Hair is such a source of vanity to most of us, and we are constantly trying to do all sorts of things to make sure our mane stays luscious and thick. From grandma’s herbal recipes, to getting a trim every 6 weeks, there is a lot of advice we have been given since our childhood, which remains ingrained in our heads. Well, not all of it is good advice. After speaking with many of my clients and friends, I realized busting some myths was in order, so hear goes:
Hair Care Myths
Myth #1. Washing hair often makes it fall: The frequency of washing hair often doesn’t harm the hair. In fact, it keeps the scalp clean. Washing the hair thrice a week or every alternate day is recommended. This helps to maintain the pH balance on the scalp allowing the pores to breath and remain clean.
People who wash just once or twice a week will probably suffer from greater hair fall, as the scalp pores are not cleansed and this blocks the pores causing excessive hair fall.
Myth #2. Ammonia free colour does not contain chemicals: Ammonia free colour, as the name suggest, is ammonia free, but not chemical free. Ammonia free colour is substituted with another chemical to give you the same result when you go in for a colouring treatment. These colours are often semi-permanent colours, that do not last as long as colours that contain Ammonia. Ammonia or free of Ammonia, make sure you use a product from a reputed company (L’Oreal, Wella, Schwarzkopf).
Myth #3. Straightening hair makes it fall: Straightening / smoothening/ softening are different terms used for this process. The straightening chemical products do not make the hair fall or aggravate hair fall. These products are not to be applied directly to the scalp. These chemical treatments are meant for the hair and applied on the hair shafts and not on the roots or scalp. If the process is done incorrectly i.e. the product is applied on the scalp or the product is left on longer than recommended, then this could lead to hair fall. So make sure your hair stylist knows what they are doing, and you will be just fine!
Myth #4. Keratin treatment is chemical free: Hair contains the protein Keratin. The Keratin treatment is made of artificial Keratin from chemicals. Since it is artificial Keratin, it contains chemicals and is not an organic or natural product. One should always opt for the Formaldehyde FREE keratin. Formaldehyde is a harmful chemical which is carcinogenic, so make sure you read the ingredients, or double check with your stylist.
Myth #5. Oiling your hair before every wash will soften it: Oil is mainly required for the scalp. A good oil massage helps blood circulation in the scalp. The hair shaft doesn’t require oiling. When hair is oiled, one tends to use more shampoo to wash the oil off. One tends to scrub the hair length harder to get rid of the smell or stickiness. Due to the friction of the scrubbing, the hair cuticles tend to split causing excessive dryness. Oiling the scalp once a week is sufficient enough.
Myth #6. Colouring the hair makes it grey: Greying is a natural process. Factors such as stress, eating habits, hormonal changes and genes are the main causes of greying of hair. Greying is caused due to internal changes. Nothing external can cause the hair to grey. Colour is applied on the hair externally and this does not cause greying.
Myth #7. Using leave-in products will damage the hair: On the contrary, leave-in cream based care products help the hair. They create a layering /coating on the hair, protecting it from the sun, dust, pollution etc.
Cream and aqua i.e. water-based products have conditioning properties which also soften the hair and work as leave-in conditioners.
Myth #8. Blast drying hair will damage hair: Cold or hot air when used to dry the scalp or hair will not damage the hair. It only helps to speeden up the drying process. When used without a brush, and pulling or tugging, blast drying your hair after every wash is not harmful.
Parigna Sitwala (@parigna) is the Head Hair Stylist at Dilshad’s Salon in Mumbai. Her training began at Nalini’s of Nalini and Yasmin in Mumbai. She has honed her skills under the expert guidance of Dilshad of Dilshad’s fame, who encouraged her to experiment and introduce new cutting styles and techniques in India. Under her tutelage, Parigna has worked on film shoots and handled complete looks for big budget Bollywood films. She loves to experiment with haircuts, color and perms in particular. She has a diploma in colour from L’Oreal and advanced training from A Cut Above Academy by Winnie Loo in Kuala Lumpur.
Inspiration: Breaking stereotypes. It is a myth that the hairstyles we see in magazines or on the TV are not suited for the average Indian.