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View Full Version : Weird problem - Various fixes for tangle-prone hair only seem to work the first time?



Bexille
December 19th, 2015, 10:43 PM
I've been trying to figure out how to keep my tangle-prone hair sleek and neat, and I'm having trouble.

One of the first things I tried was adding a vinegar rinse to my washing routine. The first time I did this my hair came out super smooth, and barely any tangles formed that day. Usually I can't run my fingers through my hair an hour after combing. However, the next time I did the vinegar rinse--which was a couple of weeks later, I think--nothing happened. My hair was just as tangly as if I'd only used shampoo and conditioner.

The next thing I tried was clarifying. I used a clarifying shampoo, conditioned twice, and then did a vinegar rinse, and once again my hair came out soft and smooth. I thought I might do this routine once a month, but once again, I did not have the same results the second time I tried it (or the third).

I'm thinking the next thing I should try is chelating, but I'm really confused as to why these treatments that work wonders the first time don't work on subsequent tries. Any ideas? My tangles are truly, truly horrible and I'm getting pretty frustrated with my hair.

furnival
December 20th, 2015, 04:18 AM
I don't know why your fixes only work the first time, sorry I can't help you with that!
I have incredibly tangly hair too, of a similar type to yours. If I wear it down for a few hours it starts to form dreadlocks and it can take me hours of painstaking detangling and loads of lost hairs to sort it out. Now I keep it braided pretty much all the time and it's so much easier to manage- I only unbraid it to wash it and leave it down to dry, then a quick detangle, braid it again and put it up into a bun. This stops 90% of the tangling for me. If your hair is naturally tangly and you're getting frustrated with it then this might be a good long-term approach for dealing with it as it grows. (Assuming you don't already do this ;) )

bunneh.
December 20th, 2015, 04:21 AM
I second the hairstyling idea. My hair tangles a lot more if it's down than if it's braided for example. You can even try gently detangling your wet/damp hair with your fingers and braid it afterwards and let it dry. Other than that I wouldn't know why certain things would only work once for you...

pailin
December 20th, 2015, 05:34 AM
I have to agree regarding the hairstyling. I don't often wear mine down either, and tangles are a big part of it. Braids and buns for me. And if it's down, I have things on hand to braid it or put it up if the wind comes up.
Some of it is hair type. Where I live, you'll see girls with waist/hip length hair, riding around on motorbikes with their hair down. It's a mystery to me, because if I did that, the tangles would be incredible. But our hair just isn't the same. I also see those girls combing out their hair with pretty narrow toothed combs, which for me would be a joke.
I don't know why you find new things working only once. Sometimes I try something and it's amazing, then the next time, not so much. Maybe just that sometimes my hair needs different things.
But I will ask, do you use silicones, or avoid them? I used a silicone free conditioner that I loved; it was so moisturizing. But not very good for slip, and between increasing tangles and the cost, I've gone back to silicones in my conditioner and my hair is more manageable.
Another thought is protein- some people on this forum do great with protein (in conditioner, or protein treatments, etc) and others avoid it because it gives them tangles. So that is something else to consider.

Bexille
December 20th, 2015, 02:28 PM
Thanks for the replies. Braids do keep my hair from tangling too much, but I've always loved to wear my hair down, no matter the length. I dislike wearing it up :(

I normally use silicone free products, though I've used ones with silicone too and I don't notice an enormous difference. I avoid protein like the plague--tried a keratin "smoothing" shampoo/conditioner once and came out of the shower with a matted mess on my head.

lapushka
December 20th, 2015, 02:47 PM
Sometimes I get really tangly hair when I use a particular conditioner-combination, the week after that: zero tangles. It's puzzling, I know, but I doubt there is much you can do. It's just normal, I think. I'd try using a regular shampoo/conditioner routine, sometimes use the ACV, not every time, and see what that does. Try and keep it simple - might work.

missblueeyes
December 20th, 2015, 03:10 PM
Have you tracked how humidity affects the conditioner combinations or styling methods you've been using?
I can totally understand why you're against putting your hair up just to get rid of tangles - I'm the same. :P The best thing I found against tangles is a silicone-oil-serum that's applied on the ends. It gives them extra slip and keeps them from tangling. Have you tried that yet? I usually use a silicone-free shampoo and conditioner and I haven't had issues with build-up yet.