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Style & beauty

Granddaughter with tangly hair

(30 Posts)
Supernana1 Fri 27-Oct-23 12:32:21

My granddaughter is 10 and has long hair. It is washed twice a week and I use lots of conditioner, but brushing and combing it is a nightmare. You only have to look at it and it tangles.

I have lots of bottles of various conditioners, even leave-in products, but nothing seems to help at all.

I think what might help is some sort of oil, but what? I don't want her to be left with greasy hair.

I absolutely dread the twice-weekly hair washing because I know we're then going to have a session where I'm exasperated and she's unhappy with the hair-pulling which is unavoidable.

Anybody got any ideas to help?

Glorianny Fri 27-Oct-23 12:38:21

How do you brush? I have fine hair which tangles easily. I use a chopping brushing technique which starts at the bottom of the tangle, not at the top of the head. You can hold a section of hair so you don't pull on her head, and proceed up the tangle until you reach the top. I thought everyone did this because my mum taught me it, but I've found people with stronger hair don't do it.
You can buy children's detangling lotion and a detangling brush

Septimia Fri 27-Oct-23 12:48:55

Our DGD has long hair and has always used a special detangling brush.
As Glorianny says, starting brushing from the bottom helps - I have to do that because my longish hair is always tangled after washing.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 27-Oct-23 12:50:07

I have a detangling brush. Cheap but very effective.

Greyjoy1953 Fri 27-Oct-23 12:53:34

My granddaughter who is 9 still hates a hair wash because of her her tangling but we solved this by using MORROCAN OIL Light, it expensive but you only need a very small amount and it lasts forever. It’s saves all the tangles and tears. Hope this helps.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 27-Oct-23 12:56:29

Also, use a wide-toothed comb, not an ordinary one, and comb the conditioner through before rinsing.

Urmstongran Fri 27-Oct-23 13:05:30

Mushing it about on the pillow at night causes a lot of the tangling. Add in some beautiful curls and an impatient 6y old who holds her hands on her hair as I try to carefully brush it, saying ‘I hate having it brushed grandma’ in a very determined manner - I know exactly what you’re dealing with! Moroccan Oil Light is good. Well, it helps ...
🤣

Chardy Fri 27-Oct-23 13:15:15

DGD has a lot of long fine hair. I have a detangling wide tooth plastic comb, dangling brush from Amazon and a cross between the 2 (think a plastic narrow brush, 3 or 4 rows of teeth wide).
I separate a narrow section of hair, get the knots out of that with the narrow brush, and move on. Thirty or 40 sections later, we are done. It takes an hour?

Primrose53 Fri 27-Oct-23 13:15:43

She needs a Tangle Teezer brush. I have long hair and it’s great. I think this was the original make but there are now cheaper versions but not sure if they are as good. try Superdrug or Savers.

Madgran77 Fri 27-Oct-23 13:50:07

I second re the Tangle Teezer. Also Suprerdrug does a large detangling hairbrush. Both are good

Norah Fri 27-Oct-23 14:23:48

Short hair?

dogsmother Fri 27-Oct-23 14:38:20

Tangleteeze fan here too. Superb.

NotSpaghetti Fri 27-Oct-23 14:46:28

Use a wide tooth comb.
Comb conditioner through start (as someone says above) with ends of a small section.
Rinse thoroughly but without too much agitation.

Good luck.

lemsip Fri 27-Oct-23 14:55:57

you say 'your granddaughter'. does she come to you for a hairwash? I can remember my granddaughter coming for me to do it. more patient than her mum, not easy though

welbeck Fri 27-Oct-23 15:21:15

shouldn't she be learning to do this for herself ?
if she can't manage it, maybe a shorter style would be better.
she'll be going to secondary school soon and will have to manage after sports showers.

Germanshepherdsmum Fri 27-Oct-23 15:46:42

Yes, at 10 she should be able to do this herself. Is it washed in the shower? So much easier for long hair, but unless she has a disability and needs help I would have thought she’d be embarrassed showering in front of you.

Glorianny Fri 27-Oct-23 15:48:32

welbeck

shouldn't she be learning to do this for herself ?
if she can't manage it, maybe a shorter style would be better.
she'll be going to secondary school soon and will have to manage after sports showers.

She will do soon. GD nearly 11 started this year. She has safe curlers she can use on her own and a hot brush hairdryer, She puts temporary streaks in in the school holidays and spends ages getting her curls right. Most girls do manage. 8 year olds who go swimming come out with long wet hair and help each other.

Hithere Fri 27-Oct-23 16:53:06

Could she pick a more suitable haircut for her hair type ?

She is also old enough to take care of her own hygiene (hair includedñ

What do her parents think?

SueDonim Fri 27-Oct-23 17:10:23

Both my girls have had long hair since it first grew.

Things I learnt:
Assuming your GD’s hair isn’t oily, use a hair mask rather than conditioner. Only give it a brief rinse at the end of hair wash. It moistures hair more deeply than conditioner.
Use an oil treatment now and then.
Invest in a Tangle Teaser brush.
Brush in small sections from the ends toward the scalp.
Plait or tie it up at night.

I’m so skilled now that I’m the hair washer of choice for my younger GD’s. grin

luvlyjubly Sat 28-Oct-23 08:36:01

I recommend Tresemme Heat Defence spray. Apply to wet hair and it makes brushing through so much easier.

Esmay Sat 28-Oct-23 10:06:09

I have unbelievably long tangly hair and one thing that I do before a shampoo is to bend forward and give it a good brush with a detangling brush . If you wash tangled hair with knots they will be be far worse .
A wide toothed comb and conditioner are essential .

I haven't tried Moroccan oil , but I certainly shall .

Greyisnotmycolour Sat 28-Oct-23 21:37:56

A silk pillowcase could help, they are supposed to prevent tangles and frizz. You don't need to pay premium prices, Amazon sell them at 2 for £10.

Callistemon21 Sat 28-Oct-23 21:52:36

Plait it at night 🙂
My DGD have long hair and they always do that, not just after washing.

Get the tangles out before it's washed, use a de-Tangling brush, starting from the bottom, just a little Morroccan oil, brush as you dry it then lightly plait it before she goes to bed.

cornergran Sun 29-Oct-23 00:33:27

Granddaughters have almost waist length hair. They use a Tangle Teaser brush snd always tie their hair up or plait it at night. Seems to work. One has silk pillow cases and is convinced they help and also make her hair shine. I’m so relieved they can now manage their own hair and no longer rely on my lack of expertise.

NotSpaghetti Sun 29-Oct-23 08:40:23

My 5 children all had long hair. The girls all had it very very long. One still has very long hair at nearly 40 and the other two mid 40s and mid 30s have it long enough for up-dos. The boys had it long till they decided to cut it off aged 8 and 11 ish.

If they don't want the time/effort of caring for it it's really their choice and after about 3 (?) When you can converse about it more logically, I'd say let them have it cut.