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My retention is driving me crazy

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My Friend

New Member
I have been at a stand still for over a year. I know the reason is retention because I use henna to measure the new growth.

My problem is tangles, knots and ssk's. The moment water touches my hair is starts to tangle. I normally pre poo prior to cowashing to cut down on tangles but it seems unless I use vaseline (I don't) it's going to tangle once the oil washes out.

I currently have my hair in cornrows and I rinse or co wash daily after my workout. I know my hair is going to be a tangled mess when I take the braids down.

Any ideas on how to improve my retention would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi @MyFriend, some random ideas:

- did it tangle like this before henna? (I have never tried henna but i.e. I am very protein sensitive and I have a problem with strengthening ingredients because even avocado and molasses make my hair tangle: for this reason I also check that my cowashing conditioners or stylers don't have protein)

- do you pre-poo with enough oil and do you apply it on your roots too? (I have thick hair and I need to, I use a lot of inexpensive oil)

- have you tried leaving a good detangling conditioner in your hair, from root to tip, before styling? this helps me a lot because it doesn't give my hair the opportunity to tangle.

Other things that have made my hair tangle are: waxes, not clarifying, not detangling from the very roots, or wetting my hair.
"Wetting my hair" may sound even ironic, but I cannot rinse my hair without conditioner or oil: water alone makes my hair go crazy because once I air dry it makes it curl up, unite and have a revolution. I need something that lubricates and divides the single strands, something creamy and slippery from root to tip.

This, of course, is just how my hair does but maybe it gives you some new ideas.
 
Sorry about this, I wish I could help, but I know how you feel. The best I can do is give you my check list
1. Heavy sealing: If grease helps is there a reason why you don't want to use it?
Shea is almost as heavy as grease, have you tried that?
2. Rinses: Have you tried ACV or tea rinses.
3. Clarify: Finally, have you tried clarifying a bit more. I think when we work out alot we can have a build up of salts.
4. Humectants: AV, Glycerine

That is my list. Like I said, I don't have any answers
 
I thought this was gonna be a "poor me im retaining so much hair and i dont know what to do" thread. lol. you are washing in sections right? maybe that would help? or getting it directly under the water and "guiding" the water down the length of it?
 
Curlykale said:
Hi @MyFriend, some random ideas:

- did it tangle like this before henna? (I have never tried henna but i.e. I am very protein sensitive and I have a problem with strengthening ingredients because even avocado and molasses make my hair tangle: for this reason I also check that my cowashing conditioners or stylers don't have protein)

Yes. It tangled before henna but not as much. But I have fine strands and need the added thickness.

- do you pre-poo with enough oil and do you apply it on your roots too? (I have thick hair and I need to, I use a lot of inexpensive oil)

I'm going to use more oil

- have you tried leaving a good detangling conditioner in your hair, from root to tip, before styling? this helps me a lot because it doesn't give my hair the opportunity to tangle.

I only use HSR. Do you know of a natural detangling leave in?

Other things that have made my hair tangle are: waxes, not clarifying, not detangling from the very roots, or wetting my hair.
"Wetting my hair" may sound even ironic, but I cannot rinse my hair without conditioner or oil: water alone makes my hair go crazy because once I air dry it makes it curl up, unite and have a revolution. I need something that lubricates and divides the single strands, something creamy and slippery from root to tip.

Mine too :yep:

This, of course, is just how my hair does but maybe it gives you some new ideas.
Click to expand...


Thank you for responding.
 
Seamonster said:
Sorry about this, I wish I could help, but I know how you feel. The best I can do is give you my check list
1. Heavy sealing: If grease helps is there a reason why you don't want to use it?

I have nothing against grease. Which one do you use?

Shea is almost as heavy as grease, have you tried that?

2. Rinses: Have you tried ACV or tea rinses. Does ACV detangle?

3. Clarify: Finally, have you tried clarifying a bit more. I think when we work out alot we can have a build up of salts. I rarely clarify

4. Humectants: AV, Glycerine. I do use S Curl

That is my list. Like I said, I don't have any answers
Click to expand...

Thank you for responding.
 
Anavrin said:
I thought this was gonna be a "poor me im retaining so much hair and i dont know what to do" thread. lol. you are washing in sections right? maybe that would help? or getting it directly under the water and "guiding" the water down the length of it?
Click to expand...

No. I dont wash in sections. I didnt think I had enough hair to do that. I sink rinse a lot.

Thanks for responding.
 
Man, I feel you on this. At this very moment I sit hear with two strand twists, with knots all up and thru :(. I have moved my wash days up to biweekly and keep my hair stretch and pint up. That helped last month so I am doing again this month. It is definitely a journey for me trying to figure out what is best. I think this fall/winter I am going to flat iron monthly to keep the ssks at bay.
 
@myfriend, I find that when I prepoo with oils, my hair tangled more. To help with my tangles, I de-shed every day by lightly finger combing. Then the day before I dc and cowash, I bagging with S-Curl Moisturizer & seal w/ WGHO for a couple of hours. The next day I dc but in sections. I think that's the most important part is keeping the hair in sections and washing your hair in sections. After each section has be wash I twist the hair and clip it. A great product to help w/ tangles is crecepelo. I find the more moisture I put into my hair the less tangles I have.

I hope this helps! :)
 
I second washing in sections. I don't have tangle issues ever since I stopped messin with the Denman, but I do shed a lot less hair and it is a Lot easier to detangle when I wash in sections. Also, it's the only time I manipulate my hair now. I usually start on dry hair, and put my hair into 4 sections. Apply co-cleanser, and let it sit while I wash. Scratch scalp, and rinse & detangle. From there I usually apply oil & conditioner, and curl activator for a WnG, but you could also put it in twists or braids from there. I resisted it for a while, but washing in parts is definitely making my life easier.
 
It probably has been said already but remove shed hairs more frequently even if just running your fingers through your hair. Do as much as possible before water hits it. Wash in sections if possible. But it also sounds like one or more of your products is stripping your hair of the moisture it needs
 
Agreeing with everyone with washing in sections it reduces alot when doing so especially since you co-wash after work outs.
 
**My last relaxer was in March and it really processed like a weak texturizer**

What has helped me is to cond on dry hair with a moisturizing conditioner, rinse, add moisturizing conditioner again and don't rinse. I turbie twist my hair with the conditioner in, to get out the excess moisture and add lots of shea butter. I always detangle as I put the cond on dry hair, section by section and rinse in the shower with hair hanging down to minimize tangles. Then flat twist for twist-out.

Silicone serum will help, but I really don't like using the stuff either, as it makes me use shampoo more, which will dry out the hair.

BTW-I will be relaxing this weekend
 
@MyFriend

It could also be the Aubrey HSR, it gives me buildup if I live it in. And that buildup actually makes my hair tangle, go figure. I think it's the shea butter in it.

Yes, I have tried other conditioners and some I have liked for this purpose (leave in) could be:
AO White Camellia (it glides and detangles instead). Giovanni 50:50, Tresemme Naturals with castor oil (that stuff really detangles), Darcys Botanicals pumpkin seed conditioner... I haven't tried many brands though, so these are just a few but I am sure there must be other good ones out there. As long as it's detangling and it has some kind of thickness and no silicones, I usually like it.
 
What kind of DC are you using and how often? Are you using protein ever? What's your daily moisturizer? Are all these things making youtrhair soft if not maybe you need to replace them
 
It sounds like you are doing too much manipulation (daily rinsing and co-washing). Is it something you feel you absolutely have to do that since you know water tangles your hair so bad?

My hair just won't thrive on that much manipulation so I don't wash or co-wash anymore than once a week. I really don't need any more than that. My retention had come to a stand still as well but I think I'm making some progress since I started finger combing.

Also, how often do you trim? I don't retain well if I don't keep up with trims/dustings. Some people can but some can't. Before I found hair boards I refused to trim and I didn't ever gain any length from it. When I started trimming I started retaining....it was an eye opener for me.
 
Another vote for washing in sections. If you detangle your hair really well, and wash it in sections, you will be amazed at how much less tangles you get after your wash. You should try it. :yep:
 
I detangle w/conditioner on dry hair. Right now I'm using Tresemee.

Wash in sections. Preferably braided sections that have already been detangled.

Heavy sealing with vaseline, crisco, grease. Shea butter might be thick enough, I haven't tried that.

This combination helped me combat my tangles and knots.

ETA: Long term protective styles help too(twists, braids, etc.). I try not to style my hair more than once a week.

Sent from my HTC Evo
 
Last edited:
pelohello said:
@myfriend, I find that when I prepoo with oils, my hair tangled more. To help with my tangles, I de-shed every day by lightly finger combing. Then the day before I dc and cowash, I bagging with S-Curl Moisturizer & seal w/ WGHO for a couple of hours. The next day I dc but in sections. I think that's the most important part is keeping the hair in sections and washing your hair in sections. After each section has be wash I twist the hair and clip it. A great product to help w/ tangles is crecepelo. I find the more moisture I put into my hair the less tangles I have.

I hope this helps! :)
Click to expand...

pelohellp

I've never heard of this product. Did you buy it online?


Thanks for responding.
 
MrsJaiDiva said:
I second washing in sections. I don't have tangle issues ever since I stopped messin with the Denman, but I do shed a lot less hair and it is a Lot easier to detangle when I wash in sections. Also, it's the only time I manipulate my hair now. I usually start on dry hair, and put my hair into 4 sections. Apply co-cleanser, and let it sit while I wash. Scratch scalp, and rinse & detangle. From there I usually apply oil & conditioner, and curl activator for a WnG, but you could also put it in twists or braids from there. I resisted it for a while, but washing in parts is definitely making my life easier.
Click to expand...

MrsJaiDiva

What product to you use?

Thanks for responding.
 
Curlykale said:
@MyFriend

It could also be the Aubrey HSR, it gives me buildup if I live it in. And that buildup actually makes my hair tangle, go figure. I think it's the shea butter in it.

Yes, I have tried other conditioners and some I have liked for this purpose (leave in) could be:
AO White Camellia (it glides and detangles instead). Giovanni 50:50, Tresemme Naturals with castor oil (that stuff really detangles), Darcys Botanicals pumpkin seed conditioner... I haven't tried many brands though, so these are just a few but I am sure there must be other good ones out there. As long as it's detangling and it has some kind of thickness and no silicones, I usually like it.
Click to expand...

Curlykale

I live in HSR :yep: Day and night I'm applying it to my hair. Since it had all natural ingredients, I didnt think it could do any harm. I havent clarified in a month od Sundays :nono:
 
My Friend said:
@faithVA
@SummerSolstice

I use S-curl, Coconut oil, and HSR that's it.
Click to expand...


Yes, I see you are a cowasher. The reason I mentioned the things that I did was because I use to have the same problem. It was a combination of my products and removing shed hairs.

Not saying it's the case but listing possibilities. You aren't getting the shed hairs out or maybe your cuticles are having some issues and starting to stick together

Since you are a cowasher, have you tried putting conditioner right over your prepoo before letting the water hit your hair?
 
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