Tangles from washing

[LeaGirl]

The tangles I get when I wash my hair are just HOPELESS. When you use conditioner/a mild shampoo/only water to clean your scalp, you have to massage a lot to make sure it gets properly cleaned, but this massaging causes the rest of the hair to tangle (alright, I confess I also scrub, because I feel like only massaging won't make my scalp clean. I like my conditioner to lather).
I have to take lots of deep conditioning in my lenghts and comb them before and after every time I wash my scalp to detangle them and I feel like this is a waste of conditioner. But the main reason why I want this tangeling to stop is because I feel like it is ruining my hair. Anyone can tell that tangles aren't good.:boohoo:

Does anyone have any tips on how to wash without causing tangles?

[ravenreed]

When I CO, I make sure the conditioner goes all the way down to the scalp. I also make sure it is all through the ends. I do a quick massage and that is about it. I have no problems with tangles because I am not moving the hair around a lot, just pushing my fingers through to the scalp, massage that bit, then move my fingers again and massage the next bit. It is more to make sure the conditioner is all the way through than anything. My conditioner doesn't get foamy, but my hair looks, feels and smells clean afterward. I do let my conditioner sit a bit though, before I rinse.

[rhubarbarin]

I would stop scrubbing and just massage your scalp. I bet it will help the tangling a lot. If you can't get a clean scalp without scrubbing, then I would change products.

IMO 'mechanical damage' from rough handling is always going to be worse than any damage you might get from using SLS, which cleans very effectively without friction.

[heidihug]

Tips to avoid wash-time tangling:


Never wash your hair upside down - that is cause for tangles galore.
Don't scrub, just spend a few extra minutes gently massaging. I have an especially oily scalp, and I find that scrubbing my scalp causes it to produce more oil and sebum, rather than less.
Wash only the scalp. Your length will generally not need to be washed unless you get something in it, or if you are clarifying.


Hope that helps!

[nyemelis]

Tips to avoid wash-time tangling:

Never wash your hair upside down - that is cause for tangles galore.
Don't scrub, just spend a few extra minutes gently massaging. I have an especially oily scalp, and I find that scrubbing my scalp causes it to produce more oil and sebum, rather than less.
Wash only the scalp. Your length will generally not need to be washed unless you get something in it, or if you are clarifying.
Hope that helps!


Everything that Heidibug said. I follow all of these recommendations and I never have bad tangles. Sometimes I don't have any. When I condition my hair I also use my fingers to gently run my fingers through ear-length onwards hair. That conditioner is the only thing that touches the length. It also helps for catching shed hairs and gently pulling them out of the length!

[halo_tightens]

Tips to avoid wash-time tangling:


Never wash your hair upside down - that is cause for tangles galore.Hmmm... This could be a problem for me!! I've never been able to tolerate washing my hair in the shower; I've always knelt by the tub and washed upside-down. I haven't noticed any tangling issues from it-- the biggest problem as my hair has grown is that it now wants to go down the drain-- but is this going to be a huge problem when my hair gets long? I just HATE washing it in the shower for some reason. I don't know why; I just always have hated it. Does anyone with really long hair wash theirs as I do, and with minimal problems?

[adiapalic]

Tips to avoid wash-time tangling:


Never wash your hair upside down - that is cause for tangles galore.
Don't scrub, just spend a few extra minutes gently massaging. I have an especially oily scalp, and I find that scrubbing my scalp causes it to produce more oil and sebum, rather than less.
Wash only the scalp. Your length will generally not need to be washed unless you get something in it, or if you are clarifying.


Hope that helps!

This, and make sure you're not piling the length on your head as well. Just let your hair stay in its normal cascade down your back when you wash, this prevents/minimizes tangling and your hair will get just as clean.

Also, working conditioner until it lathers sounds like a lot of scrubbing! So, like heidihug suggested, try just gently massaging your scalp with your fingertips instead. It will get clean! :)

[heidihug]

Hmmm... This could be a problem for me!! I've never been able to tolerate washing my hair in the shower; I've always knelt by the tub and washed upside-down. I haven't noticed any tangling issues from it-- the biggest problem as my hair has grown is that it now wants to go down the drain-- but is this going to be a huge problem when my hair gets long?

Yes, probably. When my hair was less than 24 inches or so, it was not a problem for me to wash upside-down in the sink or tub. But, gradually as I grew longer, I found that I absolutely had to wash in the shower, or my hair would get "eaten" by the drain. Believe me, that is an unpleasant world, down the drain, that you do not want your hair anywhere near (slimy ickiness abounds). Plus, as I mentioned, the tangles get more and more difficult to remove, the longer your hair is.

[halo_tightens]

Yes, probably. When my hair was less than 24 inches or so, it was not a problem for me to wash upside-down in the sink or tub. But, gradually as I grew longer, I found that I absolutely had to wash in the shower, or my hair would get "eaten" by the drain. Believe me, that is an unpleasant world, down the drain, that you do not want your hair anywhere near (slimy ickiness abounds). Plus, as I mentioned, the tangles get more and more difficult to remove, the longer your hair is.

Groan.... It's going to be very hard to adjust to that. I've just recently noticed my hair trying to slither down there, and I'm very aware that it isn't a place that I want any part of me touching! I just hate washing it upright... Ah well. I'll consider it part of the price I have to pay to have the long hair I want so badly! It's more than worth it, of course.

Sorry for the hijack, LeaGirl. I shall stop now. :)

[rhubarbarin]

[/list]Hmmm... This could be a problem for me!! I've never been able to tolerate washing my hair in the shower; I've always knelt by the tub and washed upside-down. I haven't noticed any tangling issues from it-- the biggest problem as my hair has grown is that it now wants to go down the drain-- but is this going to be a huge problem when my hair gets long? I just HATE washing it in the shower for some reason. I don't know why; I just always have hated it. Does anyone with really long hair wash theirs as I do, and with minimal problems?

My hair isn't long right now (around BSL) but I wash upside-down most of the time and have zero troubles from it. For me the key is never pulling my hands through my hair. I just stick my fingers up through the hair that is hanging down to massage shampoo into my scalp. I did the same thing with waist-to-hip hair. I always stand up and bend over, so my hair is far from the drain.

[LeaGirl]

Ok, thanks everyone...I guess I'll have to stop scrubbing and just massage then!

The thing is that I'm so afraid of buildup, or having dirty hair the day after washing just because I didn't clean it well enough...so that's why I'm afraid of ''gentle'' cleansing. I had no trouble with it when I used SLS shampoo, but now that I use SLS free shampoo and conditioner (I use CO mostly and like every third wash CWC, just to clear things up) I am afraid that it won't be cleansing enough, because this happened when I just started CO. My hair would get buildup the day after I washed it and I thought it was because CO just didn't work for me, but then i read in a Swedish hair forum about a girl who said that it works much better if you really massage and make the conditioner lather. So I think I just assumed that to make it lather you have to scrub- well, I'm just rambeling now, you don't really need to know this! But I will try your tips, so thank you.

P.S I NEVER wash my lenght. It gets tangly from the scalp wash only.

[LeaGirl]

Sorry for starting two threads about this. I couldn't find this one so I thought something had gone wrong and started a new one called ''Washing =Tangles''. But I got different advices in them, so I guess it was good anyway :D

[rchorr]

[/LIST]Hmmm... This could be a problem for me!! I've never been able to tolerate washing my hair in the shower; I've always knelt by the tub and washed upside-down. I haven't noticed any tangling issues from it-- the biggest problem as my hair has grown is that it now wants to go down the drain-- but is this going to be a huge problem when my hair gets long? I just HATE washing it in the shower for some reason. I don't know why; I just always have hated it. Does anyone with really long hair wash theirs as I do, and with minimal problems?

REALLY?!? I'm just the opposite! I HATE turning upside down to wash my hair. And I always feel like I get it cleaner and rinsed better in the shower.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. However, I will have to agree that doing it in the shower (ok, get your mind out of the gutter! LOL!) lets your hair stay less tangley. Gravity helps, in this case. We won't even THINK about other body parts that HATE gravity! :silly:

RCHORR'

[curls2grow]

Whether I CO wash, WO wash, or rinse out a DT, I get maaaajor tangles. There's nothing I can do to prevent them. When I get out of the shower, I gently rake some leave-in conditioner through my length and above-ear hair also (even my root area tangles) before a comb touches any part of my hair.