What’s the best way of detangling thick hair?

Tangled, matted hair can be a massive problem. Whether your hair is prone to tangles, or whether you’ve been too busy or too poorly to look after your hair, it’s a common problem that often ends up with scissors and a much shorter hairdo.

However, there is a less drastic way of getting your hair back to long well-behaved locks again.

Thanks to WikiHow for the method – but this is the best way of detangling thick hair – good luck!

1. Hop in the shower. Wet your entire head so the hair is soaked. Make sure to really saturate the hair as this will help to loosen the knots and tangles. Keep in mind that this option may cause additional breakage.

If you don’t have time to get into a shower, use a spray bottle to spritz water onto your hair.

2. Apply shampoo or conditioner. Use your hands to apply a generous amount of the product. Pay special attention to the area that is tangled. Try not to pull the hair in any way. Consider squeezing some of the product into both hands and sliding the hair through your flat hands. You want to coat all sides of the hair as much as possible.[1]

Use a product that is specifically geared toward detangling hair. We have had great results from (Davines Your Hair Assistant Prep Rich Balm – Conditioner for Thick to Treated Hair 200ml). You will want to leave the product in the hair throughout the detangling process and then rinse normally. Read all instructions on the bottle before use.

If shampoo or conditioner is unavailable, use coconut oil or something similar. The oil will have the same effect of loosening the tangles.

Do not use a comb or brush to massage the product in, as this could cause the hair to pull out. You may also end up tightening the knots and tangles you are trying to remove.

3. Start at the ends. Using a wide toothed comb, gently comb the hair, beginning at the ends. Start with only an inch or two. Slowly work your way up to the major knot or tangles. Once you’ve arrived at a major tangle, use your fingers to gently pull the hair in various directions. This will enlarge the hair loops within the knot.

When combining, counteract the force of the pulling by holding your hair on the knot itself. This will also keep the knot from getting tighter.

4. Pick the knot. Using the same comb, slowly and gently pick away at the knot and tangle. Always start from the base of the tangle and apply light pressure.

Angle the comb so you are only using 1-2 teeth of the instrument. Do not try to comb through the entire knot right away.

5. Take your time. Rushing the process will only increase the chances of pulling out hair unnecessarily. If you rush, you could also create a more complex knot which will become a greater challenge to remove. Depending on the difficulty, it may take several minutes per tangle.
6. Comb through hair. Once you’ve successfully removed tangles, begin to introduce more teeth into the combing process. If you can comb through the entire length of your hair smoothly and easily, rinse your hair and dry.

If you were unsuccessful, you may have to cut the knot out with scissors. Strongly consider enlisting the help of a professional. They will have techniques to minimize hair loss.

7. Avoid ponytails. Instead of throwing long wet hair into a ponytail, allow the hair to air dry slowly, hanging down. Pulling the hair into a ponytail when wet could reverse the work you’ve just done.