Help with my hair - it's suddenly tangly?

[DigitConfusion]

I have long dark very thick bush like hair. It has always been in reasonable condition and was fine with me colouring it at home and straightening it for years.

I switched to having a hairdresser come to my house and do the colour (cheaper than a salon so could afford it) she lightened it a tad and put highlights in for maybe a year and a half.

Now it is all of a sudden very very very tangly. Matted. Straight out the shower, matted, have to hack at it with hairbrush then if I put it in a ponytail when I take it down it is matted underneath again? Almost dreadlocked. I have never had this before.

I assumed it was damage from colour she was using so coloured it myself a little darker then started using special conditioners, washing with conditioner only etc. but it is still the same

Can I rescue it? I usually use tresemme heat or colour protect.

Do you think it is definitely the colouring or is it possible it could be due to other changes, health for example?

Hopeful bump

My DD has very long and thick hair and when ever she got out of the shower it was the same as yours very tangled and difficult to brush.

Now when she is in the shower I put conditioner on her hair and comb/brush it through then rinse without touching it ifyswim. This so far has stopped the tangle issue.

Sorry if that's no help to you op.

Have you tried using a deep conditioning treatment/ hair mask every wash? Regular conditioner is just not rich enough for me and I get the problems you describe. I comb my hair through when the treatment is in (v carefully). I also use hair oil - morrocan, shu uemura etc. I know there are lots of people that think the silicone based oils are crap for hair but they leave mine silky and smooth even after years of use, so no complaints from me.

I have been using what I have every day and leaving it in longer, putting more on, using the hair heat recovery conditioner every day. Will try brushing it while it's still on / in shower. Do you have any brands you can recommend, I struggle choosing as there is so much stuff and I don't know what I need!

On DD's hair (even though she is 7) I use Johnsons baby conditioner. It is mild enough for every day use.

one is best

try coconut oil rubbed into dry hair before bed, leave it in all noght and wash out in the morning.

I would add oil to hair, comb through gently and then put in two plaits. THEN wash while its in the loose plaits? So when its all washed and conditioned it should be fine when you start to dry/style it. What I do anyway, and I have absolutely huge hair.

The denman tangle tamer is amazing - it is pink and aimed at kids but better than any other tangle brush i have come across. Especially love that it has a handle unlike a lot of tangle teaser type brushes.

It sounds like its been over processed.

Did the dye you used yourself have peroxide in it?
Can you remember if there was a bottle of liquid that you had to mix stuff into when you did it?

How long did you leave between the last time the stylist dyed it & doing it yourself?

Get something like Aussie's hair mask for it and do it twice weekly.

Its really common for long hair that's lightened to end up like that.

YY to getting the tangle tamer,it has transformed both my DD's long hair and my own.It gets through even the worst hair
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Don't brush wet hair!! Use a wide toothed comb. It sounds like you have generally healthy hair but lightening will always dry it out so you need to compensate by giving it some extra tlc. Coconut oil masks are great, do that weekly and try to cut down on the straighteners, blow dry it smooth and use a silicone / oil product to smooth it, even if wavy it will look good.

I have tangle stuff (brush, comb and spray) for the kids but it's more of a sudden problem with my actual hair rather than just needing a few tangle products iyswim?

I will be buying the oils / condition treatments tomorrow. I agree it has probably been over processed. I never lightened it myself and it was always in good condition. Hairdresser was lightening and highlighting for about 18 months? Noticed it was getting worse, then got really bad the last few weeks although I hadn't had it coloured since Christmas. I coloured it myself a little darker last week (thought it might help!) and have been leaving in conditioning treatments. It is marginally better but still a complete state

Might have to cut a lot off I think.

It's quite pricey but this may help.
Its great stuff, I know a couple of people that have had good results with it.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000UYSSB4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Its worth a shot anyway, before you make any drastic changes

Mine always gets (suddenly) more tangly when it needs a trim - you don't necessarily need lots chopped off.

Olive oil all over for 20-30 min before washing, its magic, makes my hair soft and shiny.