The Evil Ball-tipped Brush?

[LaFlor]

Ever since I signed up on LHC (3 yrs ago) I have been told that ball-tipped brushes are evil. I believed that and replaced mine with a wide toothed comb.

But now that my comb is missing, I have had to resort to using the old ball-tipped brush I had laying around. And I have to admit, I'm really loving using the brush again :o

I have to ask, what exactly is so evil about the ball-tipped brush? I feel like I never got a good explanation of what it is doing to my hair. I don't want to damage my hair, but I used one on my waist length hair in highschool and never had a problem, so it's hard for me to hate it.

Please talk me away from it!

[snowcloud]

I have to ask, what exactly is so evil about the ball-tipped brush? I feel like I never got a good explanation of what it is doing to my hair.


I want to know too!! This is brand new news to me

[lapushka]

Ball-tipped brushes can rip hair out, but if you don't feel like it's ripping your hair out, it probably isn't. There are longhairs who do use a ball-tipped brush, or other brushes for that matter. If you're not comfortable with it, you might want to substitute your brush for a Tangle Teezer or a BBB.

[Madora]

Those nubs at the end will rip out your hair. Not worth the damage if you want healthy, long hair.

[Bene]

I don't know the official reason but, for my hair, if there are any snarls he ball tips snag on to them. A straight pin brush or a comb, you can just pull them out and away. You can then work on the tangle from below. With a ball end, you're forced to either rip through the tangle or rip the brush away.

[secondrain]

Ha, I love them too. Or at least I did when I wore my hair straight. My hair is really thick so a natural bristle brush just skates off the surface whereas a ball-tip brush really gets in all the way to the scalp. I have a wooden one that feels dreamy :p

Like most things, I figure it's about what works for your hair and how careful you are with your brush.

[jojo]

The balls encourage hair to wrap around them and rip the hair, also the balls come off and that leave "naked" bristles which scratch and damage the scalp, also plastic generates heat which causes damage to hair. A BBB or wooden comb is much more kinder to hair. I know I used one way before finding this site and my hair would snap when I brushed, ive not used one in over 6 years, i occasionally use heat but my hair has never been in better condition, apart from other changes I really do think this brush was doing me no favours!
Hope that helps!

[Shiranshoku]

When I first read this, I was skeptical too. Why would the most common brush be so common, if it was bad for you?

But I found a pretty wooden comb and decided to try for myself. And I do notice a difference. I never brush anymore because I hate the sound it makes. You should listen to the difference between someone brushing their hair, or someone combing it. Being gentle is the key, I suppose. But imho combing is usually the better choice.

Also, with combing I only lose naturally shed hair: about two to five strands per combing session. With a brush, you pull out hairs, or stretch them so they snap. The results? Little balls of fur that you have to peel out every week. Big difference!

I've also noticed I have more volume, and my hair seems thicker and shinier too. I'm a convert :)

[amantha]

I've never had a problem with ball-tipped brushes. I heart mine a lot. I actually feel like a wide-tooth comb rips my hair waaayyyyy more than my brush ever did. I have been using my TT lately though.

[Kiwiwi]

I always see it like this.
The ball tiped brushes have many places for individual hairs to get stuck and thus they might get ripped out of your head. If the tips are a bit loose hairs can get stuck. The pin in the... 'cushion' thingy have space around them where hair can get stuck. Sometimes the pins are not well made where hair can get stuck too. The pins are very stiff so you can rip through hairs easier thus likely to do damage.
That is one of the reasons I use a tangle teezer. Because it's all one thing. No nooks n crannies for hair to get stuck in. The pins of the tangle teezer are also very flexibel so they won't rip through your hairs/knots = less damage. I love the tangle teezer!

Of course, one might say it's a bit obsessive and ball tipped brushes can work great for people. But one could call 'us' a bit obsessive about hair here at the LCH ;)

[Kiwiwi]

I've never had a problem with ball-tipped brushes. I heart mine a lot. I actually feel like a wide-tooth comb rips my hair waaayyyyy more than my brush ever did. I have been using my TT lately though.

Same here! Combs, no matter how wide-toothed seem to rip my hair waaaaay more than a brush (TT in my case). Even though I've heard people often say that combs are better for curlies; not for me :)

[MinderMutsig]

Same here! Combs, no matter how wide-toothed seem to rip my hair waaaaay more than a brush (TT in my case). Even though I've heard people often say that combs are better for curlies; not for me :)
Thirded!

Also, I don't think life would be worth living without being able to brush your hair and feel those brush tips scratch and massage your scalp. Oh sweet joy! Anyone think I overdid it there? No I didn't think so.:D You need a tangle teezer. All the joys of brushing but much gentler on your hair.

[battles]

I've never had a problem with ball-tipped brushes. I heart mine a lot. I actually feel like a wide-tooth comb rips my hair waaayyyyy more than my brush ever did. I have been using my TT lately though.

I agree. Combs never get knots out of my hair, tangle teezer is the only thing that seems to be able to remove them without snapping hairs. I bought a horn comb and I've barely used it. I find it painful.

[ladylowtide]

Wow apparently I need to get a tangle teezer. I love how pretty my comb is. and it is nice to smooth hair into an undo, but I NEVER detangle with anything other than my fingers.

It would be nice to just run a brush through it and be done with it.

[Seeshami]

The evil is in the ball, it can catch the hair or knot and thus rip out your hair. I hate the comb only plan. I use an evil ball tipped paddle brush because I couldn't find a non-ball paddle brush, I have to much naughty mess as it is so some ripping I will live through and now that I am going back to school I am no longer allowed to spend money on hair things. I also have a TT, which the naughty mess laughs at but other then that the TT is most certainly the way to go.

[Mrsbaybeegurl]

I had an Ouchless Goody ball tipped brush that once got caught in my hair while blow-drying and I managed to make the 1 inch bristle 3 inches before snapping my hair off (the heat allowed the plastic to become semi-soft so the bristle just kept getting longer and longer and the evil ball wouldn't let go of my hair until my hair literally yanked out of my scalp)...ouchless my @$$!!! I still have the brush, I don't use it but it's now kinda funny to look at it, with one extra extra long bristle sticking up randomly. It's a great reminder to just say no to ball tipped brushes lol

I now have a wooden bristle brush that I love and a horn comb. I probably only need to brush my hair twice a week and comb every other day and finger comb daily but sometimes I hand my kids my wooden pin brush and let them brush my hair because let's be real...brushing feels nice especially when someone else is doing it and it doesn't snag my hair ever (even with an 8 year old using it on me lol)

[Lunnafindel]

I feel the same way. (I think I actually started the same thread here years ago, too, so you're not alone)
I got a wooden comb and a wooden brush and tried them but they never worked well for me. I couldn't see any noticeable difference in hair quality and there was a distinct difference in the amount of time and effort it took me to brush my hair in the mornings - the wooden ones were just not as effective.
I might try the tangle teaser, because my hair does have more splits than I think it should, and it'd be great to have something that was effective but not the evil brush, but I haven't yet. Maybe I'll suddenly have an extra 20$ to spend on another hair toy now that I've read this thread...funny how that happens... :P

[AutumnLocks]

I love the ball tip brishes too! They are the only thing that actually will get rid of tangles for me. I do use a wide toothed comb if I do anything to it when it's wet tho. And, unless they have changed a natural bristle brush pretty much just skims the surface.