How do I stop combing my hair and still be able to style my hair?

[Junonia]

I did a search on this topic and nothing came up even though I know I saw a thread on this recently. For those of you who do not comb your hair, how do you style your hair? What about tangles and kinks? Are you fingercombing, brushing or nothing at all? I comb twice a day but I want to eliminate combing too.

 

[growinglong777]

Great question,, I would love to know too.. I am in desperate need of a solution to this problem..

 

[janeemat]

I did a search on this topic and nothing came up even though I know I saw a thread on this recently. For those of you who do not comb your hair, how do you style your hair? What about tangles and kinks? Are you fingercombing, brushing or nothing at all? I comb twice a day but I want to eliminate combing too.

When I first joined, I could not figure that out either. But I finally got it. There are several ways to do this. Most women comb on wash day. This is what I do. I wash on Wed and Sat. This is when I comb and roller set my hair. When I take the rollers out, I just finger comb it. At night if I need to put a few rollers back in I finger comb and just lift the pieces of hair that was previously rolled. I wear loose buns, so if I wear a bun, I just finger comb it up. This works for me because I do not like my hair flat on my head. Some ladies on wash day comb their hair in a bun and let it dry. Once it's dry they do not comb it until wash day again. You mainly take a fine tooth comb and just rake over the top. Twists and braid outs are other styles that you can wear to avoid combing. The key is on wash day make sure you comb through and remove all shedded hair and tangles. I do not co-wash, so I'm not sure what the ladies do that co-wash daily. This is too much manipulation for me. Hope this helps!

 

[Radianthealth]

From what I understand, a lot of ladies are finger combing and smoothing their hair with their hands. I am not there yet and I would imagine that this method becomes easier as your hair gets longer. When I am a full APL I will attempt to use this method more often. Now I am using my seamless combs and it does not seem to be causing any adverse effects.

These are the two that I use:

Another thing that makes me wonder about the no combing thing is that maybe it does not reduce the breakage in your hair it just hides it because when you smooth and detangle your hair with your fingers it is less likely that you will see any broken strands, with a comb it is much more evident. This is a method I will try to use but if it does not work for me I don't think it will be such a big deal.

I haven't brushed my hair in over a year, I am going to have to ween myself off of combing if that is the right thing to do.

 

[CoCoEspresso]

I used to be puzzled by this as well. I think it's much easier to do if you already have a low manipulation protective style. I only "comb" on wash days, and I only try to limit it to detangling while wet. I do use a fine tooth comb while rollersetting, though. I also comb once my hair is dry, but I am trying to stop doing that also. Currently, I am protective styling daily. Here's what I do: I wear my hair in a low ponytail with a sweeping bang. Here's how I achieve it: At night I use my fingers to push my bangs back and/or use a bone comb to "rake" the top. I put a flexirod on the ends so that they will curly in the morning and won't brush against my clothes. I tie it up in a scarf, and in the morning I take the end of my rat tail comb and separate my bangs from the rest of my hair. I might comb it a little, but I try to limit my combing.

 

[growinglong777]

Okay.. I understand what you ladies are doing. I can try not combing after a relaxer.,, my problem is with the amount of new growth I have trying to make it lay down without using the comb.. I have basically eliminated brushing completely to maybe once a month.. so now I just have to work on this no combing. I am protective styling in a french twist, and have done so since Oct. of 2006..., but smoothing with my fingers, I will have to practice.. thanks ladies.

 

[janeemat]

Okay.. I understand what you ladies are doing. I can try not combing after a relaxer.,, my problem is with the amount of new growth I have trying to make it lay down without using the comb.. I have basically eliminated brushing completely to maybe once a month.. so now I just have to work on this no combing. I am protective styling in a french twist, and have done so since Oct. of 2006..., but smoothing with my fingers, I will have to practice.. thanks ladies.

You can do it. I have almost 13 wks ng. I did a rod set on Sat using the small magnetic rollers and I've just fingered it since. I usually set on the purple magnetic rollers which mainly gives a little curl, but a lot of body. I also finger that. I just will not pull a comb through my ng unless it is wet.

 

[CoCoEspresso]

Okay.. I understand what you ladies are doing. I can try not combing after a relaxer.,, my problem is with the amount of new growth I have trying to make it lay down without using the comb.. I have basically eliminated brushing completely to maybe once a month.. so now I just have to work on this no combing. I am protective styling in a french twist, and have done so since Oct. of 2006..., but smoothing with my fingers, I will have to practice.. thanks ladies.

For me smoothing works after I have moisturized. The no combing thing ironically gets easier for me as my stretch goes on (I stretch for 16 weeks) because at that point I am not wearing my hair down, so I don't need to worry about combing through it. Also, my hair is more fragile and it simply hurts to comb it. It's brushing that I have a problem with. I eliminated brushing a week ago. We'll see.

 

[Amour]

From what I understand, a lot of ladies are finger combing and smoothing their hair with their hands. I am not there yet and I would imagine that this method becomes easier as your hair gets longer. When I am a full APL I will attempt to use this method more often. Now I am using my seamless combs and it does not seem to be causing any adverse effects.

These are the two that I use:

Another thing that makes me wonder about the no combing thing is that maybe it does not reduce the breakage in your hair it just hides it because when you smooth and detangle your hair with your fingers it is less likely that you will see any broken strands, with a comb it is much more evident. This is a method I will try to use but if it does not work for me I don't think it will be such a big deal.

I haven't brushed my hair in over a year, I am going to have to ween myself off of combing if that is the right thing to do.

Whats the difference between a seamless comb and a regular comb... the seamless comb may be something I may need to invest in. Since I was young I've always loved to comb my hair sort of like hand in hair syndrome

 

[CoCoEspresso]

Whats the difference between a seamless comb and a regular comb... the seamless comb may be something I may need to invest in. Since I was young I've always loved to comb my hair sort of like hand in hair syndrome

If you take a look at the teeth of a regular comb, you should seem a raised line down the middle. This line is the seam, and it has been theorized that it can damage the hair and cause breakage because it rips through the hair. I have heard that everytime you comb your hair with a "regular" comb, it's like giving yourself a hair cut. I don't think it's that serious, but I have seen less breakage when using one, but I don't comb that much anyway. I purchased mine at hairsense.com

 

[Junonia]

Thanks ladies! The key is to fingercomb and comb on wash day. I think I will include this in my regimen. I'll try it for a month.

Do you have to wash more frequently for this to be effective?? Right now, I wash my hair every two weeks.

 

[CoCoEspresso]

Thanks ladies! The key is to fingercomb and comb on wash day. I think I will include this in my regimen. I'll try it for a month.

Do you have to wash more frequently for this to be effective?? Right now, I wash my hair every two weeks.

Well, it all depends on how difficult detangling is for you. If you wait longer, then detangling will be harder because there will be more shed hairs wrapped around each other. During my stretch I washed my hair every 5 days, with no problems. I would say wash as much as necessary for the overall health of your hair. You are going to have to detangle either way, but you need to proceed with caution at all times. Heres what I do: I made a mix of V05 S&C, Generic PM Detangler and PC. I apply to my hair and let sit under the shower cap for 5 minutes. Then I work up from the ends with my shower comb by sections. Last, under running water, I comb from roots to ends. It seems to work. Rinsing with cool water helps me also. Just watch your hair and do what you think is right. If you feel that you need to comb your hair, just do it, but gently. Also, try to use seamless combs, then you wont feel as bad.

 

[Junonia]

Well, it all depends on how difficult detangling is for you. If you wait longer, then detangling will be harder because there will be more shed hairs wrapped around each other. During my stretch I washed my hair every 5 days, with no problems. I would say wash as much as necessary for the overall health of your hair. You are going to have to detangle either way, but you need to proceed with caution at all times. Heres what I do: I made a mix of V05 S&C, Generic PM Detangler and PC. I apply to my hair and let sit under the shower cap for 5 minutes. Then I work up from the ends with my shower comb by sections. Last, under running water, I comb from roots to ends. It seems to work. Rinsing with cool water helps me also. Just watch your hair and do what you think is right. If you feel that you need to comb your hair, just do it, but gently. Also, try to use seamless combs, then you wont feel as bad.

Thanks, I am going to try the bolded.

 

[HoneyDew]

I use my comb to part sections and then finger comb those sections.

I use a comb that has nice teeth that make it easy and simple to part with. I part in small sections when I do this.

 

[AKA-Tude]

After I poo I use a big ole afro pick to loosen tangles.

Then I use the end of the rattail comb to section off hair for curling/flat ironing 1x per week.

Then I fingercomb the rest of the time btwn poos, incl. crosswrapping at night.

OT: @ Honeydew- LOOKING GOOD :Flahsssss in your siggy pic!!!

 

[Junonia]

Ladies, do you feel that your hair is thicker from not combing your hair?

 

[MiWay]

My hair is rather limp, so it doesn't last long after a rollerset. So I do pincurls at night, and just fingercomb them in the morning.

 

[HoneyDew]

Ladies, do you feel that your hair is thicker from not combing your hair?

I am not sure about that. The only reason I don't really comb is because sometimes it gets hard to get the comb through. If the comb does not glide through freely for me I getting hairs that snap of and I hate that. I don't get that when I part with the comb and then finger comb the sections. I am sure that the fact that I am not getting the breakage will keep my hair thicker overtime. If I could get the comb through freely, I would comb. Right now, my hair just does not allow for it.

OT: @ Honeydew- LOOKING GOOD :Flahsssss in your siggy pic!!!

Thanks!!

 

[SleekandBouncy]

My hair is past bra strap right now and I only do the "no comb" on days when I'm wearing my hair in a protective style or I'm wearing it curly. For straight styles I do not do the no comb thing, I think the hair starts to look funky after a while and if I have to not comb my hair for weeks to retain length then...
Anyway, I'll rollerset my hair or I'll do pin curls and rake my fingers through my hair lightly to fluff it. I also twist my hair up and pin and on those days I don't comb either.

 

[HoneyDew]

My hair is past bra strap right now and I only do the "no comb" on days when I'm wearing my hair in a protective style or I'm wearing it curly. For straight styles I do not do the no comb thing, I think the hair starts to look funky after a while and if I have to not comb my hair for weeks to retain length then...
Anyway, I'll rollerset my hair or I'll do pin curls and rake my fingers through my hair lightly to fluff it. I also twist my hair up and pin and on those days I don't comb either.

I think that is how I get away with not combing most of the time. With curly sets I really don't need to comb as often. Fingercombing works for me, but I have to section it off first.