Is it really beneficial to comb through long and thick hair 100 times?

 

Is it really beneficial to comb through long and thick hair 100 times?

The secret to thick, luscious hair isn’t just one thing, it depends on many factors, from the type of hair you have to the design of the brush you use to comb it.

Ever since I was old enough to style my own hair, my hair has always been waist-length. As a child, I loved to brush it all the time. When I woke up, every time I went to the bathroom, and even when I needed a break from homework.

I would run the brush through my hair over and over, thinking of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, who was famous for her unusually long hair in the 19th century. Her hair was straight and brown like mine, but it reached my ankles.

It was said that she brushed her hair a hundred times every night to keep it healthy. I really believed in this story until I discovered, and was a bit disappointed, that it was just a myth that had been passed down from generation to generation by my grandmothers over the years.

Now that I’m older, my routine has become much simpler. I only brush my hair thoroughly when I shower and that’s it… yet, to me, it still looks, feels and feels the same as before.

In fact, while there is some truth to these Victorian-era clichés, the science behind how often you should brush your hair is far more complex.

That’s why everyone from physicists to hairstylists are working to understand this topic.

Ultimately, there’s no simple answer. It depends on your hair type, your brush, your daily habits, and many other factors.

 

Use of combs in history

Combs and brushes and the process of grooming hair are as old as human history. Man has always made various tools for cleaning and beautification by using the objects available around him.

According to Rachel Gibson, founder of ‘Hair Historian’, ‘Man has used the resources available around him in every era to create tools for cleaning and beautification, so brushing hair has remained important in different regions of the world.’

The concept of brushing hair a hundred times emerged in the Victorian era, when women’s long, thick hair was considered not only a symbol of their beauty but also a symbol of social status. According to Rachel Gibson, this hair was considered a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ and was an important part of her femininity and dignity.

Hair care in those days was a routine: first, the hair was combed to remove dirt, grime, lice, and nits, and then smoothed with a brush made of natural fibers, often boar bristles, so that the natural oils could be distributed evenly from the roots to the ends and the hair retained its natural shine.

Rachel Gibson also explains that Victorian women used special types of capes to prevent hair from falling out and falling out on their clothes. They collected the hair in a container and later made ‘dead hair donuts’ from it, which were used in various hair styles.

A significant change occurred in this tradition in the late 19th century. In 1898, Lydia Newman, an African-American hairdresser from the US state of Ohio, invented the first synthetic bristle brush. This invention revolutionized the industry because now brushes were not only cheap but also easy to manufacture.

As a result, brushing hair became more common, but with it came many misconceptions about the subject, some of which persist to this day.

The hidden benefits of brushing

The hidden benefits of brushing, image source BBC/ Prashanti Aswani

According to Corzine, ‘Brushing done gently and consciously is not harmful. The real problem is not the brushing, but the way in which it is done.’

Regular brushing of hair eliminates large and complex knots before they form and protects the hair from tangling. This way, when you style your hair later, there is no need to apply too much force, no excessive pulling, and no increased risk of breakage.

Biochemist Jared Reynolds, who is also the founder of a hair care brand, says in this regard, ‘Rather than neglecting your hair for a week and then suddenly brushing it hard, it is much safer and less harmful to brush your hair regularly once or twice a day with a gentle brush.’

However, he also explains that experiments carried out in the laboratory do not fully represent real-life conditions.

Another important benefit of regular brushing is that it removes loose hair, dead skin cells, and dirt that accumulate on the scalp. If all this material continues to accumulate, it can create an environment on the scalp that can cause itching, irritation, and other problems.

How to brush your hair properly

The best method depends on the type of hair you have. According to Nicola Lynch, a Miami-based hairstylist, most people with straight or slightly wavy hair (and not too curly) should brush their hair at least three times a week, although this process can be repeated once or twice a day if necessary.

Reynolds and Corzine also advocate moderation to a similar extent.

According to Lynch, those with straight or wavy hair should be careful not to brush their hair when it is wet. Although wet hair may seem strong and thick, it is actually weaker and more fragile when it is wet.

The reason for this lies in the structure of the hair. Each hair is essentially made up of two parts: the cortex, which is the inner part, and the cuticle, which is the outer protective layer.

This layer is made up of thin layers of keratin, the same substance that makes nails, that fit together like roof tiles. When straight or wavy hair gets wet, the edges of these layers lift and spread out slightly, giving the hair temporary elasticity but also making it more susceptible to breakage and damage.

On the other hand, people with very curly hair have different guidelines. It is not advisable to brush such hair when it is dry, but should only be gently detangled when washing.

Curly hair has a significantly different structure and properties than straight and wavy hair, an aspect that has not been given much attention in scientific research in the past.

Michelle Gaines, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Spelman College in Georgia, USA, who studies the chemical structure of hair, has even developed a scientific classification of curly hair. According to her, as hair becomes more curly, the chemical bonds in it change.

This change is not just structural but also has functional effects, affecting the strength of the hair and determining how easily it breaks.

Professor Michelle Gaines' initial observations suggest that the outer layer (cuticle) of curly hair is thinner, closer together and has slightly rougher edges than wavy hair. This naturally results in such hair not being able to retain moisture for long, so it dries out quickly, tangles easily and can be prone to damage, but more research is needed to form a definitive opinion in this regard.

Professor Michelle Gaines also draws attention to the fact that social fashion and styling habits often put unnecessary stress on the hair. Frequent combing or brushing, straightening hair, using chemicals or braiding with excess hair ... all of these factors can weaken and affect the hair.

That is why she emphasizes the use of products to protect the hair that help to easily untangle tangled hair so that unnecessary tension is avoided when combing or brushing.

It is also very important to choose a brush or comb according to the type of your hair. If you want to style curly or straight and wavy hair when it is wet, it is better to use a soft and flexible brush instead of a hard comb, which is specially designed to remove tangles.

While for dry hair, a brush whose soft fibers evenly spread natural oils from the roots to the ends of the hair and are also gentle on the scalp is suitable. Such brushes are still generally known by their old name, which is reminiscent of the past, when they were actually made from animal hair.

Moreover, to combine both features, a brush is now being worked on that has long teeth and soft fibers together... The long teeth separate the hair and the soft fibers smooth them and give them shine and volume. Experts consider this combination to be very suitable.

In this way, combs and brushes have always been used in different forms throughout human history. From the simple tools of ancient times to today's modern designs, and it is not far from the future that, as the structure and nature of hair are more deeply understood, completely new and better ways to protect it will emerge.

Scientific fact related to hair

The idea that brushing your hair more often makes it grow faster is actually a common misconception. The truth is, it can be harmful. Over-brushing can actually be harmful to your hair.

A 2025 study found that more than 46 percent of people still believe this. However, Nikki Corzine, a hair salon owner in California, USA, explains that brushing your hair more often does not make it grow faster.

The same thing has been proven scientifically. When researchers conducted experiments to systematically test the effects of hair styling, they found that over-brushing can weaken hair and, in some cases, even lead to hair loss.

One study simulated the process of tangling hair and then pulling it apart. It found that when two strands of hair become tangled and are pulled apart by force, the hair begins to break from within. Although healthy hair is relatively resilient, it can also start to crack from the outside inward under constant pressure.

According to co-author David Taylor, an engineering professor at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, this process is the main cause of split ends. “In our opinion, this process is the main cause of split ends because the hair is twisted in an unusual way and is subjected to much more pressure than normal,” says study co-author David Taylor, an engineering professor at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. “The fact is that the more we brush our hair, the more likely it is to be damaged, but the real problem is more the force used in the process than the number of brushings.”

In a related study on hair breakage, TRI Princeton researcher Trevor Evans also concluded that frequent brushing causes a type of “fatigue damage” in hair.

However, Evans explains that the results obtained in the laboratory cannot be fully applied to everyday life. According to him, the damage caused by brushing under normal circumstances is very minor for most people, especially when compared to factors such as chemical treatments or heat styling. According to him, the damage caused by brushing or combing hair is ‘almost insignificant for most people’ and is a ‘drop in the ocean’ compared to the overall damage.