Why Is Wet Hair More Delicate?
“When hair is wet it’s more likely to break,” says Siobhán Quinlan, creative director, stylist, and colorist at Art + Autonomy Salon in New York City. “And if your hair has been highlighted, you want to be especially careful with it when it’s wet.” To get a little scientific, when hair gets wet, the proteins that make up each strand (keratin) form weaker hydrogen bonds, rendering it more susceptible to damage from being pulled, stretched, bent, or otherwise roughly handled. Also, wet hair doesn’t snap back into place like dry hair (or a rubber band) does; any stretching bends the cuticle (the flexible shield holding all of these keratin proteins) out of place, which causes your hair to look and feel damaged.
Damp Hair Mistakes (and Fixes)
Quinlan adds that when she does brush wet hair, she uses a leave-in conditioner or detangler to minimize snags and maximize smooth locks. One of her faves: Unite 7 Seconds Detangler ($33, amazon.com). “Some people believe a cotton T-shirt is the best thing to use, and there are lots of fancy towels out there,” she says. “But I don’t think it’s as much what you use as how you use it. You don’t want to rough up your hair—rather than rubbing, gently squeeze the moisture out.”
