Daughter Gets Really Nasty Tangles in Hair

Updated on October 16, 2012
K.S. asks from Tampa, FL
20 answers

Hello moms! My 8 year old gets really bad tangles in her hair. I am looking for a really good detangler for her and was wondering what others might use? Also, do you think diet has something to do with it? She rarely eats vegetables but likes salad! Thank you.

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D.F.

answers from Tampa on

The best thing you can use (and its been around forever), I used it in the 80's when I had the BIG hair, is INFUSIUM Leave in Conditioner (get the one with the grey top). I put it in a spray bottle and it works the best. It is about 6.00 at any Sally's.

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K.M.

answers from Miami on

Take whatever conditioner you use, put it in a spray bottle (I uses a 99 cent one from the travel section at Target), add a bunch of water, and shake it. My hair dresser suggested it when I was having a similar problem. It's cheaper than spending money on a special conditioner and works great.

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H.C.

answers from Orlando on

I had the same issue as a child (in fact, if my hair gets too long, I still have that problem). I used to wake up each morning with HUGE "rat's nests" in my hair, and it would take forever for my mom to comb out. I think it's more to do with the texture of your hair...really fine hair tends to tangle the worst. Finally, she started braiding my hair before bed, and that worked like a charm! Detainglers only worked on the problem, but were never a solution for me. The only other solution is to cut your daughter's hair shorter so that it's not long enough to make a big tangle. GL!

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N.K.

answers from Miami on

My daughter has the same problem. I was recently using a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner for kids with no results, I think it's the Suave brand, it has a monkey on it which caught her eye and that's the only reason we got it. Her hair is very soft but very curly and fine. I thought I had issues since my hair's fine and gets very tangly but at least mine's just wavy, hers is in tight curls! She hates it when I brush her, so the only thing I was able to do in order to detangle without much painwas separate her hair in several sections, after blow-drying it (her hair's almost as long as mine -- waist-length!), and I just use a boar's bristle brush on each section, little by little, and if there are some knots, I hold on to the tangled part while detangling so it doesn't pull at her scalp. I always have her hair in a ponytail, including when she sleeps, yet she always manages to end up with very tight knots that usually will make her cry when she sees a hairbrush nearby. I will try some of the suggestions about using adult conditioner (I sleep in satin sheets and pillows and so does she but we still end up with knots and a slippery pillow!), and hopefully that will work and will cut my detangling time in half, as I don't want to cut her hair and neither do any of her relatives.

R.M.

answers from Jacksonville on

My daughter has really tangled hair after a bath too. I use the kids detangler that smells like watermelon or apple that they sell at the dollar tree stores. Its only a dollar so it would be worth trying, also i have used my redken all soft conditioner or her as well and that works great. Try combing through her hair in the bathtub with the conditioner in, you can use any conditioner with that trick. Hope this helps.

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B.K.

answers from Tallahassee on

Can you put her hair up in pigtails, braids, etc. My daughter has tangly hair but when we put it up, it helps a lot. Diet has to do with a lot of things, but I don't think it effects the tangliness of hair. Probably it's length and texture have more to do with it. I am really into natural stuff. We use Aubrey Organics shampoos and conditioner. I think the conditioner is called GPB or some letters like that and it helps a lot with combing that night and even for the next day or two!

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

For my daughter I found Suave kids' shampoo, conditioner, and detangler in one! The one we get is in a green bottle and is watermelon scented.

We also have a detangler spray that works well too. I think what we have is also Suave, but I'm sure any brand for kids should work.

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M.A.

answers from Fort Myers on

My daughter has curly hair so it tangles a lot too. I use Circle of Friends brand leave-in conditioner. It's a cream, not a spray so it works better. I also put a little of that into a spray bottle of water and in the mornings I spray her hair with that before combing.

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W.S.

answers from Orlando on

I have a 4 1/2 year old with tight "S" shaped curls.
Right before washing I wet her hair then put some adult conditioner in it. Like Pantene or Suave for moisturizing. Then I wash it, rinse it, condition again. Then rinse but don't take all the conditioner out.

I braid it in the night & in the morning to comb her hair I loosen the braid, spray it lightly with a water use wide tooth comb to untangle any tangled hair & then brush it.

Sometimes I just comb it & re braid it for the day or let it loose in a ponytail.

I find that the conditioner in her hair & re wetting it with the mist helps in combing her hair. Of course section off the hair. Hope you are able to figure out how to help your daughter w/ the tangles.

I don't think diet has anything to do with tangles. As an adult my hair gets tangled not as much but it does.

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K.B.

answers from Sarasota on

My dauther struggles with tangles even when dry!! We use a little vinegar to help and it clears all the grease and oil too.

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A.P.

answers from Jacksonville on

K.
you have some great responses I will just elaborate. I had very long hair as a child and a teen and I have daughters 3 of them. I ALWAYS use conditioner & not conditioner and shampoo combo a separate one. Then after the hair should be much esier to comb through. My daughter get big knots in her hair while sleeping so we started braiding her hair before she goes to bed- it keeps the big rats's nests away. I also had to braid my hair not just ponytail it when I went out to run. In a pony it still got tanlged the braid seems to help alot. I like the detanglers on the market in the kids section but you have to nearly soak the hair for them to help. I didn't thinkn diet had anything to do with the tangles.

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J.S.

answers from Pensacola on

I have curly hair and use a detangling comb. It has curvy teeth on it and manages to separate the hair without pulling it. You can find them at most stores or hair supply shops.

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L.M.

answers from Jacksonville on

Aussie Hair Insurance Leave in Conditioner is great & Olive Oil Leave in Conditioner works great also...I purchased the Olive Oil at the Walmart Salon.

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R.B.

answers from New York on

Stop using baby or kids shampoo. Use conditioner every time you wash it. I make a detangler by diluting some fructis hair treatment with water in a spray bottle and use that before combing. You could also try leave in conditioner which works great as a detangler. Diet has nothing to do with it. Kids get tangles.

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

My daughter has very long, fine hair, and it too tangles easily. I gave up on kids' shampoos and conditioners some time ago.. as they actually seem a lot more harsh than the stuff I used myself. So I just use what I use for me, on her, too.

I never shampoo her (or myself) without following up with conditioner (not detangler- they are not the same thing). If I conditioner her hair and then rinse with a spray of water (not dousing her head in the tub, but using the shower spray as she tilts her head back a little) then it is SO much easier to comb. Her hair is just like mine was at her age (she is now 8 yrs) and I still cannot get a comb through my hair without conditioner, unless I break half my hair to do so.
Diet is irrelevant.
If her hair is long, before she goes out to play (riding bikes, swinging, when it is windy, jumping on a trampoline, etc) be sure you put it in a ponytail or braid it or something. This will cut down on how tangled it becomes throughout the day.

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J.T.

answers from Orlando on

I would try using a little conditioner after you shampoo. If that does not work, any detangle spray should help. Johnson and Johnson works for us.

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R.C.

answers from Jacksonville on

K.,

My only other advise, if she uses a pillow get her a silk (silk like) pillow slip. It will let her hair move and cause less tangle. My mom used this and the braid before going to bed, I use it now with my long hair and now for both of my daughters.

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L.G.

answers from Tampa on

I have a long haired son. His hair was tangling badly. We tried detanglers, but they didn't really work. A friend suggested we use adult shampoo and conditioner. What a difference! I use my Aveeno shampoo and conditioner on his hair then right before he gets out of the tub, I put a very small amount (less than a pencil eraser) of conditioner on the ends of his hair and leave it in. It works really well. We also trim it regularly.

Good luck!

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M.S.

answers from Lansing on

suave kids detangler spray

Updated

suave kids detangler spray

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S.S.

answers from Miami on

I used a satin pillowcase for my daughter.

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