Black Hair Care – Myths and Facts

Black Hair Care – Myths and Facts

There is seemingly no end to the glut of information available on black hair and its care. Unfortunately, there is plenty of bad info mixed in there with the good. And what’s even worse, is that the bad stuff sounds almost convincing enough to be true. Enough that even hair stylists preach like these myths are gospel, and really shouldn’t they know better? So what I’ve done here is compiled a Top Ten list of urban legends about caring for our hair, along with the facts to either back them up, or break them down.

Myth:  Hair only needs to be washed once a month (or less)

Fact:    If you sweat, use products regularly, or even walk around outside where dust abounds, all you are achieving by not washing your hair is dirty hair and scalp. And a dirty scalp leads to irritation, itchiness, odor, and hair that is lifeless and hard to style.

Myth:  Dollar store hair products work just as well as the expensive brands

Fact:    Cheap brands are cheap because they use manmade, poor quality ingredients, which can leave buildup on your strands for dull, unhealthy looking hair. Higher end products are better quality leaving hair and scalp cleaner and healthier. You can also be stingy with more expensive products since they are concentrated. Don’t break the bank, but don’t make the pennies cry from pinching them so hard either.

Myth:  Trimming hair every six weeks will make it grow faster

Fact:    Cutting the ends of your hair does not make it grow faster from your scalp. Your rate of hair growth is determined by health (illness and diet) and genetics, and trimming can help maintain healthy locks by removing split ends which helps you to retain growth. The better you take care of your hair, the less trims you need, the more growth you retain. Your hair will grow back after a trim, just not any faster.

Myth:  A cool water rinse makes your hair shinier

Fact:    Cool or cold water helps close the hairs cuticle and helps conditioner work more effectively, making hair gleam. That final rinse may be a tad uncomfortable, but well worth the final result.

Myth:  Hair gets used to one shampoo, so change them often

Fact:    Unless you are using problem specific shampoo that can be discontinued after several uses (i.e. protein, anti-fungal), you should obtain great results with each use of quality products geared toward your hair type (relaxed, natural, colored) and scalp condition (dry, oily, normal).

Myth:  Serums and heavy hair “grease” help repair split ends

Fact:    Once ends split, only scissors can get rid of them and stop them from further damaging your hair by travelling up the hair shaft. You can prevent splits by keeping hair moisturized, as well as minimizing use of heat tools.

Myth:  Rain will cause my relaxed hair to revert

Fact:    One reason people call a relaxer a perm is because it’s permanent. Once the composition of the hair is broken down and changed, nothing can change it back. So your hair style might be ruined, but your hair is just fine.

Myth:  Natural hair doesn’t need as much care as relaxed hair

Fact:    Natural hair needs just as much care and attention as relaxed hair. Naturals have many of the same concerns such as moisture, frizz, and finding the right products. It’s not all wash n’ go for naturals, just like it’s not all wrap n’ go for relaxers. Each has its own trials and triumphs which is completely dependent upon the person.

Myth:  My hair won’t grow!

Fact:    Unless you are suffering from a disease that inhibits hair growth, your hair will and is growing. Breakage is the biggest preventer of hair retention, and once you discover why your hair is breaking you can take steps to correct the problem. Technique, tools, and products all contribute to your hairs health, and it is important to use them with care in order to have a healthy head of hair.

Myth:  Weaves and braided extension are the best for growth

Fact:    Weaves and extensions are a great way to give your hair a break from daily styling stress, but they too can cause damage from glue, braids being done too tightly, or not leaving enough time between applications. Healthier options include the drawstring ponytail, and full and half wigs since they can be removed daily and put less stress on the hair.

Some of those myths have been controlling our hair care journey for years, and chained us to beliefs that only brought us down. Now that the truth is revealed it’s time to live a little. Kick off your shoes and go dance in the rain. Remember, your hair won’t revert!

• black hair facts
• african american hair facts
• facts about black hair
• facts about african american hair
• black hair myths
• facts about natural black hair
• facts about relaxed hair
• mss
• natural black hair facts