Brushing of the hair may cause trauma to the hair shafts, especially the cuticular layers; therefore, excessive brushing should be avoided. The old dictum about “100 brush strokes before bed” and so forth, is erroneous and does NOT lead to healthier hair.
Gentle combing or brushing after conditioning, while the hair is still damp, will remove any tangles and help the hair be more manageable.
Does the same hold true even if I have fine hair and used volumizing shampoo without conditioner?
If no conditioner is used, as in those people with fine hair who are concerned about “volume”, then gentle combing/brushing, while damp, is a must to avoid damage. In fact, high-quality conditioners that are adequately rinsed out should not lead to “limp” hair.
If you are having difficulty brushing your hair or combing your hair and seeing a large number of hairs in your brush, you may try a conditioner to help reduce the tangles. It should not hurt you too much if you are jerking out some hair by brushing. These hairs will regrow.
There is normal hair loss each day. You will see some hair in the drain or in the brush naturally. Typically you will lose up to 100 hairs per day naturally. These hairs come out quite easily, like pulling a needle from a stick of butter. You also feel no discomfort from the removal of these hairs. These hairs are in the resting phase or the telogen phase. Plucking hairs that are in the anagen phase, growing phase, hurts a little. The resting hairs will cause no traumatic inflammation upon removal. The growing, anagen phase plucks will cause trauma and inflammation. If you are experiencing discomfort along with hair loss in the hairbrush following shampooing, consider a conditioner. If you are not experiencing pain, continue with your shampoo alone without concern.
The hair cycle products have many very good ingredients in them. There are excellent ingredients in the conditioner that promote healthy hair. Therefore, it is important to recognize that both shampoo and conditioner are good for your hair and you consider using both for better results.
