How to comb and detangle my biracial hair?!?

Hello, i'm biracial (half white, half black) and i have problems with my crazy, thick, biracial hair. It's about two inches long and verrrrry curly. Right now my curls are very tangled and they look like spiky mes coming out of my head and they're annoying. I want to comb it, but i'm nervous to since everytime i do, it just poofs out into an afro. I want to comb through all those curls but I don't want it looking like a giant poofball. Oh, I use mixed chicks products if that helps. All my biracial people can hopefully relate. PLEASE HELP!