What I noticed about NOT combing the hair often

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

Growing up for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why my hair was wavy at the roots, then it would be straight from the middle to the ends. After going natural in 2002 and minimizing the amount of combing and brushing, I notice my hair now maintains its texture throughout. Plus, it's so much more fuller and healthier. To minimize tangles though, I have bumped my combing from once a week to twice a week, but there's absolutely no daily combing. What do you ladies think?

 

[Caramel28]

I recently started about a month ago with not combing my hair as much and I like the results so far.I try to comb it only twice a week if necessary because it gets really tangled at times but I think less combing is better for me anyway.

 

[Paradox]

I haven't combed my hair in four weeks.....
The braidouts are doing me well.

 

[rsmith]

I comb my hair with my fingers. I think less combing is better. I only comb my hair out when I wash it. Then it goes back into a ponytail.

 

[shereda]

I wish I could go without combing my hair. I finally chopped off the rest of my permed ends about two months ago and when I wore my natural hair out, I had to deal with a lot of tangling and knots in my hair. So for the moment I'm back to braids. I guess I need to work more on braid outs and twist outs because the success rate on those is pretty low at the moment.

 

[Sunshine0801]

I only use a comb when my hair is soaked in conditioner, which is once a week when I wash and DC. I use a wide toothed comb and my denman. The other six days I gently finger comb when I moisturize and seal at night. It has been working really well so far! Less shed hair = less tangles for me.

 

[oldcrayons]

Comb it when it's wet or it'll get knotted/tangled

 

[Miamori]

I don't ever comb my hair anymore, really. If I am stlying or rollersetting, I part with my fingers. Mostly I wet bun. Once my hair is dry I take it down and run my hands over it, which drags shed hairs out. I only comb (with a very wide tooth comb) or finger comb when my hair is salon-styled.

 

[Sarahh.]

Yeah I agree that less combing/brushing is better, but it's different with everyone. I could go for quite awhile without combing my hair because it doesn't tangle very easily, however some people may need to comb every other day. I think just comb as little as possible, but don't let your hair tangle.

 

[ladylibra]

Growing up for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why my hair was wavy at the roots, then it would be straight from the middle to the ends. After going natural in 2002 and minimizing the amount of combing and brushing, I notice my hair now maintains its texture throughout. Plus, it's so much more fuller and healthier. To minimize tangles though, I have bumped my combing from once a week to twice a week, but there's absolutely no daily combing. What do you ladies think?

yep. my mom swore my natural hair as a kid was "a big thick wavy-frizzy mess" and my sister had the naturally curly hair. imagine my surprise to find out that my sis and i have the exact same curl pattern but hers is fine and would break off easily (therefore stayed short and curly) whereas mine is thicker and hardier, and when it grows out longer it is a stretched-out S-pattern with tight coils on the ends. if i were brushing/combing/picking out my hair daily like she and my step-dad kept telling me to do when i first went natural (cuz that's the only way to wear natural hair ) instead of co-washing and only detangling once a week or so like i do now, my hair would be a big thick wavy-frizzy mess 24/7.

 

[Eclass215]

Ok, I have a question - because I comb my hair pretty often and can't see NOT combing it. How do you ladies who don't comb wear your hair? I mean, mine is natural, 4a/b and you can see the length in my siggy when it's pressed (unstretched it's about to my earlobe). I wear buns and twist outs, but I always comb. How do you not comb and it still looks ok?

 

[MzOptimistic]

I noticed a change in my hair also. It does seem thicker, well, I have thick hair anyways...soooooo...ummm. yea...anywho back to what I was typing, at first I said to myself, how in the who ha am I going to NOT comb my hair and still keep it in tact/tangle free but as I continued it became easier. The only time I really get in there, really get in the jungle is when I'm going to do my touch up and I only do that with a super wide tooth comb. It works for me and less breakage! I mainly comb the last 6 inches or so, once a week and that's after I wash my hair.

My favorite style which requires absolutely no combing is putting my hair in a bun at night and in the morning take the bun down and viola, nice big wavy curls I love my hair Alot of ppl say having long hair requires more work. For me, it's wayyyyyy easier to maintain.

 

[anon123]

in terms of texture, my experience is the same. my hair is 90% frizzy kink, even without combing. however going a wash or two without combing my hair showed me coils on the tips that i had never seen before. when you comb, especially dry combing, you comb out your curl, essentially. stretch it out.

 

[anon123]

Ok, I have a question - because I comb my hair pretty often and can't see NOT combing it. How do you ladies who don't comb wear your hair? I mean, mine is natural, 4a/b and you can see the length in my siggy when it's pressed (unstretched it's about to my earlobe). I wear buns and twist outs, but I always comb. How do you not comb and it still looks ok?

if you are doing twist outs, when do you feel you need to comb? just twist the hair at night and untwist in the morning. i mean, for many of us this can't go on forever because the tangles will eventually increase, but it's possible to do for a few days. no need to comb.

 

[Buttercreme]

I comb my hair with my fingers. I think less combing is better. I only comb my hair out when I wash it. Then it goes back into a ponytail.

I only thoroughly comb my hair on wash days, about 1x/wk. I finger comb at night while lightly moisturizing and pincurling.

DH says "Are you fingering your hair again"

 

[Eclass215]

if you are doing twist outs, when do you feel you need to comb? just twist the hair at night and untwist in the morning. i mean, for many of us this can't go on forever because the tangles will eventually increase, but it's possible to do for a few days. no need to comb.

Well what I usually do is take parts or sections of hair when it's freshly washed, put whatever product I'm using, and then comb it through - then I twist it. I could see not combing it the next few days or so and just retwist, but not intitially.

 

[**Glamourlicious**]

I recently stopped combing my hair. Now that I wear my puff there is really no need to comb. I may detangle tonight since Ihavent in over a week...but I usually detangle in the shower with conditioner in...with my fingers only...and that's it. No brushing either. I smooth with my hands only.

SO far my hair feels heavier.

We will see what kind of results I get.

I do know that my puff is MUCH curly than when I did it the first time.

 

[KizzieNapps]

I comb my hair everyday or I get knots/tangles

 

[Nonie]

Ok, I have a question - because I comb my hair pretty often and can't see NOT combing it. How do you ladies who don't comb wear your hair? I mean, mine is natural, 4a/b and you can see the length in my siggy when it's pressed (unstretched it's about to my earlobe). I wear buns and twist outs, but I always comb. How do you not comb and it still looks ok?

When I'm doing twists or twist-outs, I can go for months w/o combing because I wash my hair in twists. I untwist and retwist any that need touching up either immediately after a wash or after a baggy, when hair is slightly moist and hence slippery. If I wear a twist-out, I baggy it for the night and then untwist completely and retwist afresh again finger-combing to detangle, one section at a time, while keeping the others under the baggy to maintain moistness. The video below sort of shows how easy it is to detangle my hair with fingers when I wear twists. Might seem like a lot of work, but if you think that when I'm wearing twists, I hardly ever have all of them out, and after a twist-out, I retwist while watching a movie or TV show, then you can sort of see how "easy" this regimen is. I don't use any products so my hair doesn't stick together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jff-Uqfb_SA

About texture changing when you don't comb. I don't know if my texture changes or it's just that manipulation makes the natural texture less obvious. Which is why I keep telling 4B folks that your hair has a curl pattern. Indeed, because I don't brush or comb my hair much, may be why mine seems more evident. As I showed in a previous experiment, if I WNG a small section of my hair, the definition of the coils/pen springs is very evident, but because the curls are so small, it isn't something I'd do all the time. I do comb my hair when wearing it out...but that's once in a blue moon, so I don't know if you'd consider that enough manipulation to disguise the texture. I still see the coils in the tightly curled hair even after combing. Maybe I wouldn't if I did it more often? Interesting thought BubblingBrownSuga.

 

[Eclass215]

When I'm doing twists or twist-outs, I can go for months w/o combing because I wash my hair in twists. I untwist and retwist any that need touching up either immediately after a wash or after a baggy, when hair is slightly moist and hence slippery. If I wear a twist-out, I baggy it for the night and then untwist completely and retwist afresh again finger-combing to detangle, one section at a time, while keeping the others under the baggy to maintain moistness. The video below sort of shows how easy it is to detangle my hair with fingers when I wear twists. Might seem like a lot of work, but if you think that when I'm wearing twists, I hardly ever have all of them out, and after a twist-out, I retwist while watching a movie or TV show, then you can sort of see how "easy" this regimen is. I don't use any products so my hair doesn't stick together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jff-Uqfb_SA

Thanks Nonie - maybe I just need to have more patience when doing my hair and I won't run to the comb so fast.

 

[turnergirl]

This is a new adjustment for me. When I was natural I did not comb my hiar at all but now, I feel like I should. I have random sheds just clinging to my hair. I am only in the habit of combing my hair when it is wet with condtioner in it. So I am having a hard time with the idea of dry combing. I am not sure how I will deal with this change

 

[Angelicus]

I rarely comb my dry hair. I'm a co-washer so I do comb my hair while rinsing it out. But I don't mess with the hair after it dries. I don't use brushes either and I don't wrap my hair. I believe this is why I have maintained thick hair.

 

[Qualitee]

I comb my hair almost every day. I feel if i dont do it, it will get tangled ,get knotty, and dry! I cant imagine not combing my hair often. I dont understand it. And then people complain that they have problems with knots and dreading when they're hair is wet. Im like dddddaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!! If you dont detangle often to let loosen those fallen hairs and the breakage it will knot up at the ends and or all over. Not trying to knock anyones reggie but I know not combing everyday or everyother day will make it harder for me and my hair. But everyone has different things that work for them but might not work for others.

 

[lilmsjanet]

now that i think of it i dont even remeber the last time i seen my comb ....and since i recently heard of cowboymagic i havent combed my hair out for like 4 weeks now and i can run my fingers threw my hair from root to tip with not even 1 strand of hair coming out nowwwwww thats cazi

 

[cottoncoily]

I only use a comb when my hair is soaked in conditioner, which is once a week when I wash and DC. I use a wide toothed comb and my denman. The other six days I gently finger comb when I moisturize and seal at night. It has been working really well so far! Less shed hair = less tangles for me.

This is exactly what I do.

 

[BlueNile]

Growing up for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why my hair was wavy at the roots, then it would be straight from the middle to the ends. After going natural in 2002 and minimizing the amount of combing and brushing, I notice my hair now maintains its texture throughout. Plus, it's so much more fuller and healthier. To minimize tangles though, I have bumped my combing from once a week to twice a week, but there's absolutely no daily combing. What do you ladies think?

I comb my entire length about 3 times a month. My hair can't take alot of combing. The drawback to that is that I have major knots and tangles. But I wear a bun every single work day so it doesn't matter. When I do comb, I use a Jilbere shower comb

 

[anon123]

About texture changing when you don't comb. I don't know if my texture changes or it's just that manipulation makes the natural texture less obvious. Which is why I keep telling 4B folks that your hair has a curl pattern. Indeed, because I don't brush or comb my hair much, may be why mine seems more evident. As I showed in a previous experiment, if I WNG a small section of my hair, the definition of the coils/pen springs is very evident, but because the curls are so small, it isn't something I'd do all the time. I do comb my hair when wearing it out...but that's once in a blue moon, so I don't know if you'd consider that enough manipulation to disguise the texture. I still see the coils in the tightly curled hair even after combing. Maybe I wouldn't if I did it more often? Interesting thought BubblingBrownSuga.

Nonie, you know I have to disagree with you on this one. Actually, I have a bit of experience with washing and not combing my entire head, like doing wash and gos 3 days in a row, or doing braided roots wash and gos for 2+ weeks, without having combed my hair for 2 weeks before that. So I know that, even multiple cowashes, even soaked in conditioner or with a curling product, and even with no product, my hair does not make pen spring coils from root to tip. I won't say that all 4b hair doesn't, but I know that mine doesn't. What it can do, however, is make those coils on the ends of the hair. That is what happens when I don't comb. The more I don't comb, the more of the hair that will eventually make it into these pen springs, but it maxes out at 50% on some parts, around 25% on other parts.

There are a couple reasons I think curl clumping might not make it all the way to the root (in addition to the combing). The first is that there are actually fewer and fewer hairs as one moves towards the ends of the hair, only the oldest hair in fact. So the density decreases as one moves away from the scalp. I think the denser the hair is for these tiny curl/kinks, the more strands there are, the more they interfere with each other in terms of clumping. I have a sneaking suspicion that if I had, say, only 60% of the follicles that I have now, my hair would clump more. I think this is why you had better success trying to get only a few strands to clump together. Pictures of your hair when more strands are involved didn't clump in pen springs as far as I could tell. The other reason is that the ends of most types of curly hair tend to be curlier than the center. I think this may have something to do with the ends not having additional hair weighing on them. I know it's not to do with manipulation and what not, because when I cut my hair last time (2-5") the new ends (what was once the middle of the strand) coiled up just like the old ends did. So the key is just getting the hair to be at the end of the strand, if you see what I mean. And then there's also the issue of the perfect coil vs. the z-bend + regular coil, but we talked about this a lot in another topic.

 

[anon123]

I comb my hair almost every day. I feel if i dont do it, it will get tangled ,get knotty, and dry! I cant imagine not combing my hair often. I dont understand it. And then people complain that they have problems with knots and dreading when they're hair is wet. Im like dddddaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!! If you dont detangle often to let loosen those fallen hairs and the breakage it will knot up at the ends and or all over. Not trying to knock anyones reggie but I know not combing everyday or everyother day will make it harder for me and my hair. But everyone has different things that work for them but might not work for others.

I totally understand what you mean and wanted to help you understand why people may not be combing so much. It is definitely true that if I combed every day my hair would be less tangled. But I would also have less hair. I believe certain hair types are naturally more fragile than others (certain hair types have more or fewer protein bonds naturally), and while I believe my hair to be in good overall healthy, the comb will break it. I truly believe the comb is the reason why I didn't retain length all these years. As I combed less, my length retention increased greatly. It meant more tangles, but even with the harsher detangling required because of the tangles, it still meant less broken hair than combing every day. Now I just work on finding the perfect balance between combing infrequently enough to not break all my hair off but combing often enough to avoid baby locs.

 

[glam-]

I comb my hair with my fingers. I think less combing is better. I only comb my hair out when I wash it. Then it goes back into a ponytail.

Same here.

 

[ladylibra]

Ok, I have a question - because I comb my hair pretty often and can't see NOT combing it. How do you ladies who don't comb wear your hair? I mean, mine is natural, 4a/b and you can see the length in my siggy when it's pressed (unstretched it's about to my earlobe). I wear buns and twist outs, but I always comb. How do you not comb and it still looks ok?

i just wash and go again to wear it "out" and maybe detangle with my fingers but that's about it. or revert back to the trusty puff or bun when it starts looking rough.

I comb my hair almost every day. I feel if i dont do it, it will get tangled ,get knotty, and dry! I cant imagine not combing my hair often. I dont understand it. And then people complain that they have problems with knots and dreading when they're hair is wet. Im like dddddaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!! If you dont detangle often to let loosen those fallen hairs and the breakage it will knot up at the ends and or all over. Not trying to knock anyones reggie but I know not combing everyday or everyother day will make it harder for me and my hair. But everyone has different things that work for them but might not work for others.

well, i could comb my hair every day or almost every day. it would still take me at least 30 minutes (if i do it quickly) and my coils would not be as defined. whereas now, i detangle once a week or so and it takes me less than an hour (taking my time), also i have great definition in my hair by just leaving it alone to re-clump during the week.

and i've never complained about knots and dreading (unless i've gone more than 2 weeks without any kind of detangling ) yeah, you must detangle often enough that your hair won't mat with shed hairs and cause knots and dreads... but "often" is relative. it depends on the nature of each individual's hair.