Hair Myths Dispelled
05Sep
MYTH 1: Heat from straighteners/curlers are worse for your hair than pollution
One of the many myths about hair I bet you didn’t know. Environmental stressors like air and water pollutants are just as harmful to your hair as heat is. Both heat and environmental pollution damage the hair and scalp so proper protection to the hair is essential for healthy tresses.
MYTH 2: Exposure to sunlight is a healthy way to lighten hair
Exposure to sunlight and its harmful UV rays are just as damaging to your hair as they are to your skin. It will lighten hair naturally without the need for dyes but the protein is still being stripped from the hair follicle, which is what makes it lighter. Take care in the sun and wear a hair sunscreen, especially if your scalp is visible (when it burns it can be extremely painful).
MYTH 3: Hair grows faster when trimmed more often
The most common hair growth myth there is. Hair grows from the roots so no amount of trimming will make it grow faster. It will however, keep your hair healthy and stop split ends from creeping up the hair shaft and damaging the hair more.
MYTH 4: Eyebrows are meant to match your hair colour
Eyebrows are actually meant to be two shades darker than your hair naturally. This gives the face more structure, so remember to keep your eyebrows slightly darker when lightening your hair.
MYTH 5: Styling products dry out your hair
Wrong. The alcohol used in many styling products evaporates as soon as the product settles on the hair or sooner, stopping it from stripping the hair of moisture.
MYTH 5: For really clean hair, shampooing twice is best
Too much shampooing can strip the hair of its natural oils and moisture, consequently damaging it. One shampoo should be enough unless you have excessively dirty hair.
MYTH 6: You can mend split ends with the right products
Any product that claims to do this is lying. Once your hair has split that’s it. You can make the dry split ends look less noticeable by using certain products but the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off. To prevent split ends trim your hair every six weeks or so.
MYTH 7: You should wash your hair everyday
Those who wash hair everyday will strip it of the essential oils and proteins it needs and dry it out. It will also trigger a cycle of excessive product use, which will build up and make you need to wash your hair more often. It’s best to wash your hair twice a week if you can or whenever it feels particularly dirty.
MYTH 8: Going outside with wet hair will make you sick
I’m sure your mother or grandmother once told you not to leave the house with wet hair or you will get sick. The truth is that the only way you will get sick when going out with wet hair is if someone sneezes on you. There is no way of catching a cold without catching the actual virus. It may make you feel colder though.
MYTH 9: You shouldn’t dye your hair while pregnant
Many women believe this pregnancy myth. It was once something that should have been avoided but now has no risk involved. Older dye solutions used to contain formaldehyde which is toxic when inhaled for long periods. New hair dyes now don’t contain this toxic substance and as long as you are colouring your hair in a ventilated room, even the ammonia in modern hair dyes won’t be an issue.
MYTH 10: If you pluck one grow hair two will grow back in its place
Although plucking a grey hair (or any other hair) is damaging to the follicle, plucking a grey hair cannot encourage more to grow. We can all breathe a sigh of relief now!
One of the many myths about hair I bet you didn’t know. Environmental stressors like air and water pollutants are just as harmful to your hair as heat is. Both heat and environmental pollution damage the hair and scalp so proper protection to the hair is essential for healthy tresses.
MYTH 2: Exposure to sunlight is a healthy way to lighten hair
Exposure to sunlight and its harmful UV rays are just as damaging to your hair as they are to your skin. It will lighten hair naturally without the need for dyes but the protein is still being stripped from the hair follicle, which is what makes it lighter. Take care in the sun and wear a hair sunscreen, especially if your scalp is visible (when it burns it can be extremely painful).
MYTH 3: Hair grows faster when trimmed more often
The most common hair growth myth there is. Hair grows from the roots so no amount of trimming will make it grow faster. It will however, keep your hair healthy and stop split ends from creeping up the hair shaft and damaging the hair more.
MYTH 4: Eyebrows are meant to match your hair colour
Eyebrows are actually meant to be two shades darker than your hair naturally. This gives the face more structure, so remember to keep your eyebrows slightly darker when lightening your hair.
MYTH 5: Styling products dry out your hair
Wrong. The alcohol used in many styling products evaporates as soon as the product settles on the hair or sooner, stopping it from stripping the hair of moisture.
MYTH 5: For really clean hair, shampooing twice is best
Too much shampooing can strip the hair of its natural oils and moisture, consequently damaging it. One shampoo should be enough unless you have excessively dirty hair.
MYTH 6: You can mend split ends with the right products
Any product that claims to do this is lying. Once your hair has split that’s it. You can make the dry split ends look less noticeable by using certain products but the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off. To prevent split ends trim your hair every six weeks or so.
MYTH 7: You should wash your hair everyday
Those who wash hair everyday will strip it of the essential oils and proteins it needs and dry it out. It will also trigger a cycle of excessive product use, which will build up and make you need to wash your hair more often. It’s best to wash your hair twice a week if you can or whenever it feels particularly dirty.
MYTH 8: Going outside with wet hair will make you sick
I’m sure your mother or grandmother once told you not to leave the house with wet hair or you will get sick. The truth is that the only way you will get sick when going out with wet hair is if someone sneezes on you. There is no way of catching a cold without catching the actual virus. It may make you feel colder though.
MYTH 9: You shouldn’t dye your hair while pregnant
Many women believe this pregnancy myth. It was once something that should have been avoided but now has no risk involved. Older dye solutions used to contain formaldehyde which is toxic when inhaled for long periods. New hair dyes now don’t contain this toxic substance and as long as you are colouring your hair in a ventilated room, even the ammonia in modern hair dyes won’t be an issue.
MYTH 10: If you pluck one grow hair two will grow back in its place
Although plucking a grey hair (or any other hair) is damaging to the follicle, plucking a grey hair cannot encourage more to grow. We can all breathe a sigh of relief now!