The best combs for your hair are ‘saw-cut’ — meaning that each tooth is cut into the comb with no seams, giving a smooth finish. These are usually made from vulcanite (a type of hard rubber), which has anti-static properties and is easy to clean.

Avoid metal combs, whose edges can lacerate individual strands. Cheaper plastic combs made in a mould should also be avoided: the seams down the centre of each tooth can cut your hair shaft and weaken your hair.

Choose a brush with long, widely-spaced plastic bristles — and avoid natural bristles. Plastic bristles are smoother, blunter and kinder to your hair, while natural ones are sharp, often barbed, and tufted close together — all of which can break off hairs and damage your cuticle (your hair’s outer cell layer). Above all, avoid brushes with metal prongs! These are likely to scratch your scalp.

 Be gentle and don’t overdo it. Think of what would happen if you brushed a wool sweater fifty times a day: it would fray and wear out. The same goes for your hair.

 Wet hair is swollen by as much as 20-30% — so roughly brushing it when it is wet can snap it like a rubber band. To avoid unnecessary breakage, use a comb to remove tangles after washing your hair. And remember, always work out tangles starting from your ends.

 Brush your hair gently from the ends upwards to ease out tangles. Pulling a brush roughly through your hair from top to bottom can worsen tangles, cause breakage, and scratch your scalp.

Use a de-tangling spray before brushing in the mornings (or at any time of day on knotted hair) to help remove tangles.

Brushes and combs collect dirt easily, so be sure to clean them regularly.