Many women dream of long, luscious locks but can’t seem to achieve them due to careless mistakes.
A dermatologist – a medical doctor who specialises in treating the skin, hair and nails – took to YouTube to share a habit that is “ruining” your hair. She advised against using a brush or comb when your hair is wet.
Dr Dray claimed that brushing or combing your hair when it’s “soaking wet” is a “bad habit”.
She said: “Never brush your hair or comb your hair while you’re in the shower and your hair is wet.
‘Never brush your hair or comb your hair while you’re in the shower and your hair is wet’
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“If you have straight hair, always towel-dry your hair and make sure that it is pretty much close to dry before you start combing it.
“You’ll find that if you have straight hair, this is relatively manageable – a lot of tangles will actually work themselves out.
“Now, if you have curly hair or more textured hair, you already know that that’s not necessarily going to work for you.”
Dr Dray advised ladies with curly hair that it’s fine to comb their curls when they are damp – just not when they are sopping.
She also recommended using a wide-tooth comb rather than a fine-tooth comb. The hair experts at Tangle Teezer agree that brushing wet hair can be damaging.
They said: “Wet hair is a lot weaker than dry hair and far more susceptible to breakage and damage.
“Hair is mostly made up of a number of proteins called keratins and these are kept within the cuticles of your hair – you can think of the cuticle as a sort of flexible armour for the keratins.
“When your hair is wet, the proteins form weaker bonds. When it’s dry, they form stronger bonds.
“When wet hair is brushed, the hair strands stretch and don’t snap back into shape like an elastic band and instead the cuticle edges (the flexible armour) lift up and crack.
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‘If you have straight hair, always towel-dry your hair and make sure that it is pretty much close to dry before you start combing it’
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“Once the hair is dry again, the cuticle can stay lifted and that’s what makes your hair feel rough and damaged.”
The experts advised: “The best and gentlest ways to detangle your wet hair are with your fingers, a wide-tooth comb or a wet detangling brush.”
However, as Dr Dray advised, it’s important to go by your personal hair type. Those with fine, fragile hair should find a wet brush that’s specifically designed for them to avoid damage.
In other hair care news, women were warned that a common brushing habit is “one of the best ways to ruin your hair”.
