There are hundreds of hair myths that have circulated over the years, from stories of multiplying grey hairs to tricks to make the kids eat their crusts. You might be surprised to learn that a few of these popular stories have little to no truth to them at all! So, we’re here today set the rumours to rest with these silly stories once and for all!
“Eating your crusts will give you lovely curly hair.”
For those who dream of having natural bouncy curls, unfortunately, eating crusts is not going to do this for you. This myth is said to have begun in the 18th century, as those with curly hair were considered prosperous and therefore could afford the high cost of bread to keep their bouncy curls. This is still a popular myth in the 21st century, as parents try to encourage their children to eat the crusts with a slight white-lie incentive!
“Split ends can be fixed with the correct treatments.”
Unfortunately, this myth is also untrue. Split ends cannot be fixed; they simply need to be trimmed to make the hair healthy again. Hair treatments can, however, help to prevent split ends and keep the hair healthy and shiny for longer.
“If you pull out one grey hair, two will grow in its place.”
Many of you will be glad to know that this again is a false statement; there is absolutely no truth in this at all! Grey hair stems from the melanocytes which produce the colour pigment in our hairs dying, and therefore no longer producing the colour. This is also not induced by stress; so, don’t worry about starting the aging process early just because you’re feeling a little stressed!
“Washing your hair every day is not healthy.”
Everyone will have their own routine, and there is no way to say which routine is better or worse for your hair. You should instead pay attention to how you feel about your hair and when you think it needs to be washed. Some will find that every day is necessary, whilst others can go several days without their hair feeling oily or dirty at all!
“Rinsing your hair in cold water will make it shiner.”
This myth does hold some truth. Hot water can be damaging to the hair cuticle, so you should always wash your hair with lukewarm water, rather than anything too hot. After conditioning, giving your hair a final rinse with a splash of cold water will close the cuticle and leave your hair feeling smooth and looking shiny.
“Trimming your hair often will make it grow faster.”
As much as we would all like to think that this is true, it simply isn’t. Trimming your hair may give you the illusion that it is growing faster or feeling thicker, but this is likely down to the fact that your hair is in healthy condition from being trimmed regularly!
“If you have greasy hair, conditioner will make it worse.”
This is another made up story, as it is your scalp which produces the oils, not the strands of hair themselves. If you are worried about greasy hair, be sure to only condition from just below the crown to the ends of the hair, not putting any conditioner on the scalp directly for the majority of your washes.
“You should brush your hair at least 100 times a day.”
We were all told as children that you should brush your hair at least 100 times a day for it to be healthy and shiny. However, brushing too often and to rigorously can actually do more damage than good to your hair. De-tangling and putting too much pressure on the strands can rough the cuticle and lead to unnecessary breakages. No need to spend an hour a day brushing through your locks, a gentle sweep in the morning and evening should do the job just fine!
“You should switch your shampoo and conditioner regularly so that your hair doesn’t ‘get used’ to the product and stop working.”
False! Whilst you might get used to using the same product, your hair will certainly not. You may find that your hair changes over time, for example if you coloured your hair, or were using a lot of heat products, and in these instances, you may want to look for a more specialised product. However, if your hair stays the same, there is absolutely no harm in sticking to those trusty bottles of shampoo and conditioner that you’ve been using for goodness only knows how many years! If you’re looking for a little advice on the best type of shampoo and conditioner for you then pop into our hair salon in Barnstaple and we can recommend the best products!
Are there any other myths you’ve heard? We’d love to hear your stories!