10 Major Hair Myths, Busted By The Pros

TRUTH: “While regular trims do make hair look healthier, it’s worth noting that hair grows from the root, not the ends, so cutting it won’t make any difference. However, regular trims will prevent split ends from travelling up the hair shaft, which keeps your hair looking fuller and healthier. If you're aiming for longer hair, focus on scalp health, hydration and minimising breakage – not just cutting. Use a product like Olaplex No.3 weekly to help strengthen strands and always prioritise scalp care with a treatment that removes product build-up and keeps the follicle environment healthy for growth.” – Samantha Cusick, hairstylist & colourist 

TRUTH: “Hard water contains a high concentration of dissolved minerals that it picks up before reaching your tap. One of the tell-tale signs is hair that feels coated, dull or rough even straight after washing. Calcium and magnesium ions bind to the proteins in your hair, particularly keratin, which disrupts the hair’s natural structure. Over time, this causes the cuticle to lift and roughen, leading to dullness, increased porosity, breakage, and that persistent coated feeling no conditioner quite fixes. It also raises the pH of the scalp environment, creating conditions where bacteria and yeast can proliferate more easily, contributing to dandruff, irritation, and excess sebum production. So, depending on how your scalp responds, hard water can cause both excessive dryness and excess oiliness. Filtering at the source is the most effective first step because it addresses as much of the problem, rather than trying to correct the damage afterwards.” – Karlee Zhang, founder of Hello Klean  

TRUTH: “This is false. Plucking one grey hair won’t mean five will sprout back in its place – your follicles don’t conspire against you like that. If you keep plucking, however, you will damage the hair follicle, which can lead to weaker regrowth and, over time, potentially permanent hair loss in that area. Refrain from touching them, and instead try root touch-up sprays or semi-permanent glosses for a more natural blend. If you do like the silver look and want to lean into it, enhance it with a purple-toning shampoo to keep it bright.” – Samantha  

TRUTH: “Washing your hair daily won’t make your scalp greasier. Shampoo isn’t there to produce oil – it’s designed to cleanse and remove dirt, oil and other buildup from your scalp. The only things that will make your hair greasy are overusing certain styling products and touching it too much with your fingers during the day.” – Syd Hayes, international session stylist 

TRUTH: “Think about cleansing your skin. Your scalp is very similar. If you were to use a harsh, stripping cleanser, your skin would begin to produce oils to counteract that effect – and your scalp is no different. The products you use are essential to maintaining healthy hair and the natural balance of your scalp. It’s why it’s important to take care and use sulphate-free shampoos – they’re known to be gentler. The more time and effort you put into maintaining a healthy scalp, the better your hair will look overall.” – Larry King, A-list hairdresser 

TRUTH: “This is partly true. It all depends on how tight you’re wearing your hairstyles. Wearing your hair up occasionally won’t cause issues, but repeatedly pulling it back too tightly can lead to traction alopecia – a type of hair loss caused by constant tension on the follicles. My advice is to swap out tight elastics for silk scrunchies or coiled hair ties. It’s also worth alternating between low and high ponytails to reduce strain on the same areas.” – Samantha 

TRUTH: “Hair does not self-clean. If you don’t wash your scalp, grease will build up and start to smell. It’s important to look after your scalp the same way you would your skin. Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a great ingredient that will benefit both your scalp and hair. It has antibacterial properties and acts as an astringent due to its acidic pH. ACV deep-cleans the follicles, removes topical build-up, reduces inflammation on the scalp, kills bacteria that can cause oily dandruff, tightens the cuticle on hair strands, and it helps to naturally regulate the body’s pH, which can cause dry scalp and flaking (which is a different condition to oily dandruff).” – Syd 

TRUTH: “It reduces damage, but it doesn’t make heat styling damage-proof – that’s the difference. Don’t get me wrong, it’s essential, but it doesn’t mean you’re 100% covered. Think of it like SPF for your hair. It significantly reduces the risk, but excessive exposure will still cause damage over time. In my opinion, the best is ghd’s Bodyguard Heat Protect Spray. I also recommend keeping heat below 185°C to prevent unnecessary stress on the hair. It is also worth limiting heat styling days and opting for heatless waves or air-drying when possible.” – Samantha  

TRUTH: “Shampoo is like the skincare of haircare, yet we think of it in quite basic terms. We often choose one based on its fragrance and our hair type. But shampoo forms the basis of all good hair days, and they are not all created equal. Other than a good haircut, shampoos are the best primers for your hair. A big mistake people make is using the same one every day. Hair needs different things at different times depending on things like weather, whether you’re on holiday, hormones, hard water and so on. All of that is before you even think about your scalp. My advice? You need three different types of shampoos. First, a cleansing shampoo that will combat hard water, remove pollutants, and provide a deep yet gentle clean. Secondly, a formula containing proteins to renew hair. These work to fix the structure of your hair from within, flooding it with moisture. Finally, a shampoo designed to boost volume and shine. That way, you have shampoos that cover all the bases.” – Larry 

TRUTH: “Rubbing castor oil on your scalp won’t magically speed up hair growth, but keeping your scalp healthy and nourished can create the best conditions for hair to grow. Oils are great for hydration, but they don’t directly impact growth speed. I recommend using lightweight oils – like argan or jojoba – for hydration that doesn’t clog your follicles. Focus on scalp circulation too – a simple two-minute scalp massage does more for growth than any oil alone.” – Samantha 

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