'The worst thing you can do!' Dermatologist warns against hair-drying practice that 'agitates' the hair

Dermatologist Dr Dray took to YouTube to share the hair habits that "ruin" your locks. She warned ladies against rubbing a towel against their hair to dry it.

The expert said: "People will towel-dry their hair by rubbing the towel on their hair and this is the worst thing you can do.

"When your hair is wet, it's even more fragile. The outer cuticle is really hydrated and it's more susceptible to agitation.

"Rather than using a heavy towel and rubbing it on the hair shafts, I recommend taking an old T-shirt and gently wrapping your hair up in it.

"This will absorb some of the extra water and is much more gentle on the hair."

Alternatively, the dermatologist advised investing in a towel specifically designed for hair-drying. Dr Dray recommended the Turbie Twist, as "these work really well".

She explained that both T-shirts and hair towels are "lightweight", so will not "pull the hair and contribute to breakage like a big, luxurious towel might".

The expert also revealed the common mistakes women often make regarding shampoo and conditioner.

According to the expert, shampooing the length of your hair is "ruining" it. Dr Dray said: "Instead, you should direct the shampoo just to your scalp because the main purpose of shampoo is scalp cleansing.

"When you rinse the shampoo out, the lather will end up coating your strands anyway and then you can rinse it out."

She warned that applying shampoo to the lengths of the hair can result in "frizz, breakage and problems".

As for conditioning the hair, the expert revealed that it's important not to skip this step - especially if you have longer locks.

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She explained that shampooing leaves a "negative charge" on the hair shaft, which leads to "fragility and breakage".

Conditioning products work to "neutralise" that negative charge and reduce these issues.

The dermatologist said: "Many people with short hair can get away without using conditioner. It's more for people with long hair - those longer strands need a bit more TLC."

Women can also eat their way to luscious locks. According to an expert, ladies in their 50s can increase their consumption of one food group for better hair.