What Are Single Strand Knots and How to Prevent Them? 

Whew chile, we're talking about single strand knots today. We know this is a common issue that many naturals deal with. Single strand knots are just annoying, right?! No matter how good you think you're taking care of your hair, you just can't seem to get rid of them? Don't worry sis, you will not have to struggle any longer because we're spilling all the tea! Keep on reading, you're going to need these tips!

First of all, what exactly are single strand knots?

Single strand knots are strands that entangle with themselves to create a knot. Single strand knots often tend to attach to other hairs, creating even more knots.

Who's more susceptible to single strand knots?

Those with tighter coils are more susceptible to single strand knots. Just think about it, if you have tight curls and you constantly wear it in its shrunken state, the hairs will most likely begin to knot within each other.

What are signs of single strand knots?

There are two obvious signs that indicate you have single strand knots: 

1. You feel tiny knots along your hair shaft.

2. While combing through your hair, you experience knots and breakage.

Oh no, I have single strand knots. What do I do?

•Get a trim: Many do not know this but single strand knots can be a form of split ends. If you haven't had a trim in over 12 weeks and you're experiencing single strand knots, it's most likely because your ends are unhealthy. Get rid of those bad ends sis!

•Detangle your hair prior to shampooing: If you just hop in the shower and start washing your hair, you're doing it wrong! Your hair should be fully detangled before the shampoo; it's best to detangle with a lightweight oil. It's damaging to wash tangled hair; if you don't get the tangles out before shampooing, you're just going to get more tangles and experience more breakage. 

•Moisturize your hair: Dry hair is more prone to tangles and breakage so keeping your hair moisturized is key! After shampooing and conditioning your hair, you should always follow up with a leave-in conditioner. Deep condition when necessary, don't go overboard because you can get moisture overload. A deep conditioning treatment once a month is more than enough. 

•Seal your ends: Use an oil on your ends to retain moisture and prevent tangles. 

How do I prevent single strand knots from occurring? 

•Keep up with your trims: If you want healthy hair in general, you need to stay on top of your trims! Keeping your ends healthy will prevent knots and therefore, help you retain length. 

•Keep your hair in a stretched state: Avoid doing styles like wash & go's, especially if you have tighter coils! We know that wash & go's make your curls pop but it's definitely not the best style for type 4B and 4C hair. The tighter your coils are, the more shrinkage you have. The more shrinkage you have, the more likely your hair will get tangled. It's best to safely stretch your hair by doing styles such and banding, roller sets or braid/twist outs. 

•Comb through your hair on a regular basis: Your hair sheds every single day so if you're not consistently combing it out, you're asking for knots. If you are wearing your real hair out, you should gently comb through it everyday or every other day. If you're in a protective style where your real hair isn't out, you obviously can't comb it everyday; that's why you have to make sure your hair is tangle-free before putting the style in. Also, do not leave protective styles in for too long because eventually, they will no longer protect your hair and it'll be a hot, tangled mess. 

Our recommended products for getting rid of & preventing single strand knots: 

The OIL

Caught Slippin Multi-use Conditioner & Detangler 

I Live! Deep Conditioner