How to Reduce Tangles in Long, Curly Hair

Long, curly hair requires a lot of grooming to prevent tangles.

Long, curly hair can be beautiful -- and can also be a hassle to maintain. This type of hair gets tangled and knotted easier than short, straight hair. Curls give your hair more volume and body, which means it moves more with your natural movements. Long, curly hair is especially prone to tangles because the individual curls tend to catch onto each other and become entangled. Grooming regularly, wearing your hair in certain styles and using the proper hair products can all help you keep your curly hair under control.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric-covered ponytail holder
• Bobby pins
• Hair clip
• Conditioner
• Brush or comb
• Mayonnaise or avocado (optional)

Instructions

1. Braid your hair. Secure your hair in a long braid before going to bed to keep the strands in place and prevent tangles. Keep the braid loose to prevent breaking and damaging your hair follicles.

2. Tie your hair back in a ponytail. Although the ends of your hair will still be loose, keeping your hair back in a secure ponytail prevents the hair from moving around too much and getting tangled.

3. Wrap your hair in bun. Twisting your hair and putting it into a bun keeps it completely secured and unable to move around. Secure the bun with bobby pins or a hair clip to keep the bun together.

4. Avoid using rubber bands to tie back your hair. Rubber bands tend to grip the hair too tightly and can cause knots and tangles when you try to remove the band from your hair. Use fabric-covered hair elastics, bobby pins or hair clips instead.

5. Condition your hair with a commercially-made conditioner. Hair conditioners coat each strand of hair with emollients. These emollients make the hair smoother and silkier so the strands are easier to comb and less likely to tangle.

6. Comb or brush your hair every day. Your hair is less likely to develop tangles if you comb it out at least once per day. This separates the strands and removes the loose strands you shed each day.

7. Make a homemade organic hair conditioner. Apply mayonnaise or mashed avocado to your hair and leave it on for an hour. Rinse your hair and comb it out.

8. Comb your hair immediately after washing it. Wet, conditioned hair is easier to manage than dry hair. The comb should glide through your hair without getting tangled, the curls will be more relaxed and the wet strands will stay separated.

References

• Curly Like Me: How to Grow Your Hair Healthy, Long, and Strong: Teri LaFlesh
• Beauty: The New Basics: Rona Berg et al.
• Diversified Health Occupations: Louise Simmers et al.