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Is a Boar Bristle Brush Good or Bad for Your Hair?

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Submitted via the FutureDerm.com Facebook page via private message:

Why do you advise readers to stick with a conventional plastic brush for hair health, instead of a boar bristle brush? I have read many places that boar bristle helps grow long healthy hair by spreading oil from the scalp along the strand. Boar bristle brushes are also nice because they remove loose hairs and clean out dust and lint. Are they actually bad for your hair?

Kendra

Dear Kendra,

You are probably referring to my earlier post, Which Hair Brush is Best for My Hair?  Actually, I do recommend boar bristle brushes for the hair, as they do exactly what you said:  distribute the hair and the natural oils of the scalp along the hair shaft, as well as pull dirt or dust particles off the hair.

[Read more: How Do I Make My Hair More Youthful, Shiny, and Thick?]

However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using a boar bristle brush:

1.)  Choose a boar bristle brush based upon the spacing between the bristles

Flat hairbrush
Narrow spaced brushes are best for thick hair. This is because less hair is grabbed with each stroke.

Easy to remember: the thinner the hair, the thicker the space should be between the bristles!

Boar bristles are lighter and finer than nylon bristles, so they move more quickly and easily than nylon bristles, thus creating more volume with every stroke.  This is a beautiful thing for those with fine to medium hair, but a nightmare for those with thick or curly hair.

[Read more: Curly Hair Conundrums: Brushing and Combing]

So the key for those with thin hair is to use a brush with wide spacing, so more hair can be grabbed with each stroke.  Try the Scalpmaster 12 Row Wire Bristle Brush #125 ($19.99, Amazon.com).  Those with thick hair, on the other hand, want narrow spacing so less hair is grabbed with each stroke – and less volume is introduced.  Try the Sephora Collection Boar Detanging Brush (shown right, $24.00, Amazon.com).

2.)  If your hair is short and oily, skip the boar bristle

Hairbrush
Nylon ball-tipped brushes are best for those with shoulder-length or shorter hair, as the ball tips provide resistance that prevents static. But these tips just get caught in longer hair. (Photo credit: chrisinplymouth)

Sure, I love a boar brush.  But if your hair is short (shoulder-length or above), you’d be better off with a nylon ball-tipped brush.  These brushes have more resistance as they travel through the hair, so they will introduce less static to your hair, allowing you to maintain your cute little bob or whatever ‘do you are currently rocking

Actually, round, spiral brushes are great for those with short and/or layered hairstyles: Use one with a 1″ barrel to recreate a fresh-looking hairstyle, every time you blow dry your hair. An excellent one is the Conair 88014 Tourmaline Round Brush ($5.99, Amazon.com), which holds the heat better than many other varieties.

Those with longer hair, on the other hand, may prefer non-ball-tipped, straight boar brushes, as these tend to get tangled in the hair less. I once got a round, ball-tipped nylon brush stuck in my hair…but that’s another story…:-)

[Read more: Which Hair Brush is Right for Your Hair?]

3.)  The Longer the Hair, the Bigger the Brush

silver hairbrush
The longer your hair, the bigger the paddle of your brush should be. (Photo credit: Joanna Bourne)

Similarly, let’s consider the fact that those with long hair shouldn’t use ball-tipped brushes.  That means their brush introduces static into their hair with each stroke.

How to combat this?  Use a bigger brush!  Not only does this prevent static, but  by requiring fewer strokes a larger brush also eliminates the probability that you will break your hair.

4.)  Cost matters

Few people disagree: Some of the best hairbrushes in the world are from Mason Pearson.

A high-end boar bristle brush is worth it.  Most cheap boar bristles brushes contain bristles from domesticated boars in China and Japan.  And as you might expect from a boar spending his days chillaxin’ indoors, he has much softer bristles than his wild, untamed cousins.  But the softer bristles won’t distribute oils through the hair as well as the harder, wilder ones.

For this reason, a great investment is a boar bristle brush like one from Mason Pearson (starting at $67; Amazon.com).  The company is well-known for making world-class hair brushes; in fact, Princess Diana was known for carrying one.  That said, keeping things from a scientific perspective here, high-quality boar bristle brushes are well worth it for both efficacy as well as durability – the brush should last a lifetime with proper care and cleaning.

[Read more: What are the Best Pro Hair Care Tips?]

Bottom Line

When buying a boar-bristle brush, remember the following rules:

  • The thinner the hair, the wider the spacing between bristles needs to be.
  • The longer the hair, the bigger the brush needs to be.
  • If your hair is shoulder-length or shorter, forgo the boar bristle in place of a round nylon ball-tipped brush, which has greater resistance and introduces less static into your hair.  (And, as a bonus, is great for styling).
  • Cost matters.  Invest in a high-quality boar bristle brush.

Looking for the best skin care? FutureDerm is committed to having its customers find — and create — the best skin care for their individual skin type, concern, and based on your ingredient preferences. Learn more by visiting the FutureDerm shop! 

 

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