Horrible knot in my hair- Help?!

[Dannielle]

I have a giant knot right in the middle of the back of my head.

It is knotted up right to the root and it hurts! I have tried combing it but I can''t quite reach- FI had a go at it tonight and it improved somewhat but it is almost midnight so we are going to take another stab at it in the morning.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get this sucker out??? I was thinking of getting in the shower, putting a heap of conditioner in my hair and trying to comb it out wet? Is this a good or bad idea?

I am booked in to the hairdressers later this week but I am embaressed for her to see this thing

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/23/2009 9:36:14 AM
Author:Dannielle
I have a giant knot right in the middle of the back of my head.

It is knotted up right to the root and it hurts! I have tried combing it but I can''t quite reach- FI had a go at it tonight and it improved somewhat but it is almost midnight so we are going to take another stab at it in the morning.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get this sucker out??? I was thinking of getting in the shower, putting a heap of conditioner in my hair and trying to comb it out wet? Is this a good or bad idea?

I am booked in to the hairdressers later this week but I am embaressed for her to see this thing

DON''T wet it Dannielle as it will snarl it up even worse. Do you have any Frizzease or anything like that? If so carefully squish some into the knot and with a wide tooth comb work it through gently.

 

[Porridge]

I disagree! I would wet it, but in a bath or a sink or something, not a shower. Then smear it with about a bottle of conditioner! It''s much easier to brush out that way. Take your time with it, work it out gently, let the water and conditioner make it slippery. I have pretty curly frizzy hair and this is how I deal with knots.

 

[atroop711]

get thick hair conditioner and leave it in. Don''t use a shampoo conditioner combo...leave it on for a while then start combing out from the bottom up. Never top to bottom

My older daughter has LONG curly hair and at times the knots look like dreds...I get them out pretty fast with this method. GL

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/23/2009 9:40:56 AM
Author: Porridge
I disagree! I would wet it, but in a bath or a sink or something, not a shower. Then smear it with about a bottle of conditioner! It's much easier to brush out that way. Take your time with it, work it out gently, let the water and conditioner make it slippery. I have pretty curly frizzy hair and this is how I deal with knots.

I would be VERY careful doing that honestly, from personal experience it can make it a lot more difficult from my hairdressing days. Hair can stretch up to three times its length when wet, you can end up breaking the hair as well as making the process a lot more painful. And NEVER use a brush on wet hair, you will break it, use a wide tooth comb.

 

[ksluice]

I have super fine curly hair so I can relate, and ditto what folks have said, conditioner, very wide tooth comb (like the one with 10 teeth), and start at the bottom not the root. I would only add that the conditioner you pick matters, no "light" or "volumizing" ones. I suggest Pantene--you want one that is super slippery and coats the hair/seals the cuticle. If it has made your hair limp and greasy looking in the past, it should fix up that snarl.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

There are several ways to remove awful snarls from the hair but my personal favorite is...

1. Cornstartch worked into the snarl can sometimes loosen it. Work the startch in using your fingertip root to tip.

2. Using a large wide tooth comb (the thick plastic kind from Conair) start at the ends of your hair working your way up. Unravel each little bit as you go until it''s all free. Apply a healthy dose of vingar to the hair to seal down the cuticle of the damaged hair, wait about 10 minutes...shampoo and deeply condition.

I''d avoid full on wetting it...this can cause more matting. But if you are wetting it, slather it in a heavy conditioner like a cream rinse.

 

[Porridge]

Date: 6/23/2009 9:42:53 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/23/2009 9:40:56 AM

Author: Porridge

I disagree! I would wet it, but in a bath or a sink or something, not a shower. Then smear it with about a bottle of conditioner! It''s much easier to brush out that way. Take your time with it, work it out gently, let the water and conditioner make it slippery. I have pretty curly frizzy hair and this is how I deal with knots.

I would be VERY careful doing that honestly, from personal experience it can make it a lot more difficult from my hairdressing days. Hair can stretch up to three times its length when wet, you can end up breaking the hair as well as making the process a lot more painful. And NEVER use a brush on wet hair, you will break it, use a wide tooth comb.

Oh dear! Don''t take my advice then Danielle! Although it does work for my own hair somehow, I find it a million times easier wet. But mine''s so thick I probably don''t notice all the breakage

I do it while it''s actually submerged in the water, slathered in conditioner. I''ll probably be bald in 10 years! I definitely agree with using only a widetooth comb, I shouldn''t have said brush.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 6/23/2009 10:33:25 AM
Author: Porridge

Date: 6/23/2009 9:42:53 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 6/23/2009 9:40:56 AM

Author: Porridge

I disagree! I would wet it, but in a bath or a sink or something, not a shower. Then smear it with about a bottle of conditioner! It's much easier to brush out that way. Take your time with it, work it out gently, let the water and conditioner make it slippery. I have pretty curly frizzy hair and this is how I deal with knots.

I would be VERY careful doing that honestly, from personal experience it can make it a lot more difficult from my hairdressing days. Hair can stretch up to three times its length when wet, you can end up breaking the hair as well as making the process a lot more painful. And NEVER use a brush on wet hair, you will break it, use a wide tooth comb.

Oh dear! Don't take my advice then Danielle! Although it does work for my own hair somehow, I find it a million times easier wet. But mine's so thick I probably don't notice all the breakage

I do it while it's actually submerged in the water, slathered in conditioner. I'll probably be bald in 10 years! I definitely agree with using only a widetooth comb, I shouldn't have said brush.

No worries! That was one of the first things I was taught years ago, all knots removed and backcombing prior to shampooing, when I did hair years ago I sometimes tried to rush through getting the knots out and got on with the shampoo but I paid the price that it took forever to get them out once the hair was wet and it was more painful for the client. But if that methods works for you Por, then stick to it!

Dannielle, if this is often a problem for you try a silk pillow case which apparently can help stop bed head and knots, I have one on order so I will let you know how it is if you like.

 

[Kaleigh]

I'd go to your hairdresser and have them get it out for you???

 

[Dannielle]

Thanks for the advice ladies- it is bad enough that I think i''m going to let my hairdresser tackle it

 

[swingirl]

Tell us, how the heck did you manage to get a knot there in the first place???

 

[Dannielle]

I have been sick in bed with the flu for the past week, I didnt feel up to washing it so I just put a shower cap on and went back to bed without brushing it

 

[swingirl]

Aww. That's lousy! Hope you are feeling better. I think hairdressers are brutal with the comb. They always seem to pull out my snarls quickly and end up pulling out my hair. I'd try to slowly work on it a few hairs at a time. I've heard you should slather your hair and knot with conditioner (on dry hair). That prevents the hair from stretching but makes it slippery. Good luck.

 

[SparkleSparkle]

Try forks! My daughter had one in her head the size of a tennis ball - I got about half of it out using combs and a chopstick. Her stepmother got the rest out with forks!

 

[risingsun]

I second using cornstarch. I''ve used it to remove the worst mats from my "four-legged children" and it works wonders. Really get it worked into the knot and add more as needed. Take a small section of hair at a time and comb through the sections carefully. Start with the outer sections first and work your way in. Have patience. Good luck!!