Hair question

[meganursula]

mamagotchablk (I am wondering if LJ now notifies people when they are tagged in a post?)

Madeleine would like to grow her hair longer, but even I find that I am getting frustrated with how tangled it gets. She has a tender head and is miserable when i brush her hair. I dislike the drama that ensues, but I am sympathetic, having had long hair myself. I would really like to find some ways to make this easier on her, and help her have the nice hair she desires.

In recent months i have tried a new kind of brush (this seems to make the de-tangling less painful, but i find progress easier with my old brush). I have gotten her heavy-duty detangling conditioner to use when she washes her hair. If she doesn't choose that option, her other shampoo options are conditioner-included. We have two different spray-in detanglers (an organic anti-lice option, and no-more-tangles). I also have her get a book to distract her from the work.

I feel like we have made some progress in getting daily serious brushing. This does seem to help avoid large snarls. However, it seems like her hair is getting even 'stickier'. It gets tangled almost immediately, and each brushing is a challenge. It also doesn't lay smooth for very long - it will be shiny and smooth for a very short time after conditioner and brushing, but by the end of the day looks like she has just woken up after a week long bender. I think she might need a trim, but i'm more thinking i need to find a way to improve the texture of her hair...

Suggestions? comments?

Edited to add:
- Having had long hair, i know all the tricks to getting it out via brushing from the ends up, isolating a knot, holding at the scalp while brushing the ends, etc. But part of getting into good habits with her hair has been getting her to sit still enough for me to use those techniques. She is getting better at it, but you are also right that these things are easier to control on your own head.

After some web searches last night i sat with her this afternoon and worked our detangling conditioner into her hair and brushed it. That stayed in her hair until her shower at bed time. Her hair was softer and easier to brush after her shower, so, maybe we just need to do this occasionally? I wonder if working in cream conditioner is just better for her hair than using the spray stuff? We can try doing that before a shower and then sticking with water in the shower.

(I read one web review of no-more-tangles that suggested that the product was responsible for turning the reviewer's daughter's hair 'sticky and frizzy and knotted'. It was the only bad review, but the description of the hair was so close to what Madeleine's has been like that i wondered. I was curious if any of you would bring up the idea, even though it read to be as basically insane.)

Comments

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

LJ sent a little notification email to alert me to this post.

Linc had very fine, curly hair that would rat up instantly if we didn't take care of it daily.

Ditch the brush and use a wide-toothed comb (unless you're using a plastic brush like this (http://www.amazon.com/Cricket-Static-Free-Fast-Flo/dp/B00011JOQY/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1378212559&sr=8-12&keywords=hair+brush) which is practically a comb anyway).

We used a squirt of BioSilk hair serum as detangler (a little goes a looong way). When you detangle, always start from the bottom and work your way up, tightly holding the hair in your left hand just above the part you're working on, so any pulls don't reach that tender scalp. We had to start this process before Linc could read, so we had a channel of YouTube videos of train crossings and shuttle launchings that he would watch.

Keeping the hair in ponytails and/or braids will help prevent tangles, but it looks like her hair is still a bit short for that?

Try to wean off of shampoos and just wash with conditioner. You want the hair to create its own oil, which will improve the texture... shampoos just strip the oils. If you absolutely MUST shampoo, keep it to just once or twice a month.

Good luck!

[blk]

Yah, LJ sent me a cute little notice. :)

I don't have as much advice, because when I was that age I had super short hair because of similar problems. It wasn't until I was almost 9 and could brush my hair myself (and promised to do so every day) that I was allowed to start growing it out again. J also went through similar, and he still can't stand to have me brush it, but he's gotten great at brushing his own hair. But his is super thick and straight instead of fine and wavy like hers.

So perhaps try to get her started on brushing her own hair? A lot of tender-headed people I know find that is less painful than having someone else do it, and it gets her in practice for when she is older. It probably won't be sufficient, but it could be a start.

Other than that, I'm mostly in agreement with mamagotcha - experiment with other detanglers, work from the bottom up, and try to work in braids or pigtails. I've personally had more luck with plastic brushes than combs, but ymmv.

Sorry can't be more help!

[flasher.livejournal.com]

I feel for Madeleine. I had long, super super fine hair as a child and yes, it'd knot in 20 seconds or less. Mom tried everything, conditioners, spray in stuff, everything. Didn't help and I spent most of my childhood in braids (religious family, so short hair on girls was not an option).

Hate to say it but nothing really helped except time. Somewhere around pre-teen, my hair got a little more heft to it and stopped turning into massive rats nests.

[ef2p.livejournal.com]

Not sure if this will help. I have super curly hair that likes to frizz and knot. I've basically stopped washing it. I still condition in everyday, I just skip the shampoo step. Now if I've gotten especially dirty or use a bunch of product, I'll go a head and wash it but that comes out to once a month or so.

[littlepurple.livejournal.com]

Brushing long hair and keeping it de-tangled is a frequent topic on my neighborhood moms board. People swear by the "wet brush".