One of the most important parts of any hair care routine is the washing your hair. However, with the thousands of shampoos and conditioners available, there is a lot of misinformation about this vital part of any hair care routine. Let’s review some of the most common.
Washing your hair causes hair loss.
While many women may notice what appears to be excessive shedding when they wash their hair, washing your hair does not cause hair loss. Shedding 50-100 hairs a day is normal, however, when you wash your hair every other day or every third day, you are essentially collecting two to three days-worth of hairs that have shed all at once. Washing your hair less than every third day is not advisable as cleansing the scalp is important to remove dirt, oil, and products that can impair healthy hair growth.
Shampoos with the right ingredients can regrow hair.
While many shampoos claim to regrow hair, unfortunately, rinse off products like shampoos have limited ability to leave anything behind, therefore, shampoos really can only clean, and cannot really repair the follicle. Shampoos leave the hair clean and ready to receive the benefit from conditioners. However, good shampoos can act as a thickening and strengthening agents for the hair strands.
You need a sulfate free shampoo.
There is a big movement towards more “natural” products which is why sulfites/sulfates and other chemicals like parabens are being taken out of shampoos. This concern arose out of sensitivity to sulfates in foods. However, they really don’t necessarily damage hair, and have less toxicity when used topically. Sulfate/sulfite free products are actually less able to “remove” the dirt, but for people with sensitive skin and sulfate sensitivity, it may still be better to avoid them.
A conditioner is not that important.
A good conditioner is one of the most underrated parts of a hair care routine especially as we age. As women get older, less oil is produced, and the scalp and hair dry out much easier. While rinse off conditioners also have less ability to repair damage than leave in conditioners, they do have a lot of benefit. Conditioners can help repair damage from weather, sun, chemicals and heat. Also look for products that make it easier to comb the hair and detangle, in order to minimize damage.
Dry shampoo is not good for your hair.
While it is true that you should practice moderation with dry shampoo, using this time method every so often (even once a week) is not a problem. The problem with over-using dry shampoo is that your follicles miss out on the washing and rinsing you get from normal shampoo and water. This not only has the potential to dry out hair, which could cause breakage, but your hair and scalp can get a buildup of natural oils and dirt as well. However, using dry shampoo for the occasional lazy morning or last-minute dinner date should not be an issue.
It is important to remember that everyone’s hair is different and there is no one size fits all routine out there. If you have any questions about your hair care routine, do not hesitate to reach out to our staff.
Posted by your Medi Tresse Team
