How to Untangle Your Child’s Haircare Between Cuts

Even when your child wants nothing more than to grow their hair long, it is still incredibly important to keep those ends in great shape. Why? One word. Tangles. Which in turn leads to —  tantrums and tears. Damaged and frayed ends will always tangle! So the most important thing to do to avoid them is to keep up with regular trim appointments every six to eight weeks. Healthy hair – and hair-happy kids – begins with healthy ends. That being said, there are, of course, other things you can do to keep those locks smooth and (relatively) tangle-free between salon visits. While it may seem like they are a little time-consuming, we promise that they are well worth the investment to lessen the tangle-drama.

Always use conditioner

While your child’s hair may seem like it doesn’t need it, as it is has never been treated or coloured, always use conditioner. Shampoo, along with dirt and dandruff, also removes the hair’s natural protective oils. That is true even of the special kids’ variety. While the conditioner is in the wet hair, use a wide toothed comb to distribute it evenly over the strands. This way you take your first steps to combat those tangles before they even get a chance to form! Now, while taking the time to apply rinse-out conditioner is a crucial first step, it is also vital to invest in a good post-wash hair detangling spray. Grab that, a couple of clips, a wide toothed comb or brush, and, if you have a younger child, a toy or something fun for them to do to keep them occupied.

Apply detangling spray and a little patience

Section off the bottom part of the hair, and clip the rest on top. Spray the detangler on the bottom section, beginning at the roots and moving to the tips of the hair. However, then you want to start working through the tangles in the opposite direction – from tips to roots! Work through a small part at the time, and hold on to the hair closer to the roots to prevent uncomfortable and potentially painful tugging. When you are done with the bottom part of the hair, section off the next part, pin the rest, and keep working your way through like that. This can be done while hair is still wet, or after it has dried.

Never let your child go to bed with wet hair

Speaking of wet hair… never let your child go to bed with it! That is a recipe for tangle disaster. Which means morning mayhem. And when you brush your child’s hair in the morning, make sure you do it properly and not just the top layer. If there are tangles left underneath, they are bound to enlist the rest of the hair and get up to all kinds of shenanigans throughout the day. Which will in turn make night-time brushing all that more traumatic and time-consuming. So there you are, a few easy steps to keep everyone tangle-free between trims. Which, may we add, should always be with a stylist who specialises in kids hair. In fact, at Kids Hairplay, we even offer specialised detangling treatments, because sometimes there just isn’t enough wide-toothed time throughout a regular day.