Desi Diva

By Shweta Govindarajan

Hair Care Myths Detangled

Don't dry your hair with a hair dryer. It's best to let it air dry.

False: Blow-drying has caught a bad rap these days from women who are afraid of frying their hair. The truth is both methods are fine, but there are certain rules that need to be followed no matter which one you choose. If you decide to dry your hair the way nature intended, just make sure it’s actually dry. The problem is not with air-drying – it’s with brushing still-wet hair. According to beauty specialist Lorraine Yokota, brushing wet hair does the most harm by making the cuticle susceptible to breakage.

If you decide a blast of heated air is what you need, just make sure you’re not using high heat or holding the nozzle too close to your hair (3 to 6 inches is a good distance). Both are definite hair no-nos that will do more damage than good. And if you’re not going anywhere that requires a fabulous head of hair, give your scalp a break and try air-drying.

Don't wash your hair every day.

True: These days, more and more experts say that daily washings can strip your hair of its natural oils that moisturize and protect your hair from the root to the tip. This is easy for women with normal hair – not too oily, not too dry – who can walk around with Day 2 hair without feeling like hiding under a hat. But this even holds true for women with oily hair. Washing oily hair every day, especially with specially designed, anti-grease formulas, can suck out the moisture from your scalp and your hair, sending an alarm signal to your oil-glands to produce even more oil.

Don't use those 2-in-1 conditioners.

False: This relates to the question above--not everyone needs a conditioner, and therefore, not everyone needs two separate products to wash and moisturize hair. Yokota, our expert, agrees: “If you have really healthy hair, or if you have a really short hairstyle, using a 2-in-1 conditioner is fine.”

If your hair is staticy, put a small amount of water on it.

False: Water may be life, but it sure can take the life out of styled hair. The word in the industry is that water can ruin a hairstyle, according to Yokota. If you feel

True: This is one of the truisms of hair care. Your hair itself doesn’t care what shampoo or conditioner you use, but sticking with the same product repeatedly causes buildup on your scalp instead of getting rid of it, which defeats the whole cleaning purpose. To make your hair products more effective, have a few different ones on hand that you like and switch among them – you could see more of a difference in the way your hair feels, looks and behaves.

Do I need to lather, rinse and repeat?

False: Whether this was a rumor started by the hair care industry or the well-meaning advice of a concerned soul, don’t bother spending more time than necessary under the nozzle – one washing will do the trick.

True: Before you absentmindedly twirl your hair around your finger or sweep a hand through it in a come-hither gesture, be warned: Unnecessarily handling your hair can damage it. Anytime you play with it, you’re upsetting the cuticle. Says Yokota, “You can damage your hair by just tugging on the strands.” Fuss only as much as you need to and then stop.

Put baby oil in your hair if it's dry, then wash out with shampoo.

False: Using extra moisturizing – à la leave in conditioners or various home treatments like mayonnaise or coconut oil -- should be a case-by case decision, because there are some women who need more conditioning and some who don’t. Giving your hair a moisturizing boost is generally a good idea, but for women with already oily hair, a scalpful of extra oil might be the equivalent of dunking their hair in a deep fryer. However, for women who apply heat regularly (curling iron, blow dryer, etc.) a conditioning treatment could be just the ticket to refreshed and rejuvenated hair. As for using baby oil as a conditioner, we at ABCDlady can’t vouch for that particular method, but a few drops of almond oil mixed with a mashed banana can do wonders for dry or damaged hair. Rub the mixture on your scalp, then wrap your hair in a warm towel and leave on for 30 - 45 minutes to deep condition. Shampoo as usual and feel free to skip the conditioner, or apply it just to the ends of your hair.

Shweta Govindarajan is a Washington-based journalist who secretly desires to be a makeup artist. In addition to feeding her Sephora addiction every chance she gets, Shweta writes about all things beauty for ABCDLady.

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