These Are the 6 Biggest Hair Myths, According to a Top L.A. Hairstylist
It's hard to decipher fact from fiction, especially with century-old myths that have been passed down through generations.
For some reason, hair seems to have many misconceptions surrounding it, including how often to cut it for optimal growth, how often to wash it, or whether or not people should pluck their greys (not your problem yet—thankfully!).
We decided to get down to the facts by tapping Los Angeles-based hairstylist Lovette Limones, who regularly styles Steph Shep, Allie Evans and Kat McNamara. Lovette breaks down the six biggest hair myths below!
1. Cutting Your Hair Every 6-8 Weeks Makes It Grow Faster
"This is probably one of the biggest myths you'll hear," Lovette tells Sweety High. "I'm not sure who thought of this but your hair grows from the scalp. You need to keep your scalp in healthy shape in order to get it to grow, by doing a good scalp scrub just like you would your face. Product builds up over time and clogs your follicles. However, if you have split ends, always cut them because they do split and break off."
2. Plucking Greys Will Make Them Grow Back in Excess
There's the famous saying that if you "pick one grey out, 10 more come to its funeral." But Lovette debunks this explaining, "Greys come from lack of melanin in the hair follicles, so picking one out doesn't cause more to grow. In grey hair, the texture changes, and that's why you feel like you have more."
3. Your Hair Is Healthier If You Don't Use Heat Tools
While it's known that excessive use of hot tools can cause hair damage, using your favorite curling iron from time-to-time isn't going to sacrifice your hair health. Lovette notes, "Heat isn't always the cause of unhealthy hair. Even stepping outside in the sun does damage to it, along with pollution and overall environmental factors."
4. It's Better to Go Days Without Washing Your Hair and Use Dry Shampoo
These days, women go days and days without washing their hair, and use dry shampoo to absorb grease and grime for fear of "over-shampooing" or "over-washing" hair. But Lovette says it's actually worse to keep products like dry shampoo in your hair. "If you use too much dry shampoo, you're clogging your follicles," she explains. "Washing your hair often is actually healthier for your hair than using lots of dry shampoo. You need to use a great cleansing shampoo paired with a great conditioner."
5. Oily Hair Shouldn't Use Hair Oils
"I've heard many people say that if you have oily hair, oil-based products, like hair oils, aren't good for your hair," Lovette says. "But in reality, oils are moisturizing and keep the hair from getting too dry. When the scalp is dry, it over-produces oil, so oily hair types can benefit from using moisturizing oils and oil-based products."
6. Combing Your Hair Is Better Than Brushing When Wet
Hair is most fragile when it's wet, so many believe that using a comb is more gentle and reduces breakage. Not so, says Lovette. "You don't want to pull at your hair, but you do need to get the tangles out," she explains, adding, "Just use the right brush and one that doesn't pull at the hair, like a boar bristle."
Rocking a messy bun? HERE are some fun captions for your Instagram photo.
0