Is your tangled hair driving you crazy? We know how time-taking detangling hair can get. Not just that, tangled hair increases hair breakage and interferes with hair styling too!
Don't worry, we have got you some tips on how to untangle your hair easily in this article. So whether you have thick straight hair or a curly mane, here is what you can do to transform your unruly hair into a manageable form.
Highlights:
What Causes Tangled Hair?
Did you know that every day, you lose around 100 hair strands as part of your hair life cycle? If your strands are smooth, they fall off your scalp without getting tangled. If not, they get intertwined with other hair strands. When you let your hair loose, these hair strands form knots, tangling your hair.
The smoothness of your hair strands depends upon its outer layer. Each strand has an outer protective layer, called the cuticle. This has a scaly structure. If the cuticles of your hair are damaged, the scales open up, and your hair becomes rough and tangled.
While the reasons behind damaged cuticles are many, the singular root cause for it is your hair type. Ayurveda postulates that this is determined by the dominant bio-energies in your body.
Classifying your body’s constitution into doshas of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, the aggravation of Vata dosha usually makes hair more prone to tangling. [1]
Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurevedic Doctor at Vedix, says, “Vata dosha is a combination of air and ether. In an aggravated state, Vata hair becomes dry, brittle, and frizzy, damaging your cuticle and opening up the scales.”
To find out the reason behind your tangled hair, taking the Vedix questionnaire can help give you a better understanding. Also ensure that you aren’t making these common mistakes that can worsen your tangles.
1. Lack of hydration
Regular application of heat styling with blow dryers, straighteners, and curling rods can remove the moisture and damage your hair cuticles. This leads to deteriorating the condition of your hair strands.
2. Frequent use of chemicals
Frequent use of chemical-laden products like bleach, hair dye and hair spray can harm your hair shafts and break your cuticles. Also, as Vata hair has risk of high hair porosity, it readily absorbs toxic chemicals from products.
3. Overwashing
Vata hair tends to reduce sebum production and lubrication. Combined with overwashing hair with synthetic shampoos and cleansers, can strip off natural oils from your scalp.
Steps On How To Detangle Your Hair
If your hair is tangled badly, start the process of detangling even before you wash your hair.
1. Oil your hair
Apply coconut oil to your hair. Add a few drops of essential oil like Brahmi or jaborandi. Gently rub the oil on your strands. Leave it for 15 minutes, to give your hair some moisture. Now, try to remove the knots with your fingers.
2. Brush it right
Gently brush your hair with a wide-toothed comb to remove all the tangles. Always start removing tangles from the end of your hair by brushing your hair from the bottom up. Brush hair in sections, from the bottom-up, at least three to four times a day. This will help you avoid spending too much time detangling.
3. Shampoo
Wash your hair with normal cold water as hot water may damage your already weak cuticles. Use a herbal shampoo that suits your hair type. Dilute the shampoo and use both on the scalp and the length of your hair. Don't rub your hair harshly with the product. Just glide your fingers from top to bottom.
4. Conditioners
After rinsing with shampoo, use apple cider vinegar to condition your hair. Leave apple cider vinegar for 3-4 minutes in your wet hair and rinse it off. You can also use any other herbal hair conditioner.
5. Hair masks, serums and detangling sprays
You can use herbal serums to keep your hair conditioned throughout the day. [2] Add a hair mask to your routine, to give your hair the extra nourishment. You can also include a safe and mild detangling spray, to help you untangle your hair.
6. Drying your hair
Don't dry your hair vigorously with your towel. Just squeeze excess water with your hands and pat your hair dry using a muslin cloth. Let your hair dry naturally for a few minutes. Don't use a hairdryer.
7. Divide and rule
It is easy to remove tangles when your hair is still a little wet. If your hair is too thick, divide it into four sections. Otherwise, two sections are enough to detangle your hair properly.
8. Be gentle
Always remember to be gentle with your hair and the tangles. If you leave your hair open frequently, repeat the above-mentioned steps regularly to prevent hard knots in your hair. This will also help you from losing excess hair while detangling.
9. DIY hair mask for dry hair
An Avocado-Egg-Honey Hair Mask can really help dry hair that gets tangled easily. Avocado[3] and coconut oil pacify Vata dosha [4], seal moisture in cuticle cells, and make your strands soft. Egg white pacifies Vata and aggravates Kapha, which is needed for lubrication. Honey balances Vata dosha.
How To Use:
- Grind one Avocado pulp and mix it with two egg whites, one tablespoon of honey, and two tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Apply the conditioning mask on your scalp and hair from root to tip.
- Leave the hair mask for 20-30 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
- Use this for once or twice a week.
How To Prevent Tangled Hair?
A few dos and don'ts can go a long way in helping you tame those tangled tresses. Here’s all that you need to keep in mind.
Dos:
1. Always tie your hair into a braid before going to bed. Also, apply oil to keep your hair hydrated.
2. Your pillow cover matters! Switch your cotton pillow cover to silk / sateen pillow cover. This material won’t create friction with your hair strands while you sleep.
3. Use a hair mask thrice a week to repair your damaged cuticles. It deeply moisturizes your tresses and closes your cuticles.
4. Use a natural conditioner like apple cider vinegar [5] or green tea after a head bath. It makes detangling easy.
5. Brush your tangles and comb your hair twice a day. This helps in improving hair growth.
6. Get your hair trimmed once a month. This will take care of the split ends, which often lead to tangled hair.
Don'ts:
1. Never wash your hair without detangling. Wet hair worsens your knots, and you will lose more hair when you detangle it.
2. Don't leave your hair loose through the day and night. The friction between your dry hair strands opens your cuticles.
3. Don't dry your hair with rough towels. Always use soft material, and pat your hair dry.
4. Don’t brush your hair vigorously. It spoils the smooth texture and makes your hair rough.
5. Don't wear unruly hairstyles, as this complicates detangling.
6. Limit exposure of your hair to wind and pollution. It becomes rough and difficult to manage.
Vedix Tip: Don’t apply shampoo directly to your hair. Instead, make a lather out of your diluted shampoo and wash your hair with the lather. It has a mild effect and does not strip off natural oils from your dry hair.
Is It Better To Detangle Wet Hair Or Dry?
It is always better to detangle your hair when it is semi-dry. When your hair is wet, its keratin bonds become weak. Detangling wet hair can then make your hair strands fall out. If your hair is well conditioned and not very tangled, you can brush your hair after it is dry. The best option however, is to remove tangles on dry hair before hair wash and detangle your semi-dry hair after hair wash.
The Last Word
Ayurvedic remedies make your hair smooth and manageable by treating the root cause. Use Vata pacifying herbs and oils to moisturize your hair and repair your damaged cuticles. Herbal hair masks and hair conditioners are worthy to be included in your hair care routine. They not only make detangling easy, but also boost your hair growth and enhance your hair texture.
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