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I've been growing my hair out for 7 or 8 years now and haven't been able to get my hair past my shoulders. I was getting a lot of hair breakage in my brush and thought that was normal. I used the same brush (a brush with 2 kinds of bristles...longer thicker bristles and softer short bristles) till it fell apart last week. Since then I've been using a different brush with soft bristles that are all the same length. I've noticed that I don't get as much hair in the brush or in the shower now. Could a brush break off hairs before their terminal length?
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Some people do have a terminal length of shoulder length, but if you are getting a good deal of breakage, then this is probably the culprit. If you hear/feel snaps or can feel the brush pulling on tangles as you brush, then my recommendation would be to brush more gently or give it up altogether. Rapidly ripping the brush through your hair is never good. If you have much curl at all, just gently comb your hair after washing with a wide tooth comb, and let that be the only sort of detangling done. I comb super slowly and at any sign of a tangle or snag, I stop and manually work it out. Many also finger-comb their hair with good results. A gentler routine may be the key to longer hair for you.
The straight hairs will swear by brushing while it's the bane of the curly hairs! Your call.
I do have wavy/curly hair. I remember reading years ago that people with my hair type have more fragile hair strands than people with straight hair. Mine is also real thin. I wear my hair in a ponytail everyday for work and also read that can help protect your hair from damage if not put in a pony tightly when wet. So here is my hair ritual.
I wash it at night. Before getting in the shower I take my hair out of it's ponytail and comb it with my fingers. Then I use a brush to further detangle it while it is dry. Then I get in the shower and wash it with a little shampoo or just cool water. Then I get out of the shower and detangle the wet hair with my fingers. Then I comb the wet hair with a regular tooth comb so that it doesn't dry with tangles. I then let it air dry and go to bed. The next morning I detangle again with my fingers and then brush. Then I pull all my hair to the back of my head and put it into a ponytail with a fabric hair band (no metal parts in the band)...I loosen it a bit so that it's night right against my scalp and doesn't pull my hair.
Am I doing something that would damage my hair?
Marty
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Also (the board needs an edit feature), after tying my hair in a ponytail and loosening I smooth it down with water from my hands. I don't use gel most of the time. I think gel attracts dirt and then you need more shampoo to get it out.
Marty
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but take it with a grain of salt...
Sounds like a lot of detangling and combing and brushing you do. Curly hair seems tangled when it's actually not. The only combing I do is just after washing, as I said, very gently. That's it. I never have much of a problem with true tangles and can sometimes go for up to three to four days without any sort of combing/brushing/finger-combing at all. That sounds crazy but true! If can acheive much length in the future, I think I will have to credit it to the negligible amount of damage I inflict from such thing as combing, etc. Ny hair is fine too. Plus, I use lots of conditioner, regular and leave-in that expedites combing when I do comb it.
Sounds good. I didn't realize how involved my brushing had become till I saw it in print. Brushing/combing can be good in moderation since it helps distribute hair oils....especially using your fingers. Too much has caused damage and made my hairs fall out. Anyhow, I now need to work at cutting back on combing/brushing and see if I now fight tangles (I don't have that problem). I think I can get my brushing down to once a day (in the morning). Maybe I can cut it back even further like you have.
You've given me hope...I probably have balding genes in me since my dad and bro are balding. I may be genetically predisposed to fragile hair that wants to fall out...I just will try not to help the process!
Thanx for the advice!!
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I find brushes do make a difference soft bristles spaced far apart are my choice. Buy different kinds and experiment it will be money well spent.
Kevin
Love that name LinuxHippy! I get called that at work all the time LOL. :-)
It could very well be that your type hair simply cannot take a brush. (I know in my case a brush is a deadly enemy that will rip it to shreds.)
The "easiest" on your hair of all is "Finger-Combing." That is what I do all the time and so does EdG and look at what he has to show for it. Amazing!
Why not give finger-combing a try and see if this reduces the breakage.
Best of luck to you.
It all depends on hair type. Curly hair shouldn;t be brushed, it doesn't need it and it's just damaging. Straight hair is very varied so you have to see for yourself. Mine goes with brushes very well. Yesterday I brushed my hair without a single hair falling which was weird lol. Of course, after a shower more hair comes.
If you feel like it's difficult to brush and you hear snaps maybe brushing isn't for your hair. Fingercombing is pretty much loved by many members here, I do that as well if I have a lot of tangles before using a brush. Experiment gently and you'll find out what's best working for you =}