Natural Hair Myths Debunked

Natural haircare requires a lot of patience and effort. Sometimes, when people think of the effort, they would rather avoid going natural.  For some others, it's the natural hair myths that keep them stressed. It sometimes prevents them from even giving their hair a chance. 

We’ll debunk these natural hair myths and help you gain confidence in your natural hair. Let's begin.

Debunking 10 Natural Hair Myths You've Heard

1. Type 4C hair cannot grow long or past a certain point

We are sure you expected this as myth one. Most importantly, we are glad that there are many type 4 hair girls with long and full natural hair, who debunk this myth.  Hair grows out of your head naturally. With good nutrition, habits, moisturising, and protective styling, your hair would grow and thrive. 

If your hair stops growing or looks like it's not growing, then there is an underlying issue you need to check out.  It's either that your hair care practices are bad, or an underlying issue could be stalling it. 

Fun fact: The tight coils of 4C hair make it prone to shrinkage, but your hair grows. That's why when you stretch it, you see its length. Read about non-heat ways to style your hair.

Our final false score verdict: 10/10 untrue.

2. Natural hair doesn't need washing

Contrary to this opinion, your natural hair needs washing. A clean, healthy scalp is a good foundation for hair to thrive.  Remember that strands of your hair that are grown make up the length of your hair; if you don't keep them clean and healthy, they'll fall off. That's the easiest way to lose length. 

Wash your hair as often as it requires, not too much, so you don't lose natural hair oils, but a defined, balanced wash routine to clean your scalp and strands to support growth. (Read more about the washday routine)

 

Our verdict on this one: 100% lies!

3. Natural hair is difficult to manage

If you were given a dollar for how many times you've probably heard this, we are quite sure you'd be a millionaire by now 😜.

But think of it, if you had something valuable to you, wouldn't you take care of it? Yes, it might require some time and patience, sacrifices too, but you'd consider it worth it, right? 

The same goes for your natural hair. Ultimately, with a consistent routine and the best practices suited to your hair and circumstances, you can manage your natural hair. 

Our final false verdict: 10/10 untrue.

4. Relaxed hair is easier to manage and makes your hair grow

Absolutely not! So here is the thing: when you apply relaxers to your hair, it straightens your curls, which in turn takes away shrinkage.  So your hair seems to be longer, which some people mistake for “growth”.

Some relaxers make it easier to manage your hair, but beneath that, the chemicals and straightening tools can damage your hair.

Bottom line: relaxers don't grow your hair. 

Our final verdict: 10/10 untrue

5. Natural hair doesn't look good on everyone

This natural hair myth has held back so many people from rocking their beautiful hair. They feel it their natural hair doesn't suit their faces. Sis! Come on! 

Have you seen the versatility of natural hairstyles? Bantu knots, twist outs, flat twists, two-strand twists, just to mention a few, and the texture of natural hair makes it unique.  Honestly, you are missing out on rocking your natural crown if you think it won't suit you. Get a good natural hair stylist. You'd be amazed at how gorgeous your hair would look.

The final verdict for this myth: A big, fat lie! 

6. Natural hair is unprofessional

Now, this myth can be quite sensitive to talk about. We don't want to downplay anybody's emotions who may have gotten remarks like this directly, but here is the thing. Sometimes, this comment or myth stems from a place of ignorance, jealousy and personal bias. 

We love to stay positive at The HairTalk, so we won't dwell on the negatives. But know this: hair that grows out of your head does not make you look unprofessional. 

There are a lot of hairstyles you can wear your hair in, which make you look not just professional but clean and classy. Look for those hairstyles and rock them to the office.  Remember to keep your hair clean and beautiful.

Final verdict for this myth: Trash this lie!

7. Natural hair is tough and resilient hair 

Natural hair, especially type 4, is pretty fragile. The coily structure of the hair strands makes it pretty easy to snap or break when you touch it or comb it dry.  Keep in mind that your hair needs TLC every time you handle it. If you rough-handle it, you might just keep having a lot of broken-off hair. 

The verdict for this natural hair myth: 1000% untrue!

8. Tight hairstyles make your hair grow faster

Girlies! Please run away from any stylist who tells you this. They don't like you or have your hair’s interest at heart. 

Tight hairstyles are bad for your scalp and your strands. Over time, this can lead to hair loss, and let's not forget the immediate discomfort and pain tight hairstyles give.  Your protective styles should be just that, protective. If they are too tight, they are no longer protective but destructive.

For this natural hair myth, the verdict is: 100% false.

9. Doing the big chop will fasten your hair growth

No, it won't. A big chop is a transition method; depending on your preference, it's one way to begin your natural hair journey.  A big chop doesn't grow your hair faster; that characteristic is largely dependent on your genes and how you care for your hair. 

Hair grows from the scalp, cutting off already existing hair, and has nothing to do with the rate your hair grows. 

Final verdict on this myth: It's an ignorant lie.

10. You can use oil to moisturise your hair

This myth is quite misleading, mainly because oils don't have moisturising properties solely.  Oils seal in moisture; they give your hair sheen and shine, but real moisture comes from water and water-based products. 

So, next time you may be tempted to just slap oil on your hair without any form of moisture, think again, sis. 

Our verdict is: this myth is false. 

Wrapping up

We've separated these hair facts from fiction. We hope that this article has cleared your doubts and gotten rid of your fears.  What other natural hair myths have you heard? Tell us about them. Join the conversation in The HairTalk community.

Cover image credit: Images from Gemini