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View Full Version : Tangles: newbie seeking advice :)



RapunzelKat
November 30th, 2011, 03:29 PM
Wow, there is so much to learn on LHC! Little did I know when I joined to learn new hairstyles :)

I have been reading through the articles and so forth, and there are so many things I want to try!*I think a good place for me to start by learning to minimize tangling when I shower. I don't pile my hair on top of my head - I just leave it down my back. I still get a LOT of tangles though, and it takes a lot of work to get them out. My hair has always been tangle-prone, but I'm hoping I can learn to minimize it.*

My hair is very straight and fine and is about 4-5" short of classic length right now. It seems pretty healthy to me; it is shiny and silky. I am due for a trim, but I have always had this problem, even right after my hair is trimmed.*Does anybody have any advice? Are there any particular threads I should look at to learn more?

Amber_Maiden
November 30th, 2011, 03:32 PM
Not sure what else you can do in the shower... But have you tried a Tangle Teezer. There is a thread about them somewhere around here.

Kiwiwi
November 30th, 2011, 03:43 PM
Do you detange -before- you shower? It could help :)

Also, maybe you have too much protein. Check your products. It could be the problem.

That's all the advice I have.

Madora
November 30th, 2011, 03:48 PM
Here's a method I've used for over 30 years.

1) Detangle your hair thoroughly with a wide tooth comb

2) Part your hair from the center of your forehead to the nape of your neck so that it is in two sections. Band one section loosely with a scrunchie.

3) Wet hair thoroughly, then apply your shampoo. It is HOW you apply the shampoo (and the conditioner also) that keeps tangles to a minimum.

Use your fingerpads when shampooing. Shampoo from the top of the head downward on one side of your head then on the other side. Try and shampoo in the same direction --top then downward. If you shampoo up, down, backwards and forwards, then the hairs are more apt to become tangled.

When rinsing, keep each side separate and again try and rinse out in one direction on each side of the head.

Conditioning is done the same way. Use a wide tooth comb to detangle while your hair is slathered with conditioner. Start from the ends and work slowly up the strands.

Rinse well and if you can stand it, finish with a cold final rinse to close the cuticles.

If you shampoo in the bent at the waist position, then just try and use your fingerpads gently as you go through the scalp and hair.

I use a bathchair and shampoo in the bent at the waist position. I've found that if I part my hair in the middle, and keep one section of it banded while I work on the other section, it helps keeps tangles to a minimum. Hope this helps!

Mina17
November 30th, 2011, 04:36 PM
I detangle in the shower with a wide toothed comb while rinsing the conditioner out of my hair. The slip from the conditioner in addition to the water running through the hair makes detangling easier for me.

jacqueline101
November 30th, 2011, 04:39 PM
I would detangle before your wash and try a detangler. Spray in detangler after you wash your hair.

Rivanariko
November 30th, 2011, 05:12 PM
It could be product build-up, a lot of people have reported extra tangling and velcro-y ends as a symptom of build-up. You could try a clarifying shampoo.

Our hair type sounds similar though (super straight, baby fine, almost classic length, we're twins!) and I am a total 'cone addict! I use Aussie 3MM which is very coney but not as heavy as Tresemme (which weighs my fine hair down and makes it look limp). The cones provide the slip that I need to be able to detangle. I do not detangle before I shower (because then I get lots of breakage), instead I do a hybrid wash (condition length, shampoo ONLY the crown) while in the shower, followed by a second application of conditioner. I let that sit for a few minutes and then detangle VERY carefully while the conditioner is still in, as well as while I'm rinsing it out. The slimy-ness helps the tangles slip free and the water helps push the knots out I guess.

I have to detangle again once it's dry, but I have the type of hair that tangles if you look at it, so I'm just used to dealing with them. This is what I do if I've left it in a braid for a few days and it's looking almost dread-ish.

Pierre
November 30th, 2011, 06:50 PM
I detangle in the shower. If I find a tangle that is at the ends of all hairs involved, I cut it off, else I try to detangle it by pulling two groups of hairs apart, pulling single hairs through it, etc.

How much time (besides when you're in the shower) do you wear it down? If you do a lot, that can cause damage.

Kelikea
November 30th, 2011, 06:57 PM
I don't like detangling in the shower. It is possibly partly due to the fact that I have a very small shower and not enough room to comb without also being under the water. Anyway, I feel that my hair is too difficult to comb out in the shower, and don't even like to do it once out of the shower, no matter how much conditioner is slathered on. It just pulls out too much hair and wave pattern. I try to leave it until dry, then just barely detangle the under side with a wide tooth comb. If in a hurry, then I'll comb straight out of the shower, maybe after applying a curl cream, and then try to scrunch the curls back up.

Fairlight63
November 30th, 2011, 06:58 PM
Mine is also so tangle prone, it is hard to get a comb through my hair. The conditioner that I use has cones in it (Sunsilk). What helps my hair to get the tangles out so that I can comb it is olive oil, or jojoba oil. After I oil it the comb slides through my hair much better.

EdG
November 30th, 2011, 07:01 PM
Hairs can tangle by themselves, but many times I find the culprit is lint. Lint wraps itself around two or more hairs, leading to tangles especially after washing.

I try to minimize lint by getting rid of excessively linty clothing, blankets, etc.
Ed

RapunzelKat
November 30th, 2011, 09:36 PM
Here's a method I've used for over 30 years.

1) Detangle your hair thoroughly with a wide tooth comb

2) Part your hair from the center of your forehead to the nape of your neck so that it is in two sections. Band one section loosely with a scrunchie.

3) Wet hair thoroughly, then apply your shampoo. It is HOW you apply the shampoo (and the conditioner also) that keeps tangles to a minimum.

Use your fingerpads when shampooing. Shampoo from the top of the head downward on one side of your head then on the other side. Try and shampoo in the same direction --top then downward. If you shampoo up, down, backwards and forwards, then the hairs are more apt to become tangled.

When rinsing, keep each side separate and again try and rinse out in one direction on each side of the head.

Conditioning is done the same way. Use a wide tooth comb to detangle while your hair is slathered with conditioner. Start from the ends and work slowly up the strands.

Rinse well and if you can stand it, finish with a cold final rinse to close the cuticles.

If you shampoo in the bent at the waist position, then just try and use your fingerpads gently as you go through the scalp and hair.

I use a bathchair and shampoo in the bent at the waist position. I've found that if I part my hair in the middle, and keep one section of it banded while I work on the other section, it helps keeps tangles to a minimum. Hope this helps!

Thanks! :D I gave this a try when I washed tonight, and seperating the two strands did seem to help some. I think I need more practice getting the shampoo on in the same direction, though! :) I think I'm going to have to pass on combing in the shower... I can't really get the comb through my hair and there is not enough space! I am SO glad there are new things I can try! This has been my biggest source of frustration with my hair for quite a while.

RapunzelKat
November 30th, 2011, 10:16 PM
It could be product build-up, a lot of people have reported extra tangling and velcro-y ends as a symptom of build-up. You could try a clarifying shampoo.

Our hair type sounds similar though (super straight, baby fine, almost classic length, we're twins!) and I am a total 'cone addict! I use Aussie 3MM which is very coney but not as heavy as Tresemme (which weighs my fine hair down and makes it look limp). The cones provide the slip that I need to be able to detangle. I do not detangle before I shower (because then I get lots of breakage), instead I do a hybrid wash (condition length, shampoo ONLY the crown) while in the shower, followed by a second application of conditioner. I let that sit for a few minutes and then detangle VERY carefully while the conditioner is still in, as well as while I'm rinsing it out. The slimy-ness helps the tangles slip free and the water helps push the knots out I guess.

I have to detangle again once it's dry, but I have the type of hair that tangles if you look at it, so I'm just used to dealing with them. This is what I do if I've left it in a braid for a few days and it's looking almost dread-ish.

Wow, we are total hair twins! Our colors are even similar! :) And mine also tangles at the drop of a hat, even when dry... I have been considering trying the CWC wash (Is that the same as a hybrid wash? I think so...) I am also a 'cone lover - both my conditioner and leave-in detangler have them, and I'm pretty sure I would be unable to comb my hair without them.

I actually do use a clarifying shampoo (Tresemme), as I have very hard water where I live. Kiwiwi (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/member.php?u=41764) commented that too much protein might be causing some of my trouble, and both my shampoo and conditioner do indeed have protein in them. Does excess protein have similar effects to product build up?

By the way... My apologies to everyone if I'm not doing the quote/reply thing correctly! I am a total forum noob, so I'm sure I'm not getting everything right.:o If anybody has any suggestions for me, please let me know.

RapunzelKat
November 30th, 2011, 10:48 PM
I detangle in the shower. If I find a tangle that is at the ends of all hairs involved, I cut it off, else I try to detangle it by pulling two groups of hairs apart, pulling single hairs through it, etc.

How much time (besides when you're in the shower) do you wear it down? If you do a lot, that can cause damage.

I actually only wear my hair down occasionally (maybe once a month), but I am guilty of a couple other things that might have left me with some damage that I just can't see... Maybe this is another thing contributing to my tangle troubles. I used to put my hair up in a super-tight bun almost every day, while it was still wet. I was also guilty of using Sun-In over summer. :o

I have been thinking about switching to CWC washes, and working either oiling or SMT treatments into my routine once I've got the CWC down... I'm just not sure if it's a good idea to change so many things at once. :)

coffinhert
December 1st, 2011, 12:18 AM
Do you shampoo the length? Maybe you could try one method people do, where you put conditioner on the length of your hair, then shampoo your scalp, then rinse it all through. Then do a full conditioner application. you shouldn't ever need to shampoo the length of your hair, just your scalp.

eta
It's a great idea to change one thing at a time, by the way. It took me a couple months to figure out which oiling method works best for me. I never do deep oil treatments, but I use a little bit of oil as a leave-in conditioner every day.It makes my hair smoother and softer and decreases tangles. It's the best quick fix I've found for bleach damaged hair (whcih you have if you used sun-in) while I wait for it to grow out.