Untangling Hair, How to Rescue Your Hair from Knots

If you've ever used a shampoo or conditioner that made your hair tangled, you're not alone. It's not just gum, hard gel or hair twirling that can leave your hair in knots. But before you get ready to pull out the scissors, breathe. Hair tangling may not be as bad as you think it is, but you've got to get to the root of the tangle first.

Observe time when your hair is tangled. If you're not in the habit of wearing silk or satin wrap caps to sleep and choose cotton bandannas or cotton pillowcases, you may be adding to friction in your hair. Double the friction and tangled hair if you're a wild sleeper. Wrap your hair in a wrap cap that hugs your hair so when you wake up upside down, your hair doesn't have to.

Wet your hair. Curly hair easily tangles if the hair is rubbed together by towel drying. This is a common error that people with straight hair may do to someone with extremely curly hair. If the hair becomes tangled while towel drying, wet hair again. Do not rub together into tight balls, ring the hair together or scrub hair. It will tangle more. Use conditioner to slowly finger comb and untangle the hair.

Comb the ends first. Instead of trying to yank at the knotted area, start from the bottom of your hair and work your way up. This way, you can see where the knot ends and slowly unravel that knot. Starting from the top up could increase more knots while trying to comb hair straight down.

Use makeup lighting for home-alone days. That super bright light in your bathroom that you only use to put on makeup or shave is ideal for those hair untangling days. If you really can't get the knot out, and you're forced to cut your hair, make sure you don't cut off too much. Use proper lighting and only cut the tangled area. Or, if the knot is in the back of your hair, hold the knotted area straight up while looking in a mirror. Slowly untangle the hair with a fine-toothed comb. Do not try to untangle hair without looking at it. This will undoubtedly lead to more tangles.

Calm down. The idea of cutting out your hair or a big knot in your hair can make you overreact. Calm down. Drink a glass of water and breathe. There is no race to take your hair out of a knot (unless you're on your way to work or school). If you start yanking at your hair or combing it too hard, you'll probably lead to a bigger mess. Take your time and slowly comb hair out in small strands. If your hair is easily tangled due to weather (ex. hanging out by Chicago's beaches or lakefront, which goes from humid to hot to relaxing at any moment), that's out of your control. Stay in control even when your hair is not.

Reevaluate your hairstyle or hair products. If you know a hairstyle you like to wear usually ends up being a hair hazard, it's time to switch your hairdo. There are products that claim they'll untangle hair or keep your hair from frizzing up, but every product is not meant for every hair type. If the hair product doesn't work, check out a hair magazine and get creative with your next hairstyle. Or, use better hair moisturizer when doing this hairstyle. Dry hair not only can lead to dandruff and itchy hair, but it can also make your hair strands stick together. When trying to lock hair, this is ideal, but if that's not your intention, then it's time to try a new hair oil.