Hair And Hair Alone Your Personal Beauty Assistant How Many of These Top Hair Care Myths Do You Believe?
Sometimes we as humans have certain habits that we adopt just because everyone around us follows them. Most of the time, suggestions from others are helpful and smart. However, sometimes certain beliefs that are just mere myths or "old-wives tales" get passed from one to another again and again, sometimes even passed down by generations.
When it comes to hair care, there are indeed many myths out there that really need to be corrected. Here we settle the case on some of the biggest ones…
#1: Trimming Your Hair Will Make It Grow Faster
It is definitely a good practice to go for regular trims, but it won’t make your hair grow faster. No matter what circumstance, hair grows about ½ inch per month. What a haircut will actually do for you is remove those unhealthy split ends that could travel up the hair shaft and weaken hair, leading to breakage.
#2: Brush Hair 100 Strokes Per Day to Keep Hair Healthy
This myth may in fact be the oldest misconception about keeping hair healthy. We have no idea how far back this one goes, but there is no reason to brush your hair repetitiously every day. Unlike the initial thought on this practice, it does not stimulate hair growth and will not make your hair healthier. In fact, too much brushing can cause breakage. Instead, just brush hair to tidy up your look and when heat styling your hair.
#3: Hair Products Lose Effectiveness Over Time
This is another common misconception. A good hair product is a good hair product. The only reason a product will appear to stop working is that it was never good for your hair in the first place.
That said, if a product you use seems to suddenly stop working, check the ingredients label. If the product in question contains silicone, you are most likely suffering from product buildup. Why? Silicones are plastic-like substances and most don’t easily wash away with water. What do you do? Use a clarifying shampoo and switch to only silicone-free products. The main silicones to look out for are: Amodimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane.
#4: You Can Repair Split Ends with Deep Conditioner
If only this were true! Despite what you may read on product labels, the fact is that once hair is split it cannot be repaired to fixed. The only way to get rid of split ends is to get a trim. And do it fast. As said above, left alone the split can travel up the hair shaft, which will thin the hair and leave it more vulnerable to breakage. Regular trims will prevent split ends from starting in the first place.
#5: Fine Haired Gals Should Avoid Conditioner
While this one seems logical, it is also not true. Everyone can benefit from conditioner. If you have fine hair, application is key. Apply a light rinse-out conditioner from mid-shaft to ends. If your hair is really fine or thin, focus primarily on your ends.
#6: If You Pluck a Gray Hair, 2 Will Grow Back
This one is silly (and totally not true). The truth is that if you see one gray hair, more are likely to pop up. Whether that means sporadically or more regularly, plucking it out won’t encourage more. That said, still don’t pluck out any grays. You can damage the hair follicle, which over time can slow hair regrowth.
#7: Clean Hair Always Looks Better Than 2nd or 3rd Day Hair
Also, not true! Any type of updo, pony or topknot will actually hold better on slightly "dirty" hair. This is why some stylists even tell their brides to wash their hair the day before the wedding day!
#8: Shampooing Your Hair Makes You Lose More Hair
Although it may seem like shampooing your hair causes your hair to fall, it is really not the case. It is just part of what is considered normal daily shedding (up to about 100 hair per day), albeit in a place where hair loss is more contained and noticeable.
When it comes to hair care, there are indeed many myths out there that really need to be corrected. Here we settle the case on some of the biggest ones…
#1: Trimming Your Hair Will Make It Grow Faster
It is definitely a good practice to go for regular trims, but it won’t make your hair grow faster. No matter what circumstance, hair grows about ½ inch per month. What a haircut will actually do for you is remove those unhealthy split ends that could travel up the hair shaft and weaken hair, leading to breakage.
#2: Brush Hair 100 Strokes Per Day to Keep Hair Healthy
This myth may in fact be the oldest misconception about keeping hair healthy. We have no idea how far back this one goes, but there is no reason to brush your hair repetitiously every day. Unlike the initial thought on this practice, it does not stimulate hair growth and will not make your hair healthier. In fact, too much brushing can cause breakage. Instead, just brush hair to tidy up your look and when heat styling your hair.
#3: Hair Products Lose Effectiveness Over Time
This is another common misconception. A good hair product is a good hair product. The only reason a product will appear to stop working is that it was never good for your hair in the first place.
That said, if a product you use seems to suddenly stop working, check the ingredients label. If the product in question contains silicone, you are most likely suffering from product buildup. Why? Silicones are plastic-like substances and most don’t easily wash away with water. What do you do? Use a clarifying shampoo and switch to only silicone-free products. The main silicones to look out for are: Amodimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane.
#4: You Can Repair Split Ends with Deep Conditioner
If only this were true! Despite what you may read on product labels, the fact is that once hair is split it cannot be repaired to fixed. The only way to get rid of split ends is to get a trim. And do it fast. As said above, left alone the split can travel up the hair shaft, which will thin the hair and leave it more vulnerable to breakage. Regular trims will prevent split ends from starting in the first place.
#5: Fine Haired Gals Should Avoid Conditioner
While this one seems logical, it is also not true. Everyone can benefit from conditioner. If you have fine hair, application is key. Apply a light rinse-out conditioner from mid-shaft to ends. If your hair is really fine or thin, focus primarily on your ends.
#6: If You Pluck a Gray Hair, 2 Will Grow Back
This one is silly (and totally not true). The truth is that if you see one gray hair, more are likely to pop up. Whether that means sporadically or more regularly, plucking it out won’t encourage more. That said, still don’t pluck out any grays. You can damage the hair follicle, which over time can slow hair regrowth.
#7: Clean Hair Always Looks Better Than 2nd or 3rd Day Hair
Also, not true! Any type of updo, pony or topknot will actually hold better on slightly "dirty" hair. This is why some stylists even tell their brides to wash their hair the day before the wedding day!
#8: Shampooing Your Hair Makes You Lose More Hair
Although it may seem like shampooing your hair causes your hair to fall, it is really not the case. It is just part of what is considered normal daily shedding (up to about 100 hair per day), albeit in a place where hair loss is more contained and noticeable.