Do NOT rip a comb through your hair or someone else's hair

H

Harina

Well-Known Member
You are ripping out your hair. There are very few black women in this world that can take having a fine tooth comb raked through their hair. Having a fine tooth comb yanked through your hair does not improve the quality of your life. What is this obsession with having a comb glide gracefully through your hair when there is nothing on it. Why do you think so many black women have thin, short hair? Well along with chemicals, heat, lack of moisture, and things being too tight, this is one of them. My god, be gentle with your hair.


I'm am always appalled at the number of salons, specializing in natural hair, yes natural hair, that seem to enjoy doing this. Went to a salon yesterday to get cornrows, stylist was just pulling my hair out. She was so nice and happy and I was just as sick as a dog, that I couldn't even muster up any energy to say anything about it. I just sat there and let it happen. Doh! Well off to go snip my raggedy ends and take out these horrid cornrows. I wasn't expecting to have to do my hair today but now I have to ...yay!
 
Honestly, I don't even know why. Like I said I was under the weather and I just was tired of having to tell people the same thing. Maybe subconsciously I was wanting to give my self a mini hair cut. Who knows? I think we've all been in that situation where we just don't bother saying anything when we know the stylist is messing up our heads. Life's greatest mysteries.
 
I know how you feel. I was crazy enough to let this happen to me when I stupidly went to a salon two months ago for my last relaxer ( I usually self relax but since having my baby it's so hard to be able to do it I've done it twice myself since having him last Dec. but it's always so exhausting and I was just tired from all the sleepless nights etc I wanted to chill..).

Silly decision- I was around 15 weeks post and my hair was a tangled mess yet this heffer brings out the most fine toothed comb ever!!

I did say something but not strongly enough. She was so friendly I didn't want to be rude. I tried to explain that I was having a lot of post partum shedding, which was worrying me but she said something like "you've got all this lovely, thick long hair you can afford to lose some" I was in shock just told her to be gentle but could see the hair shredding and falling all over the floor!!!!!!!

I just wanted to be out quickly as my son had started fussing and thought to myself this is why you do your hair yourself so what did you expect! I even sat there and let her grease my hair and scalp which I would never do to that extent but drew the line and refused a trim. Luckily there was no lasting damage and I didn't lose too much progress but I wonder why it was so hard for me to say something- I just still can't believe HAIRdressers are so dumb as to use the wrong instruments.

Of course she was weaved up with balding hairline and I was getting side eye from the other stylist who was muttering something about "bouncy, bouncy hair" as I walked out! Ah well at least it was cheap but never again..

Sent from my Sony Xperia Arc
 
What the heck is a fine toothed comb doing in a natural hair salon? FIRST of all!:whyme:

There's no place for them! And I can't even say for parting bc I know how to get a straight part just using my fingers!
 
Harina said:
Honestly, I don't even know why. Like I said I was under the weather and I just was tired of having to tell people the same thing. Maybe subconsciously I was wanting to give my self a mini hair cut. Who knows? I think we've all been in that situation where we just don't bother saying anything when we know the stylist is messing up our heads. Life's greatest mysteries.
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I've been in that exact situation and also didn't say a thing only cause I seemed to have had to correct soooo many things with this stylist already I thought the fine tooth comb might tip her off the edge :((
 
Only time I use a fine tooth comb is after my hair has been properly conditioned and detangled first with a wide tooth comb. Then I use a fine tooth comb to go through my hair like if I'm gonna do a rollerset or something.

Been to many a Dominican Salon where they tried to rip paddle brushes, wide tooth and fine tooth combs though my hair. I've learned to stop them dead in their tracks when they do this
 
SmilingElephant said:
What the heck is a fine toothed comb doing in a natural hair salon? FIRST of all!:whyme:

There's no place for them! And I can't even say for parting bc I know how to get a straight part just using my fingers!
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Actually if you have to do a trim or something like that you need to use a smaller comb. I use fine toothed combs on clients after they have been detangled with absolutely no problems.
 
I'm so sorry that this happened to you and that you. Hope you feel better soon.

I was at a natural salon a few weeks ago and the stylist did use a fine toothed comb on my dry hair. However, before I could say anything she switched to a wide toothed comb and added moisturizer to my hair. She did still use a rattail comb though to do my partings (cornrows).

I got a roller set and trim last week and the shampoo girl tried to run a tiny comb through my wet hair, from root to tip. I literally yelled "STOP". She was scared but the stylist knows me and that I will not sit there and let someone rip through my hair. She came over and finished my wash and then did my roller set and trim.

It's not like I came in with straight hair though so they knew I had tightly coiled 4a hair which should mean pull out the correct tools.
 
Thick n coarse 4b natural hair checking in and maaannnn.......I remember when this happened to me. This girl was to braid my hair and she had her little kit n caboodle so I had no idea what she was pulling out. She told me not to put heat on my hair prior to coming so I didn't. She thought she knew what she was doing. So, she begins to part my hair and lawd hammercy. I shouted out, "whoa, hold on let me see....oh no ma'am you can't use that comb on my head". Then she told me the part wouldn't look good. I told her I didn't care please do not use that on my hair. Then she told me she had something that would help to detangle my hair. She came back with mousse. I left. Now I braid and twist my own hair. Im convinced no one knows how to do my hair but me. Im sorry this happened to you, the first time I felt that comb though I would have had a reaction. You are so much better than me girl, lol.
 
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They do this to me at the African braiding shops all the time, and my hair is thick thick thick--they just rip the small tooth comb right through it. No wonder their hair always looks a hot mess.
 
I use a fine tooth comb (rat tail) for parting only, and I primarily just use the metal rat tail part when doing detailed sectioning. But this is after I have conditioned, moisturized, detangled and sectioned my hair or my daughter's hair. I haven't used it to comb through my hair since my last relaxer.

I remember in high school the notion for combing your hair with a fine tooth comb meant a good relaxer was done.
 
^^^ Correct. Fine tooth comb are for parting only. I use them to get a smooth rollerset after the hair has been thoroughly detangled and foam wrap has been applied. I work my way down from wide tooth, to medium tooth, then finally to small tooth.

I do this with clients with no problem but I DO NOT just rake it through their hair. If it doesn't glide, I stop and change combs and add more detangler/moisturizer.
 
I'm sorry, but I would HAVE to say SOMETHING, this is MY hair, and I have taken the time and care to grow my hair and keep it healthy.

I couldn't just let someone cause me an unnecessary setback. It takes a quick moment to correct someone in how you want your hair handled, and a quick moment to jack your hair up.

So to avoid any mishaps, I just do my own hair. If I let anyone in my hair, its a few trusted people.
 
I complained to a stylist about this one time. Her response: "if it comes out with a fine toothed comb, then it was meant to come out anyway"
Another reason why I don't go there anymore smh
 
Harina said:
I think we've all been in that situation where we just don't bother saying anything when we know the stylist is messing up our heads. Life's greatest mysteries.
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I'm sorry this happened to you but to be completely honest, I've never understood NOT saying anything if you KNOW you don't want something done to your hair but it's happening anyway. Basically it's like paying your stylist to mess up your hair intentionally when you can do that by yourself at home for free. Hair grows 1/2 inch per month on average - that's not a whole lot. I'm not one of those people that obsess over every picometer but I'm not going to let another person ruin my progress when I have an English tongue.
 
I was in a public restroom the other day alone with one other lady. My back was to her but suddenly I heard a "ripping sound" that ONLY comes from a fine-tooth comb being yanked thru dry hair. I turned around and this lady was brutally attacking her poor tresses... And caught me looking. She seemed to look back like, "Don't say ish", so I kept it pushing. (said a little prayer for her hair)

I'll admit I've been in the chair like a deer in headlights at the mercy of a careless hairdresser's rattail comb. (She was also sweet, but we had a language barrier) Best believe, the next time she produced her rattail, I quickly corrected her choice with a wide-tooth and a smile!
 
I've had problems with that but never let them put that thing to my head lol! AND I've also had problems even with a wide tooth comb where they want to comb from the scalp down instead of detangling the ends and going up. So I'll grab the comb, say I'm tender headed and do it myself (much to their annoyance, but hey at least I have my hair in the end and that's what matters).

Sorry you were under the weather but you need to speak up and...I always bring a comb just in case they're insane (AnD I hardly go to hairstylists anyways, but when I do I come prepared!).

I'm not letting anything set me back (if I can help it of course). I hope you recover fast.
 
^^^^ I do the same thing now, but I didn't always. I AM really "tender-headed," but that's not why I detangle my own hair.

Like OP, I sat in silence August of 2010. That woman also gave me quite a "trim". I thought to myself, well maybe I needed a trim. I went BACK to that heff and after talking to her, she proceeded to rip through my hair AGAIN. My fault, shouldn't have gone back. We almost got in an actual fight b/c she insisted on raking through my hair with a fine-tooth comb and Dax of all things-- and I was still natural! My friend, innocent, confused bystander who knows I'm obsessed with my hair stood up and asked something like, "Why can't you just listen to her? Your client is making a request?" Shame, shame, shame (to the tune of the news segment) must have gotten to her b/c she calmed down and listened.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using T-Mobile G2
 
Every time I would see a lady with a fine toothed comb in her hair, I'd wonder, "why?"

I had someone laugh at me when I said I couldn't get that through my hair, as if there was something wrong with my hair

-___-

To each his/her own, but I'm not ripping out my hair just to pretend I can get a fine toothed comb through it!!
 
I use a fine tooth bone comb w/ no problems.

I use a wide tooth during the wash process but comb out my hair w/ the fine tooth in preparation for rollersetting/straightening, I use it on my straight hair also. I am very gentle & treat my hair like silk.
 
naturalmanenyc said:
I'm so sorry that this happened to you and that you. Hope you feel better soon.

I was at a natural salon a few weeks ago and the stylist did use a fine toothed comb on my dry hair. However, before I could say anything she switched to a wide toothed comb and added moisturizer to my hair. She did still use a rattail comb though to do my partings (cornrows).

I got a roller set and trim last week and the shampoo girl tried to run a tiny comb through my wet hair, from root to tip. I literally yelled "STOP". She was scared but the stylist knows me and that I will not sit there and let someone rip through my hair. She came over and finished my wash and then did my roller set and trim.

It's not like I came in with straight hair though so they knew I had tightly coiled 4a hair which should mean pull out the correct tools.
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That say's it all right there!:yep:
 
luckiestdestiny said:
I've had problems with that but never let them put that thing to my head lol! AND I've also had problems even with a wide tooth comb where they want to comb from the scalp down instead of detangling the ends and going up. So I'll grab the comb, say I'm tender headed and do it myself (much to their annoyance, but hey at least I have my hair in the end and that's what matters).
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I have had a stylist do this too. She was like "it's so easy to comb." :look: Wtf are you talking about. I need to start bringing my own combs.

PlainJane said:
I complained to a stylist about this one time. Her response: "if it comes out with a fine toothed comb, then it was meant to come out anyway"
Another reason why I don't go there anymore smh
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Yep, I've heard this too. I asked one braider what was she doing when she was ripping out my hair. She said very indignantly with a slight laugh (like dummy what do you think I'm doing): "I'm combing your hair." Oh, ok. Is that why your hair has been the same length all 5 years I've known you? That time I actually told her "No, you're ripping out my hair. You need to be gentler." Maybe it was a sense of familiarity that let me speak up that time.
 
Another thing I noticed that natural hair salons don't do is the whole sectioning off hair while washing/conditioning. I guess that's a whole nother thread.
 
I've only experienced it by stylist when getting a weave or a rollerset. The Dominican salons are really bad for doing this. When I got a weave and she racked with my hair with the rat tail comb I just knew that my hair would be jacked up once I took the weave out but it wasn't. In 8 weeks I grew 1.5 inches and so much thicker. So I guess it messes up hair if a rat tail wrecklessly used on a regular or depending how fragile a person's hair. I guess for me, one run in with the rat tail isn't enough for a setback. But it's super annoying, I can't figure out why they do that.
 
ManeStreet said:
I've only experienced it by stylist when getting a weave or a rollerset. The Dominican salons are really bad for doing this. When I got a weave and she racked with my hair with the rat tail comb I just knew that my hair would be jacked up once I took the weave out but it wasn't. In 8 weeks I grew 1.5 inches and so much thicker. So I guess it messes up hair if a rat tail wrecklessly used on a regular or depending how fragile a person's hair. I guess for me, one run in with the rat tail isn't enough for a setback. But it's super annoying, I can't figure out why they do that.
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Yeah, thankfully, one ripping of the comb is not enough to destroy my hair. I have alot of the stuff. But my ends can get raggedy pretty easily.
 
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