Preconceived ideas in hair care

Abstract

Background:

Hair care beliefs and practices are influenced by cultural traditions and modern trends. Understanding these perceptions can help address common misconceptions and guide better care practices.

Objective:

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore widespread beliefs and routines related to hair care among a diverse population.

Methods:

A 40-item questionnaire was administered to 300 participants of various demographic backgrounds and hair types. It covered topics such as hair washing frequency, perceived factors affecting hair growth, use of hair care products, and the role of social media in influencing choices.

Results:

Findings revealed common misconceptions, including beliefs about the harmful effects of frequent washing, the importance of certain nutrients, and exaggerated expectations from specific products. Social media played a significant role in shaping participants’ hair care behaviors.

Limitations:

The study relied on self-reported data, which may be biased. The sample may not represent the general population, and cultural nuances might be underrepresented. The cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation, and no clinical assessments were conducted.

Conclusion:

Dermatologists have a key role in dispelling myths and providing evidence-based advice. Educational efforts, both in clinical settings and via social media, could improve public understanding and promote healthier hair care practices.

What is known about this subject with regard to women and their families?

• Hair plays a central role in self-perception, especially among women.

• It is often associated with femininity, health, and personal or cultural identity.

• Within families, certain beliefs and routines are passed down through generations, often without being questioned.

• As a result, many misconceptions about hair care persist—for instance, the belief that cutting hair makes it grow faster or that plucking one grey hair will cause several more to appear.

• These myths influence daily hair care practices and can sometimes lead to ineffective or even harmful habits for the scalp and hair.

What is new from this article as messages for women and their families?

• This article sheds light on common hair myths by presenting survey results that reveal how widespread these misconceptions still are.

• What is new is the educational approach: it does not just debunk the myths but also explains the science behind why they are incorrect, and offers practical, dermatologically sound advice.

• By providing clear and accessible information, the article aims to empower women and their families to make informed decisions about hair care.

• It also contributes to the broader effort of combating health misinformation—even in seemingly simple everyday practices such as washing or brushing hair.

Introduction

Hair has always been one of the most symbolic parts of the human body, at all times and in all cultures. Beyond its aesthetic aspect, it carries a profound meaning, embodying identity, culture, and beauty. This fascination with hair is particularly marked among women, with beauty rituals handed down from time immemorial testifying to its importance. However, despite this cultural reverence, there are many persistent misconceptions surrounding women’s hair care. In this article, we aim to examine these preconceptions from a scientific perspective, disentangling fact from popular belief. Drawing on empirical data and academic studies, we seek to shed light on the reality of hair care practices, highlighting the influence of culture and tradition on the perception and treatment of hair.

Methods

For this study on preconceived ideas in hair care, we developed a questionnaire entitled “Preconceived ideas in hair care.” The questionnaire consisted of a total of 40 questions, covering a wide range of hair care topics, from popular beliefs to current hair care practices (Table 1). The estimated time taken to complete the questionnaire was approximately 5 minutes.

Table 1.

Questionnaire used for the survey

How often do you wash your hair?	1 time a week	2 times a week	Every day
Frequent brushing promotes hair growth	Yes		No
Treatments repair split ends	Yes		No
Castor oil promotes regrowth	Yes		No
Garlic promotes regrowth	Yes		No
Onion promotes regrowth	Yes		No
Frizzy hair grows more slowly	Yes		No
Androgenetic alopecia is inherited from the	Father’s side		Mother’s side
Wearing a headscarf encourages hair loss	Yes		No
Frequent straightening damages the hair	Yes		No
Dyeing damages the hair	Yes		No
Dyeing hair promotes white hairs	Yes		No
Duration of Oil Baths	30 minutes	2 hours	All night
For washing hair, use	Hot water	Cold water	Lukewarm water
Should you brush your hair?	Before the shower	During the shower	After the shower
Rinsing hair with cold water makes it shinier	Yes		No
Hair masks should be applied	On the roots	On the tips	Along the entire length
Henna has an antidandruff function	Yes		No
Black soap regulates oily hair	Yes		No
Clay regulates oily hair	Yes		No
Hair nature and density depend on genetic factors	Yes		No
Canities (white hair) is hereditary	Yes		No
Cutting hair on full moon days promotes regrowth	Yes		No
A good diet makes hair more beautiful	Yes		No
You shouldn’t pluck a white hair or more will grow	Yes		No
Tying hair	Protects		Damages
Wearing a cap or hat promotes hair loss	Yes		No
Hair gels damage hair	Yes		No
Frequently trimming tips promote regrowth	Yes		No
Dietary supplements promote regrowth	Yes		No
Number of hairs lost per day

We collected responses from 300 participants from a variety of backgrounds, including family and friends, medical staff, and paramedics. This diversity of sampling enabled us to obtain varied and representative perspectives on preconceived ideas about hair care.

Data collection took place over an 8-month period, during which participants were invited to complete the questionnaire anonymously and voluntarily. The questionnaires were distributed electronically, enabling responses to be collected quickly and efficiently.

Results

Our results revealed that of the participants, 30.12% said they washed their hair once a week, while the majority, 59.85%, opted to wash their hair twice a week, while a minority of 7.3% adapted the frequency of washing according to their hair type.

As for the belief that frequent brushing promotes hair growth, the results were mixed. In fact, 46.1% of participants agreed with this statement, while 53.9% disagreed.

Our results revealed that 46.1% of participants believed that conditioning repairs split ends and ends, while 53.9% questioned this statement. As for the use of castor oil to promote hair growth, a large majority (84.4%) of respondents agreed with this idea. Similarly, the belief that garlic promotes hair growth was widely accepted, with 78.6% of participants convinced of its effectiveness. On the other hand, the idea that onions promote hair growth was approved by 70.2% of respondents. When it came to the speed at which frizzy hair grows, 47.2% of participants agreed that it grows more slowly, while 52.8% denied this.

As for the inheritance of androgenetic alopecia, the majority of participants (63.7%) said that it is inherited from their father’s side. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority (96.5%) agreed that a good diet makes hair more beautiful. However, a popular belief that wearing a headscarf promotes hair loss was supported by 69.6% of participants.

Regarding damage caused by hairdressing practices, a high proportion of respondents agreed that frequent straightening (92.6%), frequent blow-drying (97.7%), and coloring (96.5%) damage hair. In addition, 60.4% of participants expressed the belief that dyeing hair encourages the appearance of white hairs.

As for food supplements, a significant majority (88.3%) of respondents agreed that they promote hair growth. The most commonly used hair care supplements included biotin, zinc, iron, brewer’s yeast, arginine, collagen, vitamin E, selenium, fenugreek, and spirulina.

Discussion

The discussion of the results highlights several key aspects concerning the impact of washing frequency on the condition of the scalp and hair, as well as the effectiveness of the various hair treatments. With regard to frequent washing, it is important to note that this can lead to a reduction in scalp sebum levels, the degree of flaking, itching, the amount of oxidized sebaceous lipids, and unpleasant scalp odor.¹ This may contribute to an improvement in self-perception. However, a reduced frequency of washing can lead to an accumulation of sebum with its chemical modification, causing irritation. In terms of hair condition, frequent washing seems to keep hair in better condition, with a more effective protective cuticle barrier. Ideally, therefore, hair should be washed daily with a mild, well-formulated shampoo.¹

Contradictory results were observed regarding the effect of frequent brushing on hair growth, with a significant proportion of participants believing in its effectiveness, while another proportion refuted it. It is essential to emphasize that brushing hair ensures that sebum is properly distributed from the roots to the ends, stimulates blood circulation in the scalp and eliminates telogen hairs, thus promoting better growth.²

However, brushing should be gentle and moderate to avoid excessive hair loss.²

Furthermore, split ends are a major concern for many people, and although it is impossible to repair them once they have formed, preventative practices can help maintain healthy hair, including avoiding friction with towels and using microfiber towels, using a wide-tooth comb to detangle hair and moisturizing hair with coconut oil, which has the power to reduce protein loss from hair.³

In terms of hair treatments, the use of castor oil, garlic, and onion is often cited to promote hair growth, with various mechanisms of action including hydration, stimulation of blood circulation, and provision of essential nutrients.^4–6 However, it is important to note that the speed of hair growth can vary according to ethnicity and heredity, with important implications for the management of hair problems.⁷

Caucasian hair grows at a rate of 1 cm per month, or 12 cm per year.⁷

African hair grows by 0.8 cm/month, or 10 cm per year, and is less dense with more hair in the telogen phase.⁷

Asian hair grows by 1.5 cm per month, or 18 cm per year.⁷

Our discussion also addresses several aspects of hair problems and the effect of nutrition on hair health. Contrary to popular belief, androgenetic alopecia is inherited on a maternal basis, due to the location of the androgen receptor locus on chromosome X.⁸

When treating hair problems, it is essential not to neglect the nutritional aspect, and our patients have clearly understood this, as their responses clearly show. Indeed, a balanced diet providing essential fatty acids, iron, proteins, selenium, zinc, biotin, vitamins, and other essential nutrients is fundamental to maintaining healthy hair and promoting hair growth.⁹

When it comes to food supplements, it’s important to stress that not all ingredients are effective in promoting healthy hair. Studies have shown that the best results are obtained with supplements containing vitamin C, D, E, zinc, iron, and other specific nutrients,¹⁰ while other supplements such as vitamin A, selenium, and biotin may not be as effective and may even distort the results of health check tests; an example of this is biotin and the disruption of cardiac enzyme levels.¹⁰

In addition, some common beliefs about the causes of hair loss need clarification. For example, wearing a hijab is not a direct cause of hair loss, but rather the specific way it is worn (too tight), the hairstyles used underneath (pulling), or even a vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the problem.¹¹

Similarly, the Brazilian keratin treatment, although popular for its smoothing effects, has potential risks to hair health, including adverse effects such as telogen effluvium, traction alopecia,¹² and even an increased risk of uterine cancer in women who frequently use these treatments.¹²

With regard to styling practices such as frequent brushing, it is important to note that high temperatures can lead to denaturation of hair shaft proteins, which can contribute to hair problems such as bubble hair, excessive brittleness, and other abnormalities observed in the hair shaft.¹² To counteract these undesirable effects, it is advisable to use the hairdryer with continuous movement at a minimum distance of 15 cm from the hair.

Similarly, although hair dyes can improve the appearance of hair, they can also have harmful effects, such as allergic reactions, risks of cancer during exploration, and even premature gray hair.¹³

Conclusion

With the rise of media and social networking, and easy access to a wealth of information, patients tend to follow hair advice from sources other than healthcare professionals. However, many of these recommendations may turn out to be wrong. The dermatologist’s role is crucial in correcting these urban myths and raising patients’ awareness. This can be done by making information sheets available in doctors’ surgeries, or by using social networks to provide reliable, verified medical advice.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Funding

None.

Study approval

This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards, and informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Author contributions

All authors have contributed to the writing and production of this article.

Patient consent

Consent for the publication of all patient photographs and medical information was provided by the authors at the time of article submission to the journal stating that all patients gave consent for their photographs and medical information to be published in print and online and with the understanding that this information may be publicly available.