There are a lot of myths surrounding hair growth and hair care. You might be familiar with “don’t pluck your white hair otherwise two will grow back in its place”, or “ensure that the color of brows match your hair” and all other baseless stuff that a lot of people have accepted as the truth.
But then again, which one of those hair myths actually has some semblance of truth behind them? Let the experts attempt to shed light on these myths and more.
Myth #1: Your brows and your hair color should match.
Verdict: Not entirely true, and that’s according to latest fashion and hair trends. We’re all seeing in all fashion spreads, TV, movies and more that the eyebrow color does not necessarily need to match a person’s hair color at all. At the moment, having darker eyebrows than the actual hair color seemed to be the “in” thing. But the trick to doing this is one should never go beyond two levels darker than your current color.
Myth #2: Frequently trimmed hair tends to grow faster.
Verdict: False. How often you trim your hair will not play a factor into its re-growth. Hair grows from the scalp (follicles) and not from the ends, so chopping your locks won’t really make it grow any faster, but it will help in controlling hair split-ends, thus minimizing damage in the long run.
Myth #3: Stress is causing your hair to turn gray.
Verdict: False. While stress can be a factor which can accelerate the graying process, gray hair is the by-product of the dwindling melanin (pigment) production caused by dying melanocytes. It’s actually genetics that is the culprit, and not really stress.
Myth #4: If you pluck a gray hair, two will grow out to replace it.
Verdict: False. Plucking will absolutely not make you grow more gray hairs. However, constant plucking might scar your follicles which can lead to hair loss or thin patches on your scalp. So if you’re worried that these might happen, then its best for you to steer clear from those tweezers.
Myth #5: Brushing your hair 100 times at night will make it healthier.
Verdict: False. Brushing it 100 times is overkill and un-necessary. What you need to keep your hair healthy is to just brush it enough so that your natural oils will be evenly distributed throughout the hair. Know that brushing can produce friction between hair strands and can create damage and it can lead to your hair having a frizzy appearance. Also, if you’re hair’s already thinning, too much brushing can add even more stress to the follicles. Experts recommend that should you need to brush, to do so with a wide-toothed comb or maybe a brush with soft bristles which can help untangle your hair without pulling it. For a more therapeutic experience, you may also try a scalp massage instead.
Myth #6: You can skip using a conditioner if you have oily hair.
Verdict: False. Greasy hair is not from using a conditioner; it is from overproduction of oil from your scalp. So if you have oily hair, use shampoo on the roots and then save the conditioner for the ends only.
Myth #7: When hair washing, you need to lather, rinse and then repeat.
Verdict: False. Mostly, you don’t need to repeat when shampooing, but may do so only if you’ve an excessive amount of product in your hair and there’s a whole lot of build-up. Make sure that you use a mild shampoo so it won’t be as irritating to the scalp and lather rather gently to minimize hair breakage.
