9 Genuine Reasons Why Your Hair is Always Tangled in the Back

Every time you do your hair, you notice that the front and sides look moisturized and pretty.

But the back always feels dry and there are so many tangles!

I noticed that my hair always tangled in the back when I style my hair – I have incredibly curly hair and I’ve even had dreadlocks once or twice because of the insane tangling.

Also, I’ve seen some photographs of the back of my head, and it’s not pretty!

So, in this post, I’ve compiled several reasons why your hair is always tangled in the back and how you can fix it!

It doesn’t matter if you have curly or straight hair – the methods I mention will work for you.

Let’s dive in!

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Why is my hair always tangled in the back?

Your hair might not be moisturized. When hair is dry, it does get frizzy and it becomes more difficult to detangle. Additionally, if you sleep with your hair down or tie your hair in a ponytail or bun often without detangling and combing – knots will form more easily.

why is your hair always tangled in the back

Let’s try to understand this better.

1. You sleep with your hair down

Unless your hair is very soft, buttery, and silky straight – your hair is going to tangle when you sleep.

We toss and turn quite frequently and this will involve the hair at the back getting tangled especially as they keep rubbing against the cotton fibers of the pillowcase.

If you have curly/wavy hair – this will mean more tangles and knots.

So, here are some solutions that actually work:

Tie your hair up in a loose bun (it needs to be at the top of your head) using a satin scrunchy. Satin is so soft, it will reduce your tangles drastically! Because your hair is at the top in a bun, it won’t move as much and you won’t get tangles.
Use a satin pillowcase: This is a life-changer and will instantly reduce the friction between your hair and the pillow. Additionally, it will also help your skin health because the friction will reduce immensely.

I keep my hair in a loose top bun/ponytail with satin scrunchies most of the day.

this is how I keep my hair most of the day

Switching from cotton scrunchies to satin scrunchies not only reduced my hair fall drastically – my hair doesn’t tangle as much and it’s much easier to manage.

They also don’t get loose and are very comfortable – you don’t feel the tightness and the pull as you would from a cotton or regular scrunchy.

Do check it out – you won’t regret it.

Additionally, you can also tie your hair in a very loose braid before sleeping so that your hair doesn’t tangle. But in my personal opinion – the bun works better.

2. You’re using the wrong hair products

If you use a lot of heavy hair products but your hair is fine and your hair strands aren’t very thick, then your hair is going to be weighed down by the products.

This will mean using more shampoo or more clarifying shampoos to get rid of the excess oil, grease, and build-up which will lead to drier hair.

Furthermore, heavy or oily products will weigh down your hair and make it more susceptible to tangling and knotting.

Dry hair is already more prone to tangling, so using these products will make your hair sticky and messy – imagine trying to untangle a ball of yarn that’s been dipped in glue!

So, spend some time figuring out what products work for your hair.

I recently wrote a post on whether to use a curl butter or a curl cream for your hair based on its texture, you can check that out.

If you have wavy or straight hair, avoid heavy products for a while and see how your hair looks.

If you can make do with a hair serum – then that’s pretty much all you need.

Keep your hair routine simple.

I highly recommend getting the Garnier No-Frizz Hair Serum. Never have I seen such a cost-effective product work wonders for frizzy hair! It’s a raging success and I honestly love Garnier for this particular serum.

It also comes with a pump at the top and will last you a surprisingly long time!

3. You don’t brush or detangle regularly

Every time you wash your hair or you exercise and your hair gets sweaty, you need to detangle your hair.

It’s very crucial that you do not let knots and tangles build up.

If you leave them for a while or figure you’ll do it a few days later, the knots ride up and become bigger balls of tangles.

It could even become a deadlock (like how mine did) so it’s very crucial for you to brush your hair or detangle – based on your hair texture.

If you have straight hair or mild waves, apply a serum to your hair and gently brush your hair. You can also detangle your hair in the shower while you’re applying a conditioner.

Be very gentle when you detangle your hair. Don’t break the tangles or comb through them harshly – this will break your hair strands and even cause split ends.

If you are using a comb, start brushing from the bottom and work your hair up.

If you have curly or coily hair, only detangle it while putting in your conditioner or deep conditioner. You can also do it after you shower while your hair is still soft and wet.

Again, be very gentle with your hair – do not rush the process.

Whether you have curly or straight hair, make sure you use a hair mask at least 2-4 times a month. This will ensure that your hair is super moisturized and doesn’t tangle often.

When your hair is buttery soft and moisturized, it isn’t going to detangle as easily – this is a fact.

I highly recommend the Argan Oil Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner. I talk about this product a lot only because it’s a holy grail of moisture.

Everyone I’ve suggested to use this product comes back to me with raving reviews!

I cannot get over how beautiful, glossy, and soft my curls are after using it.

4. Your hair is constantly in a ponytail or bun

Picture this: You’ve thrown your hair up in a ponytail or bun, ready to take on the day. But sometimes, you feel that familiar tuf and pull of tangles in the back.

Why?

Because if you do this every single day, you are going to get tangles.

Let me explain.

Think of it like a tangled ball of yarn (I wasn’t a cat in a previous life, this is just a really good metaphor), the more it’s pulled and twisted, the more knots it forms.

The same goes for your hair. Plus, if you’re constantly putting your hair up and taking it down, it will form knots and your hair gets caught on itself.

This happened to me since I work from home.

So, I feel your pain if this is happening to you too.

Now, the best way to deal with this is to keep switching up your hairstyle.

Try a braid or roll it in a bun. Detangle your hair before you style it – this will ensure that your hair is tangle free before it’s tied or left loose.

Switching hairstyles will also reduce the stress on the parts of your head that get pulled often.

For instance, if you keep tying ponytails, the hair at the sides of your head will have a lot of stress and may experience a lot more wear and tear.

So, switching up hairdos actually has many benefits.

5. You do not use conditioner

Ah, conditioner – the magical elixir that can make even the driest of hair silky smooth.

I am not exaggerating when I say that conditioner is what helps my hair look normal. Without it, I’d probably be roaming around with a rat’s nest for hair.

It isn’t necessary for every single hair wash, but you do need it once in a while.

Conditioner not only moisturizes your hair but also helps detangle it. Without that extra slip and slide that conditioner provides, your hair will become more prone to tangling and knotting.

Without conditioner your hair strands can’t slide easily past each other, leading to tangles and knots.

So, use conditioner at least 1-2 times a week.

If you feel that you don’t need it as much, reduce it to 1 time in 2 weeks.

Everyone’s hair and needs are different.

I use a leave-in conditioner every time I wash my hair because I have very curly hair that’s prone to dryness.

For normal dry and frizzy hair, I suggest using the Garnier Leave In Conditoner It’s light and won’t weigh down your hair.
For curly or coily hair that’s dry and frizzy, I suggest using the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In.

6. You haven’t trimmed your hair in a while

We all get split ends.

Our hair grows from the root (the scalp) and not the ends.

So, the ends of our hair wear out after a while and split.

If you don’t trim your hair often, these split ends are going to rise up, damaging the rest of the hair. This will also lead to hair not growing or becoming dry and frizzy.

Touch the ends of the hair.

If you can see that the ends are extremely dry and frizzy, book a hair appointment now and get your split ends trimmed.

Contrary to popular belief, trimming only your split ends will help your hair grow faster.

7. You’ve exposed your hair to a lot of wind and sun

you expose your hair to too much sun and wind

Now although it’s not something most of us knew grew up – the sun and wind actually do a bit of damage to skin and hair.

Sunscreen has gained popularity for a reason.

It doesn’t just damage skin, it damages hair too.

This is why a lot of surfers have very light hair.

A lot of sun exposure not only dries out your hair but also lightens it a couple of shades. If you have red or blonde hair, you’ll notice that it lightens a few shades if you spend an entire summer in the sun.

UV rays can damage the outer layer of your hair leading to dryness, breakage, and split ends. This can make your hair more prone to tangling and knotting.

Additionally, when the wind blows your hair around, it can get caught on itself leading to pesky tangles.

My earnest suggestion if you are spending a lot of time outdoors, is to use a sun protectant for your hair.

You can also use a hat or scarf to protect your hair.

8. You’re not drying your hair gently

If you use a blow dryer frequently, this is going to eventually cause a lot of problems for your hair.

Heating tools are going to damage your hair as the continuous heat exposure eventually damages the cuticle layer (the outer layer of your hair). This layer is responsible for protecting the more sensitive layers underneath – but when it’s damaged, the inner layers become exposed.

As a result, your hair will become dry and brittle over time because the inner layers which contain the hair’s natural oils and proteins are no longer protected. This will cause the proteins to break down leading to split ends and breakage.

So, how do you prevent this?

Let your hair air-dry as much as possible. Try to avoid using heat.
If you have to blow dry, please use a strong heat protectant spray.
Use a microfiber towel when drying hair and pat instead of rubbing. This will reduce friction and cause less hair damage.

Do not ever blow dry, straighten or curl your hair without using a heat protectant spray – this is absolutely necessary to maintain good hair health.

9. You don’t wash your hair enough

We all have natural oils that are produced by our scalps. These oils called sebum help to moisturize and protect our hair.

Now, when we don’t wash our hair frequently enough, these oils will build up on the scalp and even accumulate dirt – making it look and feel greasy.

But here’s the thing – as the oil keeps building up, it actually starts damaging the hair.

How?

The excess oil clogs hair follicles and prevents hair from getting the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

Additionally, oil and dirt on the scalp lead to inflammation and irritation on the scalp that can cause itching and even hair loss in extreme cases.

So, how often should we be washing our hair?

It depends on our hair type and lifestyle.

If you have oily hair or work out frequently, then you will need to wash your hair 3-4 times a week. Whereas a person who doesn’t sweat much and doesn’t have very greasy hair can manage with 1-2 times a week.

In general, it’s a good idea to wash your hair at least once every 2-3 days to keep it clean and healthy.

Use a gentle shampoo if you are washing your hair frequently.

Use a stronger clarifying shampoo if you wash your hair only 1-2 times a week.

It’s all about finding the right balance.

How do I stop my hair from tangling in the back?

Let’s summarize everything I’ve said. So to stop your hair from tangling in the back, you have to make sure to:

Keep your hair in a protective hairstyle when sleeping like a loose bun or a braid so that it doesn’t frizz up too much
Use the right hair products for your hair and make sure you use a hair mask 1-2 times a month at least. This will ensure your hair is moisturized.
Detangle your hair every time you wash it.
Wash your hair regularly to avoid product buildup.
Dry your hair gently using a microfiber towel and try to air-dry as much as possible. Avoid using heating tools.
Trim your hair every 3-4 months to get rid of all split ends.
Protect your hair when you spend a lot of time outdoors.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions – I am more than happy to help you!

Here are some posts to help you care for your hair: