Should I Comb My Wavy Hair Everyday?

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By NaturallyCurly · Updated September 29, 2015

PHOTO BY JORMALA–GETTY IMAGES

Question:

I think my hair is between a 2B and a 2C. I comb my hair with either a wide-tooth comb or a fine-tooth comb. I wash my hair no more than twice a week. Whenever I comb my hair (which is most days”>, it becomes a poofy triangle on my head. If I don’t comb my hair, it gets extremely knotted and is such a hassle to detangle! What do you recommend I do?

Answer:

While combing hair helps detangle the knots in your hair, there is a risk in combing too frequently. Do it everyday can cause friction, which eventually turns to breakage and weaken it–especially if you do it while your hair is dry and not moisturized.

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However, if you prefer to detangle with a comb instead of your fingers, follow these precautionary rules:

Use a leave-in conditioner or treatment that works with your hair type and keep the amount of strokes you comb with, to a minimum. The conditioner will allow the comb to glide through your hair more gently , and lessen the damage to your hair. If you need a slippery leave-in, add Carol’s Daughter Sacred Tiare Combing Creme to help the comb glide through your hair and let you retain smooth, frizz-free curls.
Use a wide tooth comb, even on hair that’s not thick or coarse. The NuBone II Finish is anti-static and has thick, sturdy teeth, so it won’t cause unnecessary friction. A wide tooth comb is exposed to less hair at one time and still help to get rid of even the worst knots.

If you can, finger comb out your waves and curls–it’s much more gentler and safer. Finger combing can take some extra time, but may be worth it if you find you need to comb more often and don’t want to completely eliminate the moisture from your texture. Use your fingertips to gently loosen shed hair and work out tangles from roots to ends. Combing wet hair can be easier for detangling, but it can also weaken the hair shaft and tug on the follicle more when it is dry. If you need to comb, be sure to use a towel and scrunch out as much of the moisture as you can, allow hair to air dry for at least 10 minutes, then proceed to comb (or brush”>. This process will help in maintaining healthier hair that is less prone to breakage.

Lastly, you may want to try using a brush that helps your hair dry as you style and detangle. Goody’s QuikStyle brush has microfiber to help dry hair faster as you brush. Again, while you want to keep brushing and combing to a minimum, you should look to protect your curls at the same time. A brush like this can help cut drying time in half while detangling at the same time.

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