Hair Myths Busted
When it comes to hair, many of us will go great lengths to look on point. But could we be unknowingly sabotaging our luscious locks with our daily habits?
From hair washing to styling, we get to the root of 11 common hair myths and distinguish follicular fact from fallacy.
Hair Washing
1. We should use conditioner after shampoo
We spoke to a leading stylist at Salon Vim, and confirmed that conditioner can be used before shampoo. Conditioner can act as a primer to reduce oxidation in hair colour, preventing discolouration and damage.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of using conditioner before shampoo as it hydrates and nourishes my mane without the weight, as shampoo will wash off excess product left behind.
2. We should wash our hair everyday
Shampoo traps oil and dirt for easy removal. According to experts at WebMD, shampooing too often may dry out hair and make it prone to breakage. However, in Singapore’s humid weather, we’re recommended to wash hair daily due to hygiene purposes although washing every two to three days helps retain colour in dyed hair.
3. Conditioner can be used for your whole head
Gary Chew, Co-founder of Salon Vim, confirmed that while conditioning your hair’s important, you should only apply it from mid shaft down to the ends. Natural oil is concentrated on the scalp, and applying conditioner excessively nourishes and weigh it down with grease.
4. It’s better to replace shampoo with a gentler alternative
Pictured: L’ORÉAL Hair Expertise EverCrème Cleansing Balm
Some opt for the ‘no-poo’ method as a natural alternative to sulphate-laden shampoos. One of the most popular ways to do so are via cleansing conditioners.
Cleansing conditioners cleanses, conditions and treats without sulphates—that produces a potentially irritating lather. Besides being all-in-one formulas, these products also save plenty of time in the shower.
However, due to the richness of the product, there have been some complaints of it feeling heavy and giving an oily finish.
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Hair Styling
5. Hair styling causes hair loss
Hair loss only applies to hairstyles that require excessive tugging on the scalp like Dutch braids, tight ponytails and extensions. The tension on our hair and scalp damages hair follicles and may eventually cause hair breakage and loss.
A stylist at Salon Vim also added that in general, hairstyles don’t induce hair loss but ones that are too tight can recede your hairline.
7. Hair spray’s bad for your hair
Hair spray’s a saviour when it comes to taming stubborn fly-aways and preventing curls from going flat. But many believe hairspray to be harmful because of its alcohol content. However, not all alcohols are bad, it depends on the type and amount in the product.
Ultimately, it’s best for users to not OD on hairspray; besides, overusing hairsprays could also make them sticky and crunchy, and a clumpy hair style’s never a good look.
Hair Growth
8. Hair will grow faster if you trim it
Sorry to burst your bubble guys. Hair growth occurs at the scalp, so cutting your hair won’t lead to its growth. Instead, it keeps strands healthy by ridding it of damaged ends—enabling it to grow out thicker and stronger, without breaking from split ends. This in turn gives the illusion that trimming leads to rapid hair growth.
9. Stress causes grey hair
Contrary to popular belief, grey hair isn’t caused by stress. However, studies and doctors have responded that stress accelerates the greying of hair. When it comes to grey hair, a multitude of factors like genetics and illness come to play.
10. Brushing your hair 100 strokes a day will make it shine/grow faster
Most of us may have heard of this age-old advice but it’s a lie. Sure, light brushing may evenly distribute natural oils across our tresses. However, brushing it with 100 strokes may damage individual strands and hair follicles from friction and excessive tugging—causing split ends and even hair loss.
11. If you pluck grey hair, more will grow back
According to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, there won’t be additional grey hairs growing in the place of one that’s removed. The pigment formation in one follicle doesn’t influence another. As we age, more grey hairs are prone to develop. This forms the distorted misconception that yanking a grey strand out causes more to appear.
But if you’re lucky, the hair that grows back will be less grey than the one plucked out. That’s because melanogenesis, the pigment that gives hair colour, varies from hair to hair.
Hair Myths Dispelled
There’s no hard and fast rule as to how we can maintain our crowning glory. But with these myths clarified, we’re at least one strand closer to a better hair game.
This article was first published on 31 January 2017 and last updated on 11 May 2024.
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