Why people can't grow long hair: Wet detangling

[blackgothicdoll]

https://youtu.be/6ZbYoU6fvQc

Thoughts?

[blackgothicdoll]

My thoughts: I think her opinion will change once her hair gets longer.

[desisparkles]

I have done it both ways and when I dry detangle I move like a snail bc I'm afraid of breakage. Bc I can hear the breakage.

When I wet detangle with conditioner I'm far quicker probably bc I can't actually hear the breakage.

I do notice far less shedding when I dry detangle than when I wet detangle.

I am trying to dry detangle the day before wash day because after trying it once I think for me personally it is less damaging - it takes me a good 30 min or so and I'm not at bsl yet.

I don't dry detangle daily but may experiment with that at a later time.

[blackgothicdoll]

I have done it both ways and when I dry detangle I move like a snail bc I'm afraid of breakage. Bc I can hear the breakage.

When I wet detangle with conditioner I'm far quicker probably bc I can't actually hear the breakage.

I do notice far less shedding when I dry detangle than when I wet detangle.

I am trying to dry detangle the day before wash day because after trying it once I think for me personally it is less damaging - it takes me a good 30 min or so and I'm not at bsl yet.

I don't dry detangle daily but may experiment with that at a later time.

When I dry detangle (with a comb) I literally hear and see the hairs snapping off, no matter how careful I am.

When I dry detangle with my fingers, I get anxiety because it'd take the rest of my life if I wanted to get through 1/8 of my hair. So all I do is go through quickly and pull out some shed hairs. I notice shed hairs more when dry than wet, but that's probably because I remove them from dry hair before my hair gets wet.

You're right about wet detangling, could be breaking/snapping but it would be difficult to hear. I do notice a frightening amount of hair come out when I use a TT, less with my wet brush. It's really hard to tell if it's supposed to be coming out or if I'm doing something wrong.

I've done fingers only through the whole routine, while dry, then in the shower, then while applying product, and it was an absolute disaster the next time it was time to wash. It might just be me but I don't think finger detangling can work. I never thought my hair was high porosity but I do wonder now.

Hair is tough. :p

[desisparkles]

omg, yes the time it takes!

The first time I dry detangled it was with a wide tooth comb and about 2 seconds in I nipped that in the bud - a def no for my hair too, haha.

I believe I have high possibly medium porosity and I don't really tangle much in the shower. Never have, but I was losing way more hair by wet detangling after 3 days of not washing then dry detangling after 5 so I decided to switch to dry.

I still wet detangle gently in the shower with condish after dry detangling though. Wasn't sure if that was clear.

[BerrySara]

um her arguments for why there are no long haired people anymore (straight or curly) and blaming it on wet detangling is just ...not factual to say the least (though I can think of other more colorful descriptions). Obviously she hasn't been on this forum where "super white people with hair down to their butts" do actually exist! Nowadays the reason why within mainstream beauty not too many have long hair is because they bleach, dye and flat iron it to hell. And then they tug on their roots all day long with hair extensions causing more thinning. I was no better to my hair a few years ago, my hair was a total disaster.

Well since her argument and "proof" of people nowadays vs "olden days" fell so short it was hard to take anything she said seriously. Obviously she wouldn't speak ill of bleaching, dying or heat styling as her livelihood depends on it...

Personally I can hear breakage when brushing dry or wet. If I brush with dry hair, my hairs are more likely to stick together and form knots than if I help it along with damp hair and a high glide conditioner (such as Knot Today). Coating the individual strands with a high slip conditioner allows the strands to glide along each other instead of sticking. I cant speak for her wash bowl and her methods for detangling her clients hair but I also don't detangle in the shower. I detangle prior to hopping in the shower by just misting my hair with water from a spray bottle and then coating with the conditioner. For me that results in the least amount of breakage (which I still hear).

[hinabelle]

Wait... so are you guys saying you prefer wet or dry detangling, and with or without product??? :hmm:
And what frequency between detangling and washing??

[blackgothicdoll]

Wait... so are you guys saying you prefer wet or dry detangling, and with or without product??? :hmm:

I personally prefer wet detangling with a slippy conditioner. To be specific:

I use an oil to prepoo on dry hair, and use my fingers to remove shed hair.
I coat my hair in conditioner before I get in the shower and let my hair get wet, but I usually do this to avoid inevitable wet-hair tangles. I might continue removing shed hair here with the help of a TT.
Shampoo.
The second condition, I detangle with a brush (most recently I've been liking a wet brush).

I am a heavy shedder so if it seems like I detangle a lot, to the first two rounds are really more of getting shed hair out.

[desisparkles]

Wait... so are you guys saying you prefer wet or dry detangling, and with or without product??? :hmm:
And what frequency between detangling and washing??


Wait... so are you guys saying you prefer wet or dry detangling, and with or without product??? :hmm:


I personally think for my hair dry detangling the day before wash day is the least damaging but I also wet detangle during my conditioner step in the shower as well.

When I dry finger detangle there is leftover product on my hair from wash day.

I tried dry detangling after squirting detangler on there but to me - getting my hair wet with detangler just meant wet detangling just out of the shower so I don't do that.

[blackgothicdoll]

um her arguments for why there are no long haired people anymore (straight or curly) and blaming it on wet detangling is just ...not factual to say the least (though I can think of other more colorful descriptions). Obviously she hasn't been on this forum where "super white people with hair down to their butts" do actually exist! Nowadays the reason why within mainstream beauty not too many have long hair is because they bleach, dye and flat iron it to hell. And then they tug on their roots all day long with hair extensions causing more thinning. I was no better to my hair a few years ago, my hair was a total disaster.

Well since her argument and "proof" of people nowadays vs "olden days" fell so short it was hard to take anything she said seriously. Obviously she wouldn't speak ill of bleaching, dying or heat styling as her livelihood depends on it...

Personally I can hear breakage when brushing dry or wet. If I brush with dry hair, my hairs are more likely to stick together and form knots than if I help it along with damp hair and a high glide conditioner (such as Knot Today). Coating the individual strands with a high slip conditioner allows the strands to glide along each other instead of sticking. I cant speak for her wash bowl and her methods for detangling her clients hair but I also don't detangle in the shower. I detangle prior to hopping in the shower by just misting my hair with water from a spray bottle and then coating with the conditioner. For me that results in the least amount of breakage (which I still hear).

Yeah I thought it was interesting that she said this. I wonder how many people on this forum who fit that.... description.... detangle wet. Lol.

And absolutely, the need to constantly change with color, cuts, heat and extensions are really why people don't have long hair (I believe). Especially in the era of instant gratification, not many people have the patience to grow out hair. In other time periods, it wasn't really a focus, I believe it was simply that nobody showered daily, let alone washed their hair daily, so hair was braided up and tucked away. Makes sense to me. I don't think the '100 strokes a day on dry hair' was really the secret to success.... but I also don't have type 1 hair so I know the care for that type of hair is completely different.

I guess I'm not sure why she made the comparison at the end of the day.

[AmaryllisRed]

Interesting.
Until recently, I would stand in my bathroom and finger detangle my hair before washing. But NOT with wet hands. If I have even a little bit of water on my hands, I can't get my hands through my hair. But my hair is a lot different from hers.
I feel like it works well. I think I lose less hair in the shower and combing it afterwards. But I do still need to comb it afterwards, even if I finger detangle beforehand.

My daughter, on the other hand, is a curly-- probably about a 3b-- her hair is above her shoulders unstretched and still very fine and thin since she's just little. I cannot imagine trying to detangle her hair without spraying it down first. I have a bottle of water and conditioner that I spray her with to help separate the knots. Otherwise her hair is like Velcro. There's no dry detangling happening there.

[BerrySara]

Yeah I thought it was interesting that she said this. I wonder how many people on this forum who fit that.... description.... detangle wet. Lol.


Good point! Maybe we need a poll to get a feel! Of course texture makes a difference.

Another reason why I personally wouldn't stop, drop and follow her direction is that quite a few long haired curly girls I have followed for a few years now (on YT and IG) for hair advice have both the length she doesn't and they wet detangle. Some of those girls do have longer than butt length hair when wet. Isn't the proof in the pudding? If she had waist long hair or longer and was making those claims I might pay more attention...Might be closed minded of me but I have seen the wet detangling work for others with my hair texture who have accomplished the very thing I am trying to accomplish :shrug: long curly hair.

[BerrySara]

Interesting.
Until recently, I would stand in my bathroom and finger detangle my hair before washing. But NOT with wet hands. If I have even a little bit of water on my hands, I can't get my hands through my hair. But my hair is a lot different from hers.
I feel like it works well. I think I lose less hair in the shower and combing it afterwards. But I do still need to comb it afterwards, even if I finger detangle beforehand.

My daughter, on the other hand, is a curly-- probably about a 3b-- her hair is above her shoulders unstretched and still very fine and thin since she's just little. I cannot imagine trying to detangle her hair without spraying it down first. I have a bottle of water and conditioner that I spray her with to help separate the knots. Otherwise her hair is like Velcro. There's no dry detangling happening there.

Yep, thats similar to me, it would be such a struggle trying to detangle dry and the fairy knots I would get...no thanks.
I definitely agree and can see how it can vary a lot from texture to texture.

[neko_kawaii]

LOL, mostly white with non-curly hair down past my butt here!

I generally comb dry, but that is because I'm super water conscious and I don't want to stand in the shower shivering while combing conditioner through my hair. When I just wash my hair bent over the tub and I'm turning the water off between steps, that is when I'll comb wet, but with conditioner. Without it would just be grabby and stretchy and cause breakage. There are two reasons I might comb damp after washing: 1) to detangle for an intricate braid or 2) to get it all straight for a length measurement.

Do I understand she is talking about detangling wet without conditioner? Why?!

[-Fern]

I've done most variations of detangling. Two or three years ago, I preferred gently detangling dry hair with a paddle brush. Now for the sake of time, I prefer wet detangling with a "slip-"adding product like Selkie. I don't have strong feelings about what method is best, I just gradually found what worked for the level of time and effort I wanted to spend on it.

[lithostoic]

I prefer dry detangling but my hair is straight (unlike me lmao aayyyy). I can barely get a brush through my hair when it's wet. It stretches and bounces back up and gets more tangled. And the brush literally gets stuck when I try ro brush the roots.

[ExpectoPatronum]

Like others, I can actually feel breakage when I detangle dry. I prefer to finger detangle with my hair full of conditioner. It takes a little longer but it works best for my hair.

[FennFire911]

White chick with TBL hair here, can detangle wet or dry with a comb, as long as I’m as gentle as if I were handling antique lace.

[Simsy]

If I’m detangling wet, there has to be something in my hair or everything just comes together like cement. The process also works a lot better with running water over the hair; otherwise I’m in for a world of pain. Dry detangling must have dry hands and I add a bit of oil before the final brush-through.

Honestly, long hair just isn’t “the thing” anymore. Women are no longer judged for having short hair as much; and the fashionable styles of the day require more effort and general damage. To be fair, it’s nothing new. We have better ways of handling hair and safer options to create styles your natural hair might not support. Curling irons and bleach/dye probably won’t burn your hair off; cleaning products won’t fry your hair anywhere near as badly; and in general, we have worked out that hair can be fun without ruining your life or reputation.

[gossamer]

Yeah I thought it was interesting that she said this. I wonder how many people on this forum who fit that.... description.... detangle wet. Lol.


:lol: super white here, with hair PAST my butt :lol:

I can't detangle while my hair's wet. Given the texture I have, it just seizes up and mats together even with conditioner in it (tho some conditioner does make it less tangly). I can't really detangle it until it's 75-85% dry, at least, and even then the damper parts form into matted knots.

Super interesting to hear about how detangling when wet works so well for curlier textures!

[meteor]

In the video she says: [1:10] "So what's going on? Why can't people grow their hair long and thick?"

Well, I think they can, especially if they don't cut it too much/too often and don't damage it too much/too often. :flower:

Personally, I don't detangle my hair when it's wet, because it's like brushing a wall - I just can't get through it. Even when my hair is still damp, hairs stick together and retangle the second after I detangle them, so I prefer dry or oily, but not wet. But that isn't to say that other people shouldn't do it differently, of course. I'd simply detangle in the kind of manner that results in the lowest number of broken and pulled out hairs and in the least resistance (maximum slip). Simple as that.

I feel like curly hair can benefit from as much slip as possible during detangling and that wet state (plus effective conditioner/oil, of course) might help achieve that for some folks.

But speaking of wet hair vs dry hair, wet hair stretches more, and combing/brushing can cause some stretching. When hair is overly stretched, it may not take its original shape right away - the stretching can deform the cuticle, causing cuticle edges to lift up and crack. Even after the fiber relaxes back, its cuticle can stay lifted under some circumstances (esp. significant accumulated damage).


When wet, hair can be stretched by 30% of their original length without damage; however, irreversible changes occur when hair is stretched between 30 and 70%. Stretching to 80% causes fracture(R.P.R. Dawber, A.G. Messenger, Hair follicle structure, keratinization and the physical properties of hair, R. Dawber (Ed.) (3rd edn), Diseases of the Hair and Scalp, Blackwell Science, Oxford (1997), pp. 23-50)

Hair is porous: damaged hair is intensely so. Water absorption causes hair shaft swelling. And when soaked in water hair weight increases by 12–18%. Wetting and subsequent drying in a predetermined position are basic to hair styling. Wet hair has higher combing friction than dry hair. Combing wet hair is more likely to stretch brittle hair to its breaking point. (Z.D. Draelos, Hair Care; An illustrated Dermatologic Handbook, Taylor and Francis, London (2005), p. 217)


Cysteine residues in adjacent keratin filaments form covalent disulfide bonds forming a strong crosslink between adjacent keratin chains. (M. Feughelman, Morphology and properties of hair, D.H. Johnson (Ed.) (1st edn), Hair and Hair Care, Marcel Dekker, New York (1977), pp. 1-12) The disulfide bonds contribute much to the shape, stability, and texture of the hair. These disulfide bonds remain intact when the hair is wet allowing the hair to resume its original shape. Other weaker bonds link the keratin polypeptide chains together such as Van der Waal interactions, hydrogen bonds, and Coulombic interactions known as salt links. (Feughelman, 1977) These weaker bonds can be overcome with water.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15526559#bb0050

And by the way, those disulfide bonds are broken by chemical processes like bleaching, perming/relaxing, etc... Weakened and more porous hair is even more susceptible to further damage and weathering, especially when wet, since it's a cumulative process obviously (as hair is dead organic matter that can't restore its integrity). Damaged hair is more likely to be excessively stretchy when wet and take forever to come back to that dry and less stretchy state (see some of those "bleach fail" videos for getting an idea of that kind of stretchiness/gumminess/"wet noodle" type of stretch - at that stage protein fillers are the way to go).

[Ligeia Noire]

I only detangle wet, after the shower, not in the shower, my hair is to tangly after applying conditioner or mask, because i do not separate sections but yeah after getting out of the shower and towel squish it a bit, I detangle with a fine comb and it takes me way less than it used to when my hair was shorter because it was drier and puffier and I did not wear it braided when up.....detangling dry hair would be an array of breakage. I only detangle once a week too, the other days, I just finger comb a little after unbraiding or I might brush once or twice but it is always braided so there is not much in tangles. I think wavy and curly hair does well detangled when wet and with the slip from conditioners but that is my experience as a 2b/c,/.

[Quixii]

I didn't watch the video, but as a person with long hair who detangles while wet, I'mma assume she says some incorrect things.

[AmaryllisRed]

:lol: super white here, with hair PAST my butt :lol:

I can't detangle while my hair's wet. Given the texture I have, it just seizes up and mats together even with conditioner in it (tho some conditioner does make it less tangly). I can't really detangle it until it's 75-85% dry, at least, and even then the damper parts form into matted knots.

Super interesting to hear about how detangling when wet works so well for curlier textures!

I remember watching a video of yours in which you [gasp!] braided your hair wet without detangling. I was like WHAAAAT? That was the first time I'd ever heard of anyone doing that.

I wish I could do that sometimes but if I don't comb my hair after washing, my scalp gets weird.

[Five of Five]

To be honest I would love to have her as a hairdresser, although it seems as though it is different for different hair types. It seems like the best option is to detangle when it is at its most cooperative, whenever that is for the individual hair type.

My hair is immediately turns to matted cement when wet, but combs through like butter when dry. One of the reasons I hate going to hairdressers even for a trim is because I know they will detangle my hair when it is damp and stretch it and probably break parts of it, too. For people with fine hair, this could very well be one of the main culprits to watch out for if it will not grow long.

[AutobotsAttack]

I have relaxed hair, and to be honest, my hair does very well when detangle damp. Not dry, not wet, but slightly damp. I think you have to find a happy medium. I separate solely with my fingers. Takes me about an hour, which is why I now wash once a week typically, and my hair has been thriving so much.

Before when I had my hair natural I had to do the same thing. With kinky or coily textures, it really depends on the individual hair diameter. It comes to the hair’s ability to move passed one another. Even for curlier textures that have never had any chemical treatment, think about sebum coverage.

There’s plenty of women , myself included with kinky/curly hair that cannot get a comb passed their tresses when it’s dry. Relaxed, color treated, or natural.

On the other hand, I’d speculate that women with straighter hair, have enough sebum coverage that the natural hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of it make detangling wet hair also difficult. It’s like trying to put wet clothes on dry skin. In terms of detangling though.

The curlier your hair gets, the less likely your sebum can spread down your hair. Sebum is the ultimate moisturizer, in my opinion. That’s why kinky textures like mine, relaxed or not still have difficulty dealing with dryness. Some opt to dampen the hair, or pre-poo/detangle prior to getting in the shower, but some type of lubricant is typically involved. Why? As I said before, dryness. So I don’t agree that detangling on dry hair is the best option. That is up for an individual to decide what is best for them.

Other women of my hair texture prefer to dry detangle, and it could be if they have fine hair. Fine hair is extremely fragile when wet, and that’s also why I don’t really detangle wet hair thoroughly. I just pass a comb gently in four sections to get it going in one direction. I like to info given, but I don’t think it’s factored in hair behavior throughout the entire drying process, because again, I think sebum coverage is a huge factor that no one seems to consider.

[Ellethwyn]

I always detangle my hair before i wash it. It's totally worth it.

[lapushka]

I expressed my 2cts on this lady in the thread named after her. IMMHO, she doesn't know what she's saying half the time, sorry.

ETA/

I dry detangle before a wash. Then once my hair is washed and comes out the towel, right before styling, I detangle with a wet brush. I have no breakage, no issues.

I call BS on the lady. :bs:

[YvetteVarie]

I finger detangle when dry, and later detangle wet. My hair is the longest it has ever been in my life thanks to this (I'm scraping BSL now). What she should have said was YMMV, because hair practises are as diverse as the number of heads around. What works for me will not necessarily work for another person with the same hair type as me.

[Hairkay]

I grew up getting hair detangled damp or wet. It was very rare to do it on dry hair. I can hear a hair break on dry or wet hair. I may get one of two snapping on dry hair as opposed to numerous strands on dry hair. I've got full sebum coverage. It only takes a little water to make hair damp for me to get enough slip to detangle. Sometimes in the shower my hair will detangle itself that's why some plaits and twists unravel. I'm not spending more than 15 minutes in the shower either sometimes it's half that time. It's all YMMV. I have heard of some fine haired curlies detangling with oil on dry hair slowly and carefully.

[illicitlizard]

um her arguments for why there are no long haired people anymore (straight or curly) and blaming it on wet detangling is just ...not factual to say the least [...]
Well since her argument and "proof" of people nowadays vs "olden days" fell so short it was hard to take anything she said seriously. Obviously she wouldn't speak ill of bleaching, dying or heat styling as her livelihood depends on it...
[...]
Gotta agree with that one, I used to have semi-long (like past BSL so not actually long) hair, wet detangling and dry detangling were both things I tried. Didn't find any remarkable difference between the two. I feel the most likely culprits are societal standards that advocate for frequent trims and keepin hair cut 'into a style' as well as the tendency towards chemical processing and heat styling.


I prefer dry detangling but my hair is straight (unlike me lmao aayyyy). I can barely get a brush through my hair when it's wet. It stretches and bounces back up and gets more tangled. And the brush literally gets stuck when I try ro brush the roots.
(Aaaaaay lmao mood) Kinda interesting that people can have such different experiences with brushing wet even with ostensibly similar hair types. Almost as if brushing hair wet isn't the main culprit for people keeping short hair...

[Joules]

I never detangle my hair. Like, ever. It just doesn't get tangled, it's in an updo 90% of the time. I just brush my hair wet after I get out of the shower with a tangle teezer. It's usually super slippery because of all the conditioner, so brushing it is more of a nice ritual rather than a necessity. Very very rarely I might encounter a tangle, but I just remove it with my fingers. Last year when I had velcro ends they tangled quite a lot, but they tangled in a dry state, wet was fine.

Back when I wore it down every day I'd get minor tangling, but nothing serious; the only time I can remember when detangling was hard was when I was about 10-12 years old and my texture started to change from normal type 1 to super dry type 2. Just shampoo wasn't enough for me anymore but I was yet to discover that conditioner even existed. Yeah, those were challenging years. I did brush wet hair at that time though, just because it felt easier than brushing dry. I don't recall damage from it.

[LadyCelestina]

One thing I agree with is that shampooing often makes tangles worse. So if my hair is tangled, I make sure to do a CWC style wash, with as many "rounds" of conditioning as it takes to workout the knots... then shampoo and condition again.

[spidermom]

These days, I try to do a thorough detangling before I wash, then do my best not to mess my hair around while I'm washing/rinsing it so that I don't have to detangle it wet because I agree that it's damaging. However, life is damaging, so I'm not going to worry too much about it.

[Rapunzeloneday]

I got about 2 minutes into the video and just have to say..I have long thick hair and always gently detangle when wet. If I dont then it will be even more difficult to detangle when its dry.

[The-Young-Maid]

I detangle both wet and dry. It only takes me seconds maaybe a minute. Idk how all of you can spend so much time on it. It honestly sounds like a nightmare!
I hate trying to detangle while it's drying. My hair mattes and I leave it be til it dries.

Dry: tangle teezer and brush
Wet: tangle teezer and wide tooth comb (in shower)

[Groovy Granny]

:waving: White lady here with long, fine, wispy hair to my butt that is sleek/wavy in dry air, and curly in humid air.

I detangle both when wet and dry...with a wet brush..... WITH NO DAMAGE :shrug:

A few of her videos have been posted on LHC in the past, didn't get good reviews on them, and for a stylist she talks a lot of BS :doh:

Personally she makes me nuts with her misinformation and gesturing, and I pity the poor souls that fall into her salon chair :p

That's just my :twocents: :flower:

[MoonRabbit]

The only time I can detangle without any snapping/damage is right after the shower when my hair is super slick and already pretty much knot free from finger combing in conditioner.

I always always always get the most damage from dry combing.

[EdG]

I did not watch the video.

My hair needs a small amount of dampness to comb without breakage. I apply water with an eyedropper.

I finger-detangle when my hair is either damp or dry.

I never do anything to my hair when it is wet.
Ed

[AutobotsAttack]

I detangle both wet and dry. It only takes me seconds maaybe a minute. Idk how all of you can spend so much time on it. It honestly sounds like a nightmare!
I hate trying to detangle while it's drying. My hair mattes and I leave it be til it dries.

Dry: tangle teezer and brush
Wet: tangle teezer and wide tooth comb (in shower)

Not everyone’s hair is comparable to yours. Some are willing to go the extra mile to ensure hair growth retention. Doesn’t mean it’s a “nightmare”.

[ynne]

"They've all got hair extensions now." So this forum is fake & every long-haired person I meet is just very sneaky with their extensions? ... For real, though. Like was already mentioned here, I do think many people don't grow their hair very long because they just don't want to. It's often not a priority and that's okay.

I couldn't get to the end of the video, but yesterday when I was about to wash my hair (that was in a bun and beginning to tangle here and there), the second I put water+conditioner on, it pretty much... untangled itself. And what didn't, I (without needing to use force) finished detangling. If I try when it's dry, I end up ripping hairs out.

[Joules]

I couldn't get to the end of the video, but yesterday when I was about to wash my hair (that was in a bun and beginning to tangle here and there), the second I put water+conditioner on, it pretty much... untangled itself. And what didn't, I (without needing to use force) finished detangling. If I try when it's dry, I end up ripping hairs out.

Spankie Valentine on YT uses the water bucket method to detangle her hair pre-wash. Basically she just dumps her hair into a bucket of water and it, yes, untangles itself. So it's a real thing :D

[*Wednesday*]

um her arguments for why there are no long haired people anymore (straight or curly) and blaming it on wet detangling is just ...not factual to say the least (though I can think of other more colorful descriptions). Obviously she hasn't been on this forum where "super white people with hair down to their butts" do actually exist! Nowadays the reason why within mainstream beauty not too many have long hair is because they bleach, dye and flat iron it to hell. And then they tug on their roots all day long with hair extensions causing more thinning. I was no better to my hair a few years ago, my hair was a total disaster.

Well since her argument and "proof" of people nowadays vs "olden days" fell so short it was hard to take anything she said seriously. Obviously she wouldn't speak ill of bleaching, dying or heat styling as her livelihood depends on it...

Agreed 100% BerrySara

I detangle wet by sections using oil. It detangles easily for me. I need to because it tangles when I wash. Whatever works for your hair with the least breakage.

[The-Young-Maid]

Not everyone’s hair is comparable to yours. Some are willing to go the extra mile to ensure hair growth retention. Doesn’t mean it’s a “nightmare”.

Yeah I'm lucky since my hair is low maintenance and will grow like a weed regardless. My hair is pretty strong :cool:
But I still consider spending hours on my hair to do the simplest things a nightmare. YMMV I'd rather be sleeping lol
Me not going the "extra mile" doesn't mean my hair will measurably suffer. But everyones hair is different

[The-Young-Maid]

Spankie Valentine on YT uses the water bucket method to detangle her hair pre-wash. Basically she just dumps her hair into a bucket of water and it, yes, untangles itself. So it's a real thing :D

Random thought here, but wouldn't it be cool if you could dye hair like that? Like water marbled?

[lapushka]

Yeah I'm lucky since my hair is low maintenance and will grow like a weed regardless. My hair is pretty strong :cool:
But I still consider spending hours on my hair to do the simplest things a nightmare. YMMV I'd rather be sleeping lol
Me not going the "extra mile" doesn't mean my hair will measurably suffer. But everyones hair is different

When I was waist, my hair was pretty easy to detangle as well.

And even now, I don't spend more than 5 min. on it pre-wash and 5 min. post wash. It got a little more challenging at FTL, but still not bad. I guess it depends on the individual, but I'm not that high maintenance either when it comes to detangling. ;)

[Dark40]

I also think her opinion is going to change over time too. Detangling wet or dry doesn't matter to me. I don't see any difference with breakage. I'd say on me it's easier to detangle while it's wet more than when it's dry. I agree with BerrySara. There are people out there that still can grow hair to their butts.

[MusicalSpoons]

Edit: really very boringly white here, with hair somewhat past my butt ;) I didn't watch the video but it sounds like I'm not missing much! But these are my experiences with detangling /Edit

I've only ever had to truly detangle once since finding LHC, after spending a day with rag curls. My hair had to be sopping wet and absolutely slathered in conditioner, and it took hours. I genuinely thought I might never get the tangles all out :wail: (I did, evidently, but those were some long, exhausting hours. Never again :shake:) It did give me sympathy for people with curly or otherwise tangle-prone hair, though.

My usual 'detangling' takes 3-5 mins at most, when bone dry. Otherwise after wearing something like a ponytail it might take 15mins or so. I use a wide-tooth wooden comb, and stop to pull apart any real tangles with my fingers; they are usually few, thankfully. I have found the more conditioner I use when washing (+ROO, in the right amount) the less my hair tangles. I also wear it up virtually all of the time, including overnight, and I sleep on satin. Those last 2 are tweaks that have cut down on both tangling and lint.

If I attempt anything wet, it usually creates tangles; just to run my fingers through the last foot or so needs plenty of oil or conditioner and sopping wet. Damp is an absolute NONO, with a mix of dry and wet hairs it truly is a nightmare and causes evident damage (stretching, breakage, and those stretched hairs end up knotting!). Just. No. :run: shudder:

[The-Young-Maid]

When I was waist, my hair was pretty easy to detangle as well.

And even now, I don't spend more than 5 min. on it pre-wash and 5 min. post wash. It got a little more challenging at FTL, but still not bad. I guess it depends on the individual, but I'm not that high maintenance either when it comes to detangling. ;)

Yeah I'm actually back at TB again but I haven't noticed a difference tangle wise. My hair does tend to creep around and pet things more with the extra length.:knuckle: But with a good conditioner I don't need to worry about much. I'm curious to see what challenges classic will bring. I've already had to find a new down "style" for work.

[Ylva]

For my hair, dry detangling is much better (I'm a stravy - and white for that matter :laugh: ). I CAN brush my hair wet with a Wet Brush or other brush if I'm very, very careful, slow and gentle, but stretching and breakage are always a worry there. I wouldn't call it finger detangling, because I don't really experience tangles in that situation, or any bad tangles in general, but when I'm applying conditioners, I always separate my hair into smaller clumps for easier product distribution, so I guess that also sort of prevents tangles.

[dove4]

I only detangle my hair wet, with conditioner. It would ruin my waves if I tried to do it dry.

Sometimes I dry comb the top and bottom of my hair, gently. It's not detangling, it's to make it look a bit neater, right before I go somewhere. I don't do this very often.

[littlestarface]

Oh so that's why I can't grow my hair long, well this short haired super curly gal knows more than me for sure.

[lapushka]

Oh so that's why I can't grow my hair long, well this short haired super curly gal knows more than me for sure.

LOL. To be fair, her hair is way more tightly coiled, but you'd think she'd at least have checked out other channels, or "listened" to all the other naturally curly women out there. It takes "guts" to call yourself "the curl ninja" and then go against all that is known so far, all while trying to stick to one brand very expensive hair care line. To me it comes across as quite ignorant. And you can call it BS, but I'm afraid she just might not know any better. :shrug:

[RadioactiveLily]

Whether or not I detangle wet depends on what product I’ve used in the shower. Sulfate shampoos/clarifying shampoos seem to make my hair tangle very badly at the roots, so there were a couple times it was so bad I was afraid to detangle it wet. However, most of the time I do not use sulfates, and I can gently detangle and distribute my conditioner in the shower with a wide tooth comb. I have 1b FTL hair.

[LongCurlyTress]

I am appreciating the replies here. For me, 3b/f/iii detangling wet.. I hear snapping. No matter what I do, I have a curly halo when I wear buns, so I guess that is just the nature of my hair. Detangling at longer lengths at TBL after using a ton of conditioner with cones in the shower... but we had a drought here where I live and I was trying to not use much water so I started detangling out of the shower. The matting and breakage in my nape area was horrible... anyways, my hair is now at almost apl again and detangling is still pretty easy. For me the thickness and the curls create the breakage at longer lengths. :( I will just have to live with my curly halo I guess... wont cut back short again... :doh: Thank you all those with super long hair for commenting on this thread, especially the curly 3 girls with iii hair... :disco: It's nice to know I am not alone... :)

ETA After reading through all the comments here, I am deciding to let my hair naturally go into dreadlocks. Period. Decision made. :) That is what it wants to do naturally, so just going to let it do its thang. :joy:

[Entangled]

I think perhaps the manner of wet detangling matters; I used to drag a ball-tipped brush through wet hair, and that certainly contributed to the poor quality of my hair the last time I had longer hair. However, I still wet detangle now, with product.

Without watching the video, my two cents on why people don't have hair that long anymore in general: Aesthetic changes, as well as hygienic changes. By aesthetic, I'm not saying people now don't think long hair isn't pretty (though that number is certainly lower now than in an age where long hair was common) but that the aesthetic required to keep it long and healthy (updos) isn't common. In western history, I don't know of a time period where loose hair for women was the vogue until the past few decades. Before that, it was up. Heian Japan is the only time period and culture I know where super long hair without updos is the beauty aesthetic, and that was probably only possible by the layers of silks worn by nobles and the lack of vigorous activity that would cause mechanical damage or necessitate wearing it up.

[Beeboo123]

I wet detangle, and i’ve collected all the hairs that came out in the shower to count (I was worried about hair loss). Every one of those strands were not broken off, they all had the root attached. So really, i don’t believe that wet detangling is so bad for you. Unless you have already damaged hair, or really curly kinky hair

[Zesty]

I only "detangle" as much as I need to to distribute conditioner when my hair is wet. I agree most with gossamer and MusicalSpoons. Wet or damp detangling is a no-go. I brush before washing and then again once my hair has dried. I'm also one who doesn't have a ton of trouble detangling though. Even if I go days without, the situation is never dire.

I think a lot has to do with texture. I'm super white with hair a little past my butt, and the way I handle my hair makes it quite straight.

[blackgothicdoll]

Thanks for all of the input! I think I will make a poll, but it does seem to me that most curly types prefer wet and straighter types prefer dry? It makes sense actually. When straight hair is wet, it is stretched to its furthest point by the weight of the water and gravity, which means combing it at this point could cause breakage.

But with curly hair, even when it's wet it isn't fully stretched, so it still has more elasticity to give when it is combed or brushed. That's just my assessment of course. :o

[lapushka]

I only "detangle" as much as I need to to distribute conditioner when my hair is wet. I agree most with gossamer and MusicalSpoons. Wet or damp detangling is a no-go. I brush before washing and then again once my hair has dried. I'm also one who doesn't have a ton of trouble detangling though. Even if I go days without, the situation is never dire.

I think a lot has to do with texture. I'm super white with hair a little past my butt, and the way I handle my hair makes it quite straight.

Yeah, I have to wet detangle, and I'm only 2.

[lapushka]

I'm talking about 2 very coily curlies that dry-detangle (pre-poo) before a wash.

annettemint
Amber Ansah

ON the YT!

Check them out sometime.

I also dry detangle pre-wash, makes the washing process and the wet detangling after *so* much easier. And it saves the heck out of your drain, I promise you!

[blackgothicdoll]

I'm talking about 2 very coily curlies that dry-detangle (pre-poo) before a wash.

annettemint
Amber Ansah

ON the YT!

Check them out sometime.

I also dry detangle pre-wash, makes the washing process and the wet detangling after *so* much easier. And it saves the heck out of your drain, I promise you!

Could you show the videos? I saw Amber Anash prepoo with oil, but she sprayed her hair with water first, so I wouldn't consider it dry detangling.

[gossamer]

Thanks for all of the input! I think I will make a poll, but it does seem to me that most curly types prefer wet and straighter types prefer dry? It makes sense actually. When straight hair is wet, it is stretched to its furthest point by the weight of the water and gravity, which means combing it at this point could cause breakage.

But with curly hair, even when it's wet it isn't fully stretched, so it still has more elasticity to give when it is combed or brushed. That's just my assessment of course. :o

That makes a lot of sense to me!

[lapushka]

Could you show the videos? I saw Amber Anash prepoo with oil, but she sprayed her hair with water first, so I wouldn't consider it dry detangling.

I would search the channel. There is no one particular video I have in mind; she has several.
annetemint as well. I would definitely check her out too!

[lapushka]

I just came across a channel where someone was actively "promoting" the curl ninja, telling everyone they should watch her, how good she was etc. Turns out it's her mother. :roll:

[Ligeia Noire]

Thanks for all of the input! I think I will make a poll, but it does seem to me that most curly types prefer wet and straighter types prefer dry? It makes sense actually. When straight hair is wet, it is stretched to its furthest point by the weight of the water and gravity, which means combing it at this point could cause breakage.

But with curly hair, even when it's wet it isn't fully stretched, so it still has more elasticity to give when it is combed or brushed. That's just my assessment of course. :o

I think you're dead on. It really is like that for me.

[The Lizard Wife]

Personally, for me and my straight, white-gal hair, I grew up always combing my hair dry before washing it, finger-combing it throughout the shower (either with the water running on it, or while working conditioner through it) to keep tangles from becoming knots...later, detangling wet after the shower to put it up in a hair towel, then detangling again before blow drying (on the coolest setting! It's really thick and I'm always cold, okay), then detangling periodically during blow-drying...

Then after I joined here and was browsing threads I saw some mention about not detangling wet and detangling only after your hair is dry instead, I can't remember exactly what the context or advice was but it was convincing enough to make me go "that actually sounds worth a try!", and I was tired of tugging at knots and shedding/breaking hairs. So for my most recent wash, I detangled dry before I washed my hair and then didn't detangle again until after I had finished getting it more-or-less dry with the blow dryer.

...and it turns out, the amount of tangles I had to detangle was at the end the exact same amount as I had previously been detangling at each individual step along the way? I've been doing all this unnecessary effort?? My hair wasn't going to turn into a rat's nest just because I didn't detangle??? Even though I'm really careless about scrunching shampoo through my hair and throwing my hair all over the place while I blow dry????

So I'm never going to spend time purposefully detangling wet again, because I am lazy and I can get away with it.

[GRU]

I didn't watch the video, but as a person with long hair who detangles while wet, I'mma assume she says some incorrect things.

OMG, Quixii, I wish I hadn't watched it.... she's SOOOOOO annoying!



Personally she makes me nuts with her misinformation and gesturing, and I pity the poor souls that fall into her salon chair :p


So, I'm not the only one that didn't like her gestures, too?

My hair goes down to my butt-crack, and I typically detangle in the shower after wetting it and covering it with conditioner, while using a Tangle Teezer. I rarely have split ends, which means I rarely have breakage.

I will also brush it dry with a Tangle Teezer to wear it up... again, without damage.

If I were to detangle my entire head of hair by hand using only my fingers, it would take hours. For me, the Tangle Teezer has been an absolute hair-saver, wet or dry.

[LongCurlyTress]

OMG, Quixii, I wish I hadn't watched it.... she's SOOOOOO annoying!



So, I'm not the only one that didn't like her gestures, too?

My hair goes down to my butt-crack, and I typically detangle in the shower after wetting it and covering it with conditioner, while using a Tangle Teezer. I rarely have split ends, which means I rarely have breakage.

I will also brush it dry with a Tangle Teezer to wear it up... again, without damage.

If I were to detangle my entire head of hair by hand using only my fingers, it would take hours. For me, the Tangle Teezer has been an absolute hair-saver, wet or dry.

So... do you use the TT for thick hair? or the older/original TT? Thanks GRU~ Nice to see you are still around these LHC threads. :)

[GRU]

So... do you use the TT for thick hair? or the older/original TT? Thanks GRU~ Nice to see you are still around these LHC threads. :)

I have the original TT, the Salon Elite TT, and the Aqua Splash TT (I also have compact detangling, but it's just too small for me to use).

I haven't tried the thick hair version... but only because with half a dozen (or more) TTs already in my house, I really can't justify it!

[LongCurlyTress]

I have the original TT, the Salon Elite TT, and the Aqua Splash TT (I also have compact detangling, but it's just too small for me to use).

I haven't tried the thick hair version... but only because with half a dozen (or more) TTs already in my house, I really can't justify it!

(Said with Scarlett O'Hara's southern accent... "Well, my dear, how do you evah decide which one to use?" LOL.. thanks for sharing! Are the differences really significant so it would be worth me purchasing a newer, fancier SalonElite or Aqua Splash? I am still with my p- urple Original TT. Thanks... :)

[GRU]

(Said with Scarlett O'Hara's southern accent... "Well, my dear, how do you evah decide which one to use?" LOL.. thanks for sharing! Are the differences really significant so it would be worth me purchasing a newer, fancier SalonElite or Aqua Splash? I am still with my p- urple Original TT. Thanks... :)

Frankly, my dear.... LOL

I use the Aqua Splash in the shower, so I don't have to worry about water sitting in it. I really wish they had made it a bit less slippery -- some rubbery grooves on the sides would have been a huge improvement -- but it does its job of sitting in the shower and not harboring stale water.

The Salon Elite is a skosh sturdier, but nothing that you'd need to upgrade to unless you were purchasing another one anyway.

Fortunately, they all work the same way, so it's just a matter of fitting your needs to the appropriate brush. I'm interested in trying out the new "thick" version.

These are literally the only brushes I have used since discovering them back in the day. I introduced my son's GF to them last year, and she's a believer as well. Pretty much every person I've had try one in real life has sworn allegiance.

[LongCurlyTress]

Frankly, my dear.... LOL

I use the Aqua Splash in the shower, so I don't have to worry about water sitting in it. I really wish they had made it a bit less slippery -- some rubbery grooves on the sides would have been a huge improvement -- but it does its job of sitting in the shower and not harboring stale water.

The Salon Elite is a skosh sturdier, but nothing that you'd need to upgrade to unless you were purchasing another one anyway.

Fortunately, they all work the same way, so it's just a matter of fitting your needs to the appropriate brush. I'm interested in trying out the new "thick" version.

These are literally the only brushes I have used since discovering them back in the day. I introduced my son's GF to them last year, and she's a believer as well. Pretty much every person I've had try one in real life has sworn allegiance.

Ok... I am thoroughly convinced... back into the shower my TT will go with gobs of conditioner for detangling... :) You obviously know what you are doing with your 3b/iii curls! :) I am glad your hair is still growing strong... :) I will report back with a review if I get the TT for thick hair... :)

[GRU]

Ok... I am thoroughly convinced... back into the shower my TT will go with gobs of conditioner for detangling... :) You obviously know what you are doing with your 3b/iii curls! :) I am glad your hair is still growing strong... :) I will report back with a review if I get the TT for thick hair... :)

Actually, I don't do "gobs of conditioner".

I have a squeeze bottle (similar to this one (https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair/hair-color/hair-color-accessories/applicators/graduated-applicator-bottle/SBS-292050.html)) that I put 2-3 ounces of conditioner in, and then 4-5 ounces of water and shake to mix. Then I use the tip to apply the solution to my scalp first (because that's where the icky parts are) and then to my length, and then brush through with the TT.

Just like how shampoo gets mixed with water to make it lather up, diluted conditioner lathers like crazy when I use the TT on it. The lather helps to lift grease/debris up for easy rinsing, too. Diluting the conditioner makes it clean better and last longer... win-win for me!

[LongCurlyTress]

Actually, I don't do "gobs of conditioner".

I have a squeeze bottle (similar to this one (https://www.sallybeauty.com/hair/hair-color/hair-color-accessories/applicators/graduated-applicator-bottle/SBS-292050.html)) that I put 2-3 ounces of conditioner in, and then 4-5 ounces of water and shake to mix. Then I use the tip to apply the solution to my scalp first (because that's where the icky parts are) and then to my length, and then brush through with the TT.

Just like how shampoo gets mixed with water to make it lather up, diluted conditioner lathers like crazy when I use the TT on it. The lather helps to lift grease/debris up for easy rinsing, too. Diluting the conditioner makes it clean better and last longer... win-win for me!

Excellent suggestion!! Btw, just used my TT with a tablespoon of conditioner in the shower (at my length, just past shoulder, that is all the conditioner I need, sadly :(... not gobbing it today. :) And then gently TT'd my hair, starting at the ends, and going up to crown... very, very gently. And Wala! Tangle free hair!! I even scrunched it to bring out the curls instead of just brushing back into a bun. Did a half up today with curls down!!! and my crown is a bit curly too, so that is nice for a change. Thank you so much for your ideas GRU!!! :magic:

[GRU]

Glad it worked out well for you, LongCurlyTress!

I introduced a girl I used to work with at the hospital to the TT and to CO-washing, and I told her that the TT with conditioner would go through her hair "like a hot knife through butter". The first time she tried it, she messaged me right away on Facebook. Her only words:

LIKE BUTTER!!!!!!!!!!


:lol:

[Begemot]

You changed your co-workers life GRU :lol: :lol:

[LongCurlyTress]

Glad it worked out well for you, LongCurlyTress!

I introduced a girl I used to work with at the hospital to the TT and to CO-washing, and I told her that the TT with conditioner would go through her hair "like a hot knife through butter". The first time she tried it, she messaged me right away on Facebook. Her only words:

LIKE BUTTER!!!!!!!!!!


:lol:

Haha... :) It's true!! Like Butter!!! :) Thanks so much for your help. :hifive: By the way, which conditioner do you use? Sorry if you already mentioned this. And how often do you co-wash? Thanks... :) sorry for so many questions, but hoping others on this thread will be able to use the info you mention here. Thanks again! :)

[GRU]

I'm still using Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut most of the time -- it's cheap and easy, like me! I've also been happy with TRESemmé Botanique Nourish and Replenish Conditioner, but it's a bit more expensive (but still affordable!).

I wash anywhere from once a week to once a day, depending on what's going on. When I'm on a tropical cruise, daily washing is a must because of salt water and chlorine. When I'm sitting around at home, once a week is plenty, unless I want to wear my hair curly more -- if I want to wear it down, I have to wet it completely, which means CO-washing for detangling purposes, too.

[LongCurlyTress]

I'm still using Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut most of the time -- it's cheap and easy, like me! I've also been happy with TRESemmé Botanique Nourish and Replenish Conditioner, but it's a bit more expensive (but still affordable!).

I wash anywhere from once a week to once a day, depending on what's going on. When I'm on a tropical cruise, daily washing is a must because of salt water and chlorine. When I'm sitting around at home, once a week is plenty, unless I want to wear my hair curly more -- if I want to wear it down, I have to wet it completely, which means CO-washing for detangling purposes, too.

Oh that's right... deja vu... I asked you this before... :) Sorry for not remembering. :( So does your Suave Naturals with Tropical Coconut remind you of your cruises? LOL:cool: I might just eat it instead.:p Thanks again for all your info. :) :popcorn: In the meantime, I am planning on being super careful with detangling and using your method with conditioner and the TT. Thanks again GRU! :blossom::blossom:

ETA GRU!! I co-washed and used my Hair Bean to detangle with the conditioner in the shower (cheaper version of TT-- I also have a TT but didn't have it with me atm) and my hair came out curly cue today!! I love it so I wore it in a half up with a tiny bun in the half up and with the curls just reaching past the tops of my shoulders!! Very exciting!! The curl shrinkage is unreal!! Like 3 inches lost in curls!! Anyways, I will be cowashing forever and ever thanks to you! :joy:

[Natalia_A00]

Hmm I detangle my hair dry. I've tried wet detangling and it doesn't work for me. After some minutes or when it dries a little, it gets tangly again so I don't see the point in my case. I prefer to finger comb my hair dry. But to each their own, I don't think that what she says is true. At first I thought that wet detangling was a no-no, but reading this forum I've discovered that it's not always the case