I don't think bobby pins are damaging if put in carefully and removed carefully. How hard is that to do??? I use bobby pins all the time to keep my stupid ff'ing layers out of my face and to pin up the base of a sagging french braid. If I want to do a certain style I do it. I want to enjoy my hair and not be paranoid over every little teeny tiny thing that *might* do a teeny tiny bit of damage.