How to brush out extremly matted hair

[holyhelianthus]

Please help!

I have very curly very difficult hair. Pair that with being pregnant, really sick, and on bed rest and you get a matted mess.

I'm telling you, it's disgusting! I can't sit in the bath or shower long enough to really shampoo and condition it (let alone brush it out) so it has only gotten half-assed cleaning and some parts are really dry (like breaking off) and others so greasy it makes my fingers slick. Seriously. It is so gross.

A lot of me just wants to shave it. I am still sick and still on bed rest and that would save me so much stress BUT it took me so long to grow my hair out from the last time I had to chop it off (same reason) and I really love long hair on me and hate short. To me my curly hair being short is so hard to manage and style.

So what do you think? Do I have any chance? The huge mats are like flat tight dreadlocks if that helps with the imagery any.

[kittygrrl523]

Maybe ask a friend or family member to help you. What if you got your hair wet and then spray on a leave in conditioner or just some regular conditioner diluted with water. Then sort of divide the hair into sections and work through them slowly with a wide tooth comb.

I don't have curls but my hair is really long and when i'm sick i try to keep it in braids so it won't tangle and mat...so maybe after you get it combed out have it plaited so it will stay nice.

Good luck and feel better soon!!!

[gealach]

Well, this won't work to help with getting out the current mats, but to help you feel better and keep your hair more under control, you could try shampoo caps. http://www.sageproducts.com/products/hair.cfm They are typically used in health care settings when you can't or shouldn't give the patient a typical shampoo. You warm them in the microwave and then place them on the head for a while and massage. They are a no-rinse shampoo/conditioner. Definitely not as effective as a usual wash and certainly not eco-friendly, but they do in a pinch and might make you feel better.

For getting out the current mats, I would recommend a) a friend b) lots of thick conditioner and c) a wide-toothed comb. Instruct friend to work out mats from ends of hair and then work towards scalp.

[thixle]

Infusium 23-- at least I think that's how you spell it.

When I was 11, my cosmetology student aunt decided I would look cute with a tight poodle perm. Mix that with being a complete tomboy and within 2 weeks, I had flat dreds, too. (hey, they told me not to brush it )

So, they doused me with Infusium 23 (think WD-40 for hair). I couldn't sit through them yanking my hair, so basically finger-combed out the matts myself over a couple of days... greasy, greasy head til I got them all worked out. Gah, I remember it so vividly. It works, It washes out easily with regular shampoo. I never let anyone touch my hair after that

Is your hair long enough to braid in a big single plait? If not you could even get someone to do cornrows or single african braids. That way, you only have to wash your scalp and you don't loose your length.