How to Untangle Your Hair

If your hair has become so tangled that it feels hopeless, try using a deep conditioning treatment or a moisturizing hair oil before resorting to a drastic haircut. After leaving these products in your hair for an hour or overnight, your hair will be easier to detangle. While you might still find it frustrating to comb through, this method will be less painful and more effective than trying to detangle without hair care products.

Select a hair care product. Regular conditioners are worth trying if you haven't used them before, but if your hair is badly tangled, you may need a more intensive option. Deep conditioning treatments are very effective at restoring moisture and making your hair easier to detangle, while detangling oils provide additional smoothness. Coconut oil, olive oil, or Moroccan argan oil can be used as alternatives, and they are especially helpful for curly hair. If you don't like the feeling of oil in your hair, you can try a detangling spray.

• Some people use mayonnaise, but this ingredient can have an unpleasant smell and may not be as effective as other options.

Moisten your hair. Lightly spray water on your hair or quickly wet it under a showerhead or with a gentle stream of water from the sink faucet. Most hair care products work best on damp hair, but avoid soaking your hair completely, as that can cause it to become more prone to breakage.

Apply the product to your hair. Use a sufficient amount of product to cover the palm of your hand, or double the amount if your hair is longer than shoulder length. Massage the product evenly throughout your hair, including the ends. Work in sections rather than applying it all at once to prevent further tangling.

Allow the product to work its magic on your hair. Most conditioners will complete their moisturizing task within a few minutes. For best results, coconut oil and similar oils should stay in your hair for at least 30 minutes, but not longer than 2 hours. Deep conditioning products have different waiting times as indicated on the packaging, but typically, these should stay on for at least an hour, and in cases of severely tangled hair, overnight is an option.

• To keep your hair tidy and prevent mess, cover your head with a shower cap or a plastic bag, then secure it with a headband. You can also use a fitted cap on top of the plastic bag for a quicker fix.

Use your fingers to untangle the easiest knots first. Once the products have had enough time to work, gently start separating the tangle sections. Sometimes, small knots or lighter tangles can be worked into smaller sections from the ends, closer to the scalp.

• Don’t expect your hair to be fully untangled at this step. If you feel resistance, stop and try working on other areas of the hair.

Use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair. You should opt for a sturdy wide-tooth comb to handle the most tangled sections. Fine-tooth combs and hairbrushes tend to get caught, forcing you to either yank the knots out or stop combing altogether.

• Make sure to choose a comb with teeth that aren’t too sparse, so smaller knots don’t slip through.

Start with the ends of your hair. Always begin detangling from the tips when dealing with tangled hair. Position the comb a few centimeters from the end of the knot and gently comb down. Keep combing until the section is detangled, then move the comb slightly higher. Repeat this process until you’ve worked through the entire length of your hair. If you have long, thick hair or severe tangles, this may take up to an hour or more.

Lift the hair to avoid pain. If you have a sensitive scalp, try holding the hair up as you comb. Grab a section of hair about the thickness of a marker between your fingers and gently twist it to prevent pulling on the scalp. Detangle the section under your hand, moving upwards as you work through the lower part.

Apply more conditioner or oil if needed. Add a few more drops of conditioner or oil to stubborn knots. Conditioner will help lubricate the hair and reduce the chances of strands getting tangled again.

Trim stubborn knots with scissors. You might need to cut some hair if the tangles won’t budge, despite your efforts. Hold the scissors in one hand and the tangled section in the other. Use the back of the scissors to cut along the underside of the knot, then gently pull apart the hair to remove any loose strands.

• If you haven't combed your hair in weeks or months, trimming the tangled sections might be your best option, as spending hours detangling may not yield results.

Use a fine-toothed comb or a hairbrush to finish detangling. Continue using a wide-tooth comb until most of the tangles have been smoothed out. Then switch to a fine-toothed comb or a hairbrush to remove any remaining small knots.

Shampoo your hair. Rinse out the hair care products once the tangles have been resolved. If you have tightly curled hair and the tangles have been sufficiently separated to part it, use clips to section your hair and rinse each section individually.

Use leave-in conditioner. You can leave leave-in conditioner in your hair for several hours. This type of conditioner helps maintain moisture and reduces the risk of your hair becoming dry and tangled as it dries.

Brush your hair when it's damp, but not soaking wet. Hair that’s too dry can become brittle and hard to comb, while hair that’s too wet is more likely to shed. Aim for a balanced approach: brush your hair when it’s damp but not dripping wet.

Braid your hair before bed. If you often wake up with tangled hair, try braiding it before going to sleep to prevent this. Alternatively, you can opt to twist your hair into a bun instead of braiding.

Separate the easier-to-detangle sections before washing. If you have curly or tangly hair, section your hair into smaller parts and clip them to keep them separate. Remove the clip on each section as you wash it, and then clip it back before moving to the next section. This method helps reduce the formation of larger tangles.