Hair and Now
Hair Trivia
Myth: You should brush your hair 100 times a day.
Truth: Excessive brushing causes hair to break and scratches the scalp, which leads to flaking and skin problems. However, it’s easy to see why it was considered a good idea once. Brushing carries sebum—natural skin oil—along the hair shaft from the region close to the scalp. Sebum is an excellent natural conditioner for the hair and, before modern hair conditioners, was the only conditioning agent available except vegetable oils. If hair is dry and brittle, excessive brushing will wear away the cuticle scales from the surface of the hair, making it weaker and more likely to break. It’s best to use a good quality, pH-balanced conditioner and a natural boar bristle brush.
Myth: Lemon juice makes your hair go blonde in the sun.
Truth: Hair becomes blonder in the sun because ultra violet (UV) rays penetrate the cuticle layer and destroy melanin, the hair’s natural coloring. Lemon juice is very acidic, and it will close and flatten the cuticle scales on the surface of the hair, making it easier for visible light to reflect off the smooth surface. The action of ultra-violet rays is so powerful that lemon juice neither helps nor hinders it. Therefore, it’s advisable to use a shampoo and conditioner containing sunscreen protection if you’re spending time in the sun.
Myth: Rinsing with vinegar makes hair shine.
Truth: At one time, shampoos were alkaline based and reacted with water. Vinegar was used to re-address the pH balance. Shampoos today are pH balanced, and there’s no need to use vinegar.
Myth: Putting beer on the hair makes it shine.
Truth: Believe it or not, this is somewhat true. Beer is made from malt, barley, and hops, and brewers yeast was used as a weak-setting lotion in the old days. It was effective because its natural sugar content formed a flexible clear film on the hair. When a sugar film covers a surface, it tends to reflect light, so putting beer on hair increases the shine a little. But my advice is to stick to drinking it.
Myth: Putting hair back into a ponytail causes hair loss.
Truth: True. It’s called traction alopecia. Tying the hair very tight—especially when wet—isn’t good for the hair. Hair should be dry and tied back, and then released to stop the tension.
Myth: Pull one gray hair out, and two will grow back.
Truth: Not true. There’s only one follicle to one hair; otherwise we’d all be pulling hairs out to make our hair thicker.
Myth: The average person loses 200 hairs a day.
Truth: A daily loss of 80 to 120 hairs is normal for maintaining a healthy head of hair. Hair shedding increases in time of illness, crash dieting, and hormone fluctuations. The advice of a specialist should be sought.
Myth: You should wash your hair every day.
Truth: Shampooing daily is a matter of choice. It’s only when drying it that the problems can begin. Over-shampooing will reduce the natural protective layer of ceramides, which protect and nourish the hair. Using professional, pH-balanced products helps maintain the integrity of the hair.
Myth: You should have your hair cut every six weeks to make it grow.
Truth: Not true; hair grows from the root. But it should be cut regularly to remove damaged ends; otherwise, split ends will travel up the hair shaft.
Myth: You should change your shampoo regularly to maintain healthy hair.
Truth: Shampoo is formulated to cleanse the hair and scalp. It’s advisable to use a good, professionally recommended hair regimen for your particular hair type, and it should be pH balanced. If you like a particular brand, you should stay with it. TPW
Truth: Excessive brushing causes hair to break and scratches the scalp, which leads to flaking and skin problems. However, it’s easy to see why it was considered a good idea once. Brushing carries sebum—natural skin oil—along the hair shaft from the region close to the scalp. Sebum is an excellent natural conditioner for the hair and, before modern hair conditioners, was the only conditioning agent available except vegetable oils. If hair is dry and brittle, excessive brushing will wear away the cuticle scales from the surface of the hair, making it weaker and more likely to break. It’s best to use a good quality, pH-balanced conditioner and a natural boar bristle brush.
Myth: Lemon juice makes your hair go blonde in the sun.
Truth: Hair becomes blonder in the sun because ultra violet (UV) rays penetrate the cuticle layer and destroy melanin, the hair’s natural coloring. Lemon juice is very acidic, and it will close and flatten the cuticle scales on the surface of the hair, making it easier for visible light to reflect off the smooth surface. The action of ultra-violet rays is so powerful that lemon juice neither helps nor hinders it. Therefore, it’s advisable to use a shampoo and conditioner containing sunscreen protection if you’re spending time in the sun.
Myth: Rinsing with vinegar makes hair shine.
Truth: At one time, shampoos were alkaline based and reacted with water. Vinegar was used to re-address the pH balance. Shampoos today are pH balanced, and there’s no need to use vinegar.
Myth: Putting beer on the hair makes it shine.
Truth: Believe it or not, this is somewhat true. Beer is made from malt, barley, and hops, and brewers yeast was used as a weak-setting lotion in the old days. It was effective because its natural sugar content formed a flexible clear film on the hair. When a sugar film covers a surface, it tends to reflect light, so putting beer on hair increases the shine a little. But my advice is to stick to drinking it.
Myth: Putting hair back into a ponytail causes hair loss.
Truth: True. It’s called traction alopecia. Tying the hair very tight—especially when wet—isn’t good for the hair. Hair should be dry and tied back, and then released to stop the tension.
Myth: Pull one gray hair out, and two will grow back.
Truth: Not true. There’s only one follicle to one hair; otherwise we’d all be pulling hairs out to make our hair thicker.
Myth: The average person loses 200 hairs a day.
Truth: A daily loss of 80 to 120 hairs is normal for maintaining a healthy head of hair. Hair shedding increases in time of illness, crash dieting, and hormone fluctuations. The advice of a specialist should be sought.
Myth: You should wash your hair every day.
Truth: Shampooing daily is a matter of choice. It’s only when drying it that the problems can begin. Over-shampooing will reduce the natural protective layer of ceramides, which protect and nourish the hair. Using professional, pH-balanced products helps maintain the integrity of the hair.
Myth: You should have your hair cut every six weeks to make it grow.
Truth: Not true; hair grows from the root. But it should be cut regularly to remove damaged ends; otherwise, split ends will travel up the hair shaft.
Myth: You should change your shampoo regularly to maintain healthy hair.
Truth: Shampoo is formulated to cleanse the hair and scalp. It’s advisable to use a good, professionally recommended hair regimen for your particular hair type, and it should be pH balanced. If you like a particular brand, you should stay with it. TPW