Weekly Straightening to avoid tangles?

[hairconvictions]

Good morning!

I have recently tried doing my hair in ways that don't include a braided bun. My hair is knee length and I have been doing the braided bun for about 4 years. It is quick with kids and I don't need to every detangle all of it at the same time. I just take out the braid and lightly comb out the bad parts and put it back up.

Now that I am trying new things I need to detangle my whole head every couple of days and it's been a nightmare. My brush is FULL of hair because of the tangles.
I have a super wide tooth comb, a regular comb and then my regular brush.

I shampoo and condition once a week.
I've tried coconut oil on the ends and over the updos/halfdos.
I've tried using gel/no gel/hairspray/no hairspray
I've tried (in months past) doing no shampoo (baking soda and vinegar)
I have some detangler I use everytime (Michael's brand I think- came recommended)

My hair is still a hot mess at the end of the day with huge tangles.

I had a thought to buy a high quality hair straightener and then straighten it the day after wash day so it's smooth for the week. Thoughts? Would this work?
I NEVER straighten my hair because I have been protecting it for years, but the amount I lose in the hairbrush from tangles I thought it might be worth a try.
Also, I heard they have sprays you use before straightening to protect it a bit?

[Bri-Chan]

I think that the best straightener will not save your hair from heat damage. I feel you for the struggles you have, I'm in the same situation (but shorter hair).
Some heatless straightening method?

[lapushka]

For me styling it really did no longer work with FTL hair. I cut back to classic in part due to that, and because it is the length I am most comfortable at.

Have you tried double conditioning? An oil rinse? The LOC method. All 3 things I do and it's like magic for wavy hair.

I wash once a week, and dry detangle before a wash (parted into 2 sections), and then when it comes out the towel I damp brush it with a wet brush dupe. It works like a charm!

ETA/ I definitely agree with Bri-Chan, even heat on high once and it can ruin your hair (breaking/boiling points).

[Laurab]

So, I think the trouble with straightening is it gets you in a really bad cycle.

Your hair is messy/frizzy, so you straighten it, which damages your hair making it more messy/frizzy. You start to depend on the straightener more and more, and your hair ends up fried.
I'm not against using heat every now and then, but I'd be careful about starting it as a regular thing.

Why have you wanted to switch it up from the braided bun? It sounds like it's been working quite well for you!

[SleepyTangles]

No product will protect the hair from damage, nor the most sophisticated flat-iron, I fear. In the end, the amount of hair you'd loose to the heat would be the same, if not more, of the one you loose with detangling...
Do you own a tangle teezer? Have you tried detangling with few drops of oil for a better slip?

[Mariekeeee14]

I would recommend a slippery detangler and/or a good detangling brush like the tangle teezer.

Forgot to add, it does not need to be a coney detangler if you avoid cones. I look a the curly girl method for good ones. I use Kiny Curly Knot Today and I’m very happy with it.

[blackgothicdoll]

Obv my hair likely tangles far more than yours, but some tricks are to wash/detangle in sections. Trying to do anything to my hair 'all at once' results in tangles that can only be cut out. I'd even recommend two-four braids to use as a base to any styles you do - I find keeping the hair braided helps volumes.

Of course, if you want to experiment, the washing advice is probably the most helpful as you can still do what you need but caring for your hair when wet is the key, and letting it dry in braids so avoid it curling back up on itself helps as well.

eta: I do not recommend straightening. Heat damage is inevitable, and can ruin your texture. I have pics in my heat damage album if you need more convincing of that.

[akurah]

Back when I had knee length hair I generally had to detangle in the shower, which meant washing every 3 days or so, sometimes every two. I used silicone conditioner. That may be worth a shot.

Edit to add: I think your tangles are from your baking soda on hair experiment. That is extraordinarily damaging. You may need silicone until the damage is grown out just to make the hair manageable.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Maybe if it's the trying new things that is making your hair tangly, then you could go back to the old ways which worked for you?

[Hedwig]

I also wouldn't recommend heat in order to get rid of tangles. Heat tends to dry the hair out, which means that you'll end up with even more tangles in the end. Have you tried using a conditioner or serum with silicone?