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Jing
November 5th, 2011, 03:30 PM
It randomly occured to me today that I do something I've never seen mentioned around here. For as long as I can remember, I've instinctively grabbed my hair while combing or brushing it, above the comb/brush, as soon as the comb/brush has moved far enough down my hair to allow this. I hope that description makes sense. I do this to prevent the comb/brush from pulling out hairs, as my holding the hair means that the force of the pull is stopped at my hand. Once I've made sure there are no tangles left, I do one last comb-through without holding my hair.

Does anyone else do this? I've never given it any thought before. I guess the downside is that the follicles don't get as much "exercise" this way.

RedheadMistress
November 5th, 2011, 03:37 PM
- I used to do the same thing, when I was younger you HAD to do that otherwise I'd cry (when my sister would brush my long hair). Now I cut my hair shorter so I do it if it's really badly tangled, because for some reason it hurts if other people brush my hair but not if I do it . .

Avital88
November 5th, 2011, 03:42 PM
I ALWAYS do this.. if i dont do it, strands will break for sure.its just to detangle , i also brush my hair will putting it on my belly first haha,then hold it to detangle more above and go higher and then when thats done i do my whole head without holding it, i have a weird way of combing my hair, people always look weird at me if i do it in the train if i was in a hurry in the morning and had no time haha

Annibelle
November 5th, 2011, 03:47 PM
I've always done it this way, too, until it's detangled-- then I comb without holding when I'm sure it's tangle-free.

jacqueline101
November 5th, 2011, 03:48 PM
I do the same thing always have. I think my grandma trained me to do that.

Amber_Maiden
November 5th, 2011, 04:25 PM
Yes, especially when I have a tangle I need to get out.

moon2dove
November 5th, 2011, 04:31 PM
Yes, I do this all the time too. It helps to de-tangle. I can then run the comb through my hair gently without holding it.

bna_rapunzel
November 5th, 2011, 04:34 PM
It randomly occured to me today that I do something I've never seen mentioned around here. For as long as I can remember, I've instinctively grabbed my hair while combing or brushing it, above the comb/brush, as soon as the comb/brush has moved far enough down my hair to allow this. I hope that description makes sense. I do this to prevent the comb/brush from pulling out hairs, as my holding the hair means that the force of the pull is stopped at my hand. Once I've made sure there are no tangles left, I do one last comb-through without holding my hair.

Does anyone else do this? I've never given it any thought before. I guess the downside is that the follicles don't get as much "exercise" this way.


Yes! It seems to be easier to detangle and just get through all together. :)

Maraz
November 5th, 2011, 04:52 PM
When it's long I've always pulled it to the side and held it to brush the ends. They tangle up the worst, and it keeps me from pulling hard on my scalp. Now I try to detangle with my fingers before I take a brush to it, though!

Thalia
November 5th, 2011, 05:03 PM
I do this as well and it works fine for me, especially because I have thick hair.

Yame
November 5th, 2011, 05:19 PM
When it's long I've always pulled it to the side and held it to brush the ends. They tangle up the worst, and it keeps me from pulling hard on my scalp.

This is exactly how I detangle.

MoonLover
November 5th, 2011, 05:27 PM
I can't not do this or my scalp gets sore and I could get a headache. This is why I can't get my hair done by someone else and why I cry when any of my friends try to help me out. They don't understand my tender head:(

lady6_1018
November 5th, 2011, 05:32 PM
Ever since I started brushing my hair I held it above the brush. I have thick hair and it was hard to get the right... leverage to get the brush through my hair. Now I hold it because my hair is much longer than my arms, and I can't reach the end any other way. :D

Rybe
November 5th, 2011, 09:00 PM
I always do this! I have such a sensitive scalp I grimace when I see people detangling WITHOUT doing it. I just can't even comprehend... I'm sure there are gentler ways to detangle, but ehh, I've never had a problem with it!

supbanana
November 5th, 2011, 10:08 PM
I've always done this! I have a very sensitive head so it's just always been what I do naturally.

PrincessBob
November 6th, 2011, 01:17 AM
Adding to the litany of the hour.
I've always, always, always done it this way, it would hurt too much not to. i guess it isn't mentioned for whatever reason, but my spouse also does it this way. we grip out hair above the section being brushed or combed. I have really thick hair and a tender scalp, so I think of it as a necessity. He, however has thin hair and a "normal" scalp and e does it, too.

Juneii
November 6th, 2011, 01:32 AM
I thought that was how you're supposed to brush long hair! I think it's a learned habit by those whose hair is long enough to pull over the shoulder or tangles easily. ooh I remember when I was younger my parents would brush my hair by ripping a comb or brush through without holding the hair when it encounters tangles. :doh:

Bish
November 6th, 2011, 02:05 AM
I only do then I have big tangles, so it doesn't hurt so much to brush it out.

Maybe when my hair gets longer I will start to do it, because I think it's easier to brush long hair that way. :)

MonaMayfair
November 6th, 2011, 06:07 AM
Yes, I do this too...

daniew0708
November 6th, 2011, 06:12 AM
I always comb my hair this way. It is easier for me to work carefully on the length without ripping through the tangles.

QMacrocarpa
November 6th, 2011, 07:22 AM
Yup, I do this too, at least when working through a tangle-y bit. My mother never did this when she brushed my hair (hers is too short to really have room for a hand to be gripping above the brush) which led to many painful detangling sessions when I was a child (which probably led to shorter haircuts for my young self). She still rips through her own hair, grimacing.

Lostsoule77
November 6th, 2011, 07:29 AM
I had to think about this for a, but yes I do this too. Especially for the ends because they always tangle more. I don't do it for every stroke in the rest of my hair, but whenever I find a knot I do.

Jing
November 6th, 2011, 07:44 AM
Seems this is common practice indeed! I don't think I've ever seen any of my friends do it, though, even the long-haired ones.

Zesty
November 6th, 2011, 08:38 AM
I always did it this way instinctively too. It gives me more control, keeps from pulling at my scalp, and also incidentally makes it easier because it's being held away from my body. I can't imagine trying to detangle without holding my hair.

Kamir0
November 6th, 2011, 10:20 AM
Now I hold it because my hair is much longer than my arms, and I can't reach the end any other way. :D

Best reason to hold hair ever! :D

Kamir0
November 6th, 2011, 10:23 AM
I instinctively do it too, but I wonder: doesn't this also make it more likely to damage hair, since it doesn't hurt as much?

jesis
November 6th, 2011, 10:44 AM
Yepp, I grab my hair right above where I'm combing it. Otherwise, there's a lot of unnecessary tension on the hair strand.

supercupcakexx
November 6th, 2011, 10:47 AM
I do this too. I usually finger comb my hair first, and then brush it through over one shoulder, once it is mostly tangle free. Sometimes I don't hold it when brushing through the top, but I I usually hold it to brush the ends or at the first sign of a tangle. I do this with a regular brush or a BBB.

Chromis
November 6th, 2011, 01:31 PM
I used to do this before I learned how to take care of my hair more gently.

I comb through gently until I reach a tangle. If I reach one, I stop and gently detangle it with my hands. If there is no way to get the knot out without ripping the hair, I work out as much of it as I can and then snip the knot out. The only part I hold up now is the ends because I cannot reach them otherwise.

If I don't have time to detangle properly I would rather just smooth the top and but it into a bun to hide the tangles. This is what I do if I need to leave the house when my hair is still wet or damp as well since it does not tolerate being combed until it is dry.

jesis
November 6th, 2011, 01:34 PM
I used to do this before I learned how to take care of my hair more gently.

I comb through gently until I reach a tangle. If I reach one, I stop and gently detangle it with my hands. If there is no way to get the knot out without ripping the hair, I work out as much of it as I can and then snip the knot out. The only part I hold up now is the ends because I cannot reach them otherwise.

If I don't have time to detangle properly I would rather just smooth the top and but it into a bun to hide the tangles. This is what I do if I need to leave the house when my hair is still wet or damp as well since it does not tolerate being combed until it is dry.

I use a bun to hide my tangles, too. Especially if they are bad. If I use my hands the way you described, however, I would end up ripping a lot of my hair out!

KatjicaMjau
November 6th, 2011, 03:38 PM
I do it too.
but I hold them very loose, so I not become to rough with brushing.