Is it really so bad to brush?

[Jessibear2854]

I gave up my hair brush over a year ago in favor of a wide-tooth comb which I use very gently; however, yesterday I came across my hair brush in a drawer as I was getting ready for school and I became tempted. I picked it up and ran it through my hair and it felt AMAZING. Those little nubby things (so bad) felt so good on my scalp. All I can think about is how much I wanna brush my hair again. If I detangle first with the comb is it still bad to brush?

I have a boar bristle brush, but the bristles can't get to my scalp through all the hair.

[kme81]

I know what you mean about those brushes feeling like a scalp massage. They feel sooooo good!!!

I personally did notice a lot of breakage when I used that sort of brush, so I avoid them now.
If you as still looking for that amazing feel without as much possible damage, look into a Tangle Teaser brush...they feel AMAZING. The first day I used mine was heavenly...I could not stop brushing my scalp, my hair got super oily! lol

[jessa]

another advocator for the tangle teezer here. DBF also loves TT for its head massaging effects. the only reason I dont brush my hair with a normal hair brush (and also hardly my TT) is cause my thick wavy hair turns into a frizzy poof when brushed with anything other than my fingers.

[katsrevenge]

Anyone have any opinion on these wooden brushes?

http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/ehow/images/a06/rk/iq/clean-wooden-hair-brushes-800x800.jpg
I remember having one years ago. If it was sanded down and oiled.. would it not be ok to use?

[DancingQueen]

I don't use my brush every day, as my curly hair turn into a mess when I brush freshly washed. However, on bad hair days, or days when I have to put it up anyways, I brush it. Very gently of course, but I don't think they are so bad. i actually loose less hair with my brush than my wide tooth comb.

TT on the other hand did NOT work for my hair - I got a LOT of breakage. I know - I have wired hair that loves cones and brushes (the bad ones with little dots at the end, and hate Tangle Teezers and no cones.)

I say, if you like it, use it. I would use it every day if my hair was not curly. Just be gentle. :)

[hazelceleste]

I use a wooden brush like that almost exclusively. Personally, i find it to be a lot less damaging than a wide tooth comb if used carefully. I brush slowly, starting at the ends. And if i hit a snag, i remove the brush from my hair (similar to how i would with a comb) instead of just ripping through the tangle.

Of course, if you rip it through your hair, any tool is going to cause damage. But i dont find smooth wooden brushes to be any more damaging than smooth wooden combs, if used correctly.

[afu]

I'm another one to suggest the tangle teezer, i always check mine after use to make sure the hairs in it are shed hairs not broken ones and so far no problems woth damage. I use it in the shower for a lovely CO head massage :)

[Phexlyn]

If you as still looking for that amazing feel without as much possible damage, look into a Tangle Teaser brush...they feel AMAZING. The first day I used mine was heavenly...I could not stop brushing my scalp, my hair got super oily! lol
This. :D I've been on a comb only basis for two years, but after trying the tangle teezer I'm back to brushing. Makes my hair feel so soft and smooth and it gives you a great scalp massage. Just be careful because it does spread oil super fast, at least on my hair, but you could always use it in the shower while washing to avoid that. Maybe check the tangle teezer thread to see how it worked for others with your hairtype?

[natural_shine]

I gave up my hair brush over a year ago in favor of a wide-tooth comb which I use very gently; however, yesterday I came across my hair brush in a drawer as I was getting ready for school and I became tempted. I picked it up and ran it through my hair and it felt AMAZING. Those little nubby things (so bad) felt so good on my scalp. All I can think about is how much I wanna brush my hair again. If I detangle first with the comb is it still bad to brush?

I have a boar bristle brush, but the bristles can't get to my scalp through all the hair.

I don't care if it breaks more hair, the brush detangles way more efficient and faster, and the hair "stays put" very nice afterwards. And it doesn't make my hair get oily fast like the big comb does. I think the comb is actually ment for people with afro kind of hair, extremely thick and curly, that can't use a brush.
Brush is the only way for me.

[natural_shine]

P.S. boar brushes are s#1t. Excuse my expression, but it's true. Oily hair from just one-2 brushings. And it gets difficult thru hair, takes a million hours to brush it all thru. And the hair feels damn odd on the head after that, and you can't run your finger thru it.
And I don't even have big hair yet, with long hair this must be mission impossible.

[katsrevenge]

Natural_shine, bbbs are one of those things that work for some and not others.

Mine works if the hair is dirty and I don't want to wash just yet. I do section it a bit, yup... and it took practice... but it does a good job spreading oils which is all I want to do.

Also, I live with a guy with a fro. I will say that my wide toothed comb would never go through his hair. I've tried... he tried. The tines are too short, he needs a pick. Most wide toothed combs are most definitely not for kinky natural hair. They seem to work best for wavy to pretty curly. Very curly and up need wider tines.. and longer ones!

Most of us care about breaking and damaging practices. I mean.. you break it, it won't get that long. :flower:

Good to know some others use those wooden brushes with no damage. I think I will get a new one soon!

[Bunnysaur]

I don't care if it breaks more hair, the brush detangles way more efficient and faster, and the hair "stays put" very nice afterwards. And it doesn't make my hair get oily fast like the big comb does. I think the comb is actually ment for people with afro kind of hair, extremely thick and curly, that can't use a brush.
Brush is the only way for me.

:shocked: I personally can't stand causing damage to my hair, not to mention the noise a breaking hair makes drives me nuts. I'm not sure why you say your hair gets oily faster when you use a comb, that just doesn't seem to make sense. Do you use it on your scalp? The tines might be stimulating your scalp too much, but you could fix that problem by not letting the tines touch your scalp :)


P.S. boar brushes are s#1t. Excuse my expression, but it's true. Oily hair from just one-2 brushings. And it gets difficult thru hair, takes a million hours to brush it all thru. And the hair feels damn odd on the head after that, and you can't run your finger thru it.
And I don't even have big hair yet, with long hair this must be mission impossible.

I have to disagree with you. I love my BBB, maybe the brush just isn't right for your hairtype? Again, you might just be overstimulating your scalp with it, or have super oily hair in general. My hair is pretty oily, and I can only use my BBB after showering when my hair is super clean and oil free. If it's taking a long time to brush through, you might have to detangle first so you're not using the brush and spreading oils so much.

[Bunnysaur]

Natural_shine, bbbs are one of those things that work for some and not others.

Mine works if the hair is dirty and I don't want to wash just yet. I do section it a bit, yup... and it took practice... but it does a good job spreading oils which is all I want to do.

Also, I live with a guy with a fro. I will say that my wide toothed comb would never go through his hair. I've tried... he tried. The tines are too short, he needs a pick. Most wide toothed combs are most definitely not for kinky natural hair. They seem to work best for wavy to pretty curly. Very curly and up need wider tines.. and longer ones!

Most of us care about breaking and damaging practices. I mean.. you break it, it won't get that long. :flower:

Good to know some others use those wooden brushes with no damage. I think I will get a new one soon!

My roommate uses a plastic pick to comb her stick straight APL hair. Right out of the shower, and she doesn't detangle in the shower. Oh god, I can hear the hair breaking and I've been away for over a week :eek: They need to have a warning label on picks: Only to be used on fros!

[katsrevenge]

My roommate uses a plastic pick to comb her stick straight APL hair. Right out of the shower, and she doesn't detangle in the shower. Oh god, I can hear the hair breaking and I've been away for over a week :eek: They need to have a warning label on picks: Only to be used on fros!

Eeep!

I use a pick from time to time. We have a few of them around. The thing to remember with picks is that you don't use them like a comp or a brush. They are neither. They are picks.

Short strokes. Hold the hair and start at the ends. Don't try to do all the hair at one go.

I like the effect if it's a curly day for me... combing without looking 'combed'. And I rarely break a hair!

[Ocelan]

P.S. boar brushes are s#1t. Excuse my expression, but it's true. Oily hair from just one-2 brushings. And it gets difficult thru hair, takes a million hours to brush it all thru. And the hair feels damn odd on the head after that, and you can't run your finger thru it.
And I don't even have big hair yet, with long hair this must be mission impossible.

I'd like to point out also that even though it may be true that a BBB makes your hair more oily since it's supposed to move oil from the scalp, the BBB is NOT meant for detangling! It is meant to polish hair AFTER detangling with something else. Do not try to BBB without detangling first.

I personally use a Tangle Teezer almost exclusively in detangling, except if my hair is very tangly I use a wide tooth comb or if I detangle very gently when hair is wet (to keep my wave pattern intact). I probably should use my wide toothed comb more. But really, the TT gets my vote. Even my DBF who rips his hair through with one of those nubbly brushes thought the TT felt amazing when I brushed his hair with it. And he has a sensitive scalp so he would have complained if there was any ripping when someone else brushes his hair and there wasn't any complaining.

[luxepiggy]

Yes! Brushing causes more long-segment breaks than combing - i.e., longer bits of hair get broken off: Hair Breakage During Combing IV: Brushing and Combing of Hair (http://journal.scconline.org//pdf/cc2007/cc058n06/p00629-p00636.pdf), J. Cosmet. Sci., 58, 629-636 (November/December 2007)

[Kiwiwi]

I brush every day with a tangle teezer.
Combs do not work for me, even finger combing. I seem to tear hairs out. No matter how careful I am.
My hair is healthy and thick. No problem with brushing here!
I do suggest a tangle teezer! It will damage your hair less than a brush with loose thingies where your hair can get stuck in and break.

[SilverDoe]

The only brush I use is the Kent Woodyhog, and even then I have a feeling it causes more damage than combing alone. But the positives outweighs the negative for me.
It does make my thin hair look better than with combing, the wide wooden qullis are flexible & won't snag, gives an amazing scalp massage and is also good at spreading sebum to my lengths.
http://www.kentbrushes.com/shopexd.asp?id=8

That said, if I had thicker hair with more volume I would probably stick to combing.

[Phalaenopsis]

I love my Widu paddle brush, but I only use it after I've detangled with a wide tooth comb. And I only used it when I need it, when I put my hair up in a ponytail or want a realy smooth result when I put it in a bun.

I noticed it's more damaging than a comb.

[red-again]

tangle teezer convert here too! If you want the feeling of a scalp massage from the brushing I don't think you can beat them.
I wide tooth come, since LHC joining but then tangle teeze and all is great. Best of both worlds. I also have a Boar Bristle brush that is lovely but doesn't easily reach my scalp with the bristles without pushing it down on my head, so not the best situation really. TT just effortlessly reaches my scalp.

We have 7!! in our house just so we can always find one

[Bagginslover]

I use my Denman plastic brushes exclusively (I have a large one at home, and a small one in my bag)

If I try to detangle with a comb, it takes me an hour to get all the tangles, and my hair is only just past BSL, and straight! I dread to think how long it would take me at longer lengths!

I think it takes so long due to my full range of hair thicknesses not liking each other. I have the very finest hairs, right through to very thick, wiry hairs and everything in between on my head. The fine ones twist and know aroung the wiry ones like dreads, even when I've benn wearing it in an updo. The fine ones also fairy knot regularly, and the medium hairs just like being tangly on their own. Its gotten better since I've been using leave-ins, but I still cannot detangle with a comb and still have a life! The thing is, even when it hasn't ben detangled, it looks fine, you can't tell its tangly at all! My hair is wierd!

[Carissamarie08]

I will always use my brushes! makes my hair feel nice! so why not?

[turtlelover]

I am not the norm -- I get MUCH more breakage from any kind of a comb. I do best with a brush with very stiff bristles but a flexible rubber base. Do what works for YOU!

[wendylai]

Haha.. too funny! :D

I looove the little bumps on combs as well :) And I also feel quilty about it. Seamless comb is on my to-do list, but I have bad experiences with combs and havent been able to bring myself to get one yet.

Tangle teezer could be interesting too. Only I've heard the "combing" parts of it get terminally bended pretty easily..

[Madora]

I've been using a pure bbb for more than 40 years and have had excellent results.

You should never, EVER, use a brush of any type to detangle!

A comb is meant for detangling.

It is HOW you use the brush that makes all the difference!

[wendylai]

I think also some diffrence makes the fact that my hair isnt super tangly. Even after shower I generally just finger comb when it's fairly dry and then it sees for itself after a while. If I want to make it look smooth and nice, I brush.

I think even if I had a comb I dont know if I would really use it. Has anyone got experience on these handmade TEK wood combs? I saw those on my organic shop and will possibly purchase..

[swearnsue]

First thing in the morning I like to brush my hair just a few strokes. My hair isn't long enough to get tangles yet. Sometimes when I'm oiling my hair before a shampoo I like to brush my hair "the wrong way" over my face just for the scalp stimulation but not every time. Of course then my brush is oily and I have to wash it.

[GRU]

I don't care if it breaks more hair, the brush detangles way more efficient and faster, and the hair "stays put" very nice afterwards. And it doesn't make my hair get oily fast like the big comb does. I think the comb is actually ment for people with afro kind of hair, extremely thick and curly, that can't use a brush.
Brush is the only way for me.
If you're breaking your hair, you're not really detangling it -- you're just ripping off anything that has a tangle. Big Difference.



P.S. boar brushes are s#1t. Excuse my expression, but it's true. Oily hair from just one-2 brushings. And it gets difficult thru hair, takes a million hours to brush it all thru. And the hair feels damn odd on the head after that, and you can't run your finger thru it.
And I don't even have big hair yet, with long hair this must be mission impossible.

People who diss a tool in such a manner are s#1t, IMO. Every head of hair is unique, and every tool is unique. Just because YOU don't like something doesn't mean that the product itself is s#1t -- it simply means that you don't like that particular product. Big Difference.



I've been using a pure bbb for more than 40 years and have had excellent results.

You should never, EVER, use a brush of any type to detangle!

A comb is meant for detangling.

It is HOW you use the brush that makes all the difference!


As I said above, every head of hair is unique. If you tried to detangle my hair with a comb, you'd spend HOURS -- literally HOURS -- every single time. Some people may be retired or independently wealthy and so they have the time to do that every single day, but the vast majority of us have family, job, and/or school responsibilities that prevent us from spending the equivalent of a full-time job on detangling our hair every week.

There is nothing wrong with using a brush -- particularly a gentle brush such as a Tangle Teezer -- to detangle hair. The part of your post that I do agree with, however, is that HOW the brush is utilized is important. Ripping through knots is going to cause breakage, which is going to lead to split ends and more damage. Gentle detangling with a brush isn't any different (damage-wise) from gentle detangling with a comb.

Every head is different, every person is different, every product is different, every tool is different. What works wonderfully for one person may not work so well with someone else, but the fact that it didn't work for the second person doesn't negate the fact that it worked well for the first.

[Florida Mom]

For my hair what I do is first detangle with a wide toothed wooden comb. Then I brush with my Denman (the only brush I like). Then I brush with my BBB. I have virtually no breakage, and a good amount of shine. Works great on my hair.

[Shermie Girl]

P.S. boar brushes are s#1t. Excuse my expression, but it's true. Oily hair from just one-2 brushings. And it gets difficult thru hair, takes a million hours to brush it all thru. And the hair feels damn odd on the head after that, and you can't run your finger thru it.
And I don't even have big hair yet, with long hair this must be mission impossible.


Boar bristle brushes don't work for me, either. They can't get through all of my hair, they can't adequately detangle or smooth my pouffy hair down and by the time I smooth part of one area of my hair and move on, the part I just brushed kind of freaks out and needs to be brushed, again. It is just not a good scene for my hair. But to label them as sh*t is unfair. BBBs work beautifully for a lot of people. As with any product or tool, YMMV. :)

[ravenreed]

BBB's don't work for me either. Even on clean hair, all a BBB does is flatten my hair and make it look oily. I only use mine to brush out dry shampoos. Otherwise, I don't touch it. I don't like the sound of snapping hairs either. If I use my TT, I almost never find broken hairs. If I use a wide toothed comb, sometimes I get breakage. I even use my TT on wet hair with no problems as long as I am careful.



:shocked: I personally can't stand causing damage to my hair, not to mention the noise a breaking hair makes drives me nuts. I'm not sure why you say your hair gets oily faster when you use a comb, that just doesn't seem to make sense. Do you use it on your scalp? The tines might be stimulating your scalp too much, but you could fix that problem by not letting the tines touch your scalp :)



I have to disagree with you. I love my BBB, maybe the brush just isn't right for your hairtype? Again, you might just be overstimulating your scalp with it, or have super oily hair in general. My hair is pretty oily, and I can only use my BBB after showering when my hair is super clean and oil free. If it's taking a long time to brush through, you might have to detangle first so you're not using the brush and spreading oils so much.

[Alva]

I've used a wide tooth comb for a few years, it worked rather good, but I swear by my Mason Pearson boar and nylon mix brush. I honestly believe this brush gives me less damage than using a wide tooth comb. I use it for detangling and I wouldn't want it any different. With other brushes I had much less success, but everyone's hair is different.

[lapushka]

Every head is different, every person is different, every product is different, every tool is different.

Amen to that! :)

[heidi w.]

I gave up my hair brush over a year ago in favor of a wide-tooth comb which I use very gently; however, yesterday I came across my hair brush in a drawer as I was getting ready for school and I became tempted. I picked it up and ran it through my hair and it felt AMAZING. Those little nubby things (so bad) felt so good on my scalp. All I can think about is how much I wanna brush my hair again. If I detangle first with the comb is it still bad to brush?

I have a boar bristle brush, but the bristles can't get to my scalp through all the hair.

First, a regular BBB and a hairbrush are not the same kind of brush and are to be used differently.

It's not the worst to brush hair, but neither is it the best. More hair gets pulled out when brushed (for detangling). If you want to detangle first with the comb, then brush, that's fine. It's not the worst ever. At least you're getting the shed hairs out and not leaving them in to matt.

A BBB is for "polishing" the hair. I demonstrated BBBing as part of oiling in a somewhat recent youtube video I made. Never BBB wet hair. Ever. Detangle the hair first, then BBB. If you encounter a tangle while BBBing, switch to fingers or a wide-tooth or other comb to get the tangle out, THEN resume BBBing once it's all sorted out. A BBB for most average thicked hair does not penetrate the thickness of one's hair. Pressing harder to get this thick bristled comb through the thickness of hair does not help, and typically doesn't work. One has to brush underside and topside of hair separately. I don't brush the top of my hair on my head with a BBB as it moves so much oil around that it further flattens my hair on top. I will only do this arena of hair once it's in an updo and I want the hair drawn back to look sleek and without lines left by the comb. For that I tip the brush on the side and glide the BBB over this hair to gain that effect.

Here's a link to my youtube video, and it might be of some assistance as it concerns BBBing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjVwPKMQDYk

Hope this is of some help.
heidi w.

(This video was not intended to demonstrate how to BBB, but it provides a little bit of info and how-to visually. It's essentially a starter kit on all things BBB.)

[heidi w.]

Haha.. too funny! :D

I looove the little bumps on combs as well :) And I also feel quilty about it. Seamless comb is on my to-do list, but I have bad experiences with combs and havent been able to bring myself to get one yet.

Tangle teezer could be interesting too. Only I've heard the "combing" parts of it get terminally bended pretty easily..

I can say nothing about a Tangle Teazer as I've never even seen one, much less tried one. I bought an extra-wide, wide-tooth comb from George Michael salons. I had one replaced earlier this year since the older one had fallen and broken. It was a nice present, and a surprise!!

At first when I used combs, I could not get the dang thing through my hair at all. Over time and with trial and error, I realized I had somewhat thick hair, and went to find an extra wide, wide tooth comb. That was the problem. The teeth were still too close together, causing difficulty in detangling my hair with a comb. I haven't looked back since figuring this out.

I suggest that I am not the only one with this problem, and I am betting more people might fare better with an extra-wide, wide toothed comb. One can see what I'm talking about on a GM site, such as Madora's (in New York City).

There are a couple of GM salons in the US. Not a lot, but there out there.

Here's a link.

Madora Ivory Comb....scroll pretty far down under PRODUCTS (Ivory) IV-#116

This link is to the PRODUCTS PAGE of the website, and you have to scroll down. It's the first comb of the comb section listed.

http://www.madoralonghairheaven.com/madoraprod1.html


heidi w.

[BlazingHeart]

Combs and I don't get along well. It takes me an incredibly long time to detangle, and my hair doesn't STAY detangled the way it does with a brush. Also, somehow combs seem to pull knots tighter while brushes are able to push them clear of my ends without any breakage.

I use this brush http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Therapeutics-Natural-Wooden-Massage/dp/B001G7Q0IM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1337198532&sr=8-7 and I LOVE it. The bristles are smooth, no ball-tips, so it pulls a lot less. The combination of inflexible bristles and flexible pad is the best for me. I can brush my hair in 2-3 minutes with my brush, and it'll look nice. However, it's definitely not for all people - I have very strong, extremely thick, low-tangle hair that generally detangles easily with a brush but not with a comb.

I tried a TT. It just didn't work well for me - I think my hair is too coarse and too thick. It physically couldn't detangle my hair. I use it on my service dog, and he likes it better than his slicker brush.

~Blaze

[MonicaJean]

I must be weird because I get more breakage from a wide toothed comb than I do from a regular hair brush (when used properly). I always use a brush except when I get out of the shower. That's when I use the wide tooth comb.

[zombi]

For me brushes aren't the best because it messes up my wave patterns makes my hair look amazingly frizzed and ugly (in my opinion). So I don't brush my hair unless I've straightened it for some reason, am going to blowdry for some reason, or am right about to get the in the shower sometimes. I will brush it before I get in the shower to get out some loose hair so avoid clogging the drains so much. But on a regular basis I don't prefer to brush my hair.

In fact most of the time I do not comb it either. I use the wide-tooth in the shower (with conditioner, to get out loose hair), but I usually do the curly girl plop type thing with wet hair and do not comb, brush, or even really finger-comb it very much. Just enough to part it where I like it in the front!

[Silverbrumby]

Anyone have any opinion on these wooden brushes?

http://img.ehowcdn.com/article-new/ehow/images/a06/rk/iq/clean-wooden-hair-brushes-800x800.jpg
I remember having one years ago. If it was sanded down and oiled.. would it not be ok to use?

They sell ones very much like these at Wholefoods.

[pink.sara]

Another denman brusher here.

I know if I wide toothed combed sections then brushed I would see less breakage but it takes far too long for me.

I'M not even BSL and it would take 20 minutes every morning to do this. So I just brush. I do section and work from the ends up stopping off I feel a big knot. But brushing is the only way to cope with this much hair!

I found the TT worse for breakage, and only BBB to smooth updos.

[jacqueline101]

I don't think brushing is bad its they type of brush. I also like my hair bean generic tangle teaser. I don't use it every day on hair washing day.

[jeanniet]

I use my Denman plastic brushes exclusively (I have a large one at home, and a small one in my bag)

If I try to detangle with a comb, it takes me an hour to get all the tangles, and my hair is only just past BSL, and straight! I dread to think how long it would take me at longer lengths!

I think it takes so long due to my full range of hair thicknesses not liking each other. I have the very finest hairs, right through to very thick, wiry hairs and everything in between on my head. The fine ones twist and know aroung the wiry ones like dreads, even when I've benn wearing it in an updo. The fine ones also fairy knot regularly, and the medium hairs just like being tangly on their own. Its gotten better since I've been using leave-ins, but I still cannot detangle with a comb and still have a life! The thing is, even when it hasn't ben detangled, it looks fine, you can't tell its tangly at all! My hair is wierd!
This is me! I mean, we are hair twins! I don't get a lot of fairy knots, but the fine hair tangling around everything else...oh, yeah. I use a really wide tooth comb (1/2" spacing), and that works really well, but man, my hair tangles if you look at it funny.

[jeanniet]

I can say nothing about a Tangle Teazer as I've never even seen one, much less tried one. I bought an extra-wide, wide-tooth comb from George Michael salons. I had one replaced earlier this year since the older one had fallen and broken. It was a nice present, and a surprise!!

At first when I used combs, I could not get the dang thing through my hair at all. Over time and with trial and error, I realized I had somewhat thick hair, and went to find an extra wide, wide tooth comb. That was the problem. The teeth were still too close together, causing difficulty in detangling my hair with a comb. I haven't looked back since figuring this out.

I suggest that I am not the only one with this problem, and I am betting more people might fare better with an extra-wide, wide toothed comb. One can see what I'm talking about on a GM site, such as Madora's (in New York City).

There are a couple of GM salons in the US. Not a lot, but there out there.

Here's a link.

Madora Ivory Comb....scroll pretty far down under PRODUCTS (Ivory) IV-#116

This link is to the PRODUCTS PAGE of the website, and you have to scroll down. It's the first comb of the comb section listed.

http://www.madoralonghairheaven.com/madoraprod1.html


heidi w.
The Madora comb isn't even widely spaced enough for me. I think it's about 1/4" between teeth, and I need 1/2".

[PrincessIdril]

Honestly you'll damage your hair with a comb if you don't use it properly, same with a brush. I personally only comb when my hair is wet, I find my waves look more defined when I brush. Also I find a brush is better for getting the sheds out of my hair than a comb.

The trick is to figure out what works best for you and then find suitable products. If you prefer brushed hair do that, just invest in a decent brush. Same with combs.

I can't speak on behalf of the Tangle Teezer as I vowed to never let one of those near my hair, after seeing it get stuck on a styling head during a product demo on Dragons Den... But I can really recomend a Mason and Pearson brush.I have the boar and nylon bristle one, and I think it's a brilliant brush. It's comfortable to hold, and does it's job well.
http://www.masonpearson.com/ <If your interested, you might need to use the contact form to see about buying one.

[pepperminttea]

If you love the brush OP, why not stick with it for a while? See how your hair reacts to it long-term, and then choose. :)


Personally I'm a finger-comber, and then I break out a wide-toothed comb to find any tangles my fingers have missed and smooth things out a bit. It's not the quickest method certainly, I normally set aside 10-15 minutes for it (longer if I've worn my hair down), but it's the least damaging for me and that wins out over time concerns. I do love the feeling of a brush's tines on my scalp, but it makes my hair oily very, very quickly, and I do notice a lot more static, and more damage long-term. The Tangle Teezer was no miracle for me either, but I'm definitely in the minority on that one. It just dragged over my tangles rather than actually detangling them, and had the same increased damage, static and oily roots issues as a normal brush compared to fingers and comb. :shrug:

On BBBs... not a fan either. Flat, oily hair, and even on detangled hair they always seemed too grippy and snaggy. But while it's not for me, for others they're amazing. We're all different. :)

[cuties]

I use this brush

http://www.amazon.com/Kent-Large-Natural-Shine-Brush/dp/B002V8SX8U/ref=sr_1_1?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1337211222&sr=1-1

and I love it. At first I did notice some breaking (nothing major or alarming), but it stopped on 3rd day of use. I love the nice feeling it gives to my scalp. Yes I tend to get oily scalp if I brush too much but it also helps spread that oil and my hair looks healthier than before. But I use it only on dry hair and after I comb out all the tangles. But again my hair is not thick or anything, so makes brushing easier.

[Changling]

Lots of people report hair breaking and damage from those nubby brush/comby things. I have one and I use it maybe every other day. I haven't noticed any damage at all, there are just a few hairs in it, and I've been using it for months. I never feel or hear breaking or pulling. It probably mostly has to do with hair type.

[ddiana1979]

I use a very wide toothed comb to detangle, then use a boar bristle brush just to distribute some oils and style my hair (if I use the comb to try to smooth an updo, I end up with weird streaks/parts where the comb teeth hit).

For those w/ problems with BBB not reaching all the way through the hair, I had to try a few different ones to find the proper stiffness. The soft ones don't work very well, the bristles just "smoosh".

[Shermie Girl]

I am someone who loves to brush her hair. I went a long time never touching my hair with a brush, a couple of years, actually. It was okay... My hair seemed to like it just fine but honestly, I didn't notice any less shedding or breakage when I didn't brush than when I do. :shrug: I like to alternate using my Tangle Teaser and my paddle brush.

[catamonica]

After coming out tangles, I use a wooden brush. For one minute. Just enough to make it look okay.

[Vapunzel91]

I have found metal combs that I stole from my sister's cat. Now that the comb is missing, I found a brush-comb that appears to be made of boar bristle or some type or coarse, thick bristle attached to a wooden handle. The brush seems good for oil, but not so much for scalp massage or tangles.

[Silverbrumby]

I love brushing my hair. It seems to help with the shedding. Probably because you don't notice it so much in a BBB or maybe it's the scalp massage I get from it. Did buy a tangle teaser which I love but my son lost it. Have ordered another.

I really like heidi's method and have been using way less oil. My hair loves it and finally, finally I can BBB with oiling and it's not greasy and feels pretty good.

[Servana]

I don't see the problem, as long as you are gentle. That applies to any hair tool, though. I use one of those brushes & I do not experience any breakage because I take it slowly, & when I get to a tangle I just detangle with my fingers.

[Bagginslover]

This is me! I mean, we are hair twins! I don't get a lot of fairy knots, but the fine hair tangling around everything else...oh, yeah. I use a really wide tooth comb (1/2" spacing), and that works really well, but man, my hair tangles if you look at it funny.
How funny, twins in that respect, but different things work for us :)

I honestly see very little breakage from using my Denmans, and certainly a LOT less than when I used to just rip them through my hair-I am much more careful than I used to be pre-LHC. my bed used to be littered with broken pieces of hair after my morning brush through, now I might see one break, and its always one thats split part way up the shaft and just come off, I'm not using force at all any more.

Heidi.w, your oiling and BBB video is great, I was gifted a lovely brush when I joined here, but I've never really known how to use it, so I will try out your method, thank you!

[lunalocks]

I love my Bass brush with the smooth wood bristles. I try to brush every night (after combing with a wide tooth comb) after oiling and before I bun for bed.

[88Marisa]

I brush several times a day with a BBB. I am on a Water-Only routine and it's the quickest way to spread the natural sebum through my hair evenly. I use a wide tooth comb or finger comb any tangles out of my wet hair, but really my hair isn't very tangle prone, especially at this length. When it gets longer I have to worry about my nape hairs somewhat (ironically, those are my straightest hairs too). I sometimes use my BBB on wet hair, but that's to get my very top layer to lay in the right direction as it dries. I don't do a real brushing until it's completely dry.

Many years ago I used to use just a regular ball-end brush on my hair and had loads of breakage and split ends. So brushes definitely can cause damage. However, I think my hair strands are much more damage resistant now on this routine, because I'm not particularly gentle, although I'm careful to never rip through tangles. On water-only or sebum-only routines, spreading the natural sebum from the scalp to the ends on a regular basis is really important, and I find a BBB is the best tool for me for that purpose.