Matting

[kaaatie]

I have been growing my dry, curly, colour-treated, fine but thick hair for months and it is now nearly BSL which is very exciting for me! However it's causing me some trouble. I've always had a problem with my hair tangling, and therefore getting lots of damage and breakage. At the moment my hair is matting like crazy, as soon as I step out the shower having gently combed conditioner through, tangles reappear and by the next day mats are forming. It takes me hours to fingercomb them out and it's a real pain.
Sleeping with a silk pillowcase makes a little difference. Any more tips or products anyone can recommend? I mainly use HE hair products like Kerastase, do a big protein treatment like aphogee every 2 months, and do hot oil pre-shampoo treatments and deep conditioning treatments once a week each. I think a good detangler or leave-in might help - any recs? I would really appreciate any advice before I give up on having long hair...:(

[Natalia]

I wish i had something for you :flowers: but have you tried kimberlily's (sorry if i spelled that wrong :o ) defrizz spray. It seems to help some curlies with tangles from what ive heard. Im not a curly but my aunt is and my mom is borderline but i rarely see her natural texture and i have all the ingredients to mix up a batch for all of us but havent gotten to it yet. I hope you find something! Of if you dont mind chemicals and cones i used to use biosilk spray leave in with good results just dont go too long between washings made me gunky if i did.

[CindyLea1]

For a detangler I swear by Tresseme brand anti-breakage detangler leave in spray. I buy it at walmart and it is pretty inexpensive. I have also found it at the local grocery stores too.

Aussie makes a good detangler, leave-in too. It works well, but I am partial to the Tresseme.

Lately, I have been using coconut oil mixed with sweet almond oil. I put a bit of each in the palm of my hand, rub quickly to melt and mix. Then I apply it damp hair working from the bottoms up. I hardly have to use the sprays, unless I go out on a windy day.

[Gypsygirl]

Is it possible that you are doing too much? If I use too much conditioner or too many different products at a time, I get a weird kind of build-up, and my hair tangles like crazy! So a clarifying treatment might help you...
Braiding your hair for the night might also help prevent tangles...and oiling works well, too.

[Tabitha]

I would recommend the Tangle Teezer (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=9334), I get mats at my nape if I don't detangle each morning after sleeping with loose hair and the TT deals with them better than any other brush or comb.

[Feye]

I'm thinking that it could be the hard London water. When I'm in London I need to shampoo the length and not just condition, shampooing reduces the tangles.
You can also look into a shower filter or a final rinse with distilled water, for example.

[Heidi_234]

Do you oil your hair after washing? Even the tiniest bit of coconut oil can do wonders. Also, maybe you don't need to shampoo as much (funny that Feye's comment is the exact opposite). I find that it dries my hair out, and whenever my hair is dry, it tangles and knots horribly. One last thing is - maybe the tangles indicate damage or build up problem? Splitting, feathered ends tend to tangle much much more. Usually when S&Ding, damage tends to announce itself by tangles and knots. Build up roughens and rises the cuticle, leading to partially same results. Just a thought. :shrug:

[kaaatie]

Thank you for all the replies. I will definitely try using a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up and residue from the London tap water - that's a very interesting theory! Heidi, I am pretty sure my tangles are in part due to damage, but it's a vicious cycle as combing my tangles out leads to more damage and breakage!

[RancheroTheBee]

Thank you for all the replies. I will definitely try using a clarifying shampoo to remove product build-up and residue from the London tap water - that's a very interesting theory! Heidi, I am pretty sure my tangles are in part due to damage, but it's a vicious cycle as combing my tangles out leads to more damage and breakage!

My hair mats like mad if I use too many 'cones.

You might want to also wear a sleep cap or bonnet to reduce friction.

[PhillyGirl1978@]

I have hair that is prone to tangles also. I moisturize a lot...I don't really use a comb finger combing works better for me. I also never even try for second day hair, cause when I do I can usually pick up one curl and my whole head of hair comes up with it cause it's that matted. I've pretty my resolved myself to conditioning every day. I sleep in a pineapple and I have to put 3 scrunchies in cause of the length. I kind of lay it over my pillow and I sleep on a satin pillow case. I usually only have to use some of my conditioner left in and some aloe smoothed on dry hair for product...it works for me.

[Melisande]

Did you try rinsing your hair with a mildly sour solution of much water and a litte citric acid? It helps the cuticle to go nice, smooth and it also rinses out calcium and other elements in hard water.

I would recommend: clarify once and then deep condition without cones and protein. Always finish your wash procedure with a mild sourish last rinse.

Use coconut oil and a tangle teezer regularly. You may try Fox' sheabutter recipe: sheabutter, jojoba or coconut oil, coneless conditioner - it smoothes your ends and makes them less likely to tangle. Before washing, make coconut deep treatments or a mixture of coneless, gentle conditioner with oil (olive oil works very well for that).

At night, oil and braid before you put on your sleep cap. In the day, keep your hair up. Try to find out whether there are ares of your hair that tend to tangle more than others, and oil them (nape hair is notorious....)

Hth.

[Gutterfayrie]

I use to get really bad mats, almost like dreadlocks when my hair was around BSL to slightly longer. As it got longer and I trimmed out the damage from bleaching, then it stopped.

HTH!

[helen2806]

I'm seconding the Tangle Teezer suggestion - even though my hair isn't curly it has always been prone to matting at the nape of my neck (even when it was much shorter), the TT gets through any matting really quickly, especially if I use a bit of my Aussie detangle/leave-in spray