JERUSALEM, Aug 10, 2009 (AFP) - Put that comb back in your handbag -- a study by an Israeli dermatologist has found that too much combing of the coiffure leads to hair loss, the daily Haaretz reported on Monday 10 August.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images/File/Mat Szwajkos

During a test 14 women recorded their daily hair loss and combing habits, with those combing more losing more hair, the research found.

"The women who combed twice a day lost three times more hair than those who combed once a day," the head of the study, Alexander Kirdman of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was quoted as saying.

"I was surprised by the results, as in medical circles the comb is believed to improve blood circulation and reduce hair loss," added Kirdman, whose study was recently published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment.