How often do you detangle your hair?

[Dragon]

How often do you do a part detangle and full detangle? And how long does it take you?

[Jane99]

Hi Dragon! I’m at about MBL about 1c (I think) and I detangle every day. Some days twice a day. Full detangle in the morning, sometimes just a finger detangle in the evening. It takes me about 5-10 minutes.

[cat11]

Once a day. if I do it consistently once per day it only takes about 10-20 min. I go slow when I do it.

[Feral_]

Usually once per day. Today it will be twice as I detangled it first thing and I’m going to do it later as I’ll be using my BBB. It takes about 5-10 minutes and my hair is MBL.

[lapis_lazuli]

For me it ranges from once per day to once every 5 days. It just depends how much attention I'm paying to my hair. It's easy for me to put it up and forget it for a few days, but tangles are the consequence of that.

[Zesty]

Usually once a day in the afternoon, though sometimes I go a few days without. Rarely I'll go through a phase of detangling twice a day.

[Bri-Chan]

About twice a week, before or/and during washing (with conditioner in it). It can take everything from 5 to 20 minutes. Sometimes I detangle one more time in the week, like if I want to do dutch braids.

[melesine]

I detangle fully before washing my hair so usually 2-3 times a week. I do curly girl method, unless I’m wearing my hair straight then I’ll detangle while styling. Basically I don’t comb my hair unless it’s needed.

[knobbly]

I use a wooden comb or brush to detangle 1-2x a day, usually prior to braiding or bunning my hair. Occasionally I’ll keep a style in for over 24 hours, but not really more than a few times a month. I also always detangle prior to washing, and then after my hair comes out of my turbie (damp) with a Tangle Teezer.

[Lesley8]

I detangle once a day usually in the morning at night I just braid it for bed.

[Finda]

Once or twice a day, depending on the hairstyle I wear.

[Deborah]

Twice a day, when dressing and when getting ready for bed. It takes me less than a minute. I can't imagine not doing it every day. I like the scalp stimulation and removing any tangle.

[MusicalSpoons]

I used to comb every day, and before that twice a day (once when I got up, once before bed). Now, the only times I guarantee I will thoroughly detangle are the day before wash day when I will oil it (takes 5-10mins), then on washday before wetting and putting conditioner on (to soak, removes the oil better and my hair loves a deep condition for hours; combing takes maybe 3-5mins) and once during the wash. I then detangle if I feel like it, usually 3-5 days after the wash. How long it takes varies, but no more than 10mins.

If I do a scalp wash I will comb, whether it's thorough with my fine-toothed comb or less thorough with a wider comb or even my jumbo rake depends how long it's been since I washed, and how long it's been since I last combed and how my hair is feeling. Still no more than 10mins though, more like 5-7. I tend to use the rake or wide comb afterwards, when my hair is dry enough, or the next day. Otherwise shed hairs from the scalp wash get a bit tangled, and the extra frizz from the scalp wash won't be tamed at all if I don't comb :lol:

[CopperButterfly]

3 or 4 times a day. Generally once before showering, once after showering, and then after it's dry before bunning it, and sometimes before bed. So I guess I brush my hair a lot, but it's something I enjoy, and it usually takes me less than 5 min. My hair doesn't seem to mind. :)

[shelomit]

For most of my life I've detangled either daily or twice daily (once just after getting up, once right before bed). My hair is getting a little more laid-back in its old age, apparently, and now I find that I can get away with just detangling in the wash if I want to--so once or twice a week. So these days I do it more or less often, depending on my available time and how I want to wear my hair. (If I wear braids, I typically detangle it immediately beforehand so that the braid is neater/less lumpy with wurls--but I'm also a bun person most of the time.)

When detangling on wash day, I use a brush like this one (https://www.amazon.com/Conair-Professional-Nylon-Cushion-Colors/dp/B001T8S7T8) as though it were a wet brush. On wet hair, it only takes a minute or two. When detangling dry, it's a mixture of finger-combing and comb-combing, depending on how cantankerous my hair is being. That takes much longer, more like fifteen minutes.

[Iyashikei]

Once after getting up, once while conditioning and once after I took a shower. In other words, three times every day. It's a necessity but if I manage to keep my hair hydrated it only takes two minutes. If I don't it can take me two hours.

[Rowdy]

Once or twice a day.

[Carol92]

Twice a day, usually in the morning and before going to sleep. Or, if it's a wash day, right before the shower, after the hair dries, and at night.

[SwanFeathers]

Twice a day, or whenever I change styles.

[RebekahE]

I detangle once in the morning with a wooden comb before braiding my hair. I also detangle with my comb on wet hair after getting out of the shower. If I'm going to wear my hair down I dentagle with the comb then use my bbb with wooden wooden bristles to smooth my hair out.

[lapushka]

The right way, with a brush, once a week. Then Tuesday through Saturday I finger detangle before bed. Monday I don't need to, because not a thing will come out.

I finger detangle by separating strands over the sink (so it's contained), in 2, and those 2 each in 3, and running my hands over it. It works like a charm & keeps my texture (yes it will sag as the week goes on but that's normal).

[0xalis]

At the very least once a day, but often plenty times more than that. I have very fine, tangley hair. My hair tangles even at pixie length lol. That's with sleeping on satin and being very gentle!
If I oil my hair, or have lots of sebum, 5 minutes tops. Freshly washed hair, looking at more like 10-20+ minutes to get it tangle free enough to run a brush through.
I am lucky that it is so healthy and resilient because I can still wear it down without damaging it much, but it annoys me, so I seldom wear it down in public anymore. Wearing it down guarantees I will have to detangle multiple times that day.
Generally it doesn't bother me having to detangle it though, it's an excuse to run my hands through it :p And it's something I can do while doing other things like watching a show or scrolling through the forum!

[momof3mary]

Every day however my hair is short and fine so it takes 30 seconds flat.

[Jools69]

Every day by combing in the mornings. I only comb it again if I wash it or style it later on.

I don’t usually have many tangles, as I have it mostly up during the day and sleep with it tied back.

[lithostoic]

I only detangle it if I'm wearing it straight. If I leave it wavy I only use the brush to smooth out bumps when putting my hair up for work. Oh and I detangle it in the shower when I wash my hair which is like 3-7 days

[The Lizard Wife]

Multiple times a day. Each time takes a few minutes at most. Comb or brush it after I get up in the morning. Before any styling. During any styling; I can maybe pull my hair back into a low pony without a comb but even then it would be better to use a comb to do so. After taking down any styling. Any time I happen to be playing with my hair and find tangles. Any time I happen to walk by my comb and go "eh I should give my hair a quick comb." Any time before I leave the house. Any time I want my hair to lie down nice. Before a wash (I no longer detangle during wash or at at any point when my hair is wet. Turns out my hair hates that, and the tangles will disappear as it dries!). Every night before bed.

I guess it doesn't really need to be combed constantly, and I've had the very occasional day recently where I've gone almost-without. But it's what I've always done and I like it. And since my hair is straight, it looks its best freshly brushed or combed.

[sipnsun]

I detangle every morning when I put it up, then again at night when I take it down and braid it for bed. It only takes a few minutes unless I wear it down, then it will take a bit longer because my fine strands tangle easily.

[Bacs]

Usually, twice a day I will go through my hair with a tangle teezer. Once before bunning in the morning and once in the evening before braiding.

Some days I forget about braiding and leave it in a bun to sleep. It is much more of a pain to deal with my hair the next time I take it down, though. My hair tangles easily.

[cestlavie]

Twice a day with a wetbrush. In the morning after getting up and putting my hair up for the day and in the evening before bed.

[Wendyp]

Once a day before work with a wide tooth comb and very gently.

[WavyWannabe]

I always detangle before washing (which happens once a week), but I usually don't bother to detangle during the week so it takes me between half an hour and one hour because it is a mess (lol).
I'm trying to change that though; at least detangle after my hair has dried, before putting it up.
Also when I decide to try a new style or to switch from a bun to a braid during the week, I need to detangle beforehand.
Tl;dr: I detangle once or twice per week, and it takes me between twenty minutes and one hour.

[Saraesa]

I detangle my hair once a week when I wash it. Since I keep my hair in 6 separate braids it doesn't take long. Mostly because my hair never gets a chance to tangle. For my hair an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of conditioner and several hours of misery. lol

[aloewurly]

I dutifully finger comb and take out shed hairs every wash, that is, every other day or so. That way my hair doesn't get a chance to tangle (I'm not prone to them at my length, anyways).

[school of fish]

I detangle probably 2-3 times a day on average - I S&C daily so one detangling before my shower and then another one or occasionaly two throughout the day. I suppose you could count combing conditioner through in the shower as another detangling as well ;)

My hair is very very fine and compressable with cobweb silk texture and becomes a disaster of microtangles if I don't deal with it frequently. It finds a way to tangle even when contained in a braid or bun. I've found I get far less mechanical damage from detangling often than from working through microknots that have set.

Fortunately it's a quick process so long as I keep on top of it - rarely more than 5 minutes and usually less than that :)

[KokoroDragon]

If I'm not going anywhere, I'll leave a braid in for 24 hours, and detangle when I redo it once a day. If I'm being lazy, I'll go 2-5 days without taking out the braid. But lately I've been bunning during the day, so then I detangle twice a day, whenever I go from braid to bun and bun to braid.

So, I guess anywhere from twice a day to twice a week.

[sky-]

I usually do it everyday or every other day. I've been keeping it in some kind of braid or bun lately so it's been very easy. If it wear it down it's more tangled but easy to manage because I do it every day

[jessikitty]

I detangle my hair roughly on a daily basis. It's very straight, so it's pretty easy to detangle.

[Simsy]

I used to detangle every day or so; but now I only bother a couple of times a week if I’m pulling it down fairly regularly. If I’m skipping washday, I just leave it up and alone.

[curlqueenjadine]

I detangle my curls weekly:)

[Stagecoach]

I detangle twice a day. Typically it only takes me 2 minutes or so for my almost TBL hair.

[Kwolf248Mane]

I detangle once a day everyday and it takes me about twenty minutes.

[BuddhaBelle]

can you detangle your hair TOO much? I do it about twice a day but I find myself doing it about 5 times if I wear my hair down :eek:

[BuddhaBelle]

If I'm not going anywhere, I'll leave a braid in for 24 hours, and detangle when I redo it once a day. If I'm being lazy, I'll go 2-5 days without taking out the braid. But lately I've been bunning during the day, so then I detangle twice a day, whenever I go from braid to bun and bun to braid.

So, I guess anywhere from twice a day to twice a week.

teach me how to wear a braid to sleep and wake up with it looking tidy :O

[Feral_]

can you detangle your hair TOO much? I do it about twice a day but I find myself doing it about 5 times if I wear my hair down :eek:

Yes you can as it’s getting handled more so it’s like an overuse injury for your hair. That’s the point of the retentive styles like buns and braids, less overall mechanical damage.

[Dark40]

I detangle in the morning every single day, and at night before I go to bed. I usually put in it a half-bun or 2 braids.

[lapushka]

Still detangling with a brush once a week, before the wash, then after the wash (after hair comes out the towel). I use a wet brush knock-off both times. Rest of the week I finger detangle by separating strands and getting the sheds out (by moving my hands over the section of hair).

[The Lizard Wife]

can you detangle your hair TOO much? I do it about twice a day but I find myself doing it about 5 times if I wear my hair down :eek:

I suspect it depends on your hair, like so much else. I see that I'm in the minority on this thread, detangling/combing my hair pretty much any time my hair is down and I walk by my comb and go "eh why not." My hair is pretty resistant to most mechanical damage, so I don't tend to get breakage from detangling or shed more hairs on days I detangle more. A lot of other people on the forum have found this is not the case for them!

So for me, there's not really such a thing as too much (unless I'm detangling wet, which seemed like a very logical habit until I realized it made me lose more hair, even though it really works great for others!). For other people, definitely yes. So it'll take some observation of your hair to figure out how much detangling is okay for you.

[JasminxCat]

I used to 8+ times a day. I used to think if it wasn't perfectly brushed, it was messy. Now I do 1-3. Sometimes I won't on certain days

[barnet_fair]

Until I reached several inches past waist length, I didn't really understand what "detangling" was. I could always run my fingers or a comb through my hair easily, and the sheds would just fall out all over the place. I didn't know why some LHC members spent so long detangling each day - were they habitually riding motorcycles, their fine hair streaming behind them majestically in the wind?

Needless to say, I get it now. :D My hair has got longer, wavier, and coarser with age. Now I finger detangle, BBB, and sometimes oil before bed (usually bunned these days). Also prior to washing. Takes 5-10min.

[lakhesis]

If it is a wash day, then before washing and after drying it. That takes the longest, easily over 10 minutes.
When I am not washing, I detangle in the morning when I take it out of the braid - max 2 minutes, since it was contained. And then before bed and the time depends on how I was wearing the hair during the day - if it was down, I am probably back to over 10 minutes.

[Mariekeeee14]

I detangle twice on non-wash days. In the morning when I take my braid out and in the evening before putting it back in. Inbetween I wear a braid or a bun.

On wash day it depends on if I've taken my sleeping braid out yet. If I have, that's one time extra, also to direct my hair backwards. I also use a brush to distribute my leave in and style it a little, but then it's already finger detangled in the shower so no knots.

I use the ultimate tangle teezer, since for my it's the most thorough yet gentle way