More Hair Myths and Almost-Myths
Here are more interesting sayings about hair and hair products you might have encountered.
Tight ponytails can lead to hair fall.
Yes, when you always wear your hair up in tight ponytails, tight braids, severe top knots, including prolonged wearing of hair extensions, you are creating tension in your hair. When hair follicles are constantly stretched, they are liable to snap, leading to hair loss. Do enjoy this updo trend, but occasionally only.
Air-drying hair is better than blow-drying.
True. Air-drying is a healthier option than applying heat to dry your hair. However, air-drying hair can cause damage within the strands themselves. How? In case you expose your hair to water for extended periods, hair swells up as water molecules put pressure on the protein inside.That is why they break easily while wet. Try air-drying about more than half the time to get hair dry, then apply low heat blow-dry to finish.
Shampoos that lather clean hair better.
Not necessarily. We love shampoos that foam a lot, associating them with cleaner hair. Shampoo’s foaming agent, sulfate, can cause possible harmful effects, though it has been cleared by the American Cancer Society. Sulfates in shampoo can fade the color in your dyed hair, though. To be on the safe side, prefer a sulfate-free shampoo. If it has glycerin for a sudsy effect, that’ll be a safe choice, too.
Wearing hats can cause hair loss.
You probably think so because you’d always observe strands under your hat or bonnet. It’s another old wives’ tale that hats or caps snuff out blood circulation to the scalp, leading to hair loss. Most men’s hair loss is genetics, like male pattern baldness. It’s got nothing to do with hats.
Hair-dye while pregnant is bad for the baby.
The reason dyeing your hair while pregnant is not advisable has nothing to do with the scalp absorbing the dye and affecting your baby. The main concern is breathing in ammonia which is present in hair coloring. But since the amount of ammonia in dyes are so low and that most salons have industrial ventilation, it should not cause problems for pregnant women. However, the safer option is natural, like henna which is ammonia-free, prefered by pregnant moms.
Know more about myths and near-myths on hair and hair products over at Geena Moon’s salon. In Bellevue, find great hair treatments and great hair care tips to live by. Look no further than Geena’s.