6 Amazing Benefits Of Brushing Hair & How To Do It Perfectly

What Are The Benefits Of Brushing Your Hair?

Do not wait until you get knots in your hair. Incorporating brushing into your hair care routine is a good way of hair maintenance for optimal hair hygiene as it may help improve hair health, and enhance grooming, thus leaving you with beautiful locks. Regular hair brushing has serious benefits:

• Imparts A Healthy Shine

Your scalp produces natural oils to keep the hair nourished and shiny. Combing and hair brushing help distribute the natural oils across the strands, strengthening them. If you do not brush your hair, the oil accumulates on the scalp, leaving the strands dry and brittle.

Brushing long hair is particularly essential as it takes more time for the natural oils to reach the tip. Also, brushing your hair after shampooing gives it extra shine and ensures it is well hydrated.

• Stimulates The Scalp

Brushing and combing across the scalp using gentle pressure massages and stimulates the scalp. This may improve blood flow to the scalp and promote healthy hair growth (1).

• Gets Rid Of Impurities

Every time you use hair styling products, there is always some residue left on the scalp. This residue keeps building up over time. Brushing your hair helps remove the residue from the scalp. When the buildup is gone, it is easy to clean the hair and scalp with shampoo.

• Detangles The Hair

Regular hair brushing and combing is the best way to keep the hair detangled. This also minimizes hair breakage.

• Makes Styling Easy:

Styling knotted and tangled hair is tough. Brushing your hair keeps it smooth and neat, making hair styling easy.

• Removing Loose Hair Strands:

On average, you shed about 100-150 hair strands daily (depending on the hair length). Brushing your hair helps clear up the loose strands.

Ash Treviño, a blogger, spoke about the benefits of consistently brushing her hair in the blog. She said, “I started brushing my hair about 3 times a day, and my god was my hair the softest it has ever been. By day 8, I realized that all the fancy hair masks I had ever done did not compare to how my hair felt after just letting my natural oils do their thing for a while (i).”

Frequent brushing can cause hair damage. In the next section, find out how often you should comb your hair.

How Often Should I Comb My Hair?

Overbrushing can cause hair breakage and hair loss. Therefore, do not brush your hair too frequently. Ideally, you should brush your hair twice a day. However, if your hair is long, you can brush it thrice a day to keep it detangled. If you have curly, thick, or oily hair, you can brush once a day.

Some of us may prefer brushing dry hair, while a few others may brush wet hair. Here is the right way to brush wet and dry hair.

How Should I Brush Wet And Dry Hair?

• Wet Hair

Wet hair is fragile and can snap while brushing. Be gentle, and follow these tips:

• Dry the hair with a microfiber towel.
• Let your hair air dry for 10 minutes before combing.
• Use a detangling spray to smoothen your hair if you have thick and curly hair.
• Use a wide-toothed comb or a boar bristle brush to gently detangle the hair.

• Dry Hair

Divide your hair into sections and begin a few inches off the root. Follow these steps:

• Use a wide-toothed comb or a hair brush. Start from the middle and move down to the end.
• Move up another inch (from where you started) and then brush downward.
• Continue moving upwards until you reach the scalp and repeat the steps.
• Brush gently throughout the process.

If you have naturally straight, long, and thick hair, a paddle brush is the best choice for both wet and dry brushing. It is lightweight and detangles hair easily.

It is equally important to learn the right technique of hair brushing to prevent hair damage. Scroll down to learn more.

What Is The Right Technique For Brushing Hair?

Here are some hair brushing techniques that keep your hair in shape:

• Divide the hair into sections and then start brushing.
• Move the brush gently through each section.
• Hold the brush at an angle and move it across the strands.
• The hair should fall from the brush when you reach the tip.
• Once you have completed one section, start with another section.
• Check for stubborn tangles or knots using your fingers.
• Move with the flow of your hair, not against it.
• Avoid over-brushing your hair.

Quick Tip

Spritz hairspray on your hairbrush before combing. This will help tame flyaways and prevent static.

If you have fine hair and struggle to brush it the right way, check out the following section.

What Kind of Brush Should You Use For Fine Hair?

When dealing with fine hair, choosing the right brush is essential to maintain its health and appearance. A soft bristle brush, made from natural materials like boar bristles, is ideal for fine hair. These brushes are gentle on delicate strands, preventing breakage and reducing static. Moreover, they evenly distribute natural oils from the scalp to the ends, thus promoting shine and minimizing greasiness at the roots.

Alternatively, a detangling brush with flexible, widely spaced bristles can help prevent knots and breakage without putting too much stress on fine hair. Avoid using brushes with stiff, closely spaced bristles or plastic bristles as they can be too harsh on the hair and scalp and cause damage.

Cleaning the brushes and comb is equally essential to maintain hair health. Here are a few tips for cleaning them.

How Should I Clean My Brushes And Combs?

To clean your hairbrushes and combs,

• Add a tablespoon of liquid soap and antiseptic solution to a bucket of water.
• Swirl your combs and brushes in this solution.
• Rinse them thoroughly to remove dirt and loose hair strands.
• Avoid soaking the hair brush for more than four minutes.

Clean your brush every two weeks. You can use clarifying shampoo instead of liquid soap. Brushing your hair the right way is said to stimulate hair growth. Scroll down to find out how to do that.

How Can I Stimulate Hair Growth By Brushing?

There are ways in which brushing can stimulate hair growth, but it cannot regrow hair. Brushing your hair stimulates growth by evenly distributing the scalp oil and massaging the scalp for better circulation.

Use a boar bristle brush, and when combing, apply gentle pressure on the scalp. Comb across the scalp to massage it.

Quick Tip

Use the right tools that make your hair prone to less damage. Use wooden combs instead of plastic ones as they are anti-static and can keep your hair frizz- and tangle-free.

Brushing in the wrong direction and the wrong brushing techniques can damage your hair. Here are a few hair brushing faux pas you should avoid.

Avoid These Hair Brushing Mistakes

• Using One Brush For Everything

You need a different brush for different hair types, so test your hairbrush before buying it.

• For volume during blow-drying, use round-shaped metal brushes.
• A boar bristle brush is ideal for coarse or curly hair.
• For a sleek finish, use a flat brush.
• For ponytails, use a paddle brush.
• For knots, use a bristle brush.
• Excessive Brushing

Brushing your hair too much can cause hair damage and breakage. If you have mid-length or short hair, brush it twice a day. If you have long hair, brush it thrice a day.

• Irregular Brushing

If you stop brushing your hair regularly, it may develop knots. The natural oils accumulate on the scalp, making it itchy and flaky, increasing the discomfort levels. Irregular hair brushing may also cause frizz and hair fall.

• Aggressively Brushing Wet Hair

Wet hair is brittle, and brushing it aggressively may result in damage. Be gentle when brushing wet hair and always use a wide-toothed comb.

• Not Combing Your Hair Before Washing It

Brushing the hair before shampooing prevents knots and tangles. Detangling wet hair is more damaging to the strands.

• Brushing In The Wrong Direction

The right way to untangle knots would be to start at the tip and work your way up to the roots. If you move from the root to the scalp to the ends in one stroke, you are more likely to snap your hair.

• Trying To Brush Through Dry Curls

Avoid using brushes for dry curls. Use a comb instead. Using a brush for your curls can stretch the strands and damage the cuticles. Always use a wide-toothed comb and detangle when the hair is wet or damp.

Infographic: Top 5 Hair Brushing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Caring for your hair isn’t always about using expensive hair care products. Instead, it begins with a simple everyday step – hair brushing. This daily practice can make your tresses beautiful and healthy. However, hair brushing will benefit you only if you do it correctly. Check out the infographic below to learn about the mistakes you might be making while brushing your hair.

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does brushing hair every day damage it?

If you brush your hair gently, it won’t cause any damage. But vigorous brushing can damage your hair.

Does brushing hair make it softer?

Brushing your hair in the wrong way may cause hair damage while brushing it correctly can make it soft, smooth, and tangle-free.

Does brushing hair make it thinner?

Yes. Vigorous or incorrect ways of brushing can lead to hair breakage, resulting in hair thinning. The broken hair minimizes the overall appearance of hair volume.

Is brushing your hair before bed good?

Yes. Brushing your hair before bed is one of the essential steps to follow in your hair care routine. Brushing hair at night helps distribute the natural oils through your hair, which, in turn, give you healthy, shiny hair.

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Dr. M. Khawar NazirMBBS

   

Dr. M. Khawar Nazir has 10 years of experience in cosmetic dermatology and is the CEO of Boston Aesthetics Lahore, Pakistan. He earned his MBBS degree from Nishtar Medical College, Multan, Pakistan, and did his post graduation from Boston University, School Of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. He is also a member of the Pakistan Association of Dermatologists (PAD) and Hair...more

Ramona SinhaEditor

 

Ramona is an editor at StyleCraze with 11 years of experience in writing and editing. She has authored over 200 articles on skin and hair care. She graduated from the University of Calcutta, West Bengal, and did her post-graduation from the University of Kalyani, West Bengal. She also did a certificate course in dermatology offered by the Novosibirsk State University...more

Eshna DasAssociate Editor

Eshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree in psychology from Sampurna Montfort College, Bengaluru. Her passion for writing and editing and her background in psychology help her create content that...more

Monomita ChakrabortyBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Monomita has a graduate degree in mass communication and video production from St. Anthony's College, Shillong, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from the Royal Global University, Guwahati. She is also a certified skincare coach. Her passion for and understanding of all things related to skin, hair, and beauty propelled her to pursue a career in writing....more