The MLP Arena

Pony Talk => Pony Corral => Topic started by: TornadoTwist on August 27, 2013, 11:21:00 PM

Title: Can I save her? (With update! See last post!)
Post by: TornadoTwist on August 27, 2013, 11:21:00 PM: visitors can't see pics , please register or login

I got a Silver Glow from my niece. But when I took her home with the others I noticed her hair! Can I save her hair or is the only option rehairing? Because Im really bad at that. :(
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Sunshine on August 27, 2013, 11:35:06 PM: I think you can save her with some serious work.

First, thick conditioner and a metal tooth comb - something with semi-wide teeth... brush like crazy. Brush until you can at least comb through it. More conditioner until it's just saturated with it, and you can then either use the boil-brush method or a straight iron (or regular iron) set on lowest setting. Take little pieces (a little chunk at a time) and go quick. I know G3 hair WILL melt if the iron gets too hot, moreso than I've seen on G1s for whatever reason..
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Aquarel on August 27, 2013, 11:42:44 PM: *fingers crossed* Sunshine described a good method. She might be able to be saved
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Spike on August 27, 2013, 11:53:34 PM: Oh indeed she can be saved :) I had hair exactly like that on one of my dolls and the hair is now good again. I can't wait to see a picture update if there will be one!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: hathorcat on August 28, 2013, 02:45:07 AM: It is possible but its going to be a slog! I think Sunshines recommendations are great.

The only thing I would add is when you are brushing try not to tug the hair too much - when you pull the hair you are stretching the plastic, its much more elastic than natural hair of course. And over stretching and contracting will damage the hair.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Sunshine on August 28, 2013, 08:33:36 AM: Yes Cat's right, if you come into huge tangles, and you're yanking and yanking, you can stretch it, causing further tangles, or break it, or sometimes the hair plugs can even come out.

What I do is start at the end, and brush out like, 1/2" at a time, until I can get through it, then I move down, and brush out the last 1", then last 1 1/2", etc... until I make it all the way to the base - it can take FOREVER, but, with enough conditioner and patience I believe you would easily be able to fix her. I've had more than one Rainbow Flash come to me with dreadlock-frizzy-nightmare hair and have been able to turn them into smooth-haired beauties! :)

If you're nervous about ironing or flat ironing, you might want to try to practice on a bait if you happen to have one, at least you can get the feel of how "fast" to move, etc... :)
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Heartcease on August 28, 2013, 08:41:14 AM: Wow, those are some impressive tangles. I hope you can fix her!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Vintergatan on August 28, 2013, 09:49:52 AM: I've managed to save a styling Star Catcher that came to me with hair looking exactly like that. I thought it would be impossible, but she responder really well to hair iron! I took it strand by strand, all very small strands, wet and encased in conditioner and it worked miracles.

I wish you luck, I love it when people try to save the pony :)

Post Merge: August 28, 2013, 09:50:44 AM

I, of course had to bomb it out first which took ages. Just remember to do it when she already has conditioner in. I would even leave the conditioner in the hair for an hour or two before attempting to comb it.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Sunshine on August 28, 2013, 10:30:53 AM: Wow you're patient Vinter!! :biggrin: I just use a TON of conditioner, I usually lay the hair out on my bare leg because the comb I use has rounded teeth, so, it doesn't scratch me, and I don't get caught up on anything (lol, sounds so weird now that I type it out...) but, I just keep adding in conditioner if it doesn't come untangled...

Also, I really have to say that there's only ONE brand of Conditioner I would NOT recommend using, because I go through this stuff like it's candy... and I use cheap conditioner, but the ponies I have are always super soft and silky - the only one I would say to definitely NOT USE is a brand called White Rain. It leaves the hair feeling... dry... I really disliked it.

Oh! I wanted to mention, you may have to flatten it more than one time through. Like... for example I had a pony who came to me like this:
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(http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/SublimeSturgeonQueen/media/My%20Little%20Pony%20Life/DSCN6801_zpsefcc2521.jpg.html)

And with one go through of the technique I mentioned above, I got her like this:
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(http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/SublimeSturgeonQueen/media/My%20Little%20Pony%20Life/DSCN6875_zps0a1ff89a.jpg.html)

Another time through and I fixed the majority of the poofness left in her tail and hair tips - which is where you'll experience the most frizz (most likely) :biggrin: Hope this helps and gives you some hope to fix her! I'd love to see your restore pictures!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: reanna-mator on August 28, 2013, 10:51:51 AM: Good luck! I've been surprised in the past b what I was able to do for awful, matted hair, and I think you will be too!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Vintergatan on August 28, 2013, 12:22:51 PM: Quote from: Sunshine on August 28, 2013, 10:30:53 AM
Wow you're patient Vinter!! :biggrin:

hhahah, I know :P i think it's enough to say that I was supposed to be working on my thesis that day, and all of a sudden things become clearer :P
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: vortex1310 on August 28, 2013, 12:48:26 PM: Yay! Restoring ponies is always so satisfying! All the advice is spot on!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: dragonfly on August 28, 2013, 01:19:17 PM: lots of love to that one! Post after pics if you think of it, OK? I'm so curious as to how she'll turn out.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: phoenixsoul85 on August 28, 2013, 01:35:16 PM: I have some baby ponies that have crazy puffy tails. I'll have to give this a try. Now to borrow a straightener...
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Epona on August 28, 2013, 01:39:24 PM: With the really bad ones I cover the hair in conditioner, gently brush through once from the bottom to the top in small locks. I seperate a small lock from the rest of the mane and brush starting at the tips and working my way up to the roots with a wide tooth comb. Then repeat it for each small lock (6-10 plugs per lock). Once i have brushed through everything once (the first time through i dont over brush. just enough to get a comb through) I shampoo the hair and re-condition with a ton of conditioner. I comb through once more with the pony lying on its side with the strands stretched out and leave it over-night with the conditioner in. The next day I brush it with a brush with more teeth until the brush is running through without snags. Then rinse out any excess conditioner, run a comb through again quickly and style the hair as I want or if its still really frizzy (which that one will probably be) then go on to try the boiling or flat iron method. This should reduce the amount of boiling or ironing you have to do.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: TornadoTwist on August 28, 2013, 02:19:07 PM: Ooh thank you so much! So much tips. Perhaps I can start tommorow I hope. Im quite busy these days. XD
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Sunshine on August 28, 2013, 04:42:02 PM: With that one, you may just want to brush her a little at a time and then leave it and go do something else... I know I personally can be sitting there almost obsessively trying to brush out hair and sometimes I just need to walk away, lol!

Oh, for the boiling water method - basically, if you wanted to use that instead of an iron/flatiron... I lay my ponies head in the sink, and get my teapot all whistling and boiling... and with all the conditioner in her hair (and already have been brushed out), then I pour some boiling water, brush, pour, brush, pour brush... and when I'm done I have before laid their hair out flat in a towel to dry and put a huge text book on top of it to keep it from... "re-poofing" as it dries. It's also worked for me but, to me causes more "finger ouchies" with playing with boiling water, than the iron method :) I wish you the best, she's going to be gorgeous when you get her cleaned up!! I just know it! :biggrin:
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: happycootie on August 28, 2013, 04:48:16 PM: TornadoTwist, good luck! I'm already excited to see the after picture! ^.^
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Feathermay on August 28, 2013, 10:17:11 PM: You might try a Tangle Teezer or something similar.
Heres a pic of one:
Spoiler
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These brushes are often recommended for wigs because the plastic bristles are really gentle and will give before stretching/snapping the hair.

I had a poor styling rarity that looked about as bad, and I was able to get her hair smooth again. Good luck!
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Heartcease on August 29, 2013, 06:01:02 AM: Where do you get a tangle teezer? Hair/Beauty supply store or did you order it?
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Artemesia's Garden on August 29, 2013, 06:17:13 AM: Good luck with the pony!

Quote from: Vintergatan on August 28, 2013, 12:22:51 PM
Quote from: Sunshine on August 28, 2013, 10:30:53 AM
Wow you're patient Vinter!! :biggrin:

hhahah, I know :P i think it's enough to say that I was supposed to be working on my thesis that day, and all of a sudden things become clearer :P

I know how that goes! Just playing with ponies now instead of filling out forms...
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: spottedslug on August 29, 2013, 07:06:54 AM: Yeah, we'll need some after pics of this one. I've tamed hair like that before and it was very time intensive.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: sacred_tinker on August 29, 2013, 07:12:51 AM: Ooooo! This sounds like a fascinating revamp! Can't wait to see how she comes out! :D
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Feathermay on August 29, 2013, 10:09:07 AM: Quote from: Heartcease on August 29, 2013, 06:01:02 AM
Where do you get a tangle teezer? Hair/Beauty supply store or did you order it?
I bought mine at sally beauty, but I've seen similar ones in Walmart.
EDIT:
Here's pics of my rarity.
Spoiler
before:
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after:
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Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: Epona on August 29, 2013, 02:53:54 PM: I also like to use a boar hair brush (once the hair is detangled), with real boar hair not the fake ones. The bristles are too soft to break hair, it takes out any static and you can use it for hours just smoothing the hair. I also use it on my own hair (which is past my but) with a little jojoba oil when my hair gets dry. The bristles spread the oil evenly along each hair shaft.
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: achab1984 on August 29, 2013, 03:04:49 PM: It can be done, but will take time and love :)
Title: Re: Can I save her?
Post by: TornadoTwist on September 21, 2013, 09:34:09 AM: Lets time to throw in a before and current/after! :D

Before:

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After/current:

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She’ was looking terrible. But she looks much better now. I shampood her hair, put conditioner in, poured boiling water over her and ironed her. I had to cut of part of her mane btw that just were too poofy. But it was not much. I know M still not there and I would like an answer what to do with that tinsel. But she’s much better and cleaner now.
Title: Re: Can I save her? (With update! See last post!)
Post by: hathorcat on September 21, 2013, 12:48:07 PM: Wow! What a difference :)

I would unfortunately think the tinsel may be unrecoverable as it looks very damaged. Perhaps you could detinsel her?
Title: Re: Can I save her? (With update! See last post!)
Post by: summerday on September 21, 2013, 02:24:20 PM: While the hair is wet and full of conditioner, I take a tiny bit at a time and sandwich it in a fabric softener sheet. I then run my flat iron (which only has one setting. . . hot) down the length several times quickly. I tend to do the sections by working a small bit at the bottom then moving up. It does leave a residue so wash and condition after.