Hair Myths and Facts

Hair Myths
Washing hair frequently causes hair loss / dryness
FALSE: Wash your hair whenever it feels dirty, although it is recommended to wash your hair three times a week. The right shampoo for your hair type will in fact add body and bounce to your hair.

More the shampoo, more clean is the hair
FALSE: Why waste when a dollop of shampoo is enough? Very long hair may need a little more. Save your shampoo for a rainy day!

Change your shampoo every now and then
FALSE: There is no evidence to show that hair builds “immunity” to products that are used regularly. It is more important to find a shampoo suitable for your hair type.

Conditioners can be skipped in hair care routine
FALSE: Everyone benefits from using a conditioner. Apply conditioner on the hair shaft and ends but not roots. Conditioning your hair makes it manageable and smooth.

Conditioners repair hair
FALSE: A conditioner is not a mechanic to “repair”. The work of a conditioner is to smoothen the hair and make it manageable.

Leaving oil in hair overnight promotes hair growth
FALSE: Hair oil is beneficial because it improves blood circulation while massaging. But an oiled head will also attract dust and grime. In fact, leaving oil in your hair for more than 45 minutes can do more harm than good.

Dandruff is caused by dry scalp
FALSE: Dandruff and dry scalp are different. A dry scalp may cause flaking, which is not dandruff. In fact, if you have an oily scalp, you are more likely to have dandruff. Dandruff tends to thrive in areas where oil glands are most productive.

Split ends travel
TRUE: Split ends can travel up the hair shaft towards the roots. It is advisable to regularly trim your split ends.

Brush your hair 100 times a day for healthy hair
FALSE: Brushing hair 100 times a day will damage the cuticle. It is also advisable to use a comb than a brush. Brushing may lead to spilt ends and hair breakage.

Sharing combs and other hair tools is unhygienic
TRUE: Lice, parasites and other hair infections travel from scalp to scalp through the sharing of combs and other hair tools.

Salon products are identical to drugstore products
FALSE: With a few exceptions, most salon products contain higher quality, more expensive ingredients for greater results. If in doubt, read the labels and compare ingredients in salon products v/s drugstore products.

Frequent cuts / trims make hair grow faster
FALSE: Hair grows half an inch per month, whether you cut it or not. A trim will however eliminate the split ends, making hair look better.

Wearing tight braids, ponytails or buns causes hair fall
TRUE: Wearing tight braids, ponytails or buns over an extended period of time can lead to hair fall. Opt for looser styles to avoid this problem.

Sleeping with wet hair causes scalp fungus
FALSE: Sleeping with wet hair is not the reason for scalp or fungal diseases. Scalp infections have a more deep rooted problem.

Stress causes hair loss
TRUE: Severe stress can affect the hair production, causing temporary hair loss. The scalp in most cases restores back to normal, and the hair grows back.

Steroids have side effects on hair
TRUE: Research has proven that one of the side effects of anabolic steroids is hair loss.

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 non-smokers. Even worse, smoking has been conclusively linked to accelerated hair loss.

Over exposure to sun causes hair loss
FALSE: Hair loss occurs at the follicle level where it is impossible for the sun to penetrate to cause any damage. Your hair in turn acts as a shield against the sun.

A healthy diet is essential for healthy hair
TRUE: It is important to eat right. However, no individual food has been proven to be beneficial or detrimental to hair.

Hair changes texture with time
TRUE: You may be born with straight, curly or wavy locks, but conditions like pregnancy, medication, age and other variables can cause to alter the texture of your hair temporarily or permanently.