Detangle & section

Choose a way to separate tangles, organize sections or take down braids.

11 guides · Free to read

Choose your starting point

For ordinary tangles, compare using your fingers with using a wide-tooth comb. The pre-poo guide covers dry loose curls or coils with a product explicitly made for detangling before shampoo, followed by its full wash sequence. Sectioning organizes hair for the next task. Removing extension braids is a separate process with its own limits; read that guide before starting a takedown.

Compare the methods

Explore the methods below. Open a guide for when to use it, what you’ll need and the full steps.

A woman holds a dry hair section above a paddle brush positioned near its ends.

1–5 min hands-on

Brush dry straight or wavy hair without pulling

Gentle dry brushing loosens tangles and smooths dry, loose straight or wavy hair. It uses supported sections to limit pulling at the roots.

Supporting a product-coated section above the tips while fingertips gently release a small snag.

15–35 min hands-on

Detangle before shampoo with a pre-poo

Pre-poo detangling uses a product made for use before shampoo to help fingers or a comb move through ordinary tangles.

Woman supports a damp wavy-curly section while a wide-tooth comb begins at the lowest hair tips.

5–20 min hands-on

Detangle with a wide-tooth comb

A wide-tooth comb separates tangled hair with widely spaced teeth. Starting at the ends lets you clear one small part of a tangle at a time.

Woman with wet coily-curly hair using both hands to separate one reachable side section for finger detangling.

5–30 min hands-on

Detangle with your fingers

Finger detangling means easing tangled strands apart by hand. It lets you feel a snag and work on a few strands at a time.

The support hand stays above the transition while fingertips detangle conditioned ends upward.

3–10 min hands-on

Handle the line between new growth and treated lengths

Demarcation-line handling supports the boundary between new growth and chemically treated lengths during conditioned ends-up detangling.

Both hands lift long hair clear before a collar and backpack strap touch the nape.

1–3 min hands-on

Prevent nape tangles while wearing long hair down

Nape-tangle prevention keeps the underside of long hair smooth, dry and loosely contained during higher-friction periods.

An adult frees a few outer strands while holding the manual brush steady beside the shoulder.

3–10 min hands-on

Release a small snag from a round brush

Round-brush snag release separates caught outer strands and reverses the wrap so a manual brush can leave a small accessible hair section without being dragged out.

A woman supports the hair above a small gum patch while easing the loosened gum onto a cloth.

5–15 min hands-on

Remove chewing gum from hair

A small amount of plain vegetable oil coats chewing gum caught in loose hair so it can be eased away before normal washing.

A woman uses both hands to separate her own damp curls along a rough part toward the back of her head.

1–3 min hands-on

Section your hair for washing and styling

Sectioning divides loose hair into manageable portions so you can reach one area at a time while washing or styling.

Both hands separating one reachable back section by touch while the hand mirror rests on the counter.

2–5 min hands-on

Style the back of your head with two mirrors

Two-mirror styling alternates a rear-view check with hands-on work after the hand mirror is set down.

Separating the lowest crossing of a braid into three loose strand bundles.

2–6 hr hands-on

Take down extension braids at home

Braid takedown reverses a braided installation and separates the released hair for subsequent care.