# detangling dreadlocks in toddler's never-cut curls



## captain optimism (Jan 2, 2003)

My son is now two and a half! As of tomorrow, that is. He has some very pretty sandy reddish blondy hair on his head, and I would like to wait to cut it until he's three. It's not super long, but it's getting longer, and very curly. The curls in the back keep turning into dreadlocks.

How do I comb or brush these out or otherwise detangle them without cutting them or torturing the poor little guy? I tried Johnson's No More Tangles, but it seemed to irritate his skin. (Couldn't tell if it was that, but I think it was.)

Any thoughts?


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## koofie (Sep 23, 2003)

DD curls have never gotten to that stage, but after shampooing, I often add some golden shea butter from KindHeartedWomen. Her hair gets a bit more gready that it would with a conditioner, but it is much gentler and the yuzu scent smells heavenly. We also use a wide toothed comb for detangling. Once you get the tangles out, we have to brush her hair every morning and evening, and sometimes I put it in ponytails or french braids to keep it from getting tangled again. HTH and I hope others have some advice too!


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## oetien (Mar 25, 2005)

Wet the hair a bit, then put shea butter or coconut milk to grease it up.. Then try to detangle it why rinsing the hair. Use your hand, so you can feel what you're doing (and hands are softer and more gentle than comb). Add more coconut milk/shea butter as necessary..
Rinse them off after the hair is soft enough, then just wash the hair normally..
That's what I usually do with my hair








HTH!


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## koofie (Sep 23, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *oetien*
Use your hand, so you can feel what you're doing (and hands are softer and more gentle than comb).

Oh yeah! definatly use your hand first! I just use the comb after using my hands, and then at the end to pull it through everywhere to make sure everything is out. And DD loves to comb her hair too!

GL!


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## velcromom (Sep 23, 2003)

I just found a company called Jessicurl that makes products with simple ingredients for people with curly or wavy hair. I like that they use ingredients I understand and can pronounce, lol, and I'm having good luck with them. I'd be comfortable using them on my toddler. The website is full of information too. I'm pretty sure it's jessicurl.com.


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## Tuesday (Mar 3, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *captain optimism*
My son is now two and a half! As of tomorrow, that is. He has some very pretty sandy reddish blondy hair on his head, and I would like to wait to cut it until he's three. It's not super long, but it's getting longer, and very curly. The curls in the back keep turning into dreadlocks.

How do I comb or brush these out or otherwise detangle them without cutting them or torturing the poor little guy? I tried Johnson's No More Tangles, but it seemed to irritate his skin. (Couldn't tell if it was that, but I think it was.)

Any thoughts?


Captain Optimism - thanks for posting this thread! Are you the mom with the little one who likes penguins? Your son and my son - their hair sounds identical. Our DS is 26 months and has reddish blonde, very fine curly hair that is getting rather "nappyish" in the back. I am going to try the shea butter idea mentioned here but wondering how it works on very fine hair?

Before I saw this thread, I actually just took my scissors and trimmed off the areas that were nappy (stuck together in little 'dreads'). DH has been pushing for a hair cut but I like his curls. I was thinking a combination of the shea butter and just trimming the ends a bit might help?


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## provocativa (Jan 17, 2005)

At 26 months, my daughter's hair is halfway down her back. Wet combing is impossible. My mother's hairdresser ordered a special brush that they use for brushing out up-dos and dreadlocks. It was only five bucks and works like a dream. I pull apart the tangles with my fingers (dry hair) and then brush. No extra products necessary.


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## captain optimism (Jan 2, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Tuesday*
Captain Optimism - thanks for posting this thread! Are you the mom with the little one who likes penguins? Your son and my son - their hair sounds identical. Our DS is 26 months and has reddish blonde, very fine curly hair that is getting rather "nappyish" in the back. I am going to try the shea butter idea mentioned here but wondering how it works on very fine hair?

Before I saw this thread, I actually just took my scissors and trimmed off the areas that were nappy (stuck together in little 'dreads'). DH has been pushing for a hair cut but I like his curls. I was thinking a combination of the shea butter and just trimming the ends a bit might help?

Yes! We are the penguin loving family!







Now, my son requests the story of the baby penguins when I nurse him to sleep at night.

I don't want to cut the hair because I wanted to do a special haircut ceremony. As described here, for example:

http://www.rebgoldie.com/upsherin.htm

We get a lot of compliments on his hair, but the dreads really bug me. They are just little ones in the back. I think I can deal with them for another six months if I totally have to do it. My son's hair isn't very long yet. It seems to get TALLER but not longer!

I am wondering whether he will have life-long curly hair like my husband and his older sister do, or whether it will straighten out as mine has. Guess I have a while to find that out!


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## koofie (Sep 23, 2003)

I just haven't cut DD's hair because straight hair is the norm in our family (must have come from her dad) and everyone is telling me it will be straight after the bottom has been cut off. I only cut bangs for her, the rest is her "baby hair" which was ~1 inch when she was born. Her bangs are very straight. Anyone have a kid with similar hair? I hate to cut it, but I'm sure I will have to eventually.

PS - DD's hair is pretty fine, and the shea butter works on it. Just use a litttle at first, or it will get too greasy!


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## BabyBliss (Apr 15, 2005)

Our daughter's hair is super curly, and as my partner says, she has a "kitchen" in the back. We have had good luck with California baby products -- we use their conditioner liberally and there is also a spray that we use to help get her hair back in shape between washes (that, or a little of the conditioner).


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

Also, the Burt's Bees Avacodo Hair butter works wonders on curly hair...


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## Love my 2 (Feb 14, 2003)

We use something by Aussie called Knot Forgotten. Works great, I use it liberally and don't rinse it our completely and we have beautiful, shiny defined curls, no frizz or tangles, at least until after she sleeps, dd looks like Gene Wilder or Roseanne Rosanna Danna inthe morning. I'll just spritz it with water and finger comb and she's good to go.
You ds sounds so cute!


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