The amount of information we receive today thanks to technology never ceases to amaze us, but what’s even more surprising is that even today, many concerns about the health of our hair are deeply rooted in reality, so here we give you our opinion on some of them.
A-If my father is bald; I’ll also end up bald.
Indeed, this is one of the most widespread myths about alopecia, but the truth is that you need to stop looking at your father’s bald crown thinking the same thing will happen to you. Just as the name androgenetic alopecia can mislead people into thinking that only men suffer from it because of androgens, the genetics aspect can also lead to the confusion that this pattern of hair loss is inevitably imprinted in our genetic code.
This isn’t the case. First, because androgenetic baldness is inherited through the maternal line, since androgen receptors are linked to the X chromosome, which we inherit from our mothers. Second, because androgenetic alopecia involves factors related to heredity, but primarily hormonal factors.
There’s also the idea that this pattern—and many others, for that matter—skips a generation, and that we shouldn’t “hate” our parents for our baldness, but rather our grandparents. This isn’t true, so stop looking at your grandfather with suspicion and simply enjoys his wisdom.
B-Sandalwood oil eliminates baldness
In this case, it was a claim based on a true fact, but it degenerated into a crazy conclusion. Following a very basic research study conducted with twenty patients in just six months, it was discovered that a synthetic derivative of sandalwood stimulated an olfactory receptor, specifically OR2AT4, and this accelerated the natural hair growth cycle.
Aside from the fact that a single study conducted on twenty patients is not enough to draw definitive conclusions, we must ask ourselves whether these volunteers were not actually suffering from telogen effluvium that would have resolved on its own regardless of whether they smelled sandalwood or not, and coincidentally within the timeframe in which the rest of the ampoules, lotions, shampoos, vitamins, and nutritional supplements we find in any drugstore claiming to resolve alopecia claim to take effect.
Thus, as attractive as it may be to solve alopecia and perfume the air at the same time without doing anything more than breathing, and although some headlines spoke of the end of baldness, the truth is that the solution does not lie in sandalwood air freshener, which is therefore another false myth about hair.
C-Plasma is the best because it’s natural
Infiltrations with plasma rich in growth factors are a very popular treatment because they’re natural. It involves injecting a preparation obtained by centrifuging blood taken from the patient himself to accelerate and enhance the regenerative cascade that the human body triggers after an injury.
In fact, it’s an alternative that trichologists use in combination with other treatments and in very specific patients. Undoubtedly, the fact that it’s a safe product that doesn’t cause rejection or severe side effects is why it’s so readily prescribed because “it won’t hurt you.” However, trichology specialists should be more cautious because, after all, it’s an expensive treatment that requires repeated injections. Furthermore, it requires local anesthesia in the scalp to inject the preparation where needed, as without it, it would be very painful due to the considerable number of injections required.
D-Horse shampoo is ideal for achieving strong, thick, and shiny hair
Regular readers of health and beauty news probably remember the trend of using horse shampoo as a trick to make their hair grow faster and, in addition, achieve unprecedented body and volume. According to the promoters of this trend, the secret to equines’ strong, thick, and shiny coats is not due to their nature or the care they receive in their stables, but to biotin, a B vitamin that intervenes in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, among other elements.
Its deficiency is very rare and is found in common foods such as meat, liver, and milk, as well as in many fruits, nuts, and vegetables. In any case, biotin is not absorbed through the scalp, so, as with any shampoo, it is impossible for it to have an effect on the hair follicle, which is where the key to hair quality and density lies.
In line with this myth about hair, there’s no choice but to insist that pet shampoo is just that: for animals, and that the characteristics of human skin and hair are not the same as those of pets, so using this type of product, which may also contain active ingredients against insects and parasites, doesn’t seem like the best idea.
In any case, shampoo is meant to clean hair and make it look good. Some can help treat scalp problems, such as eczema or excess oil, but they don’t change the structure of the hair fiber, the number of hairs, or the density of the mane… nor do they accelerate the rate at which it grows.
E-Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) Panic
Also known by its acronym in English, SLS is an agent found in almost all personal hygiene products.
This ingredient thickens the liquid so it can be easily handled and spread, and it’s also responsible for the foaming properties of shampoos, shower gels, toothpastes, and other products.
Advocates of natural products and those who promote the idea that anything containing chemical compounds is harmful argue that SLS is also harmful to people because it’s also found in industrial detergents and degreasers and, therefore, should not be included in personal hygiene product formulations.
F-Gray hair doesn’t fall out
That’s not true either. Gray hair is, structurally, the same as pigmented hair that has lost its color due to the oxidative process associated with age. Thus, the fact that someone who has lived long enough to have gray hair still has hair, shows that the hair was already resilient and that’s why it hasn’t fallen out. In other words, gray hair is strong in and of itself, but not because it’s white or gray.
Often, popular wisdom isn’t necessarily correct!
