Retangling Issue

[Leneveu]

For example, if I'm making an updo, I make sure my hair is perfectly tangle free, and have it neatly combed out (parted in the centre). The next step is usually to form a ponytail, and at this stage the hair in the ponytail needs detangling again, as though it had never been detangled before :confused:

I also have this problem in other situations where the "direction" of the hair is changed, for example when I change the part, or (gently) flip my head over (for BBBing) and back up.

So, my question is: is this normal hair behaviour (or normal for fine hair), or is it a sign of damage or poor condition? :(

[Niftytiffs]

I've always had a similar problem but have found that since I've started taking better care of it and since I have started making a concerted effort and getting rid of the split ends, its not as bad. Its usually at its worst the day that I've washed it and as my hair settles down over the next couple of days, it gets easier and less likely to retangle.

Tiffers

[Heidi_234]

That happens to me too! I'll comb/brush it out on one side, then sway it out to the other side and it's full of tangles. I'll detangle it, sway back to the other side, and it's all massed up again!

Would you consider you length/ends damaged? Are they velco-ish? Mine are utterly fried, and tend to be very grabby, maybe that's why. :shrug:

[Leneveu]

I've always had a similar problem but have found that since I've started taking better care of it and since I have started making a concerted effort and getting rid of the split ends, its not as bad. Its usually at its worst the day that I've washed it and as my hair settles down over the next couple of days, it gets easier and less likely to retangle.


Would you consider you length/ends damaged? Are they velco-ish? Mine are utterly fried, and tend to be very grabby, maybe that's why. :shrug:

That's the reason I'm a bit puzzled: I wouldn't say my ends are damaged - perhaps the odd split end, but I'm a zealous S&Der :p Maybe my hair could be in overall better condition :hmm:

[Heidi_234]

Well then, it might not be damage after all. Initially I thought it was my hairtype, that hates to be brushed, but you're a wavy and Niftytiffs is 1b, so you're "not supposed" to have this problem, but you do.

Raised cuticles don't always mean damage. I wonder if ACV rinses could help you (as nothing can help me, except scissors).

[spidermom]

I think it's pretty normal for our hair type. I tried no-cone for a long time, but my hair was knotting up so severely that I am back to using CHI Silk Infusion coney serum because it helps with the de-tangling so much. Other serums don't work as well as that one, but it's pricey.

[Peter]

I don't have the same hair type as you but I have this problem too. Maybe in a more minor way, though. If I detangle my hair then put it in a ponytail, I have to comb through it a few times. Certainly not as much as the first detangling, but still something.

[Leneveu]

I tried no-cone for a long time, but my hair was knotting up so severely that I am back to using CHI Silk Infusion coney serum because it helps with the de-tangling so much. Other serums don't work as well as that one, but it's pricey.

Hmm, I do have a bottle of coney serem lying around somewhere (from my pre LHC days). Perhaps I'll give it another try...

[Leneveu]

Raised cuticles don't always mean damage. I wonder if ACV rinses could help you (as nothing can help me, except scissors).

I've been doing ACV rinses lately - shinier, definitely, but just as tangly :p

[Anje]

I have a bit of trouble with that kind of re-tangling, and I'd say it's pretty normal. Changing the direction of hair (flipping my head) is definitely a recipe for new tangles.

One thing that you might want to look at is the protein content of your products. If I put protein-y stuff in my hair (including the amodimethicone-y Infusium leave-in that I rather like!), I soon start getting more and worse tangles.

[Themyst]

I have the same problem. I can completely comb my hair out, but as soon as I lift it to put into a ponytail, it needs to be completely combed out again. That's why I can't wear a ponytail anymore - even throughout the day, the tail itself will get so tangled from rolling over on itself that it is hopeless. And my hair has very minimal damage, very few splits.

I attribute it to my fine, flyaway hair. Now, if I comb it out and just stand around all day doing nothing, it is fine and looks fantastic. But since I'm a fairly active person, that is impractical and so I've been on the lookout for simple updos to wear to try and get around my tangle problem. Others have suggested braiding before - but that creates a problem in itself that I don't think many can relate to. I'll comb my hair, start to braid it, and then the three strands eventually need combing because they become tangled as they hang there waiting to be braided. I'm not talking about the three strands becoming tangled together (although that happens too). It's very frustrating and hopefully will not prove to be a deterrent to my terminal goal. I've really been on the fence with this lately because I think it's just my fine hair and there is no cure for that. :( I've been wondering about mousse. Could there be a mousse product to apply (that is not harsh) after washing that helps prevent this? I'm not very familiar with hair mousse as I've never really used it.

[Brownie]

I haaaaaaaaaate this!
My hair looks like an exploded toilet brush (extremely tangled and BIG) after I gathered it in a ponytail/changed the direction/started to do a french braid, regardless of how well I detangled it before that. It's so annoying... My hair tangles extremely easily, it's nearly impossible to wear it down because it'll be a tangled mess within minutes. It's very healthy and well cared for, I've got this problem no matter what I do.

[Themyst]

And you don't have fine hair. Well, that blows my theory then.

[pinchbeck]

Good question and I thought this was an odd trait that only my hair possessed. My hair can knot up after its been combed out. Sometimes when braiding it at the back I will accidentally break a hair or find a newly formed knot (from handling) when I have divided my hair into three.

I have tried everything and nothing works. This week I incorporated aloe vera juice into my spray bottle and found it did nothing for my hair except make my detangling efforts more challenging. This is the nature of my hair and this is why it never gets long because I get peeved off and cut it. It's a shame, really, because I adore very long lengths of hair!

[Tinose]

I'll comb my hair, start to braid it, and then the three strands eventually need combing because they become tangled as they hang there waiting to be braided.

I'm not the only one with that problem, yes! Honestly, I never learned to do any braid more complicated than a plain English until I chopped my hair off to shoulder, just because my hair got so tangled I gave up. It's better now that I'm only at APL and my hair's healthy and I've been S&Ding it, but I'm still not sure how it's going to end up again when long, since I can already feel it trying to tangle. I can and do recomb it while braiding but that's an additional complication when I'm trying to learn a new fancy braid that I really have a hard time with.

I think it's just a matter of hair type, to be honest. My hair's very wavy and very fine, and the waviness seems to make it want to go places, while the fineness makes it lighter and easier to get tangled and easier to damage.

I've had some success with detanglers in the past, but I'm not a huge fan of product in my hair so I scarcely ever use it.

[Themyst]

I'm still going to hold off on the hope that some kind of magical mousse exists. :magic:

[Arctic]

It could be some kind of build-up from products, your water (minerals, etc), sweat, sebum... like Anje said, also too much protein might make hair so tangleprone.

[Arctic]

The myst, I wonder if this would work: you would secure each of the three sections with a scrunchie when you separate the sections, and as you braid, slide each of the scrunchie a bit lower, braid a bit, slide them lower, and finally remove the scrunchies before securing the braid.

[eshta]

Let me know if you find the magic potion for this. I detangle the braid parts as I go and when bunning I usually give up on detangling the ponytail and just bun it.

I don't think hairtype matters too much, I'm not a wavey and have (mostly) coarse hair.

AVC rinses and even cones never really helped much, I clarify regularly and that seems to help a little. Artic, it might be hard water/mineral build up. I don't think sweat or sebum is the problem (for me at least) because those have no chance to reach the lenghts that knot the fastest.

It's annoying and I've been wondering lately if my splits aren't a result of the massive tangling, because I have quite resilient hair and have been treating it LHC style gently since I found this place but still have lots of new splits forming.

[Themyst]

Thanks for the suggestion, Arctic. I'll give it a try next time.

It would be interesting to see a chart on this with all the different factors available, water type, hair condition, climate, wash method, etc. My hair has always been like this even back in BSL times and I've moved around plenty between well water and city waters with house filters so in my case I can pretty much discount the hard water issue. It must have something to do with hair type. I am so envious of the women (and men!) that can comb their hair and walk around all day having it look and stay fabulous. I'd have to constantly comb mine and by the end of the day how much damage would I have caused? :eek:

[Eryka]

Oooh yeah, add me to this group. I swear, blink my eyes once and then I need to detangle again

[Tabitha]

Mine even retangles between stages of washing - I detangle when it's dry before I wash but have to detangle after shampoo 1, shampoo 2, condition and final rinse. With each detangling some more hair comes out :cry:

It's no wonder I rarely wash more often than once a week.

[Flynn]

I think it's very normal for strongly wavy hair.

[jahof45]

I have the exact same problem but only since my hair passed BSL into mid-back. I keep trying to figure out how someone with hair longer than mine actually braids their own hair. Teasel's hair is 10" longer than mine and she is able to do all those amazing braids. Mine tangles as soon as I start an English braid and I need my DH to help me mid-braid. I was using cones prior to joining LHC and now am doing CO but I don't see much difference. I'm shedding worse during styling, if anything. I'm starting to fret about my hair-line due to the shedding.

[flutterbudget]

Mine is like this too. It is very fine but stick straight, so its definitely not about waves with me. Its always been this way regarless of length, water conditions, chemically treated or not. Cones help me a little.