“It works like Velcro; if your cuticles start rubbing against each other, that creates one of the causes of tangles,” says professional hairstylist Adam Reed, founder of Arkive Headcare. 

“Of course, this depends on the hair type and how the cuticles sits,” he notes, so not everyone prone to tangles will have high porosity hair and vice versa—but it’s definitely a common reason. 

Some folks simply have high porosity hair as is, while others have strands that become more porous as they become exposed to damaging factors like UV rays, hair bleaching, chemical relaxers, and so on. 

So if your hair tangles easily, it might be due to the highly porous cuticle; so you should take extra caution when styling it, as it may be even more prone to breakage.

Below, discover a few expert-approved tips to encourage healthier strands with fewer tangles: