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View Full Version : Why use a wide-tooth comb?



XcaliburGirl
February 27th, 2012, 08:00 AM
I can't figure out why everyone says to use a wide-tooth comb, specifically?

I could see preferring wide-tooth to fine-tooth if you like the way it promotes defined "clumps" of hair for curly or wavy hair. However, I can't think of a reason why it make any difference as far as damage goes.

Also, just to make sure I am not confusing the term, is a "wide-tooth" comb a comb where the actual teeth are wide, or the teeth are spaced widely apart? Or both?

Arctic
February 27th, 2012, 08:08 AM
It's a comb where the space between the teeth is wider, but also many times the tines are wider too. In fact now that I think I have rarely seen a widetooth comb with thin tines!

It's generally thought to be more gentle to the hair, causing less friction yet detangling effectively. The longer the hair, the more it has gone through since emerging from the scalp, and being very gentle with it will help it to stay healthy.

Some people actually see a big difference when changing their regular comb to wide toothed one. It also important to have a smooth comb without rough spots and seams.

I personally often use finetooth comb, it helps my hair to be smoother when dry. It has no seams and just glides through my hair at least at this (short) length.

rowie
February 27th, 2012, 08:12 AM
A lot of people in here also prefer a wooden wide tooth comb versus a plastic comb. Wooden combs is thought to distribute oils in your head better than plastic, while plastic causes static.

Madora
February 27th, 2012, 08:23 AM
The wide spaces between the tines of wide tooth combs permits greater ease in combing and with less possibility of snagging your hair (presuming that you have detangled first).

XcaliburGirl
February 27th, 2012, 08:28 AM
The wide spaces between the tines of wide tooth combs permits greater ease in combing and with less possibility of snagging your hair (presuming that you have detangled first).
Wouldn't the snags be caused by tangles, so you want to catch them with the comb(gently, of course) so that you could detangle them?

XcaliburGirl
February 27th, 2012, 08:30 AM
It's a comb where the space between the teeth is wider, but also many times the tines are wider too. In fact now that I think I have rarely seen a widetooth comb with thin tines!

It's generally thought to be more gentle to the hair, causing less friction yet detangling effectively. The longer the hair, the more it has gone through since emerging from the scalp, and being very gentle with it will help it to stay healthy.

Some people actually see a big difference when changing their regular comb to wide toothed one. It also important to have a smooth comb without rough spots and seams.

I personally often use finetooth comb, it helps my hair to be smoother when dry. It has no seams and just glides through my hair at least at this (short) length.
I suppose I understand the friction aspect, but it doesn't seem like it would make that much difference in the scheme of things. I can run my fine-tooth comb through my hair once and know it's tangle-free. While, if it was a wide tooth comb, I imagine it would take a few passes with the comb.

Thanks for the answer on defining a wide-tooth comb. That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.

lapushka
February 27th, 2012, 09:34 AM
I suppose I understand the friction aspect, but it doesn't seem like it would make that much difference in the scheme of things. I can run my fine-tooth comb through my hair once and know it's tangle-free. While, if it was a wide tooth comb, I imagine it would take a few passes with the comb.

Thanks for the answer on defining a wide-tooth comb. That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure.

I think it's cause you're currently chin length, that you don't really see the use; when my hair was that short, a fine tooth comb slid through my hair. Now my hair's between BSL & WL and the fine tooth comb (for detangling purposes at least) hurts like hell and I guess it causes you to really pull at the hair and at the tangles. A wide tooth comb detangles far more easily and without snagging the hair.

heidi w.
February 27th, 2012, 09:41 AM
A wide toothed comb refers specifically to the spacing of the teeth down the length of the comb. The teeth themselves are somewhat spaced wide apart, as compared to more average comb. I myself must use an extra wide, wide-toothed comb. This is because even a wide-toothed comb will not detangle my hair. It won't get through my hair.

We use combs instead of brushes as there is far less pulling on the hair, and thus, far less hair lost to the detangling process.

Apparently you have curly hair, whereas I have stick straight hair. One technique or product does not work for everyone because everyone's hair is NOT the same.

It actually took me practice to learn how to use a comb. And until I discovered the problem with regular spaced wide tooth combs and was introduced to the extra wide, wide toothed comb, I simply could not comb my hair to detangle it.

I also presume you might have to work with your hair while it's wet. Using a brush on wet hair tends to lead to far more hair loss than a comb. You can condition with a wide-toothed comb. Coat the hair in conditioner and then dip and re-dip the comb in conditioner and comb through the hair while it's wet, with the help of the downpour of shower water, and detangle the hair in this way. In the end, of course, rinse out the conditioner. Thoroughly.

Curly hair requires somewhat different care techniques than stick straight hair like mine.

Here's is a photo of the type of comb I use, for consideration for you, if you're interested.

Scroll way down on this page, and the first comb (white or rather Ivory) is a picture of the comb I use.

http://madoralonghairheaven.com/madoraprod1.html

Madora Detangler Comb
(Ivory) IV-#116

One can order these combs online. There are 3 known George Michael Salons active in the US, and one in the UK. Beverly Hills, California; Columbus, Ohio; Manhattan, New York

Do you know how to properly detangle? From the bottom upward, NOT top down.

heidi w.

Madora
February 27th, 2012, 09:42 AM
Wouldn't the snags be caused by tangles, so you want to catch them with the comb(gently, of course) so that you could detangle them?

Yes, snags/snarls/mats/tangles are taken away by gentle detangling. However, the comb you use when detangling makes all the difference! A narrow tooth comb is a disaster waiting to happen (unless you have very thin hair).

The wide tooth comb lets you detangle more gently..assuming, of course, that you work from the ends up, in small sections, rather than trying to detangle a large portion all at once. Working in small sections gives you much more control over what you're doing.

Also, how slowly you work with the comb has a great bearing on successful detangling. The pressure you exert with the comb can be very important too.

heidi w.
February 27th, 2012, 09:44 AM
Wouldn't the snags be caused by tangles, so you want to catch them with the comb(gently, of course) so that you could detangle them?

I've done this in the past. I've used a wide-tooth comb to detangle, and finish detangling with a more regular width comb (as it concerns teeth) to be SURE all the tangles are absolutely out.

Do you know how to take a knot or tangle out of the hair? Do not keep downstroking as this merely tightens the knot.

It appears you have around chin-length hair, so your hair care concerns at this stage of growth are different from much longer lengths. It changes as you become longer, as do updos change and sleeping concerns change, and so on. One adjusts as they gain length.

heidi w.

heidi w.
February 27th, 2012, 09:46 AM
Yes, snags/snarls/mats/tangles are taken away by gentle detangling. However, the comb you use when detangling makes all the difference! A narrow tooth comb is a disaster waiting to happen (unless you have very thin hair).

The wide tooth comb lets you detangle more gently..assuming, of course, that you work from the ends up, in small sections, rather than trying to detangle a large portion all at once. Working in small sections gives you much more control over what you're doing.

Also, how slowly you work with the comb has a great bearing on successful detangling. The pressure you exert with the comb can be very important too.

Correct.

Detangling for longer lengths must be done patiently, with follow-through all the way to the bottom, and often one must work in smaller, thinner sections to detangle the hair.

heidi w.

StellaKatherine
February 27th, 2012, 09:46 AM
Personally i just changed from a normal brush to a wooden wide-tooth comb and i see allready the difference. I did try to brush my hair carefully with the normal brush which didn't have wide spaced teeth but i always heard a hair or two broking while detangling. At that time i didn't think twice about it and thought it's normal, but since coming to this forums i changed to the wide wooden tooth comb and i see so much less hair shedding after brushing my hair! I even started to wonder if my hair would have been little thicker if i would have used wide-tooth comb before...

So yeah i became a true believer in wide-tooth combs for a long hair ( even tho i still can't think of my hair as long, it's more of an ok lenght right now ) :D

chou
February 27th, 2012, 09:52 AM
Fine toothed combs seem to create tangles in my hair by bunching up hairs that are not lying perfectly straight next to one another. My hair is short but wavy so locks of hair often cross over or twist with one another without necessarily being tangled--that's just the nature of things. The thought of pulling a fine toothed comb through my hair makes me cringe! A wide toothed comb gets out actual tangles and keeps everything in order without causing problems. Maybe I'm alone in this but I don't see the point of detangling as thoroughly as a fine-toothed comb would detangle. I don't have knots or snarls in my hair, ever, but there are certainly groupings of hair that a fine toothed comb could not get through.

spidermom
February 27th, 2012, 10:08 AM
I agree that you can use a comb where the tines are closer because of the short length of your hair. At longer lengths, it wouldn't glide through as easily.

HylianGirl
February 27th, 2012, 10:16 AM
I noticed the same difference as StellaKatherine, I used to loose a lot more hair while detangling with a brush before, and also thought it was normal, and now that I use a wide toothed comb, I barely loose any hairs ^-^ although I use a plastic comb with seams D= I'm still looking for a wooden comb. I know I can get them online, but I'm still cehcking the stores near me, and I'll only get them online if I can't find them in a physical store. But then again my hair is not looong yet and it rarelly has any terrible tangles, even though it's not straight. Still wide toothed comb > fine toothed comb and brushes ^-^

XcaliburGirl
February 27th, 2012, 10:58 AM
Actually I had Waist-Classic hair for years. Though it is possible that the past few years that my hair has been above APL have blurred my memory slightly, though. I am now using a very fine tooth comb on my short hair. But, the one I used when my hair was long while a bit wider, still was not nearly as wide as say, the Body Shop comb I see recommended here. My hair never tangled very much as long as I kept it in an updo and used enough conditioner, and I always started from the bottom. I did comb wet, but not with conditioner in it.

I understand that some things work for some people and not for others. Mainly I just wanted to know what the rationale was, so thanks for the answers!

StellaKatherine
February 27th, 2012, 11:02 AM
I'm still looking for a wooden comb. I know I can get them online, but I'm still cehcking the stores near me, and I'll only get them online if I can't find them in a physical store. But then again my hair is not looong yet and it rarelly has any terrible tangles, even though it's not straight. Still wide toothed comb > fine toothed comb and brushes ^-^

I found my own at the Body Shop in our little store. Would you perfhaps have one of those stores in your city ? One other place could be a hairdresser store which would sell all kinds of hair items.. Hope you can find one as i love my wooden comb :heart:

heidi w.
February 27th, 2012, 11:06 AM
I have had success with The Body Shop's wooden comb, but I have the best experience with the extra wide, wide-toothed comb that I posted a link to in this thread.

I still own my Body Shop wooden comb but have it stored and rarely use it now.

heidi w.

MermaidTresses
February 27th, 2012, 11:08 AM
I like to use a wide tooth comb first when detangling....I follow with a thinner comb after all knots are gone. I think it is a bit more gentle on the hair, especially when it is wet and most fragile! <3

Renate
February 27th, 2012, 11:12 AM
Wide-tooth comb did nothing for me. Of course it detangles, but my hair doesn't feel very smooth. Now I only use to detangle when my hair is very tangled, wich is quite rare. I only use a regular comb and it works great.

I am, obviously, very gentle and slow when combing, starting from bottom and in small sections. It hasn't damaged my hair so far.

jeanniet
February 27th, 2012, 12:19 PM
For me, using a fine-toothed comb results in a lot of pulling and discomfort because my hair tangles so easily--I have a mix of hair from fine to coarse, and the fine hairs tend to wrap around the others. Even a regular wide-toothed comb doesn't work that well. I prefer combs with teeth spaced about 1/2" apart. I do have to go over my hair more to make sure all the tangles are out, but it's much more comfortable doing it this way. If your hair doesn't tangle as easily, then a finer-toothed comb might work perfectly. It's really all about what you prefer.

UP Lisa
February 28th, 2012, 07:19 AM
I can't seem to use ANY comb. I have very tangly hair, and no matter how I comb, I just end up breaking off hairs. Also, for me, it has never seemed to work to start at the bottom and go up.

DarkAlice
February 28th, 2012, 08:42 AM
try a tangle teezer instead of a wide-tooth, works better for my thick tangly fine hair

heidi w.
February 28th, 2012, 08:46 AM
I can't seem to use ANY comb. I have very tangly hair, and no matter how I comb, I just end up breaking off hairs. Also, for me, it has never seemed to work to start at the bottom and go up.

So, what do you do?

how bottom do you begin? you may need to begin at the bottom AND simultaneously work in smaller, thinner sections of hair for detangling. I also couldn't use a comb at first because I didn't realize that I needed wider spaced teeth, wider than an average wide-toothed comb. Until I tried that kind of comb, it just never occurred to me to find an even wider-toothed comb.

heidi w.

UP Lisa
February 28th, 2012, 08:53 AM
I have a tangle teezer. I think it works okay on my hair when wet, but dry it is breaking hairs for sure.

I have never tried an extra wide toothed come, I guess. I have a Mason Pearson comb with wide teeth that does not work for me. I have tried starting at the very bottom, Maybe I have not used a thin enough section of hair, but I don't know if that would help. I have the kind of hair that you can comb through a hundred times, and it just tangles right back up. Spider web hair. Hard to separate into sections for braiding, since it wants to stick together.

heidi w.
February 28th, 2012, 09:27 AM
I have a tangle teezer. I think it works okay on my hair when wet, but dry it is breaking hairs for sure.

I have never tried an extra wide toothed come, I guess. I have a Mason Pearson comb with wide teeth that does not work for me. I have tried starting at the very bottom, Maybe I have not used a thin enough section of hair, but I don't know if that would help. I have the kind of hair that you can comb through a hundred times, and it just tangles right back up. Spider web hair. Hard to separate into sections for braiding, since it wants to stick together.

Do you wear your hair up often? My hair tangles mercilessly, and unless I wear it up, I can count on a rat's nest of tangles. I wear my hair up every single day, all day long until I go to bed. From when I rise, to when I go to bed, it's up.

heidi w.

UP Lisa
February 28th, 2012, 09:29 AM
Oh, yes! It is generally always up. It's only down when I am letting it dry. It is braided at night. I learned a long time ago that I do not have the kind of hair that can be worn down unless I am someplace with no wind, and wearing a silk or satin shirt!



Do you wear your hair up often? My hair tangles mercilessly, and unless I wear it up, I can count on a rat's nest of tangles. I wear my hair up every single day, all day long until I go to bed. From when I rise, to when I go to bed, it's up.

heidi w.

SwordWomanRiona
February 28th, 2012, 09:33 AM
I can't seem to use ANY comb. I have very tangly hair, and no matter how I comb, I just end up breaking off hairs. Also, for me, it has never seemed to work to start at the bottom and go up.

Same here. I bought a wooden wide-tooth comb not long ago, because of all the good things I'd been hearing here, but combs don't work for me. My hair's so fine I break off hairs. I can only use my fingers to detangle.

I only use a comb (I have a couple, the wooden wide-tooth one and a plastic one, which is rather wide-toothed too) to pull my scalp hair up in a ponytail/bun. For my length I can only use (apart from my fingers) a very soft brush, of the kind made for babies.

Madora
February 28th, 2012, 09:46 AM
I have a tangle teezer. I think it works okay on my hair when wet, but dry it is breaking hairs for sure.

I have never tried an extra wide toothed come, I guess. I have a Mason Pearson comb with wide teeth that does not work for me. I have tried starting at the very bottom, Maybe I have not used a thin enough section of hair, but I don't know if that would help. I have the kind of hair that you can comb through a hundred times, and it just tangles right back up. Spider web hair. Hard to separate into sections for braiding, since it wants to stick together.

UP Lisa, perhaps there is product buildup on your strands and that is why they tangle so badly. Clarifying then conditioning might help.

Also, for the sake of your hair, don't use a TT on it when it is wet. Hair is at its weakest when wet.

To successfully use a wide tooth comb, it might help you to finger comb your hair first, then use the wide tooth comb. Take small, THIN (pencil sized) sections of hair and comb from the ends up the strands, little by little, until you reach the roots. It is much easier to isolate any tangles by working in small sections rather than larger sections.

Once all the hair has been detangled, part your hair from nape to forehead so that it is in two sections.

Grab each section with your hands, then gently put the section behind each shoulder and let them drop down your back. If you toss/throw/fling your hair over your head, then it only tangles again.

ktani
February 28th, 2012, 09:46 AM
I can't figure out why everyone says to use a wide-tooth comb, specifically?

I could see preferring wide-tooth to fine-tooth if you like the way it promotes defined "clumps" of hair for curly or wavy hair. However, I can't think of a reason why it make any difference as far as damage goes.

Also, just to make sure I am not confusing the term, is a "wide-tooth" comb a comb where the actual teeth are wide, or the teeth are spaced widely apart? Or both?

I do not use a comb or brush and finger comb my hair while it is still damp. My hair does not tangle with catnip use or mineral oil/baby oil use but it can snag - never severely though.

I finger comb from the bottom up and sometimes from the top down. Because my hair is in excellent condition it makes little difference.

I wear my hair down most of the time (still not timmed in over 7 months and it is past my waist pulled down) and I get no tangles at all using both catnip treatments after shampooing or using the baby oil instead, after shampooing.

I get no tangles right after shampooing either. I separate my hair gently in the shower before shampooing with my hair all forward, and I do flip it when applying catnip to it. I flip it all forward when rinsing out a treatment and rinsing out shampoo but with shampoo only, it is all forward and is rinsed out that way only. The shower water helps when I am separating my hair gently, avoid any tangling.

With the baby oil, right after shampooing and towel squeezing out extra moisture, I oil my inner fingers first before "detangling" to get the oil applied evenly. If I encounter a snag, I gently separate the hair.

When my hair is dry, I gently separate the length, as if to braid it and that is what I do in the morning before I put it up to wash my face and at night before I put it up to shower, and in between if needed. Before stepping into the shower, my hair is spearated and put up, so I can shave my legs and underarms with it out of the way.

ETA: My hair is fine/medium, wavy and thin (less folicles), and virgin (other than catnip). There is more than one way to detangle hair well and not damage hair in the process. I credit catnip for the condition of my hair and the baby oil amazingly is a close second so far, in preserving that. I have no split ends and minimal breakage (mechanical only) when I get careless in how I treat my hair.

ETA:2 My top hair I do finger comb gently when it is dry and during the day in a straight motion. It never snags, even when it is windy except the very odd time. My hair is all one length.

ETA:3 When I "detangle" my length right after shampooing, treated or not, I use 4 fingers in a fluttering motion, and stop if there is resistance to gently separate any snag.

DarkAlice
February 28th, 2012, 10:12 AM
for some reason the tangle teezer works better for with wet hair as well, when my hairs dry any type of comb will get stuck in my hair and snap..but when its wet the hairs don't snap and i have no snagging on my scalp.

Diamond.Eyes
February 28th, 2012, 10:21 AM
I like to use a large, wooden wide toothed comb on my wet hair sometimes for safer detangling. After I detangle with my comb, I'll use my tangle teazer right after. I find that using this method reduces snapping and breaking of my fragile, wet hair.

rena
February 28th, 2012, 10:59 AM
I get along best with a fine/narrow toothed comb so I quess I'm not much help :o.