How To Stop Hair From Getting Matted Under Nape of Neck?

[catabear]

Hi there! I just joined this forum and I'm hoping people will have some helpful advice for my hair! It constantly gets matted underneath my neck, only a little section of it. I'm not sure if there are any tips or tricks to prevent this? It drives me nuts! Right now I gently comb my hair when it's wet and put argan oil and/or a leave-in conditioner in it, then I braid it when I sleep. I wash it every 2-3 days with shampoo for my scalp and use a LOT of conditioner. I'm trying to grow my hair longer, and I want to make sure I'm not damaging it. I rarely (maybe 10 times a year) straighten or blow dry it. I have a silk pillowcase. I get it trimmed maybe 3 times a year? Sadly I always have to wear it in a bun at work (grrr), which makes it get tangled. Is there anything else I can do to help? Thanks in advance guys! -Amber


http://oi68.tinypic.com/21kkyvp.jpg

http://oi65.tinypic.com/fm51d3.jpg

[Nique1202]

I use a heavy-silicone serum (Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil Frizz Defy) very thinly all over my ends, but then I pin up the rest of my hair in a quick bun and I use an extra few drops just on my nape section. Just oil or extra conditioner isn't enough for my nape, and if I don't use the serum after every wash it starts matting into a three-inch-wide, foot-long tangle and starts grabbing the rest of my hair into itself as well. The heavy silicones add the slip it needs to stop from matting up, without getting the rest of my hair super coated and weighed down. I figure even if it looks a little greasy (which it usually doesn't unless it needs a little extra now and then) the nape is always hidden anyway, whether the rest of the hair is down on top of it or it's incorporated into a bun.

[missblueeyes]

My nape hair tangles a lot, too. The culprits are most likely hooded sweatshirts, necklaces and scarves. Three things I'm not giving up anytime soon so I just have to deal with matted nape hair and tangles. Silicone serums only to that much.
Your hair is really pretty! :)

[lapushka]

I have a slight bit more tangles in the hair at my nape. It is slightly shorter than the rest as well. I don't know if it's due to tangles or just the nature of the location of the hair. I'd try a few drops of a natural oil, or mineral oil (*drops*), spread over palms then smoothed down the strands, or a good silicone serum. Nique suggested a good one (I have that one).

[Dona]

I love your hair, it looks very pretty.

Unfortunately I have the same problem. I haven't found the best solution yet, so I'll follow this thread :)

[Kitten1030]

Your hair is gorgeous!:thud: I get the same thing. Especially annoying in this scarf weather. I haven't found the secret but I try to use something a little heavier on my nape like something with Shea butter in it. I use Nightblooming's salve. Doesn't solve the problem but I feel like they are a little more protected and it helps them lay flat when nothing is rubbing up on them.

[missrandie]

To protect my nape hairs, I tend to wear silk scarves around my neck in winter. It keeps my jacket collars and sweatets from destroying my fall down hairs.

[pamrlyn]

Hi Amber!

Wow - your hair is gorgeous!

My nape hairs were getting really tangled - I was thinking it was because they are soooo curly. Also - it looks like a small bush growing out from under a bun or low pony. What I did was put my hair up in a high bun, then trimmed my nape hairs short.

Nique and lapushka have better solutions than what I did - so next time I'll try oil first.

Happy growing!

[Amapola]

I use cones. I use them in particular on the nape of my neck to prevent this very thing. So where a lot of people apply their conditioner from the earlobes down, I use a nice blob on the nape of my neck, right on the scalp. Not everyone can do that because some are sensitive to cones, but this works for me and helps to protect my very fragile hair and stop it from snarling up hopelessly. The conditioner I use is called Miracle 7 and I get it at Sally's.

[spidermom]

Does the problem occur when your hair is down? Wear something silky. I get bad nape tangles if I'm wearing a sweater but not if I'm wearing something smooth like silk or rayon.

[Vanilla]

I wear scarves a lot, and I struggle with this too. I usually apply mineral oil on the nape of my neck, as well as my ends. Braids or braided buns make my nape tangling even worse, so I usually avoid those.

Best of luck!

[LongCurlyTress]

I too get this nape hair matting so I am watching to see how others deal with this problem. The hair serum focused in that area makes good sense. And it hurts to comb through this matting too! Ouch! Welcome to LHC btw, catabear and your curls and length are very, very pretty. :magic:

ETA I just remembered something which could be the cause of our napey hair matting... do you ever tie your hair back using a coated Goody elastic hairtie? This could be "cutting" hairs at the nape area if you do a low nape length ponytail or braid with the hairtie holding up at the nape hairline. I was making a braid using two Goody hairties, one to hold the ponytail snugly near my scalp and the other one to hold my braid tassel. It makes sense that the nape hairtie would pull on those nape hairs and possibly cut/tangle them and make them shorter. Also, I am not sure just how much conditioner gets up into that area. Hmmm... things to think about...:confused:

[Hairkay]

I've had knots in the nape area due to wearing hoodies and polo necked stuff in the winters. I cut off the knots and started putting one or two plaits at the back of my hair which takes care of that. The only drawback is that I get lint there. Oh and the plait unravels after 24 hours so I redo part of it. Maybe you could try an accent plait at the back?

[EdG]

Lately, I have had some success in battling nape tangles. :luke:

Try stretching washes to more than three days. Nape tangles are deep - they take several days after washing to start coming out. The length of the hair has to be thoroughly untangled first.

Comb in multiple directions. You need to remove the lint that has become wrapped around the hairs.

Try a mid or high bun to keep the hair off of the clothing.
Ed

[LoveSnap]

After you've detangled that hair, you can braid it and hide it in the rest of your hair.

[missblueeyes]

Lately, I have had some success in battling nape tangles. :luke:

Try stretching washes to more than three days. Nape tangles are deep - they take several days after washing to start coming out. The length of the hair has to be thoroughly untangled first.

Comb in multiple directions. You need to remove the lint that has become wrapped around the hairs.

Try a mid or high bun to keep the hair off of the clothing.
Ed

Do you remove the lint with your fingers or do you use a special tool for that? My hair seems to dislike the BBB I have but the lint still prevails.

[EdG]

Do you remove the lint with your fingers or do you use a special tool for that? My hair seems to dislike the BBB I have but the lint still prevails.I use my fingers and a wide-tooth wooden comb. Running the comb through my hair will pick up lint on the comb. Then, I clean the comb.
Ed

[lapushka]

I use my fingers and a wide-tooth wooden comb. Running the comb through my hair will pick up lint on the comb. Then, I clean the comb.
Ed

Yep, my comb is a perfect lint-catcher as well. If I just run my thumbnail next to the tines after combing, you won't believe the stuff that comes off! Wowie!

[lapis_lazuli]

I usually just work my fingers through my nape area (which takes a bit longer because I also get tangles there). It's common :) Just use some patience :flower:
ETA: My sister, who does not have patience, has severe breakage at her nape that curls in on itself now that it's so short. Be warned! ;)

[catabear]

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful feedback and compliments! I will try more hair serum right at that section! It makes sense to drench it, not like anyone can see it anyways. :P

[Anje]

I tend to apply extra oil to my nape, but honestly I find myself cutting some of those hairs short a few times a year. Scarves and hooded shirts are making it worse this time of year, but a few of those thin nape curls split and knot so readily it's not worth keeping them. They curl concentricly for a long as I've ever had them grow.