Transitioning hair has matting and knots that hold on strong. The matting is due to simple things like not detangling all the time. But also to night time damage. If the hair is not in twists or braids at night, or sectioned off to preserve detangling, then more than likely the hair will get knotted or matted. Maintaining a detangle is the best and only way to ensure less matting and knotting
But the truth is that I am not going to detangle my hair everyday. Some days I will be able to maintain the detangle by retwisted or rebraiding. So far, I do not retwisted or rebraid very often. Going to bed with a pineapple pony tail or my hair in a low bun or pony tail is what I will typically do and thus my hair will Matt and knot after 2-3 nights.
The trick to dealing with matts and knots is to either prevent them or deal with them. Basically? There is no trick. If you or I want to see less matting and knots in our transitioning hair; we will have to learn how to maintain the detangle. By retwisting the hair or braiding it at night. This ensures the hair stays in sections and is held taught to prevent slipping or rubbing which creates unwanted matts.
The other "trick" is to accept those knots. Yes! Accept them that they will come. Because if you are protective styling even, you will have shredded hair trapped in your style that needs to get out. Therefore the hair will get tangled if not taken care d daily. So tending to the hair after a few days, just prepare to be ready to deal with the matts and knots.
I have accepted during the detangling process that some hair is gonna come out especially if I have not done anything to my hair regarding sectioning or finger detangling in days. I don't even bother trying to section my hair without going under a shower and getting my hair sopping wet. The water is the number #1 detangler and healer of knots. Using my fingers I section my hair under the water. Then I add conditioner to my hair and finger detangle under the running water. If I feel my hair can handle it, I will then take the comb and carefully run it through my hair under the running water.
People are afraid of detangling hair when sopping wet or under water. That is because the hair is weaker when fully wet. But detangling on damp hair is not a walk in the park if you know you are going to have knots. The best bet is to do it under running water gently. Detangling from the Ends and working your way up.
When you come across a knot, you want to try to spread the hair and separate it. Pulling it wide and down to detangle from the knot. Eventually picking out each strand carefully until you are left with a knot and dead end strands.
The biggest mental setbacks with detangling is feeling like you have to rush and that you are going to lose hair. So
1. Be patient. Take a deep breath if you are getting frustrated because you don't want to take your frustration out on your hair.
2. Be around running water. If you don't want to detangle under the shower or faucet, then at least be nearby one so that if your hair starts to dry up, you can make it sopping wet again.
3. Get used to saying goodbye to hair. Hair sheds! So don't be overly anxious about seeing hair fall out. It is supposed to, it is natural. If you haven't combed in days, you will have more hair to fall out. When you see that ball of fallen hair... Just look at your head and see how much freaking hair is still on that head!
4. Be wary of detangling products. Because nothing detangles your hair better than water. Most of these products even the ones named "detangling" are actually prepping the hair to dry and style. The product sometimes can get in your way and prohibit the detangling by "styling" the knot. The matts and knots can get even more hold because the product is made to hold your style.
That's the best of what I got so far on this journey. <3
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