Detangling your hair is a tedious process that many of us have to go through. You could use a wide-tooth comb or a brush with good bristles to work out the tangles in your hair gently. Be gentle, but be patient because it may take you entirely some time to get the knots out!
It’s no secret that taking care of long and beautiful hair requires a lot of effort. However, as we can all agree, one of the most aggravating aspects of having lengthy locks (besides taking forever to dry) is dealing with knots and tangles daily.
Not only is it time-consuming, but it’s also pain in the neck, literally. While tangles are inevitable when dealing with hair that flows down to your waistline, there are ways in which you can minimize tangling and detangle in a manner that doesn’t break your precious strands.
What Causes Tangles in Hair?
The tangles in our hair are caused by knots, which result from hair that is either too wet or tangles easily. Another cause for tangles is hair with different textures, such as naturally curly hair vs. chemically straightened locks. Certain styles, such as braids and cornrows, also incur tangling problems.
Tangled hair causes pain when combing through the knots. It can also be accompanied by redness in the scalp or headaches caused by irritation to the skin where tangles are situated. If you have long, thick strands, tangles may also lead to excessive breakage when brushing your mane because all the pulling and tangling out of knots can cause hair to break off.
How to Detangle Your Hair Without Ruining It
There are many ways to detangle your hair, and we’ve put together a list of our top 11 best tips on how you can gradually get rid of tangles without causing damage to your strands. When brushing or combing tangles out of your hair, make sure to use wide-tooth combs instead of brushes.
1. Use Correct Combing Tools
One of the best ways to detangle without breaking your hair is by using tools designed specifically for tangly strands. Using anything else can lead to more damage than help.
Although using a brush may appear to be faster, utilizing a wide-tooth comb (or a specific detangling brush) is preferable, especially when considering the health of your hair. Not only will it eliminate tangles more effectively, but you’ll also preserve your hair from tearing and damage. Begin at the bottom of the tangle and work your way up.
For example, to tangles out of curly hair, we recommend using a Tangle Teezer to detangle your hair and avoid breakage gently.
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2. Make Sure Your Hair is Damp Before you Combing It Out
If your hair is damp, tangles are easier to remove because the strands will be more pliable and less likely to break when combing through knots. Consider using a spray bottle with water if it’s still tangled after laundering your tresses with shampoo.
3. Use A Leave-In Conditioner
Before you jump in the shower, apply some leave-in conditioner on your tangly areas with the help of a spray bottle. This will soften up tangles and make them easier to remove.
If you’re looking for some good leave-in conditioners, we recommend the SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil.
4. Use A Shower Cap To Detangle Your Hair In The Shower
If you’re a shower person, one of the easiest ways to detangle your hair is by wearing a shower cap. While you do your body stuff in the shower, steam will open up your hair cuticles, enabling water to penetrate the strands.
After rinsing out the conditioner from your hair, place a shower cap over your locks and allow it to sit for at least 5-10 minutes before removing it. Do this daily until tangles are no longer an issue.
5. Use A Leave-In Detangler
We all know that tangles are inevitable, but detanglers can help reduce the tangles before they happen! If you’re looking for some salon-grade leave-in conditioners, we recommend the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.
This serum contains vitamin B, orange oil, and glycerin that work together to protect tangles from forming in your hair by strengthening strands. It also helps prevent frizz and flyaways while adding a little shine.
6. Use a T-Shirt To Detangle Hair
By using a t-shirt, you can remove tangles from your hair with ease! All you have to do is place the shirt around your hair and pull it through as if you were combing tangles out of your hair.
This method is known as plopping, and it’s one of the best ways to detangle your hair without causing too much damage. T-shirts are typically made of cotton so that they won’t harm your strands, unlike other materials such as fabrics with spandex or nylon.
7. Protect Your Hair While Sleeping
Yes, tangles can be annoying and frustrating to deal with at times, but that doesn’t mean you should rip tangles out of your hair. By protecting your hair while sleeping, tangles will be less likely to form in your locks–so you won’t have as much unnecessary detangling to do the following day!
To protect your hair while you sleep, use a satin or silk scarf to tie it up in your signature style. This will prevent tangles from tangling further and keep your hair intact until morning.
8. Brush Your Hair Regularly
By brushing tangly areas, tangles can become less tangled over time. This is because brushing through tangles moves the hair cuticles downward, making tangles appear less visible. If you have highly textured hair (with coarse or thick strands), you can brush your hair with a wide-tooth comb instead of using a regular brush.
9. Hair Masks
If tangles and tangly areas are causing your hair to become unruly, it’s time to take action. Hair masks and deep conditioning treatments typically contain oils, butter, and extracts that help soften tangles so they can be easily combed out or brushed through.
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10. Rinse With Cold Water
Another tangly area between us and our hair is perspiration. When we exercise, sweat can build up on the scalp, which can cause tangles to form in damp hair.
If tangles are causing your workout routine to become unmanageable, rinse your hair with cold water after a sweaty workout. Coldwater helps close the hair cuticles and prevent tangles from forming.
11. Sleep on low-friction fabrics
If tangles and tangly areas are causing you to lose sleep, it’s time for a switch. Instead of sleeping on tangly pillowcases and sheets that can cause knots to form in your hair, try sleeping on low-friction fabrics such as satin or silk.
Fabrics such as these don’t irritate the scalp like tangly sheets, and they don’t strip tangles out of your hair like a regular towel.
Conclusion
Tangles can be challenging to remove from your hair. They happen more often if you are using tangly materials such as sheets or pillowcases, which is why it’s important to switch out these items for something less tangly like satin or silk. You could also try sleeping on low-friction fabrics instead of tangling up in tangly bedsheets and scarves.