Can I avoid shaving my hair off?

[JuniperNarni]

Mega embarrassing...
I have really, really thick, course, curly hair. I normally wash it, brush it, leave it to dry, I don't brush it inbetween washes because the curls turn to frizz. Due to a mixture of poor mental health, tiredness and a very young baby I've just been throwing it up and ignoring it. It's been probably a week since I washed it at least (yes, i know, not pleasant).

Now I've come to wash it and realised the whole of the back of my hair has kind of dreadlocked itself into one huge knot. It's awful. I'm sat with a ton of conditioner on my head in the hope I can painfully brush the knots out. I'm not optimistic....

Are there any other things I can try if it fails before I shave my head.
Apologies if I've posted in the wrong place.

@jumipernarni
oil or conditioner, wide tooth comb and then when you have it all combed and detangled invest in getting yourself a keratin blow dry. It will take out the frizz and make your hair soft, sleek and smooth.

Do you have Afro hair or curly hair? I had a weave in and had the same problem. I'm mixed race and my hairs really curly. I can get away with going a week without doing anything to it. Spent a lot of money on a weave went three days without combing. Didn't think anything of it and it matted. After several hours of me and my sister with conditioner and comb I gave up. cut it off and removed the weave. Lesson learnt high maintenance hair isn't for me.

OP I can’t offer any other advice than given here, but I get similar problems. Just today I read about a silk sleep turban - have a google, may be worth trying?

Mine went like that when I was backpacking round India. It was fine. I sat in the bath with lots of conditioner and a brush and worked my way through. It’ll be ok.

Thanks so much for all the suggestions on here. I sat in the bath for a very, very long time with conditioner and comb and got nowhere. My sister has offered to have a go for me. My hair is curly not afro, but is quite prone to knotting anyway but this is just something else.

I love the suggestion of an undercut, will probably go for that for a future option to help me maintain it, once I've got rid of this because it's too high up my head.

< yes to this!

And I'm going to Google the silk sleep turban.

Have you got a tangle teezer?

Tangle teaser and Aussie 3 minute miracle will help that. Leave the Aussie on overnight with a shower cap or poly bag and brush in the morning. It will be hard graft op but you'll get it.

Silk pillowcases are defiantly worth a try for prevention of this when it's all sorted.