Before we get into how to obtain a healthy hair and scalp let's talk about some misconceptions.
There are many fallacies regarding how to best take care of hair some include the following:
X - FALSE: Washing your hair too much will strip it of its natural oils and dry out the hair.
- Since our natural oils come from below the epidermis (top layer of the skin) it is not possible for water alone to strip the hair of its natural oils.
- In order for oil to dissolve or be carried away by water the oil would have to break through the waters hydrogen bonds or mix with the water.
- The type of shampoo we use can remove excess oil from the scalp. One type of shampoo that helps remove excess oil and debris from the scalp is clarifying shampoo.
- Clarifying shampoo is a deep cleanser and has heavier ingredients designed to help carry away excess oil and debris. If you are washing your hair every week use the clarifying shampoo once a week. Follow the clarifying shampoo with a nutrition rich shampoo.
X - FALSE: Leaving your hair dirty will help your hair to grow.
- A dirty scalp does not encourage hair growth. In fact a dirty scalp becomes a breeding ground for unwanted bacteria and yeast.
- These entities will slow down circulation and blood flow and decrease oxygen levels in the scalp. Which will slow down hair growth and minimize hair retention.
X - FALSE: Oiling your scalp every day will help it to stay moisturized.
- While some thinner oils can penetrate the cuticle and add moisture to the hair - oil is mostly used to provide nutrients to the hair and to lock in moisture from water.
- Its best to add a light rose water to your scalp and oil your hair strands on wash day to lock in the moisture from the water.
- Oiling your scalp every day can actually clog your pores and create build up.
- Exception: Growth oils can be added daily
- You need to be sure to wash your hair at least once a week if you are using a daily growth oil.