Did you know that Tangled (Disney’s Rapunzel movie) had managed to beat Harry Potter at the box office? Long hair has been hogging the beauty spotlight ever since. The only downside? The matted mess of tangles it greets us with. From a sopping wet maze of hair post-shower to a messy nest at the nape of your neck upon waking up, tangled hair is annoying AF. It makes us dread simple tasks like brushing it through or washing our tresses and keeps us from doing that cinematic fingers-through-the-hair move. Let’s all just let out a collective “Ugh”!
Beyond just being a nuisance, trying to detangle hair knots can damage your hair, cause major breakage, and make strands more brittle over time. To get to the bottom of this twisted scenario, we’ve rounded up all the hair habits that could be causing your strands to get tangled and what you can do to prevent a snag-filled mess.
The Causes Behind Tangled Hair
The causes of tangled hair can be boiled down to a few big culprits: damage and dryness, styling and washing technique, and the type of hair you have.
Damaged & Dry Strands
Not conditioning your strands frequently enough or over-washing your hair will cause dryness while damage is caused by things like chemical processing, bleaching or dyeing hair, or going ham with the hot tools. These can make the hair brittle, which causes it to splinter or break,
Washing & Styling Technique
One of the major causes of tangled hair is the way you wash your hair and then style it afterwards. Shampoo your hair starting from the scalp to create foam and then bring this foam through the length. Be gentle with conditioning, too. It’s also important to be gentle with your strands when combing and brushing. Use a serum, or cream before you comb your hair, and use a wide-toothed comb if your hair is more prone to tangles.
The Texture Of Your Hair
Fun fact: the hair you’re born with might just be more prone to tangling as compared to others. Folks with coarse or curly hair tend to experience more tangles as compared to those with fine hair. The solution for both cases is to create a smooth coating over your strands. This can be done using a detangling cream or serum. For the fine-haired crew, it’s best to go for something with a lightweight texture.
Pro-Tips To Prevent Tangled Hair
Protect Your Hair From The Wind
The wind is one of the major culprits when it comes to tangling dry hair. Sometimes it is unavoidable, but whenever possible, use a hair scarf to keep your hair in place. Alternatively, pull it back into a low ponytail using a scrunchy.
Comb Your Hair In-Shower
One of the best ways to nix tangles is to comb your hair in the shower after shampooing and conditioning. Use a detangling brush to comb your hair after the conditioner softens the hair.
Routine Trims
Split ends do not just split once and stipe. However, they continue to split up the hair strand and cause tangles until they’re given a blunt cut. This is why it’s best to get routine trims every 8 to 12 weeks.
A Silk Scarf And/or Pillow
If you are used to waking up to a tangled mess in the morning, do what you can to reduce friction while your sleep. That includes a silk scarf, or headwrap, and snoozing on a silk soft pillow. Also, make sure to not sleep in a bun or ponytail as it can exacerbate tangles.
Strategic Styling
Preventive hairstyles such as twists and braiding are great ways to reduce your daily styling manipulation of hair.
Here’s to a tangle-free tomorrow and beyond!
Featured Image: Pexels