Ultra Tangled Hair HELP.

[Synester]

Hi there, I am brand new to this group/forum and would love some tips and tricks.

I have type 2a hair naturally that I blow dry straight and it usually falls fairly straight. Its BSL and ultra fine. If the wind even slightly blows it becomes knotted.
I've been trying to do everything I can to make my hair long and healthy, my goal is waist length hair. I blow dry every other day or when ever I go out to do something. I use heat protectant.
It really isn't very damaged heat and or color wise. I havent dyed my hair in 2 years and I get very frequent trims because I am growing my natural color out. But because it is SO FINE, it breaks EXTREMELY easy, when i get out of the shower I try my best to de-tangle with a wide tooth comb and even then, it gets somewhat stuck. It takes awhile to get all the knots out.

Can any of you recommend de-tangling sprays, brushes ect. How to keep my fragile babyfine hair from snapping without having a giant nest of knots ontop of my head.

[Borgessa]

Try detangling your hair while it is soaked in conditioner, thats when your hair is the slipperiest, the comb should glide through then. Because its so bad, i wouldn't comb it at any other time. Give it plenty of moisture, look up the curly girl method and maybe bring the LOC - Liquid - oil- cream a try, just to bring moisture back into your ends which may be causing its fragility. Sounds similar to my own hair, except i don't have tangles, pretty much ever. (cones, in your conditioner may help you, or some sort silk serum, anti-frizz. I use coconut oil and Jojoba oil in my own hair a bit.

As for brushes, I love my Tangle Teezer, depending on where you are, you may have to get yours online. When I brush, i don't really brush the length of my hair any longer, mine breaks like yours despite not tangling. I brush the canopy of my hair, smoothing it down and then up into a bun.

[Synester]

Ill try finding a good leave in conditioner, and I have a tangle teezer and my hair is such a tangled nightmare. its still not enough, im looking into a WetBrush next because the tangle teezer isnt cutting it anymore. I do coconut oil treatments here and there, but I guess its KNOT enough :( ugh lol. I also always brush from tips to root to make sure all of the knots are gone, otherwise the roots at the nape of my neck like to try and matt.

[Ophidian]

If it becomes tangled easily when you are wearing it loose, maybe you could experiment with some protective updos?

[Synester]

Ive never worn my hair in updo's my whole life. its always been loose or in a super basic ponytail with a big loose scrunchy. I dont even know how to braid my hair. its bad. Maybe I just need to try and practice some protective styles that dont stress my hair out so bad. even my big retro hair ties can sometimes snap my hair and start creating a "halo" of breakage. When its loose i feel like i can at least not cause any tension of my super fine strands.

[Rebel Rebel]

Hi Synester,

I have babyfine hair that breaks easily too. A few things I do keep it tangle free are using a gentle non drying cream shampoo, conditioners with silicone/cones, and sleeping in a braid on a silk pillowcases. This isn't my complete routine but these are the main things that keep it silkier. I agree with combing through your hair gently while there's slippery conditioner coating all of your hair. I've been practicing finger-combing just to be extra gentle but a wide tooth comb works fine too. Borgessa might be right that the LOC method would be great for you.

[Synester]

Thankyou everyone for replying really I love hearing what you guys do for your hair or just common knowledge of what you know works for specific problems., And Rebel, I've thought about using a sleeping cap my hairs so unruly when I sleep but I dont want to look silly..I wonder what would be a good LOC brand And I use sulfate free shampoo and conditioner, but i am not sure if it was silicone free as well. Everyone I talk to is either PRO cone or AGAINST cone.

[Tosca]

Cones are mostly a YMMV thing. They work for some people and they don't work for others. Like dairy, some people have bad reactions when they eat or drink it, but that doesn't mean dairy is inherently bad, it just means that that particular person should avoid it.

Conditioners for 'dry' or 'damaged' hair are usually the ones that are the most moisturising and slippery. I find Tresseme Perfectly Undone to be a silicone free conditioner that provides lots of slip. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration is a coney conditioner that is popular for providing lots of slip as well.

[Rebel Rebel]

Synester,

Someone on here told me about Silke London sleep caps. They are the least silly I've seen, so I just recently ordered one. Some I've seen are terrible looking lol! If you can't bare the sleep cap then get an all silk pillowcase. I would wake up with knotted wild hair before I had my silk pillowcases, and I'm certain more breakage and damage. They make a huge difference to me.

[Deborah]

Buns and other updos are the most protective way to wear your hair. You can read instructions for tons of buns and other updos on this list by searching. If you can learn the most basic braid, it is a good way to protect your hair while you sleep. Since I braid my ultra-fine hair to sleep, I wake up with no tangles. That was certainly not true when I slept with it down.

Good luck!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

My hair is fine too, very "cobwebby" when I detangle it. What I do is always wear it up in protective styles (mostly buns), otherwise I wouldn't have a hope of getting a comb through it, lol, I always use moisturising conditioners for dry, damaged hair, and when I am in bed I wear a silk sleeping cap. I don't give it any chance to tangle!

Wearing it loose for me means tangling, getting it caught on things and people, and blowing around in the wind, it's just a no-no. :)

I do look ridiculous wearing a sleep cap but no-one sees it except my husband and he thinks it's cute. Even if he didn't I would wear it anyway, I want hair in good condition and wearing a sleep cap has eliminated tangling for me, it's well worth it!

[Synester]

I shall def, check into adding more cone to my regimen and not be so afraid anymore Tosca! thankyou

[Synester]

Totally going to look into those sleep caps because I have a man in my life and he said he loves me how ever goofy I look but I still dont want to be maximum sillyness in my sleep Rebel!

[Synester]

when ive tried buns deborah i get breakage and i dont know how to braid but im going to try and learn. i feel like such a failure as a lady who has 0 clue how to braid her hair LOL

[Synester]

Thanks Sara! I am going to order a sleep cap for sure now, It seems like the best route for me.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

when ive tried buns deborah i get breakage and i dont know how to braid but im going to try and learn. i feel like such a failure as a lady who has 0 clue how to braid her hair LOL

I never knew how to braid either until I found the LHC :) You'll get there!

[Borgessa]

when ive tried buns deborah i get breakage and i dont know how to braid but im going to try and learn. i feel like such a failure as a lady who has 0 clue how to braid her hair LOL

LOL cause that's the woman's law right, must know how to braid hair! Can you imagine how many of us would get a "FAIL" you must be a man card.

[wispe]

I absolutely cannot comb through my hair after a shower once the water has been blotted. Combing in the shower through conditioner or ideally, under the water stream, works. So does waiting like an hour and then gently combing it damp. But the hour after toweling-off I don't even bother. I am finding a silicone serum helps detangle - either I apply it in the shower right after blotting excess water, or after an hour of air-drying on half-damp hair. I don't use cones otherwise in my routine but I'm not really against using them, it's just easier for me to find non-irritating products without the 'cones. My S+C is sulfate and silicone free, I usually wash CWC method (conditioner on the length, shampoo the roots, rinse out and then re-condition the lengths + detangle) and follow it up with LOC (or, LO. Sometimes the C step is just too much product and weighs me down)

If you like the idea of a sleep cap but don't want to actually wear one, make sure your pillowcases are a slippery, silky feel material. I also use silky scarves rather than my sleep bonnet on occasion, which I personally like the look of. I would also really recommend learning some protective styles. I'd learn some simple braids at first (english, then french) and maybe look into stick-held buns as an elastic-free option. I didn't wear my hair up more than once or twice a year before LHC but I've come a long way since then - I like video tutorials for learning new styles personally.

[Synester]

So many girls give me weird looks when I say I cant braid my hair. They just dont understand. Makes me feel even worse like gosh what am I doing with myself LOL I've met men who braid hair better than me. i'll get the hang of it oneday lol

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Just a question, do you scrub away at your hair with a towel after washing it, because that causes lots of tangles, as does piling it all top of your head and scrubbing it with shampoo....?

[Synester]

Yeah combing my hair before and after the shower on day 3 nonwashed hair is a living hell. I super rarely comb my hair while in the shower because I have to be oh-so extra gentle with it cause its most fragile then. Luckily I dont think silicone irritates me, and yes i am fine with cone, not fine with sulfates. And I am leaning heavily on the idea of a sleep cap but i'll try a silk or satin pillowcase first. Thankyou Wispe!!

[Synester]

No I have certain super soft cotton Tshirts that I blot my hair with or wrap my hair with after the shower. Towels are a no-no lol. And When i wash my hair i dont bunch it up.

[Rebel Rebel]

Totally going to look into those sleep caps because I have a man in my life and he said he loves me how ever goofy I look but I still dont want to be maximum sillyness in my sleep Rebel!
I don't have mine yet so I can't report, although I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it. I think it's a little pricey, but not out of this world. The good guys will love you no matter what! Luckily mine thought it was pretty cool.

[wispe]

So many girls give me weird looks when I say I cant braid my hair. They just dont understand. Makes me feel even worse like gosh what am I doing with myself LOL I've met men who braid hair better than me. i'll get the hang of it oneday lol

None of my 4 sisters know how to braid hair except for one, who can do a side 3-strand and that's it. My mom can english and french braid and that's all. A year ago I could barely braid and I definitely couldn't bun my hair up - I'd literally never learned how so I always just wore my hair down. I practiced a lot and watched a lot of youtube tutorials and can now do some pretty complicated braids even on myself. But I actually get a lot of people who are astounded when they see my braids and learn I did them myself - most women hear that and follow up with 'Wow, I can't even braid my own hair!'. You're definitely not alone. Not knowing how to braid doesn't take away your girl cred by any means. (but if you want to learn, it's totally possible and there's no rush or anything - take it at your own pace)

Also just want to say I totally feel you on the 'fine with cones but not with sulfates' thing, because that's the camp I'm in. I hope you like your pillowcase - I have a silk one and I love it. I bought one to switch to after the elastic on my sleep cap was irritating my ear (well, a new piercing on said ear). These days I wear my hair in a bun if I'm sleeping on the pillow without my bonnet otherwise my hair will get trapped under my body, and I wear it loose in the sleep cap. Keeps it nicely contained for me.

[Synester]

My man tells me "I just want whats best for your hair" and yes I just googled them, they are very pricy but Definitely the cutest classiest ones ive seen thankyou so much the only thing im concerned about was at the bottom it said "lifespan" 4-6 months before you should buy a new one. YIKES to spend that kind of money every 4-6 months seems awful. I am not sure how I feel about that.

[Synester]

Glad im not alone in the braidless loser club LMAO, and it stinks because trust me ive watched dozens and dozens of youtube tutorials but I am a hands on learner not a visual learner so its been quite hard for me. Also i am quite glad I am a stomach sleeper, otherwise id be laying on my hair too!

[wispe]

4-6 months? What. Yikes indeed. I'm not sure why they would wear out that quickly? So long as you use gentle care (like, handwash and lay out to dry) I can't imagine a silk cap not lasting years?

Maybe practice some simple braids with some yarn perhaps. That's what I do when I want to learn something complex and not on my own head. The good thing about braids is once you've figured them out it's like muscle memory and you don't even need a mirror to do them after that. For me, at least. I learn by watching and then doing - if I don't follow the movements as I watch along I'll never pick it up. Sometimes it takes me a good while to get the hang of it. I also learned that trying to watch myself in a mirror was counter-productive - watching myself backwards in a mirror always messes me up. I usually close my eyes when I braid my own hair, IDK why but it helps.

[Synester]

oh wow i never thought of practicing on yarn or something thats perfect for me because i need to do it in my hands in order to understand. I will try that and hope for the best lol!

[littlestarface]

My man tells me "I just want whats best for your hair" and yes I just googled them, they are very pricy but Definitely the cutest classiest ones ive seen thankyou so much the only thing im concerned about was at the bottom it said "lifespan" 4-6 months before you should buy a new one. YIKES to spend that kind of money every 4-6 months seems awful. I am not sure how I feel about that.

I have a silk one for a long time now since last year and no way do I have to buy a new one. It sounds like whoever said that either 1.wants your money and lots of it or B.doesn't know a thing about silk caps or D. its the same kind of person who only wears one thing once then throws it out lol

[Synester]

The brand of cap was SilkE London and they are 55 dollars UGH my wallet cries, but the look very fashionable and that has my interest very hooked. I care about my looks alittle too much sometimes

[Rebel Rebel]

I saw that about 4-6 months but I highly doubt it. It might be "recommended" but not necessary at all.

[Seventy7]

I've got fine hair that loves to tangle a lot too. Some days are better than others though. I finger-detangle when dry or when soaking in conditioner. I don't detangle wet after a shower.

When did you last clarify your hair? You might be experiencing build-up if you never wash with sulfates. I would recommend to clarify and do an SMT (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=128). This will take care of build-up and moisture.

Also, coconut oil is not for everyone. Some hair will actually tangle more after using it. Only you can tell if it actually helps or not.
I use my regular conditioner as a leave-in. Just a pea-sized amount to wet hair doesn't weight it down, but keeps it a lot smoother and easier to detangle.

[lapushka]

Can any of you recommend de-tangling sprays, brushes ect. How to keep my fragile babyfine hair from snapping without having a giant nest of knots ontop of my head.

If it's i and F, then I'd not use a brush at all. Just a WT comb. I'd try light conditioners with silicones, like the Pantene Aqua Light conditioner for instance, or volumizing conditioners, that way they won't weigh your hair down but still give you that detangling capability.

[Obsidian]

I was wondering about clarifying too. I understand you not wanting to use sulfates but sometimes they really are needed and hair care is about what your hair needs, not what you want.

Buy a cheap clarifying shampoo, I like suave daily clarifying and give your hair a good washing.
Make sure to thoroughly wash the length as well as the roots. This will remove buildup that sulfate free shampoo just can't manage.

If you have hard water, you might also need a chelating shampoo to remove mineral build up. I like joico clarifying for this but it can be pricey/hard to find depending on where you live. Any shampoo labeled for swimmers should work if joico isn't a option.

I like hello hydration conditioner for slip and moisture. My hair is super easy to comb through in the shower when cover in conditioner.

[Fia]

Seconding (or thirding) that a clarifying wash might be needed. Products add up on your hair over time and will create tangles if not washed out.

Tangles can also be caused by dust caught in the hair. If you use products on your hair, some have the side-effect that they will allow dust to accumulate in your hair. The accumulated dust causes the hairs to catch on eachother and will create tangles.

[lapushka]

Oh, and detangling also needs to happen in certain steps.

1/ Wide-tooth comb, starting from the ends upwards towards the root. Strokes from root to tip, starting at the tips, if that makes sense.

2/ Brush, if you are using one. Would not recommend something as heavy as a BBB for hair that fine and thin, but rather a Tangle Teezer. Also go from end to root.

I second, and third, the clarifying process. Starting afresh is always a good way to go about things like this.

[Synester]

yes I have i/F hair that is starting to get fairly long (longest ive yet to grow it in my life) and even my wide tooth comb will manage to snag and get caught in knots. its awful. I am going to for sure look into more Silicone products thankyou!

[Synester]

I use a tangle teezer now, and ive noticed the bristles have had build up on them sometimes so i scrub it clean...so the "dust" buildup sounds like a valid reason to why my hair gets like this. I will invest in a good cleanser shampoo. thankyou so much

[Kellylee]

I love it's a 10. It is pretty pricey, but I think it is worth it. They come in a lite version too if you don't want your hair weighted down.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Your hair sounds a lot like mine. I see good results with silicones and regular clarifying. Cones aren't bad, using them isn't bad. I tried cone free for about 3 years on and off and I really don't think i saw results.. at least what I thought I would see.
I think not using cones also aids to the hair collecting dust. I don't know what it is, but using oils and cone free products causes much more dirt collect, than when I use silicones. Sulphates don't need to be used regularly so don't freak out about them, using them only once or twice a month to clarify is fine. Using them too much can dry you out, but using them to clarifying every once in awhile works well for me.
Also: have you tried diluted ACV rinses yet? That helps me SO much.

[Synester]

ive yet to try ACV rinses but i will look into it. what has it helped with if you dont mind me asking (i dont know much about ACV in haircare)

[hayheadsbird]

ive yet to try ACV rinses but i will look into it. what has it helped with if you dont mind me asking (i dont know much about ACV in haircare)
For me acv adds shine as part of a normal wash, and if I'm just doing a water wash in seems to help clean as well. I've not noticed any conditioning and slip from it on my hair, but think it can do that for others.

[Monsoonu]

I have very fine tangly hair too. My favourite product is Marrakesh leave in treatment and detangler, It has some silicones but also natural oils.

I used to have a tangle teaser but my OH started using it on the cat as he thought it was a cat brush (cat seems to love her new £15 brush!) and I haven't purchased a replacement.

[mizukitty]

Tangly hair is a problem for me when there are a lot of sodium ions present in the water. My water softener replaces calcium and magnesium with sodium, which is great if you want tons of "grip" and "volume" (a la "beachy waves.") But if you already have a lot of hair it can make for a tangled disaster. The best way to combat this (for me) was to buy one of those cheapie amazon shower filters. They have a component that traps the minerals so a lot less get stuck to your hair.

For me personally, water is the biggest cause of problems. Even when my hair is ratty, dry, and disgusting and NO conditioner, silicones, or oils help, simply remembering to replace the shower filter cartridge is what makes my hair glossy and wonderful again.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

ive yet to try ACV rinses but i will look into it. what has it helped with if you dont mind me asking (i dont know much about ACV in haircare)

For me, it tends to give me a lot more shine and less frizz and less tangles. No the tangles don't completely go away with ACV alone, I have to use other things like cones in conjunction with ACV but the days I don't use it I can notice a difference in my hair.

[Synester]

That is hilarious lol. Maybe try a wetbrush, ive heard people say its BETTER than a tangle teezer. cheaper too.

[Synester]

I have been thinking of softening my water and or getting a filter for my shower. I try and take really good care of my skin and hard water is a nono. So I might as well do so for my hair as well. Thankyou for that tip/reminder!

[Deborah]

Syn,

I would not give up on the bun idea just yet. When done properly, buns are the least damaging way to wear long hair, and are in fact very protective to the hair. A plain wrapped bun, which we call a cinnamon bun on this list, is very easy to do. I find a flipped version of that bun even easier. A French twist is quite easy at your length and can be very elegant. One key thing is to never start with a ponytail, as that can and usually does cause a lot of damage. A search on this list will explain how to do many buns, some way too hard for me to do, and others quite easy. For a beginner, holding the bun in place with a large octopus clip is very easy to manage. Or holding the bun in place with a bunch of tiny claw clips around the perimeter is easy too. Hair sticks and forks are fine, but not the easiest to learn with. Hair scroos (I think they are also called spin pins) hold extremely well, are easy to use and don't show at all.

Just somethings to think about. Your hair will not tangle while properly held up in a bun, so buns are a key way to avoid tangling.

Good luck with whatever you try!

[Synester]

I love buns much more than any pony tail or braid, i think they are super cute. i will not give up thankyou and ive been considering getting hair sticks/forks pins of any kind. I feel like I can try and get the hand of it. Because anything that i "tie" my hair in, like a band of any sort. seems to cause damage. my hair is naturally very thin and doesnt have much volume in a pony tail so i usually have to wrap it at LEAST 3 times just for the hair tie to stay in and not be too loose. and spin pins sound neat, im going to look those up. But yeah having ultra fragile hair sucks I hate it. I feel like I cant do anything to it without it snapping. I look at my hair wrong and it breaks lol.