Unbelievable Tangles in Wet My Hair Right Now...

[renee_n_3000]

Unbelievable Tangles in My Wet Hair Right Now...

First, I apologize for the fact that this post is not broken into three paragraphs, as I originally wrote it. I keep trying to fix that, but it's not working. My question about my tangles begins here: I'm about to try to do a search but I'm hoping someone can help me if I can't find an answer. I've never experienced this before and I am freaking out. I don't want to have to cut all my hair off. I am at home right now because I am not feeling well. So, I decided to wash my hair. For the past week, I have not been combing through it completely, just brushing the outside up into a bun or twist, etc. So I'm sure that's what caused the tangles/knots. After washing, I saturated my hair with Neutrogena Triple Moisture Conditioner and Garnier Fructis Conditioner for Dry Hair -- much more than I would usually use. I let it sit for a while, then tried to comb my hair out under a stream of warm water in the shower as I've read recommended here at LHCF many times in the past. But that is not working! Is there anything else I can do, or something I can go buy at the store that will help? My hair is a few inches past my waist and the tangles start just a few inches from my crown! That will be an enormous amount of hair to have to cut off and I have never had hair that short! I am trying really hard not to panic right now.

 

[Divine Inspiration]

Re: Unbelievable Tangles in My Wet Hair Right Now...

Remain calm. Take deep breaths. It's gonna be ok.

I would recommend Paul Mitchell's the Detangler because it's gotten me through many tangled messes.

Some of the ladies may recommend Porosity Control (I can't speak on this because I've never used it) or Nexxus Ensure (which works well from my experience).

You may just have to have a seat and take your time to work through it. To prevent this in the future, you may want to consider shampooing with your hair in braids/plaits.

HTH
{DI}

 

[Armyqt]

Renee, don't panic, we'll get through this with all of your hair intact. It sounds as if your shed hair is caught up in your hair. FOr future reference, always comb your hair before washing to get rid of that shed hair.

I would do an ACV rinse to help get the tangles out. I would wash with Creme of Nature professional (red and creme bottle) and then do the ACV rinse. Then section into 4 and apply conditioner to each section. Proceed to let the shower water run though one section at a time as you use a jilbere shower comb to detangle. hth

 

[Cichelle]

You're probably going to have to work from the ends up, one section at a time, in the shower with conditioner. I would personally start with finger combing and then move on to a wide tooth shower comb. It might take some time and patience, but take it slow and don't panic. Just take your time.

 

[ChocoKitty]

I agree with the other ladies... DO NOT PANIC!!!

Here are few things that have helped me with major tangles...

Needle and/or toothpicks--helps to keep potential knots from tightening closed while detangling.
Honey on top of conditioner--helps with creating extra slip
Surge 14--keeps my hair stronger while detangling and reduces breakage.
Patience--it may take you a while to detangle your hair. But you'll be so happy that didn't cut it off.

I hope everything works out well. Please keep us posted.

 

[goldensensation]

Renee, don't panic, we'll get through this with all of your hair intact. It sounds as if your shed hair is caught up in your hair. FOr future reference, always comb your hair before washing to get rid of that shed hair.

I would do an ACV rinse to help get the tangles out. I would wash with Creme of Nature professional (red and creme bottle) and then do the ACV rinse. Then section into 4 and apply conditioner to each section. Proceed to let the shower water run though one section at a time as you use a jilbere shower comb to detangle. hth

A few weeks ago, I did this very thing, but reversed. I did the ACV and then the creme of nature. The tangles were eliminated.

 

[Honi]

A detangling shampoo....Keracare or Cream of nature then rinse under the shower stream. Then try NTM conditioner and plop a squat in a chair and get to workin those tangles out. Start from the bottom up. If there is matting then saturate that area with your conditioner and try to gently "pull" it apart.

On growafrohairlong.com Robin has a video that shows how to take them out. It's a long process though but don't get frustrated because frustration will make you just be rougher on them.

 

[renee_n_3000]

Thank you so much, Divine Inspiration and Armyqt! It really helps just to 'hear' you say it will be okay. And, I took those deep breaths you recommended, DI. You both have absolutely beautiful hair! Okay, so I am going to keep trying to get the tangles for just a little while more, and if that doesn't help I will gently tuck my hair under a scarf and head to the store to get the products you suggested. Army, I am sure you are right that it is the shed hairs that are causing this problem. I normally comb my hair frequently so that I don't have this problem. I have to remember from now on that I must comb my hair every day to get rid of the shed hairs, no matter how I may be feeling!

 

[Mizani_Mrs]

Wooo girl, thats alot of hurrr u gotta detangle. OK don't panic. Take 2 deep breathes. And sip on an Apple Martiini to calm the nerves. ok sike i quit playin around... but seriously i have the dryest hair and it is super hard to detangle. I have a list of favorites that I can 100% rely on when I am about to start crying and throw in the towel:

CON poo: green label (I always use this when my hair is 10wks+ Post)

Any of the following conditioners. just pick one that you are able to get your hands on. The # 1 most important trick is to leave the conditioner on for a long period of time. So you should let it sit on your hair for at least an hour to 2hrs...which will make your tangles disappear:

Keracare Humecto
Nexxus Ensure (i have the old formula)
Porousity Control

Leave Ins:
Africa Organics Kids Moisturizing Detangling Shea Butter lotion (i know i got the name wrong, but it's something like that, it offers lots of slip on wet hair)
John Frieda serum

Nothing else are detanglers for my hair.

Good luck!

 

[renee_n_3000]

Thank you, Cichelle, ChocoKitty, Goldensensation, Honi and Mizani Mrs.! All of you are helping me come up with a plan and I really appreciate it. I feel a lot better now.

 

[Mestiza]

An ACV Rinse and Breakthru Shampoo (I've heard that CON Shampoo is similar, but causes build-up) are wonderful detanglers.

Herbal Essences Conditioner (pink bottle) is fabulous, also. Good Luck and I hope that you feel better.

 

[Doll]

Renee, don't panic, we'll get through this with all of your hair intact. It sounds as if your shed hair is caught up in your hair. FOr future reference, always comb your hair before washing to get rid of that shed hair.

I would do an ACV rinse to help get the tangles out. I would wash with Creme of Nature professional (red and creme bottle) and then do the ACV rinse. Then section into 4 and apply conditioner to each section. Proceed to let the shower water run though one section at a time as you use a jilbere shower comb to detangle. hth

This is exactly what happened to me a couple of weeks ago ! At first I thought it was coming from the roots because it was so knotted and tangled a couple of inches from my scalp, but it was shed hair. Thanks for the tip on combing ahead of time, because I have been shedding an enormous amount of hair lately, and my head has been a tangled mess .

I have also been using ORS Olive Oil lotion to detangle with some success (I'm 4 months post) not to mention lots of patience.

 

[comike]

I agree with the tip to comb hair before shampooing especially if you've been wearing pulled back in a bun or ponytail for a week or so. I've experienced the same in the past and this has always helped me.

 

[joyous]

I agree with the tip to comb hair before shampooing especially if you've been wearing pulled back in a bun or ponytail for a week or so. I've experienced the same in the past and this has always helped me.

This happened to my cousin a couple of months ago and I used Paul Mitchell's The Detangler, then I worked out the knots and matting with a vent brush. As each section became loosened I would pull out the loosened hair with my fingers or a large tooth comb, then braid to prevent it from becoming retangled. It took three hours but it worked with only minimal hair loss.

 

[renee_n_3000]

Thank you to everyone who offered their advice! You ladies and this board are such a blessing!

Well, I was able to get most of the tangles out except for one small clump about the width of a half dollar that I ended up cutting out with my haircutting shears. I worked on my hair until after 10 PM, with a small break for dinner, and most of my time was spent on that one small section. I finally decided it just was not going to come out no matter what I did, and I needed to get some rest.

It was as if that clump was tied into a knot twelve times, wrapped around a wad of gum, then had glue poured into it! I am very fortunate that was not the case all over my head, or I would have been in big trouble.

That section was in the bottom layers of my hair on the right side, and at about chin length, and you can't tell it was cut out because so much hair is covering that section on top. There were actually very few hairs leading from my scalp to the clump, and I think that most of what I cut out was shed hair. Overall, the amount of hair that came out (including the clump) just looked like the same amount of shed hair I would have lost in a normal comb-out during a wash, so that's good.

I tell you, ladies, this is one of the very few times in my life I've actually been thankful for the volume of hair that I have. If my hair were thin, I might have a noticeable hole there right now.

One of the reasons this happened is that I am overdue for a touchup. For some reason, I have much more new growth than I would usually have at this point, and it is much denser, too. That is why I've just been brushing the outer layers for the past week or so -- because I did not want to bother trying to get a comb through my roots! I will definitely stay on top of my touchups from now on, or at least saturate my roots with oil and comb through them regularly so as not to have this happen again.

Thank you, again, for sharing your techniques with me, keeping me calm, and making me feel that everything would be all right.

 

[naturallylovely]

I'm happy that you were able to get through the tangles!!! It would have hurt ME to know that you had to cut off all your hair!!

 

[Armyqt]

Renee I'm glad everything turned out OK. I was thinking about you today and searched through 10 pages to find this post.

 

[renee_n_3000]

Thanks, naturallylovely and Armyqt.

 

[Cincysweetie]

OMG I need help!!!!

How do I do an ACV rinse?? Hair is A MATTED MESS!!!!