So, I Think I'll Be Going Back To The Denman

I've been using a plain paddle brush by Goody to do all of my detangling for a few months now.  I love the amount of give the bristles have, the size of the base, and its visual appeal.  In the world of natural black hair, plain paddle brushes tend to get a bad rep because of the little balls found on the ends of the bristles and their potential to snag on your hair and cause breakage.  I've always believed that problem can be avoided so long as one is careful when detangling their hair and being cognizant of the potential damage the tool can cause.

This has worked for me in the past, but I was rushing through my hair in the shower recently and I could feel strands of my hair getting caught on the balls on the tips of the bristles and I know I broke way more hair than normal that day.  I am not about to give that a pass just because it was "just one time."  Imagine how many broken hairs that could potentially add up to over time if I have one rushed detangling session a month.  Twelve times a year, I'll be ripping through my hair unnecessarily, causing breakage and slowing down my hair's progress.  I can't make it to my ultimate goal of waist length hair like that. 

So, in an effort to make sure I'm doing everything in my power to ensure that my hair is treated as gently as possible at all times, I've decided to go back to using my denman brush to detangle (and possibly style) my hair for the time being.  The whole reason I stopped using it in the first place was because I felt like the give on my paddle brush was greater than my denman and I liked the larger base and number of bristles.  But if all that comes with a greater possibility for breakage of my strands, it's not worth it. 

I'm out to prove to myself and everyone who has ever known me that Black girls can grow their hair healthy and long without repeated application of harmful chemicals.  I want to prove that you don't have to have the typical "good hair" to accomplish these goals.  Having patience, gentle handling, keeping your hair moisturized, and detangling properly will allow your hair to thrive and flourish.  But without these things, your hair will just continue to break off and seem as if it won't grow.

In order to reach my goal, I have to practice what I preach.  That goes for the tools I use, as well as everything else I mentioned.  So, goodbye for now, Paddle Brush.  Maybe we'll meet again.  Maybe we won't.  If not, it was nice knowing you and I thank you for allowing me to learn from you on my hair journey.

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