Q: I have twin 2-year-old daughters. One of them has long, luscious hair past her shoulders (ringlets around her head, of course, but stretches reach past her shoulders”> and the other has hair long on the sides, but short in the back. At first I figured it was from sleeping on her back so I changed their sheets and their pillow cases to satin. Their hair is finally long enough to keep in just one pony tail so I do that every day. It does WONDERS for tangles, since their hair is very fine and tangles very easily, I only leave it loose for special occasions or when they are home with me.

For a few months now I’ve noticed that Alina’s hair is longer and thicker than Alex’s hair. I figured that although they are identical, it won’t be EXACTLY the same. However, now there are chunks of hair coming out whenever I comb her hair. This doesn’t happen to Alina. Not one strand! So I called the doctor. The doc said it was from the pony tails, and although I didn’t think so, Alina’s was thinning in the hair line too and that some kids lose more than others from the pony tail. So, I left their hair loose two days in a row, and they both lost more hair this way than they ever did with a pony tail while I combed it out.

Cozy: Yes, it’s fairly common to see damage to hair from pony tails if you are always placing the elastics in the same places or if you are wearing elastics too tight. Putting hair back definitely helps prevent tangles but perhaps you should try a loose braid or alternating the styles so hair doesn’t get damaged.

Q: My 2-year-old has curly hair. When wet, it is half-way down her back. When dry, it barely covers her shoulders. I am having a difficult time keeping tangles away. Have been washing it only when I must, and using a baby conditioner on her hair every time I bathe her. But the biggest problem right now is that it becomes severely knotted every time she rides in her car seat—and has recently started breaking off in back. TONS of tiny little knots. Sometimes I am forced to cut them out, as I cannot remove them even after oiling her hair. Any advice on how to prevent the car seat problem? General advice on hair products?

Cozy: The challenge with tangles is that it’s a never-ending job! It’s the type of thing you must stay on top of daily, or else you get to the point of no return (cutting the tangles out with a scissor”>! First, I recommend that you put your daughter’s hair up prior to her riding in her car seat. You can do a pony tail, pigtails or braid—just be sure to keep hair pulled back to prevent from tangling. Next, for hair that tangles so easily, be sure to detangle DAILY! For painless tangle removal, try So Cozy Pre-Detangling Treatment when your daughter bathes. Apply a liberal amount and comb through with a wide tooth comb. Doing this frequently will detangle as well as help prevent future tangles. Good luck!

Q: My 14-year-old son won’t stop scratching his scalp. I have tried SLS-free shampoos, but my son continues to have dandruff and itch all day. He has a very dry scalp. Please help.

Cozy: I recommend that you talk to his pediatrician. This may be just a common case of dandruff, that would be solved with a dandruff shampoo. A doctor will help rule out psoriasis or eczema, which are also quite common.