Combing Hair

My youngest didn't have much hair when she was born. Now that she's almost 2 with a head full of hair, I comb her hair while she's sitting in the bathroom sink brushing her teeth. I use to sit her there when she didn't have much hair and I would just brush it. Something about the mirror and the sink does the trick. Happy combing. ;o)

Been there... My daughter has a lot of hair. Came out looking like a Breck shampoo commercial! It was hard when she was an infant because she'd get food or spit up in it. You have to wash it every night. Get some natural conditioner from the health food store. People would say 'oh what beautiful hair she has!' but they didn't realize how much work it took to keep it from being matted and tangled.

Its not easy at this age. But you can't give up. Your daughter has to accept that brushing her hair is part of the daily get ready activities. Otherwise, you will be battling her on this when she 2 & 3... (5 or 6?!) and that's much harder battle to win. You have to see that all the effort you make towards brushing her hair now is training her for letting you brush it when she is older.

I did buy a brush from a beauty supply store that is made for use on extensions because the fingers are meant to bend instead of pull on the hair. That helped a little. But we still had to endure the yelling & crying phase... By the way, next up is the phase where she shakes her head wildly back and forth when you try to brush it...

I would also pick up portions of her hair and, holding that near her scalp, brush it to reduce the pulling pressure on her scalp, working gently on the knots.

(Oh, and brushing hair is nothing compared to trying to brush teeth!!!) Hang in there!

My son has curly hair & has always had a lot of hair. I use to comb it after his bath every night. Finally I got tired if it & just wash & condition it daily & let it do it's thing. We save the hair combing battle for special occasions like pictures or holidays. I don't have a little girl, but does a 5 month old need hair cream & combing daily? Maybe try to save it for special occasions or do it right after bathtime so it's easier to comb. Once she's old enough, let her do some combing & then you can finish up. Good luck!

Try handing her a comb she can hold on to while you are combing her hair. Or changing out the object to hold her intrest. Also talk very soothing and calm to her while you are brushing. Not only will it calm her down but also you. Try saying things like " OH! your going to look so pretty" " were combing your lovely hair" or even talk like your at a salon. " what can we do for you today darling" " oh you have a big day full of learning and play" Sounds slily but as she gets older she will really enjoy this. Hope it helps.

I daughter had long and curly hair I used a product that would untangle her hair after I washed it and then combed it. Then there after used it when ever I had to comb it again. It worked for me. Hope it does for you.

Put on a good detangler---I use kids organics shea butter detangler---and comb from the ends up with a detangling comb. Also a Denman #5 brush (you can get this at Sally's) is really good. Start from the ends and work your way up to the roots. Good luck!

Only use a super wide toothed comb/or pic. Only comb through when wet with much leave in conditioner. Buy a spray bottle to spritz and scrunch on days it is dry and not recently washed. Never comb dry!!! Start at bottom and work your way to the top.

Skip the baby shampoo and go to a childs caonditioning shampoo (I use the Loreal for kids mango kangaroo). Also, do not come her hair while it's wet. This just makes the tangles worse. Use a blowdryer and then grab in sections and comb from the very bottom working your way up. I had to get my daughter aquainted with the dryer earlier than I wanted for this reason. It sounds tedious but after you get used to it, it'll go fast. It takes me only 5 minutes to get her hair done and she has long, thick hair. Oh, when it's almost dry, I use a spray on detangler then finish drying. This helps make the hair smooth amd shiny.

I was the same way, when I was little. I also gave my mom a hard time because it would hurt, when she would use a comb. To this date, I will not comb my hair. I always use a brush. I always had tangles in my hair, and I despised the comb. My mom got tired of my screams, and she had my curls cut.

You might want to use a hair pick. I would use a pick when I got perms. When it got straight again, I would use Johnson's Detangler and a brush. It really helped and it didn't hurt.

As I got older, my waves and curls have returned. I use a brush on my hair. I don't own a comb.

Good Luck.

Rosie

Hi S.,

Well growing up my aunts use to call me suerat because my hair was always in a rats nest. My mother even cut my hair once becasue it was so bad. I went to cosmotology school and learned some tricks that I wish my mother new so maybe this will help. Johnson & Johnson "detangler" has a great product you just spray on and you can comb from the bottom up with it. Also, a leave in conditoner helps, biolage puts out a really good one. Before bedtime you can always if it is long just braided it loose, it keeps it from tieing up worse. If she has medium length like below the ear,but above the shoulder you can put the leave in detangler and just comb through it will help for the mornings to come. Those are the simple ones. I had short hair for many years it wasn't until I was older and I let my hair grow. Curly hair has a mind of its own. Good LUCK! I almost forgot one other thing is you can have it thinned out and still keep the length it just takes alot of the bulk out and it makes it easier to manage. I have a house full of curly hair kids. Thats what I do not just for myself but for them as well.

My twin boys (now 16 mos) have very thick, very curly hair which grows quite quickly. As a curly headed mop top myself, I have learned a few tricks over the years. First, don't comb it dry - it is extremely painful. Second, when you do use a comb, make sure it is a wide-tooth comb. Third, don't wash it every day - curly hair is fragile and dries out/breaks easily. Once a week, especially at hear age, is plenty. Use a shampoo/conditioner combo and follow up with a leave-in conditioner (J&J makes a nice one). If you can, find a shampoo without sodium lauryl sulfate. Be careful about natural oils at this age, certain things like almond oil, etc. can be very allergenic and the industry is not regulated. Between washes you can take a wet baby washcloth and very gently scrub the hair and scalp to dislodge the various things that always seem to find their way into curly hair. If her hair tends to mat, buy a spray on leave-in conditioner and use it to dampen the hair. We would dampen and comb, dampen and comb, a section at a time. We usually sang to the boys as we did it, and it became a really fun little ritual for them and could get a whole head done in 2-3 minutes. Don't worry if she still screams for a week or so even with these changes, she's primed for upset and will take a bit to figure out that the reason for upset is gone. Best of luck and enjoy that lovely hair!

Hi S.! HAHA I SOOOO feel for you...My youngest is was just like that. I hated brushing hair and sometimes she just went to the babysitter ratty looking or I would put it up in a bun so no one would know. I finally took her to a dollar store and let her pick out all of the hair clips and bows and ribbons she liked. On a day I could stay home I let her hold them while watching something on TV and also with a mirror so she could see what I was doing. I then proceeded to put her hair up with oh about 50 things. After that for some reason she just started letting me do it. Also if you use Suave conditioner (probably any kind can work I just used this) mixed with just a little water and spray their hair. It loosens up the tangles really well. Also another tip when you wash hair then rinse then put conditioner in it. While they are in the tub comb out the hair then rinse carefully then towel dry carefully so it doesn't tangle up again. Good luck! I feel your pain :-)

Hi S.,
There is a detangling comb that you can purchase at AVON.com or thru your Avon rep. It works great with my long, curly hair. Good Luck! L.

Hi S.,
I am sure you have gotten lots of responses on this one but here is mine anyway- unless it is really the most important thing you do for her I would just let it go for now- I would not stress her out over her hair- she is too young- she will eventually out grow the shock of having her hair combed or brushed- as soon as she is able to hold something in her hand let her try herself= My youngest daughter had curly, curly hair- so think we could not comb it- I kept it short so as not to get too tangled and just brush thru it with my fingers until she got over her fear..... 5 months is very early to be so stressed out so I would not make a big deal of it. hope this helps a little

If she has thick and curly hair it probably hurts her when yo try to brush and comb it. Contact a child's hair dresser and get the name of a spray you can use that will soften and loosen it....then let her do it herself. Kids always like to fool with their own hair. Also, when you brush/comb it, do you start at the ends and work up to the scalp or do you start at the scalp? Always work from the ends. It's easies and less stressful.

Get a wide tooth comb and detangling spray. L'oreal makes a child safe one in a green bottle. Don't use a small comb or brush, it hurts.... And give her postive feedback when you do get her to sit still and you can brush/comb her hair. I used this with my kids and meds. They'd get an m&M or two after meds and now taking meds isn't such an ordeal. And do you condition her hair? You may want to see if there are professional hair products for babies that may help you maintain those curly locks without pain. Good luck....

The only thing I know that works for SOME situations like this is singing a special and distracting song about what you
're doing as you do it..."gonna it brush that hair, gonna brush it here and there, gonna say, "no mama" as we brush that hair....silly like that....on the other hand, your child may have a truly extra-sensitive scalp and the best bet would be a short haircut that needs little to no brushing (not what the mommy of a curly haired girl wants to hear, I imagine). If she is extra sensitive to other forms of touch you might consider that she IS in pain when you comb even gently and opt for a haircut.

Good Luck.
L.

My daughter is the same way, ever since she was a baby. It took me a while to realize that she simply has a sensitive scalp and it was not a control issue. BTW, she is physically sensitive in other areas as well. My only suggestion is to put her hair up in a ponytail if she will let you. This, too, can hurt her tender scalp. Also, I kept her hair short until she was old enough to take care of it. She would often cry at the barbershop so I often trimmed her hair for her. She decided only recently, at about 10 yrs old, that she would keep it knot free and allow it to grow. It is now long and beautiful. We put hair products in her hair to control static and make it shiny. This helps controlling the knots as well. Good Luck.

Have your husband feed her a bottle, and while she's eating, come behind her and brush her hair...always works for me! But if nothing else works and you can't get her hair brushed-throw on a headband with a big bow! They are so cute and the ones you get at the boutiques are really wide with big bows and they cover up half their hair anyway. Then later if she takes it off-you can blame the bow for the funky hair! LOL! I have to do that alot!

I have a daughter with the same kind of hair. I know you have a ton of responses, but I thought you would like to hear my method. I used that time as educational time, and now that she is 2, she looks forward to combing her hair! I recorded "Signing Time" on PBS and let her watch it while I combed her hair. I don't like the TV at all, but it was a good distraction and I felt okay about her watching it since baby signs are so good for babies to learn all the way around. Then while she was distracted, I would spray the detangle spray and comb her hair. I was careful to pull gently and take my time and I am always VERY apologetic when I do pull her hair, so that she knows it is not meant to be a time when she will be hurt. After a while, she became MUCH more agreeable and it does take less and less time, but it is going to take longer than you like...at least it did for me. But it did get better! Also, personally, I don't notice a difference between detangle sprays and have actually started making my own much more cheaply, by adding about 2 T. conditioner to about 1-2 cups water in an old detangle spray bottle. It works just fine. Also, as she has grown, she is much less interested in watching Signing Time, but she still looks forward to combing her hair because it is the ONLY time she gets to watch TV! Hope that helps!

I keep my 15 month old granddaughter and bathe her each morning. From 3 months on, I sit her in her Bumbo seat on the countertop facing the mirror to comb her hair and gave her a few special "toys" to play with only then. Now, she gets to play with some of my old bead necklaces. She knows this is her daily routine and looks forward to it! Of course, she has outgrown the Bumbo, but sits on the counter, with me right behind her. I agree with the others ideas of conditioning the hair and combing from the ends first.
Blessings, S.

Your daughter's scalp may be really tender right now. So I would suggest waiting unitl she's asleep to comb her hair. This is something I had to do with both of my girls until they got older. Also use a large toothe comb, & make sure the brush is not too hard.

It's very possible that it is PAINFUL for her to have her hair brushed, not just that she doesn't like it. I have four little girls and they all cry when I brush their hair. But the oldest, it REALLY hurts her. I have a terribly sensitive scalp as well and hubby used to laugh as he watched me brush my hair. He said it looks like I'm being tortured (I am!!!)

Definitely condition her hair EVERYTIME you brush it. That will help. But keep in mind when you brush her hair that she may NEVER get used to having her hair brushed and that she may be in terrible pain while you are doing it.

She might also have some other sensory problems. Sometimes a sensitive scalp is the first sign that she needs sensory regulation. Keep an eye on her and if she has trouble with loud noises, swinging, car rides, or other unusual things then you should consider contacting ECI for a free evaluation with their occupational therapist. She is trained to spot children with sensory problems and can show you things to help regulate your daughter's sensory system.

Good luck with the hair!
S., mom to 4 girls and 1 boy

Hello,
how about going to buy her,her own special conditioner and making a big thing about it.Letting her know its special for her hair.Biolage makes wonderful conditioners for all hair types w/no alchohol and no build up.I LOVE their products.
Also Sally's sells a leave in solution after hair washing called Proclaim its a defrizzer and helps manage hair.I also Love this product cause it leaves no build up and leaves hair feelling natural,also no alcohol.The price is great too,under $6.00
I think by making a big deal she'll be eager to get her hair combed.Make sure if you try this to let her know inadvance that you will be combing her hair anyway.Usally hair combing w/good solutions in the hair is easier to do whaen the hair is wet rather than dry.GOOD- LUCK
I miss read i thought your daughter was 5 years old and not five months so maybe she won't be needing this method after all.