The Downlow on Detangling Curly Hair

Shedding vs. Breakage

The more you section off, the better your detangling outcome will be.

The last stage of the hair growth cycle, telogen, is when your hair “sheds” and you’ll lose an average of 50-100 hairs a day. This is normal and shouldn’t cause concern, unless you’re noticing an abnormal amount of hair coming out.

Breakage on the other hand can be caused by over manipulation, mechanical damage from tools, lack of moisture, etc.  In the event that you’re noticing excessive breakage and you’re using a tool to detangle, try giving it a rest for a little while and opt for finger detangling instead.

Getting a good trim will give you a clean slate and you can track how your hair progresses without using any tools.

Best Practices

No matter how often you detangle, whether you do it wet or dry, or which tools you choose to use, there are a few best practices as it pertains to detangling.

DO find a method that works for you. You’re not stuck to just one method. Sometimes you may want to mix and match as I often do! Try dry detangling first to get any big tangles, then add conditioner and continue the process to get the remaining knots and shed hair.

DO take your time and be thorough. The last thing you want to do is “think” you’ve detangled sufficiently only to find a nice piece of matted hair buried amidst your curls.

DO section your hair prior to detangling, and use as many sections as you need. This may be of more importance as your hair grows, but the longer your hair is, the easier it is to knot. Handling your hair in smaller sections (4-8 or more”> makes it easier to manage and to keep the hair tangle free once it’s been detangled.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let detangling curly hair be the bane of your existence! Sure it may take some time, but once you get the hang of it, you can cut your detangling time down in no time.

Take the time to learn what works best for your hair, develop your own techniques, and pamper your tresses! Happy styling, curlies!