Breaking The Myths

There have always been so many myths related to hair and hair-care. But should we believe? What is correct? In this article, we break the myths and discuss proper hair care for different hair textures.

Myth 1: Trimming hair frequently will help hair grow

Trimming your hair will only get rid of split-ends and make your hair look and feel healthier. It also gets rid of damaged hair, which could sometimes stunt hair growth. What actually determines the rate of growth of your hair are the hair follicles which are on your scalp.

For faster growth, a balanced diet is a must; get your proteins, which will accelerate hair growth. Scalp massages could also help because they stimulate the follicles and help hair growth. Frequently washing your hair will also damage and reduce hair growth, so try to limit the number of times you shampoo your hair.

Myth 2: Grey hair is caused by stress

Grey hair as we all know is the discolouring of hair. This is cause by a pigment called MELANIN which determines your hair shade and skin shade. As we age, these pigments start dying, which causes the greying or ‘transparency’ of hair. Grey hair is also determined by our genes, so you will typically start getting greys at the same age of your parents or grandparents.

You can prevent premature greying by making a few lifestyle changes. Eat a lot of vitamins, since vitamin B12 deficiency can cause premature greying. Also use an egg-oil mask 2 times a week, the anti-oxidants in egg can reverse premature greys and arrest its development.

Myth 3: Plucking 1 grey hair causes 2 more to grow

If plucking 1 grey hair cause 2 grey hairs to grow, why wouldn’t plucking 1 black hair cause 2 more to grow? However, it is not good to pluck your hair since it might cause scarring and overall thinning of hair.

Myth 4: You should frequently brush your hair

Over brushing of hair may actually damage it instead of doing it good. You need to brush it just enough times to distribute the natural oils throughout your hair, anymore than that will damage your cuticle and stunt hair growth. Simply brush out your knots, don’t over-do it!

Myth 5: Colouring your hair will damage it

Bleaching your hair is harmful for it and causes hair to become more thin and brittle. Whereas, colouring your hair a shade darker will actually plum up the hair and make it look thicker. While improper colouring is damaging, colouring could actually help stop hair breakage.

Myth 6: Dandruff signifies dry hair

This is completely wrong! Dandruff can appear in dry scalps, but it also appears in overly oily scalps. Dandruff is actually formed by a yeast that grows in an oily environment, thus skipping on your hair wash could be disastrous to the dandruff situation, in-fact you should shampoo more frequently. Use a dandruff treatment shampoo on those flaky days.

There are some natural treatments that could help with dandruff like tea-tree oil which reduces the severity of the flakes and help reduce greasiness and itchiness. Aloe Vera has a lot of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which could help prevent dandruff from forming. Apple Cider Vinegar could also help with dandruff. The acidic nature of the vinegar helps with the pH balance in your scalp and reduces dandruff.

Myth 7: You should lather up the shampoo to clean your head better

Excessive shampoo lather is in truth very harmful for the scalp. It destroys the natural oils with helps with keeping your hair nourished and hair growth. Your aim while shampooing your hair should simply be to clean the scalp of any dirt that could be accumulated. Sudsy shampoos also contain an ingredient called sulphate which may pose some cancer risks.

Also, if you have short hair or naturally dry hair, it is not required to shampoo the hair strands. This will strip the strands of oils which give your hair a shine. Instead, use the lather from your scalp to simply rinse your hair strands. Use a mild shampoo or a herbal shampoo to get a good rinse and also keep your hair away from all those chemicals.