Your hair is especially fragile when it’s wet and needs to be managed with extra love and care. A scientific explanation for why this happens is that your hair’s structure changes when it comes in contact with water. During hair wash, the shaft soaks up the water and swells, leaving it more vulnerable to damage and breakage. That’s why wet strands should be treated more gently to preserve the health and longevity of your hair.
However, if you are already gentle with your wet hair but still see breakage and damage, then you should take a closer look at your wet hair routine. Do you find yourself detangling your knots immediately after a shower? Or do you blow-dry your hair on high heat to get rid of the wetness quickly? If your answer is ‘yes’, then we are sorry to break it to you, but these common missteps have been secretly taking a toll on your hair health.
7 Wet Hair Mistakes That You Have Been Making
We list down seven everyday mistakes that are making your hair brittle, damaged, and weak.
Applying Heated Tools To Your Wet Hair
The use of heated tools already takes a toll on your tresses. But applying them to wet or damp hair can make it far worse. Using a tool such as a hot flat iron or tong on wet hair can increase the chances of frying your strands, thereby, causing irreversible damage. This is why it’s advisable to proceed with the hair styling tools of your choice only after your hair is completely dry.
Brushing Your Wet Hair
Just like going to bed with your makeup is a cardinal skincare sin, brushing your wet hair is equally a vice. Your hair is at its weakest and most vulnerable to breakage after a shower. Stretching or pulling your hair during this time can lead to split ends, flyaways, and damage. To ensure the longevity of your strands, do not brush your hair until it’s almost or completely dry.
Tying Up Your Wet Hair
On busy mornings, you might feel a tempting urge to tie your wet hair into a bun and get it out of your way. But as we have already established, your hair strands are the weakest when wet, and pulling them up tightly in a bun can cause unimaginable hair fall. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, make sure to tie your hair only when it’s completely dry and detangled.
Blow-drying Your Hair When It’s Dripping Wet
We get it, this might be the hardest rule to follow, but you should never blow-dry your hair while it’s still dripping wet. It might feel super convenient to just hop out of the shower and start wicking the moisture away with the highest setting of your blow-dryer, but you need to wait for the water to drain out naturally. When you blow-dry your hair, start on medium heat, and then gradually move to a higher level of heat to style your hair as desired.
Applying Hair Spray On Damp Hair
Hairspray should ideally be used to set your hair in place. Using hairspray on wet or damp hair will only make your locks rough. Moreover, the shape of your hair changes as it dries, which means its style will change too. That’s why it’s best to use hairspray when your hair is dry to ensure a long-lasting hold.
Rubbing A Towel Harshly On Wet Hair
Although nobody likes the feeling of wet hair dripping down their clothes, rubbing your wet hair with a towel harshly to get out all the water isn’t an option. This will cause your hair to break more easily and you will have to face untameable frizz until your next hair wash. Instead, invest in a good-quality microfibre towel to gently squeeze the water from your strands and then let it air dry naturally.
Going To Bed With Wet Hair
Heading to sleep with slightly damp hair is still excusable, but dripping wet hair is a big no-no. Apart from creating a puddle on your pillowcase, it causes breakage and damages the follicle. If you wash your hair close to bedtime, choose to blast dry your hair (not blow-dry) using a hairdryer to dry the wetness by at least 70% or until it’s just a little damp.
Tips For Handling Wet Hair
Here are some dos and don’ts for handling wet hair that will ensure to preserve the vitality of your tresses:
- Blow-drying wet hair can weigh down the strands, making it too heavy to style. That’s why it’s ideal to opt for blast-drying your hair before adding heat to it.
- Use a wet hairbrush to smoothen your strands. These brushes have softer bristles as compared to regular ones and are perfect for those experiencing excessive tangles.
- Although gentle drying of your hair on low heat can take a lot of time, remember that it will help reduce hair damage and keep your strands from getting frizzy in the long run.
- Avoid using rough towels to dry your hair after a shower. The harsh fibres from the towel can cause hair damage. Instead, use a cotton t-shirt or a microfibre towel to wrap around your strands. They will help absorb moisture faster and cause much less friction.
Be sure to avoid wet hair mistakes described above in your haircare routine. Remember to handle your wet strands with love and care. With the right practices and habits, you can easily maintain your locks and keep them healthy.
