How to brush tangled hair

Brushing your crowning glory

Long hair can be very beautiful, but it does require a lot of upkeep to ensure it always looks its best. Without regular brushing and combing, hair can easily become tangled and once those tangles are in place, brushing them out can be difficult and is often very painful.

As hair grows longer, it becomes fragile and more prone to breaking off or splitting. Therefore, brushing tangled hair will take time and patience but with a little care you can detangle with minimal hair loss or breakage.

Instructions

Step 1

Brushing dry hair.

If you’re trying to detangle hair with a just a few tangles, you should be able to brush them out using a good quality bristle brush. Don’t use a comb as this is likely to snag on the tangles and cause pain.

First of all, brush as much of the untangled hair as possible while skimming over any tangles. If you wish to use a detangle spray or leave in conditioner, you could now lightly spray over the most tangled areas. Don’t use too much as it can make hair look quite greasy.

Step 2

Working through the hair.

Now, divide hair into at least three sections starting at the scalp through to the ends. If you meet resistance against tangles, gently use your fingers to separate and pull the tangles apart.

Step 3

Section by section.

Starting with one section of hair, begin at the bottom and gently start brushing, gradually working your way upwards. When you arrive at a tangle, carefully isolate it away from the rest of the hair and concentrate on brushing that tangle alone until it is removed. You may find it easier if you hold the section of hair in your opposite hand to prevent the hair pulling against the scalp while you brush.

Step 4

Stubborn tangles.

Sometimes brushing alone isn’t enough to remove stubborn tangles. If you come across a particularly large tangle, put the brush down and carefully pull the tangle apart with your fingers, gradually separating it into smaller, more manageable tangles. You’ll now be able to carry on brushing as usual. Never pull or tug a tangle with the brush as this only serves to break and damage the hair as well as making it more difficult to remove. Always be a gentle as possible.

Step 5

Detangling wet hair.

If hair is extremely tangled, it may prove to be less painful removing them if hair is washed and conditioned beforehand. Gently brush the dry hair as much as possible before washing and then liberally apply lots of conditioner.

Step 6

Comb through.

While the hair is coated with conditioner, take a wide tooth comb and gently start combing through the hair. Make sure you begin combing from the ends of the hair working up towards the scalp and never the other way around. As with dry hair, you may need to pull stubborn tangles apart to make them more manageable. Then rinse hair as usual.

Things Needed