Hair has started tangling

[Summerwithin]

My hair is long (I've started sitting on it). I went no poo a couple years ago, though not 100%. I have sebhorric dermatitis/ psoriasis on my scalp so when it flares up I use tea tree oil shampoo, sometimes tar shampoo.
I've noticed my hair has become wavy, when its wet it is even curly.
I do not blow dry. I do not use hot tools. I do not brush when it's wet. And I only wash my hair about two or three times a month (unless I'm treating my scalp, then twice a week).
When it's dry I brush it. It tangles right up. I can't leave it down, can't run my fingers through it. It has no slip and seems to be rough but healthy. I have no split ends.
What does it need? What should I use? I'm tired of the knots and would love to wear it down again!

[CoveredByLove]

If you are only washing your hair two or three times a month, then maybe your hair is getting dry and needs moisture (water)? Maybe it just needs to be washed and conditioned more often. If your hair is curly, maybe try not to brush it when its dry.
Hopefully, Lapushka will step in and help. She has sebhorric dermatitis and uses the WCC method. Works great and keeps your length nice and tangle free with the extra conditioner. :)

[lapushka]

My hair is long (I've started sitting on it). I went no poo a couple years ago, though not 100%. I have sebhorric dermatitis/ psoriasis on my scalp so when it flares up I use tea tree oil shampoo, sometimes tar shampoo.
I've noticed my hair has become wavy, when its wet it is even curly.
I do not blow dry. I do not use hot tools. I do not brush when it's wet. And I only wash my hair about two or three times a month (unless I'm treating my scalp, then twice a week).
When it's dry I brush it. It tangles right up. I can't leave it down, can't run my fingers through it. It has no slip and seems to be rough but healthy. I have no split ends.
What does it need? What should I use? I'm tired of the knots and would love to wear it down again!


If you are only washing your hair two or three times a month, then maybe your hair is getting dry and needs moisture (water)? Maybe it just needs to be washed and conditioned more often. If your hair is curly, maybe try not to brush it when its dry.
Hopefully, Lapushka will step in and help. She has sebhorric dermatitis and uses the WCC method. Works great and keeps your length nice and tangle free with the extra conditioner. :)

Yep, I'm here. I can't last a week without washing, and I have SD as well. Normally I needed to wash 2 to 3 times a week, but I was able to stretch. Going 2 weeks without washing though, makes my SD flare up *badly*! So weekly washing it is.

I only detangle once a week, right before a wash using a wide-tooth comb and my Tangle Teezer brush. Then hair gets washed, put in a towel, and right after it comes out of the towel it is combed with a wide-tooth comb one last time. Then my hair is styled, air dried & diffused and left *alone* for an entire week. No combing. No brushing. It just gets put up into its updo just like that.

I do use the WCC method (links in my signature, in fact my whole washing & styling routine is in there, should you be interested). I have to use a harsh sulfate shampoo once a week to keep my SD at bay (and it works for me), but because the shampoo is quite drying, I condition twice after washing, leaving each conditioner in for 2 min.

If you have more questions, please ask. This about covers my routine.

I know what it is to have SD. Anything that works for you is a good method. Changing it up some is great, but just keep your scalp happy and the lengths need a bit of a routine of their own. The rinse-out oil method (link in sig) works really well for me, as well as the LOC method (link in sig).

HTH!

[Entangled]

What do you use in the way of conditioner? That could be helpful in figuring out a solution.

[Madora]

Perhaps your hair needs to be clarified?

To avoid tangles, wear it up. If you prefer wearing it down, then you need to take the time and detangle it more often during the day, rather than wait until evening to detangle. You might also want to consider wearing a half up so at least you'd have only half your hair to detangle when wearing it down.

[Freija]

Maybe a light misting of water to dampen (not soak) the lengths and ends, and then a few drops of non-penetrating oil smoothed through? It might take some trial and error to find the right one(s) and the right quantity for your hair, but I'm willing to bet that it would really help. : )

Mineral oil is a good, cheap oil to start with for most hair types; it's just sold as baby oil in lots of pharmacies/chemists'/supermarkets (try to find one without any additives - you want one that is just mineral oil, maybe some fragrance, and a preservative).

For fine hair, camellia japonica oil is also good and very light, smoothing and gives slip - as is jojoba oil.

For medium-coarse hair, heavier oils like sweet almond, avocado and macadamia can work nicely.

For very coarse, dry hair, you could try olive, which lots of people find to be one of the heaviest of all.

You could also try using silicone, either in a conditioner or a leave-in. Amodimethicone is supposed to resist building up on your hair, and there are some silicones which are water-soluble, so they will be removed every time you wash, even if you don't use shampoo.

Hope that helps!


ETA: definitely agree with everyone else - the first thing I do when my hair starts behaving oddly is to grab a clarifying *and* chelating shampoo which will get every kind of product and mineral coating off my hair (two popular ones are Joico K-Pak clarifying shampoo and Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three); apply it neat, all over my scalp, lengths and ends; massage it in gently; rinse; repeat; and then do a really long, intense deep conditioning treatment. It really does seem to sort most problems. : )

[Summerwithin]

Perhaps your hair needs to be clarified?

To avoid tangles, wear it up. If you prefer wearing it down, then you need to take the time and detangle it more often during the day, rather than wait until evening to detangle. You might also want to consider wearing a half up so at least you'd have only half your hair to detangle when wearing it down.
It tangles immediately after brushing. Like, I brush it out then can't run my fingers through it. I want to say it's almost tacky? But it doesn't feel dirty.

[Summerwithin]

What do you use in the way of conditioner? That could be helpful in figuring out a solution.

Just whatever I get in the store. I usually try to get a creme conditioner. I'm not sure what to use.

[Summerwithin]

Maybe a light misting of water to dampen (not soak) the lengths and ends, and then a few drops of non-penetrating oil smoothed through? It might take some trial and error to find the right one(s) and the right quantity for your hair, but I'm willing to bet that it would really help. : )

Mineral oil is a good, cheap oil to start with for most hair types; it's just sold as baby oil in lots of pharmacies/chemists'/supermarkets (try to find one without any additives - you want one that is just mineral oil, maybe some fragrance, and a preservative).

For fine hair, camellia japonica oil is also good and very light, smoothing and gives slip - as is jojoba oil.

For medium-coarse hair, heavier oils like sweet almond, avocado and macadamia can work nicely.

For very thirsty, dry hair, you could try olive, which lots of people find to be one of the heaviest of all.

You could also try using silicone, either in a conditioner or a leave-in. Amodimethicone is supposed to resist building up on your hair, and there are some silicones which are water-soluble, so they will be removed every time you wash, even if you don't use shampoo.

Hope that helps!

Great info. I think I have fine hair, but like I said the texture has changed on me over the last couple of years. I'll try a couple of these and see!

[Nini]

It depends on your hair as well. I can't wear my hair down if I want to avoid tangles. It's just not in it's nature. (Granted it's not very practical either, so for me braids and updos are a win-win situation;) )

[Summerwithin]

Yep, I'm here. I can't last a week without washing, and I have SD as well. Normally I needed to wash 2 to 3 times a week, but I was able to stretch. Going 2 weeks without washing though, makes my SD flare up *badly*! So weekly washing it is.

I only detangle once a week, right before a wash using a wide-tooth comb and my Tangle Teezer brush. Then hair gets washed, put in a towel, and right after it comes out of the towel it is combed with a wide-tooth comb one last time. Then my hair is styled, air dried & diffused and left *alone* for an entire week. No combing. No brushing. It just gets put up into its updo just like that.

I do use the WCC method (links in my signature, in fact my whole washing & styling routine is in there, should you be interested). I have to use a harsh sulfate shampoo once a week to keep my SD at bay (and it works for me), but because the shampoo is quite drying, I condition twice after washing, leaving each conditioner in for 2 min.

If you have more questions, please ask. This about covers my routine.

I know what it is to have SD. Anything that works for you is a good method. Changing it up some is great, but just keep your scalp happy and the lengths need a bit of a routine of their own. The rinse-out oil method (link in sig) works really well for me, as well as the LOC method (link in sig).

HTH!

Awesome. Thank you. I think I'll increase my washes as my scalp freaks out in the desert air. And with summer, you know how that gets /:
I only brush when dry because I thought brushing when wet caused breakage. I'll try combing it. Thanks!

[Summerwithin]

It depends on your hair as well. I can't wear my hair down if I want to avoid tangles. It's just not in it's nature. (Granted it's not very practical either, so for me braids and updos are a win-win situation;) )

I know something is just off though. I understand tangles. But I brush it, then try to braid it and give up because it literally just mats up in my hands

[Freija]

It tangles immediately after brushing. Like, I brush it out then can't run my fingers through it. I want to say it's almost tacky? But it doesn't feel dirty.

'Tacky' hair to me suggests build-up of some kind. Do you have hard water? I'd definitely try clarifying and chelating, then doing a deep condition with a conditioner that you've already used and been happy with in the past.

[Summerwithin]

If you are only washing your hair two or three times a month, then maybe your hair is getting dry and needs moisture (water)? Maybe it just needs to be washed and conditioned more often. If your hair is curly, maybe try not to brush it when its dry.
Hopefully, Lapushka will step in and help. She has sebhorric dermatitis and uses the WCC method. Works great and keeps your length nice and tangle free with the extra conditioner. :)

Thanks for this. I've grown to veiw water as damaging to my hair, but I think I need to change that. More conditioning could be the answer. I do live in Nevada, that desert air can just suck it dry.

[Nadine <3]

Clarify it and then do a deep treatment. Whenever my hair goes nuts, these are the first steps I take. If that doesn't fix it I know it's probably about time I had a small trim.

[Entangled]

Just whatever I get in the store. I usually try to get a creme conditioner. I'm not sure what to use.
If it's a standard store conditioner, chances are it's silicone heavy. Silicones aren't bad, but they do build up and clarifying (shampooing the whole length, often with a clarifying shampoo) gets rid of that buildup. I would try that before an oil, because if buildup is your problem, you don't want to keep adding more junk on. (Not that oils are junk or anything. They're just more clutter on top of buildup if that's your problem). What you describe sounds like my hair when it needs clarifying.

[Summerwithin]

'Tacky' hair to me suggests build-up of some kind. Do you have hard water? I'd definitely try clarifying and chelating, then doing a deep condition with a conditioner that you've already used and been happy with in the past.

Yes, we do have hard water. And I moved here a little over two years ago, so that could be it! What do you suggest for clarifying? And ive never even heard of chelating...lol

[Summerwithin]

Clarify it and then do a deep treatment. Whenever my hair goes nuts, these are the first steps I take. If that doesn't fix it I know it's probably about time I had a small trim.
I've never clarified. This is sounding like the problem

[lapushka]

I've never clarified. This is sounding like the problem

You can use any regular sulfate shampoo that does *not* contain silicones as a clarifying agent.

[Freija]

Okay, so chelating is like clarifying, in that it's a way of getting rid of build-up; but whereas clarifying strips out leftover gunk from hair products, chelating gets rid of the minerals that can start to form a film on your hair if you keep washing it in hard water over a long period of time. For clarifying, yep, any strong silicone-free sulphate shampoo should do; but for chelating you'll either need to use a shampoo labelled 'chelating' (e.g. Joico K-pak clarifying shampoo or Paul Mitchell Shampoo 3), or one designed for swimmers to get out chlorine - since most normal shampoos don't contain the specific ingredients that remove mineral deposits. : )

[elsieivy]

I will add, if you've got hard water, then you'll probably want to try chelating (removing mineral build-up) as well. For clarifying, yep, any strong silicone-free sulfate shampoo should do; but for chelating you'll either need to use a shampoo labelled 'chelating' (e.g. Joico K-pak clarifying shampoo or Paul Mitchell Shampoo 3), or one designed for swimmers to get out chlorine. : )

This is my suggestion as well. I use Kenra Clarifying Shampoo about once a month. (It also chelates.) http://www.amazon.com/Kenra-Clarifying-Shampoo-10-1-oz/dp/B0013V8ZB6

[Summerwithin]

Thanks all! I'm excited to try these suggestions!