I know all of you have heard all of these hair myths at one time or another. Some of them make me want to laugh out loud. It is crazy what people think is true.... I digress. So, as a hair stylist for 18+ years, I am here to spread the truth!
1- Hair grows faster when it is cut.
Myth- Hair does not grow faster when it is cut. It does however get rid of any split or dead ends. If left uncut, the hair will split all the way up and the hair will not grow. It also makes the hair look healthier as it grows out.
2- Being blonde when you were a child means you are a natural blonde.
Myth- This is the one that drives me crazy! Just because you were a blonde or had lighter hair as a child does not determine your hair color as an adult. Children have less melanin than adults. Melanin increases with age, therefore darkening the hair.
3- You can have just one or two layers.
Myth- There is no such thing as just one or two layers. Layers cannot be numbered. You can decide how short you want the shortest layer to be, then all other layers fall under that. You can have choppy or more defined layers, just not "one".
5- Updos are best on dirty hair.
Myth- While wet, freshly washed hair isn't ideal for an updo, it is better than day old, greasy hair. Day old hair is usually oily and makes the hair more flat. Most people want volume when they are getting updos. I would rather have clean hair to work with. Trust me, we can make it dirty with hairspray and other products to get the style to hold.
6- Store bought hair products are the same as salon products.
Myth- Really? Really? Would you get a prescription from the street instead of the pharmacy? That may be over dramatic but that's how serious this is to me!
Salon brands have a higher quality of ingredients and gentler soaps that protect your hair and color from fading. Salon brands also have more proteins, and vitamins your hair needs to stay healthy. Store brands contain more parabins or wax to make the hair appear more shiny and silky. Over time this dulls the hair and produces a wax buildup. Store brands also have more water in it that makes you need more product to produce a lather, which means it wont go as far as salon brands.
Just because there is a salon brand for sale in a grocery store, etc., doesn't mean it is the same what you buy in the salon. Usually it is old or after market stock that has been purchase in bulk. Sometimes they are counterfeit and not the same brand at all. That's why professional products are not guaranteed unless they are sold in a salon. I could go on about this forever, but I will stop before I go overboard.
7- All hair color is damaging to hair.
Myth- Usually hair color makes the hair healthier. Damage from hair color can occur if the instructions are not followed or not performed by a licensed stylist. When bleach is applied and timed properly it is totally safe on the hair. It will usually give the hair more volume also. Permanent and semi permanent color acts as a conditioner and coats the hair, leaving the hair in better condition that before color.
8- A haircut and a trim are the same thing.
True- No matter how much is getting cut off the hair it is the same thing. It takes the same steps and time to cut and trim the hair. Usually a cut means more is coming off versus a trim, but still the same thing. People like to think that a trim isn't as expensive as a cut, again, it is the same.
9- Hair grows an average of half inch a month.
True- This is the average rate of growth for most people. Some people's hair grows faster and others grow slower. Factors such as health, medicine intake, temperature, etc. can make a difference in the rate of growth. This why we ask how long it has been since your last haircut, to get an idea of how much is has grown.
10- If you pluck one grey hair out, 2 more grow in its place.
Myth- If this were true then wouldn't people with thin hair do this to make their hair thicker? It makes no difference if the hair is pulled out or is naturally shed, it is one follicle and one hair will grow back out of it. Grey hair tends to be more wiry, so when it grows in, it may be more noticeable and stick up some. That's the only difference.
