely different and so my advice might be totally wrong, but I don't think it was horrible advice, coming from a straighty.

[Beborani]

Curly wet hair is less fragile than straight/wavy wet hair--it has been tested in labs, not just life experience. This book has some data

https://books.google.com/books?id=q3MGMTYAfu4C&lpg=PP1&dq=curly%20hair%20cuticles%20comb%20dale%20johnson&pg=PA659#v=onepage&q=Curly%20hair%20comb&f=false

[ravenheather]

I use kinky curly knot today on my 2c 6 year old dd. I mist her hair then use just a little before using a tangle freezer. This prevents epic battles between my tenderheaded girl and myself. She wears her hair down most days and is hip length stretched.

[Panth]

Well, I did say that my hair type is completely different and so my advice might be totally wrong, but I don't think it was horrible advice, coming from a straighty.

Sorry, LauraLongLocks. That comment was not directed at you, but was just summarising the sort of advice that commonly comes up on the Mane Forum. :flower:

[ClassicAim]

CostaRita - not sure if this has been said before, but if you sleep with your hair up in a bun or braided it will avoid some tangles. Also, if you pre shampoo deep condition with coconut oil and conditioner for a few minuets to hours before you wash your hair (the longer the better up to about 7 hours I personally think) it should loosen up some of the tangles and be a lot easier to comb through. Additionally, it would also add more moisture to your hair which I think is always a nice bonus.

[Halliday]

I find wet setting my hair in pin curls and fishtail braids really cuts down on tangles.

[LauraLongLocks]

Sorry, LauraLongLocks. That comment was not directed at you, but was just summarising the sort of advice that commonly comes up on the Mane Forum. :flower:

:blossom: Thank you for clarifying.

[CostaRita]

So I wore my hair in a bun last night, took a shower tonight, and there were hardly any snarls!

[pinchbeck]

Although I don't have curly hair it is knot city too. I blame it on it being 'old' and maybe my cuticles don't lay flat (haven't checked under a microscope so can only guess). However, my eight year old child is a curly and combating tangles is cumbersome especially when they matt at the back of his head. As someone mentioned above, braiding it in two at night keeps the tangles down.

Today was the first time I tried detangling my son's curly slightly below shoulder length hair while conditioner was on it and to my surprise it worked! Afterwards when his hair was towel dried I had a much easier time detangling. I have started to add hair serum to his hair to help smooth out his hair which will hopefully have a positive impact when it's time for wide tooth combing.

Tangles and snarls are a pain in the butt no matter if you're a curly or knot...!

[Long_hair_bear]

I braid my hair at night to prevent tangles. Also, very liberal amounts of conditioner.

[animetor7]

I second using something to help with slip, cones can help if used carefully and with clarifying as a part of your routine. I also second putting your hair in a braid or bun while sleeping, and most of the time while you're awake if you can stand it.

[lapushka]

:blossom: Thank you for clarifying.

Yes, Laura, I also meant to state my comment in general. No offense to who's straight and wants to offer their advice!

[LauraLongLocks]

Yes, Laura, I also meant to state my comment in general. No offense to who's straight and wants to offer their advice!

Thank you. I may not have curly hair, but I have a daughter who does. I'm gleaning as much useful information from the curlies as I can, and helping her put it into practice. I can see the results on her hair.