Keeping Single Strand Knots At Bay in Natural Hair

Ever seen them?  These teeny weeny little knots on your hair?  They are so miniscule that you can probably feel them better than you can see them.  They are called single strand knots or "fairy knots"  and they are the bane of every natural curly haired girl.  Single strand knots are a nuisance because other curls can get tangled on them and cause big knot or mats in your natural hair.  So how can you prevent them?  Well, single strand knots cannot be absolutely avoided, however they can be minimized.    Check out the steps below and feel free to add your own techniques for reducing single strand knots.

1.  Minimize wearing wash-n-go's.   Wash & go's and the shingling process defines and enhances your natural curl pattern.  Because your curls curl up on themselves, this style can also increase the likelihood off single strand knots especially if you wear this style for multiple days.

2. Wear stretched hair styles.  This doesn't necessarily mean heat straightening your hair.  What it does mean is wearing your hair in styles that reduce the amount of shrinkage your hair experiences.  Some examples of these styles are 2 strand twists, twist outs, braid outs, flat twists, and bantu knot outs. These styles stretch out the hair without heat and create curly, crinkly, or wavy styles.  

3.  Detangle your hair during your weekly hair cleansing session.  Detangling is a very important part of hair cleansing session.  Make sure you use a conditioner with a lot of slip and use a detangling tool.  There are several that you can use.  Many recommend the use of your fingers so that you can feel knots and tangles and release them without breaking off your hair.  You can also use a wide tooth comb or detangling brush.  When using these last two tools start your detangling at the ends of your hair and work your way up.  This whole process also helps to remove shed hairs.  Remember, on average, we shed between 80- 100 strands of hair per day.  These shed hairs can create tangles and knots if not removed regularly.

4.  Removing single strand knots.  The only way to remove single strand knots is to use a pair of hair scissors and snip right above the knot.  

What are some of the methods that you use to minimize single strand knots?