11 Common Hair Myths You Probably Still Believe

There are a surprising number of tales which you have probably been lead to believe over the years about hair care but while some of them are true some are definitely not.

Debunking Some Common Hair Care Myths

Here are some of the most common hair care myths and the truth behind them (if there is any).

#1. Your hair will grow faster with regular trimming

This is probably one of the best known and oft-repeated tales there is but is it true? Well, apparently not. Hair grows on average a half-inch each month although it may grow a little faster during the warmer summer months. Hair will grow at the same rate with or without frequent trims but will stay in better condition with regular visits to the hair salon as it will remove dry and split ends.

#2. It’s a good idea to swap and change shampoos to make your hair stay healthy

Another common hair care myth which has no truth in its foundation. If you use the right type of shampoo for your hair it will work just as well week in, week out, month in and month out. Your hair has no idea what brand of shampoo you use and will not build up any sort of tolerance to it. If you are a regular user of styling wax, however, it will pay to use a specific clarifying shampoo every couple of weeks to wash the residue away.

#3. Every gray hair you pluck out will be replaced by two

A scary prospect, isn’t it? But is it actually true? Although this isn’t strictly true it’s still a bad idea to pluck out gray hairs as you can damage the roots of the hair, leave a scar or even cause an infection. Resist the temptation to pluck out those grays.

#4. If your hair is fine and flat you can kiss goodbye to giving it any type of body

This is another myth which is totally untrue. All it takes is a set of hot rollers and five minutes of your time and you can give your straight, fine hair a new lease of life and bounce.

#5. If you want your hair to be really clean you need to wash, rinse and repeat

This is absolutely not necessary. Just so long as you give your hair a thorough washing once it will be more than enough to clean it properly.

#6. A final rinse in ice cold water helps to give your hair more shine

Another myth which has no truth or foundation. Splashing cold water over your head could help you to wake up, it might give you brain freeze but will have no impact on the shininess of your locks.

#7. If you color your hair too often it will weaken it

This may have been true a few decades ago when hair colorants were pretty harsh but these days, the colors are so gentle that they won’t cause any damage at all. The products which are used today, both at home or in the hair salon, will usually leave your hair shiny and manageable. Many of these products contain extra conditioners which result in super, shiny tresses.

#8. Some products can help to mend split ends

A marketing myth which is fabricated and untrue – that’s all this is. If you have split ends there is only one solution – chop them off. Some of these products may effectively seal the split ends together so that they are less noticeable, but they will still be actually split.

#9. In order to keep your hair in good condition you should brush it with 100 strokes every night

An age old myth which was commonly believed in your grandmother’s day but is now known to be untrue. The only time you should brush your hair is to tidy it or to style it. Repeated brushing can pull the hair out of its follicles and potentially weaken the individual strands.

#10. You should not wash your hair every day

You’ve probably been told the same since your teenage years, that washing your hair every day is a bad thing to do. The truth is that the frequency you need to wash your hair depends upon the type of hair you have as well as your scalp plus personal preferences. As long as the shampoo you choose is right for your hair you can wash daily if you want to; it can help to keep the scalp clean, eliminate a buildup of oil and allow your hair follicles to breathe.

#11. You shouldn’t use hair products when your hair is wet

This is actually true, well, not when it’s dripping wet anyhow. All that this will do is to dilute the product which will make it less effective. The best thing to do is to dry your hair until damp, then apply the products and finish the drying process. If you think that you can’t use a straightening iron on wet hair, consider using wet-to-dry hair flat iron – they’re very safe to use on damp hair! 🙂

These are the most common hair care myths and, as you can see, the majority of them are totally unfounded.