My DD's hair is always extremely knotty!! No matter how often we wash or brush her hair. And she hates having her hair brushed because of it and cries during a hair brushing.
Any ideas on how to prevent knotty hair appreciated? Or to make brushing easier?
Have you tried using some spray in conditioner or detangler spray? Helps with the actual combing, but I find little girls seem to love the concept of "special spray" and will happily sit for a combing once it is sprayed in.
Yes should have mentioned we've tried a spray in conditioner and that doesn't help. Maybe a detangler spray would but I haven't been able to find one. Where do you buy it from Astrid?
Gaia baby has one (baby section), otherwise Palmolive have one in a pink bottle (I do find that one a bit stinky and will probably grab the Gaia one next time)
What does the hairdresser say? Sometimes a bit of a tut tutting from them about the knots and how they might have to cut off more hair, can work for getting them to sit for brushing
Also try different brushes and combs, I find my girls are more tolerant of some. They also love someone else brushing their hair and are way less whingy for them.
Johnsons make a spray conditioner (strawberry scented).
What type of hair does she have? (curly, straight, thick, thin)
I find when washing my DDs hair if I leave the conditioner in for at least 5 min it seems to help.
As a child who's hair always tangled terribly when it was washed, I learned as an adult to a) brush my hair til it's knot-free BEFORE I get in the shower (with a brush with prongs, not a bristled brush, otherwise, it just smooths the top layer and leaves the knots underneath), b) don't rub the shampoo in - use massage-fingers on her scalp like when we go to the hairdresser, and then just squeeze it through the lengths, and comb through the conditioner with a 'rake' (ie, long-toothed, wide-pronged comb)before rinsing, r, and c) to pat and squeeze it towel dry, and never, ever, rub, AFTER the shower. It would have solved many tears and tantrums had my parents known this.
Also, don't let her get it wet unless it's going to be washed - buy her a pretty, well-fitting shower cap, to use every time she's not going to wash her hair. Washing mine every day just makes it flyaway and therefore more prone to getting knotty, even now I only wash it every 3rd or 4th day. If it's going to be windy or damp, tie her hair up to reduce the knotting. If it's in a simple pony tail, you can be fairly certain that the hair pulled flat against her scalp isn't going to be too bad, and you can even brush out the tail before you take the band out.
Oh, and when you're brushing it, do it in small sections, and hold the scalp end of the hair tightly in your hand, so that the brush pulls against your grip when it catches in a knot, and not against her scalp.
Of course, there's always the option of having a much shorter haircut, as well - it doesn't take all the knots away, but it makes them much easier to deal with.
We got a really good quality brush and that made a big difference to how the morning whinge went. Classic Detangler from Price Attack also helped. Making sure she wears her hair up also makes a big difference - DD refuses to have it up on the weekends and it is always so much more knotty.
Astrid - For some reason the hairdresser has no problems brushing DDs hair. She uses a comb and I've bought one that's similar and it's worse than using a brush! Maybe I need to ask the hairdresser what her secret is! Or maybe it's because it's not me doing it! I might have to try a wider tooth comb.
Novella - Yes I hate brushing her hair. I feel awful doing it.
Chrispe - Her hair is thin and not really straight or curly. In between those two! It's a lot like my hair but I don't have knots like she does!
Pholi - Thanks for the hair brushing tips. I need to try some of those! I do brush her hair in small sections and hold at the scalp end, but she says it still hurts. I have also suggested we go get her hair cut off, but she really wants long hair! Although her hair isn't even that long compared to some other girls her age. At the moment it's shoulder length. I dread to think how much worse it could get as it grows longer!
Nai - I've never heard of a tangle teezer Hairbrush. Where do you buy that from?
I second what Pholi has said - I always had issues with knots til I learnt how to deal with them. Just to add to what she said, definitely remove all knots before washing, but also comb the conditioner through when in the shower/bath before washing it out - makes it so much easier and more pleasant afterwards.
Another suggestion, I know your DD is young, but how is she at brushing her own hair? I've always found it hurts less to brush my own hair than when someone else does it. Even if she managed to get some of the initial knots out.....?????
Thanks chody47. I try and encourage her to brush her own hair, but she always wants me to do it? I would have thought she'd prefer to do her own hair and it would hurt less too!
Cally - What good quality brush did you buy?
I think I need to go shopping for detangler! Wide tooth comb and new good quality hair brush! Here's hoping they help!
Have been meaning to get a tangle teezer for ages, so have just ordered one! We use the sprays and leave in conditioners but some days the tangled just get too bad.
I feel your pain! Both my DDs have painfully thin hair and it gets really knotty. I'd have to brush it three times per day to keep it knot-free.
I've found conditioner helps a lot. I use my fingers to rub it in and then ease out the knots. For some reason, it doesn't seem to hurt as much as a comb/brush.
I've been told that detangling spray is just conditioner mixed with water in a spray bottle - have been meaning to try that.
If it's in a real state, I just have to use bribery (chocolate) to get them to sit still and just eat and bare it really.
I have found in the last six months or so though that DD1 will brush her own hair and get her own knots out. I think she's twigged that it feels better knot-free.
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Is there a way to prevent knotty hair?
Or maybe it's because it's not me doing it!
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