View Full Version : After shower care
Keller1128
July 10th, 2011, 11:20 PM
I was under the impression that it is bad to *brush* your hair when it's wet so I've been *combing* it (gently and slowly, ends first). After reading this forum, it seems that it's bad to comb your hair at all when it's wet. What do you do with your hair after you shower?
growingpains
July 10th, 2011, 11:26 PM
Wet hair stretches more easily and therefor is more easily damaged. I try not to handle when wet, but really it's a question of minimizing damage. When I comb it damp it minimizing tangle and styling over-touching later. I've actually personally never noticed any damage from combing wet. My hair seems to like it more than dry combing or brushing. That said, I think I'm not the norm, most people find it damaging I think.
Ermine
July 10th, 2011, 11:31 PM
Unless I find another way, I have to brush my hair when it's wet. The tangles are even worse when I let it air dry. I'm just really careful. So far no breakage. But then again, my hair is still short enough that it doesn't tangle too much by itself regardless.
Sundial
July 10th, 2011, 11:32 PM
I think it really depends on your hair. Some members have to detangle it wet in the shower with conditioner because they get more damage while trying to detangle dry.
For me, my hair cannot handle being manipulated when it is wet. I need it to be completely dry before I combed or braid or bun it.
I suggest looking out for someone of your hair type and check if they detangle while wet or dry. I think curlies usually do it in the shower with conditioner while straighties can get away with doing it wet or dry. No brushing while wet though, usually it's finger combing or gentle detangling with a wide tooth comb in either case (wet or dry).
Keller1128
July 10th, 2011, 11:37 PM
When I finger comb, I always get a few hairs that get caught on my fingers and are pulled out of my head. This doesn't seem to happen with a wide-toothed comb. I figure that as long as I'm not pulling with the comb and no hairs are coming out, I should be okay. Also, should I wait to bun it until it's dry or can I bun it while it's wet? Thanks for the replies :)
Sundial
July 10th, 2011, 11:41 PM
Again, it depends on your hair ;)
My hair hates being bunned or braided wet, and I end up with frizzy kinked ends. But I know a lot of people damp bun their hair because it leaves their ends soft. The only way to find out is to try it out and if it doesn't work at least you'll know what your hair doesn't like :flower:
Be sure you clarify or are not overloaded on protein before you experiment with the damp bunning because some people experience bent ends not because their hair didn't like it but because they had built up (apparently they didn't have issues with damp bunning prior but suddenly experienced it, so they knew it wasn't because they have problems with damp bunning)
MeganE
July 10th, 2011, 11:46 PM
I try to gently get out bad tangles with a BBB before a shower, then detangle again when conditioner is in my hair. Then I comb my hair wet. I start with a wide-tooth comb, and often work my way down to a fine tooth comb. No idea if that's "the best" way to do it, but it's what I do and for now it's working for me.
kidari
July 10th, 2011, 11:51 PM
I keep a wide toothed comb in the shower and I carefully comb out my conditioner while the water is running through it rinsing it out. Then I put on a microfiber hair turban after gently squeezing the water out, for about 15 mintues and then I air dry. When it gets closer to drying I flip my head over and give it a good shake to give volume at my roots and help my hair dry faster. If I'm wearing my hair down the next day, when my hair is 90% dry I will do some method of creating waves or curls on my hair that is comfortable to sleep in, my favorite one being a sock bun. Sometimes I let it air dry all the way by itself and my top layers are coarse and wavy, sometimes it will frizz so I put an antifrizz product or styling product and brush out to make it straight or scrunch to make it messy looking.
Combing out the conditioner in the shower is the only time I comb my hair unless I'm putting it up then I'll use a boar bristle brush with nylon bristles mixed in. My hair doesn't ever tangle and is extremely easy to detangle. What works for one person may not work for someone else since not everyone has the same hair! In general you should handle your hair with care when it's wet and make sure you have used something on it that will give it moisture or slip to make it easy to detangle. A wide toothed comb with no seams and a BBB are usually best. Some people like tangle teasers as well. Others only use their fingers to comb. Just make sure that when you wash you do so in a way that you never allowed your hair to get tangled at all while it was washed. If you are prone to tangles, it can help to detangle while it's dry before you wash.
twilight_faerie
July 11th, 2011, 12:03 AM
I use a wide-tooth comb to detangle in the shower, and I also either comb or finger-comb my hair while it's drying. I'm always very gentle and start at my ends and work my way up - so I don't think combing while wet is damaging my hair. I'd never brush my hair or use a fine-tooth comb while it's wet.
Madora
July 11th, 2011, 12:19 AM
Yes, brushing is bad when your hair is wet or damp.
Combing is not as bad, so long as you take pains to do it SLOWLY, and detangle from the ends and gently up the strands to the scalp. I detangle in very small sections, which gives me a lot more control. I hold my wide tooth comb as lightly as I can and take my sweet time detangling.
I also do this when my hair is full of conditioner. Also, I have found that if I keep my hair center parted, and each section on either side of my neck, that that separation also cuts down on the hair getting retangled after I've detangled. The more control you have over your hair, the less tangles you have to deal with!
lesbia
July 11th, 2011, 03:33 AM
Before LHC I always combed my hair when wet. Now I discovered that this is one of the most damaging things, expecially for my fine hair.
When I wash my hair I put it in a towel for a while, after 10-20 minutes i take it off and I start to separate some locks with my fingers. Stop. :)
IanB
July 11th, 2011, 07:28 AM
Finger combing when wet ands while drying seems to work, or a very wide toothed wooden comb
Lianna
July 11th, 2011, 08:29 AM
For some hair types, it isn't bad, it actually minimizes damage from the frizz ball it would turn to if not combed when wet/damp. Plus not everyone has the time to wait for the hair to dry, they have to leave the house shortly after the shower. Going out with uncombed hair isn't ideal in many situations.
MissHair
July 11th, 2011, 09:26 AM
I used to flat-iron my hair while it was damp... BIG NO NO. I damaged my hair so much to the point of no return. I use a widetooth comb when its wet and damp. I try and comb it while its still wet because I dont like letting my hair dry in a certain way that doesnt look or feel comfortable when its dry. Its always easier to shape when its damp.
ZeppHead
July 11th, 2011, 09:39 AM
I do not own a brush I have tons of wide tooth combs. I have very fine, thin hair that tangles very easy. I have to detangle after my conditioner and cold water rinse right before I get out of the shower, then I use a towel to squeeze the water out, put my leave in conditioners in, then comb through. I know some people who can brush their hair wet, and throughout the day and they have healthy shiny hair. It all depends on your hair type but I would recommend a wide tooth comb when you get out. It is just gentler on your hair. I have been getting major improvement in my hair's health since doing this as well as throwing out my iron and stopping all chemical treatments.
Anje
July 11th, 2011, 09:59 AM
I comb mine wet, or use the tangle teezer on it. Perhaps it would be better if I didn't, but I usually want to go somewhere before it's dry, so I eventually need to get the damp hair organized.... I'm a bit set in my ways concerning the post-wash detangle, I suppose.
I like to put a few drops of oil in the length before combing it for the first time. I think this adds a little lubrication and helps minimize the damage.
longcurlygirl<3
July 11th, 2011, 10:03 AM
Detangle with conditioner, becaquse if not, I get a afro of curls, and I feel damage when I use to comb it dry as a child. Like some say depends on hair, texture etc. Our hair are like people, they will "tell" [aka show] what they like or not. :)
bna_rapunzel
July 11th, 2011, 10:36 AM
I've had long hair throughout my whole life (except for around 5 years) and my hair has always been perfectly ok with me brushing when wet. In fact I prefer to. I've never noticed any damage, I just always detangle from the very bottom and work my way up. It makes it sit better on my head while drying, and I hate hate hate tangles so I'm pretty impatient with waiting to brush. :)
pittsburgpam
July 11th, 2011, 10:43 AM
I detangle in the shower with conditioner and then when it's damp, not dripping wet, I will comb it with a wide toothed comb. I don't get many tangles and I'm gentle. I will then usually let it air dry until just slightly damp/cool and bun it.
heidi w.
July 11th, 2011, 10:50 AM
Wet hair is already stretched to its max. You do not want to stretch it more from brushing or combing to detangle.
It's best to wait for the hair to be merely damp or fairly damp, as opposed to dripping, sopping, wet if you want to detangle at this point.
I use a nice conditioner that I can't really mention on LHC (against the rules) that really helps with detangling, and makes it a breeze.
However, I detangle the ends, and kind of begin detangling while fairly damp, just to break up the clumping nature of wet hair so it can actually air dry.
Then I roll it up, and get back to it later, such as 8 or more hours later, and then detangle some more yet not to perfection.....then sleep....then in the morning when it's pretty dry, go for it a bit more.
And I do use an extra wide tooth comb that I purchased from GM salon (I order a new comb perhaps once a year). I no longer use a brush, except if I decide to BBB and polish the hair. But that task is only done on dry hair. Never, EVER wet hair.
heidi w.
heidi w.
July 11th, 2011, 10:53 AM
However, I have stick straight hair.
The more curly or body your hair possesses, the greater the need to work on the hair while still wet or damp. Because these hair types, if they don't, face the poof aspect.
So, what you can do is use the shower water to help the hair stay vertical....and meanwhile coat the hair with conditioner. THEN dip the detangling comb in a vat of conditioner, coating the comb well with conditioner, and draw through the conditioner-filled hair, detangling while still in the shower. You have to keep re-coating the comb, and ensure that conditioner stays on the hair. Fairly warm water will help too, with the uptake of conditioner. (Too tepid and conditioner than lays more on top of the hair.....)
heidi w.
QueenJoey
July 11th, 2011, 10:54 AM
I'm combing my hair right now, and I just got out of the shower, literally 5 minutes ago. I've noticed that if I don't, it dries with tangles in it that are very hard to comb out. I get less damage slowly combing out the knots while damp than having to tug them out of dry hair. I only use a wide tooth comb, though, as I used to get awful splits and broken pieces when I used a brush.
jel
July 11th, 2011, 11:07 AM
I usually detangle with a wide tooth comb in the shower, whilst my hair is slathered in conditioner.
If I have done a deep oiling before the wash, I skip the shower detangling and either leave down to dry or gently put up in a non-twist bun. This is because I comb my hair thoroughly when applying a lot of oil, so it stays tangle-free through the wash.
I usually wash in the morning, so by the time I come home in the evening my hair is fully dry. I then use a wooden comb or Tangle teezer before braiding for the night.
Melon Collie
July 11th, 2011, 12:08 PM
I detangle in the shower while I have conditioner in my hair. I finger comb the tangles out.
Madora
July 11th, 2011, 12:39 PM
@QueenJoey...
Good for you! That's exactly the way to deal with knots/snarls/mats..untangle them with your fingers while they are wet or full of conditioner!
If you let your hair dry and it has not been detangled, any knots you encounter are going to be impossible to get rid of, short of cutting them off! Been there..done that! Not a pleasant thing!
Since my circulatory and arthritis issues make shampooing/rinsing a hassle, I developed a way to cut down even more on the possibility of tangling in the shower.
I detangle and brush thoroughly just before I get in the shower.
Then I part my hair from nape to forehead. Place one section over my right chest and the other section over my left chest. And I try to keep both sides separate..all through the shampooing and conditioning segments. Ditto for the rinsing. It isn't always easy, but I've found that this separation of hair really cuts down on the tangling for me.
heidi w.
July 11th, 2011, 12:49 PM
What Madora said, about detangling first and dividing the hair in half.....it works.
heidi w.
Madora
July 11th, 2011, 12:52 PM
@Heidi...
Thank You Very Much! Yes, it works!! It took me many years to finally find this method. Really comes in handy now, in my senior years!
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