BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Hair Help ! BAD tangle issue!

I have dark, just above waist-length caucasian hair.
After having major surgery and being taken care of for two months, my hair was one large tangle.
After speaking with a stylist instructor about this, I did an overnight kolestral treatment and a half-day of detangler liquid (Paul Mitchell). I have all but a fist sized knot (it is really that big) detangled and brushable.
The tangle knot is at the base of my skull and is very very stubborn. And it really is the size of my fist.

The question is - is there anything else I can use to work these knots free? It is hard to hide in public and I am ashamed of how my hair looks and I have appointments to attend and a life to live.
My scalp really hurts after all this pulling and detangling, but I HAVE to get this HUGE tangle out - I want my pretty hair back!
This is really freaking me out!
HELP!!!!!

I would use some special conditioner that is made to avoid tangling of your hair. Almost all conditioners do that, but look for specific products, as well in conditioner as in shampoo. That should give you a start.

I have dealt with this with a client that had the same thing happen after an extended stay in the hospital. Unfortunately, I don't know of anything more than what you have already used. Have you tried having someone else work on the knot? - Someone who can work at it from a different angle and see what they are doing.

thanks Lynne!
Yes, my mother actually came over to try helping me with it, but I started crying (silently)from the pain of having my hair pulled on for 3 hours. When she saw the tears, she was afraid to help me again.
I told her I was dealing with it, but she felt terrible that I was in pain from the brushes pulling out hair and now is reluctant to help with it again.

Do you think that if I called a beauty school or college cosmetology dept. that they would help me and not charge me a zillion dollars to work on this? Honestly, I am exhausted from working on it to no avail, but I have to get this fixed before this big tangle or knot gets bigger and I end up n the same fix as before.

Yes I think that a beauty school would be a good idea. They won't charge as much and the students will be able to take their time and work on it.

Use something like the tail end of a rat tail comb. It's smaller than fingers and can get into the tangles better.

You might try applying baby oil to the rat- we use WD-40 in the horse business to detangle bad tangles in manes, but I don't think that would be good next to your scalp. The oil will wash out, but will greatly reduce friction and should help.

I would also recommend oil, but something natural, like olive or almond or grapeseed or jojoba oil. Not too much, of course, but a little might help, esp. if the tangling is in part due to dryness.