How are you doing it? How long have you done it?

[daniemoy]

Not combing does take some getting used too. However the benefits are abundant. I usually wear my hair in a bun, but when I do wear it down it looks healthier since I stopped combing daily. I promised myself that I would get to BSL before I started wearing my hair down daily. I consider myself in healthy hair training and not combing is like boot camp. Once Summer hits I hope to reap the benefits.

 

[dinaaike]

These are great questions. I think you can be creative

When my hair is in an updo, the curls are pinned up on the top and are left uncovered while the sides of my hair is tied down with my scarf.

I use a lot of leave in's on shampoo day to moisturize, so I only need to oil my ends. I do that nightly and If I am applying something to my scalp I have bottle with a long applicator nozzle that gets the scalp without me having to use a comb.

For those with relaxed hair who wrap their hair at night and wear it down, that hair style will hold for many days after the initial styling.

I am sure many others will chime in with other ideas!

RZ~

See! This is what I'm talking about! Thank you Ekaette, you read my thoughts!! My hair is bushy and demanding. If I moisturize, I have to "get in there" somehow. This is an excellent solution RZILYNT.

So, better scarf...check!
Applicator bottle...check!

 

[Isis]

How do the non frequent combers sleep? I can sleep with a scarf under a bonnet and wake up with crazy looking hair. It's flat against my head, especially the side I was sleeping on, but it's still crazy looking. I agree if I don't comb everyday I just look a mess.
Also when you moisturize your hair do you just get the outside hairs? What about the hair inside the top layer?

I don't understand how you wake up with "crazy looking hair".
What kind of scarf do you wear? Is is satin or silk? These are the only two fabrics that will leave your hair very smooth.

Is your scarf secured tightly on your head? I see you wear a bonnet too. That should keep your scarf from falling off.

 

[lilamae]

So I guess it's not really possible to be an "It Girl" or to be "That Girl" when you're truly dedicated to growing long hair...? I have yet to figure out how to be stylish, attractive... and constantly bunned/pulled back, even with hair accessories. I look best with my hair down, but I gained the most length when I wore it pulled back and tucked in not especially flattering protective styles. It's a compromise I struggle with.

ITA. But i want to be like Slyver2 once I reach my goal length (WL) and wear my hair down very often. I'll go the next 18 months with all of this buning stuff but once i'm where I wanna be, I plan to thoroughly enjoy my hair. Otherwise... what the hec is the point of growing it, feel me?

 

[FlowerHair]

Although I'm far, far away from hip, tailbone or classic length, I expect to achieve that one day. I need to ask....for those that don't comb...with hair that long, doesn't not combing daily cause the hair to be tangled when you finally comb it? On top of that, a certain amount of hair is shed each day. When you finally comb, do you get handfuls of hair coming out?

My answer to the bolded is no. It's weird, I know, but my hair is easier to comb when I do comb it (like once a year or so ) because there is zero breakage/split ends etc that is one of the major causes of tangles...

 

[FlowerHair]

How do the non frequent combers sleep? I can sleep with a scarf under a bonnet and wake up with crazy looking hair. It's flat against my head, especially the side I was sleeping on, but it's still crazy looking. I agree if I don't comb everyday I just look a mess.
Also when you moisturize your hair do you just get the outside hairs? What about the hair inside the top layer?

I sleep with my hair in a long twist that I fasten on the top of my head.
I don't use a scarf, because my SO doesn't like it LOL
So my hair is a bit crazy when I wake up sometimes. I just "water" it with wetted fingers and put a scarf on to make it flat again. Smooth down first with my palms.


I'm in the "leave-it-alone" category I just leave it alone to do its own thing. I finger comb in the shower only and air dry. That's once or twice a week. On non-wash days I wet it with my hands to revive the curls in the morning.

I don't wear complicated hair styles that pull out my hair. Ponytail, bun, 1 braid or 1 twist is enough for me, or I'll wear it down. If I wear twists for example I'll lose a lot of hair and it does get really tangled. I had to stop doing that.

When I wear it down I'm careful with the ends, I don't lean on my hair - I'll push it to the front of my body instead and I don't let it get caught in chairs or handbag straps.

If it's windy or snowy I'll wear a hat and take down my hair once I get inside. That way it's ok to wear my hair down more often. Always think of your hair...

 

[dinaaike]

How did those who achieved amazing lengths handle shorter hair without a comb? At what length did you begin finger-combing?

Also, I've never been a big slicker-downer. Is there a trick to hand-taming edges before tying them down that will prevent that 'fro-under-plastic-wrap look? I know it's not just me...

 

[CenteredGirl]

I joined a No Comb challenge a few months ago on another board. I went 3 months without combing my hair except weekly on wash days.

It became a habit, now I don't think twice about it. It takes 21 days to break any habit.

I'm glad I did, cause my hair is so much healthier and thicker than ever before.

 

[dinaaike]

I joined a No Comb challenge a few months ago on another board. I went 3 months without combing my hair except weekly on wash days.

It became a habit, now I don't think twice about it. It takes 21 days to break any habit.

I'm glad I did, cause my hair is so much healthier and thicker than ever before.

Besides the comb, were there any adjustments you had to make to keep from "diminishing your sexy"?

 

[Bigghair]

For me daily combing would equal a bald head. I comb once a week or less. I don't wear styles that require combing....I can just finger style and go. If I wear my hair out as it is now, there is no need to comb it.

 

[nomadpixi]

How did those who achieved amazing lengths handle shorter hair without a comb? At what length did you begin finger-combing?

Also, I've never been a big slicker-downer. Is there a trick to hand-taming edges before tying them down that will prevent that 'fro-under-plastic-wrap look? I know it's not just me...

Bumping for an answer to this too.

 

[ms*x]

yep, challenges work!
i did a challenge for myself - no heat for a month. since then, i haven't used heat at all but one time, and that was for my husband's work holiday party.
i JUST learned to not comb my hair two days ago.
i've been rocking a braid out because it's already in the 90-degree range here in arizona and my hair is beginning to frizz. i changed my products from sunsilk leave-in with castor oil to s-curl activator and garnier fructis leave in with sesame oil. i started getting massive breakage (even after henna-ing) so two days ago i used the shower comb with my hair saturated with v-05 condish in the shower under running water and braided my hair in 2 braids. once a towel dried my hair, i began the process of braiding into 6 braids for the braid out.

yesterday, after work, i just applied the s-curl, g. fructis leave in and oil and re-braided. this morning, my hair was great! AND I DIDN'T EVEN USE A COMB YESTERDAY!

so, tonight, i'm gonna do the same thing i did yesterday sans comb.
i think i'll start a no-comb challenge for me through april.

 

[dinaaike]

Bumping for reply to the above.

 

[nycutiepie]

How did those who achieved amazing lengths handle shorter hair without a comb? At what length did you begin finger-combing?

Also, I've never been a big slicker-downer. Is there a trick to hand-taming edges before tying them down that will prevent that 'fro-under-plastic-wrap look? I know it's not just me...

You're really on to something here. My hair is not MBL but I'm past APL and it's all due to no combing. My journey started past SL but I can tell you that IMHO, it is going to be more difficult to style your hair with your hands and without a comb when your hair is shorter because there is no length to play with. This is especially true with the NG kicks in because that shrinks the length up even more.

When my hair was shorter, it was more difficult to keep it flat and taut, even with a scarf, because all the hairs generally don't reach far enough back to fit into a pony holder. It's also more difficult to make a neat bun without some type of pony holder since you don't have enough length to wrap around itself. I wore a fake pony alot more often when my hair was shorter and relied heavily on the Sylver2 Scarf Method to keep my hair flat and taut.

I don't have a solution for wearing your hair out when it's shorter because I never did. I didn't have a bang either. I was a faithful UPA clip or half-wig wearer always with a baggy. However, you can still smooth your own hair back with your hands, but you are going to have to rely on the scarf to keep it flat because there's no length to give you any type of slight tension if you know what I mean. I wear my hair out alot more now, but I'm trained with the fingercombing. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been able to wear it out even when it was shorter. Someone above mentioned it becoming a "habit" and that really summed it up. Keep practicing just using your hands and it will eventually become second nature. Trust me........I thought it was impossible at first but it's not. HTH!

 

[dinaaike]

You're really on to something here. My hair is not MBL but I'm past APL and it's all due to no combing. My journey started past SL but I can tell you that IMHO, it is going to be more difficult to style your hair with your hands and without a comb when your hair is shorter because there is no length to play with. This is especially true with the NG kicks in because that shrinks the length up even more.

When my hair was shorter, it was more difficult to keep it flat and taut, even with a scarf, because all the hairs generally don't reach far enough back to fit into a pony holder. It's also more difficult to make a neat bun without some type of pony holder since you don't have enough length to wrap around itself. I wore a fake pony alot more often when my hair was shorter and relied heavily on the Sylver2 Scarf Method to keep my hair flat and taut.

I don't have a solution for wearing your hair out when it's shorter because I never did. I didn't have a bang either. I was a faithful UPA clip or half-wig wearer always with a baggy. However, you can still smooth your own hair back with your hands, but you are going to have to rely on the scarf to keep it flat because there's no length to give you any type of slight tension if you know what I mean. I wear my hair out alot more now, but I'm trained with the fingercombing. Had I known then what I know now, I would have been able to wear it out even when it was shorter. Someone above mentioned it becoming a "habit" and that really summed it up. Keep practicing just using your hands and it will eventually become second nature. Trust me........I thought it was impossible at first but it's not. HTH!

Thank you, NYCutiePie. It seems you really understand what I was talking about. It looks like I will spend a lot of time perfecting my braiding skills, because this is the only way I can stretch the strands enough to relax the curl and create smooth ponytails. Product plays an important role, I'm finding, and water is becoming my new best friend. My hair actually feels better than it's felt in a while.

What did you learn that would have allowed you more "out" styles?

 

[nycutiepie]

Thank you, NYCutiePie. It seems you really understand what I was talking about. It looks like I will spend a lot of time perfecting my braiding skills, because this is the only way I can stretch the strands enough to relax the curl and create smooth ponytails. Product plays an important role, I'm finding, and water is becoming my new best friend. My hair actually feels better than it's felt in a while.

What did you learn that would have allowed you more "out" styles?

You're welcome. I learned to try different things like bantu knots, Caruso steam rollers, braid outs, rods. These are all curling methods that allow you to wear your hair out without damage. I do these without using a comb because I use my fingers to separate and part my hair. I just smooth the strands with my fingers and/or hands and NEVER pass a comb through. HTH!