Happy and healthy hair is meant to make your hair shine and bounce the way you want it to, and tired of all the tangled locks that take ages to detangle? Worrying about the damage you cause while forcefully detangling? I’m struggling to answer why my hair is so knotty after I wash it.
Curly, wavy, or straight-facing tangled hair is a problem faced by women all around. Tangled wet hair not only makes it difficult to glide your comb smoothly but also causes damage from roots, which you would want to avoid.
Before you opt for fancy products for detangling and taming, you should understand the cause of your hair getting tangled every time you wash it. We dug deep into the reasons to make your hair care ritual easier and simpler.
The best part is that it’s the little changes that you can make and experience great results.
What Happens When Your Hair is Tangled?
To break it down for you, tangled hair means when your hair strands intertwine with others to form unwanted locks that are hard to separate using a brush or your fingers.
Are you witnessing more tangled hair when it gets wet?
Primarily, your hair gets tangled when it faces increased friction. When you wash your hair, you tend to rub it thoroughly for a squeaky clean result. This, followed by towel drying, takes the friction higher. In addition, every time you wash your hair, their cuticles (ends) begin to open up naturally, creating more room for friction.
Now that you have an idea of what happens when your hair gets tangled, it is time for you to find an answer to the age-old question of why your hair is so knotty after you wash it and understand the major reasons behind the discomfort of tangled hair.
Reasons Why Your Hair is Tangled
1. Wrong Products
Applying the right products to your hair can bring wonderful changes. At the same time, when you frequently include the wrong products in your hair care ritual, it results in damaging your hair from roots. Silicone, sulfate, and chemical-based products tend to strip your hair from natural oil and moisture, resulting in tangled hair. Shampoos and conditioners that promise you wonderful results may contain alcohol and silicone that damage your hair beyond repair.
The importance of hydration for your hair can not be stressed enough. Lack of hydration makes your hair dull, dry, and tangled, especially every time you wash it. Hair care products with harsh chemicals further the dehydration, resulting in unwanted locks when your hair is wet.
3. Towel Drying Hair
You might have already heard the ill effects of heat-drying or blow-drying your hair every time you come out of the shower. Another common routine that might have paved its way into your day is towel-drying your hair, especially with hard towels.
Towels are made of numerous fibers that feel soft on the top but cause a lot of friction every time you use them to dry your hair. Friction makes your hair weak and tangles every strand.
4. Heat Exploitation
Heat styling your hair might give you a gorgeous look, but its harmful effects are faced daily. Every time you heat style your hair, you invite dryness and dullness.
This might come as a shock to you, but even the harmful UV rays of the sun can also make your hair dry, which eventually results in tangled and damaged hair every time you wash.
5. Water Quality
Every area has different types of water flowing from the top, which can create a tremendous amount of impact on the quality of your hair. If you are facing extremely tangled hair after every wash, you probably are staying in an area with harsh water.
In addition, washing your hair with warm water also causes your hair to tangle when wet or washed.
6. Brush
You probably have heard about the impact brushes can have on your hair. Every brush type is designed for a set hair type. When you use the wrong brush, you are damaging your hair roots. Are you finding it lazy to brush your hair daily when you can put it in a messy bun? Well, there goes your leading cause for tangled hair. Your hair comes in contact with friction throughout the day, and when you skip brushing, you allow locks to sit in for a longer period.
How to Tame Tangled Hair
1. Conditioner
If you are aiming for gorgeous and healthy hair, then make sure to include conditioner in your hair wash ritual. Conditioner helps you get rid of the dryness and tangled hair strands.
- Step1: Wash your hair gently
- Step 2: Gently apply the conditioner, going from tips to roots
- Step 3: Leave the conditioner on for a few minutes before rinsing it
- Step 4: Use a wide-toothed brush/comb to detangle your hair. Be as gentle as you can.
2. Water
Controlling the natural flow in your area might not be possible. What you can do instead is add a filter to the tap that you use for washing your hair. This will help keep the harsh minerals at bay when you wash your hair.
Additional Tip: Wash your hair with cold water to avoid excessive dryness and tangles.
3. Detangling Spray
Detangling sprays are arguably the quickest and easiest way to fix tangled hair. Wait till you hear the added charm- You can use hair spray on both damp and dry hair. A perfect fit for all days when you are in a hurry, detangling sprays protect your hair from forced combing that you do too detangle.
4. Hair Masks for Hydration
Fixing the dryness of your hair is the option you would want to go for better results in the long run. Pick a hair mask designed for hydration and restoring moisture for instant results and put an end to everyday trouble- why is my hair so knotty after I wash it
You can also switch to cheaper options by DIYing hair masks at home using these easily found ingredients.
5. Wide-toothed comb/brush
Combs and brushes play a major role in deciding the faith of your hair. Avoid using hard combs/brushes to detangle your hair. Switch to wide-toothed options, as these do not put unwanted pressure and are super gentle on your hair.
6. Fingers
This might not be the first time you have heard, “Use your fingers to detangle wet hair. “ Controlling the movement of your fingers is way easier than any brush. You can gently caress your hair with your fingers to detangle one lock at a time.
7. Serums
Hair serums are designed to tame your hair. Pick a hair serum that adds moisture and fixes tangled hair strands.
- Step 1: Apply a few drops of hair serum on damp hair
- Step 2: Give your hair a gentle massage to ensure an even spread of the serum.
- Step 3: Use a wide-toothed comb to detangle the remaining locks gently.
8. Microfibre Towels
Switch to using microfiber or cotton towels to dry your hair gently. Instead of rubbing, you would want to dab the excess water after washing your hair to keep friction at bay.
9. Pillow Covers and Scrunchies
What creates evident changes, in the long run, is the shift you make in small things every day. Switch to sleeping on satin pillows, as these are gentle and do not create friction due to constant rubs.
Quick tip: Satin scrunchies are not only gentle in your hair but also look super cute and work well with all outfits.
Dos and Don’ts for Tangle-Free Hair
Dos
- Brush your hair frequently (at least twice a day)s
- Opt for hydrating and moisturizing hair care products.
- Don’t sleep with your hair open.
- Use satin hair bonnets/covers while sleeping to avoid damage due to friction.
- Hydrate your scalp from within by eating a healthy diet.
- Trim your hair every once in a while to get rid of dead and dull ends.
Don’ts
- Say no to brushing wet hair
- Say no to towels or heat drying your hair
- Avoid harsh products
- Avoid rubbing your hair unnecessarily
- No cotton/harsh pillow covers
Summing Up!
Finding it difficult to manage tangled hair right after you come out of the shower? Worry not because all of us are sailing in the same boat with hopes of staying on these easy changes and homemade remedies. Before you jump on a trendy wagon of hair care ritual, make sure you first understand your hair type.
Every hair needs different care, and using inappropriate products not only shows no results but can have negative impacts. In addition, always ensure to be consistent with your hair care ritual, as every minute change will give you wonderful results and the glamorous hair you always wanted to flaunt.
Share your hair care routine that brought evident changes, and help out your girlfriends.
Stick to the age-old technique of oiling, washing, conditioning, and air drying your hair for the healthiest and happiest hair all day long.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Stop Hair from Falling Due to Tangles?
The first thing you need to do is understand your hair type and pick the right products to restore natural moisture. Stick to your hair care routine of oiling, washing, conditioning, and air drying for evident results.
Does Tangled Hair Cause Hair Fall?
Yes, the more your hair gets tangled, the more the chances of them to fall. It increases even more when you try to detangle them when they are wet. Avoid combing your wet hair, and let it air dry first.
