“Why It Takes You Hours to Detangle Your Hair”
by Latoya of Busy Life. Fab Hair.

In September, I set a record. It took a whopping three days to detangle my hair. A styling assistant washed my hair in a circular motion, which caused numerous tangles. Then, he proceeded to brush my hair from the root and in a rough manner. (And continued to do so after I expressed concern.) To top it off, the stylist put my dry, matted hair into flat twists. It took three days to remove deadlocks and shed hairs wrapped around my strands. Some of it was detangled. Some of it was cut. For the last few months, I have continued to cut shredded ends.

This is a tale of caution. Extreme example? Maybe. But does it provide some valuable lessons? Yes. If it is taking you hours to detangle your hair, it is likely because your techniques are causing excessive tangling. So if you are wondering why it is taking you so long to detangle your hair, here’s why:

4 Reasons It Takes Forever To Detangle Your Hair

You do wash and go’s

When I was pregnant, I was too exhausted to twist my hair. Instead, I opted to do wash and gos. It got me out the door, but I paid for it dearly when it was time to detangle. When you stretch your hair in twists and braids, it prevents your curls from coiling around each other. Once I returned to my regular twist/twistout regimen, my detangling time was cut down significantly.

You don’t trim your ends

It is a major debate over how often you should trim your hair. But a tell-tale sign that its time for a trim is an issue with detangling. If you find your comb continuously getting caught at ends of your hair — and breakage– then it’s time for a trim.

You don’t wash your hair in sections

I used to hate washing my hair in sections because it was an added step. That was until I learned that it cut the length of my I overall wash session. You can braid (or clip) your hair in four or more sections and attack each section one at a time. Remember to focus on your scalp and then run the shampoo down your hair shaft. (Don’t scrub like the styling assistant did. It causes tangles.) You can even try detangling prior to your wash since washing your hair causes some shrinkage (and tangling).

You don’t add slip

Slip is the key to detangling with ease. When my hair was uber tangled after my nightmare styling session, I used an entire bottle of cheapie conditioner and detangled my hair in sections under running water. To add slip, you can use water, conditioner, and/or oil.

So there you have it! The reasons why it is taking you so long detangle your hair. Hopefully, incorporating these methods will cut down on your detangling time.

Do you have any other detangling tricks up your sleeve?

Comments

Heidi says
May 4, 2015 at 5:47 pm
Detangle with Q-Redew hair steamer. Steam works like magic on tangles.
ShivaD says
May 4, 2015 at 12:12 pm
Omg girl that same exact thing happened to me!!! I have sworn off hairstylists for now as a result. I could feel the shampoo chick creating a birds nest in my hair. The stylist had the nerve to say it wasn’t bad as I felt her ripping through my hair from root to tip with the comb. No bueno 🙁 I definitely had to incorporate a keep-it-stretched routine. I keep it clipped during the entire wash, condish, and dry process with one at the root, one in middle, and one at the end. I scoffed at the natural know it alls and started using low heat blowdrying, flat ironing, and seamless combs.. Also invested in curlformers (LOVE). My main issue to combat is laziness so that my strands don’t tangle and shrink when I take weeks to redo it. I invested in some cute wigs for my lazy periods so I can put it in braids but still look good. I also decided even if I can’t fully do it I will do a lazy detangle and stretch style like twists that I roll up at the ends. Basically anything to keep it from fully reverting. Sorry but extra nappy tangled hair is not the bizness. We are known for our styling and versatility even since ancient times. To me having a tangled knot on your head doesn’t translate into pride. I mean how many of you are walking around with hairy smelly pits the way God made you? I only say that because I’m tired of ppl acting like you have to have a knotted shrunken birds nest to show how proud you are of your natural texture.