Can haircuts cause hair loss? We debunk the myths around hair loss and reveal what you can do today to take good care of your hair.
“Can haircuts cause hair loss?”
FALSE: In a word: no! Let us explain why. The way you treat the hair shafts doesn’t provide any sort of damage or affect your roots. This is because hair shafts are basically made up of dead tissues, so there isn’t any metabolism going on inside them. No matter how you treat these hair shafts, it would never affect the living tissue. Most of the metabolic activity related to hair loss happens inside the human body, which is called the hair follicle.
“Can haircuts make my hair thinner?”
FALSE: There is no solid evidence that cutting hair short will cause it to thin. In fact, frequent trims can make thinning hair appear fuller because it removes older hair and encourages growth. The hair looks thicker, because it’s healthy, new hair, but it’s not actually thicker. That’s just part of the life cycle of the hair follicle.
Photo by Rachel Coyne on Unsplash
“Greasy hair falls out more often”
TRUE: When your scalp produces too much grease and you don’t get rid of it, you may find that more of your hair falls out. This is because sebum (oil) makes your hair ‘dirty’ and can obstruct the follicle. Give some attention to your scalp when hair washing and see if you notice sebum and dirt building up. Opt for gentle products that suit your hair type.
“Anxiety and stress can affect hair loss”
TRUE: When you notice that a lot of your hair is falling out, you may worry even more, contributing to a cycle of loss and feelings of worry and stress. Remember that it’s normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, so hair loss is normal.
Photo by Matthew Tkocz on Unsplash
“Washing your hair on a daily basis makes it fall out more”
FALSE: Not only is this not true, it’s actually completely the opposite! If your hair feels greasy every day, it’s best to wash it to stop excess sebum blocking your follicles. Hair that falls out as you wash was ready to fall out anyway. This loss has nothing to do with your showering habits! While washing won’t make your hair fall out, make sure that you always use products that don’t damage your scalp or irritate it.
“Brushing your hair when it’s wet means more will fall out”
FALSE: In line with the previous myth, your hair doesn’t fall out more if you brush it when it’s wet. Hair is more elastic when it’s wet, and it also has a greater tendency to split, which means that you feel as though more is falling out, whereas in fact it’s just broken. If your hair is in the process of falling out, brushing gathers up hair that is about to shed anyway: it doesn’t actually cause hair loss.