If you own a set of hair extensions or are planning to, you may be worried about the struggles of matted hair and what you can do to fix them as quickly as possible.
Hair extensions get matted at the roots when your natural hair and extensions combine along the scalp, causing the bonds to intertwine. The best way to fix matted hair extensions is by separating the hair with a wide-tooth comb while the hair is wet.
Here are 4 other reasons why your hair has become matted and what exactly you can do to fix the issue.
- Going to bed with wet extensions. Showering and then climbing into bed with wet or damp hair is truly a recipe for disaster. In fact, going to bed with hair that is only slightly damp can have a really bad effect on your hair tangling at the roots. Rather make sure you blow-dry your hair or wait until it is fully dry before you comb it through thoroughly and only then go to bed. To take extra caution be sure to tie your extensions in a braid to help prevent knotting further.
- Your sweat. Perspiration of any kind can cause your hair to become sticky due to the salt and acidity. This can result in some serious matting, especially if leftover time.
- Failure to separate bonds at the roots. Separating your bonds at the roots is a task you should be performing daily to prevent your hair from becoming a tangled mess. This is as easy as running your fingers through your scalp every morning and evening to separate the hair strands.
- Applying the extensions in the wrong manner. Using an incorrect technique when applying your extensions is a huge cause of the extensions becoming matted. Poorly arranged bonded lines on the scalp will cause the hair to tangle and eventually become a matted nightmare. The only way to ensure that this does not happen is to check that the person applying your extensions knows exactly what they are doing. If you are not sure, insist on them showing you a sample of their work before allowing them to mess with your hair.
How To Fix Matted Hair Extensions?
If your hair extensions have become severely matted, there are some things you can do to fix the issue.
You can fix matted hair extensions by:
- Detangling the hair strands with a wide-tooth comb. If they are severely detangled then make sure you wet the hair to loosen up strands.
- Wash the hair with a moisture shampoo. Let it sit in the hair for 10min.
- Rinse out all shampoo and condition
- Allow hair to air dry.
Here are some other tips to fix matted hair:
- Wet your hair slightly until damp. Do NOT soak hair completely as this could lead to further matting and damage. An ideal option would be a spritzer.
- Treat your hair with a deep conditioning treatment as soon as you possibly can. Ask your stylist for a professional recommendation for the treatment of your extensions and they should be able to provide one for your specific needs. Alternatively, look for products that stipulate “deep conditioning” on the bottle. Olive oil, argan oil, and coconut oil are also great natural alternatives for treating your hair and will cost you a lot less money!
- If you are using a normal conditioner, your hair should be moisturized within a few minutes. Natural oils such as coconut oil may need a little longer, around 30 minutes. Deep conditioners can be left in for about an hour. However, if the knotting is really bad you may want to leave the deep conditioner in overnight.
- Untangle the knots gently with your fingers once you have given the product enough time to soak in.
- Be sure to comb the hair with a wide-toothed comb. Do NOT use a fine-toothed comb or normal brush. These kinds of brushes will damage your hair as they will pull on the strands, meaning you’ll end up losing a whole bunch of your precious hair. Not ideal!
- Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up. Once the ends have been cleared of knots you can move to the top.
- If you must, don’t be shy to cut out any stubborn balls of matted hair with scissors. Sometimes there truly is nothing you can do.
- Comb hair with a fine-toothed comb once the hair is free from knots and matted clumps.
- Wash the remaining hair with clean water to get any residual product out of the hair.
How To Prevent Hair Extensions From Matting?
As per the old saying, prevention is ALWAYS better than cure! The best part is that it is actually super easy to prevent your extensions from becoming a matted mess, and it won’t cost you a cent.
You can prevent your hair extensions from getting matted by combing the hair often, at least 2 to 3 times daily, by limiting the use of heated styling tools, and by only going to bed when hair extensions are dry.
Here are some other tips on how to prevent your hair from matting.
- Do NOT go to bed with wet hair extensions. I cannot stress this enough, this is a disaster waiting to happen! Rather towel dry them or use a blow-dryer if you must before hopping into bed.
- Do not scrunch your hair up when shampooing. Rather than vigorously massaging your scalp and causing a mess, gently run your hands through the hair to clean and then rinse.
- Plait your hair before bed. This really helps keep your hair in check and prevents it from becoming a knotted, matted mess while you toss and turn at night. If you suck at plaiting hair, ask a friend for help.
- Separate your hair bonds on a daily basis. Once in the mornings and again in the evenings should be enough. It will only take you a few minutes each day.
- Use the correct hair products. Make sure that the products you are using are appropriate for your hair type. This depends entirely on the type of extensions you have, so you should check with a professional stylist on this one.
- Hydrate your hair extensions. Your hair extensions are likely to dry out faster because they do not have the natural oils from your head to provide moisture. When your extensions dry out they will become more prone to knotting. Try applying a sulfate-free conditioner or treatment on a weekly basis to prevent this from happening. Leave in overnight to maximize the effects.
- Use hot styling tools sparingly. Hot styling tools can wreak havoc on your hair when used too often, as they dry out the hair and inevitably cause breakage, knotting, and matting. If you must use them regularly, make sure you use a good quality heat protectant spray to combat the effects. Use your blow-dryer on a low setting and blow-wave in a downward motion as this prevents the hair from flying about and knotting.
- Remove your hair extensions before exercise. If you can, rather remove your extensions before the gym. As mentioned before, sweat is a major cause of hair matting and can easily be avoided by simply taking them out before you head to the gym.
Related Questions
How do I remove matted hair glue? Separate the parts of the hair that are matted with glue so it does not affect any more of your hair. Once isolated, apply a generous amount of conditioner and comb through with a narrow-toothed comb from the top to the bottom.
Why are my extensions so frizzy? This is due to a lack of moisture. If you notice your hair is starting to look a bit frizzy you can expect matting and knotting to follow suit. Make sure you moisturize weekly with a good conditioner to prevent this.