How Often Should You Brush Your Hair
In modern times we wash our hair frequently, we also brush it a lot, but the thing is brushing your hair frequently is unnecessary. Philip Kingsley, a New York City and London trichologist (hair specialist) says brushing harshly and frequently is bad for the health of your hair, as it can scratch your scalp and damage your hair. We brush our hair to distribute the oils evenly, which is also bad. Brushing for styling purposes is ok, but not for the purpose of distributing oil, dry hair is a result of lack of moisture, not oil.
How often you should brush your hair depends on your type and texture. Finer and longer hair requires regular brushing to avoid getting knots explains Michael Zaiko, stylist and colorist at Hair Couture Salon in Ridgefield. If you have curly or wavy hair you should brush less because you don’t want to destroy the curls. The idea is to treat your curls gently. Brushing curls harshly can damage them and cause hair loss.
One trick that works well is brushing your hair before you wash your hair. You can also use a wide-tooth comb in the shower when conditioning.
Experts believe brushing the scalp is important because it loosens dead skin cells and promotes circulation. They say not to brush when you hair is wet, it’s more likely to break and cause hair loss. If you must brush wet hair then use a comb with wide teeth, brushes with dense bristles can damage your hair. You can purchase a wet brush if needed.
There are those who still believe in brushing your hair 100 strokes every day, this is a myth. Over-brushing will damage and tear out your hair. The quality of your brush and how you brush matters more than the number of strokes and frequency of brushing.
Brushing with care
Start from tip to root instead of root to tip, this is key. When you start at the roots the brush can pull out the hair out of the follicles. Start from a few inches above and sort out the tangles, taking a small portion of hair at a time. This will also help avoid hair loss.
Brushing less does not mean once a week, try brushing once a day or every other day. Brushing less can build up knots and tangles, once again causing hair loss getting them out.
Choosing your brush
When you buy your brush choose one that has long, malleable bristles on a base of rubber with vents.
Brushes with ball tips help prevent hair damage and breakage.
