5 Popular Hair Care Myths Busted

Everyone and their second cousin has skin and hair care advice. Between friends, families and and self-styled beauty gurus, there is a world of unverified advice floating around the Internet and our minds. While some might actually be promising and helpful, most are unscientific or misinformed. All we can say is, when it comes to hearsay advice, it is better to be skeptical than sorry. Here, we've busted 5 enduring hair care myths that need to go away, STAT!

Myth #1: Trimming hair can help it grow longer
Hair grows from the scalp, and trimming the ends does not affect its growth in any manner. How it does affect your hair is like this: hair with split ends is prone to become weaker and breaking, creating the illusion that it is not growing anymore. Trimming the ends every 3-4 months takes care of that. Your hair will grow about a quarter of an inch every month, regardless of whether you trim it. But yes, trimming does make your hair look thicker by preventing the breakage. So it's a good idea to trim it every 3 to 4 times a year. 

Myth #2: Comb your hair 100 times a day
We've all heard of all the wonderful things that will happen to our hair if we comb it -- it will become shinier, stimulate blood flow, help distribute oils to the entire scalp... The list is long. While brushing or combing the hair is required to detangle it, doing it too often causes more harm than good. Brushing too much or too hard can cause breakage and cuticle damage. It could also be the reason for static in your hair. Brush your hair normally to detangle or style with a wide tooth comb or a ball-tip paddled brush.

Myth #3: Use a towel to dry your hair
No matter how satisfying the vigorous rub might be, using a towel to dry your hair might worsen the split ends, if you already have them. A coarse towel might also create friction and break the hair. Instead, use a soft, old (but clean) cotton t-shirt or a towel with microfibers to dry the hair. You can also gently squeeze your hair with a regular towel and comb out the excess water. 

Myth #4: Split ends can be repaired 
We know you've seen dozens of ads telling you about the split ends-repairing properties of shampoos. We have too. And as much as we'd like to believe there is anything that can help men those pesky prongs, it's not going to happen. Once your hair has split, the only way to get rid of it is my trimming it off. Masks, deep conditioners and hydrating products will make your hair smooth and prevent it from further damage, but will not be able to reverse the split ends. 

Myth #5: Cold water makes hair shinier
No matter how much your hair stylist brags about cold water making your hair reflect light, it's not happening. Hair is made up of non-living cells that cannot react to or be affected by hot or cold water. In fact, cold water removes product residue leff effectively as compared to hot water. So, it's actually hot water that can make your hair look glossier -- because it is clearer. Go ahead and take that long hot water shower your heart desires.