Not to be a nuisance, but it would help to know exactly what products she used, when she used them and what order they were used. For me, ingredients/additives are an invaluable resource when solving a hair equation. For instance, the term "protein treatment" is ambiguous and can mean many things until the ingredient list has been identified, e.g., reconstructor #1 with wheat protein vs reconstructor #2 with collagen protein. All protein treatments aren't created equal.
Persistent and extreme tangling can be caused by a number of issues. When it happened to me, I was forced to keep my hair as smooth and un-manipulated as possible while I identified the source of my problem. Some things that served to help mitigate the issue were:
- Braiding and manipulating only in the most careful of circumstances, e.g., cleansing using slow, deliberate smoothing motions from root to tip rather than scrubbing, scrunching or vigorously rubbing
- Never twisting my hair; and never braiding it all the way down to the ends because those are surefire recipes for disaster (instead, I left 2-3 inches unbraided and smoothed them out with a thick, creamy LI and/or heavy butter, which is my version of heavy sealing)
- Substituting the thick, creamy LIs and heavy oils for a slimy, slippery LI and light softening oil as my finishing products (the thicker ones clumped the hair and made it stick together, which facilitated tangles and knots up and down the strands; but the slimy, lighter ones smoothed and kept the hairs separate, yet together...if that makes sense)
- Switching to softening and moisturizing cleansing conditioners with phenomenal slip; the only shampoo I used was a chelator every six or so weeks. Chelating is important!
- Ditching the protein treatments/reconstructors in favor of balancing DCs (they gave my hair the kick it needed without the massive tangles, knots and dryness I received from the others)
- A nice trim
- Pre-pooing on dry hair with a moisturizing DC that has a sick amount of slip (optional and only done in the most Saharan of circumstances; the best ones are dominican DCs)
- Only using a wide toothed comb
- Trading in the Goody Ouchless barrettes for large snap clips (for a firmer, more secure hold to prevent tangles; once I'd detangled and smoothed the hair, I needed it to stay in that state until the next step)
- Using hotter water instead of lukewarm or cool
- Limited styling to two Pippi Longstocking braids (and the subsequent braid-outs they created) in order to control manipulation to prevent tangling and knotting
- Only using the dopest DCs on the block
No offense, but Afrotastic and TMC ain't dope enough for the job. IMO, she needs some heavy hitters, especially since her hair is consistently dry and feels squeaky upon rinsing. I totally understand your friend's frustration and despair, which is why I advocate for a thorough analysis of her products and technique. Tell her to hang on. She's not alone because she has hair crime fighters all across the globe who are willing to offer their input and support on her behalf.
