Five Common Hair Myths

You've probably heard more than a few hair myths in your time. And many of them probably sounded true at the time. But, often, the myths that have the ring of truth to them can be the most harmful.

Here are a few of the most common hair myths.

Myth #1: Cutting your hair makes it grow faster. It also makes it thicker.

Cutting your hair won't make it grow in thicker. However, fine hair can seem fuller and thicker than usual when it is shorter. Also, a cut can get rid of split ends, which will make your hair look thicker and healthier.

If you really want your hair to grow faster, eating plenty of protein (which can be found in fish, eggs, and lean meats) will help.

Myth #2: If you condition often enough, you can repair split ends.

Split ends can't really be permanently unsplit, no matter how much you condition them. However, certain products can merge split ends temporarily, sealing them together and making your hair look healthier. But the only "fix" for split ends is a trim. If you don't trim away split ends, the damage at the tip of each strand will eventually spread, traveling up each hair strand, and causing more damage.

Myth #3: You should wash your hair every day.

If you have oily hair, you probably have to wash every day to control the oiliness. But, if you don't have a problem with oiliness, and especially if you have dry hair, it's more than okay for you to shampoo less frequently.

Myth #4: Washing your hair every day will dry it out.

If you do shampoo every day, using a shampoo that's too harsh can cause dryness. But, if you use the right kind of shampoo, and condition after every shampoo, you won't have to worry about your hair drying out as a result of too much washing.

Basically, if you want to shampoo every day, it's fine. If you want to shampoo less frequently, that's fine, too.

Myth #5: Brushing your hair a hundreds strokes a day will make it healthier. Brushing will also increase blood circulation in your scalp.

Too much brushing can cause split ends and breakage. And, if you brush too hard, you could pull strands of hair out of their follicles.

And, while brushing might make your scalp feel good, it can also aggravate the oil glands at the base of every hair strand, which will cause those glands to produce more oil. And that could make your hair greasy and limp.

If you must brush your hair, a few gentle strokes with a quality hairbrush is all you need.

Hair myths can be hard to spot because, sometimes, they sound true. But, once you discard the myth, you can focus on giving your hair the best care possible.