| 25 Hair Myths: Fact Or Fiction? |
| Karen Marie Shelton - Copyright 2002 - All
Rights Reserved |
| Revised Date: 4/11/06 - Original
Publication Date: 6/4/2002 |
Introduction
There are many hair myths that circle the globe like urban legends.
Like a new flu virus, once a hair rumor is started, it develops
a life of its own and spreads like wildfire.
Some of the strand stories endure for years.
Listed below are some of the oldest and most common hair myths
along with the actual facts.
Myth
No. 1: Cutting Hair Makes It Grow Faster and/or Thicker
False. Shorter hair often looks and
feels thicker but cutting your hair won’t alter its normal
biologically determined growth rate or overall texture.
Thin, limp or fine hair will not ever grow thicker in response
to a haircut. Plump up your hair by using volume enhancing hair care
products, experimenting with a hair fattening blunt cut or getting a
texturizing perm or color treatment.
Myth
No. 2: Split Ends Can Be Repaired Without Trimming
False. The only successful treatment
for removing split ends is with a scissors.
While some hair care products may temporarily merge split ends
together, this fix only lasts until your next shampoo.
Keep in mind that damaged ends tends to grow slower than
healthy, well-maintained, trimmed hair.
Myth
No. 3: It Is Okay To Trim Your Own Split Ends At Home
True. Although regular visits to your
stylist for a professional trim are recommended, if you wish to clip
your own split ends at home it is perfectly acceptable.
Always use a professional set of scissors and avoid dull
blades, which can actually make splits worse.
Myth
No. 4: Split Ends Will Travel
True. Uncut split ends can travel up
the hair shaft towards the roots.
Tresses that are not tended to, over time, may develop splits
that migrate and split all or part of the entire hair.
Some ends can actually tear multiple times so that your split
ends have splits.
Myth
No. 5: Hair Grows Faster On Different Parts Of The Head
True. There is some scientific evidence
that the growth rate of hair may vary on different parts of the head
for select people. There
is also some indication that the growth rate of hair on babies may be
faster on the crown than on any other parts of the scalp.
Usually the growth rate differences are very marginal and will
not impact the hair appearance in any way.
Myth
No. 6: Hair Will Always Remain The Same Texture
False. Although you may be born with
straight, curly or wavy locks, there are many circumstances under
which your hair’s ultimate texture can be permanently altered.
Pregnancy, medication, chemotherapy, age and other variables
can cause your texture to be temporarily or permanently altered.
Myth
No. 7: Shaving A Baby’s Scalp Will Alter Their Natural Hair
Texture
False. The hair that a baby is born
with may or may not be the hair that they grow up with.
Shaving a baby’s head will not alter the texture of their
ultimate hair nor will it cause their hair to grow faster or thicker.
Myth
No. 8: Coloring Hair During Pregnancy Is Harmful
False.
Although some physicians disagree, most believe that coloring
the hair during pregnancy will not be dangerous to the baby. When in
doubt always get your physician’s permission to color your hair
during pregnancy. Most
experts believe that the key danger with hair coloring is not the
application of the product to the scalp but the inhalation of the
strong chemical odor.
Myth
No. 9: Virgin Root Hair Should Be Treated Differently
True. The hair that is closest to the
roots will react differently to the application of new hair color and
chemical treatments. Hair
color applied directly to the roots will process differently that
color applied on hair that has already been treated.
Myth
No. 10: Blow-Drying Hair Can Cause It To Smoke
False. This bizarre myth has been
circulating for years in a number of versions. On the rare occasion
that hair “smokes” it is due to the evaporation of condensation on
the hair from styling gels or similar hair care products.
Myth
No. 11: Smoking Causes Gray Hair
True.
According to J. G. Mosley of the Leigh Infirmary in Lancashire,
England in an article in Science News (January 11, 1997) smokers are
four times more likely to have gray hair than nonsmokers. Even worse,
smoking has been conclusively linked to accelerated hair loss.
Myth
No. 12: Gray Hair Can Only Be Covered With Permanent Color
False.
Depending on the percentage of gray hair that you have, you may
be able to blend or cover the budding gray with a semi-permanent or
demi-permanent blend that does not contain harsh chemicals.
Myth
No. 13: Washing Hair Every Day Dries It Out
False.
The right shampoo for your hair type and texture will actually
add moisture, body and beauty to your hair.
The key is to finding the correct shampoo designed for your
hair.
Myth
No. 14: Rinse Out Conditioners Does Not Provide Benefits
Because It Is Rinsed Out
False.
Rinse out conditioners applied to your hair right after washing
will leave a deposit of moisturizing proteins and other ingredients on
the hair shaft providing hair that feels softer, shinier or better
conditioned.
Myth
No. 15: Wearing Tight Braids, Ponytails Or Buns Causes Baldness
True. Traction alopecia is a very real
hair loss condition that may result from wearing tight ponytails,
cornrows or buns over an extended period of time.
Over time, hair breakage or loss as the result of tight,
stressed styles, can become permanent. Avoid this potential problem by
opting for looser styles that minimize scalp tension.
Myth
No. 16: Sleeping With A Wet Head Causes Scalp Fungus
False.
Scalp or fungal diseases can’t be caught from sleeping with
wet scalps. Scalp fungus
or infections requires prior involvement with infected sources such as
humans, tainted hair care tools or animals. As an example, ringworm
can be spread by infected animals.
Myth
No. 17: Sharing Combs And Brushes Can Spread Scalp Diseases
True. It is a fact that lice and other parasites can be
transported from scalp to scalp through the sharing of combs,
brushes and other hair care tools.
Myth
No. 18: Hair Develops Immunity To The Same Shampoo Over Time
False. Many people swear that their hair will become immune to
the benefits of the same shampoo used over time. There is no
scientific evidence to prove this myth.
Myth
No. 19: Hair Should Be Washed Every Day
False. There is no correct schedule for washing hair.
Every person should shampoo according to the specific needs of their
hair type and texture. While some people do benefit from a
daily shampoo, others benefit from a variety of shampooing
schedules.
Myth
No. 20: Lemon Juice Will Bleach Hair Blonde
False.
While some naturally light haired people may notice a slight
lightening or brightening after prolonged sun exposure soaked in lemon
juice, the majority of people will not see any obvious change in their
hair lightness or brightness.
Myth
No. 21: Salon Products Are Identical To Drugstore Products
False. While there is an exception to
every rule, salon products are generally manufactured to contain
higher quality, more expensive ingredients that are designed to
consistently provide more intensive cleansing, moisturizing and
conditioning results. The quality ingredients found in salon products are not
usually found in drugstore brands.
Myth
No. 22: Swimming Pool Chemicals Can Turn Hair Green
True. Frequent swimmers with natural
blonde or chemically highlighted hair that is extremely porous may
experience the development of green tints and shades over time. This problem can be prevented with regular use of
moisturizing shampoo and conditioners that provides a natural barrier
to chlorine and related chemicals.
Myth
No. 23: A Sunburnt Scalp Can Lead To Hairloss
True. Severe sunburn or a series of
burns that occur over time may damage delicate hair follicles at the
root level. People with a
genetic predisposition towards hair loss may accelerate the onset of
hair loss activity. Avoid
scalp burns by applying sun protection products to your scalp along
with your hair.
Myth
No. 24: Brushing Thinning Hair Makes It Fall Out Faster
False. As long as you use a good brush
on your hair, normal daily brushing will not accelerate the normal
loss of hair from the scalp. If
your hair is suffering from a hair loss condition like alopecia
brushing will only cause you to lose hair that is already ready to
fall. Excessive brushing is always discouraged under any
circumstances.
Myth
No. 25: Hair Care Products Advertised As Natural Are Chemical
Free
False. Not all hair care products sold
in health food establishments are completely natural and may contain
chemicals like SLS. When
in doubt read the label. |