How to Get Gum Out of Your Hair

Oh no! Were you in the middle of blowing your best bubble gum bubble only to end up with a piece of gum stuck in your hair? Regardless of how it got there, getting gum in your hair is no joke. We’re sure you’d rather avoid an impromptu haircut, and fortunately, you can. If you’re wondering how to get gum out of hair sans cutting, you’re in luck. Below, we’re sharing two methods, courtesy of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), for how to remove gum from hair without sacrificing your long hair. Of course, if you want to take this unfortunate incident as a sign to chop your locks—we’ve got plenty of layered haircut inspiration, too.

HOW TO GET GUM OUT OF HAIR

Before we dive into the topic of gum removal methods, the first thing you should do when you get gum stuck in your hair is to isolate the affected strands. This can be done by tying or clipping the rest of your hair up and out of the way with a hair elastic or by wrapping the victimized strands with some aluminum foil. You wouldn’t want more hair to get stuck in a gum trap, would you? After you’ve sectioned off your hair, take your pick from one of the following methods to remove that unwanted piece of gum.

GUM REMOVAL METHOD #1: USE PEANUT BUTTER

Yum—who doesn’t love peanut butter? Unfortunately, this time around you won’t be indulging in a salty snack, but rather putting peanut butter to use as a gum removal tactic. Think we’re kidding? Think again! The oils in peanut butter will make the chewing gum stiffer and less sticky, meaning it will be easier to remove. Here’s what to do:

Step #1: Grab your peanut butter. The AAD recommends choosing a jar of creamy peanut butter, so skip the crunch.

Step #2: Cover the gum. Use your fingers or an old toothbrush to cover the gum with peanut butter.

Step #3: Wait it out. It’ll take a few minutes for the peanut butter to do its thing, so be patient!

Step #4: Remove the gum. Carefully remove the gum from your hair using your fingers or a comb. Take your time, so you don't pull out any strands or cause damage!

Step #5: Wash your hair. After you’ve removed the gum from your hair, wash your strands as you normally would with your go-to shampoo and conditioner.

GUM REMOVAL METHOD #2: TRY VEGETABLE OIL

Aside from peanut butter, you can also use a vegetable oil, such as olive oil, to remove gum from your hair. Grab the oil from the pantry and give it a try.

Step #1: Coat the gum. As with the peanut butter, you’ll want to use your fingers or an old toothbrush to cover the gum in vegetable oil.

Step #2: Let it sit. Wait a few minutes for the vegetable oil to work its magic.

Step #3: Set your hair free. Complete your rescue mission by gently removing the gum from your hair. Ended up with gum stuck on your eyebrows or eyelashes? The AAD states vegetable oil is especially useful for this.

Step #4: Cleanse and condition. Wash your hair as you normally would to get rid of any gum residue and be left with a clean hair slate.

HOW TO CUT GUM OUT OF YOUR HAIR

Stuck with no other option besides a haircut? Or maybe you were feeling a cut anyway, and this was the push you needed. Either way, there are plenty of ways to cut the gum free from your mane and be left with a stunning style in the end. Here are a few recommendations based on where the gum is stuck.

If you have gum stuck on your ends…try a U shape or V shape haircut. Both of these haircut options focus on creating a layered look at the ends of your hair. This meaning you can get away with cutting gum out of your mane without losing all of your length.

If you have gum stuck on your mid-lengths…try a medium-length layered haircut. While you may have to sacrifice some length, you won’t have to lose it all! Just as with a U or V-shaped haircut, layers will help disguise the area of hair that fell victim to the gum without the need to lose a lot of length throughout the rest of your mane.

If you have gum stuck towards your roots…try a pixie haircut. We understand this may be a drastic change if you’re used to long locks, but we promise pixies are all the rage for 2019. Don’t believe us? Here are 5 Pixie Hairstyles for the Short Hair of Your Dreams.

Next up: Thinking about giving yourself a chop? Before you do, head over to our article, Is it a Good Idea to Cut Your Own Hair?