More Tangling with Lye Relaxers?

[vtoodler]

We know that lye relaxers generally don’t straigthen as quickly or as much as no-lye relaxers. Indeed, some LHCF women notice that their hair has more texture and body after switching from no-lye to lye.


I was wondering, though, if lye-relaxed hair is more prone to tangling than no-lye relaxed hair?


Several years ago, there was a thread where a few LHCF women noted increased tangling after switching from no-lye to lye. Do you know anyone—either on LHCF on in your life—who has had such an experience? If so, how did she handle it?

 

[sweetome1]

I don't use lye but I have just recently started texlaxing my hair and I notice that I have A LOT more tangles and the only thing I can attribute this to is the texture. The textured hair stays tangling up with each other, and I would say that because lye leaves more body and texture in the hair then it would be doing the same thing.

So in other words, maybe its not the specific chemical, but rather the change from mostly straight to now slightly textured is causing the tangling.

 

[Nightingale]

I didn't experience this. But, my hair does better with lye than no lye. I would guess that women having these problems need to let the lye relaxer process longer to get straighter hair (if that is what they prefer) or stick with no lye relaxers which may be better for them.

 

[vtoodler]

Here's a link to the thread: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=500518

I think there might have also been 1 or 2 other such threads.

 

[browneyedgrl]

As a former lye user, yes lye can contribute to more tangles. In my case lye never got my hair straight and my hair is more prone to tangles in it's curlier state, (since I wanted a texlaxed look on purpose I just dealt with it). After a while the knots and tangles weren't worth it. Even though I bought and used great detanglers, sure my hair was easy to comb after washing but the next day it was matted again. Now that I use no lye my hair is straighter and there is less hair in the comb.

 

[mshoneyfly]

I always used no-lye and relaxed bone straight because I didn't know any better. Now I use a texturizer for kids (Just For Me) and I love the texture. I did have a tangle and matting issue recently when I was 13 weeks post. This had never happened to me before.

It sounds logical that the new texture is the culprit but IDC...I love it!! IDK if just for me is lye or no-lye but I am makin in work

I USED TO think that lye was only for people with..."good hair".

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[vtoodler]

I wonder if there are factors, beyond texture, that would cause lye-relaxed hair to tangle/mat more.

 

[Supergirl]

I can't think of any reason that the actual relaxer product would contribute to more tangles. But I agree with those that say the less straight their hair is, the more prone it is to tangling. Same for me

 

[vtoodler]

Our hair is so complex and fascinating.



.

 

[koolkittychick]

I think it is the texture rather than the product, because when I used to use no-lye relaxers and ended up under processed, I would experience tangling in the under processed sections of hair, but not where it was bone straight.
Now that I switched to lye, I simply manage the tangles with keeping my hair moisturized and sealed, which helps a lot.

 

[caliscurls]

I think it may have something to do with whether the porosity of your changes post-relaxer. Recently I decided to do a deeper texlax because straighter hair equaled more tangling for me (and i missed my thick hair). At the same time I started using products to manage my porosity. Now, with maybe 3inches of texturized hair and the rest varying textures to BSL my hair is detangling better throughout. In addition to how I relax I've been using the Roux Fermodyl 619 leave-in and oiling my scalp every other day.

Just my two cents, my hunch is porosity

 

[Saludable84]

I noticed more tangles, but that's mostly due to texlaxing my hair than anything else. I was using no lye relaxers before I switched and noticed, so it may be the actual results yielded that cause the tangles and not the relaxer.

Please excuse my iPhone; it's trying to get it together