Untangling near the roots

[EdG]

I am curious if LHC'ers have any special techniques for keeping the hairs near the roots free from tangles?

The reason why I ask is that I have been untangling this part of my hair in earnest for the past 1.5 years. This is hard to do for two reasons:



The length of the hair must be completely free from tangles in order to reach the roots.
The hairs near the roots must be combed in a direction perpendicular to the scalp, rather than parallel to the scalp as is done for the length.


My technique is to lie down with my head over the edge of the bed. I use my fingers to gently comb the hairs in a perpendicular direction away from the scalp. This is easiest to do if the hair is slightly damp. The fingers can sense rotation and get out folds that lie flat against the scalp. I finish untangling using a wide-tooth wooden comb (while standing up). :)

This technique has been successful in getting out mats and folds that eluded normal combing.
Ed

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I don't get tangles near my roots but so interesting to hear how you do it, and I'm sure others will chime in too :)

[EdG]

Sarahlabyrinth - interesting. I think my tangles near the roots are a result of the lint problem that I had.
Ed

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Maybe they are, as I have never heard of this problem before?

[EdG]

Nape tangles are an example.
Ed

[Ylva]

I also never get tangles near my roots. Actually, never anywhere above my shoulders, apart from the nape.

[AmaryllisRed]

Yep, I get them. Nape tangles anytime, and top-of-the-head tangles after washing. For nape tangles, I find fingers work better than a comb. For top-of-the-head tangles, I first make sure the length is detangled. Then I start at my hairline and whenever I feel a tangle, I try to find the bottom of it (the part of the tangle that is farthest down the length), and insert the comb there.
I have tried to finger-detangle the top-of-the-head tangles and found it basically impossible.

[Shepherdess]

Thank you for sharing what you do!! :) Sounds like a good technique!!

Lately I have been using my wooden hair stick (with a pointed end) to help part and detangle my roots and the very top of my head. I'm trying to learn to finger comb more, so using my wooden pick/hair stick seems to really help. I section my hair when I do it this way, and slowly section and work my way all the way around my scalp. I find that braiding my hair into 3 or more braids and lathering a bit of aloe vera gel over my scalp and braids afterwards before bedtime seems to help prevent my tangles, since I think I rub my head around a lot while sleeping. I try to wrap my head and braids into a satin scarf before bed, but oftentimes it falls out before morning. I think this new technique of untangling that I have been doing has been working out for me though; it takes a little bit more time to do all the braids, but they usually last in my hair for about 3 or more days, so I can stretch detangling longer now. :) My hair is always trying to curl, so maybe this is why smaller braids seem to work better than larger loose braids for me.

[Lady Stardust]

My 4 year old daughter gets nape tangles and tangles at the roots. They’re caused by her hair rubbing on fabric, especially from her winter coat. Bits of lint are probably getting on there but in her case it’s mostly friction.

My method is similar to yours EdG, I have to lift the hair at a right angle and use my fingers. I pull the tangles apart sideways. My daughter has a very low tolerance for detangling at all but there’s no way she’ll let me near the roots so I do those when she’s asleep :)

[EdG]

Ylva - you are fortunate. :)


I have tried to finger-detangle the top-of-the-head tangles and found it basically impossible.Before I started this detangling technique, I could not run my fingers through the hairs near the roots. Only a comb could pass through. Now my fingers and comb pass through freely.

Shepherdess - I too have used a hair stick to work out tangles. :)

Lady Stardust - that is good to know. :)
Ed

[lapushka]

I comb tips to roots on Sunday for my weekly dry detangle pre-wash. I get tangles right up to about 3/4 inches off of my scalp. So, actually just the lengths for me. I just brush out very carefully, tips to roots, and that takes care of it just fine. :)

[EdG]

lapushka - I could never get brushes to go through my hair, but maybe now they are worth another try. :)

My mats/folds lied flat against the scalp. No gap. I had to pull them away from the scalp.
Ed

[Laurab]

My hair isn't super long or tangly, but my method has been to start at the root with a wide toothed comb and push down gently until there's any resistence, then go from the tips up. It kinda condenses all of the tangles to the middle of the strand.
I think I started doing this because I'm very tender-headed, and I like to hold onto the middle of my hair when detangling to stop it from hurting my scalp.
Also sometimes I don't have any big tangles and it just goes through, so that's always nice.

[lapushka]

lapushka - I could never get brushes to go through my hair, but maybe now they are worth another try. :)

My mats/folds lied flat against the scalp. No gap. I had to pull them away from the scalp.
Ed

I need to be *very* very careful when I detangle, because if I have used a less than ideal conditioner the wash before, I have "knots" in there. And so I use my Tangle Teezer (knock-off) and gently go through my hair, almost strand per strand (with my hand held over it), but bit by bit and then I move an inch upwards, do the same thing, another inch. It takes time!

Also I divide my hair into 2 sections, throw one over my shoulder and start on the other end. My hair is too thick otherwise. I could even do 4 sections, but that would take me too much time!

[GoddesJourney]

I have not had nape tangles in many years, but I do recall the difficulty of working that close to your head where it is hard to see and your arms get tired.

You mentioned something about lint. I have noticed this with my daughters f/m hair. She gets these horrible knots and borderline dreadlocks in her otherwise fairly straight hair. Part of this is from a twirling habit, but when I get these inconvenient clumps of hair sorted out, further investigation often leads to a single, tiny piece of lint that was holding the hair together and preventing my usual detangling techniques.

When I run into issues with her hair (or even mine when it starts to get velcro-y) I find that holding the tangles with one hand and pulling a few strands out of the knot works best. This way I am pulling a few hairs at a time straight up and parallel to the other hairs. These types of knots seem based mostly on twisting, often with a tangled piece of lint anchoring the strands together and this has worked best for me.

For a good visual, imagine you are holding a handful of straws in one hand and pulling a few out gently from the top.

I hope this helps.

Also, I'm surprised you run into this with coarse hair, but maybe because it's a tad heavier than mine? Huh. Good luck though. This must be frustrating.

[Chromis]

The only time I get root tangles is in the wispy halo bits generally and I have found prevention is the best cure. Unlike my length tangles, these aren't usually lint-based for me but rather they are cause by too much wind. In the winter, I am always cold and wear a hat, so I don't get them. In the summer, if it is windy I cover it up with a Buff or a bandana. I also cover it when doing dirty jobs in general now and it stays a *lot* cleaner and less tangled.

I'm pretty sure Buff should be sending me a commission by now for how much I recommend them :lol:

[bparnell75]

I don't get tangles near my roots but so interesting to hear how you do it, and I'm sure others will chime in too :)

I do not usually get tangles near roots either unless I have back combed the front for more polish to my POUF. In which vase I usually use my fingers to get them out following hair al the way to the ends. This takes a while and I know when I back comb it I will be in for this.

[EdG]

My hair isn't super long or tangly, but my method has been to start at the root with a wide toothed comb and push down gently until there's any resistence, then go from the tips up. It kinda condenses all of the tangles to the middle of the strand.
I think I started doing this because I'm very tender-headed, and I like to hold onto the middle of my hair when detangling to stop it from hurting my scalp.
Also sometimes I don't have any big tangles and it just goes through, so that's always nice.I too use both hands (one to hold the hair and the other to comb) once I am working away from the scalp.


I need to be *very* very careful when I detangle, because if I have used a less than ideal conditioner the wash before, I have "knots" in there. And so I use my Tangle Teezer (knock-off) and gently go through my hair, almost strand per strand (with my hand held over it), but bit by bit and then I move an inch upwards, do the same thing, another inch. It takes time!

Also I divide my hair into 2 sections, throw one over my shoulder and start on the other end. My hair is too thick otherwise. I could even do 4 sections, but that would take me too much time!I remember you said that the knots come out which implies that they are hair-over-hair rather than lint-wrapped-around-hair.


I have not had nape tangles in many years, but I do recall the difficulty of working that close to your head where it is hard to see and your arms get tired.

You mentioned something about lint. I have noticed this with my daughters f/m hair. She gets these horrible knots and borderline dreadlocks in her otherwise fairly straight hair. Part of this is from a twirling habit, but when I get these inconvenient clumps of hair sorted out, further investigation often leads to a single, tiny piece of lint that was holding the hair together and preventing my usual detangling techniques.

When I run into issues with her hair (or even mine when it starts to get velcro-y) I find that holding the tangles with one hand and pulling a few strands out of the knot works best. This way I am pulling a few hairs at a time straight up and parallel to the other hairs. These types of knots seem based mostly on twisting, often with a tangled piece of lint anchoring the strands together and this has worked best for me.

For a good visual, imagine you are holding a handful of straws in one hand and pulling a few out gently from the top.

I hope this helps.

Also, I'm surprised you run into this with coarse hair, but maybe because it's a tad heavier than mine? Huh. Good luck though. This must be frustrating.Lint has been the cause of all my mats/folds/tangles. Coarse hair gets lint too. ;) The big pieces of lint are long gone. I am now down to lint that is so fine it is nearly invisible.

The biggest frustration is that the hairs that I am untangling are only a year old. They grew into the folds. :justy:


The only time I get root tangles is in the wispy halo bits generally and I have found prevention is the best cure. Unlike my length tangles, these aren't usually lint-based for me but rather they are cause by too much wind. In the winter, I am always cold and wear a hat, so I don't get them. In the summer, if it is windy I cover it up with a Buff or a bandana. I also cover it when doing dirty jobs in general now and it stays a *lot* cleaner and less tangled.

I'm pretty sure Buff should be sending me a commission by now for how much I recommend them :lol:My halo hairs also get tangles. :(


I do not usually get tangles near roots either unless I have back combed the front for more polish to my POUF. In which vase I usually use my fingers to get them out following hair al the way to the ends. This takes a while and I know when I back comb it I will be in for this.I always comb away from the root, but from different angles. The tangles become apparent when I comb in a direction other than top-to-bottom.

The biggest question may be "when does one consider hair to be free from tangles?"

I could always comb from top-to-bottom. I can now generally comb from left-to-right and right-to-left. Combing in a perpendicular direction away from the roots has exposed the folds in the hair.
Ed

[lapushka]

I remember you said that the knots come out which implies that they are hair-over-hair rather than lint-wrapped-around-hair.

I don't know about that, Ed, sounds like your own theory to me. :o I have lint from my styling products in there, for sure!

[EdG]

I don't know about that, Ed, sounds like your own theory to me. :o I have lint from my styling products in there, for sure!I have a lot of experience with lint tangles. The distinguishing feature of lint tangles is that they are persistent - they survive many washing/untangling cycles because the lint has become wrapped around the hairs.

Lint tangles can also come out on their own, but usually not as easily as hair-over-hair tangles.
Ed

[lapushka]

I have a lot of experience with lint tangles. The distinguishing feature of lint tangles is that they are persistent - they survive many washing/untangling cycles because the lint has become wrapped around the hairs.

Lint tangles can also come out on their own, but usually not as easily as hair-over-hair tangles.
Ed

I don't get how they can still be there after a wash? :hmm:

[EdG]

I don't get how they can still be there after a wash? :hmm:Cotton lint is very strong. It becomes wrapped around one or more hairs during washing and then is hard to remove. Removal has to be done mechanically by combing. I am an expert at this. :)

That being said, the really fine lint that I am removing now is polyester. It is weak but sticky (and saturated in waxy sebum). Polyester lint also requires mechanical removal. I cannot rinse it from my comb or fingers. It needs scrubbing.

The relationship to my original question is that lint and tangles compound each other. The folds have lint in them, and the lint causes the folds to form even as the hair grows. This happens close to the scalp. I have to untangle in the weird manner of lying down to get the folds out.
Ed

[blackgothicdoll]

My roots tangle more than the majority of my hair. I find it easier to go finger detangle the bottom first while in the shower, work my way up to the roots and finger detangle those. Then I can use my TT and work from ends to roots.

Bigger lint pieces get stuck in my hair, and whether or not they come out after a wash I couldn't tell you. They are there. Never used to have this problem, so I'm not sure what changed, but that's a pain. I don't think it's fully related to the tangling of the roots, which is more of a texture problem, but the lint is also incredibly annoying.

[EdG]

Bigger lint pieces get stuck in my hair, and whether or not they come out after a wash I couldn't tell you. They are there. Never used to have this problem, so I'm not sure what changed, but that's a pain. I don't think it's fully related to the tangling of the roots, which is more of a texture problem, but the lint is also incredibly annoying.I think the explanation is in the rates. If one's detangling routine is removing lint at a faster rate than it is settling in the hair, then lint does not accumulate. If one's detangling routine is removing lint at a slower rate than it is settling, then lint accumulates. This is why people's experiences are so different.
Ed

[-Fern]

I use a wetbrush for both wet and dry hair, so even though I wash 2x a week, I brush daily. Particularly in the winter, lint can be pervasive--I wash my brush at least once a week, sometimes twice.

The wetbrush is just hands down easier to clean than a comb... I soak it in hot water for 30 seconds or so and then massage the tines, done in 2 minutes flat.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AGZEG4U
ETA: [Be cautious, apparently there are many fakes on Amazon. The one I got was genuine amd has the Wetbrush seal, but buyer beware! Linking primarily so you can see what it looks like and how far apart the bristles are.]

I also massage my shampoo into my roots with my fingertips or a shampoo brush, which helps remove both sebum and lint. I can't remember if you are water-only or not, but lint is going to stick to sebum. It seems counter-intuitive, but you may want to scrub your roots more thoroughly (and detangle promptly after).

The other thing that occurs to me is that you said you flip your hair... I do frequently brush my hair out upside down to stimulate my scalp, but I have to do it gradually, leaning over to the side first and continuing to brush as I slowly rotate my head. Same process when flipping my hair back over. Otherwise I do get lots of tangles!

[EdG]

Thanks -Fern for the link. I remember that akurah uses a brush after combing. That may be the most thorough method.

I use water-only washing with warm water to loosen the sebum. I comb out my hair after it has stopped dripping. Sebum is really good at getting lint out because its waxiness causes lint to stick to the comb (which I then clean).

I know there is a thread on combing/brushing upside down ("inversion method"). That is essential to thorough tangling. :thumbsup: My lying-down method should achieve similar results. :)
Ed

[AutobotsAttack]

My tangles are mostly at the roots too. In general, type 4 hair is known for tangling and having the hairs just bunch up and wrap about eachother from root to tip anyways. I find that it’s just the nature of my hair as well. So long as I can isolate the area where the tangling is, I can mitigate breakage. Keeping my hair separated also is a must. Smaller braids, plaits, and twists are my go-to styles.

[-Fern]

I guess I was trying to say that if I flip straight over and try to brush my hair, it causes tangles. iii hair woes. ;)

[EdG]

AutobotsAttack - I can see that type 4 hair is very hard to detangle.

-Fern - thanks for the clarification. I agree that changing the direction gradually helps. :)
Ed

[0xalis]

I always detangle by hand, gently pulling the tangles apart with my fingers. When I brush or comb I go very slowly, waiting to feel the snag of a tangle.
Then I stop, find the tangle, and gently detangle it. No matter where it is on my head, this is how I go about it. No inversion (or any other gymnastics!) necessary.
Your hair is much thicker than mine though, EdG. As with everything YMMV and that's just what I personally do.

[Joules]

I never get tangling near the roots :hmm: well maybe if I swim in the sea with my hair down and loose, but in this case everything is tangled and I'm in trouble :lol: my hair is very slippery (no wonder considering how much product I put into it), so I don't think I ever get tangles, everything just slides out and unravels on its own.

[EdG]

0xalis - the untangling gymnastics become necessary as one's hair grows longer. ;)

Joules - you have Houdini hair like TatsuOni. :)
Ed

[lapushka]

Cotton lint is very strong. It becomes wrapped around one or more hairs during washing and then is hard to remove. Removal has to be done mechanically by combing. I am an expert at this. :)

That being said, the really fine lint that I am removing now is polyester. It is weak but sticky (and saturated in waxy sebum). Polyester lint also requires mechanical removal. I cannot rinse it from my comb or fingers. It needs scrubbing.

The relationship to my original question is that lint and tangles compound each other. The folds have lint in them, and the lint causes the folds to form even as the hair grows. This happens close to the scalp. I have to untangle in the weird manner of lying down to get the folds out.
Ed

It always goes after a wash for me, but this is me. YMMV. :flower:

[EdG]

It always goes after a wash for me, but this is me. YMMV. :flower:I think the explanation is that a small difference in the rate of lint removal eventually turns into a big difference in the amount of lint in the hair.
Ed

[trolleypup]

When I run into issues with her hair (or even mine when it starts to get velcro-y) I find that holding the tangles with one hand and pulling a few strands out of the knot works best. This way I am pulling a few hairs at a time straight up and parallel to the other hairs. These types of knots seem based mostly on twisting, often with a tangled piece of lint anchoring the strands together and this has worked best for me.

Also, I'm surprised you run into this with coarse hair, but maybe because it's a tad heavier than mine? Huh. Good luck though. This must be frustrating.
Yep. Even what appear to be intractable big knots/pre-dreadlocks almost always yield to this technique...find the hairs that come out easily, and eventually the whole knot falls apart (with or without a core piece of lint). This likely would be much more difficult if the knot was closer to the scalp.

YMMV! Even though EdG and I have the same hair type, I never get scalp tangles even if I've gotten into a headful of tangly contaminants. I have noticed that my hair shafts emerge at nearly a right angle to the scalp, rather than lying flatter.

The only time I get root tangles is in the wispy halo bits generally and I have found prevention is the best cure. Unlike my length tangles, these aren't usually lint-based for me but rather they are cause by too much wind. In the winter, I am always cold and wear a hat, so I don't get them. In the summer, if it is windy I cover it up with a Buff or a bandana. I also cover it when doing dirty jobs in general now and it stays a *lot* cleaner and less tangled.

I'm pretty sure Buff should be sending me a commission by now for how much I recommend them :lol:
Haha! You with buffs and me with pony scrubs.

I remember you said that the knots come out which implies that they are hair-over-hair rather than lint-wrapped-around-hair.

Lint has been the cause of all my mats/folds/tangles. Coarse hair gets lint too. ;) The big pieces of lint are long gone. I am now down to lint that is so fine it is nearly invisible.

The biggest frustration is that the hairs that I am untangling are only a year old. They grew into the folds. :justy:

The biggest question may be "when does one consider hair to be free from tangles?"
One thing that I use when there are a lot of fine contaminants in my hair is a fine tooth wood comb...I used this rather more when I was WO. Obviously this would have to follow a full detangle and preen. The fine teeth do get right to the roots of the hair.

Joules maybe gets to say "hair free of tangle" but for me? Never, something is always tangling.

I always detangle by hand, gently pulling the tangles apart with my fingers. When I brush or comb I go very slowly, waiting to feel the snag of a tangle.
Then I stop, find the tangle, and gently detangle it. No matter where it is on my head, this is how I go about it. No inversion (or any other gymnastics!) necessary.
Your hair is much thicker than mine though, EdG. As with everything YMMV and that's just what I personally do.
I can't imagine the frustration of dealing with tangles tight to the scalp.

[lapushka]

I think the explanation is that a small difference in the rate of lint removal eventually turns into a big difference in the amount of lint in the hair.
Ed

Hmm... IDK. But didn't you use a different method of cleansing? I shampoo-wash. I thought you were WO?

[EdG]

trolleypup - I should get a fine-tooth wooden comb. I know that tangles can pass right through the tines of my wide-tooth wooden comb.

lapushka - yes, I use water-only washing. I credit sebum for being a great lint remover because of its waxiness.
Ed

[0xalis]

0xalis - the untangling gymnastics become necessary as one's hair grows longer. ;)

Joules - you have Houdini hair like TatsuOni. :)
Ed

Well I've had long hair before, never been necessary for me so far

[lapushka]

lapushka - yes, I use water-only washing. I credit sebum for being a great lint remover because of its waxiness.
Ed

That might be it then, as simple as that. Maybe water only doesn't remove as "much". At least that would be my thoughts on it.

[EdG]

That might be it then, as simple as that. Maybe water only doesn't remove as "much". At least that would be my thoughts on it. I can't tell how much lint comes out during washing, but during combing I find much more lint on my comb with water-only washing than with shampoo washing. Sebum's waxiness causes lint to stick to the comb, which pulls the lint right out. That did not happen with shampoo washing. My conclusion is that waxiness is a useful property.

BTW, I tried immersing my comb (briefly). Really fine lint comes out in water. Less fine lint remains on the comb.
Ed

[leayellena]

I discovered that conditioning the nape opf my hair keeps my hair detangled in that area.

[EdG]

leayellena - the nape is the hardest area to keep free from tangles.
Ed

[C_Bookworm]

I discovered that conditioning the nape opf my hair keeps my hair detangled in that area.
This is a great tip! I’ll have to concentrate my leave-in next time.


leayellena - the nape is the hardest area to keep free from tangles.
Ed
Oh my goodness, so true. :thumbsup: I feel like my nape hairs are thinner than the rest of my hair, and that combined with wearing my hair down a decent amount leads to tangles in the nape area specifically.

[EdG]

Thanks for the inputs, everyone! :cheese:
Ed

[Bri-Chan]

I am full of knots on the roots. funny, because is the healthier part of my hair

[imalda]

I don't usually get tangles near my roots unless I'm wearing a something like a blouse, coat or jacket that rubs against my hair, causing it to tangle and form mats at the nape of my neck. It also tangles to the roots when it really dry and it goes all static. When this does happen though, I detangle like 0xalis by pulling them apart with my fingers. I do this dry, never wet. The hair sticks to each other and doesn't come apart as it doesn't slide as easily when it's wet. I tried it once and snapped quite a few hairs :wail: It's a an extremely slow process because I've got pretty thick and long hair (I'm almost at classic) but it works even at my length, most likely because I have stick straight hair and it's fairly slippery when conditioned. I certainly don't have any texture to contend with so YMMV with this method.

[leayellena]

I don't usually get tangles near my roots unless I'm wearing a something like a blouse, coat or jacket that rubs against my hair, causing it to tangle and form mats at the nape of my neck. It also tangles to the roots when it really dry and it goes all static. When this does happen though, I detangle like 0xalis by pulling them apart with my fingers. I do this dry, never wet. The hair sticks to each other and doesn't come apart as it doesn't slide as easily when it's wet. I tried it once and snapped quite a few hairs :wail: It's a an extremely slow process because I've got pretty thick and long hair (I'm almost at classic) but it works even at my length, most likely because I have stick straight hair and it's fairly slippery when conditioned. I certainly don't have any texture to contend with so YMMV with this method.

you practically described every hair type here. don't forget that heat from inside the house may dry out your hair. you have to detangle carefully. it's usually meditation time or me-time when I'm detangling my hair. first finger detangle, then comb it from the ends then step by step to the roots. combs are generally better than brushes in my experience. it may be the same for you. classi and beyond long hair is more fragile than that one at collarbone length for example. and conditioning the nape area, even if conditioner actually touches the skin, well, it's not the top of your head so hair won't fall flat.
I don't have texture either, I learned how to make a bun that holds for more than 2 days by just surfing the lhc. ;)
I usually start with a ponytail on freshly washed hair, then braid the ponytail as tight as possible (no pancaking, flufying etc.) then use a 2 spin pins and 3 u-pins.
if you wash your hair a day before, sleep with hair in a loose french braid, it gives more texture for tomorrow's bun.
on day 4 I can do a somewhat put together cinnabun. on day for I start to finger detangle then comb veeeeeryyyy carefuly because it's mostly dry, has a million textures and it's oily and clumpy. on sunday is wash day.

[imalda]

you practically described every hair type here. don't forget that heat from inside the house may dry out your hair. you have to detangle carefully. it's usually meditation time or me-time when I'm detangling my hair. first finger detangle, then comb it from the ends then step by step to the roots. combs are generally better than brushes in my experience. it may be the same for you. classi and beyond long hair is more fragile than that one at collarbone length for example. and conditioning the nape area, even if conditioner actually touches the skin, well, it's not the top of your head so hair won't fall flat.
I don't have texture either, I learned how to make a bun that holds for more than 2 days by just surfing the lhc. ;)
I usually start with a ponytail on freshly washed hair, then braid the ponytail as tight as possible (no pancaking, flufying etc.) then use a 2 spin pins and 3 u-pins.
if you wash your hair a day before, sleep with hair in a loose french braid, it gives more texture for tomorrow's bun.
on day 4 I can do a somewhat put together cinnabun. on day for I start to finger detangle then comb veeeeeryyyy carefuly because it's mostly dry, has a million textures and it's oily and clumpy. on sunday is wash day.

Yeah that was when I was first starting to grow my hair. Haven't made that mistake since. I find combs to be the worst at detangling my hair and they take the longest time. I'm not sure why since it's the opposite of what people usually say to do. But it works for me:shrug:

Unfortunately, trying to add texture to my hair means I can't bun it. I know the extra texture is supposed to help it grip but the bulk it adds to my hair overrides that, since not being able to bun it is worse than just putting a few extra pins/an extra stick in to hold up non-textured hair if the intention is to get it up in the first place. It's got too much road to travel so to speak.

[leayellena]

Yeah that was when I was first starting to grow my hair. Haven't made that mistake since. I find combs to be the worst at detangling my hair and they take the longest time. I'm not sure why since it's the opposite of what people usually say to do. But it works for me:shrug:

Unfortunately, trying to add texture to my hair means I can't bun it. I know the extra texture is supposed to help it grip but the bulk it adds to my hair overrides that, since not being able to bun it is worse than just putting a few extra pins/an extra stick in to hold up non-textured hair if the intention is to get it up in the first place. It's got too much road to travel so to speak.

I see you have M/C hair. coarse hair doesn't compress. mine compresses into nothing. yes, you coarsies need less volume otherwise you can't do anything with your hair. but on my hair too much volume means I deal with cobwebs instead of hair. imagine the breakage that may happen when fine hair strands wrap around my fingers. most of the time you coarsies need conditioner that make hair silky, we fineys need a conditioner that would offer our hair a bit of grip. oh and forget voluminising products on f hair, that means dryness and cobweb instead of hair.
er... a brush would rip off my hair. combs take probably a bit longer, but it doesn't break f hairs that much. some people love tangle teaser, some love the wet brush and brushing hair with conditioner in the shower. I have to let my hair dry untill it's bit damp, then oil it, then comb it. all other "experiments" end in breakage.
do what is good for your hair. of course you may deal with breakage and thin ends until you learn, but you will learn what's good for you eventually. give yourself and your hair some time and don't forget to have fun :)

[YvetteVarie]

Another type 4 checking in. My hair tangles a lot at the roots. I first finger detangle and the use a wide tooth comb using small sections. And I also keep my hair stretched either in braids or African threading to minimise the tangling. I also use castor oil or shea butter to lubricate my hair so the tangles are easier to slide out

[truepeacenik]

Ed. I “over oil” at the nape.

[EdG]

Ed. I “over oil” at the nape. Thanks, truepeacenik. :)

I dampen the hair with a small amount of distilled water before combing. That provides lubrication.

My hair problems are coming down to the hair having become folded/twisted over itself near the roots. These folds have been there for years... the hair had grown that way. Undoing the folds has caused me to lose all of my length. :( I think this is a very rare problem.
Ed