Single Strand Knot…….Knot Today!!
Trichonodosis, single strand knots, fairy knots, pixie knots whatever you choose to call them, they’re annoying.
Single strand knots are the bane of life for a curly girl, “you know that’s right!” t
How Do You Get Single Strand Knots…….The Science
When hair is curly the follicle is oval shaped when it’s pulled and released it will recoil. Type 1 and 2 girls have straight or wavy hair and the follicle is round, the strands are straight and knots are less likely to form.
There are two main ways that knots are formed:
1 – When hair is manipulated through, combing, tussling, coloring or the application of heat. The result may be a split end, where the cuticle layer wears away and exposes the cortex where the fibers unravel causing the hair to split. You’ll know your hair has split ends when you see broken hairs, or you can see or feel the divided hair strand. When hair is curly at the point of
2 – When curly hair is allowed to do its own thing it will curl upon itself the curly hair adjacent to it becomes attached and tangles and knots are formed. Small knots can form into larger knots, and it’s possible to have several knots on a single strand of hair. This can occur when shampooing hair, drying or applying hair products without sectioning hair.
With a knot formed with rope or cord, it can be unraveled. But single strand knots are so tiny it’s impossible to unravel them when they’re on a delicate strand of hair. The old adage “prevention is better than a cure” applies here.
10 Steps To Prevent Single Strand Knots
Follow the 10 steps below you’ll not only have fewer knots but avoid cutting off inches of hair when you visit your stylist.
1 – Avoid hair being loose at night when wearing a curly style over a couple of days, re-twist or re-braid at night.
2 – Sleep on a satin pillowcase or wear a satin scarf at night to prevent friction against hair strands.
3 – Shampoo and condition curly hair in twists, curly hair will not have the opportunity to curl upon itself.
4 – Regularly eliminate shed hair preventing it from forming a knot, and take time when detangling and unraveling larger knots. See How To Detangle Curly Hair With Minimum Hair Loss
5 – When twisting or braiding and styling smooth hair to straighten curls.
6 – After conditioning, dry hair in styles that will straighten curls e.g. braids, twist outs,
7 – Regularly trim and dust the ends of hair to prevent split ends.
8 – Search for single strand knots and destroy them with cutting shears.
9 – Keep hair moisturized and use an oil to seal, pay particular attention and focus to the ends of your hair.
10 – Consider wearing fewer curly hairstyles and more protective styles each week. e.g. twists, textured buns and updo’s.
If the 10 steps become a part of how you regularly care for your hair it’ll become second nature and not a lot of extra effort!!
Bonus Tip – The steps will inevitably lead to length retention and thicker, longer curly hair.
Do you have any tips that we can add to the list? Let us know in the comments section below.
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