What’s the most regular thing you need for your hair? A comb, of course! But did you know that using a wooden comb is much better for your hair than a plastic one or a comb made from PVC?
Aside from the scalp benefits, wood is a renewable resource that’s more planet-friendly as well. Combing your hair with a wooden comb can save you from damage while aligning with sustainability.
Check out all the reasons why wooden combs outperform plastic and metal grooming tools in this article.
Benefits of Using Wooden Combs
Wooden combs or brushes have many benefits for your hair and scalp whether your hair is thick, curly, coarse, or fine. It gently massages your scalp, conditions your hair with natural oils, and doesn’t cause static or irritation.
Here are the benefits of using a wooden comb for hair and scalp:
1. Gentler on Hair
Wooden combs are significantly gentler on hair than their plastic combs. Their smoother teeth glide through hair effortlessly, reducing the risk of breakage and damage.
This gentle approach is especially beneficial for those with delicate or brittle hair. Wooden Combs tend to glide over your scalp more smoothly.
You can avoid split ends much easier with a wooden comb for this very reason.
2. Improves Scalp Health
Using a wooden comb can stimulate blood flow to the scalp, a key factor in promoting hair growth and maintaining scalp health.
The gentle massage provided by a wooden comb can improve blood circulation in the scalp, a factor that is crucial in preventing hair loss.
This improved circulation nourishes hair follicles, strengthening them and reducing hair fall.
3. Doesn’t Cause Static Damage
Metal and plastic combs have a positive electrical charge, while hair has a negative electrical charge. That means combs made from those materials attract your hair and ultimately cause frizz and static.
The frizziness and static dry out your hair strands, and they eventually become more brittle. Wooden combs won’t conduct any electricity. Therefore, there are no worries of static damage to be seen.
4. Less Chance of Allergic Reactions
Just like our skin, our scalps can be sensitive to the products and the material we allow to touch them.
Believe it or not, we can have allergic reactions to the plastic or metal combs that you commonly find at the beauty supply store.
Since wood is a natural resource, you likely won’t experience red patches, itchiness, or scalp eruptions.
For those that are already experiencing these symptoms, you can treat your scalp, and then start anew with a wooden comb.
5. Distributes Oil Evenly
Wooden combs are more nourishing for your scalp because they distribute natural oils from your scalp throughout the entirety of your hair.
Typically, the oils in your hair stick to plastic and metal combs, making your hair look greasy because it wasn’t distributed properly.
The wooden comb will carry the oils from root to tip. That will also help with reducing hair loss and breakage, leaving you with shinier, healthier, and bouncier tresses.
6. Encourages Thicker Hair and Growth
This benefit speaks to the previous point made about wooden combs and how they encourage blood circulation.
Because the comb will feel good on your scalp, you’ll use it to comb longer. That action mimics massaging, thereby stimulating your hair follicles, and making them produce even more hair.
The result? Thicker and longer hair that’s flourishing.
7. Prevent Tangling
Plastic, metal, and PVC combs can create tons of tangles when you get to the bottom of your hair. It seems like our hair always gets snagged someplace or another when combing.
A wooden comb doesn’t cause tangling and detangling is also easier with a wooden comb, probably because you don’t have to worry about static and frizziness.
That’s why a wooden comb is an ideal tool for those with fine hair. It gently detangles without pulling or tugging, minimizing damage and breakage, a common concern for fine-haired individuals.
8. Can Be Used with Blow Dryer
Since wood does not conduct heat, there’s no need to think that your comb will get affected negatively by the heat.
On the other hand, metal and plastic combs are conductors of heat, and they can become quite tough to hold when they begin getting hot, especially when they’re too close to your hairdryer as you style or comb your hair.
9. Reduce Itchiness and Dandruff
Dandruff occurs as a result of scalp irritation. Wooden combs have rounded and softer teeth that don’t cut or nick the scalp.
If you’re dealing with dandruff, massaging your scalp with a wooden comb is effective for dandruff because it stimulates natural scalp oils, which helps get rid of dandruff and a dry scalp.
10. Removes Dirt and Other Particles With Ease
Have you ever noticed dirt and other unidentifiable particles that get stuck between the teeth of your comb after combing your hair?
That can be unsettling, and if you were to continue combing your hair, you’d find that you are putting the filth back into your mane.
Plastic and metal combs have high-static charges, which cause dirt to attach to them, and they redistribute the dirt back through your hair.
Wooden combs present less of a problem when it comes to build-up. As you comb your hair gently with a wooden comb, you’ll find that dirt and other particles are brushed away and out of your hair.
11. Better Durability
Wooden combs are uniquely durable and they are oftentimes made out of bamboo, which is both resilient and renewable.
The teeth of these combs break rarely and can be recycled if they ever get damaged. Therefore, the wooden comb is not only eco-friendly but it is better than plastic and metal comes as well.
How to Keep Your Wooden Comb Clean
You can keep your wooden comb clean by simply removing any remaining hair from the comb after use. Remember to put the comb in a dry cabinet, drawer, or on a dry surface when you’re not using it.
When wooden combs are exposed to water, over time the water can begin to warp the comb. Coincidentally, bathrooms are among the most humid rooms in your home.
If you’re traveling, store your wooden comb in a dry-sealed cloth bag.
Occasionally apply flaxseed, coconut, or linseed oil to your comb to preserve and maintain the condition of your wooden comb.
Allow the oil to sit for about half an hour until the oil has seeped into the wood. Afterward, wipe the comb with a soft cloth.
Final Thoughts
While plastic and metal combs are more prominent, wooden combs are better to have for many reasons.
You don’t have to worry about your wooden comb becoming too hot because it is too close to the hairdryer as it doesn’t conduct heat.
Moreover, these eco-friendly combs are durable and strong and don’t cause dirt and particles to build up.
If taken care of properly, a wooden brush can last you for a long time while allowing you to enjoy conveniences that the other combs don’t afford you.