20 Common Hair Myths Explained

 

There’s a lot of information out on the internet for hair care. I mean, A LOT. When looking for answers to your questions, you stumble upon so many people and sources, even some directly contradicting each other. Include the old wives’ tales and other info you learned when you were young, you probably some hair misconceptions floating around in your hair.

That’s okay. We’ve compiled 20 of the most common hair myths to debunk them. Get ready to have everything you knew about hair changed.

 

1. Cutting Your Hair Makes Your Hair Grow Faster

Cutting your hair certainly does not make your hair grow faster. Your hair is essentially dead cells and grows from the roots. Snipping the ends only serve to make your hair shorter.

That said, it is to trim your hair regularly. Getting your hair cut every 2-3 months will eliminate split ends. If left untreated, split ends can climb up your hair shaft and result in more breakage. Along with getting rid of split ends, trimming your ends will shear your thinning tips and make your hair appear thicker.

 

2. You Need To Brush Your Hair 100 Times A Day

If you want to lose your hair faster. Overbrushing can actually lead to increased breakage and shedding. Brushing, like any hair manipulation, can damage your hair and make it weaker. Only brush your hair as much as needed and for most people, every day is too much.

 

3. Your Hair Gets Used To Products, So You Need To Switch Regularly

No, your hair does not get used to products and you don’t need to switch it up just because. If any company tells you this, they’re just trying to get you to buy something (although we welcome you to buy as many Hair Meds as you want.)

If your products do not work all of a sudden, they are better explanations. Weather, health, dietary changes, stress, and more can contribute to changes to your hair product efficacy. Consider any changes in your surrounding and life when evaluating and picking your products. Sometimes, you just need a product to fit your mood!

 

4. If You Pluck Your Gray Hair, More Grow In Their Place

Well, no. If you pluck gray hair, only a single hair strand can take its place. Rather, gray hair is just a sign that your body is changing. Once you see gray hair, expect more to appear as your hair naturally sheds. Plucking hairs can lead to bald spots. If you’re starting to see grey hairs, consider a safe hair dye or just embrace your natural silver streak.

 

5. Stress Causes Gray Hair

This one’s somewhat true, but misleading. Stress will not instantly turn your hair grey. However, if your family has a predisposition of gray hair, stress can accelerate the greying process. Don’t worry young ones out there. Grey hairs, no matter your stress levels, only occur in your thirties at the earliest. 

 

6. You Need To Shampoo Your Hair Everyday

Shampooing your hair every day may seem like a great idea to keep your hair clean and healthy. In reality, shampooing this much could actually be making your hair weaker. Shampoo strips your hair of your natural oils, leading to dry and brittle hair.

 

7. You Don’t Need To Shampoo Your Hair At All

That being said, some people take this to the other extreme and refuse to wash their hair. The rising popularity of co-washing shows this. However, washing your hair is necessary for a good hair care routine. When you forgo washing your hair, product build-up and debris can block your pores, slowing hair growth. Also, your hair will stink!

You want to find a good balance of shampooing based on your situation. If you are more active, have thinner hair, or have medically related hair issues, you may need to shampoo more often. For most people 1 or 2 times a week a good rule of thumb.

 

8. Your Shampoo Needs To Foam To Work

Your shampoos lather because of specific ingredients, usually sulfates. Shampoos, like ours at Hair Meds, forego sulfates and other foaming agents since those ingredients can be harmful to your hair. Cleansing comes from ingredients, not foam. So even if your shampoo does not foam as much as before, that’s okay! Your hair is still getting cleaner.

 

9. Shampoo and Conditioner Should be Applied To Your Entire Hair Strand

Shampoo is mainly needed to clean your scalp and is best used there unless your hair is particularly dirty. 

On the other hand, conditioner is meant to moisturize hair. Your hair is driest at the ends where oil cannot reach. When applying conditioner, focus on your ends. Putting too much conditioner on your scalp can clog your pores. If that happens, you’ll have to shampoo your scalp again...

 

10. People With Fine Hair Don’t Need Conditioner

Again, everyone needs a conditioner. People with fine hair certainly need conditioners because fine hair is more likely to snap. Some people with fine hair steer away from conditioner is because they feel it weighs down their hair. To avoid this feeling, look for lightweight water-based conditioners and be cautious of heavier ingredients like shea butter. 

 

11. Brown Hair Grows Faster Than Blonde Hair

Your hair color has nothing to do with your hair growth rates. Blonde hair is often thinner and finer, making it more likely to break. However, as long as you take care of your hair, it will grow no matter your hair color.

 

12. Ponytails and Braids Speed Up Hair Growth

As much as we wish this were the case, it’s unfortunately not true. We love braids at Hair Meds, but braids themselves do not speed up your hair growth. Something believes the tugging on your hair pulls it out faster, kind out like pulling on a turnip.

If you feel like braids make your hair grows faster, what really is happening is that your hair is breaking less. Protective styles, like braids and ponytails, tuck away your ends and reduce breakage. You can read more about why you should wear protective styles here.

 

13. Dandruff Is Caused By A Dry Scalp

Normally when you see flakes of any kind, you may think “that’s dandruff. That must mean your hair is dry.” However, flakes can be caused by different causes. Dandruff, specifically, is caused by seborrheic dermatitis which is a result of OILY HAIR. That’s right, people with dandruff actually have too much oil.

To tell the difference keep this end mind: Large, yellow flakes and oily skin is dandruff. Small, white flakes and an itchy scalp is a dry scalp.

 

14. It’s Bad To Use Conditioner On Oily Hair

All hair types need conditioners. Your scalp will naturally produce an oil called sebum, but that oil only does so much. Oily hair is not caused by too much conditioner and can be treated by using a good clarifying shampoo. If you have oily hair, apply conditioner only to your ends as to not overly moisten your roots.

 

15. Rinsing Your Hair With Cold Water Makes It Shiny

There is no proof that finishing your shower with a cold rinse adds shine to your hair. However, washing your hair, in general, helps rinse away residue and dirt, making your hair look shinier. 

 

16. Your Hair Continues To Grow After You Die

A little morbid, but this one does come up at times. No, your hair does not continue to grow after you die. The best explanation of this superstition is that when you die, your body dehydrates and the skin starts to shrivel up. As it contracts, it can make your hair look longer in comparison to your body.

 

17. It’s Better To Air Dry Your Hair Rather Than Blow Dry

It’s hard to call one method better or worse because they cause a different type of damage. While blow-drying causes more damage to the outside of your hair strands, air-drying causes more damage to the inside. 

Here’s what happening. When you air-dry your hair, water remains in your hair strands for longer, causing them to expand. This stresses out your hair proteins, leaving them more susceptible to damage.

A safe way to dry your wet hair is to use a blow drier on the lowest heat. Use a diffuser to spread out the heat and move your arm constantly as to not stay in one place too long. 

 

18. Men and Women’s Hair Are Different

Biologically, there is no difference between men's and women’s hair (we told you Hair Meds are for everyone.) Men and women do care for their hair differently, cause their hair to look differently. Also, society definitely has different expectations on hair for men and women, so functionally, they might as well be two different worlds. 

 

19. Wearing a Hat Causes Hair Loss

Hats, by themselves, do not necessarily lead to hair loss. Tight hats, however, can cause added hair manipulation that can lead to hair alopecia. As long as you wear a loose hat, go ahead and put it on during a sunny day.

 

20. Split Ends Can Be Repaired

The sad truth is that split ends can never be repaired. No product or method can fix split ends. The best way to deal with split ends to cut them immediately to prevent them from traveling up your strands. Keeping your hair healthy and moisturized is the only way to avoid split ends. Make sure you regularly use a moisturizing leave-in conditioner and detangling your hair during your hair care routine.  

 

So what myth did we dispel for you? Got any that we missed? Share your most heard myths and misconceptions in the comments.