Wet or Dry?

[long.again]

Before coming here I treated my hair pretty bad. And you know what, I actually thought some of it was what you are supposed to do! I used to comb my hair (not with a wide tooth) in the shower, with shampoo on it! And I used to rip through my hair with a brush post shower! Not to mention all the dying I've done! Well, I've been reading posts and articles and have really changed everything about how I treat my hair (I'm even getting my short hair into chopsticks). I'm hoping it pays off in the long run.

I have a question though, I normally take a shower at night, is it okay to go to bed with wet hair? Is it better to do something with it? Will the wetness while tossing in bed hurt it? Also, is it better to put you hair up wet or dry? Is one more damaging than the other?

[joyfulmom4]

I always braid my hair at night while I sleep. It's most comfortable that way and keeps it from getting tangled or pulled. Some people put their hair up in a bun. I tried bunning, but prefer the braiding. I was getting breakage in the underlayers, presumably from the hair getting pulled from the bun. Some people use a sleep cap to protect hair also. Personally, I am not all that crazy about the caps either, though I have some and try to wear them now and then. Most fall off before morning anyway.

As far as wet/dry goes, I hate putting my hair up wet. It makes my scalp all itchy and irritated. So I never put it up wet. But I will put it up when it's damp. It doesn't bother me then. In fact, I think some people say it's good for your hair to put it in a bun while still damp. Sometimes I oil my hair very heavily before bed and then shampoo in the morning.

[Myrrh]

I'm not sure how good it is, but if I end up taking a shower right before bed, I try to pat as much moisture out as I can and then I wear a cap to bed over my hair.

I did that last night, and it was still damp this morning but not knotted like it would have been if I just went to bed without the cap on.

I usually don't even try combing my hair or getting knots out until it's dry.

[marzipanthecat]

I go to bed with wet hair occasionally, it does not seem to make any difference to the general condition of my hair the next day. I would not recommend it though - simply because I usually end up with a horrible damp pillow!

I also often plait (braid) my hair while it is still very damp, if I have to rush out somewhere. Again, I don't find this has any terrible effects on my hair, but it won't dry properly and I do have to let it loose later to dry it out.

You are already doing all the good stuff - a wide toothed comb or brush, and don't go ripping away at knots, try to work them out gently! (and it hurts less that way too...)

[LHGypsyRose]

I also go to bed with wet hair on the occasion that I wash my hair before hand. I don't believe it damages my hair at all. Of course I am carefull to make sure I gently lay my hair over the side of my pillow and off the bed too.

As for putting it up wet or dry..I usually always put my hair up when it is dry simply becuase my hair is easier to work with that way. However there are times I will just wrap it up in a simple bun while it's damp, but in that case I'm not really messing with my hair much other the than the slight twisting action. I feel like it all depends on the way that you handle your hair.

[Honey39]

I couldn't bear to go to bed with wet hair to be honest - would just make me feel clammy through the night!! I don't know if it damages your hair, I can't see why it would. It would flatten my hair out though, and I would lose the curls! I prefer to wash in the morning, so I get the benefit of freshly washed hair through the day :)

[trilllium]

I almost always shower in the evening and go to bed with wet hair. After I'm out of the shower I try to get as much moisture out as possible and then it goes directly into a side braid. I've been doing this for almost a year and a half now (since my daughter was born) and haven't noticed any problems at all. Actually, my hair doesn't seem to get as dry as it used to. The only drawbacks are the damp pillow and having hair that's still wet in the morning.

I also like to put it up when it's damp since it fights back too much when dry! I don't think I get more damage one way or the other. Just less frustration for me when it's damp.

[dor3girl]

I take showers at night sometimes, too. I try to get as much water out of my hair as possible before going to bed. I have tried the braid thing, but I must toss & turn too much, cause my braid ends up wrapped around my neck choking me! I usually do the bun thing--and the damp hair makes for some nice twirly ends when I wake up!

[Anje]

I usually wash my hair in the evening during the week (maybe in the morning or during the day on the weekend), so going to bed with wet or damp hair is pretty normal for me. Depending on how wet it is, I may forgo the sleep cap, and I often put it in a loose braid to minimize the tangles in the morning, since it still dries pretty well that way. I don't like how my scalp feels when I put my hair in a bun while it's still damp, so I tend to just let it dry loose.

[LadyLongLocks]

I can't sleep with my hair wet. I always dry it first..with a hair dryer, always have, always will.
I sleep with my hair smooth, dry and worn down.
If I don't, my hair is a wild mess in the morning.
A wet bun is heavy and I don't wear them day or night unless I am conditioning.
I wouldn't recommend going to sleep with a wet bun.

[spidermom]

If I go to bed with wet hair, I wedge a pillow between the bed frame and the mattress (so my hair won't slide over the top of the bed and hang toward the floor) and "puddle" the wet length onto the bed above my pillow. It's never completely dry by morning, but I get great waves and curls that way.

[princess]

Better to dry the hair as much as possible because I would feel cold if my hair were wet when I sleep.

It is better to comb it in the morning after it becomes dry.

Tangles will be there but have to dealt with gently.

[LiraelQ]

When my hair was shorter I could wash before bed with few problems, but at shoulder length and beyond, if I sleep on it, it just doesn't dry, even when it's loose. If I put it in a braid I'd imagine it'd be worse.

That's just an annoyance, though...I don't believe it damages my hair any more than wearing it loose on a cotton pillow does. The tangles are naturally worse if I can't detangle before bed, though, and makes the morning comb/brush a real pain.

[ale]

I hate having my hair dripping all around or wetting my shirt, so I always put it up after washing. If it's still damp at bed time, I just unroll the bun and let it; I never have problems with wet hair at night.

[Auryn]

If I grab a shower before I go to bed, I usually keep it in a towel for about 30 minutes to get as much water out as possible, and then run a wide tooth comb through to get the tangles out, let it dry for another half hour or so and then braid it, unless I want pretty curls in the morning and then I leave it down.

I think a lot of it will depend on your hair. My hair tends to be pretty strong and can take a lot of what I throw at it ('cept for dye..ha!). You could always try different things and see what works best for you.

[longhairedfairy]

I'm not as physically comfortable while my hair is wet, so I prefer not to go to bed with it very damp, but a braid (not too tight) will help keep it contained and protect it from tangles and damage (whether it's damp or dry). I think a semi-loose braid is most comfortable to sleep in:)

[AmyJorgensen]

I just lay a towel on my pillow when I go to bed with it still damp. I do say that I would like to know how you all put your hair up damp. When I have tried it (2 times) with a hairstick(using the same technique I do when it is dry) I can actually hear hairs breaking as I try to poke the hairstick through.

[LHGypsyRose]

I just lay a towel on my pillow when I go to bed with it still damp. I do say that I would like to know how you all put your hair up damp. When I have tried it (2 times) with a hairstick(using the same technique I do when it is dry) I can actually hear hairs breaking as I try to poke the hairstick through.

shudder: Done that before and it's not a pretty sound.

[shayly-fyanna]

whenever i wash my hair at night, i spend about 1 hour watching t.v. or reading posts here, before going to bed to let it dry as much as possible, but sometimes i do sleep with my hair very wet and i have not noticed any damage or harm, but have noticed a bit more bounce to my hair after sleeping with wet hair. I usually bun it wet , since i sometimes take a shower just 30 minutes before leaving for work and keep it bunned all day until i get home, then let it down and spray slightly the dry top with a bit of oil/leave in treatment mix and go to sleep.

wet hair in summer feels so good.

[Katze]

I towel dry my hair while getting ready for bed, then sleep with it damp. This gives me nicer waves, though lately I have also gotten good waves from clipping it up in a claw clip, dry, and going to bed that way.

It is cold here and if I shower warm at night, I go to bed warm and sleep better. Going outside with any part of me damp is not an option in this climate.

[Silverlox]

I don't know that sleeping with wet hair would damage it in any way. The main reason I avoid it is because I'm not crazy about sleeping on a sopping wet pillow. Also, it tends to get very "big" and poofy the next day. :rolleyes:

[JamieLeigh]

I never comb my hair with anything but my fingers when it's wet...and that's only if I would like it to dry straight instead of wavy, and I only do it when it's mostly dry but just barely damp. Never straight on out of the shower!

I also wouldn't really recommend sleeping with it wet. That just sounds uncomfortable. Mine is always WAY hard to manage and tame in the mornings if I don't let it dry before bedtime. Unless you're planning on sleeping in a braid, and want lots of braid waves. :)

I think it's perfectly fine to put up your hair when it's wet. The only problem is that with some updos and buns, you sort of have to comb your hair so that you won't have ridges on top of your head, or extra hair hanging out the back. But a lot of people bun their hair to dry it; they just take it down and re-twist it in the opposite direction, during the day, to make sure that it dries evenly. :)

[earthdancer]

I have to either braid my hair or bun it into a clip to sleep, or else my DH rolls over on it and pins my head to the mattress! It's a rude way to wake up.

I don't like sleeping with it wet, and some people catch cold when they do that. I'd say it's personal preference.

[Deborah]

I mostly wash my hair at night, so I sleep with wet hair most wash days. I lay a towel over the pillowcase, toss my still tangled, wet hair above my head like always, and sleep just fine. If I wake up during the night, I generally toss the towel off, as my hair will not be soaking wet by then.

Some mornings it's pretty dry, and some it's still very damp. It doesn't matter to me either way. If I'm going out, I'll finger comb, then comb so I can put it up in a bun. Otherwise I let it hang till dry, then finger comb, then detangle and brush with my Tangle Teezer. My hair is happy and clean either way. :)

[AutumnSky]

I frequently put it up wet, and haven't noticed any adverse effects...
I ALWAYS braid it at night, sometimes damp, usually not....and if I'm going for waves for a night out, I'll braid it damp and scarf it all day.

[verene]

I usually wash my hair in the evenings. I let it sit in the towel for a bit after my shower, and then pat it so it isn't drippy anywhere. I'll clip it up losely while I get ready for bed, perhaps read for a bit depending on when I took my shower. Before going to bed I'll let it down and braid it loosely with out combing.

I don't find doing this damages my hair at all, though my pillow sometimes gets a bit damp depending on how long I let my hair air-dry before braiding it and going to bed. Patting the braid with a towel seems to eliminate the worst of the dampness however.