Why do I have knots at the nape of my neck?

In the black community you can judge the 'grade' of someone's hair by looking at the nape of their neck. You know what I'm talking about when I say nape right? That part in the back of the neck where hair starts to roll up and show its true form.


Since I've decided to 'go natural', I find myself looking around at other women's hair whether they are natural, weaved-up or straighten. While working out in the gym the other day, I noticed this girl running on the treadmill in front of me. One of the reasons I noticed her was because her long weave was in a neat ponytail and dangled from side to side as she ran. Occasionally, the ponytail would swing high enough exposing the nape of her neck. Underneath the ponytail, I could see numerous knots lining the back of her hairline. 


This sighting really bothered me because it's one of my 'pet peeves'. I believe that what ever hairstyle I have in, if it doesn't look natural then I shouldn't be wearing it. Whether it's braids, sew-ins or relaxed hair. Making sure that each strand blends in is very important, after all isn't that why gel was invented? Those 'cousins' as we like to call them in the Bahamas need to be brushed, smoothed or comb to blend in to whatever style you decide to wear. 


The edge of your hair line is more fragile than the rest of your hair because of its exposure to build up, sweat, and pulling. Think of it as the area around your windshield that does not get wiped by the wipers. With your face being the part of the windshield that's cleaned. Whenever your car is dirty there is a major difference between the spot where the wipers touch (face) and the edge (hair line). This is one of the reasons why the hairs on the hairline are shorter than the others. 


Curly hair grows at a 45 degree angle from the root where as straight hair grows at a 90 degree angle. Since the hair at the hair line is shorter, when it grows out it tends to go around in a circle forming a knot. To gently remove the knots, instead of manipulating them when dry, saturate the hair with water, cremes or a conditioner. This will prevent the hair from breaking and ripping. After the hair is damp, use a detangling brush to smooth out the knots. If you would like the knots to stay smoothed out, apply gel and tie a silk/satin scarf around the hairline for about 10 minutes and experience a knotty free ending....