Can shampoo repair hair? Four haircare myths get the chop

Whether it’s shiny waves, bouncy curls, or sleek, smooth strands, we all want hair that looks and feels healthy.

In an industry worth £5.8bn in the UKThere are endless products, trends, and TikTok gimmicks floating around, making it easy to overlook the basics.

The truth is, healthy hair is not about spending a fortune or following complicated routines, but about doing simple things right.

Trichologist Eva Proudman from UK Hair Consultants and Tracey Walker from Hair and Scalp Clinic debunk four common myths about how to care for your hair.

Have you ever shivered in an icy shower for the sake of shinier hair?

Luckily, you can stop doing that and enjoy a warm, comfortable wash because cold water doesn’t add extra shine to your hair, says Proudman.

“You don’t need to wash your hair with freezing cold water because that won’t do anything,” she says. “What is much more important is how you protect your hair from chemicals, heat and your environment.

He adds that you don’t want to wash your hair with very hot water, because hot water can dry out your hair and scald your scalp, just as it scalds our skin.

If you’re someone hoping to fix split ends without going to the hairdresser, you’ll be disappointed to know that a haircut is the only solution.

Proudman explains that split ends are like ladders on pantyhose—there’s no way to fix it.

“If you imagine a hair breaking and you look at it under a microscope, it almost looks like there are two or three more ends in the hair,” Walker says.

“Products on the market act as a kind of glue that binds the hair back together, making it look better.”

He says these are temporary solutions and warns against fooling yourself into spending too much money on products that promise solutions.

Proudman also says that claims that cutting your hair will make it grow faster are not true.

“It’s not possible to make your hair grow faster, so any product that claims this is lying.”

You may have met someone who swears that they’ve trained their hair to “self-clean”, allowing them to wash it rarely or not at all.

But Proudman says doing this is definitely not good for your hair. “Your scalp has 180,000 oil glands and if not washed regularly, it collects dirt and debris.”

Walker agrees and likens it to the fact that greasy or dirty marks on clothes can’t be removed with just water; detergent is also needed.

Not washing your hair regularly can worsen scalp issues like dandruff as well as cause odor because it “can allow hair to become oilier, allowing yeast and bacteria to build up, which can further worsen the itchy scalp condition,” she says.

Proudman recommends washing your hair every other day if your hair is very oily or you use too much product.

Laura Waters, Professor of Pharmaceutical Analysis at the University of Huddersfield, says those with very oily hair may benefit from a stronger cleanse, while people with drier hair may consider a sulphate-free shampoo, which is more expensive but does not strip the hair of oil.

Finding time for a thorough wash, blow-dry and style isn’t always realistic; So between work, exercise, and social plans, many of us turn to dry shampoo as a quick fix to revitalize oily roots and refresh our hair without having to shower.

Proudman says dry shampoo is “absolutely fine” but should only be used once between hair washes.

The problem occurs when you use it for several days in a row without washing it.

“The scalp’s natural oil will mix into the shampoo, and the yeast will feed on the buildup,” says Proudman.

“If you’re not careful, your scalp will become itchy and flaky.”

Ultimately, her advice is to focus on taking care of your scalp the same way you take care of your face; You can’t continue applying makeup to your skin without taking off the layer underneath and washing it first.

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