The Right Way To Detangle Tangled Hair

We've all experienced tangled hair before. They're annoying, irritating, and sometimes, downright frustrating. Sometimes you may even feel like just cutting your tangles if they get too bad. Yes, it can get so bad that even you'd be okay with a DIY haircut in your pajamas.

But before you go for the scissors, maybe you should read this first. Here's the right way to detangle tangled hair!

What causes tangled hair?

Tangles may be annoying, but it's important to determine what causes them to develop in the first place. By knowing the many different causes, you'll have a better idea of how to avoid them next time.

Permed hair

Permed hair tends to be more prone to tangles because of it's also more prone to breakage and dryness. When your hair is damaged, its cuticles, also known as the outer layer of your strands, open up. Open cuticles tend to rub and snag against each other. This is what causes the tangles to form.

Rebonded hair

On the other hand, rebonded hair is also more prone to tangles. The process of rebonding itself is quite harsh on the hair since it literally breaks down the bonds of your hair strands and 'rebonds' them back together. This makes rebonded hair very vulnerable to cuticle damage.

Frizzy hair

Frizzy hair is also extremely prone to getting tangled. Just like permed hair and rebonded hair, frizzy hair tends to be very dry, and thus more likely to have its cuticles damaged. Humid climates tend to worsen frizz since the strands will start trying to get moisture from the air to compensate for its own lack of moisture.

How to detangle tangled hair

The first thing you have to remember before trying to detangle tangled hair is to handle it with care. Tangled hair is very, very, and we mean very prone to breakage. Unless you want to look as if someone had grabbed on your hair and pulled hard, you should always handle your tangled hair with care.

1. Moisturize your hair

Regardless of the reason why you have tangled hair – maybe your hair is permed, rebonded, or just plain frizzy – it exists for one reason alone: lack of moisture.

Therefore, the first step to detangling horribly tangled hair is to add moisture to your hair. A lot of it.

First, wet your hair slightly with lukewarm water, which opens up your hair cuticles, thus making it easier for the conditioner to penetrate. Then, use the most hydrating conditioner that you have in your arsenal.

You can use this time to detangle some of the major knots in your hair, especially since the conditioner makes it easy to run your fingers through your strands.

Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes, then rinse off with cold water to close your cuticles.

2. Use a detangling brush

After washing and moisturizing your hair, allow it to dry completely before doing this next step. Wet hair is very vulnerable to breakage since it's much weaker than its dry state.

The knots should be much smaller now that you've already used conditioner. Take a detangling brush and begin brushing from the bottom. You don't want to yank on any pesky tangles. Just slowly brush from the bottom, going up and up as the tangles disappear.

Remember to do this step very carefully, unless you want to see plenty of hair strands stuck on your comb.

3. Put on leave-in conditioner

Once the tangles are completely gone, let them stay gone by putting on leave-in conditioner to seal the deal.

Leave-in conditioner acts as a sealant as well as a protector, sealing in the moisture and protecting your hair from any excessive dryness caused by your environment.

Now you know how to detangle tangled hair! Hopefully, with proper hair care, you won't have to deal with it again in the future. And of course, for more hair tips and tricks, check out our ZALA blog!