Aggressive brushing and combing can yank healthy hair from the scalp and split knotty hairs. While finger detangling won't make your hair grow any faster, it will minimize breakage and keep more hair on your head, possibly helping you to retain length over time.
Finger combing is a very beneficial way of detangling natural hair that consists of using solely your fingers to remove shed hair and tangles from your natural hair as opposed to using combs and/or brushes.
Finger detangling has helped me to increase hair density and length retention. It takes a little bit longer than just combing but I enjoy the feeling of playing with my hair lol. I detangle in wet hair, very lightly and I take my time. I do that first initial detangle outside of the shower.
How Often Should You Detangle Natural Hair? You most likely won't be taking a comb or brush to your curls daily, but detangling should happen at least every wash day.
Weekly, on freshly shampooed hair. Apply conditioner to sectioned, soaking wet hair. Finger detangle first to get out major tangles. Follow up with a detangle brush for natural hair, starting with the ends of your hair, making your way up to the roots.
Before washing, spray your hair with water, then apply an oil or conditioner of your choosing to help loosen up the knots. Let the product sit for about 30 minutes. Separate your hair into sections (Dellinger recommends creating about 10) and start slowly finger-combing hair, detangling ends and working upward.
Is it better to detangle your hair wet or dry? The best way to detangle natural hair is while it is wet. The wetter your hair, the better your conditioning product can absorb into your hair shaft, making it easier to slip your fingers or comb through any hair knot in its way.
The life cycle of your hair has phases where it grows, rests, and sheds. If it's wash day or the first time you're detangling in a week then expect to lose way more than 50-100 hairs in a week and this is completely normal.
As the hair pick has longer, wider-set teeth, it is the number-one grooming tool choice for afro hair or curly hair types. It not only detangles with minimal tension and damage to the hair strand; it also helps lift from the root, creating big, voluminous hair.
Gentle Fro Pick
Curl combs, brushes and picks can help detangle your curls with minimal breakage and hair fall. Using your fingers can be time-consuming, but you have all the control when feeling for those tangles or separating those knots apart. Your fingers are a much gentler approach to detangling.
"Tangling is more common in dry and damaged hair because the cuticles don't lie flat, which allows strands to snag against each other and become intertwined," says Rubin. One way to reduce dryness is to use a sulfate-free shampoo, as these cleansers remove dirt without stripping the hair of its natural oils.
Detangle your dry hair first with your fingers. Then, use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush to gently remove any remaining knots. For hair that's extremely prone to tangles, detangling pre-shower with a product with a good bit of slip is a great way to make your hair more manageable.
When you brush and loosen your hair, strands definitely come out on your brush, but when you don't brush your hair, the natural hair you lose everyday will buildup and come out in the shower drain. Don't be alarmed, it's normal to lose 50-100 strands a day.
The cardinal rule when trying to detangle hair wet or dry is to brush or comb in small sections, starting at the ends and slowly and very gently working your way up. This way you can gently remove the tangles instead of aggressively trying to break through them by brushing from root to tip.
Wet hair is far weaker than dry hair, being more susceptible to breakage and damage from just about anything – heat and pulling on the hair strands are more likely to damage wet hair than dry. Hair is made up largely of a number of proteins called keratins.
A well-formulated conditioner should work right away, so there is no need to leave it in in for longer than a few seconds. If you have particularly knotty hair, gently comb the conditioner through in the shower before rinsing using a wide tooth comb. Start at the ends of your hair and gradually work up.
Hair that's wet and filled with moisture is more fragile than hair that's dry, which can result in snapping when brushed. As such, it's recommended to brush hair in a dry state (guide-to-detangling-curls). This may mean allowing your hair to air-dry post-shower before beginning to comb through hair strands.
Finger waving is a method of moulding the hair into S-shaped movements with the hands, fingers and comb. It is also called water waving or setting.
Taking down finger coils and avoiding tangles and breakage is possible. With some patience while detangling, and using the right conditioners, you can prevent hair damage each time you remove finger coils. Start by unraveling your finger coils before you shampoo and condition your hair.
Hair grows from the root and no hairstyle will cause it to grow faster. But, finger coils used as a protective hairstyle can help prevent excess hair breakage and retain length.
While finger detangling won't make your hair grow any faster, it will minimize breakage and keep more hair on your head, possibly helping you to retain length over time.
Everyday combing and detangling increases the likelihood of removing hair from your scalp that could still be well, hair on your head. Over time, hair may appear thinner and if done excessively, can cause trauma to the follicle to the point where hair will not regrow.
If You Have Curly Hair, Use Your Fingers or a Paddle Brush While Your Hair is Wet. If you have a curly or wavy hair, Fugate says your hands are your best tools. "Most girls who have curly hair should put their hands on their scalp and then rake their fingers through," he says.