It's so knotty!

[spidermom]

Let me share my misery. Yesterday morning I washed my hair and then put it into a loose braid because DD and I had shopping and lunch plans. I am just now getting around to combing it out, and I'm in despair about all the knots. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut some of them out!

Anybody else have a distressing comb-out to share?

[Isilme]

yes, sometimes after a wash. I feel a braid isn't alll that secure and good at keeping tangles a bay as an updo.
I feel cones gives me much more slip which comes handy when detangling:)

[renarok]

Hi Spidermom, I think we are close to hair twins. I'm not tangle prone but when my hair knots up it really knots. Try a deep oiling, and work the snarls out with your fingers and a gentle comb. :shrug:

[spidermom]

O.k. - thanks for participating, Isilme and renarok. It took me more than 20 minutes, but my hair is finally combed out. The worst area was where I started, the left side, which happens to be the side I sleep on the most. After that, combing got easier, and I didn't have to cut anything out. However, all those tangles are now puffs of squiggly hair. I definitely can't wear my hair down to the party I'm going to. Now to figure out an updo that will hopefully smooth those hairs into position with the rest.

Sigh ... bad hair day so far ... very bad.

[MoonCreature]

That sounds so familiar... Wonderfull that you got them out without having to use the scissors. As to the puffs, I dip my finger in oil, spread the oil over my hands and then attack the puffs and smooth them down. Usually the hair takes in the oil as a sponge and doesn't look oily afterwards.

[coppercurls]

Some days the itty-bitty knots are the bane of my existence!:mad:
Last week, I had to cut out a couple that were really bad. I am not sure how my hairs manage to get knotted up so. I have even found knots in just one individual hair-now how the heck does that happen?

[jojo]

i get terribly tangled hair on the ends and my hair is prone to splits, i guess due to the knots.

I have been thinking for a while of trying cones just on my ends and coneless on the rest. My theory being due to more damage being on the ends it needs more protection. i know when my hair was dyed in the past it loved cones, now my hair is all virgin it prefers coneless but my ends being the eldest are more likely to get damaged quicker, so im thinking maybe converting back to the cone condish but just on the last inch or so.

What are your opinions on this, do you think it might help?

[Anje]

Oh yeah....

I got talked into going to the Ren Faire with my hair down last fall, and didn't really detangle much the whole day, just wore a scarf on my head.

Results would have been much worse had I not totally slathered it in olive oil before I left, so I started the day looking really greasy. By the end of the day, it was still a tad dry-feeling.

[Leisha]

I'm glad you got it combed out, spidermom!

If I get bad knots and comb them out, the hair that was in the knot also turns weird, poofy, frizzy, kinked, squiggly. I usually wash it after I comb it out, but if I didn't have the time, I'd slather on aloe vera and coconut oil, that always helps my hair.

I would guess the cuticle scales are roughed up and need to smooth out again. Maybe just gently stroking the patches of hair would help to make them lie flat again? Sounds weird maybe but I've noticed that stroking my hair often makes it shinier and less frizzy.

Distressing comb out story that I have to share ;):

A few months ago I didn't wash my hair for a month. I also didn't comb it for a month :o, and basically left it in the same bun, if it fell out I just twisted it some more and put the hairstick back in.

When I finally had the energy to wash it, it had basically turned into one big dreadlock with several clusters of superdreaded tangled megaknots here and there :( especially at my nape where there would be friction from scarves, collars etc. It looked scary!!

I think it took me about 20 minutes to get it combed out, which was way less than I expected actually... Started at the ends and worked my way up with my wide toothed comb, gently separating clumps of hair with my fingers as needed.

I washed it afterwards and it doesn't seem to have sustained too much damage from that month... phew.

[LilyMunster]

Whenever I comb out, even with the most careful handling, I have to use combing mist or oil.
Lately, I have a distilled, glycerin and aloe mister.
Either that or a liquid oil of some kind. Light like jojoba.
I really do not ever comb with out some combing oil or mist.
Just the nature of my hair. The lower half of it mainly.:D

[spidermom]

I've been using a coney conditioner lately, so I have to say that - nope - cones don't help.

I haven't looked at my hair since I bunned it, so I don't know if those kinked hairs smoothed out or not. I might have to start my day with a rinse tomorrow if they're still weird.

[lora410]

could it be a shampoo, condish or a leave in that coudl be the culprit? My hair did this with cone condish *ekk*

[Curlsgirl]

I posted about my hair doing this for a while. I don't like to comb or detangle when my hair is dry because it messes up the curls so I was not doing it AND only washing about 1 or 2 times a week. I was also wearing it down at night. This is what helped me. I am using a little thicker second conditioner, wearing my hair braided mostly at night and washing or COing more often (3 times a week). Cones definitely make my hair drier and more tangly. Have you always used them? I was thinking not. Anyway, I am so glad you got the tangles out. I hate the little bitty knots ESPECIALLY at my nape which is where I get the worst ones!

[Cipher Highwind]

Mine has been tangling like mad lately, and the leave-in conditioner I was recommended wound up making matters worse....not sure what to do about it anymore :shrug:

[Jeni]

One word- Convertible. My mother has one and loves to drive with the top down. I hate them, my hair always gets whipped around, doesn't matter what kind of style it's in it, I always end up with giant "knots of DOOM". She has finally realized what an issue having the top down is and no longer insists on putting it down when I'm in the car.

Glad you got the knots out, and didn't have to cut.

Jeni

[jojo]

I've been using a coney conditioner lately, so I have to say that - nope - cones don't help.

I haven't looked at my hair since I bunned it, so I don't know if those kinked hairs smoothed out or not. I might have to start my day with a rinse tomorrow if they're still weird.

do you braid it to sleep in? its a mystery why some peoples hair gets knots all the time, mine i can comb it and 5 minutes later its knotty. i know it doesnt need a cut as i have just cut (as have you) one good deep conditioner ive found that is good on knots is the body shops poppy seed mask, though if you try only use a teeny bit as its quite rich.

[Sillage]

Jojo, Switching to a rich shampoo and conditioner with cones has been the best thing that I've done to my hair in a long long time. Right now I'm using L'oreal Vive Pro shampoo for dry color treated hair and Vive Pro Smooth Intense for dry thick hair. They both feel lubricating and give my hair plenty of slip and silkiness.

I also use avocado oil as a leave in to smooth my hair and give it some weight. I'm still looking for a leave product with cones that will kill the last of my frizz, but feel like my tangle problem is under control for the moment. It's like the knots just fall out of my hair now. :toast:

[Growin' It]

Ah, the Knots of Doom! I also get them for seemingly no apparent reason.

If they are present at the beginning of the day when I've taken out a sleep-braid and am combing, I don't bother trying to detangle it then and there, but just put it up, tangles and all. If the hair's like that before detangling it probably is going to be a bad hair day all round, and at least this way will minimise the knots.

THEN, when I get home, I slather in oil and leave for a few hours. Then rinse (no cond). It all seems to stabilise the whole thing.

HTH :flower:

[peacecat3]

Oh, Spidermom, I feel your pain! I try to always restrain my hair for sleep, and I also use a smooth satin pillowcase. I've also had great results covering up my sleep braid or segmented ponytail with a smooth silk scarf for sleeping. I pin it at the hairline so it doesn't slip while I sleep. It's more work and it sure doesn't look uber-secksy, but it's awesome for dealing with nightime tangles/damage. :thumbsup:

I also try to restrain my hair during the day as much as possible, either in a bun or a segmented ponytail. I don'tlike braids because they rub on my clothes and give me even more splits. :puke:

[Katze]

Mine is really knotty right now and I'm not sure why. I WO washed Friday night -it's Monday noon as I write this - and my hair has a lot more volume and wave (though less shine) than normal, but is basically super tangly. When I WO washed, I finger combed under the shower and got a LOT of shedding, and combed when dry about 2x a day but hair still just looks messy.

I worry what will happen when I wash tonight...will probably do an SMT as I am due for one, hope that helps...

[spidermom]

I overdid it on the olive oil and washed my hair again. This time I very slowly and carefully combed the conditioner through in the shower, like I used to do. I don't want my hair to dry in knots again. It's much nicer today.

[jojo]

Jojo, Switching to a rich shampoo and conditioner with cones has been the best thing that I've done to my hair in a long long time. Right now I'm using L'oreal Vive Pro shampoo for dry color treated hair and Vive Pro Smooth Intense for dry thick hair. They both feel lubricating and give my hair plenty of slip and silkiness.

I also use avocado oil as a leave in to smooth my hair and give it some weight. I'm still looking for a leave product with cones that will kill the last of my frizz, but feel like my tangle problem is under control for the moment. It's like the knots just fall out of my hair now. :toast:

oh they sound good, might have to look them up, thanks x

[spidermom]

I think I figured this out! The combination of coney conditioner plus aloe vera gel = hellish knots.

I bought myself some non-coney Nature's Gate conditioner, and my DD can use up the Control Freak stuff. Since this change, my hair has been much less knotty/tangly, even after being outside in the wind/mist.