Disclosed herein are devices and methods for holding hair to prevent hair damage during combing procedures. A hair gripping device can include a handle, a jaw connected to the handle, and a grip retained within the jaw. The handle and the jaw may comprise portions of first and second arms of the hair gripping device. The grip may be configured to hold a plurality of hair strands at a hair contact portion of the grip. With actuation of the handle, the jaw may be configured to move between a closed position in which movement of a majority of strands in a bundle of hair within the first hair contact portion is inhibited by the grip and an open position in which movement of a majority of hair strands in a bundle of hair within the first hair contact portion is not inhibited by the grip.