Black Hair Myths Revealed

Over the generations women of colour have inherited a number of hair care / growth myths that have been passed down from mothers, grandmothers, aunts etc along the way.

Common sense should have told us that some of these myths are completely false and could never ever be true but we still seem to hang on to them almost religiously, regardless of the damage they may cause to our hair. In hindsight i'm sure many of us would have had longer and healthier hair if we had questioned some of these myths earlier. Well its never too late to get your hair back on track.
Knowledge is power!
 

Hair Myth #1 Trimming your ends makes your hair grow.

 
False: Although trimming your ends does make a difference to the overall health of your hair, it does not promote hair growth.
You should trim your ends when they need to be trimmed and not as part of a monthly regimen. Hair grows on an average of 1/2" a month and grows from the roots. So getting a trim every 6-8 weeks if not needed does nothing but make your hair shorter. If you are taking good care of your hair you will rarely have split ends and they should be trimmed every 3-12 months depending on how severe. Cutting your ends will appear to make your hair look healthier because you are getting rid of the damaged ends.
 

Hair Myth #2: Greasing your scalp/hair makes your hair grow.

False: Greasing your scalp actually block the pores on your scalp and stops moisture from getting in. Most of us grew up on these greases that came in blue, green, yellow and even red! The main ingredient in alot of these hair grease products is petroleum. Petroleum is NOT a moisturiser, it is a barrier. It either seals moisture in or out of you hair or body. If your hair is already moisturised without petroleum and mineral based products you can use a tiny bit to act as a sealant to lock moisture into your hair, But if you hair is not moisturised properly and you use these greases in your hair all you are literally doing is adding grease, to your hair, you are also sealing moisture out of your hair, which will make your hair dryer in the long run.

Greasing the scalp is not for everyone but if you feel that you benefit from putting something on your scalp try natural oils. Coconut oil and Jojoba oil are two oils that actually penetrate the hair shaft and provide moisture, mix a concoction of the two or use them alone, but most definately a much better choice than grease.

Hair Myth #3: Braids grow your hair

 

False: Braids are a great protective style if done correctly, but they do not accelerate the rate at which your grows. Hair grows roughly at the rate of 1/2" per month, unless your hair follicles are damaged your hair will grow regardless. Braids that are not put in or taken out correctly, done too tightly or too often can have a very damaging effect on the hair. Putting your hair in braids is an easy style option to manage, one of the biggest benefits of braids is that they shield and protect your hair giving it a rest from daily styling, heat damage and the elements. When your hair is braided it's much easier to see you hair growth because the hair has been protected and manipulation kept to a minimum. Its also easier to minimise breakage and retain length for the same reasons.

Hair Myth #4: Dirty hair grows hair

False: I speak to soooo many women who really still believe that dirty hair grows hair, some women are still going well over a month without washing their hair. Washing your hair too often with shampoo that contain sulphates can dry out your hair, and of course dryness is one of the leading causes of hair breakage. Again hair grows roughly between 1/4" and 1/2" per month dirty or clean. Not everyone who does not wash their hair often suffers from odours or itchy scalp, but product build up can weigh down your strands and block pores. A clean scalp is a healthy scalp and the perfect environment to promote healthy hair growth.

If your hair is not in a protective style I would recommend washing your hair at least once a week with a sulphate free shampoo followed by a deep conditioner.

 

Hair Myth5: Black hair grows slower than other races

False: Once again ALL hair types grow at an average of 1/4" -1/2" a month. Regardless of the race it's impossible for everyone's hair to grow at the same rate. But that does not mean that black hair grows slower than any other race. The natural curl pattern of black hair is coiled so it can sometimes look like your hair is growing slowly, but when the hair is stretched you are able to to see its real length. Just because you are white does not mean you can grow hair down to your ankles. And your hair will not take 20 years to grow to your waist if you are black. Many women of colour do not know how to look after their hair properly and are not able to retain length because of damage caused to the hair that leads to breakage. If the amount of breakage you have is equal or more than your hair growth it will appear as if your hair is not growing.

 

I would recommend that you keep your hair well moisturised with petroleum and mineral oil free products, and pay special attention to the ends of your hair, always remember that the ends of your hair are the oldest and a lot of breakage occurs at the ends which prevents you from retaining length.
 
 
 
These are just a few myths that were at the forefront of mind, if you have any other myths that need to be unravelled feel free to add.
 
 

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