Detangling
Gently separating knots and shed hairs, ideally from the ends upwards, often with conditioner.
Detangling separates knots and removes shed hair caught in the strands. It is usually done on wet hair coated in conditioner, or on damp hair, working in small sections from the ends up to the roots with fingers or a wide-toothed comb, so knots slide out rather than being pulled tight. Curly and coily hair tangles easily because shed hairs stay in the curl. Patient detangling is the main way to avoid breakage.