20 Natural Hair Myths EXPLAINED!

Whether you've been caring for your natural hair your entire life or just beginning there is a lot to learn. In fact, if you haven't already you noticed, there are a lot of myths regarding natural hair. Not knowing whether you are getting and using the right information could not only be a waste of time but also prevent you from experiencing your healthiest natural hair possible.

Let's go over 20 natural hair myths that you shouldn't fall for:

Myth #1 - Oils Moisturize Natural Hair

There are two types of oils when it comes to natural hair. Sealing oils and penetrating oils. Penetrating oils have a smaller molecular structure, making it easier to enter the hair shaft. Penetrating oils can strengthen and soften the hair. What penetrating oils don’t do is moisturize. Moisturizing the hair involves water and the presence of water in an oil isn’t possible. Scientifically speaking, oil and water do not mix. You may hear some people use penetrating oils and moisturizing oils interchangeably but don't be misled; penetrating oils do not moisturize.

Myth #2 - Dirty Hair Grows Faster

Ever hear “when I don't wash my hair it seems to grow faster”? This could mean that your hair seems to retain length best with less manipulation and more moisture. The idea of foregoing washday altogether is a major no-no. Besides being unhygienic, it could lead to unwanted hair and scalp conditions.

Myth #3 - Overnight Deep Conditioning Is More Effective

There's a reason deep conditioning is meant to be a maximum time of 15 to 20 minutes, and it’s not just because the bottle said so. Leaving in a conditioner overnight increase the chances of irritating the scalp and clogging your hair follicles. It can also create a moist, dark, damp environment, perfect for fungal and bacterial growth. As if that's not enough; leaving your conditioner in overnight doesn’t make it more effective. Just like a sponge, your strands can only absorb so much moisture. Anyone claiming to have great results when leaving in conditioner overnight are risking hygral fatigue (over moisturization). Instead try leaving your deep conditioner in longer on wash day with the use of steam.

Myth #4 - You Can Repair Damaged Curls With Products

When it comes to hair damage there is no product out there that can reverse damage. The best thing to do Is to trim or cut away the damage, adjust your hair routine and see a professional hairstylist if needed. The sooner damaged hair is addressed the better.

Myth #5 - Growing Natural Hair Is Expensive

Trying different products and seeing what works best for your hair may sound very expensive but when done right, it can save you time and money. A quick way to save money is by trying out travel sizes before investing in larger bottles and even trying a few natural DIY treatments that won't break the bank. The best part is, once you know what works for your hair, you'll know exactly how much you need to spend to keep your routine. After all, it’s the product hoping and guessing work that can be costly.

Myth #6 - Natural Hair Doesn't Look Professional

As a black woman, hearing this myth about your natural hair is not uncommon. Not accepting you're beautiful, kinky, curly hair and believing it’s unsuitable for certain situations or occasions is unacceptable. There are plenty of gorgeous natural hairstyles that not only fit the workplace but any occasion. Find out which styles work best that you can achieve on your own and wear your natural hair in a way that makes you feel most confident.

Myth #7 - Natural Hair Isn't For Everyone

If you're natural hair wasn't meant to suit you it wouldn't have been given to you at birth. Natural hair suits all skin colors. The versatility of natural hair offers endless style options to achieve any look. It’s all in how you wear it.

Myth #8 - Protective Styles Are Best For Growth

Protective styling is just one of the ways to retain length. It's important to remember that retaining length is different from growth. The reason why protective styling gets so much credit for growth is because you’re protecting your ends and tucking away the hair. Therefore, retaining more length. Length can be achieved with any styling method as long as there is prevention in breakage and minimal moisture loss.

Myth #9 - Trimming Makes Natural Hair Grow

The hair grows from the hair follicle within the scalp. Trimming deals solely with the ends of your hair. The reason for noticeable length after trimming is because your ends are healthy and there is little to no breakage.

Myth #10 - Relaxed Hair Is Easier To Manage

Growing up I would hear the reason to choose a relaxer was to make natural hair more manageable. Although a relaxer will loosen the curl of your hair it doesn't mean that your hair will be more manageable. Relaxers often require frequent hair treatments and can weaken the hair strand structurally. This leaves the hair vulnerable to breakage and weakness.

Myth #11 - Natural Hair Can't Grow Long

Hair never stops growing. Unless there is an underlying medical condition, the ability for your hair to grow should not be compromised. A healthy scalp will produce long hair unless the hair strand is damaged. When desiring hair length, pay close attention to moisture, hair manipulation, heat, and breakage.

Myth #12 - All Chemicals Are Bad For You

Technically speaking everything is a made up of chemicals including water. There are naturally derived minerals and chemical compounds and then there are manufactured ones. So, when you say all chemicals are bad for your hair it's a false statement. It's mostly manufactured chemicals out there that are harmful, especially for your natural hair. Some ingredients that are harmful to natural hair include:

· Triclosan

· Phthalates

· Methylisothiazolinone

· Benzene

· Diethanolamine

Myth #13 - Rice Water Grows Your Hair

You may be skeptical about this because of the recent trends, but this isn't true. Rice water has some hair benefits like strengthening the hair strands and helping prevent split ends and improve scalp health, but it doesn't grow natural hair. It may help retain hair length for some but there isn't any conclusive evidence connecting rice water and hair growth or regeneration.

Myth #14 - No-Lye Relaxers Are Safer Than Lye Relaxers

Lye is a chemical agent used in relaxers to loosen curl texture quickly. Its chemical compound is NaOH or Sodium Hydroxide. They break down the hairs bonds in order to give you a straightened strand. No-lye relaxers are formulated for the same purpose but instead use Calcium Hydroxide. Both are chemicals that breakdown the keratin bonds of your natural hair strands making them vulnerable to damage.

Myth #15 - Tightly Braided Styles Won't Cause Breakage

I often hear people say that they prefer tight braids so that their style lasts longer, but braids should never hurt. It's a common misconception that breakage is only caused by hair dryness. It can also be caused by tension. Hair tension from tightly braided styles not only can cause breakage but can permanently damage the hair follicle.

Myth #16 - All Product Alcohols Are Bad

The next time you see the word alcohol in your hair product ingredients, pause and consider this first. There is a difference between good and bad alcohols for your hair. Good alcohols help thicken conditioners and help give it that slip we all love. Bad alcohols tend to dry quickly and deplete the hair of moisture.

Good product alcohols include: Cetyl alcohol, Stearyl alcohol, Myristyl alcohol, Lauryl alcohol, Behenyl alcohol and Cetearyl alcohol. Bad alcohols include: Ethanol, Ethyl alcohol, Propanol, Alcohol denat, Isopropyl alcohol and Isopropanol alcohol.

Myth #17 - Natural Hair Is Stronger

Most people believe this think is true because of how difficult it is to care for kinky natural hair textures. Tighter curls textures have densely packed strands which can make it harder to style and detangle. This characteristic also makes natural hair more delicate and prone to breakage if not handled properly. The best solution is to treat your natural hair with care and patience.

Myth #18 - There is "Good Hair" and "Bad Hair"

Words like good and bad are based on behavior and hair doesn't behave like you or I would. I believe there are only good and bad hair routines. The method in which you care for your hair makes a huge difference in it’s manageability. Perspective plays a part here too. When you begin to accept your natural hair and reject unrealistic standards you can embrace your curls unconditionally.

Myth #19 - All Long Natural Hair Is Healthy

I say it all the time, health over length. It’s important to remember that just because someone has long hair doesn’t mean it’s healthy. It also doesn’t mean shorter hair is unhealthy. Healthy hair should be measured by scalp health and the state or condition of the hair itself. Instead of focusing on length, focus on understanding what works to maintain a healthy scalp while strengthening ,moisturizing, and protecting your natural hair. The length will soon follow.

Myth #20 - Natural Oils And Butters Aren't Needed

A lot of people may disagree with me when I say this is a myth. Depending on your hair type, texture, and porosity the use of natural butters and oils will vary in importance. For hair types needing help sealing in moisture, heavier butters and oils may be beneficial. However, for those who accumulate product buildup easier, a heavy natural butter or oil could weigh the hair down. Most natural hair creams contain natural butters and oils like Shea butter or Jojoba oil and their purpose is to help seal in moisture. How effectively they do that is all based on the types of butters and oils used.

Caring for your natural hair is a continual learning process. learning about these myths will help you overcome unnecessary obstacles on your journey to healthy natural hair.

Which myth were you surprised to see? Leave a Comment.