5 Simple Things A Hair Doctor Would Never Do To Their Hair
Looking after your hair properly isn’t treated with the same level of importance as skin care but really, it’s pretty important and it turns out that shampoo, conditioner, and a quick swipe of a hairbrush isn’t enough.
I feel called out, too.
In fact, Anabel Kingsley, Brand President and Consultant Trichologist (a hair doctor) at Phillip Kingsley has shared five things she would never do when it comes to haircare and some of them are things that many of us do every single day, such as using straighteners every day.
What you should never do to your hair, according to a hair expert
Use a boar bristle brush regularly
Kingsley said that she’s had clients who have suffered with hair loss solely due to frequent use of a bristle brush. She said: “It’s true that boar bristle brushes provide great traction and smoothness, but they damage the outer hair cuticle, over-time weakening hair and causing breakage and split ends.”
She added that these should be saved for special occasions but for everyday use, we should brush and style with rounded, plastic flexible prongs. She added: “Vented paddle brushes with a large surface area can give you the smooth and shiny finish you want, but without the trauma.”
Use hair straighteners or high-heat settings on hairdryers
Kingsley said: “In my late teens, I broke off about a quarter of my hair from using hair straighteners, and I’ve seen many women in my Clinic who have done the same. Hair can burn, you simply can’t feel it.”
She added that straighteners and similarly hot styling tools can scorch strands and cause irreparable damage that’s only remedied with time and new growth. These tools can also cause something called “bubble hair” which causes weak spots to form along the hair shaft. The only cure for this is to cut the hair off above the damage.
Kinglsey recommended: “If you must use a straightener, don’t do so more than once a week, if at all. Even one overzealous straightening session can do a lot of harm.
“In terms of blow-drying, always keep your heat setting to low or medium and hold your dryer at least 6 inches away from your hair – and keep moving the dryer - don’t leave it focused on any one area.”
Skipping out on scalp cleanses
Kingsley said: “I go back and forth between NYC and London, lovely yet definitely not the cleanest of cities, and I would never not shampoo regularly – especially after seeing the grime I remove from my face when I cleanse it at the end of the day.”
She pointed out that the scalp is skin and needs similar care to the skin on your face. Scalps sweat, product oils, shed dead skin cells and are exposed to the same environment as other skin.
She advised: “I have fine hair and shampoo daily, medium textured hair may be ok with every other day, and curly, coiled hair, for the health of your scalp, don’t leave more than 3 days between shampoos.”
Not applying SPF to the scalp
Kingsley said: “I would never not apply sunblock to my face – so I give the same consideration to exposed areas of my scalp, like my part and near my hairline behind my ears.
“Like my other skin, I use SPF 50 on my scalp in the summer. I’ve seen many men and women with sun damage on their scalp, and quite a few who have had skin cancer on their scalp.”
Detangling hair top-down
Kingsley said: “I always detangle gently from my ends up. Detangling from the top places unnecessary friction on hairs, and you’re much more likely to snap through interlocked hairs.”
She advised that If you start from the ends, you’re able to carefully ease them apart.
Brb, rethinking my entire hair routine.
