If you don't want to use chemicals, conditioner and combing is the way to go. Do it every couple of days. Some say hairspray helps prevent them. I used to make a spray with water, lavender, tee tree and rose geranium essential oils and a blob of conditioner in a spray bottle filled with water and sprayed the kids hair with it every morning when I brushed it. I'm not sure whether it worked but it made me feel better lol.