Delaware Cosmetology and Barbering Practice Exam

In what scenario would you use a wide-tooth comb?

1. When styling curly hair

2. When detangling wet hair to prevent breakage

3. When cutting layers

4. When applying hair treatments

The correct answer is: When detangling wet hair to prevent breakage

Using a wide-tooth comb is particularly beneficial when detangling wet hair to prevent breakage. Wet hair is more susceptible to damage due to its increased elasticity, so employing a wide-tooth comb allows for gentle detangling without pulling or breaking the strands. The spacing between the teeth of the comb helps navigate through knots and tangles more easily than a fine-tooth comb or a brush, reducing the risk of hair loss or damage. While a wide-tooth comb can be useful in styling curly hair, especially to maintain the curl pattern without frizzing, it is most often associated with the specific need for detangling, particularly when hair is wet. This feature makes it the ideal tool in that scenario. The other options—cutting layers or applying hair treatments—typically involve different techniques or tools that would not leverage the benefits of a wide-tooth comb as effectively as detangling wet hair would.