Have you ever had to cut out a knot in your daughter’s hair? I had to cut knots out pretty regularly because she just would not let me completely finish brushing her hair. The knots would just grow and grow especially at the nape of her neck. It is still a struggle everyday to completely brush her hair out but I have found a few tricks for how to detangle hair quickly and without her screaming and crying.
I even recently cut a few inches off her hair to make it easier on us but I just love long hair. I put out a call to my friends to find out what everyone was using to make the whole process easier.
Tips for How to Detangle Hair
1.Conditioner + Detangling Spray – I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier. I had always just used baby shampoo on my boys but when my daughter hair grew a little longer when she was about 2 years old we went to get a haircut. The beautician immediately asked me if I was using conditioner on her hair. I said no, I hadn’t even thought about it. I always used detangling spray and didn’t know that I should also use actual conditioner. She could tell that her hair was dry and told me that I needed to add conditioner to our routine. I can’t believe I hadn’t even thought about needing conditioner. I switched to a shampoo + conditioner immediately. The difference was dramatic, her hair was so much softer.
2. Wide Tooth Comb/Wet Brush – The Wet Brush has been awesome for us. I started using it instead of a comb and it made the process of getting her hair untangled even faster. Plus, sometimes she even likes to brush her hair herself. The brush is easier for her to use than a comb.
3. Brush her hair before starting the bath – This is another a-ha moment for me. I have to do this for myself so why hadn’t it occurred to me to do this for my daughter. We both have super fine long thin hair. It helps tremendously to do a light brushing before we even start a bath. If we start the shampoo process with tangles it is just going to make our hair even more tangled so it is better to start with the least amount of problems.
4. Hold her hair above the tangle – I think most women know this but some that have always had short hair may not. If you hold the hair above the tangles with slack between your hold and their head it stops the hair from yanking at their scalp. The pain is always at the scalp so if you can keep the hair from pulling their then your child can’t even feel the pull of the hair.
5. Regular trims – This is where I have been going wrong. I was letting her hair grow for 6 months and then getting a couple of inches cut so that would mean only 2 haircuts per year. It is not worth it. If I keep her hair about the same length with regular trims the ends are healthier. Plus, there are less tangles which means less drama. Totally worth it!
With these tips and sometimes even using an iPad to distract her I have been able to finish. I can thoroughly brush her hair and get out all of the tangles. Now I wish she would let me put some braids in her hair and do a fancy up-do but one step at a time. 🙂
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These are great tips, actually. It’s definitely going to help if you brush before a bath. I like that tip about the conditioner and the detangler. It makes a lot of sense! These are so helpful!
It’s funny how I didn’t transfer using the things I do for myself to my daughter. Brushing before the bath and conditioner…then it finally clicked.
The wet brush along with a good detangler are life savers! My daughter has the same hair as I do, thick curly and a mess! She has always hated brushing it, but it has to be done.
Curly hair has got to be even more difficult. My sister got the curls in our family and her little girl has them too.
I have naturally curly hair, so I have lived with tangles all of my life. It HURTS to brush them out, so this is awesome.
These are great tips! I don’t have a little girl, but I remember my hair getting really tangled when I was younger. I am saving this for some of my friends with girls!
I had good luck with my daughter whose hair never got too knotty. These tips are good ones for those with little girls and curls.
With naturally very curly/frizzy hair, I can only comb it wet and use conditioner only every time I “wash” it. Shampoo maybe once a week. My hair gets very dry. These are all great things to help little girls hair get detangled, I wish I knew/had these things when I was little. I had really long hair and remember how it hurt when we tried to brush it dry.
I still remember when I was a girl how much I hated it. I think the biggest difference for my daughter was when I started using conditioner on her.
My girls get such knotty hair so I am always looking for different ways to detangle their hair. These tips will be so helpful!
I could use these tips for my 5 year old! We have curly hair and it’s not always easy to manage. Using a conditioner is definitely helpful!
I never knew regular trims could give a hand to stop tangles! The tears that come from tangles is so sad! Thanks for the tips!
The Wet Brush is the best invention ever. I use one myself and it really helps protect my fine hair. My sister also uses it on my niece’s hair with gets super tangled.
It’s funny how thin/fine hair gets so tangles. You would think it wouldn’t get as tangles as thick hair but it does.
Great advice. I always hate having to brush out tangles because I remember how much it hurt with I was a kid.
I wish my mum had seen this when I was younger, I have quite thick hair and it was always getting tangled, great ideas
Awww I kind of remembering crying when my mom would have to do my hair. I have very curly hair and not the easiest to detangle but it’s all about the conditioner!
I agree. I use cheap shampoo for myself but expensive conditioner.
I agree that the brush makes all the difference. We found the perfect detangling brush and now my daughter barely notices when I’m getting those knots out.
I totally agree with your tips on brushing your hair before starting the bath. I also tried this one before and it also worked for me.
Yes, it helps so much it is amazing.
My daughter has super curly hair so it gets pretty bad sometimes when it comes to tangles. Large toothed combs really do work wonders
Yes to this! I love to use a leave in conditioner in my hair to help it brush out better because after dying it it just hasn’t been the same!
I think this is very helpful for me too, since I don’t have a daughter. Really great tips!
Such great tips! Brushing my daughter’s hard is one of the worst times of the day, everyone is crying!!
So glad I read this!! If baby girl plays as hard as her brother does, she’ll need a good de tangler!
Great tips! I have learned that both a gentle detangle before washing and also detangling in sections, under running water, have helped me tremendously.
Conditioner really helps! I had to use this method when I was younger and got a huge tangle in my hair.
Such pretty photo of the girl.It sure is easier to detangle hair if you’d brush it before showering. It would also help using coconut oil once in a while. Nature’s best detangler!
I never thought about brushing hair before a bath. I always use after a wash when hair is dry.Therefore, it creates more hair fall. Thanks for the tips. I am using it from the last 2 weeks and it works.