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Ten Common Hair Myths
08.01.2013

(1) Hair Myth - Washing hair daily makes the hair fall out more

It most certainly does not.  We all loose hair daily and it is normally replaced.  Sometimes when we are loosing more hair than usual due to some metabolic reason we are scared to shampoo because of the amount we see coming out.  Shampooing will loosen the hair that are already in their telogen (final) stage and ready to come out.  If you delay washing hair for a few days you may see a lot more coming out.  Washing hair frequently may cause faster growth and has a stimulant effect on the hair.  However for women who have to style their hair with a hair dryer after each wash due to social reasons then daily washing and styling should be avoided so that the hair does not dry out.


(2) Hair Myth – Conditioner makes my hair fall out

Using conditioner on the hair definitely does not cause hair loss. It moisturizes the hair, flattens the cuticle scales giving more shine to the hair and helps prevent breakage and split ends. So why do people believe in this myth? Hairs fall out daily and are replaced by new ones in the follicles. Shampooing loosens the hairs that are ready to come out anyway and when we apply conditioner to our hands and touch our hair the creamy texture of the conditioner causes these loosened hairs to stick on our creamy hands.

(3) Hair Myth – Cutting the hair makes it grow stonger or faster

Since the hair shaft is dead tissue, cutting or shaving the hair has no effect on its growth whatsoever. Maybe this myth originated from shaving. A man shaves his beard off and within 12 hours it feels stubbly and hard. The more it is shaved, the more it seems to grow. The beard becomes stronger from puberty onwards due to increased male hormone activity so in fact it will become thicker anyway. Another way of looking at this is to compare your hair to a bamboo cane. A long cane bends and flexes easily, whereas the same cane cut shorter feels hard, inflexible and stronger. In addition, cutting your hair shorter evens out the length more so it appears to be thicker.

(4) Hair Myth – You can repair split ends

You can’t. The only way to cure them is by cutting them off. It is not possible to reset a broken-off hair in the same way as a broken bone! So called ‘end-healer’ products may temporarily glue the ends together until the hair is washed or combed but that is all they so. However certain products along with correct hair care will most certainly help prevent split ends and hair breakage.

(5) Hair Myth – Hair gets used to the same shampoo

It doesn’t. The same shampoo, used on the same hair under the same circumstances, always gives the same result. Hair does not build up a resistance to a shampoo in the same way that bacteria may build up a resistance to antibiotics. So why does it sometimes seem that a change of shampoo is beneficial? The reason is that your hair may have changed. You may have had it permed or coloured, cut it, grown it long or your state of health may be different. So changing to another shampoo which is formulated more for your type of hair will definitely be an improvement for you.

(6) Hair Myth – Frequent shampooing dries the hair

Shampooing, if done correctly and with the right products, can actually re-moisturize the hair. It is often thought that frequent shampooing dries out the hairs natural oils. Oil flow does not control the hair’s dryness, it’s the moisture level that does this. You can apply as much oil to your hair as you want, but without moisture it will still be dry. Oil is produced to keep your skin supple and to reduce moisture evaporation. Anyway the oiliness cleansed away begins to replenish itself within 20 minutes, and who likes oily hair? However have in mind that if you overuse the hairdryer after every wash then yes, your hair may end up pretty dry.

(7) Hair Myth - Frequent shampooing makes the hair oilier

Some people say that the more the shampoo their hair the oilier it gets. They may as well say the more they bathe the dirtier they get. However some people may have over active sebaceous glands at sometime in their lives normally due to hormonal reasons. In this case then the only solution is to wash it daily.

(8) Hair Myth – Brushing your hair is good for it

It’s not – it’s bad for it. Brushing can pull your hair out, break it off and scratch the scalp. If you brushed your wool sweater repeatedly you would probably make a hole in it. Likewise, your hair can get worn out. A brush should be used as a styling aid only, not as exercise for the hair.


(9) Hair Myth – Tight hats cause baldness

This myth was probably started because many young men during their stay in the army, they tend to start balding. The truth is that most men go to the army at an age when they are more prone to hair loss due to a great increase of male hormones in the blood, so it is just a coincidence that they where hats. It is possible too, that the stress of being in the army may accelerate any tendency towards hair loss.

(10) Hair Myth – When a hair comes out with a white blob attached, the root is dead

Hair falls out every day. When a follicle comes to the end of its growing stage the hair will become detached and will fall out about a month later. It will then be replaced by a new hair. The white bead at the end of the fallen hair is simply part of the hair follicle lining, which is similar to skin and like your skin is continuously being replaced.

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