This was a good thread to bump.
What I've learned is BEFORE I wash I need CONDITIONER, CONDITIONER, CONDITIONER! I put my hair in four sections, and I apply it like a relaxer on DRY hair, first to the roots, then all the way to the ends. I just part with my fingers VERY carefully. The sections don't need to be small if you get enough conditioner and massage it in. If I don't do this I get THICK balls of hair coming out when I start detangling. With the conditioner I still get a bit of hair coming out, but I think it's because I only comb my hair on wash days and it's just shed hair. It's just a few stray strands this way though.