The amount of different hair tips one receives in a lifetime can be overwhelming. But, how many of them are actually #facts? We've pulled together five common hair myths to set the record straight, so get out your pen and paper folks - it's time to take hair notes. 

Myth #1: Trimming your hair makes it grow faster 

FALSE: We've all been told at some point that regular trims make your hair grow faster. We're here to tell you that you've been lead astray. While trimming your hair definitely makes it look thicker and healthier since you're cutting off thin-looking split ends, trimming it does not increase the rate of hair growth. Your hair grows from the follicles in your scalp and they tend to grow around a quarter inch each month, no matter how often you're trimming your hair. 

Myth #2: Sleep doesn't affect your hair 

FALSE: Contrary to popular belief, sleep actually can affect your hair. The way that sleep affects your body's natural hormones is probably the most important part of preventing hair loss. Your body produces a hormone called melatonin. This hormone helps your body regulate your sleep cycle, and it also has been shown to increase hair growth. If your body decreases in its melatonin levels, it’s possible that this results in hair loss.

Sleep deprivation can eventually lead to stress, and stress has been known to result in telogen effluvium hair loss. This is when stress pushes the hair follicle into a premature “resting state,” which is then followed by a premature "shedding phase." For more juicy info about the effects of sleep on your hair, check out our article, "How Sleep is Affecting Your Hair".

Myth #3: Stress causes gray hairs

FALSE (sort of): The color of the hair is determined by a pigment known as melanin. Hair turns gray once the melanin has almost completely depleted. Dr. Robert H. Shmerling from Harvard Health Publishing states that stress can't turn your hair gray. However (this is when the "sort of" comes in), while being under stress can’t turn your hair gray, stress can cause your hair to shed at about three times faster than normal.

Shmerling comments that "Once a hair follicle produces hair, the color is set. If a single strand of hair starts out brown (or red or black or blond), it is never going to turn gray. Your hair follicles produce less color as they age, so when hair goes through its natural cycle of dying and being regenerated, it’s more likely to grow in as gray beginning after age 35."

Myth #4: Wearing a hat causes baldness/hair loss

FALSE: Hair loss is a byproduct of hormonal and genetic factors. Male pattern baldness is actually caused by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, otherwise known as DHT. If your body is sensitive to this hormone, the DHT can actually cause the hair follicle to shrink and eventually lead to hair loss. So basically, don't blame the hat. 

Myth #5: It's best to only finger comb curly hair vs. using a brush 

FALSE (Sort of): When detangling, it's always great to finger comb through the curls to maintain a consistent curl pattern. However, there are actually some curl specific hair brushes out there that are specifically designed to work with your curl pattern. One of our favorites is the Denman D4 Classic Styling Brush. With its flexible bristles, the Denman Styling Brush is perfect for detangling while holding the natural curl form of the hair. You can even choose your desired number of bristle rows depending on your hair length!