Whether you’ve got long locks or a trendy pixie, you probably have your own unique hair challenges; maybe it’s a weird waves or unruly curls. In any case, separating hair fallacies from facts will help you concentrate on things that will actually help your hair grow healthier and look better. Here, myths about your hair, and how you can use the truth for your benefit.

1.Lemon juice will lighten your locks.
TRUE

One of the most common hair lighteners, lemon juice is a citric acid, and when it heats up in the sunshine, it opens hair cuticles, lifts out the color pigment and can result in lighter looking locks. Of course the downside is that you’ll often end up with dry and tangled hair, even after washing, so weigh up the pros and cons of those sleek beach streaks, this is also when we add in our sun hat reminder.

2.Pluck a grey hair and 3 will come to its funeral.
FALSE

We cannot add to the number of hair follicles we have, so plucking out a solitary grey hair (or five) will not result in more hair growing from the same spot. Does that mean we can pluck away then? NO! Regardless, yanking a hair is potentially very damaging to the follicle and if done enough, can result in the follicle shutting down and not producing another hair. So if you want to get rid of this beautiful silver hair, doesn’t pluck it just cut it close to the root of color your hair happy.

3.Cutting your hair will make it grow fuller and longer.
FALSE

Although the cut itself may make your hair appear fuller, it doesn’t change the fact that hair grows from the roots not the tips. However, if you’re satisfied with simply keeping your hair in amazing condition, then regular trims are definitely still a key. A trim removes split ends before they move further up the hair shaft, preventing further damage. Other healthy hair necessities are regular conditioning treatments and hair tonics between cuts; heat and sun protectors; and a great diet including foods containing sulphuric amino acids such as beef, chicken, cottage cheese, eggs and fish.

4.Unwashed hair is better for styling.
TRUE

The first step in the party preparation pecking order is usually a great shower and a freshly shampooed head of hair, but a lot of hairdressers recommend against this. Often, freshly shampooed hair doesn’t hold curls as easily and can make the style fall flat, so it’s best to shampoo the day before. Rule of thumb: “If you’re going for curls, try and have one day old hair as it can hold curls better, but if your hair is greasy wash it, grease is heavy and will make the curls drop. If you’re going to wear your hair up, one day old hair is better as you can always add product for hold once it’s up”

5.Brushing 100 times a day for healthy hair.
FALSE

When our grandmas were girls, brushing your hair 100 times before bed was the norm and they had good reason to do it. All those strokes were said to move the oil at the scalp down the hair shaft for added protection and shine. In fact, although brushing can stimulate these benefits, over-brushing (especially with the wrong brush) can cause more harm than good. Stick to just enough brushing to ensure your hair remains tangle-free and switch to a gentle brush with natural boar bristles.

6.A cold rinse adds shine.
TRUE

We’ve all braved a cold rinse in winter in favor of a head of shiny tresses, but does it actually work? The answer is yes, although the real benefits are to the scalp and not the hair itself, as is commonly believed. Like the pores on your face, cleansing with warm water opens up the hair follicles, allowing your scalp to release oil and toxins. The reverse is true for a cool rinse of water, it helps seal the follicles, flatten the cuticles down onto the hair shaft and add shine. As you notice that after a professional blow-dry, your hair is blasted with cold air to finish, steal this trick for DIY blow-dry. Just remember to keep these sealed by not blasting it with the heat of a hairdryer. If you can, let your hair dry naturally and use a heat protector before styling.

7.Change shampoo and conditioner often.
FALSE

A common myth is that hair can build up a tolerance to certain hair products leaving it ineffective after a certain period of time. Well before you abandon your favorite brand, read on. Hair cannot tell the difference between shampoo and conditioner brands and it won’t build up a tolerance. If you’re using a wide range of hair styling products or swim regularly, use a detoxifying shampoo and a hair remedy every couple of months to remove product or chlorine build-up, but ditching and switching your products won’t necessarily lead to a positive result.