We’ve all heard the age-old wives tale: “hair color sticks better to dirty hair, so always show up to your color appointments with unwashed hair!” But is that really the truth? This week, we’re breaking down the most common hair myths that your stylist is dying for you to know!
1. “Stress turns your hair gray!”
This is false! Gray hair is all about genetics, baby. However, stress can have an impact on your hair! Being too stressed isn’t good for any aspect of your life, and that includes your hair. According to the National Institutes of Health, chronic stress can be linked to hair loss, although the reasons why aren’t fully understood yet. So make sure to keep stress levels down and take a self-care day every once in a while, especially if your self care includes a deep-conditioning masque for your hair!
2. “Frequent trims help your hair grow faster”
False! Hair growth all happens at the scalp. Although this one feels true to a certain extent. Here’s why: when you get your hair trimmed, all of the split ends get cut off, which is very good for your hair. If you let your hair grow out for months (or years) at a time, the split ends will just keep on splitting, up, and up, and up your hair cuticle, breaking off the ends along the way. So, if you feel like your hair isn’t growing, even though you don’t cut it, it’s likely because you’re experiencing breakage at the ends.Breakage can be reduced to a certain extent by practicing healthy hair habits, but there’s only so much you can do to prevent breakage; the fact of the matter is, it’s unavoidable. Everyone’s hair will experience some form of environmental damage (from being out in the sun, from the pollution in the air, or from cold and hot weather) as well as mechanical damage (from brushing your hair, towel drying your hair, or, for our long-haired babes, the inevitability of getting your hair caught in your cross-body bag. Yes, that causes damage to your hair!)So no, getting regular trims won’t make your hair grow faster, but it will certainly make your hair healthier, which will be better for it in the long run!
3. "You need to wash your hair every day to keep it healthy.”
Wrong-o. In fact, quite the opposite! Washing your hair too frequently can strip your scalp of much-needed oils that protect your skin and promote hair growth. This prompts your body to produce more oil to try to make up for it, which can make your hair feel greasy even after just one day. What a vicious cycle, right? Your hair feels greasy, so you wash it, and then it feels greasy after a day, so you wash it again, and on and on. To break the cycle, we recommend using a professional shampoo and conditioner (purchased within the professional salon industry) and stretching your routine to at least 3-5 days between washes. This might take a while to get used to–sometimes your body needs a few weeks to get used to the new oil-production schedule. But once it does, your hair will thank you!
4. “If I have flaky scalp, it means I have dandruff.”
Luckily, this one is also false! Dandruff isn’t what most people think it is. “Dandruff” is a skin condition (also called Tinea Capitis) which is very contagious, and is marked by patches of dry, flaky skin. However, these patches are fungal infections, very different from the common flakes that plague so many people. What most people think of as “dandruff” is actually simple dry scalp! Dry scalp is very common, especially in arid climates like Utah. To combat those pesky flakes, you can use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner, don’t over-wash your hair (as mentioned above!) and stay hydrated.
5. “Hair color sticks better to dirty hair!”
Drumroll please… False! This is one of the most common myths we hear from clients, but believe it or not, the opposite is true. Here’s a quick run-down on how hair color works: the color gets mixed with developer, which is an alkaline solution designed to lift your hair cuticle so the color can get inside your hair shaft, coloring your hair. If your hair is covered in dirt and grease, that’s just more matter that the developer has to eat through in order to get to the cuticle. Now, professional color is pretty strong, so it’ll do the job in the end, but the whole idea that you need to come to your hair appointment with completely dirty hair is untrue. As hairstylists, we’ve seen a lot, so we don’t really mind dealing with dirty hair, but now you know all the facts! We hope you found this week’s post informative and enlightening! To book your next appointment (which you’ll now be totally prepared for), call 801-441-666 or click the “reserve” button in the top right-hand corner of our website today!
