Eeeew. . . mildew

[ashamanjababu]

I usually use a bamboo brush like this (http://www.oliviagarden.com/healthyhair.htm) and a plain plastic wide-tooth comb. They both get grey gunk regularly, which I have assumed is mildew, and cleaned off with a nail brush and/or alcohol.

Today I was brushing my dry hair with a clean comb and noticed that the gunk was coming out of my hair and building back up on the comb. Eew. Either it's just a build-up of oil and dust/lint, or it really is mildew living in my hair which I don't even like to think about.

Help?

[Fingolphin]

I have heard of people's hair mildewing and even rotting when left wet for a very long time, like bunned up wet and left for days. :hmm:

[DoubleCrowned]

If it is sticky, it could be sebum.

[Yosha]

Sebum has a white grayish color, and I think that is what you are finding on your brush and comb.

[virgo75]

Yes, could be sebum. Or if you comb/brush your hair really hard(especially while wet) you could be taking skin off of your scalp.

[ashamanjababu]

But I thought sebum was skin oil. This stuff looks a bit more fluffy.

[ashamanjababu]

Besides, even if it is just sebum, I think I might have too much and I don't know what to do about that!

[Elysium]

It might well be dust/fluff stuck together with sebum. If you wash and dry your hair thoroughly, you're quite unlikely to get mildew :D

[Coffeebug]

I think it's most likely bits of towel, pillow and clothing fibres, dust, possibly slight build up depending what products you use and sebum. I think most people get a bit of guff on their comb so if it doesn't smell fusty then I think you can safely assume it's not mildew.

[pepperminttea]

I get the same stuff on my combs and brushes; I'm fairly sure mine's sebum. It doesn't seem to have caused me any harm, and it comes off easily enough with shampoo and an old toothbrush.

[pinkbunny]

I agree with pepperminttea - mine is sometimes dark, but I think it's just lint fibres and possibly buildup from shampoo/conditioner/oilings... I clean them regularly, and if my combs seem to get dirty too quickly I make sure to do a deep clarifying cleanse the next time around.

[bunzfan]

I agree with the others, i get this to and i think its a sort of build up.

[spidermom]

I also think it's dust and lint mixed with sebum. I get this on my wooden comb regularly and clean it every couple of weeks.

[Anje]

When I started WO and was dealing with a lot of sebum, it was often grayish. (Eventually turned white, probably as I got better at cleansing with that method.) The fuzz is probably lint. What I call "mildew" usually isn't fluffy anyway.

[lacefrost]

I get the same stuff too but I find that mine is dust/fluff. If your hair was mildewing, you'd smell it.

[Kaelee]

Dust/lint/skin flakes...I've always got gray dust in my brushes, not in my comb because it's easier to clean. I never once thought it might be mildew. Pretty sure my hair doesn't do that as I wash it EVERY day.

[santie]

I think it's just sebum. I normally boil water, pour it in a bowl, mix in some shampoo, and soak my brush in it for a couple of hours. It gets all the gunk out!

[Sereia]

you can try using a clarifying shampoo, or do a scalp scrub.
I scrub my scalp with a mix of olive oil, honey and sugar, and I think it helps me..
I think that in great amounts, this sebum can obstruct the pores on your scalp, and it's not good, your scalp needs to breath.
The exfoliation may rip this excess off..

[Dark Queen]

Is your scalp ever itchy and flaky in addition to the sebum? I'm wondering if it might be a result of dandruff. Also, what kind of shampoo are you using?

[mwedzi]

That has happened to me when I comb my hair dirty and use conditioner. It's all the product buildup and stuff, not mildew.

[frizzinator]

All products leave some residue on the scalp. When it combines with sebum it looks like what you are describing.

I have not used products or oil for several years. After I stopped using products, I never saw gunk on my comb or brush again.

[ashamanjababu]

I don't think it's dandruff. I get occasional itchies, and usually have a few teeny skin flakes if I scratch, but my scalp is usually more oily than dry. Currently I'm using Giovanni organic shampoo and conditioner.

I think I'll do a sugar scrub and see it it helps with the excess.

Thanks!

[Dark Queen]

I don't think it's dandruff. I get occasional itchies, and usually have a few teeny skin flakes if I scratch, but my scalp is usually more oily than dry. Currently I'm using Giovanni organic shampoo and conditioner.

I think I'll do a sugar scrub and see it it helps with the excess.

Thanks!

Ah I see, then. That sounds about right. Let us know how it turns out :)

[Toothe]

Do you use cones? I used to get all kinds of gunk on my brush like what you're describing when I was using a coney leave-in. When I went cone-free, it stopped. No wonder I never got results like I wanted with all the coney stuff I used--all that gunk was coating my hair too!