From cutting to coloring to styling, women are brave enough to dye at home, and maybe even shave the sides of their heads. There are plenty of follicle fallacies out there, including these biggest myths below:

Myth #1: Frequent trims make your hair grow faster.

Cutting the ends of your hair doesn’t affect the follicles in your scalp, which determine how fast and how much your hair grows. Hair grows an average of a quarter-inch every month ,whether or not you cut it. Getting rid of split ends reduces hair breakage, and breakage is what makes hair look thinner at the ends.

Myth #2: If you always use the same shampoo, eventually it will stop working.

You don’t need to practice shampoo rotation to keep your hair clean. Stick with your favorite as long as you love it.

Myth #3: A cold-water rinse makes your hair shinier.

According to most hairstylists, the icy water will make the cuticle of your hair close so it’s flat, which will help to reflect light. Unfortunately this is untrue. Use conditioners and styling products that contain silicones and oils to smooth the cuticle.

Myth #4.: For healthy hair, brush 100 strokes a day.

Brushing causes friction on hair, leading to cuticle damage and breakage, which makes hair lusterless and frizzy. Brush your hair minimally, and use the right tools.

Myth #5.: If you shampoo less often, your scalp will gradually produce less oil.

Cutting back on shampooing will have no effect on your sebaceous glands; genetics and hormones determine the amount of oil they produce. But it will cause dirt and oil to accumulate on your scalp and hair follicles.

Myth #6.: Wearing ponytails will cause bald spots.

The occasional ponytail won’t do any harm, but if this is a style that you wear daily, especially if it’s super tight then it could lead to traction alopecia. This form of gradual hair loss is caused by tension, stress, and pulling on the scalp and hair fibers. If you frequently part your hair in the same direction, this can cause a widening of the part which is technically another form of traction alopecia.