If you are blessed with smooth, straight hair that never seems to get knotty, then you may not have experienced this particular problem. For the rest of us, how to detangle matted hair painlessly is a need to know subject! In really severe cases it may be hard to see a way to get rid of the mats without cutting your hair – however this is truly a last resort. Let us help you with how to detangle matted hair without cutting.
Which hair types are more prone to tangling?
You may think that people with thin, light hair are less prone to tangling- you’d be wrong! Thin hair is actually even more susceptible to becoming knotty, as there is not as much weight in the strands keeping them apart.
Ethnic hair types are often a big culprit when it comes to becoming tangled and matted.
If you have dry, frizzy hair then you are probably no stranger to waking up with a head full of knots.
Those who have thick, coarse hair are also very prone to knots and tangles
What causes matted hair?
There are many factors that make your hair more prone to getting tangly and matted:
1. A windy day
Something as simple as a stiff breeze can wreak havoc with your hair, and whip it into all sorts of knots and snarls. Don’t even get us started on riding around in an open topped car or bus!
2. A day at the beach
The hot sun, sea breeze and the salt in the air all combine to make this the perfect recipe for making your hair knotty and matted.
3. Wearing a hat or helmet
Bike riding and horse riding are excellent for your general health, but can play havoc with your hair, due to the wearing of safety gear and the fact that you are more likely to get a sweaty head. Even a light summer hat can cause the same problems.
4. Sleeping with loose hair
If you never tie your hair up at night, especially if it is long, then you will probably be used to waking up with matted hair.
5. Having dry hair
If you skimp on the moisturising treatments then you will almost certainly experience more knots and snarls than if you add a little (or a lot) or conditioner.
How to detangle matted hair painlessly
If you have a head full of painful mats that you just cannot get a comb through, don’t reach for the scissors just yet! Try these simple steps first:
- Spray your hair generously with detangling spray. This will soften and coat your hair, making it easier to get a comb through it.
- It’s a good idea to separate your hair into sections as you go, to make sure you are not creating more tangles in a place you have already combed.
- Start by finger combing your hair, as this will help to remove some of the biggest knots and allows you to control how much pulling and pressure you use.
- Using a wide toothed comb or a detangler brush, start to gently pull out the remaining knots.
- Comb from the mid sections to the ends first, as this will help you remove the knots with the least amount of pain. You can also hold your hair above where you are combing it, to reduce the amount of pulling on your scalp.
- Once you have got the worst of the knots out, then you can comb from the top of your head. When you can smoothly run the comb through all your tresses, you can breathe a sigh of relief that you didn’t give up and cut it all off!
How to prevent matted hair
Taking a few steps to make sure that your hair doesn’t get tangled in the first place is a good step towards sorting out mats in the long run.
- Always use conditioner
- Brush your hair in the shower, using a wide toothed comb
- Braid your hair at night, to prevent it rubbing on pillows and sheets as you move
- Invest in silk pillow covers, or lay a silk scarf over your pillow
- Use straightening or anti frizz shampoo
