3 Ways to Untangle Knotted Hair

We’ve all been there: after riding in the convertible with the windows down, a nice afternoon bike ride, walking through town on a windy day, or swimming in the pool, your hair is a tangled mess that you can’t even begin to think about untangling. Eventually, after hours and a lot of effort, your locks might be silky smooth again, but we’re here with a few tips to help cut down on the time and energy it takes to get from knotted to smooth.

Use a leave in conditioner. Anyone with long hair should have a leave in conditioning product in their hair care arsenal. Aside from making it easy to brush out extremely tangled hair, these products will make your hair very soft, shiny, and easy to style until your next wash. Generally, these are applied after you wash your hair and not rinsed out after application.

Try a deep conditioning treatment. Use a super thick version of regular hair conditioner just after you wash your hair to manage knotted hair. Usually these are found in small packets or tubs, unlike regular large conditioner bottles, and are good for fewer uses.

Comb your tresses. This is the first thing most people try when dealing with unruly hair, but waiting until after you use some type of detangling product is actually your best bet. Avoid tightening any knots or breaking off your strands by first preparing your hair with one of these products. Start with the last couple inches of your hair and then add a few inches at a time to reduce the number of knots you’re dealing with at any one time. Also, be sure to comb your hair gently and avoid brushes on severely tangled or wet hair so you don’t damage it.