Getting snarls out of long hair.....Is there an easy way?

[rainsmom]

This has become a daily battle with dd. And my heart just breaks bc I was the SAME way as a child. Sensitve scalp! My mother finally cut my hair super short, which looked terrible on me.

Dd has beautiful hair......but hates having it brushed. Its very very thick and straight, just past her shoulder. Ive tried spraying detangler on it, but it doesnt help much. Maybe I need to try a different one? Im using Suave.

So if anyone has any tips.....I would greatly appreciate it!

thanks!

[bamamom]

If you don't mind using name brand stuff , try Loreal Kids conditioning detangler. Put it on there after you shampoo it and rinse it out.........it's called Strawberry Smoothie and it's in a bright red bottle. It smells great and it works like crazy.

I was tender headed as a child and cried when I got my hair fixed.....

The Loreal is actually so powerful I can't use it on my dd's hair........it just doesn't tangle bad enough to warrant it.

I actually have an unopened bottle of Strawberry Smoothie......pm me with your addy if you'd be interested in me mailing it to ya......

[2GR8KIDS]

I read on one of the other forums here that shea butter is helpful in detangling hair. I plan to try it with dd, who has super curly hair. Right now we use the Suave also and it doesn't seem to do much. Thanks to pp for the tip re Loreal- we'll have to try that one too.

[m0mto3]

We use the L'oreal kids conditioner and shampoo on DD... and the detangle spray too! Her hair is long and straight, but she sleeps hard and plays hard and for some reason it gets like a rats nest in little time... PLUS she HATES having it brushed or combed out... Also get a wide tooth comb. If you can when you're rinsing out the conditioner, comb it while it's wet.... to make sure all the tangles are out.. then after it's dry, use the spray and comb it again. I wish my DD would wear a pony to bed; that would help IMMENSELY. I think for school, I'm going to put it in a loose braid at night so we don't have to fight in the morning so much!

[Mackenzie]

My daughter hair tangles super easy also. I just started using Loreal kids detangler spray and it works wonders. I can run my fingers through her hair now after using it at 9 this am. Without it, I can not run my finger through her hair 15 minutes after brushing it.

[Roseberry]

I start from the bottom and work my way up, holding her hair in the section I am working on an inch or so above where my comb is, this way I am pulling from where my hand is instead of where her hair meets her head. It seems to help, along with all the conditioners and detanglers as well.

[onlyzombiecat]

My dd also has a sensitive head. We've tried all kinds of things. We've tried all kinds of brushes and combs. A wide tooth comb or hair pick worked through the tangles well but dd complained that it hurt. Dd complained even when there weren't tangles.
One day out of desperation I grabbed a small wooden handle soft bristle bath brush and used it on dd's hair and no more complaints or struggles from dd. She says it tickles and that's it.
Kind of like this-> http://www.tenderheaded.com/phsobrhabr.html

I use the Suave spray sometimes and if the tangle is not coming out I might have to work through it with my fingers or something.

My mom used to braid my long hair at night to avoid it getting so tangled.

[stafl]

I can't use those chemically products on my DD, her skin is way too sensitive and it makes her scalp burn. The L'Oreal kids stuff even made my skin burn. No telling what that artificial fragrance is that they put in it, not to mention the SLS and other unpronounceable ingredients. You might like the short-term benefits, but what about the long-term risks of exposure to certain toxins?

Try combing her hair in the bathtub, in the water or while it's soapy, start from the very ends, comb down little by little, and work your way towards the scalp. Use the widest toothed comb you can find.

[avivaelona]

As a former owner of impossible to comb long thick straight hair, here is what worked for me. Use any good conditioner you like..comb conditioner through hair working in sections frombottom to top. rinse, and then wrap in a towel, do not rub hair to towel dry. Dry with a blow dryer or braid and let dry naturally overnight. If you use a gentle conditioner you can also leave a tiny bit in, just rinse quickly and don't scrub it out. I used to be careful to use shampoo only on my scalp too, to keep from washing too much of the natural oils from the ends.

I found that most detanglers either made the problem worse actually as if they are applied unevenly you will get snarls wherever you missed a spot. However, I did used to use a loittle cowboy magic when my hair got too snarly. Its very gentle but it does have some silicone in it. It was meant for horse manes and tails so it doesn't have a lot of the stuff they put in human products (scary that stuff intended for animals is safer than salon products). As far as I know the only place you can get it is at tack stores.

Also for some reason, rain water will wash hair more tangle free....if shes really snarly you could just go stand her outside in a summer downpour

Aviva

[3girls1boy]

My middle daughter and I both have brown hair. I happened to have something called "Brilliant Brunette" for myself and I tried that in her hair and it really worked. Basically, it's a gel with some kind of oil in it.

[emmalala]

Try spraying the comb with the detangler? Try using different shampoos?

I use a supersoft brush for the first pass & then a more effective one once the hair is organized. Actualy I found that conditioners made the hair stickier and more likely to tanlgle when dry, and that wet brushing was harder than airdrying first. And braids are great if she can stand that.

[rainsmom]

Thanks for all the hints.

I am using a very wide tooth comb. The problem isnt after the bath, when hair is recently conditioned and wet. ITs the next day. And its not quite long enough for braids.

I try to comb in sections or brush......and I have to do it fast bc she is screaming the whole time. I also start at the bottom. Maybe I should just spray water on her hair in the morning?

[Cole]

For me (someone with long straight thick hair all her life), I find that its all about prevention. Generally, these are the techniques I use for my hair (not all of them all of the time, but you could until you find which one is annoying or not worth it).

Comb and then brush to get as many of the tangles out as possible BEFORE getting into the bath. Wash/Scrub only scalp with Shampoo. Mix a good conditioner (you really do pay for what you get IMO) with water in a large cup. Soak the ends of the hair in the conditioner for a minute. Pour the remaining water over the top of your hair. Comb through your hair with a wide tooth comb BEFORE you rinse the conditioner out (This helps distribute the conditioner and keeps the tangles at bay). Rinse out conditioner, finish bath. Run the wide tooth comb through again (start at the bottom and go up) before wrapping in towel. Take off towel and run the comb through one last time. I know it sounds like a lot of combing, but really its just maintaining the tangle free part throughout the bathing process.

If let your hair dry tangled, I guarentee it will be a battle until the next bath. If your hair is detangled when its drying, then you will have an easier time keeping it detangled until the next bath.

I personally don't blow dry my hair (I think its too damaging in the long run, but is nice to keep the hair detangled in the short). When my hair is longer than mid back, I do put it in a loose braid for bed. When I was a little girl, we took 3 baths a week (Sat PM, Mon PM Wed PM). There were a lot of braids and ponytails inbetween bath days to keep the hair managable during the week.

Also, note that any time the hair is wet, you should be using a wide tooth comb, starting at the ends and moving up... a brush is too harsh and will break the hair. Hair with broken/split ends does tangle more easily.

[rainsmom]

Thanks for your very constructive advise Cole! Ill try that next bath!

[Dar]

When my daughter was little she had thick, wavy hair down to her waist - just gorgeous but it got very tangled.

I would comb through it in the tub with the conditioner on it, and then as soon as she got out I would braid it into one or two french braids. She'd usually leave those in for a day or two... then we'd have a day or two of the hair getting sort of brushed but maybe not all the way, and then we'd do the bath and hairwash and braids thing again. She was willing to do the braids if it meant less brushing.

Dar

[zoe398]

Mine gets semi-dreads in one spot on the back of her head...minutes after taking a bath. I've just started using a natural conditioner and combing through her hair while she's in the tub.

[JessicaS]

I have excessively curly hair and a curly headed dd.

I pretty much agree with Cole.

Also, when washing try not to scrub hair around too much, like they do in shampoo ads, it causes tangles.

Normal cheap shampoo can work ok for some people, but I mix some oil into the conditioner. (jojoba oil is most similar to normal hair oils and best for hair but any oil such as olive, avacado, coconut or sweet almond will do)

After washing I comb out with fingers and let air dry. Then when it is dry I put a bit of oil (maybe five or six drops??) on my palms and run it through hair then brush out.

My dd's hair is is the middle of her back and this works pretty well.

I do agree with Dar though...I keep her hair in braids quite a lot!

Rainwater works because it is softer water. Hard water is bad for your hair.

[Ann-Marita]

My DD has very long hair, and a sensitive scalp. She wears braids a LOT. She sleeps in braids, always. I even wash her hair in braids.

Before I found out about using baking soda instead of shampoo, I would rub some shampoo between my hands, and then work it into the hair near her head, and them squeeze the lather down her braids a bit.

Now that we us BS, I just pour the BS solution over her head (making sure the roots get it the most), rinse, and end with vinegar solution.

Like the PP said, prevention is more than half the battle. And even shorter hair can be done up in french braid pigtails, if desired.

[Denise K]

My formerly impossible (now short) hair was frizzy-dready-tangly and long. It helped to rinse in cool water with apple cider vinegar in it--less frizz, softer so easier to brush. The cool water apparently makes the little scales on the hair lie flat (you rinse raw wool in cool water when you're done washing the lanolin out, too), so it's less grabby. the vinegar just made it shiny and soft. also boar bristle brushes worked better than anything for my hair--I use a Bass one, and it's great.

Ditto on all the combing with conditioner and braiding stuff--if you can make it to braiding. I spray DS's hair with diluted conditioner as I brush it--about 5 parts water to 1 conditioner. He hates beiong squirted but at least it doesn't hurt.

[Mackenzie]

Originally Posted by stafl

I can't use those chemically products on my DD, her skin is way too sensitive and it makes her scalp burn. The L'Oreal kids stuff even made my skin burn. No telling what that artificial fragrance is that they put in it, not to mention the SLS and other unpronounceable ingredients. You might like the short-term benefits, but what about the long-term risks of exposure to certain toxins?

Try combing her hair in the bathtub, in the water or while it's soapy, start from the very ends, comb down little by little, and work your way towards the scalp. Use the widest toothed comb you can find.

We considered those things. That is actually why we are just now trying it. My daughter, however, is in ballet and is required to have her hair pulled up and in a tight bun for class. The week she had had class from 10-2 everyday except wed when she also had class from 6-7.

We have tried combing her hair with the conditioner in, we have tried wider and wider tooth combs. None of it helps. Her hair is such that after her bath, and I combe her hair out, when I go to come it up,immediately following the combing out , into previoulsly mentioned tight bun, it is snarled again. It is torture for her. We have considered cutting it, but it would have to be cut dang short for ballet. The bun thing is not only for aesthetic purposes but also for saftey.

I am going to try some of the posted suggestions here and if they work YAY! But in the meantime, the detangler is the most logical option FOR US.