Is Your Hair Irreversibly Matted? Clinical Science Believes Matted Hair is Irreversible

 While experimental dermatology views cases of hair matting as rare, but important and alarming, acquired hair disorder. Science researchers develop a mathematical understanding of detangling that could be used for textile manufacturing, robotic hairdressers-i.e MATH AND SCIENCE OF MATTED HAIR

They liken matted hair to hair felting.  Felting” is the term commonly used in wool and textile industry. Felting technology is used to felt wool, acrylic, and synthetic fibers. The wool fibers or animal hairs are exposed to rotating combs and they are pressed to align into fine layers in a hot liquid medium. Following which the animal hairs or fibers sticks together, they are compressed in a oscillatory plates and heat applied to become felted permanently as a single piece of fabric.

According to their synopsis, acute hair felting is a rare disorder of scalp hair. In this condition, the hair becomes twisted, entangled as a hard stony mass resembling a bird's nest. Sudden hair matting has been reported earlier in the literature after vigorous use of chemical and herbal shampoos. Plica polonica is a patchy area of hair matting occurring in due course of time in neglected hair or underlying psychiatric illness. This case is interesting as the whole scalp hair matted immediately after using coconut oil and castor oil following washing. Growing long hair and taking oil bath are cultural and religious customs in South India. The high viscosity of castor oil and long hair had contributed to sudden felting of hair. This disorder of hair is irreversible and the hair should be cut off. Acute nature of this disorder will result in a serious psychological impact on the patient and the family.

We do know that hair tangles can occur when friction between individual hair strands caused by non combing/brushing,  dryness, damage, and the natural curvature of the hair, where the hair cuticle layer rubs against each other, creating knots, especially when hair is dry and lacks moisture; this friction is amplified in curly or wavy hair textures which naturally have more bends and twists, making them more prone to tangles.  Key factors contributing to tangled hair:

·         Dryness:

When hair is dehydrated, the cuticle scales lift, increasing friction between strands and causing them to easily intertwine. 

·         Hair texture:

Curly and wavy hair naturally has more bends, leading to increased contact points between strands and higher likelihood of tangles. 

·         Damage:

Damaged hair, whether from heat styling, chemical treatments, or environmental factors, can have frayed cuticles which further contribute to friction and knotting. 

Do not become discouraged or frustrated.  Professional hair detanglers prove this daily.  Your hair is worth the work to detangle and save.

Learn how to detangle hair or train to become an professional hair detangler.   www.hairdetanglerschool.com

The honest truth is that Extreme matted tangled hair is never Irreversible.