Hair Brushing and
Combing
Brushing helps loosen knots and untangle the hair, and the action can loosen
dead cells from the scalp and stimulate the circulation of the blood. The action
of brushing from the roots to the tips also helps smooth the cuticle and makes
the hair shine.
Hair should always be brushed when dry, never when wet, when it can easily be
stretched or damaged. If you have long hair that tends to tangle easily,
brushing is best done before washing and shampooing. To remove tangles and
knots, start by using s wide-toothed comb, then move on to a brush, starting at
the tips of the hair and working your way back towards the roots.
While a quick brush or a run of a comb through the hair can help make it look
good, too much brushing and combing can actually harm it, especially if the hair
already dry or damaged. When combing or brushing is too vigorous, the mechanical
scraping of the teeth of the comb or the bristles of the brush roughen the
cuticle. With backcombing or back-brushing, the brushing action goes from the
tip of the hair towards the root, rubbing the cuticle in the wrong direction and
making the scales stand up rather than lie down. This leaves the hair looking
dull and may make it liable to further damage. The increased friction caused by
brushing and combing can also create static electricity, which makes the hair
stand up and gives it a 'flyaway' look.
Historically, brushing the hair was necessary because it was washed much less
often. The hair was therefore greasier or oilier, and brushing and combing
enabled the sebum to be spread more evenly throughout the hair, acting as a
natural conditioner; the sebum could also be brushed from the hair, taking the
dirt with it. Nowadays, when hair is washed so frequently, such regular,
vigorous brushing is no longer necessary.
Wide-toothed combs can be used when the hiar is wet, and are also useful for
spreading conditioner into the hair. They are essential if your hair is long.
Brushes
Brushes may be made of natural bristles (usually hog's hair) or from plastic,
nylon or wire. The bristles are embedded in a wooden, plastic or moulded base
and are usually set in tows or tufts, allowing loose hairs to collect in the
grooves without interfering with the action of the bristles. The wider the
spaces between the rows, the more easily the brush will slip through the hair.
Brushes should be cleaned once a week by pulling out the dead hairs and
washing the base and bristles in warm. soapy water before drying them thoroughly.
Natural bristle brushes should be allowed to dry naturally. If you use a
pneumatic brush with a rubber-cushion base, the air-hole should be blocked
before washing.
Finding the right brush is important. The best ones are cushioned, as these
give flexibility as they glide through the hair, thus preventing tugging. Very
rigid brushes are not ideal, because if the brush hits a tangle and will not
give, then the hair will tear.
Natural bristle brushes are preferable to plastic ones if you suffer from
problems with static electricity in the hair. Try to find plastic brushes with
rounded tips; brushes with small balls at the tip may be more gentle on the
scalp, but they can catch in your hair, especially if it is curly and tends to
tangle or knot.
Combs
Good-quality combs have teeth that are individually cut into the comb, so
that there are not sharp edges. Wide-toothed combs are recommended for use on
very curly or African Caribbean hair.
Click to shop professional
combs and brushes.
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