Holding our head upside down won’t make our hair grow faster, and sealing our follicles with ice cold water won’t make them shinier. The long, lustrous legend of the follicle goes far beyond generations, but how many of these tried and true myths are real? Haute Beauty sat down with hair restoration expert Dr. Miguel Mascaro to unveil the truths behind these myths.

Myth 1- Hair dye in pregnancy 

Truth: Research on the subject matter is fairly limited.  However, the research we do have indicates that the dyes and coloring currently used are not highly toxic.  Even then the thickness of the scalp makes it very unlikely any minute traces would be absorbed into the bloodstream and reach the fetus.  So it’s safe to dye your hair during pregnancy or breastfeeding (there are no studies measuring dye in breast milk though).  Some people feel safer doing highlights, and that’s ok too as those sitting on the hair rather than getting all the way down to the root and scalp.

Myth 2 – Keratin healthy for hair 

Truth: The most important part to understand about keratin treatments to straighten hair is that the key ingredient is formaldehyde.  This is the key ingredient activated when heat is applied and locks the hair in place. Formaldehyde can be toxic (and there is some research on high exposures to formaldehyde and carcinogenesis) and can weaken the bonds of your hair over time.  The good news is that lately there have been some “formaldehyde free” alternatives when doing hair straightening treatments.  The bad news – they don’t last nearly as long.

Myth 3 – Brushing your hair to encourage hair growth 

Truth: This one is very popular! The idea is that it stimulates blood flow and, therefore, gets the right nutrients to the follicles to allow for adequate hair growth.  This is not true.  Frequent brushing will lead to breakage and damage, which will make your hair lose its shine.  Wide-toothed combs or paddle-style brushes with plastic, ball-tipped bristles work cause the least amount of trauma.

Myth 4 – Cold water for shiny hair 

Truth: Remember the cuticle is not a living cell, so it can’t react to cold or hot water! You are better off limiting the damage is done to the cuticle (straightening with heat, treatments, etc) and using products with natural oils to create shine.