What causes tangles in your hair? Are tangles a little nuisance for you or a big problem? What do you do to keep your hair from tangling?

Please share your thoughts, experiences, and theories on tangled tresses. Don't forget to include what hair type you have!

:Star:
Celuriel

My hair is wavy and medium in texture. It does not tangle easily. I wear it loose or in braids most often during the day and loose when I sleep. It is always silky and without tangles when I awaken. (I sleep on a satin cotton/silk blend pillowcase which might help somewhat, but I think my hair is simply not inclined to tangle at night.)

When I do get tangles, the cause seems to be friction of the hair against my clothing. And when I oil my hair and comb through it, I often find wee bits of lint that are in it. Sometimes hair is tangled around the lint bit. (Does regular brushing with a bristle brush help with the lint and/or tangles? What is your experience, regular brushers?)

I hope we can learn something from one another. Thank you!

Celuriel

Great topic Celuriel!

I voted product buildup. I got a little overly excited by deep conditioners and anti-breakage products and then couldn't figure out why my ends were crinkly and tangled. Recently I've been using Neutrogena Anti-Residue shampoo, and althought it smells and feels like flea and tick shampoo it works great. My hair is soft and *almost* tangle free.

I noticed what you said about lint - I get the same thing but I find tiny feathers from my down comforter hanging onto my strands and sometimes mistake them for split ends. Maybe they are tangle fairies. They float around no matter how much I brush them off.

So overall, yes, tangles are a big problem and I'm interested to read how others treat them.
My hair type is 1cMii

I voted "friction from clothing", because you didn't have my first choice, which would be "wearing hair loose". :roll:

Of course, it's when I wear my hair down that friction from my favorite fuzzy pullovers gives me hairballs.

I voted wind, since the tangles always seem worse after being outdoors. I'm learning to put my hair up or braid it when I'm outside. That has helped a lot. Other than wind, the only time I really notice tangling is when I need a trim because of dry and split ends. Now that I'm conditioning and damp bunning, I have had a lot less trouble with tangles. (knock on wood)

2aMiii. And I know, because I had to abandon my half-typed response to go look it up, because I ALWAYS forget it!!

My biggest tangle problem is that I CWC, or do whatever wet things need to be done to hair, only twice a week. It goes somethin' like this:
1. CWC/wet stuff, detangle with comb.
2. Day 1 = wet bun with hairstick.
3. Night 1 = take down, put up in higher, looser, "messy" bun with elastic to sleep.
4. Day 2 = take down messy night bun, put up in damp bun with hairstick.
5. Night 2 = take down damp hairstick bun, put up in messy night bun
6. Day 3 = take down messy night bun, either put up in dry bun or braid or do something else interesting. Most likely, dry bun.
7. Night 3 = put oil, leave-in or coconut oil in hair, put up in messy night bun.

So, by the time I warsh it again on Day 4, it's been up and down at least 6 times, and depending on time constraints, it may or may not have been properly combed or brushed out in between. I can't seem to find a truly comfortable way to wear it at night, so the messy night bun is all I have right now.

I usually get 1 tangle a week, so I can't really complain, but I just hate that tangle. :hatchet:

I mostly get tangles from being outside, or when I wash bent over :rolleyes:

I think I get tangles from just breathing. :?

The only time I am tangle-free is when I am in the shower, after detangling the length with lots of conditioner and water assistance. I can run my fingers all the way through it and I feel like a mermaid! This lasts only those few minutes...

Once I get out from under the water I can't run my fingers through the full length anymore, that's why I braid it dripping wet and bind it, as a method of Tangle Avoidance. Type 3a I think.

I slept with my hair loose for almost 28 years and the last 9 of those my hair was long enough to get tangled from it.

I have been sleeping with my "Sleep Tail" (see journal) since March 26th and haven't had any tangles that couldn't be finger combed. This was also in combination with my new CO routine.

The other night I slipped up and slept with loose hair and the tangles were back.

I don't have a hair friendly pillowcase so I need to get some.

Before the CO routine I also would have lots of tangles and breakage because of the way I combed my hair when wet or only used shampoo. I also was not good at taking the time to split my hair into at least 2 sections before combing or brushing. Now I do make at least 2 halves.

I don't seem to have too many problems with tangling, but then again, I don't really wear my hair down. I am able to comb thru my hair before I wash, during the wash, during the conditioner, and after it all pretty well. I lose hair, but these are the hairs that want to come out.

If I wore my hair down, the problem woudl be a combination of friction from clothes, and static. I can condition the heck out of my hair, and still get some static. I am at a loss of what to do about that.

WIND!!!! by far!
I live in one of the windiest areas around here, 100km/hr winds happen at *least* once a month, winter or summer. :dizzy:
my hair is somewhere around a 1bFii - I pretty much just keep it tucked up in a bun or something all year because wearing it down is a serious health hazard! If I wore it down on a normal day around here it would become one giant poofy orange snarl - I would probably have to cut it all off.
On the few days I ever wear it down I mostly get tangled up on clothes and seatbelts and stuff.
The only thing I can do is to keep it slick-feeling by using silicone conditioners, those help prevent tangles on the first day after a wash at least. Otherwise, my collection of combs is rapidly growing! :)

ETA: Scorpeo - what kind of products are you using? if your products contain some quats (quaterniums) those will help fight static.

Other. I get tangles from having long, curly hair. It seems like everything makes it tangle. I've been wearing it up most of the time lately, which adds a different kind of tangle. My hair doesn't form nice waves after being bunned. It forms dreads. I have tight coils of hair when I take down my bun and I have to painstakingly comb them out unless I want them to stay like that forever.

My hair tangles from being left down and letting it curl. If I 'sort it out' and make it relatively straight, just wavy (not curly) or iron it straight, it doesn't tangle AT ALL. so its my hair itself that makes it tangle. haha.

I don't want to get into too much detail, but I will just say that I voted for other.

The solution? Keep my hair in a braid.

Angela

jesus Angelic, look at your hair........my dreamhair!!
You have gorgeous hair!!

OK!
I voted friction on fabric because those wool turtle neck or sweater are evil to my hair!!
Although I found a serum that 's good to my hair, prevent tangles without build up (yet)!

I used to always sleep with my hair down, so I always had horrific tangling when I woke up. I recently started sleeping with my hair in a high bun, so that isn't a problem anymore. I also used to handle it very roughly, especially in the shower, so that caused major tangles as well. I recently started being nice to it, so that isn't a problem anymore either.

Having gotten rid of those two problems, I'd have to say the biggest current cause of tangling is the wind. It can be pretty bad around here, and it does nasty things to my hair if I'm not careful. I nearly always have a ponytail holder or something on me though, so I can put my hair up immediately if it starts getting too windy.

For me, tangling isn't that big a problem anymore, which is great because tangles were the reason I cut my hair in the first place when I had it long before. If I can keep it as relatively tangle-free as it is now, I'll be a very happy camper.

I think I get tangles from just breathing. :?.
LOL, that's the way it is for me, too. Or else, I get tangles whenever I'm not actively detangling. Sometimes I say that I get tangles just by thinking about them. IOW, I always have them. I think my hair's super fine texture and extra length are the main culprits. However, keeping my hair in updos like 99% of the time at least stops the tangling at the point when I put it up. It works very well, eliminates friction during daily activities, protects my hair, and saves a lot of work!

Jennifer Eve

I had to vote for "other" because I have yet to find anything that doesn't make my hair tangle. :boohoo: I'm working on it though...

At least I'm in good company with it.

j.

My answer is wind. One gust and it's over. And they are particulary vicious tangles at that. So I try to keep my hair up in some way. I usually do anyway, just to keep it out of my way.

Another tangle problem for me lately is at the base of my neck when I wear a ponytail. After a day of wearing a ponytail, I sometimes get these bad tangles - awful, because they are high up on my hair.

Yesterday I had a bad tangle after shampooing. Most can be gently worked out, but this one was extrremely stubborn. I came very close to having to snip it out, but just kept trying to tug hairs out little by little. I got it, but there was a lot of breakage I'm sure.

Tea Lady

Another wind vote. My hair doesn't get tangled very often, but wind is usually the culprit. Even if it's up, some hairs escape and get tangled.

Other. I get tangles from having long, curly hair. It seems like everything makes it tangle. I've been wearing it up most of the time lately, which adds a different kind of tangle. My hair doesn't form nice waves after being bunned. It forms dreads. I have tight coils of hair when I take down my bun and I have to painstakingly comb them out unless I want them to stay like that forever.

My hair does this too, and I'm only a wavy. I never get the nice bun waves I see in some of the pics posted on here and other hair boards. When I take my hair out of a bun at the end of the day, it's just weird and dreadlike, as you said. Good to know I'm not alone.

As for tangles, I voted for wind being the worst culprit but really it seems as though nearly everything makes my hair tangle. Like Dulci, I find it easiest to detangle in the shower with loads of conditioner on my hair. I have to wash my hair at least every 2 days or it gets too tangled. Misting with water doesn't help when my hair is tangled either, just makes it wet and matted. bah.

I'm a 1C and I voted for friction from clothing but wind would be a real close second. I've found my ponytail tangles really bad at work. I am moving around a lot and tossing it back all the time. I'm sure that's the problem. I work the tangles out with a wide tooth comb or I just finger comb until I can get them all out. I rarely get tangles from sleeping. I should keep it in a braid or bun more and I probably will as hot weather gets here. It's too heavy for a high ponytail and a low one isn't as cool on the neck.

I voted other because my biggest tangles come from styling, especially the *topsy tail*. I love to wear this style but taking it out always results in tangles. Or if I try to take my french braid out too fast it gets tangled.
When I had a cotton pillowcase I got more tangles than I do now that I have a satin one. And before I did S&D and started really caring for my hair, increased tangles was a sign I needed a trim. But I haven't had to trim since starting S&D and don't have a lot of tangles in general.

My hair does this too, and I'm only a wavy. I never get the nice bun waves I see in some of the pics posted on here and other hair boards. When I take my hair out of a bun at the end of the day, it's just weird and dreadlike, as you said. Good to know I'm not alone.

You're the first person I've found so far who gets these. I wonder what causes them. I think maybe my hair has Botticelli curls in public but is actually a closet corkscrew. Or maybe I have far too much time on my hands.

jesus Angelic, look at your hair........my dreamhair!!
You have gorgeous hair!!


Wow!! Thank-you Sandrine :grnbiggri .

Take care,
Angela

My hair doesn't form nice waves after being bunned. It forms dreads. I have tight coils of hair when I take down my bun and I have to painstakingly comb them out unless I want them to stay like that forever.

Me too! I *hate* that!

Wearing my hair down for long periods tangles it (especially with mousse or some other product in it) but otherwise it's not too bad...wind doesn't seem to make too many tangles unless I have a styling product in it. Usually it just defines the curls and makes it look cool, which I don't mind a bit. Friction gets me now and then with certain outfits, but usually not badly. I usually only detangle in the shower with lots of condtioner, though, as others mentioned...detangling at other times poofs it out too much and makes all the curl disappear. :confused:

I had to vote other since I get tangles from lots of things. My hair is 3a, and I always seem to get tangles. I can detangle my hair, stand up, try to run my fingers through my hair and I already have tangles *sigh*. That being said, friction with clothing causes the worst tangles. Wearing my hair down results in these big mats of hair on the underside where my hair has been rubbing. And sleeping with a braid results in tangles from the bits have have been pulled out of the braid my friction. My solution is to only comb my hair out after washing. I wash, comb, up in bun or braid. Then, it's bun during the day, braid at night, with only enough detangling to separate 3 sections for braiding. It seems to work and all the tangles "come out in the wash" . . . oh, I crack myself up. .

Pol

I voted for friction of clothing, that always causes it for me.

My hair does this too, and I'm only a wavy. I never get the nice bun waves I see in some of the pics posted on here and other hair boards. When I take my hair out of a bun at the end of the day, it's just weird and dreadlike, as you said. Good to know I'm not alone.


I get those weird dred locks too...

And with my curly hair I swear the only time I don't have tangles is in the shower with tons of CO. Ahhh...the joys... :rolleyes:

Okay, I'm relieved to not have the freakiest hair in the west! Thanks for confessing to getting dreads, you guys.

I've been paying more attention to what happens to my hair and I've noticed I get the dreads most if I make a damp bun. If my hair is 100% dry when it goes up, they still form but they're much easier to get out.

The worst is if I have second- or third-day hair that I've bunned daily since it was washed, especially if I mist or use any type of curl reactivator spray (like Botanical Boost or Awe Inspiraling Spray) before it goes in the bun. Three days of that and I just about have actual dreads with matting and everything. Lesson learned.

My worst case of tangles as yet came from overconditioning, so I voted 'product buildup,' though wind is a close second. It's a hard choice to make sometimes - I love to let my hair stream in the wind loose, but I have to untangle it later. :rolleyes:

Edited to add: I am a wavy - 2b/M/ii. (Yes, it's in my sig, but I just wanted to make it more obvious. :lol: )

I get the bun-dreads too! I think hair with some natural curl or wave is really too excited to hold a shape. So twisting it makes it all too happy to stay twisted. :rolleyes: I voted other because, yes, curly hair tangles if you look at it wrong. Oh, who am I kidding! It tangles if you think about it. I also only fingercomb it out in the shower loaded with conditioner, but if I do it while its dry, I also notice those bits of lint...hm!

I have wavy hair. It seems to tangle if I look at it wrong. I get all the tangles out in the shower and after it's dry they're baaack. I try to keep it moisturized and stuff and finger comb it but to no avail it still tangles.

At different times it's different things sometimes its wind at times it's product buildup, at times sleeping. I think I might need to either braid or put my hair up in a bun to sleep so it will tangle less.

I voted "other"...my hair is the most tangled when I step out of the shower after I've washed and conditioned....I have to comb my hair really carefully since it's wet then. I use Back to Basics Sunflower Detangling Spray to help get the tangles out.

Voted friction from clothing, but really, I've got fine wavy hair and as soon as I'm done detangling and I've put my comb back in the drawer and run my fingers through my hair I've found another one. I try to wear my hair down as infrequently as possible because the ends tangle and the canopy mats at the drop of a hat. My only solution is to detangle carefully and wear my hair up as much as possible, usually with a ficarre or a claw clip. At least that way I've only got the tangles I started with!

hrmm...probably friction from clothing, though that's never occurred to me before. i thought i got tangles from just walking around. :grin:

I too get the "dreadlocks" from wet/damp bunning :mad: which is what makes me question whether I am really a 1C or not. It doesn't seem like a IC should do that.

Dvips

Wrong products (shampoo&conditioner)
If I use the right combination of shampoo/washing conditioner and conditioner, my hair is silky and it doesn't tangle at all. Jojoba makes my hair tangle less too, last time my hair was quite tangly and I misted it with a mixture of distilled water and a few drops of jojoba oil and it was much better afterwards.
Of course my hair is only 19'5'' right now. Though as far as I can remember my hair wasn't very tangly when it was longer but it has been a long time since then...

Being a person with very fine hair and a slight wave on top of that, I tangle by just looking in the mirror. It is an ongoing problem. If I comb out in the shower while the water is running through it, my hair seems OK. However, the minute I step out of the shower, it is tangled again. If I can resist the temptation and not use a comb until it is dry, I have much better luck. I do finger comb while it is drying.

I have learned to never go out into the wind with my hair down. Braids help and even at that, I will tuck my braids into my jacket.

The longer it gets, the harder it is to just wear it down, altho right now it is hanging (wet) down my back.

I might add that when I had a water softener, I had fewer tangles. The hard water that I'm living with now is murder! What must I do to get a water softener, may I ask...beg, steal, threaten?

My hair almost never tangles. I guess I should count myself lucky. :cloud9:
The tangles I do get though are from sleeping. I tried a satin pillowcase but it just shoots across the room every time I put my head on it. My husband actually made a game one night of slapping it to see how far it would fly! :silly:

I put other, for reasons I'm sure no one wants to hear about. I try to keep it braided back unless someone gets their hands on my hair after it's been braided back and takes it down. Then I usually have to spend a good 10 minutes gently brushing out the tangles.


The second worst would be sleeping. Recently, if I don't put my hair back in a braid I'm stuck with a mess in the morning.

I said "friction from clothing", but my wavy hair tangles if I think at it wrong. I have particular problems with purse straps and necklace clasps. Luckily it usually detangles easily, if I've been using the right conditioner.
Kim B.

Huh, I've never actually thought about what causes my tangles. I guess just being curly does it. I gave up the untangled fight years ago. Now I finger comb all of the tangles out when I am COing. That's all I do, too. I can't get my fingers through my hair dry, but it looks good and it's healthy.

Calico

WIND!!

I live in northern Oklahoma farm country. Even our state song mentions the "wind sweeping down the plains"! LOL :D

Sleeping, I leave it down and it's tangeld in the morning.

I voted for wind because my hair always used to tangle when I went outside on a windy day. Since I've learnt to always wear my hair in a protective style when it's windy, I've solved that problem.

I used to have a similar problem when sleeping, but have solved that by plaiting my hair at night. At the moment, my hair is pretty much tangle-free.

Wind causes my hair to tangle. To remove tangles, I use a small amount of conditioner and coconut oil.

Kirstin

Definitly from handling! It knots up when I mess with it too much. But, I can't resist, I love to touch it and twist it and play with it.