By Maria Anwar
There are many myths believed to be true in the hair industry that can have an impact on the client’s hair and the results after a service. Being a stylist behind the chair, it is important to educate guests on all things that can affect their hair either negatively or positively. Some of these hair myths include: color on dirty hair, daily washing, and regular haircuts.
The most popular hair myth clients, who sit in my chair, believe is that a coloring service has the best results on dirty hair. Freshly washed and clean hair will always give the best outcome. If there is extra buildup, coating on the hair from oils, or products on the cuticle of the hair, the color will have a harder time penetrating the cortex – where the color change occurs in a hair strand . The only time a little extra oil on the hair will have a benefit is when you are doing an on-the-scalp lightening application. The natural oils from the scalp will help protect the skin from irritation caused by lightener directly on the skin. It is recommended to use a clarifying shampoo to help can any extra buildup on the hair prior to a hair coloring service. My personal favorite is our Hair Cleansing Cream by Redken, which you can find both in our salon, or on our website!
Another myth, that is important to the integrity of your hair, is daily washing. Many clients with greasy and oily hair believe they need to shampoo their hair every day which is not true. Excessive washing can strip the hair of its necessary natural oils and cause brittleness. It can even cause the hair to over produce these oils to compensate for the removal of them, due to over washing. The best practice would be to wash your hair every 3-5 days depending on your hair type. Also, using a clarifying shampoo once a week will help to remove any unwanted buildup. For swimmers, those who have product buildup on the scalp, or those who are simply just struggling with flat, oily, dull hair, it is recommended that you check out the Pre-Art treatment we offer here at the salon! Not only does this remove the excess oils and buildup on your hair, but it also levels the porosity of your hair for the best color results if a color service is in your future!
In addition, one more hair myth widely believed by clients is regular trims lead to faster hair growth. Having regular trims will not cause your hair to grow faster, but it will allow your hair to grow healthier. If you do not get regular trims, you will experience more spilt ends and breakage. With this breakage you will feel like your hair is not growing because the spit ends will just keep splitting up the hair. Your hair actually grows from your scalp not your ends. Regular trims will keep your hair healthy and promote hair growth, but it will not accelerate the process.
These are three main myths I feel I have to explain and educate to the guests who sit in my chair. Every person’s hair is different so what works for one person might not be the best for another. Best practices and hair routines will cause you to have the healthiest and prettiest hair possible, so you have to figure out what works best for you. For example, a person with straight fine hair might need to wash their hair more often than one with thick curly hair. There are many myths believed to be true in the hair industry so educating yourself on what is true and not will help you reach your hair goals!
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