How to comb hair

Hair grooming consists of many tasks. There is washing, conditioning, styling and more. The most basic component is combing. It is such an automatic task, that many of us don’t give it much thought. But if it is done improperly, it can cause irreparable damage.

The primary step to combing one’s hair is choosing a comb. Combs come in various materials such as plastic, metal, wood and bone. The most popular material, plastic, is also the most dangerous material for hair. Plastic combs tend to have “seams” on the “teeth” of the comb. The seams are a result of where the plastic comb was released from the mold. The seam (raised vertical line on the inside of the teeth) causes damage to the hair by ripping and tearing at the shaft.

Metal combs tend to have the same damaging effect as plastic combs. Their use should be limited to lifting and volume control, and not detangling the hair. Wood and bone combs are hand made, therefore seamless. They are much gentler on the hair, and don’t leave damage.

When choosing a comb, take into consideration one’s hair type. Thick, wavy, curly and Afro-type hair requires a wide tooth comb. A fine tooth comb will come up against heavy resistance with these hair types.

Once you have chosen a comb, section the hair into four to sixteen sections. The number of sections depends on the extent of detangling needed. The more tangling, the more sections are needed.

If the hair is excessively dry, apply a moisturizer to it and allow the hair to absorb it for approximately five minutes. Once lubricated, begin combing the hair from the ends upward to the roots. The reason one starts at the ends is to work through the tangles. If one starts at the roots and combs downward, the tangles will become impacted. Once impacted, they may be ineligible for detangling, and require cutting.

Once a section is combed through, secure it with a scrunchie or clip to isolate it from the uncombed hair. Once all sections are combed through, release all sections and give the entire main a full sweep with the comb. The hair is now prepared for styling.

Combing the hair while wet is a delicate task. Wet hair is more fragile than dry hair. It is best to comb wet hair when it is saturated with conditioner. The conditioner lubricates the hair and aids in the gliding of the comb from roots to ends. A leave-in conditioner also guards against friction when combing wet hair.

No matter what hair type you have, it is important to have combs of various teeth widths. When manicuring the edges of one’s hair, only a fine tooth comb will provide good results. When doing a full head hair sweep only a medium of wide tooth comb is adequate. As mentioned before, metal tooth combs are good for teasing. Afro picks are also good for teasing and fluffing hair.

Combing one’s hair is essential for styling. But using the wrong tools or methods can be detrimental to the hair itself. Using natural combs and combing from the ends to the roots will properly prepare the hair for any style from simple to elaborate.