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Nadine <3
May 22nd, 2014, 11:35 PM
My hair has been an angry monster lately. I've been struggling to change my routine for spring/summer for the last week or so and my hair has been loving itself...tangles. tangles EVERYWHERE. So I was trying to detangle my hair to put it up for bed and my comb just kept getting stuck and making things worse. I spotted my old conair run of the mill hair brush in the cabinet (the supposed evil kind, with the plastic balls on the end even) so I grabbed it and started using t...and found that it works a million times better! Ever since joining here I've tried many different comb and really didn't care for any of them, but I kept using them just because everyone here says they're better than brushes and brushes are evil little things that rip hair out. I find it to be the opposite. So, why all the hate towards brushes?

ravenreed
May 22nd, 2014, 11:52 PM
Combs don't work for me either. I use a Tangle Teezer.

&rea
May 22nd, 2014, 11:53 PM
I've wondered that, myself. When I joined LHC, I switched to a wide toothed comb from a regular hair brush. I noticed that I had a lot more breakage and snagging when using a comb. I switched to a tangle teezer hairbrush and I prefer that to the regular hairbrushes with the ball tips. I haven't had a haircut in about a year and I don't have an issue with split ends. I think it's a matter of personal preference and your hair type.

kaydana
May 23rd, 2014, 12:04 AM
Combs don't work for me either. I came to a compromise and use a Denman brush without the little balls on the bristles.

kidari
May 23rd, 2014, 12:10 AM
I still like my wide toothed comb for wet hair right after washing but I do agree: I get more snagging and breaking with combs on dry hair. I haven't been obsessive about growing long for a while now and my favorite brush hands down for the past year or so has been my Aveda paddle brush. It has those evil balls on the end of the bristles but they are gentle and massaging on my scalp and this thing goes through my thick hair effortlessly and quickly.

Aderyn
May 23rd, 2014, 12:16 AM
My primary detangling session is in the shower, with lots of conditioner and using just my hands.

In the interim, should I feel like detangling, I prefer to gently use a wide tooth comb, followed up with a Denman brush (D3, I think). When I use a normal brush, I get loads of damage to deal with, whereas a comb is a bit of a gentler option. I've used a tangle teezer, and that seemed to be causing breakage for me as well.

Since switching to primarily finger combing wet hair, I've noticed a decrease in split ends and breakage, though. Just a personal preference, I guess.

ExpectoPatronum
May 23rd, 2014, 12:27 AM
It's a preference thing. Some people like combs, some people like brushes. Generally, combs are regarded as less damaging but any detangling tool can be damaging if you just rip it through your hair.

eadwine
May 23rd, 2014, 12:45 AM
I use a comb to detangle before a wash. Other than that only my fingers touch my hair. It has made me and my hair happier, less pulling and all that. :)

jeanniet
May 23rd, 2014, 12:53 AM
I use a Denman brush to detangle, only in the shower with conditioner. I hardly have tangles at all since I started doing this.

Cania
May 23rd, 2014, 12:58 AM
I think the word "everyone" needs banning on this forum. These threads are always floating around, but replace comb with heat/dye/cones or whatever. If everyone hated brushes, we wouldn't have a TT or BBB thread :p

The little ball style brushes damage. Not the makeyourhairfallout kind, but it is very much there. If you want to grow extreme lengths (i.e. Past classic) any damage like that needs avoiding. Less temperamental lengths (waist and earlier) can handle it better. The end of the hair just isn't as old so reducing damage isn't as vital.

Oh, TT user here, by the way. Combs only work for me on wet hair.

ErinLeigh
May 23rd, 2014, 01:03 AM
I never understood why the ball tipped ones were bad. Some of the tips without balls are rough on hair I notice.
I have yet to try a tangle teaser but have plans too.

I comb and brush. Choosing only one isn't enough for me.

Stray_mind
May 23rd, 2014, 01:28 AM
Sometimes i comb and sometimes i use a TT. Usually my hair tolerates comb more on a second day after washing.

Bagginslover
May 23rd, 2014, 02:13 AM
Die Hard Denman user here. I think I've had them in all the sizes available, even the teeny tiny, almost useless size ;) I have 2 at home (one in use, one spare) plus an old handle from the last one where the rubber perished, in case I ever snap one. I have a smaller one in my handbag.

I do have a wooden comb, but it just doesn't get the tangles out as thoroughly as a brush does, and it doesn't smooth the same way. I have a plastic comb in the shower, wide teeth, for the odd time I need it for detangling in there.

WHY are the ball tipped brushes damaging? I've only ever seen people state that they are, but no reasonings behind it. I'd love to hear them.

Aderyn
May 23rd, 2014, 02:33 AM
From what I've noticed when brushing my hair, the ball tip easily catches hair around it, at the base where it meets the bristle, and can thus cause damage by snagging/yanking on the hair. Having seams along the bristles/comb can cause snags as well, though I haven't had too much of an issue in that regard.

I have yet to see a ball tipped brush that does not fit the above design, though I imagine there are some that exist. Some are better than others, too, and obviously the way you handle your hair when brushing is also a factor.

lapushka
May 23rd, 2014, 02:42 AM
It's a preference thing. Some people like combs, some people like brushes. Generally, combs are regarded as less damaging but any detangling tool can be damaging if you just rip it through your hair.

Yes, I agree with this.

Both are used on my hair, but at different times. A comb to first get through the hair (ends to roots!) then the brush to get out the tiniest of tangles (one strand knots, anyone).

Cania
May 23rd, 2014, 02:43 AM
Basically what Aderyn said. The ball is more easily trapped in tangles, therefore more likely to rip a hair out. There is also generally some sort if seam between the ball and the bristle, giving a possible rough edge to damage the hair shaft or even a small channel for the hair to get wrapped in.

See previous thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96053)

Charybdis
May 23rd, 2014, 03:09 AM
I'm in love with my Tangle Teezer; I mostly use that plus finger combing. I do have a nice wide-tooth Mason Pearson comb I occasionally use, but for most purposes I prefer the TT, which also performs marvellously on DH's curly hair.

I do have a BBB, but I don't find that it does anything special for me. My sebum is rather waxy, and I have to wash too frequently to get much benefit from trying to pull my natural sebum down the strands. Also, my BBB is a pain in the backside to clean, whereas I can get the TT clean as new in less than a minute using liquid soap and an old toothbrush, AND I don't have to detangle with a separate tool before using the TT.

KittyBird
May 23rd, 2014, 03:44 AM
Some people like combs and some people like brushes. I used to love fingercombing and using wooden comb when my hair was shorter and easier to deal with, but at my current length, the Tangle Teezer is the only thing that works. I was just unable to get all the tangles out with the comb, so no matter how careful I was, I always ended up ripping through tangles. This happens much less with the TT, and I find it to be more thorough and gentle. :)

MINAKO
May 23rd, 2014, 03:53 AM
Im in love with my Hercules Comb, it doesn't rip out or snag a single hair. I detangle wet and brushes just don't work for me that way. When its dry and straight i would use a synthetic imitation Tsuge Brush and finish with a couple strokes of my bbb only to smooth the top layer.

Rosa Harris
May 23rd, 2014, 04:05 AM
i've been playing with a comb again - mostly because it has a nice big hairmat in it to move around sebum with but mostly I am no-comb and I dont use it for detangling - thats why humans grew fingers.

Bagginslover
May 23rd, 2014, 04:17 AM
Basically what Aderyn said. The ball is more easily trapped in tangles, therefore more likely to rip a hair out. There is also generally some sort if seam between the ball and the bristle, giving a possible rough edge to damage the hair shaft or even a small channel for the hair to get wrapped in.

See previous thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=96053)


From what I've noticed when brushing my hair, the ball tip easily catches hair around it, at the base where it meets the bristle, and can thus cause damage by snagging/yanking on the hair. Having seams along the bristles/comb can cause snags as well, though I haven't had too much of an issue in that regard.

I have yet to see a ball tipped brush that does not fit the above design, though I imagine there are some that exist. Some are better than others, too, and obviously the way you handle your hair when brushing is also a factor.

Thank you both, I knew about seams, but balls baffled me, but that does make sense :)

Weewah
May 23rd, 2014, 04:18 AM
When I first joined lhc I bought a wooden comb and a bamboo brush... well that wooden comb never gets used because it tugs at my hair, the bamboo brush is better but my favorite brusher/detangler tool I always use now is my tangle teezer. I love it!

CremeTron
May 23rd, 2014, 04:20 AM
Not me. Wide tooth combs are supposedly good for my hair but I need a brush to detangle my curls at the final stages. I only avoid brushing because it is supposed to be bad and pull hair out but when I do use them I like the way my ends look.

redredrobin
May 23rd, 2014, 05:26 AM
I use both. A tangle teezer is so much quicker, and I try to be gentle. Perhaps i'm being naughty, but when I'm getting ready it's just a lot simpler for me to TT. I still use the comb at other times though.

shutterpillar
May 23rd, 2014, 05:40 AM
I try not to brush my hair too often because it breaks up the wave pattern and causes a big fluffy mess, but when I do, I use a Tangle Teezer and a paddle brush that doesn't have those little balls on the ends of the bristles. (I think it's from Conair? I got it years and years ago.) Those do far less damage to my hair than a comb ever has, and I've tried quite a vast array of combs.

woolyleprechaun
May 23rd, 2014, 06:10 AM
I use a tangle teezer most of the time, and a wide tooth wooden comb usually on oiled hair. My hair is an annoying combo of textures, and brushing just seems to aggravate my curly bits.

As for the damage comparison... that's a tough one. In my experience I find brushes detangle me more efficiently, so I don't use them (bare with me on this Wooly- logic). When my comb hits a snag, I then pick the offending tangle apart with my fingers. When the brush hits a snag, it cuts through it like butter. In my warped way of thinking, I'd prefer to take the knot out by hand as I feel it causes less damage than the brush.

Tangle Teezers are the best of both worlds for me. Although, they do give me a bit of a frizz problem so I never use them if I intend to wear my hair down. I even have the shower TT, which hasn't quite taken over from my shower comb. Its all very personal; each head of hair has its own specific needs, and only The Wearer Of The Hair can determine what they are for sure :)

neko_kawaii
May 23rd, 2014, 06:38 AM
Brushes are great, if I want 80s hair. *grin*

jacqueline101
May 23rd, 2014, 06:43 AM
I used combs until they got too expensive. My hair snaps them into anyways I like my Michel Mercier brush it works great.
Combs were used to detangle and brushes to smooth hair. You always heard this even in my pre lhc days. Then detangling brushes came out and the rules were changed.

florenonite
May 23rd, 2014, 07:22 AM
When I joined the advice tended to be "Use combs to detangle, and brushes to smooth". This was before the Tangle Teezer came out, and most members who used brushes used BBBs and similar brushes, which are better for smoothing hair and moving sebum down the hair shaft than for removing tangles. Brushes weren't bad, they were just for a different purpose than detangling.

Fast forward seven years, and the advice to detangle with a comb rather than a brush has often been distilled into "Don't brush!" This isn't wrong, exactly, as the context it's most often used in is when new members lament their damaged hair and, when asked how they detangle, almost invariably post a picture of a ball-tipped brush. However, it's easy to get the impression that brushes are universally condemned here, which isn't the case.

Personally, I use my TT almost exclusively, which IMO is like a brush and a comb in one. I keep a wide-tooth comb in my handbag, but I only really use it if I'm away for the weekend and forgot to pack my TT.

spidermom
May 23rd, 2014, 07:27 AM
I agree with Dania. There is no ruling group of "everyone".

Madora
May 23rd, 2014, 08:18 AM
I'm pro brush..but NOT as a detangling agent! Never, ever a brush!!!

A comb is meant to detangle. It's all in the way you use it. You never just start at the top and comb down!.

If you want to treat your hair gently when you detangle it, consider this:

A comb has a set number of tines. A brush has scads of tiny bristles. Don't you think detangling with a bunch of bristles would be rougher than just detangling with a comb?

Katyusha
May 23rd, 2014, 08:19 AM
Nadine I hate comb too so you're not the only one. Buy tangle teezer that works like a charm for me on wet or dry hair ;) Best investment ever.

DweamGoiL
May 23rd, 2014, 08:23 AM
I am pro whatever works for you, but in general, for detangling a comb works best. There are always exceptions to the rule so if something different works for you, go for it! Who cares what others are doing *shrugz*

~Abi~
May 23rd, 2014, 08:34 AM
I use a wide tooth comb in the shower with conditioner, but then use a normal brush with the bristles with the little balls on the end for regular brushing. I don't have any problems with split ends, just a very few and it's been 9 months since I last cut and haven't trimmed at all.

sourgrl
May 23rd, 2014, 08:41 AM
What works for one does not work for all! I have fine, wavy hair but alot of it. Brushes, any brush, cause me to have major poof. Brushing breaks up my wave pattern too much so I avoid brushes. I use a wide tooth comb on my crown only to keep it polished looking but finger comb the length. Anything more breaks up my wave pattern too much. Use what works for you!

tigereye
May 23rd, 2014, 08:47 AM
It all depends really. I use a comb on a day to day basis - combing out between taking my sleep-braid out and putting my hair up for the day. It works well for me like that.
However, if I go to sleep with my hair down (which usually only happens when I get back shattered and literally fall into bed - I usually end up waking up too hot and having to get my hair out of the way), there is no way I will get the comb through it. I always start from the ends and go gently, but using a comb in that situation will not only take forever, but it will also cause far more noticeable damage to my hair than a brush, because there is barely any bend in the tines of most good combs, and even going gently, it catches the tangles and tightens them up so I have to go and prise them carefully apart with my fingers. And finger combing causes hell for my hair. The brush does a better job in less time with less damage, as long as I start from the bottom with my trusty old Denman. It's lasted ten years now, and even under the microscope, there was only a few tiny scratches on the plastic bristles, and nothing that would catch my hair. There's no balls, the bristles bend and don't tighten up tangles if I go gently and start from the bottom. I prefer it to the tangle teezer which is harder to notice tangles with until they wind up really tight, then I end up with the same issue as my comb. Plus, eventually the tines get all ruined.

I use my comb most days. If I'm going on a trip, it's all I take with me as I like to pack light, but I would also never get rid of my denman.

I think in the end, it's less to do with technique (although it's a big part) and more to do with your hair type, hair health, and normal routine.
A bit like how with the best technique in the world, my hair will not stand finger combing - my hair gets all static-y and clings to itself if I run my fingers through it - it's bad enough braiding when I've detangled thoroughly beforehand. People can use perfect technique and still get damage from combs if it doesn't work with their hair or their routine (by which I mean, if I slept with my hair down every night, I'd never be able to use a comb without causing obscene damage to my finer hairs, but as it is, I sleep with it in a braid every night and can use a comb almost every morning).

Comb, brush, it doesn't matter. Find what works for you and get the comb/brush that causes least damage for you.

LauraLongLocks
May 23rd, 2014, 09:01 AM
Before I had a Tangle Teezer, I used wide tooth seamless "bone" combs, and a BBB to pull sebum down my hair. Now I use all three. The TT is really fast and painless for detangling, BUT I still don't think it is quite as gentle as combing for me. When I comb and come across a tangle, I stop and pick it out carefully. The TT goes over it like a hot knife through butter and does it painlessly, so I have to remind myself to take it very slow with the TT and use proper technique. I love the way the TT feels on my scalp. It's dreamy.

I haven't really come up with a set rule as to when I use a comb versus the TT. I tend to go back and forth a lot when detangling and styling my hair. On wet hair, I have decided that the TT might be dangerous, so I fingercomb, then comb with a wide-tooth comb, and when the hair is nearly dry or dry, I can use the TT. The BBB is never used to detangle. It is only used to move sebum.

ARG
May 23rd, 2014, 09:19 AM
I'm pro What works for you.

The general idea behind not using the old paddle brush is because of the seams and the way its used. A lot of people use it by starting at the root and pulling down, resulting in damage.

I flip back and forth between a TT and a wide toothed comb, I found they work better for me than the paddle brush. If the comb can't get out the tangles, I use my fingers, because any manipulation can cause damage. I don't believe that the TT is completely none damaging, so if I know my hair is really tangly, I don't use it and run my fingers through first, then my comb, then my TT.

Do what works best for you and your hair, if that's a paddle brush, a comb, a TT, or just fingers.

redredrobin
May 23rd, 2014, 09:25 AM
I also like the TT for getting my hair smooth for a bun, after detangling :)

Chromis
May 23rd, 2014, 09:35 AM
The ball-tipped brushes and the nylon brushes both gave me a *lot* of damage before I came here and found out about more on combing. Unlike most here though, I really, really don't like the Tangle Teezer! I use a boar bristle brush on my scalp for smoothing sometimes, but tend to keep it off my length.

lapushka
May 23rd, 2014, 09:59 AM
I think it's all in the tools and how you use them. If you rip out hair using a comb (and it hurts to comb), and are much gentler with a brush, I say brush. Just make sure you use a non-ball tipped brush (preferably) as those ball-tipped ends can snag hairs. A Tangle Teezer is nice, as are Denman brushes (there is a ball-tipped version out there, though - I think, so be careful).

eadwine
May 23rd, 2014, 10:09 AM
I would almost want to bet that a tangle teezer would rip the heck out of my hair. I have seen the thing and it made me shudder *giggle*

Schnee
May 23rd, 2014, 10:10 AM
Combing never worked for me, really. My hair tends to twist into ropes and combs just can't deal with that. Maybe it's a question of how to use a brush vs a comb, but I never had problems with brushes as long as I use it properly starting at the ends going up.

Then it's a question of brush quality! Badly made brushes will cause problems, just as badly made combs. Hair will get stuck to a brush, but in my experience it's mostly already loose hair anyway (still attached hair will hurt pulling out, most will notice that..). Loose hair causes tangles and a brush will remove those much better than combs! I never shed hair all over the place because most loose hair is brushed out already :) Ball tips are a problem, but not until your hair is so long you have to lift the brush out of your hair because your arms are not long enough to brush thorough the length... ;) In that case, ball tips will cause tangle beause it will pull strands thorough the layers.

And in my experience it's perfectly possible to get super long hair using a brush. Managed getting to floor using a Body Shop paddle brush ;)

eadwine
May 23rd, 2014, 10:14 AM
I want a like button ^ :D

lapushka
May 23rd, 2014, 10:17 AM
Loose hair causes tangles and a brush will remove those much better than combs! I never shed hair all over the place because most loose hair is brushed out already :)

QFT, Quoted For Truth!

Remi
May 23rd, 2014, 11:05 AM
Yes eadwine- I agree. Unlike most people here, those TT are murderous for my hair. And you don't even notice anything until months later when it's too late. Wide toothed seamless combs are the safest bet. And fingers.
I would almost want to bet that a tangle teezer would rip the heck out of my hair. I have seen the thing and it made me shudder *giggle*

eadwine
May 23rd, 2014, 11:16 AM
For us, yep. :) I only comb twice a week or so now, the rest is fingers.

sarahthegemini
May 23rd, 2014, 11:20 AM
I prefer combs. I only briefly comb parts of my hair anyway (generally, I flip my hair over and comb the under-scalp) I think they are much gentler and easier to control. I would never go back to using a brush and you couldn't pay me to use a tangle teezer.

lapushka
May 23rd, 2014, 11:20 AM
I love my comb/brush, though I barely use them, only right before a wash, really. My hair's contained in an updo 6 days out of 7, and we start fingercombing on day 4 (only at night and each night until wash day). My hair's combed once after the wash when it gets out of the towel and is damp, before styling. For the rest of the week it's virtually left to its own devices. I couldn't do without my Tangle Teezer, though. As scary as that thing sounds, it's only the sound, it's heaven on your scalp and hair (on mine at least). :)

HintOfMint
May 23rd, 2014, 11:54 AM
A very timely thread seeing as I just returned to brushing after years away. *Sniffles* Brush, I missed you so!

Really it just has to do with how gentle you are with brushing vs. combing vs. fingercombing. If I'm gentle and mindful of technique (separating into sections, working from bottom to top), then brushing is fine. When I'm rushed and I'm annoyed and ripping through tangles, then it's breakage city. Combing for me was always combined with using my fingers to work out the real tangles, so combing was more of a smoothing/distributing product process, rather than a detangling one.

meteor
May 23rd, 2014, 12:08 PM
I think with hair tools like combs and brushes, you just know if it works for you or not right away.
If it glides through hair like butter and leaves hair looking smoother and silkier, removing all static and frizz, it's for you. If you ever get broken hairs, more tangles and splits from brushing, then the tool is bad for your hair.

Of course, there are people who do better with BBB or TT than a comb, and they often have straight-ish hair.
My hair is very dense, so I like wide-tooth combs only.

Charybdis
May 23rd, 2014, 12:19 PM
Of course, there are people who do better with BBB or TT than a comb, and they often have straight-ish hair.

Actually, the TT is like magic on my husband's 3a/3b curls, which are also fairly fine in texture. Much less snagging, pulling, and damage than even with a high-quality wide-tooth comb. I have to work through his hair in small sections when doing a complete detangle, but getting through each section is quick and easy with the TT (as opposed to excruciatingly slow with a comb if you detangle gently). I'm still trying to teach him how to use the TT himself, but he has trouble with the sectioning, gets impatient, and ends up ripping through tangles with a comb -- argh! His hair has gotten a lot nicer now that I help him with a full detangle with the TT at least once a week.

For both my hair and DH's, sectioning is really key to getting optimum results with the TT.

Wosie
May 23rd, 2014, 12:21 PM
I think brushes and combs work about equally as well for me, though I prefer wide tooth combs as I don't want to frizz up my hair more than necessary. My hair is a little wavy, so when I disrupt the waves by using a closer tined hair brush/comb my hair floofs out all over the place. :bigeyes:

meteor
May 23rd, 2014, 12:22 PM
I always start from the ends and go gently, but using a comb in that situation will not only take forever, but it will also cause far more noticeable damage to my hair than a brush, because there is barely any bend in the tines of most good combs, and even going gently, it catches the tangles and tightens them up so I have to go and prise them carefully apart with my fingers. And finger combing causes hell for my hair. The brush does a better job in less time with less damage, as long as I start from the bottom with my trusty old Denman. It's lasted ten years now, and even under the microscope, there was only a few tiny scratches on the plastic bristles, and nothing that would catch my hair. There's no balls, the bristles bend and don't tighten up tangles if I go gently and start from the bottom. I prefer it to the tangle teezer which is harder to notice tangles with until they wind up really tight, then I end up with the same issue as my comb. Plus, eventually the tines get all ruined.

I use my comb most days.
Great post, tigereye! :)
I'm really curious: have you ever looked at the tines of your TT and comb under the microscope, as well? It would be extremely helpful to know how the microscopic scratches on all tools compare and which ones are smoother, as I think avoiding mechanical damage is the most important thing while detangling.

sumidha
May 23rd, 2014, 12:27 PM
I have thick, wavy hair, and I use a TT to detangle first like 90% of the time. The wide toothed comb is for separating the detangled poofy hair into wurls again, and I use a fine toothed comb for scritching my scalp, and making really smooth updo's.

I can detangle with a comb, but a brush is much faster, while still being reasonably gentle. :)

ravenreed
May 23rd, 2014, 12:45 PM
Combs snap my hair, no matter how careful I am when using them. My Tangle Teezer never does.

Jumper
May 23rd, 2014, 01:08 PM
As a wavy/curly combs are a little better for not frizzing my hair up so much. A brush breaks up the curls too much.

But honestly I just don't brush or comb my hair at all anymore, except to use a tangle teezer before I wash my hair to make sure it is tangle free.

PrincessIdril
May 23rd, 2014, 01:57 PM
I use the MP BBB with the dreaded nylon bristles and honestly it is the best thing for my hair. Given that my hair is (mostly) always contained and when down it doesn't often tangle, I only really need to use tools to get the sheds out rather than actually detangle.

Combs are fine for me in the bath or straight after washing but dry hair? Breakage and tangles (and yes I do it properly). Fingers aren't much better (and I get my nails caught, I fail to see how that is any better for my hair). While the magical BB and nylon blend brush will glide through my hair, removing sheds a million times better than combs and the occasional fairy knot with no problems with almost no snapping sounds (the odd hair gets caught but still a fraction of the amount I get with combs). All while the nylon bristles stimulate my scalp, it's a win all round for me.

Yes brushing will break up the curls but usually I only use it on my scalp hair to smooth things down, brushing the length is done a couple of days after washing when the curls have mostly fallen out anyway! And then I end up with lovely waves as opposed to flat curls.

AmyBeth
May 23rd, 2014, 02:05 PM
Different strokes for different folks. Neither brush nor tangle teezer work for me. I lose so much hair with either, I caused a major growth stall using them for a few months. You have to go with what works for you!

tigereye
May 23rd, 2014, 02:19 PM
Great post, tigereye! :)
I'm really curious: have you ever looked at the tines of your TT and comb under the microscope, as well? It would be extremely helpful to know how the microscopic scratches on all tools compare and which ones are smoother, as I think avoiding mechanical damage is the most important thing while detangling.

Yeah. The perks of being a science student. A few years ago It's what put me off the old plastic comb I had pre-LHC :shudder:
More recently: my horn comb has lots of microscopic lines, probably from the process of hand-carving (it's a Quecraft, and I don't have problems with using it every day), but again, too small to catch on hair. It's not old enough yet to tell if it will age well. My wooden mini-comb that I bought from a carver in Russia, however, needs a bit of sanding at the base of the tines. The direction of the grain doesn't help matters so I'll need to smooth it down through the sandpaper grits to get it flat enough that I'd be happy using it on my hair - I wasn't sure when I bought it which was why I monopolised the various microscopes for a while *grin*
My tangle teezer looks a bit battered to the eye anyway at a couple of years old, but it doesn't look great under the microscope either. A bit sad to be honest. It makes me marvel at how well my denman has lasted. The TT bristles were not only difficult to focus on because the bristles were bending away for the plane I had them all on (brushes are difficult to focus on anyway because they generally want to "stand up" instead of lay the right way to focus on the side view of a bristle or two), but they were full of dents and divots. The plastic doesn't seem to split or splinter all that much, just bend and dent. They might catch, they might not. Hard to tell. I need to replace mine though.

I must say, the most terrifying thing was my stiff BBB. However, it is old - almost as old as me. I only occasionally use it for finishing styles on special occasions, but boar bristle splits over time just like human hair. It does so in verysmall sections and into multiple "forks" which don't seem to "travel" like human hair splits would. They were confined to the last couple of mm of bristle. But even so, there's not much more terrifying than a 7-pronged split under the microscope...

cosmic crusader
May 23rd, 2014, 02:26 PM
I am on the fence. I have been using a wide toothed Madora comb exclusively for more than a year and I love it! But after a month or so of a flakey, itchy scalp, I felt compelled to give my BB/nylon combo brush a go and SWEET RELIEF. It seems to (so far) treat my scalp and hair much better than finger combing/wide tooth combing, at least on dry hair. I still shower comb with conditioner, but I will be continuing with the BBB for the next few weeks to compare! Plus it feels really good!

meteor
May 23rd, 2014, 03:22 PM
Yeah. The perks of being a science student. A few years ago It's what put me off the old plastic comb I had pre-LHC :shudder:
More recently: my horn comb has lots of microscopic lines, probably from the process of hand-carving (it's a Quecraft, and I don't have problems with using it every day), but again, too small to catch on hair. It's not old enough yet to tell if it will age well. My wooden mini-comb that I bought from a carver in Russia, however, needs a bit of sanding at the base of the tines. The direction of the grain doesn't help matters so I'll need to smooth it down through the sandpaper grits to get it flat enough that I'd be happy using it on my hair - I wasn't sure when I bought it which was why I monopolised the various microscopes for a while *grin*
My tangle teezer looks a bit battered to the eye anyway at a couple of years old, but it doesn't look great under the microscope either. A bit sad to be honest. It makes me marvel at how well my denman has lasted. The TT bristles were not only difficult to focus on because the bristles were bending away for the plane I had them all on (brushes are difficult to focus on anyway because they generally want to "stand up" instead of lay the right way to focus on the side view of a bristle or two), but they were full of dents and divots. The plastic doesn't seem to split or splinter all that much, just bend and dent. They might catch, they might not. Hard to tell. I need to replace mine though.

I must say, the most terrifying thing was my stiff BBB. However, it is old - almost as old as me. I only occasionally use it for finishing styles on special occasions, but boar bristle splits over time just like human hair. It does so in verysmall sections and into multiple "forks" which don't seem to "travel" like human hair splits would. They were confined to the last couple of mm of bristle. But even so, there's not much more terrifying than a 7-pronged split under the microscope...

This is awesome information! Thank you so very much, tigereye! :)
So, if I'm understanding correctly, from the point of view of materials, plastic isn't great as it gets snags very quickly, boar bristles get small splits as they age, but sanded down wood and horn are OK?

woodswanderer
May 23rd, 2014, 03:23 PM
My hair doesn't tolerate combs.:slap:

Freija
May 23rd, 2014, 03:25 PM
I'm enjoying using a mixture of finger-detangling and a Kent Woodyhog brush at the moment. Long-term I tend to alternate between that, and a wide-toothed comb. : )

tigereye
May 23rd, 2014, 04:32 PM
This is awesome information! Thank you so very much, tigereye! :)
So, if I'm understanding correctly, from the point of view of materials, plastic isn't great as it gets snags very quickly, boar bristles get small splits as they age, but sanded down wood and horn are OK?

Yeah, though Id say it also depends on the type and quality of plastic.
The problem with my pree-LHC plastic comb is that it had bad seams and they were simply horrific under a microscope. The plastic of the tangle teezer is simply too soft and the tines become dented and misshapen causing its problem. A new one is unlikely to have the issue, but how long do they last before it gets to a similar state? My denman has plastic (? I think) tines, and despite being 10 years old has no more scratches under the microscope than those tiny carving marks on my horn comb, but it also has good quality, sturdy tines on a soft rubber base. The base is starting to go way before the tines are damaged enough to cause a problem

mira-chan
May 23rd, 2014, 05:21 PM
For us, yep. :) I only comb twice a week or so now, the rest is fingers.

I do about the same. Brushes just get stuck in my hair as I have neither the technique nor the hair type for them. I also can't comb or brush wet at all. Brushes also give me huge hair and it's big enough without help.

I use a Japanese boxwood comb that's super smooth.

ositarosita
May 23rd, 2014, 05:55 PM
I just use my fingers instead of a comb or brush

Syaoransbear
May 23rd, 2014, 06:00 PM
I hate combs. They only work properly if you are gentle and patient with them, and I'm not. I don't want to sit there gently detangling my hair for 20 minutes, I want it done quickly. And combs are so unforgiving. If you aren't gentle and patient enough, they just tear and make lose knots into tight ones. I like my tangle teezer. It's very forgiving and quick.

My mason pearson pure boar bristle brush was awful. Nearly as unforgiving as a comb and some bristles had split ends in them even though it was brand new.

Sharysa
May 23rd, 2014, 06:00 PM
Granted, I only use my horn comb twice-weekly on wash days--I use it to detangle before the wash and then to damp-oil my hair after; I finger-comb the rest of the time. Still, I figured I might as well make it count. I love wooden combs and horn combs because they eliminated my former static problem and are a lot less likely to be too sharp like some mass-produced combs.

Also, horn or wood combs have the added bonus of not feeling like they'll snap in my thick, coarse hair. Plastic combs are technically more bendy, but for me that leads to permanently crooked teeth after a couple of weeks.

I can't use brushes or even fine-toothed combs because being even borderline wavy means that leads to frizz.

clairenewcastle
May 23rd, 2014, 06:12 PM
Hair brushes have never worked for me as well as my faithful Boots wide toothed comb. I bought many over the years in case they ever changed the design....they did. I've never seen another company that made the identical comb.

StellaKatherine
May 25th, 2014, 08:12 AM
I will tell about my experience as well.
When i first joined this community few years ago i was using a so hated brush and wanted to get my hair longer, healthier and thicker. I got a wooden wide toothed comb after hearing all the recomendations. I liked it, but with time i felt that it always take me longer time to go through entire hair and detangle it ALL.

In march this year i got bored and got a brush. The so hated brush at the local hair salone. I still used my wooden comb after washing my hair and for first detangling and finished with the brush. I was happy... my hair felt truely detangled, i could braid easier, and i thought that i was silly to stop using the brush. Well i was happy untill yesterday. I went to wash my hair and suddenly i see my hair having lots and lot of little hairs all over my head I started looking what i have in my brush, and there i see 10 cm, 20 cm and such long hairs when i am right now at tailbone lenght!!! :mad: I put my hair in a ponytail and my head is full of short hair standing up which i didn't have as much before!!!!! I want to cry!!! :cry: So my experience is that back to my wooden beloved comb! <3 My sister is going to bring me a Tangle Teezer to tryout... so maybe i will try it.

Illia
May 25th, 2014, 12:41 PM
I haven't read all 8 pages, but I have to ask: has everyone started their combing process from the ends and working up toward the roots? I use a wide-tooth "bone" resin comb that I've had forever. Sometimes I start with light finger combing, but I part my hair in half before I comb. I always start combing at the very tips and work carefully up the hair.

My combing philosophy has always been that combing should never be painful. If it starts to pull, then go back to your previous combing spot and "centimeter" your way up instead of "inch" up. I haven't used a regular brush in forever, mainly because those blunted plastic points would always pop off and the real bristles would tear at everything.

That's what works for me. The process, even at TBL, was never a very long one for me. If you haven't tried it that way, maybe it's worth a shot for some of you. :)

StellaKatherine
May 25th, 2014, 12:54 PM
I always start with really small sections of hair and from the ends slowly going up to the roots. What i find problematic with the hair brushes is that i do not " feel" the hair as well when i go through . With a comb i feel right away if some tangle comes and can stop and make a smaller section for combing. Just measuret my hair and i clearly lost a lot of hair, with little hair now all over my head.. Oh well, luckily it will grow...

eternallyverdan
May 25th, 2014, 01:45 PM
I've tried most of the detangling doohickies that LHC is fond of, and my hair has objected to all of them in its own special ways :D My hair is baby fine, thick, and knee-length, and it tangles if you so much as look at it funny, which makes detaingling extremely difficult. Let me go down the list of all my dislikes for you: the Denman's bristles are set so close together that I could barely get it through my hair, Tangle Teezer's bristles are so small and wimpy that I have to split my hair into 8 parts just to get the TT through it and then it just tangles again when I put all the sections back together, and it literally takes me about half an hour to get through my hair with a wide-tooth comb, and the bits that I detangled first are already tangled again by the time I'm finished.

My inelegant but effective solution was to buy a plain old Conair ball-tipped paddle brush and pull all the ball-tips off (most of them can be levered off with your fingernails, and the few remaining stubborn ones can be dispatched with the cunning but gentle use of pliers). The bristles are long, strong, and set wide enough that I can actually get it through my hair (and yes, I do detangle from the top down or I would have big sad dreadlocks), and it's honestly the best method that I've found (at least for my own hair). I do have a fair number of splits and broken hairs, but I get those regardless of what I use or don't use, so I assume my hair is just prone to them.

Essentially, find what works best for your hair and stick with it! Check the thread for people with your type and texture and see if they have any tips about what works best for them, but in the end everyone's hair is different and you should do whatever makes you and your hair healthy, happy, and beautiful.

Sharysa
May 25th, 2014, 08:09 PM
Yeah, I start from the bottom up as well. For me it's not that tangling leads to breakage, it's that tangling leads to literal knots that I'd need to cut out of my hair because I can't pull them apart. That's part of the reason I stopped using fine-toothed combs, and why I will never let a brush near my hair.

patienceneeded
May 25th, 2014, 09:04 PM
I pretty much only use a comb. I have a TT and a Denman, but usually don't even think to use them. I comb out my hair, the use my fingers/hand to pull it up or braid it. I have forgotten for months on end that I even have hair brushes...

DD7 uses a TT almost exclusively. She hates all other brushes and combs. We do have a bamboo pin brush for when I need to pull her hair up for ballet class, the TT just doesn't work well for the "perfect" ballet bun. She brushes her hair with the TT and then I use the pin brush to make a smooth ponytail/bun for class.

ErinLeigh
May 25th, 2014, 09:10 PM
This thread is really making me jones for a tangle teaser. I have to go buy one tomorrow to see what the accolades are about.

mary*rose
May 25th, 2014, 10:04 PM
Haha wooowww what a lot of various responses to detangling problems. Some people comb, some people brush, some people do various things to their hair...

I personally am of the latter group. I love my comb, and think it is much gentler than the brushes I used before coming to LHC. After I started using it, I noticed a lot less shedding (as long as my hair is completely dry...brush or comb, if my hair's wet, or even damp, there's gonna be a heck of a lot more hair on the detangling tool than I would like).

Sometimes I BBB, but that requires time. And effort. And I am also part of the group of people with long hair because of laziness and lack of money x)

I recently discovered the tangle teaser, though (I got the goody brand, so not the original; but it works all the same, I think), and I love it. A lot. Go get one (You know, if it works for you...)

mary*rose
May 25th, 2014, 10:05 PM
Haha wooowww what a lot of various responses to detangling problems. Some people comb, some people brush, some people do various things to their hair...

I personally am of the latter group. I love my comb, and think it is much gentler than the brushes I used before coming to LHC. After I started using it, I noticed a lot less shedding (as long as my hair is completely dry...brush or comb, if my hair's wet, or even damp, there's gonna be a heck of a lot more hair on the detangling tool than I would like).

Sometimes I BBB, but that requires time. And effort. And I am also part of the group of people with long hair because of laziness and lack of money x)

I recently discovered the tangle teaser, though (I got the goody brand, so not the original; but it works all the same, I think), and I love it. A lot. Go get one (You know, if it works for you...)

Charybdis
May 26th, 2014, 12:57 AM
Give the Tangle Teezer a go, ErinLeigh! I do recommend buying the original made in the UK -- if you're in the U.S., I think you can find it at Target. The flexible bristles at different heights do an amazing job aligning the hairs and reducing the problem of tangles pulling into tight knots (like they tend to with a comb).

Because the bristles are flexible and short, definitely brush one smallish section at a time when using the TT to detangle, and work your way up from the bottom of the hair (this is a bigger deal for curly hair). The more tangle-prone your hair, the smaller the sections need to be. Then the TT also works to brush the hair all together once detangling is complete. I also usually run my fingers through my hair a few times to "recombine" the sections before brushing everything as a single mass, but this step is probably not necessary for you as your hair is thinner and shorter.

Good luck! :flower:

Dreams_in_Pink
May 26th, 2014, 01:37 AM
I don't like my wooden comb either :( Too much snapping.
I can only use it when my hair's nice and detangled and i'm going to section it to prepare for an updo.