Is it bad to brush your hair a lot and brushing your hair 100 times is beneficial is common beauty wisdom, right? Do it to much and you could be frizzy hair. Be sure to read my article on the 18 solutions to tame frizzy and prevent damage. My article is called how to tame frizzy hair. Brushing normally will distribute the natural oils from your scalp to add shine to your hair. And you also most likely heard that it will stimulate blood flow to your scalp and boost hair growth. But, many stylist also say brushing causes friction on your hair and can lead to cuticle damage and breakage thus making your hair lusterless and frizzy. So I did some research to find out is it bad to brush your hair a lot.
Many stylist agree its bad to brush your hair a lot. And brushing too much or even combing too much can cause more damage. Brushing your hair too much causes friction, and results in damage to the cuticles.
The bristles pressure your hair as you comb through and thus results in damage to the cuticle. Too much brushing for long hair is particularly bad. According to Stacey, Hair Research Analyst, “As your hair grows longer, the ends get dry and are more likely to divide causing split ends and damage. Over brushing and friction helps this process along.“
Can you brush your hair too much?
If you brush your hair too much and if you do it the wrong way, like brush while your hair is wet. You could cause damage. And no if you do it the correct way, and not over brush, it is beneficial. The trick is not to over do it and practice correct brushing methods. You hair is at it’s weakest point when wet, so never brush while wet. Let your hair dry to about 80% before brushing.
You might be interested in my article called: USA made hairbrushes. In this article I do all the hard work for you by rounding up the best of the best USA made hairbrushes.
Is it OK to brush wet hair a lot?
Brushing wet hair is not good. If you are using a boar bristle brush on soaking wet hair you could be causing a lot of damage. You should let your hair air dry and then brush using a brush that is not going to pull and create a lot of tension while brushing. I go into a lot more details in my article “Should I comb my hair after washing it“. I go over the right way to brush and great tips for how to handle wet hair. Just remember your hair is at it’s most fragile point when it’s wet and you should be very gentle if you have no choice but to brush it while it’s wet.
How to minimize breakage when brushing your hair?
1. Always hair detangle first
Always start detangling bottom the bottom up. I highly recommend Denman 9 row for thick curly hair.
2. Stop pulling hair
Avoid pulling on your hair while wet. Too much tension will cause your hair to break off causing split ends. For normal to medium curly hair I recommend the Wet Brush.
3. Hair conditioners
Make sure you hair is hydrated. Use a conditioner or apply a good leave in conditioner. I highly recommend Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream as it separates and defines curls while nourishing hair. Replaces the need for multiple curl products.
4. Use a detangling spray before brushing hair
By using a small amount of leave in conditioner or detangling product you are relieving the tension on each hair strand as you brush or comb thus the likely hood of stretching and breaking your hair is greatly reduced. I recommend O&M Know Knott Conditioning Detangler as it uses Macadamia and Argan oils work to recondition the hair to protect it and leave it glossy and knot free.
5. Use Moroccan oil
Naturally Argan oil renovates the hair cell structure and restores shine to hair consistently. I like Moroccan oil because it leaves hair soft, smooth, with improved manageability. Controls frizz and flyaway, while imparting shine.
6. Use a silk pillow case
To keep curls tight overnight use the pineapple technique – loosely gather hair on top of your head, highest point, before sleep. This helps keep your curl pattern. Sleep on a smooth silk pillow case as not to pull on your hair like cotton cases do. This reduces friction and reduce bedhead. I recommend the MYK silk pillowcase with 100% Mulberry silk. See link at bottom of post.
7. Use hair dryer attachments
Use a diffuser to evenly distribute heat from you hair dryer. This technique helps control frizzy conditions. I recommend the Black Orchid hair diffuser for curly and natural hair.
8. Use a microfiber towel to dry hair
Cotton towels can pull and break hair. Use microfiber to reduce breakage and split-ends. Do not rub but use pressing motions to dry hair. I love the Curly Girl Hair towel, it’s hypoallergenic.
9. Use a curling wand
Use a curling wand to give new life to curly that have fallen flat. Allows you to fine tune your naturally curly hair. I love the Infinitipro by Conair tourmaline ceramic curling wand to instantly create defined curls.
*It’s Harder if you do not have the product and as a result have to make a special purchase. Otherwise its fairly easy.
If you brush and or comb the wrong way you could cause damage. Especially if you have long hair. The best way is to bend over and start at the nape of your neck and brush down to the ends. This takes the natural oil that is most abundant at the nape of your neck and spreads them down along the hair shaft to the end where its needed the most. For more on how to correctly brush your hair read my article on “What happens if you don’t brush your hair” and make sure to watch the video at the end of post.
In addition, you can always use a leave conditioner to minimize friction and the dry condition. Apply a small amount to the end of your hair where it’s the driest. For those of you who have short hair you are not going to experience this condition as your hair is not long enough. If you have real frizzy hair you should read my article called “What type of brush is best for frizzy hair” for 25 top brushes that will help.
Using the correct brush
So what happens if you use the wrong tool to style your hair? The answer is you could cause damage to your hair. According to Meesh, Hair Product Analyst, “You always want to match you hair type to the brush that is going to give you the best results.” In the extreme case you could be damaging your hair and not even realize it. Here is a very good article I wrote “Are brushes bad for your hair” that will help you understand and answer the question. Another good article is “Are metal brushes bad for your hair“. It’s written primarily for men but the same principles apply to females too. So the bottom line is you always want to make sure you just don’t grab any brush. For example if you have thin hair then a soft bristle brush is most likely going to be the best choice. You can read my article “Are soft bristle brushes better for your hair” to find out why.
Also, consider using a high quality ceramic hair dryer. They are much better on your hair than conventional dryers.
Hair Tips And Mistakes You Need To Know
1. Shampoo Overdo
Be smart and do not over do it. Shampoo not only removes dirt but also removes your natural oil which protects your hair by keeping it from drying out. So don’t over do it.
2. Restrictive Hair Styles
How you wear your hair could put stress on certain areas of your hair thus causing damage. For example, if you are wearing a rubber band in your hair everyday in the same place this could damage your hair in that spot. So the best advise is to switch hairstyles and rotate the placement of your pony to avoid damage.
3. Not Using Conditioner
It’s important because it adds moister back to your hair. It’s especially needed on your ends to keep it from drying out and having split ends. Many folks say conditioner is designed to hydrate and nourish hair. I agree with the first part about hydrate but the nourish part I am not so sure about. What is there to nourish? Hair is dead. It’s not like it’s living and needs to be nourished. Dead hair is not going to eat, right!
4. Towel Wrapping
Most everyone is guilty of stepping out of the shower and immediately wrapping their hair in a towel. And when you take off the towel most folks will tend to give a vigorous rub to help dry. But did you know this could be harmful to your hair? And the reason why is the cotton fibers rough up the cuticle. And remember your hair is at it’s weakest point when it’s wet. The end result is often breakage. It’s best to let naturally dry as much as possible or use something like a soft shirt instead of a cotton towel.
5. The Wrong Pillow Case
Did you know that your pillowcase could cause damage to your hair? Well, you would have to be one of those to toss and turn a lot at night and use a cotton pillow case. As you move and your hair rubs against the pillowcase thus causing friction that eventually causes your hair to dry out. And of course this leads to tangles and then breakage. Granted, I believe before this could actually happen you would have to be spinning in your sleep like a washing machine. But to be on the safe side it’s easy to switch to a stain or silk pillowcase that is smoother and causes less friction.
6. Bad Diet
To have healthy hair you need to be healthy. Make sure you are drinking enough water. As of this writing NAM recommends letting thirst guide your water consumption habits but set a volume of total daily water intake: 3.7 liters (15 cups) for the average adult male and 2.7 liters (11 cups) for the average adult female. A healthy diet can help your hair stay strong and bright. What you eat can also prevent you from losing your hair. If you don’t get certain nutrients from food, you might see negative effects according to WebMD.
7. Aggressive Brushing
Gentle brushing will be much better for your hair in the long run, especially if it is damaged and susceptible to breakage. All you really need to do is brush your hair until it looks good and is in the style you like then stop. No need to go overboard with brushing.
Conclusion
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References
Image courtesy of pixabay.com/photos/adult-brush-care-face-female-girl-19230
Economy, B. HAIR CARE ON A BUDGET.
https://www.proquest.com/openview/324f6ee0629c03ec86773a3d83fc8cb4/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=30763
Rosen, J., Landriscina, A., & Friedman, A. J. (2015). Nanotechnology-based cosmetics for hair care. Cosmetics, 2(3), 211-224.