What is the biggest hair myth your Mama ever told?

[Stylepink]

My sister and I were talking the other day about all of the myths our mother told us about how to care for our hair (bless her heart)!

Her biggest one was not to wash our hair often or It would dry out and fall off. I think we washed our hair on the average of once every 2 to 3 weeks. Also, she was a firm believer in using Sulfur 8 on a daily basis (try being 9 years old on the black top in school on a hot day with THAT slathered all over yo' scalp...All the kids were like "teacher I smell something funny!...Not to mention the shine glowing from my forehead!!!)LOL!

Anyway, whats the worst hair myth your dear sweet mama ever told you???

 

[pebbles]

There are a couple, but one of the biggest ones is that I couldn't wash my hair more than once every 2 weeks because the water would rot away my hair. We both know better now.

 

[Nacai23]

Mines was "Don't let people with short hair touch your hair, it'll make your hair fall out." Like short hair is a contagious disease.

 

[brownrelaxedhair]

I also had the 'don't wash your hair so often' or it will break/fall out/dry and lose all its natural oils. I see the thinking in this though if a person doesn't know about conditioner washes and uses a regular shampoo alot each time they wash. For me, that would dry my hair out big time (and if the water used is hard - forget it.).

Another one is that black people can't grow their hair all the way down their back unless they are mixed. Yes she said that. I've tried since then to convince her otherwise. I'll show her some pics from this board.

 

[Stylepink]

I used to hear that one about black people all the time! But everyone seemed to forget that my auntie had hair to her waist and they blamed that on the "indian" side of the family! I was also told that black hair can't hang straight and pretty like white hair does....

 

[tekmommie]

My mom believed in washing my hair at least twice a week. She was right on with that. However she was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off when she said "Burn that hair out that brush, because if you throw it away and a bird gets you will be bald for the rest of your days"

Luv u Ma

 

[sassygirl125]

My mom believed that shampooing more than 2-3 times per month made black people's hair dry up and fall out. And don't even think about going to bed before you grease your scalp! The worse the grease smells, the better it works!

And my favorite: If you wash your hair after dark, you'll have a stroke.

She got this from my grandmother. I think she had some doubts about this one but was afraid to test the theory just in case she was wrong.

 

[stevie511]

Re: What is the biggest hair myth your Mama ever t

My mom used to tell me to never wash my hair while I was on my cycle. She swears she had a cousin that died because of that. Go figure.

 

[Champagne_Wishes]

Re: What is the biggest hair myth your Mama ever t

I've heard that if Black people get sand in their hair, their hair would fall out. My mother didn't tell me this but some person told me this when I was small. Don't know if it's true or not. But that's not gonna stop me from swimming in the ocean again

.

 

[EbonyEyes]

My mom told me not to wash my hair often because dirt grows hair!!

-Ebony

 

[douglala]

You brush your hair with 100 strokes a day!!
Nowadays I do not use a brush at all.

 

[Stylepink]

I also heard not to wash your hair on your cycle, but she said it was because it would make your cramps worse. I also had a aunt who said if you "tug your hair slightly on a daily basis, it would stimulate your hair to grow". What a wierd one!

 

[prettygirl]

not to let someone pregnant or seeing their menstration handle your hair.

 

[EgyptianSand16]

[ QUOTE ]
However she was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off when she said "Burn that hair out that brush, because if you throw it away and a bird gets you will be bald for the rest of your days"

Luv u Ma

[/ QUOTE ]

My grandmother on my father's side use to say that

 

[kreeme]

[ QUOTE ]
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However she was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off when she said "Burn that hair out that brush, because if you throw it away and a bird gets you will be bald for the rest of your days"

Luv u Ma

[/ QUOTE ]

My grandmother on my father's side use to say that

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LOL!!! I thought my mom made that mess up! I was forever boiling my combs and brushes in fear of a bird landing on my head and having a feast at my expense! Man...the things people come up with.

 

[Stylepink]

I also heard, "Wait until you get pregnant, your hair will grow like wildfire". Ive never been pregnant, so i'm not sure about that one!

 

[dstdiva]

[ QUOTE ]
My mom believed in washing my hair at least twice a week. She was right on with that. However she was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off when she said "Burn that hair out that brush, because if you throw it away and a bird gets you will be bald for the rest of your days"

Luv u Ma

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG! my friend told me that in grammar school!!!

 

[dstdiva]

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I also heard, "Wait until you get pregnant, your hair will grow like wildfire". Ive never been pregnant, so i'm not sure about that one!

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, this one was true...at least for me. it was healthy and grew.

 

[Paris Belle]

[ QUOTE ]
I also had the 'don't wash your hair so often' or it will break/fall out/dry and lose all its natural oils. I see the thinking in this though if a person doesn't know about conditioner washes and uses a regular shampoo alot each time they wash. For me, that would dry my hair out big time (and if the water used is hard - forget it.).

Another one is that black people can't grow their hair all the way down their back unless they are mixed. Yes she said that. I've tried since then to convince her otherwise. I'll show her some pics from this board.






[/ QUOTE ]

Same here..

I still wash only once a week because of the time factor, but I've proven to her that the mixed hair thing is not true.

 

[laketta]

My mother STILL thinks that natural unpermed hair is bad. I remeber when I went back to natural she said that she hated my hair and that it was too nappy. She thinks your hair has to be straight to be accepted by white people and to get decent jobs.

 

[olacia]

The worst part about that myth was I always had to remove my great-grandmother's hair from her brush so she could burn it. That was pretty traumatic for a little kid you know..

 

[Stormy]

Oooh my mother was/is soooo superstitious! I have a list:

Wigs make your hair grow. She never said anything about taking care of the hair underneath or how often to wear one or not, just...wigs make your hair grow!

The same ole don't wash your hair too often or it will dry up. yep! She didn't wash her's but once a month. I used to at least wash mine every two weeks before I knew better.

Same as tekmommie's in burning your hair from the brush so the birds won't get it and make you bald. She said because they'll use it to make a nest!

Someone mentioned dirt making your hair grow. Yep my mother said that one too. Hair grows better when it's dirty!

Cut your hair during a full moon because it will surely grow! She literally used to watch for that moon! Had the scissors in hand cutting away too! Not my hair though.

Let a man do your hair. This includes washing, cutting, and/or styling, whatever...just let a man put his hands in it! It will grow! (I've had two male stylists who took my hair out)

Some people have growing hands! She used to always say...so and so has a growing hand!

And last but not least...you should always use the hot curlers that you put on the stove and not the electric ones because the electric ones take your hair out and the gas ones make it grow. She said it just like that too.

 

[tekmommie]

[ QUOTE ]
And last but not least...you should always use the hot curlers that you put on the stove and not the electric ones because the electric ones take your hair out and the gas ones make it grow. She said it just like that too.

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[pet]

I think wigs do make your hair grow. Because the wig makes your head hot, which stimulates growth. Just like in the summer...people's hair grows faster. Maybe that's what she meant.

I do think dirt grows hair also...shoot....it worked for me.

And growing hands...lol...to some extent I believe that.

 

[Xtal]

Surprisingly my Mom didn't buy into any major myths. She knew to space out
relaxers and to wash your hair weekly.

The only thing she ever told us that would help our hair grow was lifting the dandruff
by scratching the scalp. It never worked, so I think she let that go a while ago.

 

[tekmommie]

I think it also depends on what generaton, your Mom is from...Those of us that are(dare I say older), probably heard more incorrect myths.

 

[Daughter]

Mummy and Daady were on point with my hair care... Dad used to wash my hair every Sunday without fail... both mum and dad wanted me to stay natural and never used any heat, just towel drying. However they did have the attitude about "good" and "bad" hair. While mum never called my hair bad, she (and some other family) would occasionally comment on how it was a shame I didn't have my dad's hair texture (very wavy).

 

[Stylepink]

Stormy, your post had me cracking up!

I grew up thinking I had bad dandruff, but now I know it was just product build up because I my mom did not believe in washing my hair frequently. She always told me it was "Growing Dandruff" and it would make my hair grow because it was a "good dandruff"....UGHHHH-gross!

 

[classycrimson]

lol...growing dandruff...cutting your hair with the new moon...people with growing hands...burning your hair so a bird wont catch it (I STILL remember the smell of stinking burning hair)..growing dandruff...oiling your scalp...I've heard it all.

Also never let more than one person do your hair at a time...it may have something to do with that "dont look in the mirror with two other people " myth...the youngest one is supposed to die first....

Also, don't wash ur hair and go straight outside.....dont wash ANYTHING and go straight outside...u'll get pneumonia...I had a grown cousin ...male...40's...recently say he couldnt come outside and let us in cuz he just took a bath...lol...when i was little I used to wonder how there were so many white people still alive I was also taught to never go outside with wet hair....more pneumonia threats

 

[tekmommie]

[ QUOTE ]

Also, don't wash ur hair and go straight outside.....dont wash ANYTHING and go straight outside...u'll get pneumonia...I had a grown cousin ...male...40's...recently say he couldnt come outside and let us in cuz he just took a bath...lol...when i was little I used to wonder how there were so many white people still alive I was also taught to never go outside with wet hair....more pneumonia threats

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, my grandmother would believe in this one. It would be 95 degrees outside and she would still say it...I used to wonder about white people too...