Myth and fact about shampoo

Most of us do not give the process of shampooing a second thought.
Drop some soap on the hair, work up some frenzied hand movements, get the maximum lather, rinse rapidly and voila!
The hair is clean. But is it? It's important to choose the right shampoo and also equally vital is how you go about this cleaning regime. Here are few general facts and fiction regarding shampoos.


Myth: Shampooing often dries the hair.
Fact: You should wash and shampoo your hair as often as it accumulates dirt or becomes limp. This is especially for working women who go out everyday.
UV rays and the pollution can play havoc with your healthy hair, creating a chemical imbalance on your scalp.
People with oily hair should cleanse their hair more often and for this daily regime they can choose a mild shampoo or dilute your regular shampoo in water. Always remember to apply conditioner to your hair after shampoo to shield it from harmful rays.

Myth: Use hot water to remove excess dirt from hair.
Fact: Very hot water makes the cuticles swell and stand away from the hair shaft, cold water flattens them providing a smooth and shiny surface. The age-old trick of rinsing hair under cold water after conditioning does really make a difference. For your regular shower its ideal to use tepid water.

Myth: Dandruff shampoos keep the flakes away.
Fact: Most of the anti-dandruff shampoos can eliminate the flakes temporarily but they may not prevent them from recurring. Using this kind of shampoo is only a preventive measure.
Some of the shampoos now have a good amount of moisturiser. Yet others make your hair feel dry and brittle. Leaving conditioner on your hair without a thorough rinse can also accumulate dandruffs.

Myth: Coloured hair does not need special shampoos.
Fact: Use special shampoos on treated hair. Use the one that enhances the colour or protects the colour coating.
Most of the colour products come with a conditioner to be used after colouring and generally shampooing is not recommended soon after colouring. Some of these shampoos leave an additional pigment on your hair. Others contain sunscreen character that protects the colour from fading. Even a mild shampoo can fade the colour. If you are not using a special shampoo then avoid using a shampoo on the hair for a few days.

Myth: You do not have to use a conditioner if you are using a shampoo with moisturiser.
Fact: Moisturising shampoo increases the shine of hair and removes tangles but only till the lather remains.
Once you wash away the lather the moisture also goes. You need to use a conditioner for long, damaged or brittle hair. You can avoid conditioner if you have oily hair or if it's short.

Myth: Shampoo brand has to be changed regularly to prevent your hair getting used to a particular shampoo.
Fact: This is a common myth and this is a reason good enough for us to try out new brands flooding the market. Hair does not get used to a shampoo.
A built-up is possible if you use too many styling products or a shampoo that contains a conditioner as well. Use shampoo according to the quality of your hair and use a conditioner separately.

Myth: The more the lather in a shampoo the cleaner the hair gets.
Fact: Actually it is the other way round. The heavy lather is only filled with air and not any cleansing agent. Thick foam that comes from small lather breaks up the dirt and the oil that accumulates on the scalp.
Only a small amount of shampoo is needed for short hair and a little more for longer ones. Excess shampoo could damage the hair lustre.

Myth: You should always lather and rinse twice.
Fact: Only if you have oil accumulated on your hair need you follow this instruction that you see on most of the shampoo bottles. This could me a marketing strategy followed by the companies.
If you have an oily hair it is ideal to shampoo at least every alternate day.
If you have dry hair, wash and shampoo only twice a week to prevent your hair from becoming brittle.