Brushing or not brushing?

[wahmof9]

Some say never brush...some brush a certain amount of strokes per day......can someone help me muddle though all this?

[Mairéad]

I think it all depends on what our hair does. Like me, I don't really see the point in brushing. My hair almost never tangles. Not from wind. Not from sleeping. My hair is the kind of hair that would un-do itself if tied in a knot.

Still someday I might pick up a BBB to utilize my natural oils more, but as far as needing a comb or brush to undo tangles; I've rarely needed to.

[Carriegirl]

I am guessing it probably varies depending on hair type and what sort of brush. For me, I can say my hair is in better condition since I stopped brushing and started combing with my wooden comb. I was using my BBB every night, but I now just BBB about once a week or so to distribute oils.

[Madora]

Some say never brush...some brush a certain amount of strokes per day......can someone help me muddle though all this?

Even if you're a wurly or a curly, brushing can be good for your hair. It all depends on what type of brush you use and HOW you use it!

Now curlies have a much more difficult time brushing because of the structure of their hair. They have to go extra slow.

The number of strokes you brush everyday is a matter of personal preference. Also, hair texture can play a part in the number of strokes you feel comfortable doing every day.

Brushing has many benefits:

exercises your hair follicles
removes dirt and lint from your scalp and tresses
distributes the hair's natural sebum down your strands
imparts wonderful shine and softness to your hair (over time)

The gentlest brush to use is a pure boar bristle brush because the boar bristles are the closest to the structure of your own hair.

Synthetic bristle brushes have irregular, sharp bristles and can ruin your hair in no time.

Synthetic brushes generate heat and heat is an enemy of hair.

Boar bristles come in a variety of colors, plus lengths. Some bristles are thicker..some thinner. Some are much stiffer, some a LOT softer. The stiffness of the bristles will decrease with time. The brush itself should lay FLAT on its back. Rounded bbbs are meant for very short hair. Using them on long hair is asking for one godawful tangled mess!

Brushing your hair is simply not just putting brush to head and starting in! You should always detangle your hair FIRST, with a wide tooth comb! If you find any tangles, take them out with your fingers, don't pull your comb thru them! If the knot is tight, use a dab of water or oil to give it slip so you can undo it with your fingers.

Detangling Process...

Bend at the waist, and bring all your hair in front of you, like a curtain.

Take a SMALL, thin section of hair, and using your wide tooth comb, start at the ends and gently comb out a few inches. Move the comb up the strand and comb a few more inches. Continue in this way until you reach the roots.

Continue to detangle as described above. When all the hair has been detangled, its time to brush.

1) Take your brush and start at the nape and slowly brush down the hair to the end.

2) Be sure and follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. This cuts down on the static made by the brushing.

3) Number of strokes per day...This is a matter of preference. Curlies might feel more comfortable doing only 10. The thing to remember is to GO SLOW and don't have a death grip on that brush!

4) Once you have completed your hair strokes, part your hair from the nape to the forehead, so that you have two separate sections.

5) Still bent at the waist, use your right hand to grasp the hair hanging on the right hand side. Use your left hand for the hair on the left hand side.

6) Stand erect

7) Take the hair in the right hand and place it gently over the right shoulder and let it drop down your back

8) Repeat for the left hand side hair. Do NOT throw/toss/fling your hair over your shoulders! This only creates more tangles!

The more control you have over your strands, the less tangles you'll have!

9) Check once more for any tangles and then style as desired.

Also, whatever brush you use should be kept squeaky clean and free of loose hair.

A boar bristle brush will last for years, if you care for it properly.

[princessrose]

I only brush sometimes. If I don't brush, my hair is wavy/curly and easy to manage, but tangles sometimes. If I do brush, my hair is straightish, thick, and heavy. It's crazy what a difference one brush makes for me. I would just do what you like the look of best, of course being careful to use gentle brushes.

[sheignerin]

Pretty much the only time I brush is when I'm straightening my hair for something, because I want a nice smooth, sleek look.

However, I don't brush my hair normally because I'm lazy. :D I keep it in a braid or let it air dry and just go natural most of the time.

[wahmof9]

Even if you're a wurly or a curly, brushing can be good for your hair. It all depends on what type of brush you use and HOW you use it!

Now curlies have a much more difficult time brushing because of the structure of their hair. They have to go extra slow.

The number of strokes you brush everyday is a matter of personal preference. Also, hair texture can play a part in the number of strokes you feel comfortable doing every day.

Brushing has many benefits:

exercises your hair follicles
removes dirt and lint from your scalp and tresses
distributes the hair's natural sebum down your strands
imparts wonderful shine and softness to your hair (over time)

The gentlest brush to use is a pure boar bristle brush because the boar bristles are the closest to the structure of your own hair.

Synthetic bristle brushes have irregular, sharp bristles and can ruin your hair in no time.

Synthetic brushes generate heat and heat is an enemy of hair.

Boar bristles come in a variety of colors, plus lengths. Some bristles are thicker..some thinner. Some are much stiffer, some a LOT softer. The stiffness of the bristles will decrease with time. The brush itself should lay FLAT on its back. Rounded bbbs are meant for very short hair. Using them on long hair is asking for one godawful tangled mess!

Brushing your hair is simply not just putting brush to head and starting in! You should always detangle your hair FIRST, with a wide tooth comb! If you find any tangles, take them out with your fingers, don't pull your comb thru them! If the knot is tight, use a dab of water or oil to give it slip so you can undo it with your fingers.

Detangling Process...

Bend at the waist, and bring all your hair in front of you, like a curtain.

Take a SMALL, thin section of hair, and using your wide tooth comb, start at the ends and gently comb out a few inches. Move the comb up the strand and comb a few more inches. Continue in this way until you reach the roots.

Continue to detangle as described above. When all the hair has been detangled, its time to brush.

1) Take your brush and start at the nape and slowly brush down the hair to the end.

2) Be sure and follow each swipe of the brush with the palm of your other hand. This cuts down on the static made by the brushing.

3) Number of strokes per day...This is a matter of preference. Curlies might feel more comfortable doing only 10. The thing to remember is to GO SLOW and don't have a death grip on that brush!

4) Once you have completed your hair strokes, part your hair from the nape to the forehead, so that you have two separate sections.

5) Still bent at the waist, use your right hand to grasp the hair hanging on the right hand side. Use your left hand for the hair on the left hand side.

6) Stand erect

7) Take the hair in the right hand and place it gently over the right shoulder and let it drop down your back

8) Repeat for the left hand side hair. Do NOT throw/toss/fling your hair over your shoulders! This only creates more tangles!

The more control you have over your strands, the less tangles you'll have!

9) Check once more for any tangles and then style as desired.

Also, whatever brush you use should be kept squeaky clean and free of loose hair.

A boar bristle brush will last for years, if you care for it properly.

Wow lots of great info...I have not been brushing but I got a tangle teezer and have brushed with that...I like it! Is that an okay brush?

[Mesmerise]

I have learned not to brush during the day unless I'm wearing my hair back, as it makes my wurly hair frizz (when it is fairly straight it's okay though). However I like to brush at night because I find it nice and stimulating for the scalp!

[Dragon]

I think it depends on the hair type. I like to brush with a normal brush on days when I ware my hair up as my scalp likes to be brushed and it makes my hair softer. I do detangle with a comb first because I find it less damaging. On days when I’m going to wear my hair down, I just stick to the comb because it looks better and brushing wrecks how my curls look.

[Dragon]

Sorry doubble post.

[redcelticcurls]

Absolutely not. A waste of time on my curls. I do have a Denman for distributing product on wet hair, but that's it. The downsides outweigh any potential benefits that can be gotten elsewhere or are too negligible to be worth it. I also never detangler dry. Another waste if time and worse for the wear on the hair.

[dRummie]

My hair is 2c-ish, and brushing frizzes it up such that the frizz is still there until wash day unless I re-wet it. So no brushing for me. Even finger combing does this to a lesser extent, but can't forgo that...

I do like the way brushing feels on my scalp, so I've been considering a BBB for that and for distributing sebum (my scalp's got a lot of it, but it's my ends that could really use it). I would only dare use this right before washing, though.

[Madora]

@wahmof9...

The Tangle Teaser is plastic, and plastic generates heat. Heat is not good for your hair (as explained to me by Dr. George Michael when I first visited his salon).

The boar bristle brush is more "in tune" with your strands because it comes from nature and not a synthetic.

I use a tangle teaser on my 8 cats, who love it. I don't recommend it for human hair.

[Aveyronnaise]

I only brush with my BBB when my hair is on the dirty side of things. I like to distribute the oils all over lengths. I really only brush sometimes about once a week.

[QMacrocarpa]

Some say never brush...some brush a certain amount of strokes per day......can someone help me muddle though all this?
Do what works best for your hair. I used to be comb-only, now I've branched out to a pick and a tangle teezer, and hardly ever use my combs.

What works for one head of hair may not work at all for another head of hair. I'm still bewildered by some of the conflicting messages, especially "I keep my hair long because it's cheaper and easier" vs. "I spend many hours and dollars to maintain my long hair," but really it makes sense-- for some a simple routine of benign neglect produces the desired result, and others find they're happier with the outcome when they put in more time/money. Different people, different heads of hair. Please pass the cheese. :)

[nobeltonya]

I used to always brush wet when I got out of the shower.. and generally before going to bed, so I could braid it. Since stopping that, I've noticed a LOT less shedding and hair loss [and the thin spot beginning to form at the front of my part has since filled back in].. What I've started doing, which seems to help significantly, is combing with the wide end of a double-ended comb when I'm rinsing the shampoo out of my hair in the shower. Then, I comb my scalp, above my shoulders only [and pull apart the clumped hair below], when I get out of the shower. I only comb the length "dry" if it has oil in it [every 3rd day], with my dollar store BBB. I also noticed that brushing it so much before, wet or dry, took out my natural waves and made it look kind of limp.. yet another reason to stop. :)

[celebriangel]

A lot of us are very fond of Tangle Teeezers (see the epically long thread full of praise!)

For me, it means I can detangle safely and gently like a comb, but I get the "smoothing" results of a brush, which is good for updos (combing my hair into an updo produces weird, uneven and lumpy results). I also find I can detangle more quickly using my TT, and while a comb will get stuck in a knot and sometimes break it (I know this is my fault, but it happens so easily!) the TT's bend bristles will smooth over it. I feel a slight tug, and then I go in with my fingers to undo the knot. So, for me, the TT has reduced breakage.

I do not BBB - for distribution of scalp oils I use my fingers. I am considering getting another BBB and trying again, though. I do remember my last BBB eating my hair a bit, but then it was round...

[embee]

For me brushing my hair is like brushing my teeth - an important part of my daily routine. I brush morning and night, remove all hairs from the brush each time, and wash the brush frequently.

If I don't brush I am fussing with my scalp and scratching and picking, so I think it's part something psychological as well as physical for me. :)

I've always done this as long as I can recall, even to cleaning the brush - at summer camp our brushes were inspected daily to see that they were clear of hairs! And brushes were washed every Saturday to start the new week all clean, as was our hair.

[wahmof9]

@wahmof9...

The Tangle Teaser is plastic, and plastic generates heat. Heat is not good for your hair (as explained to me by Dr. George Michael when I first visited his salon).

The boar bristle brush is more "in tune" with your strands because it comes from nature and not a synthetic.

I use a tangle teaser on my 8 cats, who love it. I don't recommend it for human hair.

Thank you Madera

[islandboo]

I think it might be better for me not to brush because I do seem to get a good numbers of hairs in the brush each time but I simply cannot stand how my hair looks and feels if I don't. No amount of combing can make my hair as smooth as brushing does. Also, it seems I get more knots if I don't brush, no matter how well I comb.

[jojo]

My hair is wavy and before trying a BBB my hair would pouf and frizz, however although the BBB does flatten my waves out, it gives me great shine and softness plus I get less split ends. People tend to confuse brushing and BBB; a BBB is not for detangling its use is for distributing sebum which is like our hairs natural serum, it execises the follicles which in turn allows oxygen to reach the roots better, which may help in allowing maximum growth. I have too noticed a slight increase in monthly growth since using it.

[mallorykay13]

How do you properly care for a BBB?

[Madora]

How do you properly care for a BBB?

First thoroughly dig out the bristles (using a comb or narrow toothbrush helps).

Find a tall plastic cup and drop in a small amount of your shampoo and then fill with 8 or 10 oz of warm water (not hot).

Immerse the bristles only into the soapy solution and wait for about 7 minutes.

Rinse well with cold water.

Run your fingers over the bristles several times to get rid of some of the water.

Shake the brush well, then dry all the wooden parts with a towel.

Place the brush with the bristles facing down on a lint free cloth.

Do not put the brush in the direct sun!

You can also use a gentle soap on a nail brush and give your brush a quick cleaning by applying the nail brush briskly thru the bristles. I do this every other day to keep my brush squeaky clean.

I use Goody pure boar bristle brushes only as I've found them to be ideal for my hair. (I use Neutrogena soap when doing the quicky brush cleaning).

[Rosetta]

People tend to confuse brushing and BBB; a BBB is not for detangling its use is for distributing sebum which is like our hairs natural serum, it execises the follicles which in turn allows oxygen to reach the roots better, which may help in allowing maximum growth. I have too noticed a slight increase in monthly growth since using it.
This is interesting; I never brush, don't even own one (for myself), I just like combs better, but maybe I should try a BBB (if I can find an inexpensive one)... Especially seeing I'm a straightie (the hair type that seems to benefit most from brushing) :)

[MinderMutsig]

My very fine, wavy wurly hair hates boar bristle brushes so much that I might have to inflict bodily harm on someone who dares to come near me with one. For coarser or straighter hair it might have a polishing effect but my hair is completely shredded by it no matter how well I detangle it beforehand and no matter how small the sections are that I use it on.

My hair also responds very poorly to combs.

The only thing that I have found so far that works on my hair is the tangle teezer. I still have to be very careful and section it off but my hair doesn't break when I use it and it doesn't pull out hairs either.

[jojo]

This is interesting; I never brush, don't even own one (for myself), I just like combs better, but maybe I should try a BBB (if I can find an inexpensive one)... Especially seeing I'm a straightie (the hair type that seems to benefit most from brushing) :)

Your hair will thank you, try ebay for cheap good make ones! Always remember to de-tangle with a comb first and away you go!

[okiku]

I only brush if my hair seems to need it.

[myrrhmaiden]

I was just commenting on this topic this morning. I brushed my hair and laughed when I realized it had been about a month or so since I last brushed it. It never tangles to the point a quick run-through with fingers can't undo it. On the downside, it slips out of every hairstyle I attempt.

[Silverdragn7385]

I brush. I brush...aLOT. I tend to get tangles at the nape of my neck throughout the day, so I don't want to go the whole day only to spend a ton of time trying to pick at the rat's nest on the back of my neck. Plus, I feel like my hair would get nappy looking without frequent brushing (I have yet to confirm this, this is just my assumption).