From trendy brushes to favourite moisturisers, brushing wet hair has become a hot topic in hair care communities. However, hair transplant specialist at Treatment Rooms London Dr Roshan Vara warns brushing wet hair may damage follicles.
Vara said the habit and trends around it are commonly done post-shower, weakening hair structure at a molecular level and potentially leading to increased breakage and thinning over time. This is especially a problem in the summer when some people find themselves dealing with wet hair many times a day after pool sessions, beach dips or cooling down in the shower.
“Wet hair has a lot of physical differences from hair when it is dry and that can affect its ability to handle stress from brushing. Water affects the hair shaft and as a result it experiences stretches in the cuticle because of swelling, and that leads to breakage due to the strain,” said Vara.
One benefit tied to combing hair while wet has been research that found wet hair can stretch more than dry locks, but Vara warned this can be misleading.
“Wet hair causes stretching, which damages the protein structure, leading to weaker hair over time.”
Vara suggested wide-tooth combs be used instead of brushes on wet hair. People should avoid brushing from the roots when hair is wet to prevent damage. Styling techniques must also be considered as heat can worsen the damage.
“Using a hairdryer on soaking wet hair is particularly damaging. The speed at which water is removed from the hair shaft can cause a rupturing effect which pushes out the cuticle and leads to hair falling out.”
The protection of the hair cuticle continues its decline as a result of aggressive brushing on wet hair. Fine hair and chemically treated hair, whether coloured, permed or relaxed, is especially susceptible to wet brushing damage because the protein structure is altered.
Vara said the “don't comb wet hair” rule works differently for thick and Afro-textured hair. Afro-textured hair is naturally more fragile and prone to breakage when dry. Vara said curl patterns also make hair difficult to detangle when dry. Detangling hair while wet with a conditioner provides slip and reduces friction, which is why many hair care professionals have recommended wet detangling for curly and coily hair types.
According to Vara, detangling can be done effectively with the right tools and products such as wide-tooth combs, fingers or specialised detangling brushes and “always with conditioner or a detangling product”.
He recommends brushes for wet use with flexible bristles that bend rather than snap hair, with these precautions:
- use on conditioner-coated hair, not wet hair;
- work from ends to roots; and
- be gentle and patient.
For diffuser users you can protect hair by:
- distributing heat more evenly;
- reducing direct airflow that causes frizz;
- maintaining curl pattern while drying; and
- using lower heat settings than regular blow-drying.
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