>>>>>>How To Prevent Matting<<<<<<

Avaya

Well-Known Member
My hair severely matted nearly three years ago (from 10/16/07). Fortunately, I went to a beautician who was able to comb out the matted section without cutting my hair and without my hair being severely damaged (I swear, my hair takes a licking and keeps on ticking; by all that is reasonable, I should be **********).

I was able to create the following regimen by piecing together advice from various sources (LHCF included). #'s 9-11 are my own thing. 1-8 is what you want to focus on to prevent matting:


1. Wash scalp with diluted clarifying shampoo one week before braid removal; this helps eliminate product buildup at the base of the braid - I use Nexxus Aloe Rid.

(I've changed this a bit. Since beginning to work out regularly, I now wash my scalp with diluted shampoo weekly. The shampoo I use is Paul Mitchell's Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo)

2. Take out braids and comb/brush hair THOROUGHLY in order to remove tangles and dead hair that didn't have the opportunity to shed naturally while in braids; don't get lazy here ladies, it's too important. You just don't want to know how much damage a few strands of dead unshed hair can cause when they interlock with the rest of your hair.

Remove any "clumpy" bits gently with your fingers, pulling individual hairs out of the "clumpy" bit one at a time until the clump is no more.

3. Load hair with conditioners and leave it in overnight - I use Lekair's Cholesterol and Creme of Natures Nourishing conditioner (the bottle with the purple writing)

(Edited 12/29/08 - I do not use protein conditioners of any kind when I am several months post relaxer and have over an inch worth of new growth. I found that protein conditioners encouraged tangles for me so no more Lekair's).

4. Wash hair with a neutralizing shampoo - I use Vitale's neutralizing shampoo

5. Next wash hair with Creme of Nature shampoo - I use the Regular shampoo (the one with the red writing on the bottle)

6. Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo - I use Paul Mitchell's Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo

(Edited 12/29/08 - I save the PM Instant moisture for my next shampoo. For my post braids washing, I now use PM Skinny shampoo after the CON.

7. Deep condition - I use Paul Mitchell's SuperCharged

8. Acidic condition - I use Nexxus Ensure but this last time I forgot this step and my hair was still tangle free

(Edited 12/29/08 - now I use French Perm Stabilizer instead of the Nexxus Ensure).

9. Rinse out conditioner - I use Fructis Garnier Sleek and Shine

10. Leave in conditioner - I use Dove Advanced Care Sheer Moisture Leave-In Replenishing Mist and Fructis Garnier Sleek and Shine Serum

11. Dry and style as usual

I would highly recommend staying away from heavy proteins immediately coming out of braids (I think this was a big factor in the matting of my hair that I discussed in the onset of this post).

Do your protein treatment the following week (or following wash, whatever your regimen is).

I wanted to be sure this regimen worked and wasn't just a fluke. I've done it several times now and oh how I wished I'd known then what I know now.

I took it off of my signature a while ago but I'm a 4a/b just in case you were wondering.

It's all about pH. Hair (or the protective mantle of the hair) has a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic). The neutralizing shampoo and acidic conditioner both serve the same purpose: return the hair to its normal pH. When the hair is at its normal pH the cuticles of the hair shaft lie flat. All of this helps to eliminate tangles. Its really quite interesting.

How the hairs pH gets off balance, however, I don't know.

Hope this helps someone!:rosebud:
 
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Oh how I needed this info three years ago. It was the first and last time I wore braids. I had nice growth and the middle of my head matted up really bad, combination of a bad shampoo and not knowing what to do after braids.
 

RabiaElaine

New Member
Thanks for the info.

Questions:

Why do you use a neutralizing shampoo, since there is no chemical service involved here?

Also why do you use an acidic conditioner?
 

Avaya

Well-Known Member
RabiaElaine said:
Thanks for the info.

Questions:

Why do you use a neutralizing shampoo, since there is no chemical service involved here?

Also why do you use an acidic conditioner?

It's all about pH. Hair (or the protective mantle of the hair) has a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic). The neutralizing shampoo and acidic conditioner both serve the same purpose: return the hair to its normal pH. When the hair is at its normal pH the cuticles of the hair shaft lie flat. All of this helps to elilminate tangles. Its really quite interesting.:)

How the hairs pH gets off balance, however, I don't know.
 

Avaya

Well-Known Member
metro_qt said:
booo i coulda used these tips 5 days ago...:lol:

I know, I feel so bad!:(

I was going to post this information like a week ago but my post didn't go through and I didn't feel like retyping everything I wrote at the time.

Sorry.:(
 

RabiaElaine

New Member
PrincessAvaya said:
It's all about pH. Hair (or the protective mantle of the hair) has a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic). The neutralizing shampoo and acidic conditioner both serve the same purpose: return the hair to its normal pH. When the hair is at its normal pH the cuticles of the hair shaft lie flat. All of this helps to elilminate tangles. Its really quite interesting.:)

How the hairs pH gets off balance, however, I don't know.

Hmmmm very interesting! Thanks for the explaination.
 

Sistaslick

New Member
PrincessAvaya said:
It's all about pH. Hair (or the protective mantle of the hair) has a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic). The neutralizing shampoo and acidic conditioner both serve the same purpose: return the hair to its normal pH. When the hair is at its normal pH the cuticles of the hair shaft lie flat. All of this helps to elilminate tangles. Its really quite interesting.:)

How the hairs pH gets off balance, however, I don't know.

This is great advice! I can definitely see the use of acidic products helping in the detangling process. :yep: Tangling usually happens when the cuticle layers aren't laying flat and tangle in one another as they go past each other. I'm thinking it might be more of a problem with mechanically roughed up cuticles from the general wear and tear of wetting/drying without smoothing or combing out the hair for extended periods of time, though --than a problem with 'chemically' lifted cuticles from a pH balance being thrown off.

While it may not be a true pH problem at all, manipulating the pH can help solve it. :yep: The low pH products would help constrict and flatten the wayward cuticles increasing manageablity. So I can definitely see how this would work :up: Great post!
 

MonaRae

Well-Known Member
I could of used this 2 months ago. I ended up pulling my hair out. Fortuity, it is un-noticeable.

I will bookmark this page!

MonaRae
 

plove

New Member
This should be put in the sticky:)
I'm going to have to do this in Nov when i take my braids out.
 

sareca

Well-Known Member
When there's buildup at the base (shed hairs and product) I remove one or two strands of hair (starting from the root) from the ball at a time. I don't remove the next braid until I can comb tho the last one. Takes forever, but I've never had matting despite having some pretty thick and nasty buildup.
 

metro_qt

Well-Known Member
PrincessAvaya said:
I know, I feel so bad!:(

I was going to post this information like a week ago but my post didn't go through and I didn't feel like retyping everything I wrote at the time.

Sorry.:(


OOh! don't be sorry!!:p It was my mistake anyway... you'd think being on the boards for this long i'd be mindful of what i was doing with my hair.

I'm just feeling retarded that I made such a huge mistake.

But thanks for your information now! hopefully it will save many other people who read it!
 

nikkivale

New Member
this sounds like what i do when i take out my braids, except i usually load leave in conditioner sit in my hair for a while before i start combing
 

glamazon386

Well-Known Member
Great Info! :up: A friend of mines had to cut her nearly shoulder length hair into a short pixie cut due to matting after taking braids out. I'll keep this in mind for when I take mines down in November. Thanks!
 

tallnomad

Well-Known Member
thanks Princess for this great info and bumping for me. I've been out of town and out the hair loop! I'm printing this right now! :)
 

MissJ

Well-Known Member
Thank you so much for this info. I was in braids this time last year and had to get a haircut. I'm in braids right now, will be taking them out soon and don't want a repeat of last year.
 

Blaque*Angel

Well-Known Member
STICKY PLEASE!:grin:

The amount of hair I have lost in braids, I would've been butt length by now! Lol

This is great info thank you so much... No more losing hair for me...:)
 

natieya

Active Member
PrincessAvaya said:
My hair severly matted about a year and a half ago. Fortunately, I went to a beautician who was able to comb out the matted section without cutting my hair and without my hair being severely damaged (I swear, my hair takes a licking and keeps on ticking; by all that is resonable, I should be baldheaded).

I was able to create the following regimen by pieceing together advice from various sources (LHCF included).

1. Wash scalp with diluted clarifying shampoo one week before braid removal; this helps eliminate product buildup at the base of the braid - I use Nexxus Aloe Rid

2. Take out braids and comb/brush hair THOROUGHLY in order to remove tangles and dead hair that didn't have the opportunity to shed natrually while in braids; don't get lazy here ladies, it's too important. You just don't want to know how much damage a few strands of dead unshed hair can cause when they interlock with the rest of your hair

3. Load hair with conditioners and leave it in overnight - I use Lekair's Cholesterol and Creme of Natures conditioner in the bottle with the purple writing

4. Next day wash hair with Creme of Nature shampoo - I use the one with the red writing on the bottle

5. Wash hair with a neutralizing shampoo - I use Vitale's neutralizing shampoo

6. Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo - I normally use Nexxus Therappe but I've recently discovered Kenra's moisturing shampoo and loved it

7. Deep condition - I use Kenra Emollient conditioner and sometimes I combine it with Paul Mitchell's SuperCharged

8. Acidic condition - I use Nexxus Ensure but this last time I forgot this step and my hair was still tangle free

9. Leave in conditioner - I use Infusium (the one with the turquoise writing on the bottle) and sta-sof-fro (mainly on my new growth)

10. Dry and style as usual

I would highly recommend staying away from heavy proteins immediately coming out of braids (I think this was a big factor in the matting of my hair that I discussed in the onset of this post).

Do your protein treatment the following week (or following wash, whatever your regimen is).

I wanted to be sure this regimen worked and wasn't just a fluke. I've done it three times now and oh how I wished I'd known then what I know now.

I took it off of my signature a while ago but I'm a 4a/b just in case you were wondering (I have some issues with the whole hair typing thing but I'll leave that for another post).

Hope this helps someone!:rosebud:

Wow, I wish I had this info last week before I took out my braids. Thanks so much for sharing and I am printing this out for future reference! :)
 

Christa438

Well-Known Member
I just posted a thread titled "Help:trying to use braids to grow hair." I was asking for methods that eliminate those small knots/tangles I usually get at the back that I get from extensions/cornrows. My hair has always tangled/knotted (mainly in the back) whether I used my real hair or added hair. I was planning on leaving braids alone, but now I will try it again using your steps when I remove them. I think your post just helped to solve my problem.

Thank You
 

remnant

Well-Known Member
PrincessAvaya said:
My hair severly matted about a year and a half ago. Fortunately, I went to a beautician who was able to comb out the matted section without cutting my hair and without my hair being severely damaged (I swear, my hair takes a licking and keeps on ticking; by all that is resonable, I should be baldheaded).

I was able to create the following regimen by pieceing together advice from various sources (LHCF included).

1. Wash scalp with diluted clarifying shampoo one week before braid removal; this helps eliminate product buildup at the base of the braid - I use Nexxus Aloe Rid

2. Take out braids and comb/brush hair THOROUGHLY in order to remove tangles and dead hair that didn't have the opportunity to shed natrually while in braids; don't get lazy here ladies, it's too important. You just don't want to know how much damage a few strands of dead unshed hair can cause when they interlock with the rest of your hair

3. Load hair with conditioners and leave it in overnight - I use Lekair's Cholesterol and Creme of Natures conditioner in the bottle with the purple writing

4. Next day wash hair with Creme of Nature shampoo - I use the one with the red writing on the bottle

5. Wash hair with a neutralizing shampoo - I use Vitale's neutralizing shampoo

6. Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo - I normally use Nexxus Therappe but I've recently discovered Kenra's moisturing shampoo and loved it

7. Deep condition - I use Kenra Emollient conditioner and sometimes I combine it with Paul Mitchell's SuperCharged

8. Acidic condition - I use Nexxus Ensure but this last time I forgot this step and my hair was still tangle free

9. Leave in conditioner - I use Infusium (the one with the turquoise writing on the bottle) and sta-sof-fro (mainly on my new growth)

10. Dry and style as usual

I would highly recommend staying away from heavy proteins immediately coming out of braids (I think this was a big factor in the matting of my hair that I discussed in the onset of this post).

Do your protein treatment the following week (or following wash, whatever your regimen is).

I wanted to be sure this regimen worked and wasn't just a fluke. I've done it three times now and oh how I wished I'd known then what I know now.

I took it off of my signature a while ago but I'm a 4a/b just in case you were wondering (I have some issues with the whole hair typing thing but I'll leave that for another post).

Hope this helps someone!:rosebud:


This thread should be a sticky very informative helpful, useful:yep: :weird: :clap: :up:
 

Lady Esquire

New Member
PrincessAvaya said:
It's all about pH. Hair (or the protective mantle of the hair) has a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic). The neutralizing shampoo and acidic conditioner both serve the same purpose: return the hair to its normal pH. When the hair is at its normal pH the cuticles of the hair shaft lie flat. All of this helps to elilminate tangles. Its really quite interesting.:)

How the hairs pH gets off balance, however, I don't know.

I am getting such an education on the pH levels of our hair this week. I noticed that Lonei had mentioned using Roux Porosity Control in another thread for the same reasons.

Question: how often can you use Acidic conditioners? Most importantly, when your pH levels are in tact, does that help with gaining a bouncier look?
 

brandy

Member
Wonderful information! I am going to print this out for future use!! Pls could you list some acidic conditioners one could use? Thanks for sharing;)
 
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