new thread
... I have notice recently that my hair is getting longer it is more prone to developing tangles and matting during the day and was wondering if any of the guys with extra long hair can recommend any products or tips to help control such problems.
Karsten
My Long Hair Photos Group
Avoid clothes that shed lint, especially if your hair rubs on the material. Avoid towels and bed linens that shed lint...the tiny fibers that get in your hair will develop into tangles with normal movement through the day.
Actually, the ends of your hair will tangle anyway, given normal movement, since they have years of normal wear and tear.
What I do is keep it up when the conditions are more likely to lead to tangles...like at work, driving, before, I kept my pony tail over my left shoulder, and always had tangles and mats where it rubbed there, now I keep it bunned at work and don't generate more tangles...plus I have the pleasure of letting my hair down as I walk away from my bus. Hiking, trailwork, exercise; I keep my hair up, usually in a pony scrub, which totally halts tangling...pretty awesome to take it off at the end of the day or trip and have smooth untangled hair (with nice bun waves).
Keeping up with eradicating the splits, dots, and damage reduces tangling substantially. And, of course, generally protective hair care and careful hairtoy selection.
Detangling before the tangles get to be bad is important...I finger detangle frequently. Often just the tips, where the worst of the accumulated damage and tangles are found.
I used to keep my hair down, or at most ponytailed almost all the time, and I paid the price for that in the tangles then, and the damage now. With my current hair care, tangles are way way down, and new damage is minimal, but, on the other hand, my hair is up most of the time.
(I'm sitting here in front of the computer detangling...)
PS: you have the best hair pictures!
Thanks for bringing the infor regarding materials which shed lint. Now that I think of it there are some shirts that I wear which do seem to cause problems with my hair tangling. I will have to start keeping my hair up more when working around the house and hiking.
Thanks for the compliment regarding my photos. They're fun to take. And might I again say that you have one of the best manes I have ever seen!
Karsten
goddamm dude, u have the best long hair i have ever seen......
u r truely an inspiration.......
NEVER CUT YOUR HAIR
asthepalacesburn
No plans on ever going short ... have not yet hit terminal length so I don't know how long it's going to get - but I'm enjoying every inch.
Karsten
My experience pretty much matches what Trolleypup has said, --- although it never occurred to me to avoid clothing that sheds a lot of lint (I learn something new every day)!
I especially have found it true that the longer my hair gets (it's currently just touching the very top of my belt), the more rarely I now wear my hair loose during the day. If I do, there's a heavy price I have to pay in untangling quite a mess afterward! So, I usually braid, bun, or use multiple hair-ties when I ponytail it. As long as I want "extra long hair" (and I most definitely DO!), that seems to be the price I have to pay in order to both achieve that length and maintain it well.
I sometimes get nostalgic for shoulder length, because I could still wear it loose a lot more frequently, while at the same time it was still fairly long. That length in my mind is more or less "the dividing line", --- especially as it gets beyond the shoulder blades, or for sure past mid-back.
I also use TONS of conditioner after shampooing (at least 2 separate applications), including leaving a little that I don't rinse out. And then I follow that with a small amount of beneficial oil massaged into the ends. Braiding is also easier it seems when my hair is well-oiled, as well as still a little damp...
It can be very windy in San Francisco, so braiding or putting the hair up in a bun is now so routine with me, that I no longer think about doing otherwise, --- although I love love LOVE letting it down at the end of the day!
- Ken
Thanks for the response Ken. I'm really try to be gentle with my hair and keep it tied back mostly at work - but guess I'm gonna have to start using multiple hair ties and extra conditioner.
Karsten