Reduce Breakage When Detangling

June 2, 2014

One of the most crucial steps to follow and yet the most annoying, is detangling. Let’s be honest ladies, the only reason why “hair day” is an all-day thing, is because of the detangling process. It can be a very harsh process if it is not done properly. Breakage can kill your hair if you’re not careful. It can cause split ends, hair loss and even worse, no new hair growth!

To know if your hair is suffering from breakage, run your fingers through your hair once. If you see 10 or more strands come out (without the bulb), you’re suffering from breakage. Reducing breakage is fairly simple if precautions are taken.

What Method Works Best?

Find which method of detangling works for you. Some naturalistas prefer finger detangling while others enjoy the classic detangling with a wide tooth comb, and some like both! Find what works for you and stick to it. If you find that one method isn’t working for you, switch to another. Your hair will thank you!

Some methods of detangling work better on some hair types than others. But that does not mean that all 3c girls use the same method. Remember, everyone’s hair is different!

Reduce the Breakage

There are plenty of precautions you should be taking to reduce hair breakage. Some such as be gentle with you hair. When you’re detangling, be sure to use a deep conditioner while doing so. This deep conditioning treatment can be an oil, a homemade hair mask or your favorite conditioner. Before starting the detangling process, make sure that all of your hair is covered. This will make detangling a lot easier and quicker because the conditioner helps untangle knots.

Now that summer is nearly here, you’re going to want to show off your length, and you should! Just remember that curly hair is very delicate and every tug/pull, could lead to breakage. Try to keep the maintenance of your hair to a minimum. Choose hair styles that you can wear more than once a day. Going from topknot, to twist-out, to pineapple in 3 days; can lead to hair breakage. The constant change will make your hair not want to co-operate, which will lead to harder pulls which would lead to breakage.

How often should a naturalista detangle?

Some say at least 2 times a week while others may only detangle once a week. It is for you to decide how many times your hair should be detangled, but too much detangling can also lead to breakage!

When it comes to the process of detangling, it is essential that you have the right tools:

Deep conditioner, check.
Clips, done.
Brush, maybe?! Never use a traditional hair brush when you’re detangling. However, many find modified the Denman brush or tangle teexer great options for detangling and defining curls.
Wide tooth comb, yes. They are cheap, easy to use and they get the job done.
Finally, your fingers. They can be the primary tool or a great addition to your hair detangling arsenal.

Moisturize

Lastly, be sure to moisturize. If you don’t moisturize your hair before detangling, you are asking for split ends and breakage. Water alone is not enough. Yes, water is good for your hair, but it is not enough. Eventually, the water will dry up and leave your hair dry again. Before detangling, spritz your hair with water and then add A LOT of conditioner. Dry hair = breakage.

If you take all of these into consideration when detangling, you should see little to no breakage. Detangling is a long process already, don’t make it harder for yourself just because you weren’t careful. Your hair is your crown, you must keep it up to par!

[By Tika Rochell]