Top hair blunders and how to avoid them

After attending several blow-drying classes and asking my hairdresser how to hold the brush when styling my hair, after much practice I can style my own hair. So, I am going to pass on some tips and tricks that I have learnt over the years.

Never brush your hair when it is wet. Surprisingly, this happens even in top salons. Always use a wide-tooth hand-cut comb – as opposed to a moulded comb which tends to have sharper teeth – to detangle your hair. 

Use a hairdryer correctly. Hair guru, Philip Kingsley says: “All hair drying depends on the care taken when using the blow-dryer and the brush, irrespective of what implements are used. Whether or not the hair is dried faster or slower makes no difference – the hair has to be dried anyway. Theoretically, a slower dryer would give more control at the end of the drying process, which is the most crucial part because drying hair from wet to damp does not present any potential damage. It is the drying from damp to dry when a few extra seconds can make a lot of difference and a
blow-dryer on already dried hair will draw out the natural moisture content of the hair cells.  

“A nozzle on the end only concentrates the hot hair, so again, be very careful – it should really be off.”

Always use a product to help protect the hair against heat damage. Start with a small amount and distribute it evenly throughout the hair. Use too much and you will weigh down your hair. You can always add more.

Marilyn Sherlock, chairman of the Institute of Trichologists, points out that it is hard to generalise about hair as there is such a diversity of hair types. Her advice is   always to have a strand test if you are going to a salon for any type of chemical treatment such as colouring and straightening. If you are dying your hair at home, read the instructions first.


By Daralyn Danns