Most people assume they should comb hair after washing it, but in fact the best way to ensure tangle-free hair is to brush out knots before even getting in the shower. Then, rather than scrubbing you should apply the shampoo close to the roots and gently massage the product onto your scalp and into your hair.
Hair that's wet and filled with moisture is more fragile than hair that's dry, which can result in snapping when brushed. As such, it's recommended to brush hair in a dry state (guide-to-detangling-curls). This may mean allowing your hair to air-dry post-shower before beginning to comb through hair strands.
Wet hair is much weaker than dry hair, so treat it carefully. One of the worst things you can do is tug a brush through it, forcing tangles apart, Wasser says. Instead, try brushing your hair before hopping in the shower to work out knots and air out the roots, James says.
Brushing your hair after you shower can cause a lot of damage, as your hair follicles are weaker when its wet so it is best to use the right tools to insure your hair not getting pulled.
Frizz-central
While this one's avoidable, we felt it necessary to include this little PSA anyway: brushing your hair when it's wet can lead to frizzy hair once it's dried up.
After leaving the shower, start by dabbing off excess water with a microfibre cloth. Avoid rubbing the hair vigorously, as the friction causes the strands to tangle and generate frizz. Then, keep your hair wrapped for 10 to 15 minutes.
You should never brush your hair while it is wet. Wet hair is susceptible to breakage, and regularly brushing it while it is wet can do some real damage. Use a wide-tooth comb in the shower to distribute conditioner evenly and help remove tangles.
“You should avoid over-brushing your hair when it doesn't need it and save the brushing for once, maybe twice a day if necessary,” says Roni. “Don't over brush hair as this can cause more breakage. Brushing too often can also cause static from the friction,” says Craig.
Brush and detangle hair
To help minimise knots and reduce damage, it's important to detangle your hair before you rest your head down for the night. Giving your hair a good brush will help to distribute its natural oils, for healthy, shiny, moisturised hair.
There's a way around unruly locks, according to the professionals: give your hair a quick blow dry before bed, making sure that it's around 80% dry before hitting the pillow. "Additionally, you can braid or wrap a silk scarf around your hair to keep it from getting tangled while you sleep," Jones adds.
For those with straight hair, brushing wet hair can potentially cause more harm than dry brushing. "The number one thing to keep in mind when brushing your hair is that it is in the most vulnerable and sensitive state when it's wet," Reslan cautions.
It turns out letting your hair air dry after you've washed it is causing more damage than you think. According to Dr Tim Moore (the Australian Vice President of Smart Devices) leaving your hair wet for extended periods of time is putting excessive pressure on your strands resulting in split ends.
"I don't recommend it because it can cause more tangles and oil buildup," he explains. To add to his response, when you do not comb your locks, your hair dries in odd shapes (a not cute one, BTW) and may look buhaghag and frizzy.
When to wash. Rossi generally tells his patients they should wash their hair once or twice per week. But if you've had chemical treatments that can make your hair drier — such as bleach, perms or relaxers — you might want to wash it less than once weekly to avoid breaking or brittle hair or split ends, he said.
Sometimes the frizz that appears after you brush your hair is due to too much static, and not your hair texture. Boar bristle brushes are the best option if you're looking to reduce the amount of static produced, but you can also try spritzing in hairspray to the base of your brush.
Detangle Your Hair Before Bed
One of the simplest ways to protect your hair at night is by brushing or combing through your strands thoroughly. This will help detangle your hair and evenly distribute its natural oils from the roots to the ends.
Over-brushing will lift the cuticles of your hair and break it, which makes your hair look dull because light won't reflect on it. For that reason, you should only brush your hair as much as it needs in order to be untangled and smooth!
It's still widely believed that brushing oily hair will only make it worse. But the truth is, with the right brush, you can remove and distribute some of that oil so that your roots appear less greasy.
The more you brush your hair, the more sebum is created, which helps keep it moisturized and clean. It can also stimulate blood flow and circulation in the scalp, which is good for overall health and well-being and can help prevent hair loss.
Hot water melts away your natural hair oils, leaving it dry, brittle, and frizzy. Excess heat also lifts your hair cuticles, the outermost layer. When that happens, the cells separate and the cuticle layer can't seal itself—another cause of frizzy hair.