10 Hair Myths to (Maybe) Stop Believing

4. Myth: Ponytails, dreads and braids are a stylish daily choice.

Truth: Absolutely! However, constant tension and traction on hair by styles that are pulled tight — including ponytails, braids, weaves, dreadlocks, cornrows or extensions — can cause a receding hairline or breakage that leaves hair thinner, weakened and damaged. In fact, traction alopecia can mimic female pattern baldness, so catch the damage before it's irreversible. Change your 'do and loosen up. Try a soft updo that leaves loose pieces dangling. Style bigger, imperfect braids that start at the nape. Shift placement of ponytails (when you do wear one) and use thick fabric covered scrunchie-type bands (not elastics). Go with your natural texture. Or hold hair off the face with a soft fabric band or scarf. 

5.Myth: A last cold-water rinse makes hair shinier. 

Truth: Icy water will certainly will wake you up, but it won't close your cuticles (or your pores for that matter!) so that they lie flat. Each hair has a "cuticle" coating composed of shingle-like overlapping cells. The theory that chilly water makes hair lie flat is bunk. Only color changes the cuticles by swelling them, or rough towel drying makes hair frizz by lifting up the cuticles. A warm shampoo (not steamy hot), followed by a warm-to-cool water rinse, can minimize cuticle frizz. Opt for a good shine-boosting, leave-in conditioner or styling product and an occasional glossing treatment at the salon to keep color-treated hair light-reflective.

Diane Sawyer looks glam with a short hairstyle at a memorial in 2012.

Rob Kim/WireImage

6. Myth: Frequent trims make hair grow longer faster.

Truth: Huh? Hair grows from the follicles in the scalp; the rest is dead. Every six to eight weeks, get a mini trim at the ends — known as a "dusting" in salon lingo — to prevent split ends from creeping farther up the hair. It'll keep long hair from looking stringy, and every hair length or texture looking thicker. And FYI: "Splits" cannot be mended or sealed back together, as some products claim. They are a result of damage from bent brush bristles, broken-tooth combs, ultrahot drying and styling, overprocessed color ... and age. Hair that's down to your bra has been hanging around for years — it only grows a quarter-inch a month regardless of ethnicity or texture. (Growth may be less noticeable in curled hair due to shrinkage as the hair coils or waves.) Hair also grows faster in summer (thanks to enhanced circulation to skin and scalp), while cold weather diverts blood flow to internal organs to maintain body temperature.  

7. Myth: Stretch the time between shampoos and blowouts for as long as possible to avoid hair loss and damage.

Truth: Wash your hair enough. You don't necessarily need a daily wet shampoo, but do so every other day or every two days for sure. Your scalp, like facial skin, is a magnet for dead cells, product buildup, excess oils and bacteria. While we love dry shampoo for its ability to boost volume and make our locks smell fresh, and we love styling products for their skill at making our hair look smoother/shinier/fuller/curlier (take your pick), leaving these goodies sitting around on your scalp for too long can cause itchiness or irritation. Wash your hair!

Téa Leoni, who plays Elizabeth McCord in CBS' "Madam Secretary," with a short hairstyle.

Sarah Shatz/CBS via Getty Images

8. Myth: Color takes better on dirty hair.

Truth: Color actually sticks best to clean hair that's free of styling product buildup and residue. Wash your hair the night before your DIY or salon color, even if it's just a root touch-up, then condition as usual. But skip styling helpers such as gels, dry shampoo, mousse or serums until after your hair is freshly colored or retouched. The natural oils actually form a barrier to protect hair during chemical processing and keep a sensitive scalp from tingling. Then wait 72 hours before washing hair again, for the color to be fully trapped in the cuticle. Excessively oily and dirty hair (like after a fierce gym or hot yoga workout), or a no-wash weekend of swimming, sun hats  and  barbecues, prevents color from developing properly and staying put. Wash your hair 72 hours after coloring in order to lock in color, and also avoid chlorine pools that strip the color or give it a brassy green tone.

9. Myth: Flakes on black T-shirts and tops mean dandruff. 

Truth: Hold on! Dandruff is caused by an oily scalp or yeast-activated fungus that stimulates an overproduction of dead cell buildup and shedding.  Usuallythe flakes are big and yellowish, and the scalp looks greasy. Then again, flakes might just be due to a dry scalp lacking moisture, styling product overload or a skin condition such as psoriasis, seborrhoeic dermatitis or eczema. Try an over-the-counter dandruff shampoo with  pyrithione  zinc, salicylic acid or selenium sulfide for a few weeks. Weather changes, stress and even eating too much sugar can promote an itchy scalp. So can a reaction to hair color. See your dermatologist for a diagnosis if there's no improvement.

10. Myth: Fine, thin hair should skip conditioner.

Truth: Never! And no, those combo shampoo-conditioners are not for you. A separate, post-shampoo moisturizing, nourishing, hydrating conditioner is an essential part of your healthy hair regimen. Use it to detangle wet hair (saving you from breakage) and for a healthy, fuller look. Updated high-tech formulas in foam, serum and liquid are weightless and use a combo of botanical extracts, protein  and  antioxidants to add body, strength and shine. Even leave-in conditioners keep hair feeling clean, keep strands separate and allow hair to blow-dry to a bouncy and full finish. One caveat: Apply conditioner from mid-shaft to ends, avoiding the root area, if you have thinning hair that exposes the scalp.