Why does curly hair get so tangled?
Curly hair has a unique, distinct structure with coiled or spiral shapes. These create friction among your strands of hair, which can lead to the strands intertwining or forming knots. The tighter the curl or coil, the more likely it is to get tangled. Curly hair also tends to be more porous, which leads to dryness and breakage, which can lead to even more tangling. Product buildup can also play a role, weighing down the individual curls making them more likely to get tangled.
How to detangle curly hair
With so many factors playing into the knotty situation that curly hair can sometimes present,
It’s important to choose the right approach to detangling your curly hair. You want to be gentle and strategic so that you can minimize breakage in the detangling process.
There are some basics to keep in mind, like using a wide-tooth comb, working from the ends up, and working in sections. There are a few different techniques in terms of how to detangle curly hair without breakage. Overall, be gentle and patient.
How to detangle curly hair when dry
To detangle dry curly hair, you’ll want to use some curl cream to help create some lubrication and movement. You can use your fingers (be gentle) or a wide-tooth comb. This can work for looser curls, but there’s more risk of breakage.
How to detangle curly hair when wet
To detangle wet curly hair, use conditioner or a detangling spray and work in sections with a wide-tooth comb to detangle your still wet hair.
How to use a detangling comb
A detangling comb like the AirLight Pro Professional Comb can be used on type 5+ hair (curls and coils that have undergone chemical processing). The AirLight Pro Professional Comb detangles at the speed of light, thanks to its wide teeth.
Don’t get tangled up in the detangling process
The complex structure of curly hair is what makes it so wonderful to work with…and also what gets it all tangled up sometimes. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to how to detangle curly hair. Depending on your hair texture, you may opt for a dry or wet detangling process, and you’ll want to use the best tools. Curl cream, conditioner, and a wide-tooth comb are the pro-recommended essentials. And of course, a little patience.
How to detangle curly hair FAQ
Why does curly hair get tangled?
Because of its unique structure, with coiled or spiral shapes, friction is created among your strands of hair, which can lead them intertwining or forming knots.
How to detangle curly hair when dry?
Use curl cream to help create some lubrication and then use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to detangle.
How to detangle curly hair when wet?
To detangle wet curly hair, use conditioner or a detangling spray and work in sections with a wide-tooth comb to detangle your wet hair.
Can a detangler damage your hair?
Detanglers are designed for use on curly hair, but you still want to be careful in order to detangle without damage or breakage.
















