I have had to address these various myths over the course of my career, so I thought I would share them with you. These are a number of different things that are generally false, but have been spread through social ideas. I am going to also give you the reason why the myths aren't so.
1. Hair grows faster if you cut it.
-This is not true, anymore than the grass grows faster if you mow the lawn. You can't change the growth rate of hair by external stimulus. The only thing that affects the speed of growth is how healthy you are internally. You may notice hair growing if you cut it short, because you will see it sooner. The only thing that regular trims can do in regard to hair growth is encourage the hair to not break off. Therefore, it doesn't grow any faster, but can get longer by keeping the ends from splitting and breaking.
2. If you pull out a grey hair, two more grow back in its place.
-Definitely not true. There is no way for a hair root to grow two hairs out of one follicle. What seems to be happening is that you start noticing more grey hairs once you've seen one. Generally, hair greys in specific areas on the head according to your genetic heritage. So, you pull out your first grey and all of a sudden you see two or more in the same part of the head. Not that more hairs are sprouting out of the same follicle.
3. "Healthy hair"
-This is a pet peeve of mine, as hair is dead. There can be no health in something that has no blood flow or nerves. The condition of the hair can indicate the health of the individual, but the hair, itself, isn't healthy. Add shine, add luster, keep the ends fresh and it will appear that you are in a healthful state.
4. Split ends vs. baby hairs
-Many people see the new, or baby, hairs on their heads as evidence of damage and frizz and are convinced that they've got split ends all the way up to their scalp. Every hair on your head goes through a growth cycle. Starting with the emergence of the hair from the scalp, followed by a growing phase, and, finally reaching its apex length and resting. Depending on your hair the cycle can last from 2 to 6+ years. When the "old" hair falls out, it is replaced by a new, baby, hair. You can tell the difference of a split end from a baby hair by the end of the hair shaft. Baby hairs come to a fine point, while split ends are rough, blunt, or even white and knotted. Please don't trim your baby hairs, it just makes it worse.
5. Hair color washes out
-Some people seem to think that because they can no longer notice the color on their hair, that it all washed out, making their hair as good as natural. The stress that the chemicals causes to the hair cannot be washed out. Even if there is no visible pigment molecules, the hair is still in somewhat of a compromised state, due to the chemicals you have used to color your hair. When you are listing your hair's chemical history, even semi-permanent, wash out color alters your hair and needs to be mentioned.
6. Blonde fades
-There are some who say that they had their hair made blonde, but the blonde faded. You can't fade blonde hair. Once the pigment molecules (melanin) have been altered and dissipated, they can't come back and darken(fade) the blonde that was created. However, you can, by exposure to environmental agents, alter the tone of the blonde. You may need a service to brighten the blonde, either a anti-oxidant treatment or gloss for tone, to feel like it is as blonde as you originally had it.
