Hot comb
Encyclopedia
A hot comb is a metal comb
that is used to straighten
moderate or coarse hair
and create a smoother hair texture.
, bacon fat, or goose grease and then use a butter knife
heated in a can over a fire as a crude curling iron." Perhaps one of the most dangerous methods was mixing lye
with potato
es and placing it on the hair. The lye would straighten the hair; however, it would sometimes eat through the skin as well. Today the perms used to straighten hair have advanced as all hair care for people with ultra curly hair.
The hot comb was an invention developed in France
as a way for women with ultra curly hair to achieve a super-straight look traditionally modeled by historical Egypt
ian women. However, it was Annie Malone who first patented this tool, while her protege / former worker, Madam CJ Walker who discovered this tool, widened the teeth and was the first to improve the invention in the US in 1900. After slavery the hot comb was a very controversial invention because many debated on whether it was beneficial or hurtful to the black community. There were some African Americans who believed that the hot comb damaged the African-American community because it made the community submissive to the "white ideal image" of beauty and disregarded African-American culture. Others believed that efforts like hair straightening
would boost their social and economic status. This dilemma continued and progressed throughout the 20th century. Today, hot combs are still used by many African-American beauticians and families as an alternative to chemical hair straightening. Many African American and women of other races, still utilize hot combs because this form of straightening is temporary and less damaging to the hair if done properly. Though blacks in this country have made many strides in hair care, all people with ultra curly hair use black products.
and is left sitting for about a minute, making sure it does not smoke. The hot comb is taken off the burner, then wiped off with a clean towel and allowed it to cool for a few seconds. Then the small section of hair is slowly run through the teeth of the hot comb, tilting the comb back to allow the back to smooth the hair as it follows the teeth. This pattern is continued all around the head until the hair is at the desired texture.
If using an electric hot comb, the same steps are followed, but placing the hot comb on the burner is not necessary. It is important to be cautious of the temperature of the hot comb and make sure the comb is not too hot before placing it in the hair. Otherwise, the temperature can burn the hair. Caution should be taken around skin areas like edges and ears.
Comb
A comb is a toothed device used in hair care for straightening and cleaning hair or other fibres. Combs are among the oldest tools found by archaeologists...
that is used to straighten
Hair straightening
Hair straightening is a hair styling technique which involves the flattening and straightening of hair in order to give it a smooth, streamlined, and 'sleek' appearance. It may be accomplished by using hair irons and hot combs, chemical relaxers, Japanese hair straightening, or Brazilian hair...
moderate or coarse hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
and create a smoother hair texture.
Overview
Hot combs, or pressing combs and now ceramic flat irons are used by women all over the world with "ultra curly hair" to press it flat so they can achieve a variety of hairstyles.History
The African hair texture is unique in the world, but shared with others as far away as the Polynesian Islands, India, and in North Africa. The elliptical shape of the curly hair is thought to hold in moisture and allow cooling to the head in hotter Sub Saharan climates. The "African" hair texture is not monolithic. Curly hair, can vary from tight curls that resist combing, to loose curls most often seen in America on some "mixed race" children who have a white parent. African hair is very fragile, breaking easily when combed, and not resistant to many of the tools used to straighten it. African hair varies in its texture greatly individual to individual and no one method is suited to everyone. In order to achieve different hairstyles, some have tried many methods of hair straightening. One thing became obvious and that was it was easier to comb "straight" hair, and there was less hair loss when the hair was straightened. Many blacks didn't need hair straighteners but the ones that wanted it tried a multitude of ways to achieve de frissage. Therefore, many African Americans looked to find ways to straighten their hair to achieve a straighter and relaxed texture to their hair. Some of the first unconventional methods included men "slicking their hair with axle grease to create a hair straightener. Women would slather their hair with butterButter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
, bacon fat, or goose grease and then use a butter knife
Butter knife
In common usage, a butter knife may refer to any non-serrated table knife designed with a dull edge and rounded point; formal flatware patterns make a distinction between such a place knife and a butter knife...
heated in a can over a fire as a crude curling iron." Perhaps one of the most dangerous methods was mixing lye
Lye
Lye is a corrosive alkaline substance, commonly sodium hydroxide or historically potassium hydroxide . Previously, lye was among the many different alkalis leached from hardwood ashes...
with potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and placing it on the hair. The lye would straighten the hair; however, it would sometimes eat through the skin as well. Today the perms used to straighten hair have advanced as all hair care for people with ultra curly hair.
The hot comb was an invention developed in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as a way for women with ultra curly hair to achieve a super-straight look traditionally modeled by historical Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian women. However, it was Annie Malone who first patented this tool, while her protege / former worker, Madam CJ Walker who discovered this tool, widened the teeth and was the first to improve the invention in the US in 1900. After slavery the hot comb was a very controversial invention because many debated on whether it was beneficial or hurtful to the black community. There were some African Americans who believed that the hot comb damaged the African-American community because it made the community submissive to the "white ideal image" of beauty and disregarded African-American culture. Others believed that efforts like hair straightening
Hair straightening
Hair straightening is a hair styling technique which involves the flattening and straightening of hair in order to give it a smooth, streamlined, and 'sleek' appearance. It may be accomplished by using hair irons and hot combs, chemical relaxers, Japanese hair straightening, or Brazilian hair...
would boost their social and economic status. This dilemma continued and progressed throughout the 20th century. Today, hot combs are still used by many African-American beauticians and families as an alternative to chemical hair straightening. Many African American and women of other races, still utilize hot combs because this form of straightening is temporary and less damaging to the hair if done properly. Though blacks in this country have made many strides in hair care, all people with ultra curly hair use black products.
Usage
It is important to first make sure the hair is completely dry before pressing it. Next, a heat protector spray is used to protect the hair from direct heat and aid in the straightening process. A small amount of heat protector spray should be applied to the hair before pressing, one small section at a time. Next, a small section in the back of the head (about half an inch by an inch) is combed with a regular comb. The hot comb is then placed directly over a stove-top burner or a convectional hot plateHot plate
A hot plate is a portable self-contained tabletop small appliance that features one, two or more gas burners or electric heating elements. A hot plate can be used as a stand alone appliance, but is often used as a substitute for one of the burners from an oven range or the cook top of a stove...
and is left sitting for about a minute, making sure it does not smoke. The hot comb is taken off the burner, then wiped off with a clean towel and allowed it to cool for a few seconds. Then the small section of hair is slowly run through the teeth of the hot comb, tilting the comb back to allow the back to smooth the hair as it follows the teeth. This pattern is continued all around the head until the hair is at the desired texture.
If using an electric hot comb, the same steps are followed, but placing the hot comb on the burner is not necessary. It is important to be cautious of the temperature of the hot comb and make sure the comb is not too hot before placing it in the hair. Otherwise, the temperature can burn the hair. Caution should be taken around skin areas like edges and ears.
Potential consequences
There are many potential consequences to using the hot comb:- Burnt hair. It is not uncommon, especially when using a traditional hot comb, to burn and damage hair.
- 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree burns on skin. A hot comb is often heated to over 150 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore if not careful severe burns and scarring can occur
- Hot comb alopecia and follicular degeneration syndromeCentral centrifugal cicatricial alopeciaCentral centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, hot comb alopecia, or follicular degeneration syndrome is a type of alopecia first noticed in African Americans in the 1950s and reported by LoPresti et al. in 1968 as a result of application of petrolatum followed by a stove-heated iron comb...
. Hot comb alopecia is an irreversible alopeciaAlopeciaAlopecia means loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia can mean baldness, a term generally reserved for pattern alopecia or androgenic alopecia. Compulsive pulling of hair can also produce hair loss. Hairstyling routines such as tight ponytails or braids may induce Traction alopecia. Both...
of the scalp that occurs in people who straighten their hair with hot combs. "The hot petrolatum used with the iron causes a chronic inflammationInflammationInflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
around the upper segment of the hair follicleFollicleFollicle may refer to:*Follicle , a small spherical group of cells containing a cavity:** Dental follicle** Hair follicle** Lymph follicle** Ovarian follicle** Thyroid follicle*Follicle...
leading to degeneration of the external root sheath. Ultimately, the entire follicle is destroyed and replaced with a band of dense collagenCollagenCollagen is a group of naturally occurring proteins found in animals, especially in the flesh and connective tissues of mammals. It is the main component of connective tissue, and is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% to 35% of the whole-body protein content...
, a follicular scar." In 1992, a hot comb alopecia study was conducted, and discovered was that there was a poor correlation between the usage of a hot comb and the onset and progression of disease. The study concludes that