Why Is My Hair Getting So Knotted?

Detangling your hair is no easy feat, especially if you’re dealing with lots of knots and tangles. In exasperation, you may ask yourself, “Why is it so knotty?” The truth is there are several reasons why your hair gets so tangly. In this article, we will reveal the most common knotty hair culprits and give you a few tips for limiting knots and tangles.

Your Hair Texture

While straight hair is less prone to tangles and knotting, textured hair and knotting go hand in hand. If your hair is wavy curly or coily, you can expect much more knotting and tangling than someone who has straight hair. And this is because the twists, turns, and kinks in the hair easily intertwine with neighboring strands. If you like your textured mane, you’ll have to become accustomed to dealing with knots and tangles. Luckily, there are many ways to get through those tangles and prevent them from forming in the future - more on that later.

Excessive Brushing

We all need to brush or comb our hair regularly, but when you do it too often, you run the risk of developing split ends. Split ends lead to more tangling and consequently more brushing. It’s a vicious cycle. 

Dry Hair

Dry hair does not have enough lubrication to easily slide past other strands, making it prone to tangles and knots. And if moisture isn’t restored, the hair's cuticles become raised, and the hair becomes brittle. When this happens, the tangling gets worse and worse. 

Hair Buildup

The discovery of hair buildup can be surprising, but it’s more common than you may think. Buildup can come from products, dead skin cells, and debris from the external elements. If this debris and buildup are left in your hair, it can make your hair difficult to detangle.

Overprocessing

Whenever you apply chemicals to your hair to change its color or texture, the internal and external structure of the hair can be compromised. When this happens, the hair's cuticle may become raised and rough, which can contribute to tangles and knots.

How To Minimize Knots and Tangles

Knots and tangles can be minimized in several ways to make detangling easier. For the best results, follow these tips:

• Don’t overbrush. Brushing your hair too often will lead to split ends and damage, which will worsen tangling.

• Wash your hair thoroughly with a non-sulfate shampoo as needed. Those who use a lot of gels, stylers, and waxes need to wash their hair more often than those who don’t.

• Always keep your hair moisturized. Use a gentle shampoo with moisturizing ingredients, and follow it up with a conditioner or deep conditioner every time you wash. When your hair is clean, add some moisture with a leave-in conditioner and finish it off with an oil and/or a styler.

• Try not to overprocess your hair. The less you bleach, color, and otherwise process your hair, the healthier it will be and the fewer tangles you’ll have. 

We hope that the information presented in this article, along with the above tips, will help you eliminate stubborn knots and tangles for good.

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.