Hi Pedro, Your comb is carved from genuine Water Buffalo Horn, which is highly prized in Chinese Medicine. Unlike plastic, Water Buffalo Horn glides through hair easily without damaging coarse, unruly or stressed hair, and is great for detangling. Also, because it is not plastic, it does not create static in the hair. Because Water Buffalo Horn has been used for combs for centuries, plastic combs are made to look like buffalo horn or tortoise shell (used for the same purposes). You can tell the plastic combs from Buffalo Horn a) plastic melts, horn does not melt but it will burn and smell like burnt hair, b) Buffalo Horn Combs will get gummy, swell or warp if left in water too long! Plastic does not change in water.