How do you treat hair as well as possible when it is wet, without damaging it?
Which shampoo or treatment should you use, how often should you wash it, and how often is it actually acceptable to use curling tongs and straighteners? Is it true that hair is extra vulnerable when wet?
After you have washed your hair it is important to treat it the right way to keep damage to a minimum. You should be extra gentle with wet hair, because that is when the strands are at their most vulnerable.
Three typical mistakes
The most common mistakes most of us make with wet hair are combing it, drying it too hard with a towel, or going to bed with it wet. The cuticle layer is open and cannot take tugging and pulling at tangled hair while it is wet. If you have light hair it is often more exposed than dark hair, because of the number of cuticle layers on the strands.
Hair is worn down by rubbing and friction, such as drying it hard with a towel. When you go to bed with wet hair it lies rubbing against the scalp, often in the same place for a long stretch.
Heat on wet hair
This is probably one of the most common mistakes people make. Being careless with a hairdryer, straighteners or curling tongs can leave your hair dry, worn and lifeless. All kinds of heat tools are off-limits on wet hair, and it is recommended that hair air-dries as much as possible before you apply any heat to it. It is also not recommended to blow-dry hair when it is soaking wet. Dry it gently with a towel, and ideally let it air-dry before you blow-dry it.
Tips
- Comb your hair before you wash it, or comb it gently with your fingers or a comb with conditioner in, in the shower. The important thing is to take it slowly and gently.
- Braid your hair if you go to bed with it wet.
- Wash your hair two to three times a week. Washing it often can wear it down.
- Use cool air on the hairdryer instead of hot.
- Use heat protection on your hair, even when you are only blow-drying it.
The right care from within
How you look after your hair from the outside is only part of the picture. A varied, balanced diet covers the nutrients your body needs, and a few of them have a recognised role where hair is concerned: biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, skin and nails, and selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and nails. Hair Luxious is a food supplement with a carefully selected combination of vitamins and minerals in each capsule. It is used and recommended by some of Norway's leading hairdressers.
Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
