Does cabbage help in growth, and does washing it daily harm?
Black, brown, or red, smooth, curly, or fuzzy - a human has between 80,000 and 120,000 hairs on their head. The number depends on the color - naturally blonde (not bleached) people lead the race. In summer, hair mainly protect the scalp from sun rays. However, they are also susceptible to damage themselves. Some recommend special household remedies. Fact check clarifies some myths.
Claim: Washing hair daily makes it greasy.
False! This mainly depends on genes. Dermatologist Alice Martin explains that the sebaceous glands responsible for producing oil cannot be turned on or off. Instead, people develop a sense of whether their hair is oily or not: "One gets used to it primarily optically."
However, one should be aware that with each washing, the so-called acid barrier of the scalp is washed off, which triggers the sebum production again. Weinitschke from the Central Association of the German Hairdressing Trade explains that some people can slightly delay the re-oiling by using larger intervals between hair washing. "But that really depends on how much sebum a person produces," says Weinitschke.
Claim: Saltwater and chlorinated water damage hair.
Partly true. Haemodermatologist Andreas Finner sees the danger primarily in the fact that saltwater and chlorinated water make hair more brittle and porous, making them more susceptible to friction. They can then "rub against each other more or also against brushes or on the pillow."
Salt crystals can also intensify the sun's rays like a magnifying glass.
However, blondes beware! "Depending on how strongly pools are chlorinated, they can cause a greenish tint in blonde hair," warns hairdresser master Weinitschke. A high copper content in chlorinated water can cause this discoloration. This affects bleached as well as naturally light blonde people.
Claim: Hair masks work like sunscreen.
Only to some extent. "It makes sense to protect the hair from UV radiation, as this causes a chemical reaction in the hair keratin, which weakens the structure," explains Finner. Then, the hair becomes more susceptible to mechanical or chemical influences, and the risk of split ends and breakage increases. In addition, UV radiation from the sun can lighten the hair.
Hair masks with sunscreen protection do not offer the same high prevention as, for example, a sunscreen with a factor of 50, says hairdresser master Weinitschke. However, the old-fashioned protection through a sun hat remains effective.
Claim: Herbs like cabbage or thyme promote growth.
Little researched. On TikTok and similar platforms, videos circulate where green cabbage-parsley smoothies are suggested for drinking or thyme oil is recommended for applying to the hair for more growth.
Expert Martin, who specializes in educational work in social media, evaluates such videos differently: On the one hand, there are no large-scale studies that confirm a positive effect. In smaller tests, there were only partial positive trends. "One cannot medically say that it definitely works, but there are individual reports where it is rated positively," says Martin.
Claim: Shaving makes it grow more.
False! "That's nonsense", says Martin. Hair grows independently of whether it is shaved or not. "What happens up top has no influence or feedback on genetics."
Master Hairstylist Weinitschke also classifies this claim as false: "Hair grows in a hair follicle under the skin and you can't catch it with a razor", he explains.
Claim: It's better not to get it wet.
Partly true! According to Dermatologist Martin, the open scale layer of wet hair can make it break more easily. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. "It's not a disease. Hair is like dead material", she says. Of course, one would rather avoid it.
According to Hairstylist Weinitschke, hair can be significantly stretched in a wet state. Therefore, it can also withstand combing well in this state. However, with too much pulling, it can certainly tear at some point.
After conducting further research, it was found that washing hair daily does not necessarily cause it to become greasier, as some people believe. Instead, the sebaceous glands that produce oil cannot be turned on or off, and people develop a sense of their hair's oiliness over time.
Additionally, saltwater and chlorinated water can make hair more brittle and porous, making it more susceptible to damage and friction. This can lead to split ends and breakage, especially for blondes in heavily chlorinated pools. However, using larger intervals between hair washing can slightly delay the re-oiling process for some individuals.
