You envy those models and celebrities who are blessed with long, lustrous, silky smooth hair, that have a great bounce and a colour to die for. And to get that same svelte look, you tried what not! From applying expensive shampoos and latest conditioners, to trying different home remedies, you went through it all, but your hair just seems to be too spoilt for choice.
Well, maybe you just need to get your facts checked and corrected. Here we bring to you some of the common hair myths which you may have taken to be facts:
Myth 1: Hair tends to grow faster with a trim:
While we have been listening to this solid piece of advice for years, science negates the claim. Cutting or trimming hair does not alter its genetically determined growth rate, however, regular cut or trim once in a month, prevents split ends and dry strands of hair.
Myth 2: The same shampoo and conditioner forever
Our scalp does not remain the same for all times. It keeps changing periodically depending on various factors including weather, diet, chemical treatments, and hormonal changes. Hence in accordance with these changes we need to keep updating our shampoos and conditioners, and if this gyaan gets too much, simply know that you need to change hair products every two or three months.
Myth 3: Plucking out one grey hair, means more will grow
This is completely untrue. In fact it only means that now that we can colour our hair, we should actually remove grey hair to get more hair and then colour them! But this doesn’t happen.
Myth 4: Mehendi or heena is an excellent conditioner
Most of the heena available today has the probability of containing chemical powders used to expedite the colouing process and may not be completely natural. Also heena is known to coat the hair shaft not allowing it to breathe and thereby causing dry and brittle hair. Also, any permanent hair treatments such as colouring and rebonding are hindered by the use of heena.
Myth 5: Dandruff can be contagious
Dandruff particles are visible flakes of skin that have been continuously shed from the scalp. Though dandruff is very common, it is a myth that it is contagious. You cannot get dandruff from someone else, such as by using his/her brush or comb.
Myth 6: My hair is good, I don’t need a conditioner
Just like our skin needs to be moisturised, so does our hair needs to be conditioned. Simply put, what moisturiser is to the skin, conditioner is to the hair. Conditioners help in restoring the moisture content in hair which gets lost due to chemical treatments and over exposure to sun and wind.
Myth 7: Products with the shampoos and conditioners together, i.e. 2 in 1 are good
Shampoos and conditioners perform very different roles. While shampoo cleans your hair, the conditioner provides the moisture. It seals the hair cuticles that are opened by the shampoo and improves the texture of hair.
Myth 8: Oil reduces hair fall:
While oiling hair is definitely required, keeping oil in your hair for a longer time, for more than two hours, is not good for your hair. This is because just like heena, oil too leaves a coating on the hair shaft and stops the hair follicle from breathing naturally. Also, too much of oiling requires rigorous shampooing to remove it too. However, nobody can deny the goodness of a good oil massage that improves blood circulation, ensure that it is not left on your hair for too long.
Tips:
- Make sure you eat right as it is only when the roots of your hair get enough nutrition that your hair will automatically shine.
- Regular shampooing, conditioning and using good quality hair products is important if you want to flaunt your lustrous tresses.
- According to cosmetology, it is always advisable to get your hair trimmed every four to six weeks as the rate at which hair grows is half inch every month. Poor eating habits, insufficient nutrition, antibiotics affect the rate of hair growth.
- According to Dr Apoorva Shah, certified trichologist in India, it is better to apply hair oil a night before hair wash the following morning.
- Keep changing your shampoos every two months
