NATURAL LADIES: Do you use picks?

[Sunshine0801]

Do you?

I haven't used one in years, and I must admit that my fros don't have the same "WOW!" factor that they had when I picked my hair dry.

Is there a way to use them that is not damaging? Maybe just picking the roots out and not picking the ends?

If you DON'T use picks, how do you achieve big, fluffy fros/puffs?

 

[LynnieB]

i tried to use a pick near the beginning of my natural journey and i swear i think i could actually hear my hair screaming.

now i don't use anything on my puffs, usually they're made out of a fading fast twist or braid out and i just spritz a little then use my fingers to fluff it around for symmetry.

 

[Sunshine0801]

i tried to use a pick near the beginning of my natural journey and i swear i think i could actually hear my hair screaming.

now i don't use anything on my puffs, usually they're made out of a fading fast twist or braid out and i just spritz a little then use my fingers to fluff it around for symmetry.

Tell me about it! I would see all kind of hair flying off when I used to pick my hair when I first went natural. I thought that was normal.

When I wear a puff or fro now, it is the result of a braidout or twistout. I kind of miss having the big Angela Davis type of fros that don't have any definition and look like a big round cloud. THAT is what I'm trying to achieve, but I don't want to break off my hair to get it...

 

[JustKiya]

Oh, by the gods no.

No.


No.

Picks + my hair =

Any leave-in that would make my hair soft enough to allow me to pull a pick through it without breakin it off, would also be wet enough that my fro would shrink as it dried.

*sigh*

 

[Nonie]

I use a pick. It's metal. It's the only comb I have. I use it to part when braiding, and after my BC, I used it to comb out my damp puff. My hair wasn't long enough for the plastic base to drag across my hair when I combed, so I am hoping I wasn't doing my hair any damage with it. And once my hair is braided or twisted, I don't use the comb again. I usually undo and untangle each section with fingers before re-braiding it or twisting it back again. And so go for months w/o ever combing my hair. I would love to have a seamless bone pick (Does anyone know of one?).

When I was growing up, picks were the combs that everyone in my neighborhood used on their hair. From plastic to wooden to the metal one I have. I shudder to think what damage the seams did to our hair but what did we know? I mention that to say that I'm most comfortable using one on my head because it's the most natural hold for me as I've used it the longest. I did move onto other combs when I got my first jheri curl then relaxer, but picks keep calling me back.

 

[Wildchild453]

No, I just picture little pieces of hair flying everywhere ::shudders::

 

[glamazon386]

No I don't want to pull my hair out.

 

[Nonie]

OK, y'all have to school a sistah. Exactly why/how do picks pull hair out? Are you talking about the seams? Combing dry hair? Is it the closeness of the prongs? I don't get it.

 

[tinkat]

I don't have a pick, but I have a wide tooth comb with a pick at the end...I use it but its not like I pick it from root to end, I am real careful with my hair. And sometimes, my hair is fluffy enough to where the comb goes through easy.

 

[abordeaux]

I use a pick, but only the ends to even out my TWA.

 

[Poohbear]

I pick my hair when it's dry all the time. I don't pick it out from it's dry shrunken state, I pick my hair out after it has been stretched out or blowdried. If I want to pick through the ends, I make sure I hold the section of hair at the roots, and gently pick out the ends.

 

[Sunshine0801]

To the ladies who use picks...

do you see any breakage or damage after using picks?

 

[Nonie]

To the ladies who use picks...

do you see any breakage or damage after using picks?

I don't, which is why I was asking how people use them that makes them imagine seeing pieces everywhere or say they wouldn't dare because they don't want to damage their hair.

When I wore a puff, my hair was wet from SCurl and the comb glided smoothly through my hair. When I'm parting and braiding my hair, I work on a small section at a time and kinda stretch my hair as I comb through--that is after fully detangling it in the shower when soaking wet and smothered in conditioner. When my hair is out, I wash in plaits and keep undoing and combing through using the pick, and no breakage whatsoever! I guess I don't see how different using my pick is from using any other comb. Which is why I don't understand why the idea of one brings on such a dread in people. Could someone enlighten a sistah?

 

[JustKiya]

I don't, which is why I was asking how people use them that makes them imagine seeing pieces everywhere or say they wouldn't dare because they don't want to damage their hair.

When I wore a puff, my hair was wet from SCurl and the comb glided smoothly through my hair. When I'm parting and braiding my hair, I work on a small section at a time and kinda stretch my hair as I comb through--that is after fully detangling it in the shower when soaking wet and smothered in conditioner. When my hair is out, I wash in plaits and keep undoing and combing through using the pick, and no breakage whatsoever! I guess I don't see how different using my pick is from using any other comb. Which is why I don't understand why the idea of one brings on such a dread in people. Could someone enlighten a sistah?

My hair curls back onto itself VERY quick - so - it's hard for me to use a pick, and not be 'forced' to use it to dentangle at some point.

 

[ina]

I use a metal pick as well. I comb my hair when dry with moisturizer, I've never noticed more breakage than with any other combs I've used.
My hair is layered and the longest part when stretched is shoulder length. I only use the pick and a medium tooth comb.

 

[anherica]

I don't use one often. But when I do it's on hair that's been air dried in braids with moisturizer. I pick out every braid while holding the base, and then fluff for perfect fro-ness. I use a metal pick and a plastic one with the seams filed down.

 

[anon123]

I used a pick for 11 billion years. I just finished using one now. Do I see damage? Yep. I do with any comb and if I use a plastic wide tooth one, it's so ineffective that I just have to comb for twice as long and break my hair off that way. That's why I've been trying to avoid the comb all together.

Anyway, though a pick was all I used, I didn't use it much to pick my hair. I used it like a regular comb. I can't pick my hair dry, I will be in tears from pain. The last time I got a blowout and had my afro shaped and picked, I literally was in tears, crying in the salon chair. It's a shame, cuz I too want that big round afro sometimes.

 

[LongHairDreams]

Do you?

I haven't used one in years, and I must admit that my fros don't have the same "WOW!" factor that they had when I picked my hair dry.

Is there a way to use them that is not damaging? Maybe just picking the roots out and not picking the ends?

If you DON'T use picks, how do you achieve big, fluffy fros/puffs?

^^^this is what I started doing.

I use a metal pick as well. I comb my hair when dry with moisturizer, I've never noticed more breakage than with any other combs I've used.My hair is layered and the longest part when stretched is shoulder length. I only use the pick and a medium tooth comb.

^^^Ditto

 

[cutenappygrl]

When I want a big fluffy fro I use a good plastic pick. When It was longer I would just put it in big messy twists while it was wet and carefully pick out each twist from root to tip and applying moisturizer to each section. Then I would finger fluff the whole thing.

 

[Triple-J]

i tried to use a pick near the beginning of my natural journey and i swear i think i could actually hear my hair screaming.

now i don't use anything on my puffs, usually they're made out of a fading fast twist or braid out and i just spritz a little then use my fingers to fluff it around for symmetry.

This is what I do. I've also fluffed out a rollerset. I don't use picks.

 

[Wildchild453]

OK, y'all have to school a sistah. Exactly why/how do picks pull hair out? Are you talking about the seams? Combing dry hair? Is it the closeness of the prongs? I don't get it.

At times I have issues with reg combs so I just picture it magnified with a pick.

 

[EMJazzy]

I occasionally pick out my hair with my comb that looks like this:

 

[ricochet]

I haven't used a pick since my 3"-7" natural years, once my fro got past 10", it was over. My fluffy fros were usually achieved with a blowdryer ( I know, bad girl!) and then I would pick it. I was looking at my pic w/the fist on the end of it the other day, how ironic...

 

[Poobity]

The puff I have in my avatar was achieved using a pick. I don't use picks often. I like my coils.

 

[Nonie]

At times I have issues with reg combs so I just picture it magnified with a pick.

Why would that be? My pick looks like a K-Cutter comb which I know is popular with some veteran nappturals like AFashionSlave, only the handle is at the end of the prongs on a pick instead of to the side. So I am still not getting why that would be more damaging than any other comb. Like besides seamless combs, what other combs are you guys using that are "safer"? (BTW, Micarae, that fist comb is what I've got.)

More and more people are discovering how easily a Metal Afro Pick glides through curly or kinky hair when it is wet or dry, with less damage to the hair than any other type of comb or brush.

(Source: http://www.metalafropicks.com/history_of_afro_pick.htm)

That has been my experience which is why it is the only comb I have. So I'm not sure how it's damaging. I understand about plastic and wooden picks, but how are the metal ones damaging?

 

[LadyD]

I use a K-Cutter. When I come out of braids I'm gonna try to stop because I was seeing those little curly hairs on the bathroom floor again. I don't think it's the pick I am a little heavy handed and I think I am being too rough with my hair.

 

[Sunshine0801]

I don't, which is why I was asking how people use them that makes them imagine seeing pieces everywhere or say they wouldn't dare because they don't want to damage their hair.

When I wore a puff, my hair was wet from SCurl and the comb glided smoothly through my hair. When I'm parting and braiding my hair, I work on a small section at a time and kinda stretch my hair as I comb through--that is after fully detangling it in the shower when soaking wet and smothered in conditioner. When my hair is out, I wash in plaits and keep undoing and combing through using the pick, and no breakage whatsoever! I guess I don't see how different using my pick is from using any other comb. Which is why I don't understand why the idea of one brings on such a dread in people. Could someone enlighten a sistah?

I would use a plastic pick and pick my hair while it was dry. In the beginning I was REALLY rough with my hair and I would see hair flying off as I picked. Then I started just picking the roots and not the ends, which did not damage my hair.

I don't style my hair while it's wet because of shrinkage, so I would have to pick it dry. I don't see how picks can be more damaging than combs, but I don't use combs when my hair is dry either...

 

[Sunshine0801]

I haven't used a pick since my 3"-7" natural years, once my fro got past 10", it was over. My fluffy fros were usually achieved with a blowdryer ( I know, bad girl!) and then I would pick it. I was looking at my pic w/the fist on the end of it the other day, how ironic...

Why couldn't you use a pick after your fro got past 10"?