Honestly, that sounds like a freak accident more than a common problem. Compressed air works fine for most folks if you use it right, like not shaking the can and keeping it upright. Brushes can push dust around too, and if they have any grit on them, you're back to square one. The extra minute with a bulb might feel safe, but it's just trading one small risk for another. I've blasted my cameras for years without a single scratch, so maybe the method isn't the issue. Sometimes being too careful can make you miss shots while you're fussing with cleaning tools.

So many systems are just frozen in time like that.

Remember seeing a guy at the shop totally strip the threads on an oil drain plug because he went at it with a breaker bar. That crush washer looked like crumpled aluminum foil afterward. Tbh, it's why I always check the service manual for torque specs now, even on small stuff.

Learning to use thinning shears right, like @quinn_henderson said, turns frizz fear into great curls.