Battling Knots at Root while Stretching

[abcd09]

I am being forced to stretch my relaxer till probably January and am not sure how to deal with these tangles. Sometimes the roots will tangle, even after I detangle and braid. The knots are like dreds and are really annoying to deal with. What tangles most is the hair about a centimeter from the demarcation line. I've been co-washing everyday with some knots, but today I can just feel the hair tangling. I've been doing ACV rinses for porosity, and tried the tension method today and it's not really working.

Any suggestions?

 

[Glamourstruckk]

I'd limit the amount of manipulation. This will lower the chances for your hair to tangle.

 

[abcd09]

I appreciate the advice, but it seems like if I avoid detangling the mats will get worse? Like more hair will wrap around the mat and tangle up if I don't detangle it right away? My hair seems to act funny; even if I detangle it will retangle right away.

 

[blessedandlucky]

Does it only tangle when you wash or during daily manipulation like combing? Can you bun until you relax or some other low maintenance style?

 

[Myjourney2009]

:superman:tAALIAH wAAJID Protective mist bodifier:superman:

Apply it to the roots after washing and/or conditioning and then again 2-3 days later.

 

[abcd09]

Does it only tangle when you wash or during daily manipulation like combing? Can you bun until you relax or some other low maintenance style?

I could try low maintenance, but I worry about it matting after detangling, retangling again and just leaving it there, like I'm ignoring a problem and letting it get worse. It doesn't tangle when I wash. It only tangles when it dries- low mani or high mani.

 

[Kiki82]

bump for more responses

 

[Ms Lala]

:superman:tAALIAH wAAJID Protective mist bodifier:superman:

Apply it to the roots after washing and/or conditioning and then again 2-3 days later.

Yes this stuff is the real deal. My hair is natural and super dense. I have used it to detangle dry hair.

 

[ackee walk]

what relaxer do you use? is it lye or no lye? and how long do you/have you been stretch(ing)? also, how do you wear your hair after you wash it?

i'm relaxed and when i stretch, i have the same issue, especially if am not roller setting my hair. some folks' hair is just prone to dread and i am one of them. when i was using a no-lye relaxer it was worse than it is now. now that i use a lye relaxer (mizani bb), it's much better but i still have to be careful not to stretch too long. other than that, what i do may sound slightly complicated but here it goes--

i use a good detangling leave-in and detangle my freshly washed hair in sections with a large tooth comb. then when my hair is slightly damp/almost dry, i moisturize it, seal it with one of my favorite creamy butters and/or JBCO and then detangle again first with a large tooth comb and then with a smaller (but not fine) tooth comb. then when my hair is completely dry i detangle again. for me, i only notice the tangled up knots of hair/dreads once my hair is fully dry so i have to do that final inspection to make sure i've fully detangled my hair. if when dry, i do encounter any dreads, which i always do, i detangle with my fingers first and then comb through the section with a regular (not large or fine) tooth comb from ends up to roots.

for my dread-prone hair, my no-no's are:
no lye relaxers (dry/tangle city)
not thoroughly moisturizing the roots and sealing them with a creamy butter/with JBCO
NOT fully detangling the roots (it will just get worse and worse)
only detangling with a wide-tooth comb (doesn't get all the tangles)
NOT detangling with my fingers
stretching too long

 

[Minty]

I don't shampoo the same way I used to because of tangling.

I use a skinny nozzle color bottle and use 50:50 mix of shampoo/water. I separate the hair at the scalp under running water in small sections.

1st section to separate in two halves.

then on the halves I do about 2" parts and at each part I apply shampoo to the scalp and run my finger along the part - not scrubbing, just a light rub like applying grease.

I do this around the whole head and leave it until I'm done with the shower and rinse it out.

This has GREATLY reduced the level of tangles I have.

2nd thing I do is to let the hair partially dry and apply DC with a sprush in those small sections - steam and rinse. If I were going to detangle, I'd do so while rinsing the DC out with a shower comb. I do not comb after that point.

 

[afrikurl]

I co washing daily may be the culprit. May be you can try styles that are stretched and leave them for 3-4 days. Wash with your hair braided, then try it again. Whe more you wet the natural portion of you hair, the more it will want to curl around itself. I only wet my hair when it is twisted or braided to prevent the opportunity for tangles.

 

[ackee walk]

I co washing daily may be the culprit. May be you can try styles that are stretched and leave them for 3-4 days. Wash with your hair braided, then try it again. Whe more you wet the natural portion of you hair, the more it will want to curl around itself. I only wet my hair when it is twisted or braided to prevent the opportunity for tangles.

didn't even remember OP said she's been co-washing daily. i agree with afrikurl.

 

[divachyk]

Yes this stuff is the real deal. My hair is natural and super dense. I have used it to detangle dry hair.

:superman:tAALIAH wAAJID Protective mist bodifier:superman:

Apply it to the roots after washing and/or conditioning and then again 2-3 days later.

This prod has definitely helped me.

 

[abcd09]

what relaxer do you use? is it lye or no lye? and how long do you/have you been stretch(ing)? also, how do you wear your hair after you wash it?

i'm relaxed and when i stretch, i have the same issue, especially if am not roller setting my hair. some folks' hair is just prone to dread and i am one of them. when i was using a no-lye relaxer it was worse than it is now. now that i use a lye relaxer (mizani bb), it's much better but i still have to be careful not to stretch too long. other than that, what i do may sound slightly complicated but here it goes--

i use a good detangling leave-in and detangle my freshly washed hair in sections with a large tooth comb. then when my hair is slightly damp/almost dry, i moisturize it, seal it with one of my favorite creamy butters and/or JBCO and then detangle again first with a large tooth comb and then with a smaller (but not fine) tooth comb. then when my hair is completely dry i detangle again. for me, i only notice the tangled up knots of hair/dreads once my hair is fully dry so i have to do that final inspection to make sure i've fully detangled my hair. if when dry, i do encounter any dreads, which i always do, i detangle with my fingers first and then comb through the section with a regular (not large or fine) tooth comb from ends up to roots.

for my dread-prone hair, my no-no's are:
no lye relaxers (dry/tangle city)
not thoroughly moisturizing the roots and sealing them with a creamy butter/with JBCO
NOT fully detangling the roots (it will just get worse and worse)
only detangling with a wide-tooth comb (doesn't get all the tangles)
NOT detangling with my fingers
stretching too long

Yeah I don't want to stretch for long, but I'm in a new city and I have no idea where to go, and to be honest I am afraid of going to another lady to relax my hair. I've had bad experiences with careless people and it makes me mad just thinking about them. My last relaxer was in the second week of September. I've never done it this long before. I'm afraid that when I do go get one, the hair dresser will overlap thinking that'll remove the "naps" or whatever they think. I haven't found a polite way to tell them only apply it to the new growth.

I have no idea what type of relaxer my old hair dresser used. I need to ask. I think it may be no lye.

You don't find that detangling three times makes you lose a lot of hair? I do the detangling several times like you, and I think my hair is just very fragile (already split prone) because it gets thinner, snaps, and then I have splits and fly-aways like mad.

I've only recently started co-washing. It does this whether I wash once a week or 5 times a week.

When I stretch I style my hair in three plaits at the top, three at the bottom, and pull back lightly into a hair tie. I try to do low mani (no combing until wash day) to whenever I wash. I've been flat ironing the roots of my bangs and they will knot and dred sometimes. Perhaps I just need to flat iron the roots all over so that I can stop the thinning.

 

[abcd09]

Yes this stuff is the real deal. My hair is natural and super dense. I have used it to detangle dry hair.

Where do you get this?

 

[Myjourney2009]

If you live in the US CVS carries the Taalijah Waajid. It should run you around 8 bucks after tax. Also check your local BSS, most of them carry it now. If not then order it from her site.

I am telling you this stuff is fantasitc, I am never without atleast 2 at a time.

You may also want to look at the way you are shampooing. Keep the hair in one direction so the hair will not tangle easily, also consider washing in sections

 

[polished07]

I'm 18 wks post and I won't be relaxing until Feb so I feel you on the complications of stretching for me washing and DCing in four plaits has helped me tremendously against dreading and knots also doing an oil rinse before I dc to soften my new growth with evoo and peppermint oil has worked wonders hth good luck OP ;-)

 

[Keen]

I wash in sections and I use my fingers to detangle my dry hair before I use a comb. I have also found that using my fingers and a blow dryer on my wet hair helps a lot. I avoid stretching for the same reason you stated. I loose way to much hair trying to detangle my new grow. I can't just not touch it because it gets matted.

 

[NaijaTroll]

I rollerset every week (currently 6 months post) so I dont go thru this. then again my hair is very fine.

 

[isobell]

When stretching it's essential to make sure your new growth stays very well conditioned and stretched. Like others mentioned wash your hair in 4-6 sections to prevent tangles and when deep conditioning make sure you apply your conditioner from root to tip like you're applying a relaxer. This not only increases moisture but helps any shed hairs slide out also preventing further tangling and matting. After this I would also apply the leave in from root to tip as well. If you make sure your new growth and the demarcation line is well moisturized you will have less tangling and less breakage. After all that make sure you dry your hair in a way that keeps it all stretched! Part of what causes tangling is that the new growth shrinks back into itself, especially if you have 4a/b hair. Hope that helps!

 

[Fhrizzball]

Why not try rollerseting?

 

[bb09]

Thanks for starting this thread
I've said it before, but knots and tangling/matting are the Worst to deal with

 

[southerncitygirl]

i am natural but noticed if i wash my hair in plaits and keep it stretched (i wear twistouts but roller sets would be a great option for you) that tangling is minimal and its doesn't intefere with my ability to retain length. i use a shower comb and do 4 sections that i divide further in subsections i use some sort of hair lotion/ milk as a leave-in/detangler... right now i'm using shea moisture since i no longer use kbb products. what type of poo or condtioner do you use? maybe when you stretch like this you should do poos and condishes with ceramides (redken butter treat and all soft used to be my faves)and up your protein.

 

[MzShouldaLength]

I agree with polished07. Prepooing with oil/oil rinses as helped me tremendously with my stretch. I have tried other things, but I find that nothing softens my NG like an oil rinse with EVOO and Coconut oil. HHJ OP!

 

[LushLox]

When I'm deep in a stretch, before I shampoo I part my hair into four and use a spray moisturiser (ceramide based) on the roots, then I plait it and leave it for a couple of hours. By the time I'm ready to shampoo my roots detangle easily with the help of the water. I then wash my hair in sections, which is an absolute must.

This method has saved me a lot of hair!