Hair is strong and can generally withstand normal grooming techniques. However, there can be thinning or breakage of hair due to poor grooming habits, and following several tips can prevent these bouts of thinning and breakage. Avoid combing hair with fine-toothed combs when wet, as this is a common cause of breakage. Although this is a tempting practice because hair straightens and de-tangles much better if combed when wet, the stress on the hair shaft is immense when the hair is wet because it is weakened.
This goes for brushing the hair when wet also. Brushing the hair in general can be stimulating to the scalp, encouraging blood flow to the hair follicles and maintaining their health. Brushing the hair before washing it can loosen up flakes of sebum and dead skin buildup and make it easier to thoroughly clean the scalp during shampooing. Remember, over combing or over brushing generally will cause damage to the hair, which is quite contrary to the old 100-stroke brushing rule.
