Should I be brushing my hair?

[Rhabhekkha]

I used to brush my hair... oh probably five or six years ago? Maybe longer. :bag: I honestly can't remember.

My hair has some issues (it's been through a lot :roll:) and I wonder what other think of brushing.

I once had a long-haired boyfriend (again about ten years ago, heh) who swore by Boar bristle brushes, but TBH... his hair was pretty damaged, and it seemed like the brushing was causing breakage.

I am very happy with my wash every two days, towel dry, bun-ify and possible limited finger-combing routine, but I still am open to suggestion.

The ends of my hair are thin and a bit rough (I *think* I have the fairy tale ends phenomenon going on). If I brush, it all turns into a giant poof-ball of static and I lose all my defined waves and curls.

So... is it okay to be a non-brusher?

[HairColoredHair]

I haven't brushed in years.

I do comb (Yay, horn comb!)

But, no, it's okay not to brush.

BBBs can help some people distribute oils or, in my case, smooth the hair down, but I don't really much care about that, so eh.

[Ryanne]

I haven't brushed for around a year, after learning that brushing destroys my curls.
I finger-comb and have a seamless comb.

[Vitalai]

I never used to brush out of pure laziness.

I fingercomb instead and use a comb for my bangs.

[Gumball]

I use a horn comb. The only time I use a brush I use a boar bristle brush since it's intended for oil distribution and directing hair. They aren't and never were intended to detangle. Usually the BBB is used for when my hair is up and I need some aloe and aid to smooth down flyaways.

[Robbi Dehlinger]

I used to brush regularly, but have gone to a wide tooth comb recently. It is less tangly and I lose fewer hairs!

[Katze]

I used to not brush, but am now brushing towards the end of my wash cycle. Those dry, rough ends you describe are, in my case, from heat and chemical damage, and I have to be very careful brushing them. But the rest of my hair actually seems to like a once- or twice-weekly BBB brushing.

If I am going to wear my hair down, brushing kills my waves, so I only brush for the added smoothness in making braids and updos. I am not very good at updos, and my hair is very messy even after brushing, so slicking it down with the brush and even some oil or extra aloe help it stay a bit better.

[Honey39]

I don't brush - although if I want to oil my hair before washing, becasue it's wurly, I found over the weekend that if I very very gently brush through a wet brush I can get my hair damp enough and straight enough to oil my hair without tugging. Combing my hair once it's dry is impossible without so much breakage. The brush seems to work better (I put it under running water and then brush my hair very very gently with it).

[Arctic_Mama]

If your hair is curly brushing could easily do more harm than good, at least in terms of frizz and poof. Fingercombing is fine, as is combing with a nice wide-toothed rake. The hair police won't come after you, I promise ;)

[Toadstool]

My hair is quite damaged - dye over premenstrual bleach job, and I have found that detangling it with a comb when dry causes more damage than using a brush. May be hair type affects this.

[Monsterkitti]

I dont brush I just fingercomb and havent had a problem just doing that, in fact sounds like I do almost same as you described but leave longer between washes :)

[mellie]

I don't brush or comb - my hair falls naturally straight and doesn't tangle.

[Curlsgirl]

I hardly ever brush. It depends on your hairtype really. No need to brush if it does better without.

[ChloeDharma]

Brushing is definately not compulsory.
For ages i adored using my BBB for scalp stimulation and smoothing the hair....but i rarely do it now and use a wooden comb for detangling and a bamboo brush for brushing....these slip through my hair much better and now i really hear and feel the difference in terms of not snapping like before.
Part of my reason for brushing though was a romantic notion that i was following in the footsteps of our long haired ancestors....luckily i seem to have found a compromise.
I would say that either combing or brushing it's vital to make sure the surfaces in contact with the hairs are smooth, no seams or snaggy bits.

[cocolover]

I have a brush that has wooden bristles like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Large-Square-Paddle-Bristle-Brush/dp/B000O103U2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1226356515&sr=1-1

Is that going to be more damaging than using a wooden comb? I tried a wooden comb and it was a lot harder to use.

[neon-dream]

I only finger comb.
I think it depends on your hair and what you're comfortable doing :)
xx

[Curlsgirl]

I have a brush that has wooden bristles like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Large-Square-Paddle-Bristle-Brush/dp/B000O103U2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1226356515&sr=1-1

Is that going to be more damaging than using a wooden comb? I tried a wooden comb and it was a lot harder to use.


Depends. But probably so. The point in using a comb in the first place is so you don't "rip" through tangles but gently detangle without breaking hairs. With all those rows of bristles even if they are wooden it would be easier to break hairs. I would use it like I would use another brush like a Denman, only after I had detangled very gently and thoroughly with a wide tooth seamless comb.

[Rhabhekkha]

Thank you to everyone for the input. :)

I was worried that my lack of brushing was a bad thing. Glad to know I can just keep doing what feels right. :)

[Rhabhekkha]

Oh and LOL about the hair police! :lol:

[Teacherbear]

So... is it okay to be a non-brusher?
Absolutely! If I am going somewhere special and want my hair to look great I wash, brush with my Denman (it acts like a deluxe comb), then let my hair air dry. I might scrunch my hair a bit as it is drying. It gives me a wonderful wave/curl pattern that is ruined if I brush my hair (after it is dried).

[Friesiangirl]

Last December I stopped brushing. I haven't touched one since. I comb or finger comb and my hair is much happier.

Hayley

[mrs carol]

I only use a wide tooth comb. I use to use a brush years ago when my hair was short but not any more.

[feralnature]

I use a wide tooth comb very gently right out of the shower if I feel the need. Otherwise I fingercomb only and never use a brush.

[jojo]

Firstly do you like to brush? How does your hair react to being brushing? You see we are all different and our hair likes different things, there's no rules its want suits you. I go with the rule if it feels good, then it is good!

I mainly use a wooden comb (the body shop one) but I do like to have a brush once in a while my scalp loves it!

[heidi w.]

Comb is where it's at.

Do not use a Boar Bristle Brush to detangle -- yes, then it will cause damage. This is a polishing tool, after the hair is detangled!!

heidi w.

[Fantak]

You don't have to brush if you think it will cause more damage. I only comb my hair before I wash it or if I'm wearing it down, but then I don't use a conditioner (just shampoo and go) and have only started oiling it :) I'm sure if you condition and oil it the hairs will slip against each other instead of forming a tangled nest :D

[Boots]

I hate brushes; I'm too curly. As a child I had waistlength hair and my family insisted on “brushing it out" every day. I had many a brush cut out of my hair. Now I finger comb.

[GibsonGirlV]

My hair only has a hint of wave to it and will tangle something terrible if I don't brush it. I have a seamless wide tooth comb that I use when my hair is wet and I only use a brush when my hair is fully dry. I've tried multitudes of different brushes. I find I have too much hair to use some boar bristle brushes...the bristles don't fully penetrate and only brush the very top layer.

I have goody's ouchless brushes, both the large oval and large paddle versions and I like them quite a lot.

I also have a boar bristle brush by Sonia Kashuk from Target that works wonders. It's supposed to be similar to the famous (and extremely expensive) Mason Pearson brushes and it detangles beautifully and makes my hair so soft and shiny. It also feels wonderful against the scalp. The condition of my hair has gotten considerably better since I started using it a few months ago.

[heidi w.]

I have a brush that has wooden bristles like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Large-Square-Paddle-Bristle-Brush/dp/B000O103U2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1226356515&sr=1-1

Is that going to be more damaging than using a wooden comb? I tried a wooden comb and it was a lot harder to use.

For my part, switching from brushing to combing actually took a little transition time. I had to try it separately many moons apart before I became comfortable with combing. It's a slower task, more deliberate, and just weilding the comb and getting used to the feel and all took me a little bit of time.

I'm glad I made the switch though.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

Remember too, different hair types respond very differently the various ways to detangle hair. For example, I'm quite fine haired and detangling with my fingers causes a LOT of snapping and tugging. It simply doesn't work on me. My guess is finger combing works better for wavy to curly types.

In the comb dept. it may take trying different widths of teeth to find a comb you like. My first comb, it wasn't til later, that I realized the teeth were set too close together. I needed a much wider tooth comb. I eventually got into Madoras (GM) extra wide tooth comb v. their normal wide tooth comb.

For trying out combs, check out the ethnic section of a beauty supply store. There'll be picks, and a bigger selection than for caucasian hair, and these combs while not necessarily hair safe (mold seams of plastic that may stick out but could be filed down with very fine grade sandpaper), it at least gives you an idea of what you want so you can try different widths out without breaking the bank. Then you can shop for a higher quality comb.

My combs are
George Michael extra wide tooth comb (I call and order it and have it shipped to me, about once a year a new one) -- this is my fave comb
I have the Bath and Body wood comb. Very nice and fits nicely in a purse
I have several horn combs (from eBay)

heidi w.

[aprilmay]

I can't stand not brushing! Different strokes for different folks. My hair is difficult to brush and when I get tangles (which is most days) I sometimes need to use my fingers first and then thoroughly brush. I say do what works for you and your hair.

[Ohio Sky]

My hair is quite damaged - dye over premenstrual bleach job, and I have found that detangling it with a comb when dry causes more damage than using a brush. May be hair type affects this.

My hair is not noticeably damaged, even though I do all kinds of evil things to it, but this is also my experience. When I use a brush (and not even a BBB, I'm talking about my 4 year old's pink princess brush - the evil kind with the little balls on the tips) I lose less hair and have fewer issues detangling than I ever do when using my wide toothed seamless comb.