Common False Myths About Hair You Should Know

Does washing your hair daily promote baldness? Does trimming your ends make your hair grow longer? Does gray hair fall out less?… There are many myths about hair, passed down from generation to generation, which are not true the vast majority of the time. These are some of the most common myths and doubts about hair that Dr. Carlos Portinha helps us clarify:

Washing your hair every day promotes baldness: Fake. We’ve always believed that washing your hair every day can weaken it, causing it to fall out. The reality is very different. “Keeping dirt in your hair for days is harmful to your health,” says the doctor, “cleanliness is a fundamental point for maintaining good hair health,” he adds. What is important is to always dry it with a dryer at a distance of 1 inch from the scalp and on the first heat or cold setting.

Gray hair does not fall out: Fake. Gray hair not only differs from the rest of the hair because of the color, but it also has a different texture, because it is thicker and rougher, because it is less elastic hair. The first gray hairs usually start to appear after the age of 30, but sometimes they can appear at a younger age, although there are various causes such as stress, autoimmune diseases, etc. that can make their appearance show up.

Shaving the hair makes it come out stronger: Fake. This is one of the most common and widespread myths in society. Even many parents shave their babies’ hair with the idea that this way the hair will grow stronger and more abundant. Nothing is further from the truth. What actually happens is that the diameter of the hair, the closer to the scalp it is, the thicker it is, and the smaller the diameter at the ends. For this reason, “when shaving the hair, an optical effect is produced that gives a feeling of greater density,” confirms Dr. portinha.

Using anti-dandruff shampoos prevents dandruff from coming out: Fake. As the doctor confirms, “anti-dandruff shampoos should not be used prophylactically. It’s a serious mistake. We will only use this type of treatment if there really is a peeling problem, always bearing in mind that it will be applied for a period of time.

Cutting your hair often makes it longer: Fake. “Hair grows at the root of the scalp, so trimming the ends will not affect hair growth at the root. The number of times you cut your hair doesn’t directly affect whether the hair grows more or less,” says Dr. Portinha. A freshly cut hair, although it looks and feels stronger, has nothing to do with the change in hair growth. Rhythm Hair thickness, texture and length are characteristics determined by genes, and a haircut changes our genetic code.

Using dryers damages the hair: Fake. We have always heard that it is preferable to avoid using appliances to dry the hair, as they damage it, and say that the best option is to let the hair air dry. Like dr. Carlos Portinha notes, “Air-drying your hair is worse, as it loses hair strength and resistance, making it more prone to breakage or split ends.” Hair should be blow-dried a foot away on cold or low heat until the scalp is thoroughly dry.