More and more men these days are investing in quality hair combs, showing that men are starting to care more about the appearance of their hair than they have in a long time. Today’s hair comb market boasts all kinds of styles, shapes, sizes and materials, with different distances between the teeth for different hair types, and different kinds of handles for different styling and maintenance purposes.
Today, we will be talking about the difference between using a steel comb and a plastic comb when blow-drying the hair. If you’re a guy who blow-dries his hair after he washes it, then you’ll want to pay attention, because the answer may surprise you. We’ll be comparing steel and plastic combs in terms of the qualities that matter when it comes to choosing a comb that can aid in the drying process.
Durability
Obviously, when you invest in a comb, you want something that will last. Needless to say, steel combs are more durable overall, as the teeth will not break even on those difficult tangles. Plastic combs are generally durable, depending on the model, but steel will always be far more resilient and more likely to last you for a long time.
Resilience to Heat
The heat produced by a blow-dryer varies, as most models have different heat settings. We know that too much heat can damage the hair, and can also be dangerous, which is why blow-dryers never reach too high of a temperature. Still, when it comes to which material can handle heat better, the answer is steel. On the highest setting of a blow-dryer, the plastic of a cheaper comb can get warped, especially if it is right against the heat output.
Ability to Untangle Hair
When blow-drying the hair, the comb is there to both style the hair and remove tangles. So, which material can better detangle your hair: plastic or steel? Steel is the clear answer in this department because plastic is more flexible and may therefore fail to break up knots. Meanwhile, steel is fixed and nonflexible, and therefore will work hard to get out each and every tangle.
Ability to Protect Hair
Steel is smoother than most plastics, which means that you will not be experiencing as much friction against the hair cuticles. Too much friction can cause small pockets of damage along the strands that make them more vulnerable to split ends and dryness later on.
Ability to Prevent Static
One issue with dry air when it comes to hair is static cling, where the hair sticks up straight rather than falling down as it should. When blow-drying the hair, static is more likely to occur due to the dry environment that you’re creating between the blow-dryer and the hair itself. So, which type of comb better prevents static? Here, we have a tie. Static is going to happen regardless of the comb material that you are using, which is why a trick is to wet the comb periodically to avoid static from occurring.
Steel is the Way to Go!
Overall, a steel comb is better suited for blow-drying your hair, because it’s more durable, hear-resistant and capable of breaking up tangles, while being gentler on the fragile shafts of each strand. Further, a steel comb can last for a lifetime due to the resilience of the material. Therefore, if you blow-dry your hair regularly, it is probably worth it to invest in a comb that is made of steel.