Fine hair tangles easily when worn long. These tangles can cause hair breakage and be painful to remove when brushing and styling your hair. Wind, sleeping and sports activities all contribute to fine hair tangles, and it often seems impossible to prevent this from happening. Make a few changes in your hair-care routine to encourage tangle-free hair.
Condition your hair daily after each washing. Keeping your hair properly moisturized helps keep tangles at bay by softening the hair shaft, making it harder to become entwined with other individual hairs. Leave-in conditioners may help. If your hair is oily, opt for a lightweight oil-free leave-in conditioner and apply while hair is still damp.
Towel dry and air dry your hair. Heat drying with a blow dryer strips the hair of essential oils and dries it out, causing it to tangle more easily. Air drying your hair will keep moisture intact for styling.
Cover your pillow with a satin pillowcase to keep hair smoothed while you're sleeping. Cotton and polyester pillowcases catch the hair as you move, causing tangles. Furthermore, these pillowcases absorb oils from the hair, making it drier than normal. Satin is nonabsorbent and will allow your hair to move freely as you rest.
Pull your hair up into a ponytail or bun using an fabric-wrapped hair elastic. These elastics have no metal clip so they don't snag the hair. Use these when exercising or going outside on a windy day. They are also ideal for car trips with the windows down or sunroof open.
Wear a cotton turban when applying makeup, just before dressing for the day. This will keep your hair in one place when you pull shirts over your head or pull on a jacket that may snag long hair. After dressing, remove the turban and brush your hair.
Apply oil-free and alcohol-free styling products such as gels and mousse to hair while it's damp. Styling dry hair will worsen tangles and form new ones.