Braid Buildup: Comb out before or after wash

[sunshinelady]

When you have build-up from braids or weaves, do you wash first and then try to get the gunk out or do you comb out the gunk during the takedown process?

I am on the fence. I usually start out by combing the gunk out of each braid, but then I get lazy and just want to get the braids out. Hair is usually pretty weak and brittle after being braided for so long and conditioning first might be better than combing dry hair.

What say you?

 

[newflowers]

I wash and condition and deep condition while in braids, so I didn't experience much weakness after the fact. I unbraided, combed (denmaned) and then washed.

 

[Faith]

My steps:
Unbraid all (I do try and "de-gunk" a bit as I remove each braid)
Section hair into 12-16 sections
Apply lots of oil
Spritz some water
Leave it for a minute or two
Comb out gunk
Then shampoo, DC, etc

I found oil (EVOO or coconut oil) and water worked much better than using conditioner to clean out the gunk. And I never comb it dry. You are asking for trouble if you wet before detangling/removing gunk.

 

[KEWLKAT103]

Before.
I've done after and it was'nt pretty.

 

[Chameleonchick]

Please save yourself the trouble and get the gunk out first. Its tempting to wash first but that might give you knots which may lead to having to cut.

 

[Vanity1]

So how do you commence to get the buildup out prior to washing? Combing the dry hair, no type of moisture?

 

[MrJohnsonsRib]

I usually get BIG pices out first then of course a good shampoo will help me get out the rest of the mess.

 

[newflowers]

So how do you commence to get the buildup out prior to washing? Combing the dry hair, no type of moisture?

Never, never, never dry combing. I used an oil mixture on my hair. When you take your braids down, the hair should not be dry if you use a moisturizing spray and oil while braided.

 

[loulou82]

Before. If doesn't get all the gunk out but it loosens it up significantly so there's not problem when you wash. I break it up the gunk by rubbing it with my fingers to loosen the it and then when I've taken out enough braids I put oil or conditioner on the section and put the hair in a big twist. I continue to do this until my whole head is done. Then I wash. Like KewlKat I once shampooed before removing the gunk and I had the worst matting and tangling ever.

 

[sunshinelady]

So how do you commence to get the buildup out prior to washing? Combing the dry hair, no type of moisture?

I work the hair out of the gunk very gently and then comb. That gunk coats your strands tho' and it is like CEMENT.

 

[SweetlyBlessed]

Please remove the build up before you wash. It would be like trying to detangle x 10...a mess and a long process with the potential of losing too much hair.

Check out this site and scroll down to the video on How to Take Out Extreme Build Up From Braid Extensions

http://www.growafrohairlong.com/braidreg.html

I wash my braids 2x a week and redo the outside 2 rows once a month so I don't experience much build up at all.

 

[beans4reezy]

Please save yourself the trouble and get the gunk out first. Its tempting to wash first but that might give you knots which may lead to having to cut.

ITA!!!! I lost SO MUCH hair like that once. I had braids in my hair for two months. I unbraided and proceeded right to washing. I lost so much hair that I had to get a haircut!

 

[Firefly]

My steps:
Unbraid all (I do try and "de-gunk" a bit as I remove each braid)
Section hair into 12-16 sections
Apply lots of oil
Spritz some water
Leave it for a minute or two
Comb out gunk
Then shampoo, DC, etc

I found oil (EVOO or coconut oil) and water worked much better than using conditioner to clean out the gunk. And I never comb it dry. You are asking for trouble if you wet before detangling/removing gunk.

I definitely agree with Faith!! I had a really bad experience with trying to conditioner wash before removing all of the gunk and I had to cut (and I do mean CUT) my hair because it knotted badly. I usually wet my entire head in the shower, add a creamy conditioner, rinse thoroughly, pat dry, add a lot of evoo or coconut, let it sit a few minutes then as I take out each braid I wiggle the gunkie portions with both hands (to loosen). Seperate as much hair (gently) from the gunk as possible then comb through w/medium comb then fine tooth comb (one braid at a time). Sometimes it takes me the whole weekend because I'll stop for a while when I start to lose patience and that way I don't rip my hair out. Just take your time and have plenty of patience. Hope this helps.

 

[Vanity1]

My steps:
Unbraid all (I do try and "de-gunk" a bit as I remove each braid)
Section hair into 12-16 sections
Apply lots of oil
Spritz some water
Leave it for a minute or two
Comb out gunk
Then shampoo, DC, etc

I found oil (EVOO or coconut oil) and water worked much better than using conditioner to clean out the gunk. And I never comb it dry. You are asking for trouble if you wet before detangling/removing gunk.

I didnt see this.

Never, never, never dry combing. I used an oil mixture on my hair. When you take your braids down, the hair should not be dry if you use a moisturizing spray and oil while braided.

I work the hair out of the gunk very gently and then comb. That gunk coats your strands tho' and it is like CEMENT.

Yeah, cause I sure was gonna wash and comb after I took these twists down next week. I am so happy this thread is here or it would have probably been a disaster.

Thanks ladies.

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

Use your fingers to separate at the roots to remove gunk, then wash and condition.

 

[ladytea]

The Before Before is a good wet down with African Pride's Ease Out. Sit at least 30 minutes. Take down and comb through. This works like a dream on my lint attracting hair and the tender-headed kids.

I played myself a few times -- washed/conditioned then combed. That seems to fuse my hair creating accidental dreadlocks. Know your hair and don't play yourself.

 

[sunshinelady]

I didnt see this.





Yeah, cause I sure was gonna wash and comb after I took these twists down next week. I am so happy this thread is here or it would have probably been a disaster.

Thanks ladies.

Glad I asked then. I would hate for people to have setbacks.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I have not done braids but for my flat twists, in just over a week now, I take them down and put conditioner in my hair to comb out the shed hairs and gunk BEFORE washing.

When I last did a weave take down (my first) I made the mistake of washing my hair right after w/o removing the shed hair and gunk. I was in tears ..... so bad that DH called my former stylist (who retired and moved out state) for help to talk me through it.

 

[Fine 4s]

What is the gunk coming from besides attracting lint?
I'm trying to figure out how come folks who braid their own hair don't get the gunk? Or do they?

 

[Fine 4s]

The Before Before is a good wet down with African Pride's Ease Out. Sit at least 30 minutes. Take down and comb through. This works like a dream on my lint attracting hair and the tender-headed kids.

I played myself a few times -- washed/conditioned then combed. That seems to fuse my hair creating accidental dreadlocks. Know your hair and don't play yourself.

Could AA Ease out be considered a detangler and not just to take down braids?

 

[Jaxhair]

I detangle/de-gunk with each braid/twist extension taken down and I only ever use my fingers too - very, very rarely do I use a comb. I then twist a few de-gunked/detangled sections together into a bigger twist so they don't tangle up again. I even go as far as cleaning each section as I go so when all is done and I'm ready to wash I can wash in twists. Here's a pic of my most recent take down. It took me 3 days with breaks in between and I was sooooo very gentle and patient. When I got fed up I'd leave it for later when I calmed down so as not to rip it off in anger.

 

[Jaxhair]

What is the gunk coming from besides attracting lint?
I'm trying to figure out how come folks who braid their own hair don't get the gunk? Or do they?

Oh, I get it in bucket fulls! I do my own hair and wear a satin scarf or bonnet plus sleep on a silk pillow sheet but still get it. Especially at the nape - those hairs start locing a week into twists - with or without extensions..... so annoying!

 

[Faith]

What is the gunk coming from besides attracting lint?
I'm trying to figure out how come folks who braid their own hair don't get the gunk? Or do they?

The gunk is from lint, product, shed hairs. A mix usually of all 3.
I braid my own hair and I get them; especially around the hairline and I think that's due to things like daily face washes and also when you shower, hairline is the closest to water/product.

 

[Moniquenuss]

I would Def do before! Last time I took out my weave I didnt detangle well enough and washed my hair and I had really huge knots that I had to cut out! So word of the wise... comb the gunk out first

 

[yuriko]

Trust me, get the gunk out, apply a leave-in, conditioner, moisturizer or oil to give it some slip if you need to. But if you wash, you stand the chance to get serious knots and some permanently locked bits

 

[DaDragonPrincess]

Thanks for this post, because I helped my mom take her kinkytwist out a couple weeks ago, and we both didn't know what to do, we did it wrong, and we was trying to comb them out after and she lost some hair, but its better now, I feel bad, because I never did that before.

 

[IntoMyhair]

I wash and condition and deep condition while in braids, so I didn't experience much weakness after the fact. I unbraided, combed (denmaned) and then washed.

This is what i have done.

 

[Keedah]

The gunk is from lint, product, shed hairs. A mix usually of all 3.
I braid my own hair and I get them; especially around the hairline and I think that's due to things like daily face washes and also when you shower, hairline is the closest to water/product.

I agree..there is more gunk around your hairline. I had minimal buildup with my kinky twists when I moisturized my scalp and base of the twists daily with olive oil.

 

[Keedah]

Also my first time in kinky wists a few years ago I didnt know any better and tried to wash the gunk out. I went to my hairdresser crying cause of the knots (after the shop was closed at that!). She told me I would have to pull the knots apart strand by strand to save my hair.

 

[J-Moe]

I wear weaves constantly and when I take them down I drown my head in conditioner and leave it for at last 20 min(usually more) and then rinse, shampoo, and condition then dc'ing.... HTH