Detangling destroys my coil pattern...help

PrettyLady24 · 12-15-2009, 06:20 AM

Ok, so I know that detangling is a must to help keep my hair from matting together and being a tangled mess. However, whenever I do detangle, I wind up with a fluffed out mess that won't coil back up. What am I doing wrong? I only detangle when I have a head full of conditioner. I use my fingers and my Jibere comb, sometimes my Denman, but not often.

Any suggestions? It makes me not want to detangle, but I know that's a bad idea.

Naya · 12-15-2009, 06:26 AM

Well I can tell you what I do to combat this and maybe it helps.. you may already be doing these things though.

1. I detangle in sections to make sure that no portion of my hair is drying out whilst waiting to be taken care of.

2. I only detangle while my hair is sopping wet and literally loaded with conditioner. I know it's way too much, but it smooths the "fly aways" and frizz and also protects the curl pattern while i'm combing it out.

3. I actually only finger comb my hair if i'm planning on wearing wash and go or anything using my natural curl pattern. I won't use a comb/denman to detangle unless i'm planning on wearing a protect style for the same reason you mention.. ruins the curl pattern.

Hope that helps!

Lynnery · 12-15-2009, 06:33 AM

I have this same issue as well. It doesn't stop me from detangling but form now on I will be doing what Naya does because when I do detangle the first day of my wash n go is more like a wash n fro.

Sandy Coils · 12-15-2009, 06:46 AM

Occasionally I have this problem as well. It usually only happens on the 1st day that I detangle. After that my coils & curls start to clump again. Maybe it's just the nature of the beast.

lashon20 · 12-15-2009, 08:36 PM

If I use gel or some type of gelly in my hair after I've detangled it curls back up , just looks elongated and fluffier.

Tiggilene · 12-15-2009, 10:50 PM

You may wanna try my cotton-head shaking tricks:

In the shower, wet hair and apply conditioner.

Detangle your hair with a comb/brush (whatever you like) then shake your head like a wet dog! Activate those coils and curls!

As you rinse your head under a full stream of water, shake your head like a dog again until your hair is free of conditioner.

Apply your products to sopping wet hair and shake it again!

The key for me is the shaking. It maximizes clumpage... but sometimes gives me a headache.

Prettycurls · 12-16-2009, 01:32 AM

This is interesting. I detangle before applying conditioner, but my hair is sopping wet.

Haj · 12-16-2009, 06:16 AM

The same thing happens to me kind of. When I detangle, my coils awkwardly clump together so when I wash and go a lot of those coils end up getting separated but then some of them get stuck together but don't intertwine. And for some reason the top middle of my hair gets frizzy and refuses to clump. Mind you though when I deep treat my hair that same area coils up without my having to brush through it. My hair is very strange. But I think those couple of botched trims I I tried to give myself in the past is the culprit. And I'm afraid to go in and have my little bit of progress snipped away.

Sandy Coils · 12-16-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prettycurls

This is interesting. I detangle before applying conditioner, but my hair is sopping wet.

How are you able to do that? W/O conditioner? If I tried that my hair would be snapping & popping all over the place. I am one who without a doubt needs the slippage of conditioner when I detangle.

ElleRey88 · 01-02-2013, 11:15 PM

Praying Hands!!! Ohh man! I love this technique...especially now that Ive learned that theres an actual name for it. Aaand its a life (and hair) saver for me...not to mention THEE ONLY way I will detangle because 1) At least for me, to not detangle is not an option and 2) Detangling the ol' fashion way is..a dang crime:{

So, Praying Hands: **I recommend, like most detangling, that this method be done with curls locked and loaded with conditioner thats got some serious slippage AND that you have the aid of a constant flow of water (ie. do this while IN the shower)

Part hair down the middle. Working on one side, begin to gently separate hair in smaller sections (very gently! Dip hair under the shower head if hair will not separate easily). I find that creating the smaller sections makes Praying Hands more effective. Then, starting at the top of your head, clasps your hair between your two hands (as though to pray

and pull down slowly so as to stretch and elongate the curls. DO NOT RAKE YOUR FINGERS THROUGH YOUR CURLS. Its SO hard!! I know! Its how we were taught to detangle...but seriously. Dont. By stretching and elongating in conditioner soaked hair WITH the help of a constant flow of water it allows you to gently work out most tangles without disrupting your natural curl pattern. ***To finger comb, wide tooth comb or brush through curls will destroy this process..Resist the urge.***
Repeat this process on other side. Rinse out all combing conditioner when finished. Leave-In conditioner can (and should, IMO) be applied in the same manner as well as any other styling products. Enjoy your tangle free, wash and go, bad a** curls

MsCurl83 · 01-02-2013, 11:35 PM

Finger combing. Also you can use spray with water and avj.

Aliciamelena87 · 01-27-2013, 03:03 AM

I usually detangle (finger comb, comb, brush with denman, whatever is called for) with a great deal of conditioner in my hair; I rinse; add my leave in and styling products. I do not detangle/comb/brush after that final rinse. Coils come right back.

Aerogirl530 · 01-27-2013, 08:42 AM

I've noticed mines does that too after I comb it, it goes "puff" which isn't bad since I always do twist outs and it helps form the new curl but I've jut wondered why.
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fefe912 · 01-27-2013, 09:16 AM

I detangle my hair in the shower while rinsing out my conditioner. That usually works for me and if I don't do it then usually all I have to do is smooth my leave in conditioner through my hair and things get back to how I want them.

NaturallyNiké · 01-28-2013, 04:16 PM

You might wanna try finger detangling, and praying hands like someone mentioned

You may have hair that natural does clump, and tools over separate them

I learned my hair was like this earlier in my journey...shingling never worked for me