how to get a brush through my daughter's hair, please help.

[trickydickie]

Dd is nearly 8. For the last year it has taken me at least 20 minutes to get her thoroughly brushed through everyday. She has very, very thick hair which is just a mass of tangles every morning.

We condition it, use detangle brush on it. I have even on occasion put morrocan oil in it after washing but still not much easier the next day.

Any advice welcome. I have another 3 children so time is of the essence in the morning, which is why I am after some tips.

Why don't you plait it at night? Have been doing this with dd's for a year now and life is soooooo much easier

Original Sprout Miracle Detangler. I also use the leave in conditioner. Expensive but worth it. Used with a detangling brush its amazing.

Another advocate of the plait it at night procedure.

1..a tangleteaser makes brushing it faster (especially if you work upwards).

1. plaits can cause frizz, so an alternative is to make a low ponytail, then add another hair elastic further down, and one more near the ends. I have bra strap length hair that tangles easily and this is how I wear my hair at night, because plaits shred badly and I don't like the kinks.

Sometimes I do the this with two pigtails, rather than one, ponytail. but that takes 6 elastics.

I use loads of conditioner in the bath, comb it in sections then when she gets out I put on some curl cream (her hair is super fine and curly) then I plait it, while it's wet.
It's the only thing that stops her hair turning into dreadlocks.

Have you tried not brushing it? Sounds counterintuitive I know but I have really frizzy/curly hair. I detangle it by running my fingers through it when I have conditioner on it in the shower then rinse. Never put a brush or comb near it (wet or dry), never use a hair dryer or rub it with a towel (wrap and twist after washing to remove excess water then coat liberally in frizz ease serum). Works a treat. My hair never tangles or gets knotty any more because the natural curl never gets 'spilt'. This was first suggested to me/my mum when I was about your daughters age by a hair dresser but my mother was do appalled at the prospect of 'unbrushed' hair that she continued to insist on daily torture. I only discovered it really was the route to tangle-free hair when I left home for university. Now I don't even own a hairbrush. I do wash it every day though.

I have very thick hair, which for years was very long (waist length).

I used to plait my hair before bedtime - make a low ponytail then plait the length. Now my hair is shorter, it's fine with just a ponytail.

It helps using a good shampoo and conditioner - I used Redken All Soft, but this one works just as well for me. There's also conditioner and hair mask available in the same range.

And finally, a haircut helps loads - even if it's just the damaged ends that are taken off.

I brush my hair by starting with the ends, then the length and then the top. And separating the hair into sections helps too. I've been using a comb for knots and a brush for the rest, and it's fine. The comb just makes it less painful.

Best thing we have ever used has been this www.boots.com/en/Johnsons-Baby-No-More-Tangles-Spray-1-x-200ml_1014650/ Johnsons baby detangle spray on DDs hair (7) she has horrendous knots and tangles in her hair and we use this and its much better and even at its worse we use this and it makes it possible to brush. We also use the shampoo and conditioner in the same range and the tangle teezer brush www.boots.com/en/Tangle-Teezer-Pink_1000439/ which is the best brush I find (And we've tried them all) I also make sure it is either in a plait or low ponytail every night before bed.

Tangle tamer!

Deffo tangle tamer. Its a bit like our old dog brush and does go through thick and unruly hair very nicely.

I find the tangle tamer brush better than anything. Have tried loads of sprays, conditioners etc, even a tangle teaser.

But it is the tangle tamer brush that kicked it into touch. Dd's hair is very thick and curly, and is the original Gordion Knot. I used to dread combing and brushing it, it could take 1/2 an hour after a hair wash.

DD plaits her hair before she goes to bed. Makes a huge difference. I also use Elnett heat protect spray on her hair when it is very tangley. It is better than any of the detanglers that I have used.

I second detangling spray - I think Johnson and Johnson do one. Or a leave-in conditioner spray, like the Aussie one.

Thanks everyone. I will try all the things suggested.

Everytime DD's hair is washed it is plaited for going to bed so as I don't have the torment of brushing the next morning. The day after the plaits are out it needs brushed and we go through it all again. Yes plaiting it more often would help. Thanks.

We have the tangle teezer. Her hair is so thick and coarse I have to section the top layer up and brush it with the tangle teezer underneath and then bring the top section down and do it with that. Even this doesn't manage to get through all the hair so I then have to go through it with a normal brush. As you can tell a labour intensive process.

I will definitely buy some of the products suggested as surely they can only help. I will also buy the tangle tamer as the bristles seem longer than the tangle teezer.

Mightbemad- I have thought about not brushing it as sometimes after it's washed we have forgotten to brush it and it dry's gorgeous. Just after she sleeps on it it looks like bed head.

She got really upset 6 months ago after it was cut ( I persuaded her though she didn't want to). 2 inches were cut off and she was really upset the morning after the hair cut. Think it was only then she realised her hair was shorter. Anyhow, now she is refusing to get it cut.

I will try all of the above and feel positive that they will help.

Thanks again .

Are you using hair oil?

Detangling spray, when wet, then use a tangle teaser, then plait it. It's the only way other than cutting it all off. Which is what we are doing with DD2 on Saturday because I've had enough!

Foley - When her hair is wet the tangle teaser is fine. I can manage her hair when wet after it's been conditioned and the next morning because it has been plaited. The following mornings after that are the nightmare for her and me. Pleased your daughter is fine about getting her hair cut. It makes such a difference.

Valiumredhead - yes I have used argan oil a couple of times which she loved as we could brush it but I must have overdone the oil as it looked wet. Funny you are called redhead because my daughter is a red head too.

She has swimming tomorrow so I will put the oil on it before I plait it and see if it is any easier to brush on Sunday.

My dd was the same and honestly brushes and tangle teasers are useless.
I / she has found a detangling comb whilst in the shower sorts it out lovely. She uses a massive pink one, from poundland in the shower and a normal small one with the double wavy teeth when its dry and between washes.
In this weather don't dry with hair dryer and don't ever rub it with a towel. Either wrap in a towel knot at the top, or pat dry if you must. The less you touch it the better.

Tangle tamer! It's fab.

morethan - I have never blow dried her hair and only ever wrap a towel round it at the top of her head. You are right I think about not touching it. As I said her hair dries lovely. It is just the next day it is a complete nightmare.

poppy - I will need to go into boots and see if there is much difference between a tangle teaser (which we try to use) and a tangle tamer. Think it might just be that one has a handle and one doesn't.

Thanks again for he advice.

Tangle teezer, non silicon hair products and a small amount of hair oil warmed in your hand and worked through hair prior to brushing. Brush before bed too (not with the oil)

I mean tangle tamer

DD has very long thick hair and she finds tying it up at night makes brushing it in the morning so much easier.

Dd has waist length hair.

You could try vitapoint leave in conditioner (from boots) or condition and comb through hair from ends up. Do not use a brush as it makes it worse!

Comb before bed every night and plait. Ten mins before bed beats half an hour in the morning.

Plait, plait plait....it's all that works for DD...