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I haven't posted here in awhile but I thought I drop by for a little advice. My hair has become a nightmare. It's frizzy, it's tangled, it's damaged, and so on. It takes me nearly 30 minutes to detangle and brush my hair these days because it's so tangled. Even being really careful I cause damage to it because it's so hard to get the tangles out and I wind up breaking hairs and pulling hairs out. Now it's at a point that it's so damaged the ends have become really thin. I've tried numerous conditioners, detanglers, leave ins,treatments, etc. All with similar results. I've also tried numerous brushes and combs, but it's still a pain to brush or comb it. Nothing helps. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm willing to try anything at this point.If it doesn't get better soon I'm going to have to cut it. It's just too big of a pain to deal with. Look at the pic to see what a mess my hair is. Hope it doesn't scare ya too much. :)
OUCH - That sounds like it must be hell.
My hair has been getting more an more difficult to detangle lately too. I wondered if it was just because it was getting longer, but I've discovered the following: (You might have already done this so I apologise if your ahead of me.)
a) If I change the way I wash my hair - ie: If I do it more gently rather than in the classic short-hair way of scrunching its all up, I have fewer tangles upon leaving the shower.
b) Start from the bottom work up - whether combing or detangling start with the lowest layers and work upwards, otherwise you wind up draging your comb or fingers through several inches of tangles.
c) If I comb my hair two or three times a day, (an once b4 go to bed) the next morning I'll have less of a battle with it.
In your situation I'd consider getting the ends trimmed to remove the damage, but I wouldn't cut it all off, not until you've exhausted all options.
Hey Gibson Guy...
Don't freak yet. You and I have similar hair types, so I'm gonna provide you with the tips I've come across to relieve you from severe tangling.
1) Use a really good shampoo and find a conditioner that makes your hair feel really smooth while it's wet. Use shampoo only when you need to...for the most part just try using conditioner only in your hair when you shower. Leave it in a long time so that it penetrates well. Again, you're looking for a conditioner that makes your hair feel smoth and almost tangle free while its wet
2) Use cool water to rinse. Avoid hot water at all times!
3) Gently pat dry your hair. DO NOT rub it with a towel in a vigorous motion. While it's still damp, use your fingers to work out some tangles and then use a detangling comb.
4) Pull a section of hair away from your head with your brush or comb and use the COOL setting on a blow dryer to dry your hair. Keep a small amount of tension on it so that it dries straight. Take your time and be as gentle as possible, drying from roots to the ends. When done, check to see if the back is completely dry. More than likely you'll find it's still a little damp. Just take your time and be gentle.
5) At night, put your hair in a ponytail to keep from tangling. It really helps if you put as many as you can about 3 inches apart down the length of the ponytail.
6) Try showering without even washing your hair at all. Tie it up or use a shower cap so that the natural oils aren't washed away. You'll be surprised how much the natural oils keep hair from getting tangled. Comb or brush it through as much as you can to distribute throughout.
Eventually I think it will make your hair respond better to combing/brushing each time you shampoo and condition. If you feel your brush or comb is catching too many tangles, then use your fingers to smooth them out and go back to the comb.
I hope this helps. You should at least try it out before you start cutting it. I believe we have the exact same type of hair and this has worked for me. Drop me an email if you have any questions.
Good luck,
Brett
Yeah, try some new shampoo. My hair was always coarse and stiff, like bristles, but last night I washed it with a sample size tube of some Pantene Pro V clarifying shampoo, and it actually made a big difference. I think my hair had shampoo residue built up which was causing it to frizz out. Now each stand actually looks thinner, so there must have been a lot of buildup.
Okay, I don't know what products you're using but firstly I'd suggest shampooing your hair with natural castille soap (that's olive oil soap). It comes in a liquid and doesn't contain the harsh chemicals of commercial shampoos.
I'd also recommend shampooing every second day at the most, not daily (again, I don't know what your routine is so apologies if I'm stating the obvious).
Lastly and most importantly, get some coconut or jojoba oil and use it as you would a leave in conditioner.
You can also apply a small amount to your ends daily. Since I began doing this my hair has been tangle free.
Good luck and let us know how you fare.
