We've all heard the rumours, old wives' tales, and a tip from a friend of a friend of a cousin, about what causes hair to grow and how to make it look healthier. But with so many hair care products, tools and online tutorials available, it’s time to separate myths from facts about the best ways to make hair longer, thicker, shinier, and healthier.
It's easy to fall for some of the common hair myths we've heard all our lives. After all, why wouldn't we believe it if generations of people are repeating the same hair remedies?
When it comes to hair myths, we've all been there. Who hasn't slapped some avocado on their scalp in hopes of curing dandruff? Who can afford to waste a perfect avocado in this economy anyway?
We've rounded up some of the most misconstrued hair care remedies to set the record straight.
Cutting Hair Makes It Grow Faster
One of the biggest myths out there for hair. Hair grows at the root, not from your ends, so cutting your hair has no actual bearing on the growth speed. The reason stylists tell you to have regular maintenance trims is to prevent split ends and breakage, keeping your hair looking and feeling healthy. So if you’re thinking to yourself “But my hair feels longer” it’s actually because you’re cutting off the dead ends before they travel up your hair shaft, causing breakage.
Brushing Your Hair 100 Times A Day
The Brady Bunch had unknowingly caused mass damage with this one. Yes, brushing helps distribute your natural oils down your hair shaft, but 100 times or more is excessive, and honestly, who has the time? Over brushing, especially if you’re not using the right brush for your hair type, can cause cuticle damage, hair snapping, and can create frizz. Once the knots and tangles are smoothed out, it’s time to put the brush down. And don’t forget to use a detangler to help remove those stubborn knots.
Oily Hair Should Skip Conditioner
Sebum is what our natural oil production is called, and it’s healthy for hair to have. Excessive sebum can happen, making you feel like your hair is always oily, but that doesn’t mean skipping on conditioner, you’re only doing your hair a disservice. Conditioner should only ever be used on your hair and not your scalp anyway. If you’re feeling like conditioner is weighing your hair down, or making your hair feel waxy, try switching to a lighter formula, but don’t pass on the conditioner.
Serums Can Reverse Split Ends
Nothing can reverse split ends. Once the outer cuticle of your hair is damaged, nothing can repair it. Any products that claim this is using a mild form of adhesive to seal the fray together, like a paste or cream, but once you wash it out, your hair is back to its damaged self. Split end serums are great for in-between haircut appointments, but should only be considered as a temporary solution. Frequent trims are the only way to prevent split ends from travelling up your hair shaft, keeping your hair strong.
Hair Products Stop Working Over Time
Hair does not adapt to products, what happens is your hair doesn’t constantly need the element of what your products are designed to do more than once a week (moisture, protein, etc). So while you use your shampoo to hydrate hair, what it will need after being hydrated may be something else, or a balanced shampoo for normal scalps, if you don’t have any underlying scalp concerns.
Plucking Greys Make More Grow
Grey hair grows gradually, and by the time you notice one, you’ll start to notice more. Grey or white hairs happen when the pigment in the follicles dies, which is mostly a genetic occurrence as we age, or when trauma happens to the follicle. But the physical act of pulling out a grey hair will not make 3 take its place.
Washing Hair Once a Week Is Healthy
The theory behind this one is that, if you reduce how often you wash your hair, you will produce less sebum over time. This is very much not true. Not only will your sebum production continue, your scalp could become a breeding ground for infection. Not washing buildup on your scalp will create a layer of dirt and oil, clogging and preventing your follicles from being able to breathe, and grow properly. Over time this can cause hair loss, inflammation, and other scalp health concerns.
Wearing A Hat Thins Hair
There is no scientific evidence to prove this. Wearing a hat protects your scalp from direct sunlight and the damage that comes with it. Sun damage also includes having your fresh colour fade faster. The myth that wearing a hat suffocates your scalp and the pressure of the hat on your head pulls at the follicles is not proven.
Conditioners And Masks Are The Same
No they are not. Both have very different purposes for your hair needs. Conditioners have a lower pH than hair masks to help seal the cuticle and hold the nutrients inside the strand. while hair masks are formulated to treat the inside part of the hair strand, to repair, strengthen or hydrate. Because masks are considered a type of hair treatment, your hair expert may suggest only using this 1-2 times a week.
Dry Shampoo Is Fine To Use Frequently
It’s ok to use dry shampoo once in a while, with the condition that you are properly washing your hair. Recent studies have linked hair loss to dry shampoo for the same reason not washing your hair causes hair loss, you’re clogging your follicles preventing a healthy environment for hair to grow. That being said, we don’t want you throwing your dry shampoo into the garbage, it’s alright to use it so long as it’s not sitting on your scalp for days.
Do any of these myths sound familiar to you? Let’s finally put them to bed.