You may have heard someone say that you should brush your hair with one hundred strokes everyday to keep it healthy and shiny.

You wonder, is this true?

Find out what is true and what is not. Here are some hair facts you need to know.



Does brushing help your hair?

Brushing does help distribute the natural hair oils. However more than eight or nine hairbrush strokes a day can damage your hair.

Excessive brushing can tear your hair, pull it out and even damage the cuticle layer causing split ends, especially if you have dry and colour-treated hair.

Remember, excessive brushing is no good for oily hair either - it merely stimulates the sebaceous glands and thus, increases the level of sebum in the hair, making it look oily.

Is shampooing good or bad for hair?

Women in India seem to have an unfounded fear of shampoo.

Remember, it is harmful to the hair to have a continuous supply of moisture, but shampoo is not the culprit here.

Do not to wash your hair more than thrice a week (with or without shampoo), unless you find it distinctly greasy or dirty.

If you are a sports-person, or travel a lot, don't hesitate to use shampoo while washing your hair - only make sure it is formulated for daily use.

Shampoo is merely a cleansing agent and it makes no difference as long it suits your hair type. The hair that falls out during shampoo is supposed to fall out anyway. So if you have oily hair, make sure you shampoo daily.

Don't know how to choose the right shampoo for you? Here's how


Why does hair not grow and fall simultaneously?

Unlike all mammals where hair falls and grows, human hair cycle is such that hair growth and hair fall is synchronised.

So at any point of time, 80 percent of your hair is in growth phase and 20 percent is in falling phase.