I’m like every other human out there looking for the fountain of youth. Ok, I would settle for a cellulite cream that actually works, but let`s face it, it doesn’t exist. We all want what we don’t have. Those curly haired babes dream of silky, straight hair. The silky, straight haired babes are curling, braiding, and crimping their locks just to give it an ounce of texture. The struggle is real, my friends. Even though I can’t cure the current cellulite problem that plagues most of us women. One can only dream. I can shed a little light on some of the myths, or lies that have been told over the years regarding our crown of glory. Our hair. Here are just a few, 15 actually, that come to my mind…
Myth. Brushing your hair 100 strokes per day will help it grow longer, keep it shinier, healthier, blah blah blah.
Truth. Marcia Brady didn’t know her facts. Brushing your hair too much can actually cause it to break. Brush gently so that your natural oils can be distributed throughout your hair shafts.
Myth. You should never use a brush on wet hair, only use a comb.
Truth. I beg to differ. The Wet Brush is a dream of a person with tangly hair that has come true. If you haven’t tried one, you need to. Yes it’s actually called “The Wet Brush”. They can be purchased at your local salon or at your nearest Ulta. If all else fails, you can order them online. They’re amazing!
Myth. Getting regular trims will help your hair grow faster.
Truth. If only it were that easy. Regular trims are extremely important in keeping your locks healthy, however, the act of cutting it does not make it grow faster. What it does do is relieving your hair of the ugly split ends. Which brings us to the next myth about split ends.
Myth. Split ends can be “cured”.
Truth. There is no product in the world that will heal your split ends. The only solution is to get them cut off. Once the hair is split, it’s split. The split ends will either break or split all the way up to your scalp. This is one reason why it is important to get regular trims as was mentioned above. There are no conditioners, serums, protein packs out there to seal those babies up. Go get them cut!
Myth. If you have an oily scalp, you shouldn’t use a conditioner.
Truth. Having an oily scalp can be frustrating but you still need to condition your hair. Use a clarifying shampoo and a light weight detangling conditioner. Detanglers are meant to stay on top of the cuticle so as not to weigh your hair down.
Myth. Drugstore brand hair products are just as good as professional salon products.
Truth. I personally will not try to sell my clients something that they don’t need. However, I know for a fact that most professional products are better than drugstore brands. So, when I smell the remnants of Pantene rolling off of their hair as I shampoo them with my Aquage Biomega Moisture I feel the need to educate them as to why they need to buy what I use and recommend. Professional products use higher quality ingredients. You know the old saying “you get what you pay for”? This rings true for most things. You’re not going to buy a dress from Forever 21 and have it last as long as a well tailored Christian Dior.
Myth. Having dandruff means you have a dry scalp.
Truth. Dandruff is actually a result of an oily scalp. Those snowflakes on your shoulders are caused by a type of yeast called Malassezia that grows in an oily environment. Dandruff could also be a symptom of contact dermatitis, which is just a result of something coming into contact with your skin that doesn’t agree with you. Paul Mitchell’s Special Tea Tree shampoo is perfect for controlling dandruff. Tea Tree is known for its anti-fungal properties.
Myth. You shouldn’t color your hair when you are pregnant.
Truth. This is debatable. Yes, it has been proven that a minuscule amount of color gets into your bloodstream. However, it is quite safe to dye your hair while pregnant. For example, you can always opt for a balayage. That’s a hair painting technique in which color isn’t applied directly to the scalp. Or you could ask for a Semi permanent color. Semi permanent colors don’t have peroxide or ammonia in them. Bottom line, for anything medical consult your physician and don’t do anything that you are not comfortable with.
Myth. The more suds your shampoo produces as you’re bathing your locks the cleaner your locks will be…
Truth. I will be the first one to admit that I love the bubbles. I feel like my hair is getting uber clean if I see a whole mess of bubbles on the shower floor. Sorry babes this isn’t true. Shampoos are primarily made up of surfactants. Surfactants are responsible for those luscious bubbles and the ability to clean the hair. There are shampoos that are just as effective that don’t produce as many suds. Those bubble-less shampoos usually aren’t the best sellers.
Myth. Using beer to rinse your hair will make it stronger, thicker, and shinier…
Truth. Um, no. The alcohol in the beer is extremely dehydrating to your hair. There is a protein in the beer that supposedly repairs the hair, nevertheless the alcohol overpowers that. Sorry guys and dolls.
Myth. Walking outside with wet hair will make you sick.
Truth. Colds are caused by a virus. Having a wet head might make you feel chilly, but that’s about it. So when your mom yells at you for leaving with a wet head telling you, “you’re gonna get sick!” just humor her;)
Myth. Switching shampoos every so often is good for your hair.
Truth. This is neither true of false. If your hair is feeling flat, you probably just need to clarify it to remove any build up from styling products. If you have been using the same shampoo for a year and your hair feels fine, keep using it. It’s always fun to try out new things, however, this isn’t a necessity for your hair.
Myth. Curly hair can be cut the same way as straight hair.
Truth. This is definitely false. If you are a curly haired babe who embraces those curly q’d coils of perfection do not let your stylist straighten your hair to cut it. Straightening curly hair to cut it can cause your stylist to cut too much or cut into your curl pattern too much. As my fellow stylist and friend Vincenzo Jonluca Lauretta says “Cutting into the curl pattern too much, takes away from the natural form causing it to be more square…and curly girls hate square hair.”
Myth. Pulling out a grey hair will cause two more to come in.
Truth. I love this one! No, two more will not come in. Just like waxing your brows or mustache will make it grow in thicker…not true. Pulling out gray hairs can actually cause scarring and bald spots, so just leave those annoying hairs alone.
Myth. Thinning hair or hair loss only occurs in older women.
Truth. There are several different factors that cause thinning and hair loss. Hormones, hormones, hormones! I lost clumps of hair 3 months postpartum. My hormones were so out of whack. Hair loss can also just be hereditary. This accounts for about 95% of hair loss in both men and women. Even if you aren’t hormonal and you don’t have the hair loss gene, you can still experience thinning and hair loss from your hair being over processed with chemicals and coloring or wearing your hair in tight braids or ponytails.
There you have it my friends. The old wives tales we have heard and been told our whole lives and the truth behind them. Some of these you may have already known, however I hope you were able to take at least one little tidbit of new info;) Until next time, beauties. I’m going to go apply my cellulite cream that doesn’t work in hopes of a miracle.
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