Do natural 4b/c ladies have single strand knots issues?

[cmw45]

Last night...and into the wee hours of this morning...I was on a hair album/fotki/youtube binge and I literally spent hours looking at hair. Hours.

Anyway, even though I love healthy hair at all types of length I will definitely admit that I spend more time in albums/fotki/youtube pages for folks with BSL or longer hair. One thing that I noticed is that many of the folks with hair this length had 4b/4c type hair.

THIS THREAD IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BECOME A TEXTURE WAR. PLEASE LEAVE THAT ISH AT THE DOOR!

One of the reasons that I frequently trim my hair is because I HATE single strand or doubles strand, or knots of any color or creed. In fact I would go so far as to say I'm a knotists. Some people can stomach them. I can't.

ETA: My biggest setback came from single strand knot issues in the back (and me getting very frustrated). That section has finally started to blend back into my hair and I am really trying to get ideas to nip this in the bud while I am still on my C&G Challenge.

Anyway, this got me to thinkin'...do 4b/c ladies have knot issues? I was thinking (and just hear me out) if 4b/c have less coil/curl pattern than 4a, is the hair less likely to coil up on itself and cause knots? (I'm not talking about hair locking up that comes from not detangling...I think most of us can know what that's like).

In anycase, if you are a natural 3c/4a/4b/4c and you rarely if ever get knots, what are you doing? Cause some folks are really quick to say that knots come from technique, but then never share the magic that prevents them from ever seeing any. So if you never get knots, please give up the goods.

 

[msa]

I'm a coily 4a natural and for the first 22 years of my life I didn't have any ssk's because my hair was always pressed, blowdried, or in braids. I never wore shrunken styles like fros and puffs and wet buns. When I discovered the board, and those styles that's when I began to get the knots.

So I've deduced that if my hair stays stretched I can avoid them. So far it seems to be working. I won't be doing any shrunken styles again until I can figure out a way to avoid the knots that come with them.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Yes, as MSA said, the key to avoiding them is keeping the hair stretched. If I let loose, dry hair do whatever it wants for days on end, knots everywhere. If I keep my hair in large twists when I sleep at night, they're not as much of a problem.

I am having a problem with them now, but it's because I am too stubborn to cut off these ends that really need to go.

I am 4a, btw.

 

[MsBoinglicious]

You know what, i had a set back in Aug this year with a case of SSN and couldn't understand why/what happen. I will be 2 years natural next April and didn't have a problem up til then. And i couldn't figure out what was causing it. I thought maybe my detangling session was the problem or not enough moisture. Then i realzed that month i had my hair in a Puff for like 5 days straight. And before that puff no problems. After that puff PROBLEMS.

So no more puffs (never again in life unless its fake) and i flatiron once a month to make sure the ends don't curl upon themselves. I also did a search and destroy mission on them. All is well now.

So...Co-washing on a 5 day old puff that had no moisture=SSN all over my head! HTH!!

oh yea i have some i have some 2(b,c), mainly 3(a,b,c) and i have some 4a hair! i got all the textures lol

 

[AfroKink]

I'm a 4b. Or whatever new classifications have bumped me to. I don't get single strand knots. Every once in a while I'll see one, but they definitely are not a problem for me.

Now I am plagued by multi strand knots. Since I started regular henna treatments they've decreased and my new detangler helps a lot.


"I was thinking (and just hear me out) if 4b/c have less coil/curl pattern than 4a..." Actually 4b just has a tighter curl pattern it just doesn't form into coil families. I'd think that if hair strands were together clumped in a family they'd be less likely to knot that strands that are our doing their own thing.

Lys

 

[cmw45]

You know what, i had a set back in Aug this year with a case of SSN and couldn't understand why/what happen. I will be 2 years natural next April and didn't have a problem up til then. And i couldn't figure out what was causing it. I thought maybe my detangling session was the problem or not enough moisture. Then i realzed that month i had my hair in a Puff for like 5 days straight. And before that puff no problems. After that puff PROBLEMS.

So no more puffs (never again in life unless its fake) and i flatiron once a month to make sure the ends don't curl upon themselves. I also did a search and destroy mission on them. All is well now.

So...Co-washing on a 5 day old puff that had no moisture=SSN all over my head! HTH!!

oh yea i have some i have some 2(b,c), mainly 3(a,b,c) and i have some 4a hair! i got all the textures lol

I definitely feel like there is merit to this. I have noticed a slight reduction in the number of knots that I have had since I stopped wearing braid outs all the time.

 

[cmw45]

I'm a coily 4a natural and for the first 22 years of my life I didn't have any ssk's because my hair was always pressed, blowdried, or in braids. I never wore shrunken styles like fros and puffs and wet buns. When I discovered the board, and those styles that's when I began to get the knots.

So I've deduced that if my hair stays stretched I can avoid them. So far it seems to be working. I won't be doing any shrunken styles again until I can figure out a way to avoid the knots that come with them.

I keep going bank and forth on this. On the one hand, when I had a TWA and cowashed and detangled every single day I never had knots. So at first I thought, let me go back to wearing it out and cowashing each day. However, because my hair is so much longer I now notice more tangling from hair that sheds and gets caught in my hair. This is one of the primary reason I'm staying in braids or some other protective style. I thought BKT might be the "answer" but the mixed responses have me

 

[CurlyMoo]

I'm a mixture of 3's and 4's and I have quite a few single strand knots. It's annoying and adds to breakage from brushing, so I have resorted to clipping them out. I discovered that some can be unwound if you catch it in the midst of it beginning to knot.

 

[kryolnapps]

Anyway, this got me to thinkin'...do 4b/c ladies have knot issues? I was thinking (and just hear me out) if 4b/c have less coil/curl pattern than 4a, is the hair less likely to coil up on itself and cause knots? (I'm not talking about hair locking up that comes from not detangling...I think most of us can know what that's like).

I've always wondered the same thing. I think my hair is 4a-4b, I'm not sure about this hair typing thing. It is very tightly coiled and clumps together, but mostly at the ends, the roots are puffier, undefined. I love the coils, but the tangles and single, double, triple + strand knots drive me nuts! The knots mostly come with shed strands that get caught in the hair. I've learned that WNGs are a no-no and I never wash my hair loose. My hair is always in stretched styles when dry.

I know a girl whose hair is the same texture as mine (cottony) but she doesn't have defined coils that clump. No amount of gel or shingling can make her hair look defined. Her hair retains more growth than mine and is much thicker because she has less single strands knots and tangles. The shed hair glides off more easily. She has gorgeous hair. She mostly wears extension braids though because this type of hair is not widely celebrated, so she's self-conscious about it.

 

[jamaraa]

Don't know what numbers/letters my hair is and don't care, but I rarely get knots. Usually when I get them it's because I've plaited my hair to the very tip. I try to leave a bit unbraided and I just oil end loose end is as is. I've cut down on knots drastically since I've started this.

 

[MizzBrit]

yup i get them..keeping my hair stretched and well moisturize or in styles like braids and twist reduce them low. "out" styles liek puffs and braidouts helps create them.

 

[virtuenow]

Well it's simple for me. I blow dry my hair after each wash. This stops the knot problem at the door. If I do not blow dry, my hair wraps around itself- shrinks nearly 95% and cannot be manipulated without adding in more knots. The blowdrying technique works out beautifully; I also prefer it for other reasons- but this should answer your question. I love heat and embrace it!

 

[winnettag]

I'm not fully natural anymore, but I have gotten SSK's since I went natural the first time. As long as I stay on top of moisturizing, sealing and protective styling I greatly reduce the amount I get.

 

[1god1]

I have this issue....I just cut them out and try to be careful with my twists/braids.

 

[JustDoIt]

Like most people have said I get them if I EVER try to do a puff or any "out" style.. if my hair is wet and happens to dry while still out.. I'm in trouble big time!
So for me.. keeping my hair moist and in protective styles helps the most. I've even found when I leave my twists too long I have knots.. so now I'm trying single plait braids on my natural hair to see if it could last longer than twists and still not have knots and the hair start to loc.. yeah I got maad issues yall! My hair loced after 2 weeks in twists .. sick

BTW I'm 4a I think.. HTH

 

[MonPetite]

I'm 3c/4a and have no single strand knots. I wash, co-wash and finger detangle daily. I wear my hair in a loose fro every day. It is about 3" currently.

This thread has me worried, however. I wonder if I'll encounter these knots as my hair gets longer. Hmmm.

 

[cmw45]

I've always wondered the same thing. I think my hair is 4a-4b, I'm not sure about this hair typing thing. It is very tightly coiled and clumps together, but mostly at the ends, the roots are puffier, undefined. I love the coils, but the tangles and single, double, triple + strand knots drive me nuts! The knots mostly come with shed strands that get caught in the hair. I've learned that WNGs are a no-no and I never wash my hair loose. My hair is always in stretched styles when dry.

I know a girl whose hair is the same texture as mine (cottony) but she doesn't have defined coils that clump. No amount of gel or shingling can make her hair look defined. Her hair retains more growth than mine and is much thicker because she has less single strands knots and tangles. The shed hair glides off more easily. She has gorgeous hair. She mostly wears extension braids though because this type of hair is not widely celebrated, so she's self-conscious about it.[/

This is EXACTLY the type of hair I was referring to. Truthfully, I would change texture any day if I it meant I could keep more length. I thought about it and I have been at this hair thing for three years now. I haven't had overly dramatic set backs so I feel like my hair should be longer. I love sera's hair from youtube AND the first thing I noticed when she did more close up shots of her hair was the absence of single strand knots. I don't feel like I will get to her hairlength (MBL goal) if I can't rid myself of the knot problem.

 

[30something]

What causes single strand knots, and what exactly is 4C hair. I understand 3C hair is more tightly coiled then 3a.. and 4B doesn't have a curl definition but what is 4C?

 

[Rain20]

Does anyone have a picture of a SSK? I dont think I know what this looks like.

 

[jamaraa]

What causes single strand knots, and what exactly is 4C hair. I understand 3C hair is more tightly coiled then 3a.. and 4B doesn't have a curl definition but what is 4C?

I THINK they come from the hair wrapping around itself on healthy natural hair which tends to curl up at the ends anyway. So watch your sheds. I used to get a few when I braided my hair to the tips, but since I no longer do that, I think this was the reason I was getting them. After all, a plait is wrapping hairs around each other. Perhaps it has to do w/ shorter strands wrapping around longer ones. Just a theory of mine.

 

[jamaraa]

I'm 3c/4a and have no single strand knots. I wash, co-wash and finger detangle daily. I wear my hair in a loose fro every day. It is about 3" currently.

This thread has me worried, however. I wonder if I'll encounter these knots as my hair gets longer. Hmmm.

I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep your hair free of sheds and start from the tips and work upwards when combing your hair. Sometimes you can stop them before they start this way.

 

[locabouthair]

When I was natural I had a lot knots, I didn't mind it though I figured that was how my hair was. I have 4z hair.

 

[Stormy]

Oh I'm glad you created this thread because I've been wondering how so many ladies get these single strand, double strand... knots period! Because I have NEVER gotten them! Is this something that happens once your hair gets to shoulder length and beyond? I'm thinking maybe I don't get them because my hair is short. I did the BC back in Februrary down to about half an inch, had a set back in May due to a butcher barber, but now my hair is chin/neck length. This is what I do and how I wear my hair:

1. Switch back and forth from twists or braids (under a wig) for one to two weeks at a time then my twa for a week or two. I just started this about two months ago, before then I always wore my twa.

2. When I wear my twa I do wash-n-gos and CWs about once a week, more in the summer months.

3. I comb my hair once everyday when I wear my twa. Also, my hair seems to prefer being combed dry and I comb it in sections.

4. I moisturize with spray moisturizers, mango butter and my EVCO and EVOO mix (I switch up between all of these).

So, I pretty much do the same things most ladies do... I think. But dang I'm anxious for my hair to grow looooong and y'all are scaring me with this knot issue! Is this what I have to look forward to with long hair?

Oh, I forgot to add that I'm 4b, c, d... something. My hair is VERY cottony and tightly coiled with lots of shrinkage!

 

[DeenIsFirst]

I'm 4B, and single strand knots are a problem regardless of whether there are shed hairs. When I was between TWA and 4 inches I had NO knots. As my hair grew longer, the knots became more frequent. And now... well now, there's double and triple strand knots too, ESPECIALLY with the shed hairs. Since they dont fall out on their own, they just latch on to other unsuspecting strands.

The only way to keep the knots to a minimum is to keep my hair in pixie braids or braid it in tiny corn rows (my hair can still knot when I have big twists/braids). Any other style and my hair finds ways to knot. Sometimes I'll find two or three on a strand! But somehow I'm retaining right now. I might try Henna or something that will weigh down the curl so it doesnt curl back on itself so much.

 

[jevetta]

I get them when I twist. Also the hair that is damaged seems to SSN. So I cut them out, and I cut off any split ends or irregular hair at the ends, Seems to be helping. Jeve

 

[Candy828]

I THINK they come from the hair wrapping around itself on healthy natural hair which tends to curl up at the ends anyway. So watch your sheds. I used to get a few when I braided my hair to the tips, but since I no longer do that, I think this was the reason I was getting them. After all, a plait is wrapping hairs around each other. Perhaps it has to do w/ shorter strands wrapping around longer ones. Just a theory of mine.

Your theory is correct is my case... The shorter strands curl around longer strands. If i comb my hair and I see hair strands in the comb, I stop. My hair is very long now so most of the time I am finger combing and I find the single strand short curled hairs and cut them out. If I don't finger comb...the comb gets caught in the curled hairs and the longer hairs get broken off. I usually do S&D about every two or three days for these shorter strands... I don't always find them but when I do, I cut them out! Now my hair grows like a weed! I have accepted that this is a part of my life that will never go away.... My hair type is 3b/3c with some 3a mixed in.

 

[AmyRose92]

Does anyone have a picture of a SSK? I dont think I know what this looks like.

Yes, I'd like to know this too because I BCed not too long ago and I don't want SSKs to hamper my growth. erplexed

 

[Stormy]

Oh I'm glad you created this thread because I've been wondering how so many ladies get these single strand, double strand... knots period! Because I have NEVER gotten them! Is this something that happens once your hair gets to shoulder length and beyond? I'm thinking maybe I don't get them because my hair is short. I did the BC back in Februrary down to about half an inch, had a set back in May due to a butcher barber, but now my hair is chin/neck length. This is what I do and how I wear my hair:

1. Switch back and forth from twists or braids (under a wig) for one to two weeks at a time then my twa for a week or two. I just started this about two months ago, before then I always wore my twa.

2. When I wear my twa I do wash-n-gos and CWs about once a week, more in the summer months.

3. I comb my hair once everyday when I wear my twa. Also, my hair seems to prefer being combed dry and I comb it in sections.

4. I moisturize with spray moisturizers, mango butter and my EVCO and EVOO mix (I switch up between all of these).

So, I pretty much do the same things most ladies do... I think. But dang I'm anxious for my hair to grow looooong and y'all are scaring me with this knot issue! Is this what I have to look forward to with long hair?

Oh, I forgot to add that I'm 4b, c, d... something. My hair is VERY cottony and tightly coiled with lots of shrinkage!

Well! I can answer my own question now because about 2-3 months after I typed all of that I began to get those doggone ssks! And all that stuff I said above... scratch it! Because once my hair grew longer that's when the problems started it! Oooh I can't even begin to explain the set back!

Anyway, I now wear flat twists as a protective style and I'm no longer having this issue. Once my hair gets back to normal (I have two thin spots now), I plan to alternate between the large flat twists and straight styles. I'm going to continue to keep my hair stretched. Those SSKs are no joke!

 

[anon123]

Does anyone have a picture of a SSK? I dont think I know what this looks like.

I made a separate thread for some SSK pictures
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?p=10709564#post10709564

 

[Candy828]

Yes, I'd like to know this too because I BCed not too long ago and I don't want SSKs to hamper my growth. erplexed

Here is a picture of a strand of my hair. It is what I look for and cut out. It is the loop just before the single knot is created. It curls around one or more long hairs and becomes a knot if left uncut. Because I now catch them at this stage....I don't really have single knots and my hair grows longer and stronger.