Dd hair gets matted/tangled...

[wide eyes & laughter]

so easily. A hair stylist told me she has chlorine build-up and recommended some Malibu hair product to strip the hair. But it didn't work. I even tried it twice -- second time w/a plastic wrap and heat. Then I tried good ol' vinegar. Nope, didn't work. May have even made it worse!

 

Any ideas? I don't feel like Googling remedies then more trial and error. If you have tried & proved a remedy and can pass that along, I'll be *much* obliged.

 

TIA!

[Sue G in PA]

Use one of those De-tangle sprays for the really tough spots. Use a shampoo and good conditioner for swimmer's hair. Our stylist suggested using a leave-in conditioner under the swim cap each time my dd swims. Really, just brushing it frequently to avoid the tangles/matts, etc. and using a good quality conditioner *should* help. I've not used this before but it was also suggested to me to use RAW honey (unheated, unstrained) as a conditioner. Interesting, but I haven't tried that yet!

[Kate CA]

so easily. A hair stylist told me she has chlorine build-up and recommended some Malibu hair product to strip the hair. But it didn't work. I even tried it twice -- second time w/a plastic wrap and heat. Then I tried good ol' vinegar. Nope, didn't work. May have even made it worse!

 

Any ideas? I don't feel like Googling remedies then more trial and error. If you have tried & proved a remedy and can pass that along, I'll be *much* obliged.

 

TIA!

 

It has to be apple cider vinegar - did you use that or something else? For some reason that one works and we had some horrid tangles.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

When I used to swim everyday, I used

Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three

From the website: "Removes Chlorine and Impurities • Reduces chlorine, iron, minerals and medications • Increases inner strength • Perfect for after swimming and before conditioning treatments"

 

I followed that with a deep conditioner. Nexxus Humectress works beautifully for me. It depends on the hair type. Some people (especially those with color treated hair) don't do well with it. You only need a very small amount of product, but you need to leave it on the hair for a few minutes before rinsing.

[In The Great White North]

My dc swim every day. Dd washes her hair and puts conditioner on EVERY time. Ds rushes out. He doesn't want to take a shower there. Someone has convinced him that shampoo is bad for suits:confused:. (After swimming for 30 years, I doubt that claim!) He then proceeds to complain about how long she takes in the locker room.

 

Dd has foot long, curly hair. It is smooth and shiny with no tangles. She brushes it every morning and washes it after swimming every night.

 

Ds has hair < 1-2 inches. It is tough, wiry, dull and will stand straight up without gel. He brushes or washes his hair under duress only. Then, with a straight face, he blames it on the chlorine.:lol:

 

Nexxus Humectress is a great conditioner. I'v found that shampoo doesn't matter that much but the conditioner does. Suave makes a knock-off of Humectress and another one that claims to smooth hair. We use either. They use too much at a time (and share in the locker room) to buy Nexxus.

[Peela]

My dc swim every day. Dd washes her hair and puts conditioner on EVERY time. Ds rushes out. He doesn't want to take a shower there. Someone has convinced him that shampoo is bad for suits:confused:. (After swimming for 30 years, I doubt that claim!) He then proceeds to complain about how long she takes in the locker room.

 

Dd has foot long, curly hair. It is smooth and shiny with no tangles. She brushes it every morning and washes it after swimming every night.

 

Ds has hair < 1-2 inches. It is tough, wiry, dull and will stand straight up without gel. He brushes or washes his hair under duress only. Then, with a straight face, he blames it on the chlorine.:lol:

 

Nexxus Humectress is a great conditioner. I'v found that shampoo doesn't matter that much but the conditioner does. Suave makes a knock-off of Humectress and another one that claims to smooth hair. We use either. They use too much at a time (and share in the locker room) to buy Nexxus.

 

Similar situation here....dd13 has long botticcelli ringlets. We read the Curly Girl book together and since then she only washes her hair occasionally, and she wets and conditions it, and combs it in the shower, every single day. Yes it takes time, but her hair is soft and beautiful. She also plaits it at night time. Truly, I would not have the patience, but she has seen it makes all the difference. Without the care she gives it, her hair is bushy. With the care, it is silky long ringlets.

Her brother with smooth shiny straight hair, doesn't take care of it, and it is straw like.

I buy expensive conditioner too. It just seems that its one of those areas you get what you pay for, and when it makes such a difference, its worth it.

[Closeacademy]

Keep it braided while she sleeps. This really helps keep the tangles at bay for my dds who both have very long hair.:001_smile:

[wide eyes & laughter]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll try the *apple* vinegar cider first as it just looks to me like her hair needs to be stripped first. We do use good shampoo and conditioner already and it seems to work for a couple days but then - matting & tangles set in even w/thorough combing daily! A couple years ago I was able to talk her into cutting off to a bob, but not any more!

 

I'll also try having her wash/condition her hair immediately after swimming. It's just her hair type that is like a sponge to chlorine. My other dd has silky shiny hair w/even less hair care. :huh:

 

Thanks, all!

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Oh, I thought of something else: Make sure she thoroughly wets her hair with clear water before going into the pool. It will make it less absorbant, so it doesn't drink in so much chlorinated water.

[forty-two]

I second the suggestion of wetting down her hair ahead of time; I know some people also slather their hair in conditioner before swimming as well, to help protect it (it can be a really cheap one). It is also a good idea to secure her hair in a braid or bun - something that keeps the length contained and protected - instead of loose, in a ponytail, or just shoved willy-nilly under a swimming cap; this helps prevent tangles. Also make sure her hair is thoroughly detangled just prior to swimming - once knots have gotten wet, they are a lot harder to get out. It's also a good idea to detangle just before washing; if the hair was secured well, that shouldn't be too difficult, but you can always slather on conditioner to help with the detangling if it ever happens to be a problem. You probably already know this, but just in case: don't brush wet hair *ever* - it causes lots of damage, which is a big cause of tangles. Only use a comb on wet hair.

 

You also might want to check if your dd's shampoo and conditioner has a lot of silicone products in it (anything that ends with -cone). Some hair just does not like cone products - mine doesn't - and the build-up causes lots of tangles and matting. Apple cider vinegar is helpful for getting small amounts of build-up out, and it is a shower staple for me, but it really isn't comparable to a clarifying shampoo, which she might need for a fresh start, or for semi-regular clarifying. You can also give a swimmer's shampoo a try - I know some people swear by them. You can also use baking soda to clarify, but that can be harsh on the hair for some. And as others have said, never ever skip conditioner.

 

Edited to add: If your dd does all her hair combing, you might want to observe her technique. When I was 8-11 years or so, I would end up with a huge matted mess at the nape of my neck every month or so, and never understood why. It turns out that was due to how I brushed it - I always missed that area. Once I started dividing it in half, and bringing each half over my shoulder to the front to detangle, I didn't have that problem again.

[OnTheBrink]

so easily. A hair stylist told me she has chlorine build-up and recommended some Malibu hair product to strip the hair. But it didn't work. I even tried it twice -- second time w/a plastic wrap and heat. Then I tried good ol' vinegar. Nope, didn't work. May have even made it worse!

 

Any ideas? I don't feel like Googling remedies then more trial and error. If you have tried & proved a remedy and can pass that along, I'll be *much* obliged.

 

TIA!

 

My dd's hair knots up very easily. I've found that using an intense moisturizing conditioner when she washes it helps a lot, and keeping it relatively short (shoulder length) has helped, as well.

[Karen sn]

Oh, I thought of something else: Make sure she thoroughly wets her hair with clear water before going into the pool. It will make it less absorbant, so it doesn't drink in so much chlorinated water.

 

I was just going to say this!!!!

I was told years ago by a hairdresser to wet it first BEFORE swimming. Keeps the chlorine from soaking in so quickly. Definately works.

[Doran]

This is probably a repeat of something that's already been noted - have not read the whole thread.

 

One of our two has very curly hair, as do I. For daily maintenance, I offer these ideas:

 

1. Have her sleep in a braid, and keep the hair pony tailed, braided, or otherwise "contained" during activities that might tangle it more.

 

2. I only comb out my hair in the shower, with a wide tooth comb, when I've got loads of conditioner in my hair. In between, I don't touch it. It hurts too much, and it damages the hair.

 

3. Have her use a leave-in conditioner, or just don't rinse the standard conditioners.

 

4. Suggest that she talk to other swimmers whose hair seems "healthy" and ask what conditioner/shampoo/routine they use.

 

 

 

Not sure these ideas help. I didn't see how old she is or whether she has curly hair or not. Apologies if this doesn't sound like any advice she'd ever be able to use. ;)