Natural Hair and Fine tooth combs

[Urban]

So I got my hair done over the weekend. The person doing my hair started combing my hair with a fine tooth comb. I asked her not to, as a few broken pieces of my hair fell to the floor. I began explaining that I only use a wide tooth comb on my hair when her friend (the know-it-all type) jumped in and vehemently told me that wide tooth combs are encouraging knots in my hair, and that I should be using a fine tooth comb to detangle erplexed

Am I missing something? Are there any 4a/4b ladies that CAN use fine tooth combs? I actually ... physically couldn't do it ... and if I did do it, all my hair would break off and tear off at the roots.

It's sad how breakage has become so normal to people out there though. They both saw my hair break and their first instinct is to continue the very same action that's causing the breakage

 

[oreoday99]

Fine tooth combs are an absolute

Breakage City. The only purpose for those combs are for parting your hair very delicately. I bet those same stylist say that afro hair can't grow long....Well DUH you're breaking it off lady

 

[Urban]

Fine tooth combs are an absolute

Breakage City. The only purpose for those combs are for parting your hair very delicately. I bet those same stylist say that afro hair can't grow long....Well DUH you're breaking it off lady

My thoughts exactly. I tried to explain it to them, but they don't get it at all...

 

[MeechUK]

So I got my hair done over the weekend. The person doing my hair started combing my hair with a fine tooth comb. I asked her not to, as a few broken pieces of my hair fell to the floor. I began explaining that I only use a wide tooth comb on my hair when her friend (the know-it-all type) jumped in and vehemently told me that wide tooth combs are encouraging knots in my hair, and that I should be using a fine tooth comb to detangle erplexed

Am I missing something? Are there any 4a/4b ladies that CAN use fine tooth combs? I actually ... physically couldn't do it ... and if I did do it, all my hair would break off and tear off at the roots.

It's sad how breakage has become so normal to people out there though. They both saw my hair break and their first instinct is to continue the very same action that's causing the breakage

Hi Urba,.
maybe its time to find another hairdresser. You cannot reach any kind of a mutual concensus if she uses a fine toothed comb on afrohair and accepts the breakage afterwards as normal!

MeechUK

 

[JustKiya]

I did, for a while (rattail sized) - but it was breaking my hair off, and so I stopped. I do still use a 'regular' size comb, and my denman weekly, though.

I cannot detangle and think I'm done with only a wide-tooth comb - no, no, that's just the first step in my detangling process. Yeah, I tried that 'wide-tooh only' mess for about a month, and swore never again. I do wide tooth, then 'regular to small' tooth comb, then brush....

 

[tatiana]

I think fine tooth combs are bad to detangle but when I stop using wide tooth comb per my stylist recommendation I stopped getting knots in my hair.

I only detangle with my fingers, denman brush or a wood brush.

 

[Christelyn]

I know exactly what you mean. I've had some stylist rake that fine tooth comb through my hair, popping off all other the place, without a single second thought. Totally unnecessary, and it's the reason I do not frequent the salon. the thoughtlessness of some stylists is unbelievable.

 

[mscocoface]

Okay another comment that goes into the book entitled "Some of the Stupidest Things Said By Hairdressers"

I don't know of one natural head particularly a 4ish type on this board that will say a fine tooth comb is okay to use. Now I could be wrong and will take correction but the majority of the natural heads of all types on this board avoid the fine tooth comb.


And they have the long, thick unbroken hair to prove it!

 

[msa]

I think this is one of those things that has to be done in a certain way.

I use fine tooth combs rarely, but I do use them. If I've worn my hair in a shrunken puff everyday for a couple of weeks, I may need to do some serious detangling afterward. But I don't just rake through my hair with the comb.

First, I detangle with my fingers and section off. Then I detangle with a regular comb adding coconut oil until the hair is saturated. The oil helps to lubricate the strands so that they slide right past each other. Then I take even smaller sections and use the fine tooth comb. This helps me get all the shed hair out and find any knots. I only do this if I have the time and patience to be extra extra gentle and comb from the bottom up. Again this only happens rarely (every few months) because I don't usually have the energy to do all of that.

But for regular use with no precautions, fine tooth combs should never ever be used. Especially by people who think breakage is "normal".

 

[Nonie]

*taps mike* Ahem!

I haven't used a fine tooth comb in years until I was about to press my hair. It was fine to me anyway. It's a bone comb and after taking hair out of twists and finger-combing, I would apply GPB and Giovanni Magnetic Restructuring to my dry hair comb in sections, and then put that in a big plait while I worked on the next set of twists. I'm not sure why I felt the need to do this. I also used it through out the combing during the wash before the press, and even the last combing when I washed away the press. Please note that I do stretch my hair with one hand to open up the coils as I ran the comb through with my other hand. And I would start from ends and work my way to the base. Another thing to note is my hair was 100% soaked in something: be it conditioner, shampoo or water; never dry. And the reason you all keep hearing me raving about my successful press ad nauseum is I because by the time I was done washing my hair, my hair was fully reverted and my fine comb went through the shrunken hair you see below with ease. (I'd just rinsed off the conditioner and was getting ready to start braiding.)

 

[basketballbabe03]

Ummmmm... Someone with type 4 hair should NEVER use a fine tooth comb. I laugh at the thought of trying to comb my hair with one.

 

[msa]

Ummmmm... Someone with type 4 hair should NEVER use a fine tooth comb. I laugh at the thought of trying to comb my hair with one.

I don't think this is an instance where you can say it should never be used. It's about how you use it. I don't use a fine tooth comb to try to just comb my hair regularly. I use it for a specific purpose under specific conditions.

I don't really use combs in general but they have their purpose in haircare. A wide tooth comb is just as bad for type 4 hair if you tried to just rake through it with no lubrication.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I use a fine toothed comb - however - it is Rare. I would neverlet someone else use it one. I know my own hair well enough.

 

[JustKiya]

I use a fine toothed comb - however - it is Rare. I would never let someone else use it one. I know my own hair well enough.

That's an excellent point - I do, and will use a small tooth comb on my hair, but I would NEVER let anyone else use one, unless my hair was already heat-treated straight.

 

[Soliel185]

I use a fine tooth comb with I flat iron. But my hair is already detangled, and I'm doing very small sections.

I think you could detangle w it under the right circumstance, but most stylists don't detangle correctly to between with. They start at the roots or mid length and just rake downward till the hair stops resisting.

Then when they're all sweaty and wild eyed from the effort they got the nerve to say something about your "difficult" hair.

 

[discodumpling]

I do when braiding & occasionally when detangling. I wouldn't let anyone else near my hair with a fine tooth comb.

 

[tbaby_8]

I use a fine tooth comb when roller setting. My rollersets are smoother. I use a wide tooth comb when detangling. They (fine tooth combs) can be used if used correctly. But they have to be used properly and with a lot of patiences.

 

[glamazon386]

I do but only after my hair has been thoroughly detangled in small sections (if I'm braiding or twisting) but even then it's a bigger rattail comb not the one with the really small teeth. I've broken a comb or two.

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

^^^Cosigning with glamazon's whole post, no small teeth at all! In addition, I also use the rattail end to make parts as well.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I use a fine tooth comb with I flat iron. But my hair is already detangled, and I'm doing very small sections.

I think you could detangle w it under the right circumstance, but most stylists don't detangle correctly to between with. They start at the roots or mid length and just rake downward till the hair stops resisting.

Then when they're all sweaty and wild eyed from the effort they got the nerve to say something about your "difficult" hair.

 

[Pooks]

I can't remember any stylist trying to use a fine toothed comb in my hair unless it was pressed, I think my hair scared them!

Seriously though I have never owned a rattail comb in my life, so figure I won't start now. I'm sure they can be used safely as long as it is done with care and knowledge, and not on dry, ready-and willing-to-break hair.

 

[NikStarrr]

I can run a fine-toothed comb through SECTIONS of my hair while wet and after detangling with the Denman without any breakage. I wouldn't trust a stylist to do it though.

 

[Urban]

Thank you for your responses ladies. It's been quite an eye opener for me ... I didn't realize how commonplace it was to use a fine tooth comb on natural hair. It has it's place I guess.

*taps mike* Ahem!

I haven't used a fine tooth comb in years until I was about to press my hair. It was fine to me anyway. It's a bone comb and after taking hair out of twists and finger-combing, I would apply GPB and Giovanni Magnetic Restructuring to my dry hair comb in sections, and then put that in a big plait while I worked on the next set of twists. I'm not sure why I felt the need to do this. I also used it through out the combing during the wash before the press, and even the last combing when I washed away the press. Please note that I do stretch my hair with one hand to open up the coils as I ran the comb through with my other hand. And I would start from ends and work my way to the base. Another thing to note is my hair was 100% soaked in something: be it conditioner, shampoo or water; never dry. And the reason you all keep hearing me raving about my successful press ad nauseum is I because by the time I was done washing my hair, my hair was fully reverted and my fine comb went through the shrunken hair you see below with ease. (I'd just rinsed off the conditioner and was getting ready to start braiding.)

Thanks for outlining your process and for the pic. That's kinda what my hair looks like and I'd never have thought I could put a fine tooth comb through it without breakage with a texture like mine.

I use a fine toothed comb - however - it is Rare. I would neverlet someone else use it one. I know my own hair well enough.

That's such a good point. I don't think anyone else would have the patience it would take.

I use a fine tooth comb with I flat iron. But my hair is already detangled, and I'm doing very small sections.

I think you could detangle w it under the right circumstance, but most stylists don't detangle correctly to between with. They start at the roots or mid length and just rake downward till the hair stops resisting.

Then when they're all sweaty and wild eyed from the effort they got the nerve to say something about your "difficult" hair.

 

[anon123]

I did, for a while (rattail sized) - but it was breaking my hair off, and so I stopped. I do still use a 'regular' size comb, and my denman weekly, though.

I cannot detangle and think I'm done with only a wide-tooth comb - no, no, that's just the first step in my detangling process. Yeah, I tried that 'wide-tooh only' mess for about a month, and swore never again. I do wide tooth, then 'regular to small' tooth comb, then brush....

I think this is smart. A wide tooth comb alone simply cannot get out all the tangles, knots, and shed hair. That's probably part of my problem. After the long time spent detangling with a wide tooth comb, I often am too tired to continue on to a smaller tooth comb. Which means the next time I try to detangle, it will, once again, take me a long time to do.

 

[edenhere]

Run...It is not okay to run a fine tooth comb through natural hair. I've been to natural stylists who have only used wide tooth combs and have explained why.

While I've also gone to a hair stylist who tried to used the fine tooth comb attachment for the blow dryer and rip it through my hair. Different hair stylists know different things. Not all of them are educated in natural hair care.

 

[Urban]

I think this is smart. A wide tooth comb alone simply cannot get out all the tangles, knots, and shed hair. That's probably part of my problem. After the long time spent detangling with a wide tooth comb, I often am too tired to continue on to a smaller tooth comb. Which means the next time I try to detangle, it will, once again, take me a long time to do.

Yeh JustKiya's made a really good point. I've always just used the wide tooth comb and never thought to move on to a smaller tooth comb afterwards. But you're right, it sounds like to long, tiring process.

Out of curiosity, JustKiya, how long does it take you to detangle from start to finish?

 

[levone]

I definitely keep the small teeth rat tail combs (I would not use the ones with those really tiny/fine teeth to comb through my hair though) in my house and I consider myself primarily 4A/4B. However, like so many others have stated I only use it after my hair has been thorougly detangled and I take my time while using it. In my opinion it's a must FOR ME for smooth hairstyles (i.e. rollersets, twistouts). Well, that or some type of brush, i.e. denman. I even try to include this step before I twist my hair. I've found that it keeps me from getting too many tiny knots in my hair. My hair is weird and likes to curl up at the ends.

I would not let anyone else to use it in my head though, as I've had my hair ripped out and broken by an assistant in a shop a few years ago (I'm not sure what he was using) and yes I sat there like a fool erplexed and didn't say anything. Never again.

 

[JustKiya]

Yeh JustKiya's made a really good point. I've always just used the wide tooth comb and never thought to move on to a smaller tooth comb afterwards. But you're right, it sounds like to long, tiring process.

Out of curiosity, JustKiya, how long does it take you to detangle from start to finish?

About 30-45 minutes. I go through sections of my hair - usually 3-6 - detangling each section fully before moving to the next. While the other sections are 'waiting' on me, they are in a two strand twist - leaving them out just makes my job harder. As soon as I finish detangling a section, it goes right back into a TST. I only detangle right after a DC session, before I rinse out the conditioner. Heck, that's the only time I comb my hair, period.

Now - for full disclosure - I ONLY wear protective styles/bound hair styles. Wearing a puff/afro/twistout for even a day ups that detangling time to more along the lines of 45-75 minutes.
Wearing an out style for a week would have me detangling for at least 2 hours, and likely more - I did that once, swore never again. I was literally crying I was so tired of detangling - but I knew if I didn't get through the whole thing, it would be even worse the following week. That sucked.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

So I got my hair done over the weekend. The person doing my hair started combing my hair with a fine tooth comb. I asked her not to, as a few broken pieces of my hair fell to the floor. I began explaining that I only use a wide tooth comb on my hair when her friend (the know-it-all type) jumped in and vehemently told me that wide tooth combs are encouraging knots in my hair, and that I should be using a fine tooth comb to detangle erplexed

Am I missing something? Are there any 4a/4b ladies that CAN use fine tooth combs? I actually ... physically couldn't do it ... and if I did do it, all my hair would break off and tear off at the roots.

It's sad how breakage has become so normal to people out there though. They both saw my hair break and their first instinct is to continue the very same action that's causing the breakage

I would have taken that comb and broken it over her head if she tried to put that in my hair....

 

[half.cadence]

I can run a fine-toothed comb through SECTIONS of my hair while wet and after detangling with the Denman without any breakage. I wouldn't trust a stylist to do it though.

Same here.

I detangle with Jilbere first then I use one. In tiny sections..yeah, its time consuming but I dont have any issues with knots or anything like that. I do this about two/three times a week.