Hot comb

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Please improve this article if you can. (January 2007)

A hot comb is a metal comb that is used to straighten curly or coarse hair. The comb is preheated before use, then carefully combed through the hair while still hot. Hot combs can also be used for more general forms of hairstyling, but they are typically used by African-Americans and Hispanics or other people with Afro textured hair as an alternative to chemical hair relaxers.

1 Usage
- 1.1 Historical
- 1.2 Potential hazards
2 See also
3 Links

[edit] Usage

[edit] Historical

Madame Walker's first product was a scalp treatment that used petroleum and a hot comb, although it was initially sold to treat scalp problems rather than for straightening hair.

Originally, the comb was heated in an open flame. Some modern hot combs are electrically heated on the same principle as electric hair irons, but others are intended for use by preheating them on the burner of a normal kitchen stove (gas or electric).

In the 1980s and 1990s, hot-combing (also known as pressing hair) faded from popularity compared to the use of relaxers. However, a recent mild resurgence for hot combs has been attributed to the benefits of smoothing a rough cuticle.^{[citation needed]} Although hot combs do not change the chemical structure of hair, repeated use may denature its proteins to result in a phenomenon known as hair training.

[edit] Potential hazards

An excessively hot comb can burn one's hair. In order to avoid this, comb users commonly test the temperature by compressing a small folded wad of toilet paper against the comb. If the paper chars to dark brown or black, the comb is too hot and should be allowed to cool. If the paper only turns light brown or its color remains unchanged, the hot comb is ready for use.

Hot combs can permanently damage hair: [1]

{quotation|Heat from appliances like curling or flat irons soften the keratin of the hair (the principal protein in hair). Too much heat can actually cause the water in the hair to boil, forming tiny bubbles of steam inside the softened hair shaft and causing the cuticle scales to permanently bubble. The hair becomes brittle and weak and may break off. Keep hair dryers at least 10-15 centimeters from the hair, and constantly moving to avoid over-heating the hair.}