The one thing people are doing to their hair every day that is causing severe damage

If you’re someone who prefers to shower at night, it’s likely that there have been times when you have gone to bed with wet hair. 

Unfortunately, this is causing far more damage to your locks than your realise.  

Although some people may think they’re looking after their tresses by letting them dry naturally, they are mistaken.

The Australian Vice President of Smart Devices, Dr Tim Moore, revealed why people shouldn’t leave their hair wet.

If you’re someone who prefers to shower at night sometimes you might not be able to help leaving your hair wet as you fall asleep 

He said that when hair is wet it swells, which means water puts pressure on the cuticles which could cause them to break and create split ends.  

‘The hair is made up of a cortex, which is the area that pulls the shape of your hair and then cuticles around the side, which are a bit like roof tiles, Dr Moore told Yahoo 7.

‘The other thing is that when the hair is wet it loses its strength. So, the hair is half as strong when it’s wet.’

Dr Moore explained that hair swells when it’s wet, which causes hair to break off under the pressure, which results in split ends.

Dr Moore explained that hair swells when it's wet, which causes hair to break off under the pressure, which results in split ends

Dr Moore explained that hair swells when it’s wet, which causes hair to break off under the pressure, which results in split ends

He said that when people wash their hair the natural protectors, like grease, are removed.

This means that if people leave their hair wet after they wash it their strands are in a more fragile state and there is more potential for it to be damaged. 

Dr Moore recommended that when people dry their hair they should squeeze out all of the moisture with a towel first.

People can then take a hairdryer on a low temperature to their locks to get rid of their water before eventually changing it to the user’s ideal temperature as it continues to dry. 

What happens when you leave your hair wet for too long?  

It starts the moment you wet your hair. It changes the molecular structure of the strand straight away. 

When water is applied to hair, it is absorbed through the hard outer layer of cuticle into the cortex, which then swells up. This means it’s instantly weakened.

The cuticle acts a bit like roof tiles, with water going in between the gaps. Hair can absorb up to 30 per cent of its own weight in water. 

The longer it stays wet, the worse things get, as it continues to swell. This is because repeated swelling followed by slow drying of hair causes it to crack, permanently damaging the hair.

You’d be better off drying your locks quickly with heat, rather than going au naturel.

 

 

Speaking to Daily Mail previously, Dr Moore said the best way to de-tangle the hair after a shower is by using a comb and encouraged women to towel dry with care. 

‘Don’t brush wet hair,’ he said. 

‘Use a wide-spaced comb, but never a brush, and go slowly to minimise damage. A brush may tear your water-weakened locks, causing instant breakage.

‘To [towel dry], you should scrunch gently to remove excess water. Don’t rub. Rubbing may break weakened hair, and the resulting different lengths of strand cause hair to look frizzy.’



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk