Part One: Understanding Hair Loss
Historical Myths Regarding
Hair Growth and Loss
Throughout history we have been given an assortment of advice, myths and old wives tails on a variety of subjects to help us. Hair growth and loss is no different. Read on to find out which myths are pure fiction and which ones ring true.
Myth: Brushing your hair 100 strokes per day will make it healthier and grow faster.
Answer: The only thing brushing your hair 100 strokes per day will do for it is create more damage.
Myth: Wearing a hat or cap will cause you to lose your hair.
Answer: Wearing hats do not cause anyone to go bald or have thinning hair. All research indicates that hair loss is due to a combination of genetics, the hormone known as DHT and in some cases; medical conditions.
Myth: Cutting your hair on a full moon will make it grow faster.
Answer: There is no scientific proof to indicate that this is true. Some peoples hair does tend to grow slightly faster than others. Women tend to experience a slighter faster rate of hair growth than men. Setting this aside, however; hair grows at a rate of approximately inch per month; regardless of what you do to it or when you cut it.
Myth: Baldness is inherited from your mothers side of the family.
Answer: Contrary to popular opinion, this one is not true. The tendency to bald or have thinning hair is contributed to hereditary factors; however you can inherit the gene from either your mother or your father.
Myth: Blow drying your hair and washing it often will cause hair loss
Answer: Unless you take it to the extreme, there is no evidence to indicate that this is true.
Myth: Women dont have pattern baldness
Answer: This is completely untrue. Both men and women can, and do, have pattern baldness. Although this condition is normally referred to as male pattern baldness; the condition arises from the same hormone in both genders. Women tend to lose their hair in a thinning process that is more uniform over the entire scalp, while mens hair loss due to pattern baldness tends to be more concentrated.
Myth: Hair loss is due to vitamin deficiencies.
Answer: In some cases, this very well may be the case. Certain vitamins are critical to the bodys ability to produce and maintain healthy hair growth. A number of vitamin deficiency medical conditions include hair loss and thinning symptoms. Taking vitamin supplements alone, however will not stop or prevent hair loss if the individual is already genetically predisposed to hair loss.
Myth: Losing numerous strands of hair per day means that you will soon go bald or have a hair loss problem.
Answer: It is perfectly normal for an individual to lose up to 50 strands of hair per day. This is a natural part of the hair growth process as old hair as shed and the body begin to produce and grow new hair. As long as there are no obvious thinning or bald spots appearing on your scalp, youre probably okay.
Myth: Using a brush to groom your hair is better than a comb
Answer: Using a brush to comb your hair, particularly when wet, can damage your hair. A comb tends to be better because it doesnt pull at the hair as much; however both a comb and a brush can be equally bad for your hair if you comb or brush it too much. Get the tangles out and leave it.
Myth: Wearing a wig will cause you to lose your hair
Answer: Provided that your natural hair is washed and groomed adequately and allowed time to breathe at regular intervals; there is no indication that this true.
Myth: Having your hair permed or colored will eventually cause permanent hair loss.
Answer: Overtreating your hair can result in hair damage and may even cause a temporary loss of hair; but there is no indication that a number of treatments will cause permanent hair loss.
Myth: Frequently trimming your hair will make it grow faster.
Answer: No matter what you do, your hair is only going to grow at an approximate speed of about inch per month. Frequently trimming it will only delay hair growth, not make it grow faster.
Myth: Stress will cause you to lose your hair.
Answer: This one is actually true. When you undergo physical or emotional stress, you may experience some hair loss. Fortunately, hair loss due to stress is temporary.
Myth: Pregnancy and childbirth will cause you to lose your hair.
Answer: While not always the case, a number of women may experience this phenomenon. Those who do, however; can expect for their hair to return within just a few months after childbirth.
Myth: Standing on your head will reduce hair loss.
Answer: Many people believe this is true, because standing on your head increases the flow of blood to your head and scalp. While standing upside down will cause a head rush, it wont do anything to solve your hair loss problem.
Myth: Massaging your scalp will make your hair grow faster.
Answer: There is no scientific evidence to indicate this is true. A scalp massage might feel good and can help in the cleansing process as long as it is done gently, but it wont cause your hair to grow or prevent hair loss.
Myth: If you shave your head, your hair will grow back better and thicker than ever before.
Answer: The only thing this will do is make you to regret you ever did it in the first place as you wait for your hair to grow back. Considering that it takes an entire year for hair to grow just 6 inches that will be a long wait indeed.
Myth: Blonds not only have more fun, but more hair.
Answer: The fun part depends on the individual, but natural blondes do tend to have more hair follicles than any persons with other hair colors.
Myth: Not having sex enough will cause you to lose your hair.
Answer: Completely untrue.
Myth: Not very many women lose their hair; only about 25%.
Answer: Not true. At least forty percent of all women experience some thinning of their hair. At least 20 million women suffer from hair loss.
Myth: Wearing a pony tail or braid will lead to hair loss.
Answer: This is only true is you wear an excessively tight pony tail or braid, because it will pull the hair too tight. A normal pony tail or braid wont lead to hair loss.
Myth: You cant achieve natural looking results with a hair transplant. You will end up with a pluggy look, like a dolls head.
Answer: In the early days of hair transplants, the procedures and techniques used were not as evolved as those utilized today; and the results were not as natural looking as can be achieved today.
Hair does not grow faster by being pulled
Danish proverb
Chapter 1: How hair grows and how it is lost
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