5 Reasons Why Your Hair Is Matted

When you spend a lot of time growing out your natural hair, it can be frustrating when you find yourself stuck in a matted phase. What is matted hair, exactly?

Matting is a stage that occurs when natural hair has been neglected for too long and has begun to cling to itself. If you notice that your natural hair is beginning to matt, take immediate steps to correct the problem before it gets out of hand.

A little matting isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it happens with many textures of natural hair. Usually it means that you have fine hair strands or high levels of sebum production. Here are other common causes to this. 

#1: Not Sticking to a Consistent Wash Day Schedule

Sebum is that oily, shiny substance that prevents moisture loss and frizz in your hair. Everyone’s hair naturally produces sebum, but some people are over-productive in this area. If you have a lot of sebum buildup, it can coat your hair strands and make them stick together, causing your hair to get matted. 

The best way to avoid this is to wash your hair on a regular basis. You’ll at least want to wash it every 7-10 days. Regular washing will keep your hair from getting too oily and will also remove any product build-up. We suggest using a sulfate-free shampoo (like CLEANSED) that will thoroughly cleanse your curls without stripping its natural oils. 

#2: Not Following Up Your Wash with a Conditioner

Conditioning is the most crucial part of the wash day process. While it might seem like a small step, leaving it out can be detrimental to the health of your hair. In fact, not doing so can lead to your hair getting matted. Fortunately, a deep conditioner like INDULGE can quickly turn matted curls into manageable ones.

#3: Not Moisturizing Your Hair

If you find that your hair is often matted, you may have an issue with dryness. As we mentioned above, sebum is an oily substance that keeps hair moisturized. 

If you have a lot of sebum, your hair will stay hydrated, but if your scalp produces too much sebum, your hair can become overly dry and matted. You can combat this by adjusting your wash day schedule. If you wash your hair every other day, your scalp may produce too much sebum, causing your hair to become overly dry.

Moisturizing often can also help keep your hair from getting too dry. To keep it hydrated in-between wash days, we suggest using our BOOST Hydrating Curl Refresher & Leave-In Spray. 

#4: Not Using Enough Water 

You can easily solve this problem by choosing the right washing method, so that your hair gets the right amount of water. 

For example, if you use the shower method, you might be using too little water. One way to combat this is by using a wide-toothed comb that helps to distribute water throughout your hair. You can also check if your shampoo lathers well to determine if your hair has enough water.

#5: Not Sleeping with a Bonnet or Satin Pillowcase

When it comes to fighting frizz, there are various ways in which you can go about it. One of these ways is by using satin bonnets and pillowcases while you sleep.

Satin material provides a smooth, non-abrasive surface to rest on while you sleep. Because of this, they are known to reduce friction and prevent your hair from rubbing against the fabric of your sheets. As a result, they help to reduce frizz that is caused by static electricity in curly hair.