We debunk seven common hair myths for healthy and strong hair.

1. Washing your hair every day causes more hair loss.

False.

What shampooing and washing do is dislodge loose hairs that are sitting loosely in their hair follicles and are ready to come out. Hence, the act of washing does not actually cause hair loss.

It’s normal to lose about 100 strands of hair a day.

For those experiencing increased hair loss, daily washing becomes really important in keeping the scalp healthy. The healthier the scalp, the better it can support new hair growth.

Focus on the scalp during shampooing – the suds that run through the lengths of the hair will be enough to cleanse it.

2. Dandruff is because of a dry scalp.

False.

Having dandruff almost always means an oily scalp.

Dandruff is also known as seborrheic dermatitis. An overgrowth of naturally occurring yeast, Malassezia furfur, feeds on the oil. The oilier the scalp, the more this yeast thrives, resulting in more flakes. These flakes may also be found behind the ears, over the eyebrows and on the sides of the nose.

Treat dandruff with:

– Anti-dandruff shampoo, over-the-counter or medicated
– Scalp toners and masks
– Dietary changes: Cut down on sugars and starch

The washing process hydrates the hair, and the scalp becomes less oily, making it harder for the yeast to grow well.
 

3. Hair grows faster when you constantly cut it.

False.

Hair grows about ½ inch per month, and cutting it won’t speed up this process.

On average, we have about 120 000 hair follicles, and each hair is at a different phase of the hair-growth cycle.

Generally, at any moment, up to 90% of the hairs will be in a growth phase, and the rest are preparing or ready to shed.
 

4. Cutting or shaving causes the hair to grow back thicker and darker.

False.

Hair naturally grows tapered, so when hair is cut (or shaved), the ends are blunted, and the thicker parts of the hair shafts are exposed. Thus, cutting (or shaving) may appear to make the hairs look thicker and darker, but it doesn’t.
 

5. Air-drying the hair is better than blow-drying.

Not necessarily, it is method-dependent.

These are not good practices:

X Rough handling the hair during air-drying

X “Air-dry” but hair is all tied up, and it stays wet in the middle or at the base of the scalp for a long time. 

Brush gently and let the hair dry naturally, without roughly towel-drying.

Blow-drying does not necessarily need to be damaging. Use the back of the hand as a reference – if it is too hot for the skin, it is too hot for the hair. Hold the hair dryer about 6 inches away and reduce the temperature progressively.
 

6. Stress makes you have grey hair

Partially true.

When you go grey is largely genetically dependent, but stress can speed up the process.

A recent 2020 study has shown that stress can cause hair to grey prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment.

And on a side note, plucking out one grey hair does not make two grey hairs grow.

Reference: Hyperactivation of sympathetic nerves drives depletion of melanocyte stem cells. Zhang B, Ma S, Rachmin I, He M, Baral P, Choi S, Gonçalves WA, Shwartz Y, Fast EM, Su Y, Zon LI, Regev A, Buenrostro JD, Cunha TM, Chiu IM, Fisher DE, Hsu YC. Nature. 2020 Jan;577(7792):676-681. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-1935-3. Epub 2020 Jan 22. PMID: 31969699.
 

7. Hair loss is solely dependent on genetics.

False.

Losing hair has some genetic elements. Androgenic alopecia is a type of inherited hair loss, but it’s also dependent on hormone levels, specifically the androgens. This type of hair loss is more common in men (any age) and women approaching or past menopause.

Nutrient deficiencies can also result in hair loss, especially in women, due to iron insufficiency from menstrual loss. Screen and replace these deficiencies accordingly to grow thick and strong hair.

For more on how to achieve a healthy crown, click here.