Please help - hair so matted after washing I can't get a brush through

[CheerfulBunny]

Please can someone advise? My hair has become steadily more tangled and matted to the extent that after I washed it tonight, I can't get my fingers through it at all. I'm just pulling loads out trying to brush it and now I'm panicking a bit.

I suspected it might be a hard water build up so bought some clarifying shampoo and did a cider vinegar rinse, then used my usual redken shampoo and conditioner. I also bought a filter head for the shower. If anything, it's even worse and even more matted.

The water company where I live has recently advised that the water will be even harder due to the minerals at source. My hair is fine, highlighted and dry anyway and has become wavy and frizzy as I've got older, although it appears straight when dry. It won't hold waves or curls, its too fine and flyaway.

Please, has anyone had this and found a solution? I've got some much broken hair from trying to brush it out and the texture is horrible. My hairdresser is no help, unfortunately.

Use a hairdryer while brushing it, start at the bottom and work your way up.

Pantene hair oil, any of them but the argan one is particularly good, a good handful of that on damp hair and it will brush through. My hair is super thick and curly and that works wonders. You can usually buy it on offer on amazon for around £4.

Brush from the tips.

So you brush out any catches at the tips first, then move up little each time so it's smooth before you move up the hair length towards the scalp.

Do you have curly hair? Or is it going curly? Mine was bone straight until peri bloody menopause and now I'm learning how to manage dry, wavy hair with a few big curls across it as well. It's a massive shift for me and I am inherently lazy 😂

Try using a wide toothed comb when it's wet instead of a brush. Start at the ends and work up as the other way round will just compact knots.

I’d get back in the shower, soak it, smother it in conditioner and brush through (ends first, then a tiny bit a time) keep it wet and well conditioned until you can get a brush through easily, then rinse out, squeeze, and air dry (no rubbing with towel)

Put loads and loads of conditioner on it. Starting near the bottom of your hair, not from your scalp, use a non-bristle brush or wide tooth comb to comb out the tangles. Work slowly and if your brush gets stuck, start lower down the tangle. Once it is all combed through, rinse in the shower, then dry by smoothing a face cloth over it again and again and wringing it out each time until your hair is not dripping wet, don't rub it with a towel. It you want to blow dry it after than, do it on a low cooler setting until slightly damp then brush it again and let it completely dry naturally

I agree with getting back in the shower and brush through with lots of conditioner. Afterwards gently squeeze water out rather than rub your hair with the towel. Smother with leave in conditioner while wet before brushing then dry while brushing, more leave in conditioner or serum after drying.

invest in a good conditioning mask and use regularly.

Thank you so much for replying. It's so bad now that I can't get the shower comb through it with conditioner on my hair. I applied a hair masque last week and left it on 20mins which did nothing at all. I think something has gone really badly wrong. It's been getting steadily worse but tonight has really worried me. It must be some sort of build up?

I would leave conditioner on overnight every time to wash it until it is improved.

Tangle tweezer and plenty of conditioner , start at the tips and tbh change your hairdresser in future. I don’t get colour but do pay for a good cut maybe 3 times a year and that’s enough to thin out my hair and make it really manageable. It shouldn’t tangle up like that if your hairdresser cuts it properly and works with its natural texture.

ok from someone with the worst hair ever (I know it feels bad!) this is a long one but:

I’m sorry to say this but clarifying shampoo is anti conditioning or separating and redkin is imo one of the wost brands out there for frizzy hair (add kerastese to this list!). Hydrating herbal essence conditioner is pretty great, or John frieda conditioner , leave conditioner on your dry hair for about half an hour then have a shower/ wash hair using a hydrating shampoo of same brand as conditioner then condition agai. Before you blow dry use a tiny amoount of oil eg argan oil (cheap one will do, most are better than eg Moroccan oil) and when blow drying always always use a heat defence spray (and preferably frizz ease serum).

I have been beaten on mn for saying similar because everyone says it’s overloading your hair either product and it is but it’s literally just to start fixing your hair .

Also never touch keratin treatments- work of the devil!!!!

My hair clumps like that too . Apparently if you hair is coloured it tends to do that . And I live in a hard water area . It's worse if I try and towel dry or rub my hair first so I put it in turban thing . I used a Tangle Teaser brush . I start at the bottom and work my way up . I have to hold it with my other hand as it seems to split or break easily . I also need to keep it a certain length and in a good cut .

You need to rewet it, just so it’s damp, cover in conditioner, really squeeze it into your hair and leave it for about five minutes. Then, starting at the ends, really gently work a comb or wet brush through it, small section by small section with the conditioner still on. From now on, always leave your conditioner on whilst you shower, wash, shave etc, at least three mins, then comb. Through before rinsing.

my hair is really long, thick and porous and immediately tangles when it gets wet, this is my swear by routine, and it works every time. If I were to wash and then brush my hair would look like yours every time.

Also, you need a really quality thick conditioner, sounds like you’re either doesn’t suit your hair or isn’t being left on long enough.

Use the widest tooth comb you can buy, and never brush.
My hair is long and curly. it's very thick, even though even treating it gently it sheds alarmingly all the time.
I agree with the argon oil (I use it sparingly on dry hair) and a good conditioner on wet hair.

This has only ever happened to me once when I also did some sort of clarifying wash to remove this build up that everyone was going on about. Absolute disaster - took over an hour of literally teasing a few hairs free at a time whilst smothering with conditioner (and my hair's really thin) so I feel your pain!

I did some reading online and lots of people talked about a "detox" phase where your hair gets worse before it gets better when you're trying to remove build up, but I couldn't risk another wash like that (!) so I switched straight back to my cheap full-of-silicates pantene and I've not had any trouble since.

A cheap option is a big tub of coconut oil, leave it on overnight and wash and condition in the morning. Stay away from bleach or it’ll break off.

I comb mine through while the conditioner is still in, while I’m in the shower a

Do you dye your hair? I find when I get the colour put right through my hair it goes like this and I need to use conditioner every wash, however if I just get my roots done it doesn’t matte when I’m washing.

Faith in Nature coconut conditioner. Put it on quite thickly and leave for 20 minutes. Starting with the ends use your fingers to gradually tease out tangles in small sections of hair. Repeat until you've done your whole head. Helps to do this in the bath as I think the steamy environment helps. Do not use a comb or a brush.

Long term I’d look at regularly applying a decent hair mask like Amika Soul food. I find the Coco and Eve one good as well.

i don’t know what sort of brush you’re using but if mine has got tangled I find using something like this is good before then using my normal brush

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Olivia-Garden-Expert-Blowout-Hairbrush/dp/B0BZSDP7GY/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?crid=3MUWE4MANZ1D5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HUi7HUDwiStrPnwI7nUAdCwmb20ErST5VYRveCQHuf2njbv6tYARLuDWSfWxGF3t4cpEZT_zZyDuRR0DqLNAAGujIBk51NunUg17VJ3VdUsb2r25xpLFWIR1C0ENJis1LEu3kzBu0ZgtCJF3HBykma6QkozXLp2ubMmkR0Pnam0wopG01b8jpuqUhi3gs_BNC2peAcKXDrKJ1_3Tc1jB8HOK87YPBt-Uc7btgVjaOhCVTisbpSjCPYApIzwHHOo-Jx9o44TkPky99fa-FMfD2DfQ1S7AzcAMklzbmeNSokg.VcLlvzavrlSo9yHwFx0-2WcjSzQz7TJAfsT0MV7ctyY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Bristle%2Bbarrel%2Bbrush&qid=1791829071&sprefix=bristle%2Bbarrel%2Bbrush%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-20-spons&aref=SPeB90h0rF&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

Conditioner and the conditioner again

I use a keratin treatment to straighten my hair and it makes my hair so soft and healthy. It has no formaldehyde whatsoever.

This is what I do.
i have lots of fine hair. I do a lot of sport. If I haven’t been able to get a brush through it just after the activity, then it gets like OP’s.
The only thing is to wet it, slather with conditioner and comb through, starting with the ends.

Loads of conditioner to try and brush it. Do not put vinegar in it again.

Stop brushing it while it’s wet? Only use a wide tooth comb. Separate into sections. Coat with hair oil. Start at the bottom of your hair and work slowly up. If this doesn’t work I’d suggest going to a hairdresser to get it combed out.