With hundreds of different hair tips, tricks, and techniques – have you ever wondered how many of them are actually just myths? You’ve probably heard them all – from how often trimming can make your hair grow faster to avoiding hot showers that can cause baldness – while some may seem logical and have a scientific-sounding backup, some of these myths can actually lead to serious hair damage. Maggie Semaan, International Celebrity Hair Artist, stepped into The Beautiful Lifestyle Online to debunk some common hair myths.

According to Maggie, some hair myths have actually been around for so long that we have started to accept them as facts. “It is always better to consult an expert when it comes to determining how you should care for your hair – especially with a lot of common hair misconceptions out there.”

8 Common Hair Myths Debunked

Stress causes gray hair

False – until a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons provided the first quantitative evidence that this is in fact the case. Our hair color is determined by pigment-producing cells called melanocytes and researchers found that the body’s fight-or-flight response plays a key role in turning hair gray. A word of advice – stop stressing.

Hot showers can cause baldness

Hot showers won’t directly cause hair loss that can lead to baldness – but scalding hot water can affect the health of your scalp, which as a result affects the health of your hair.

Trimming can make your hair grow faster

Not quite; and as one of the most common hair myths, you should know that hair growth stems from the follicles on our scalps, not the ends of our hair. However, trimming can actually promote healthy hair growth by removing split ends before they break and shorten your hair. A haircut every 3 months on average is ideal to maintain healthy hair growth.

Sleeping with wet hair can affect your eyesight

There are zero chances of you losing your eyesight from sleeping with your hair wet – so don’t lose sleep over that. Other than it being old folklore, there’s really nothing to connect to it. Sorry moms.

YOU’LL LOVE: The Psychological Impact of Hair Loss That Nobody Talks About

Daily conditioning can lead to hair loss

No research suggests that conditioning causes hair loss nor does washing your hair daily. While it is scary to see your hair thinning, it’s not because of your conditioner. If you’re unsure of what causes it, it is better to always consult an expert. Washing hair daily may not be the cause of hair loss but it can definitely be the cause of dry hair as you are constantly washing off your natural oils.

Plucking gray hair can cause gray-hair contagion

While gray hair is completely natural, our first instinct is to immediately pluck it. One of the most common hair myths is that if you pluck a single strand, it will spread like contagion. That is completely false – your surrounding hairs will not turn gray until their own follicles’ pigment cells die.

Brushing hair while wet can cause damage

Not exactly – brushing your hair wet can put more tension on strands because when the hair is wet it is more porous therefore more elastic and fragile. Of course, the more damaged the hair is, the more elastic and vulnerable it gets. The best time to brush your hair wet is when you apply a hair mask or conditioner before brushing so it can glide into the hair and avoid tension.

Hair growth slows at a certain age

True. As we age, our body experiences many changes and our hair is not an exception. Age plays a role in hair growth/loss for both sexes. In women, menopause is a big player as a result of changing hormone levels. But don’t worry, it’s all part of the process.

That said, what are some of the weirdest hair myths you’ve come across? Share in the comments.