Trichologist Carol Johnson from the Universal Hair Clinic joined Jennifer Zamparelli on RTÉ 2FM to talk about discerning the good hair advice from the bad on TikTok. Listen back above.
TikTok hair trends amass hundreds of millions of views every single day. From #hairoil to #haircycling, there's a video for every treatment and technique, but with so much content out there it's sometimes tricky to know which pieces of advice should be followed.
To give listeners a helping hand, Carol tried to break things down - not an easy task in the hair world.
"Oils, in general, are good," she says. "They smooth out the cuticle, stop breakage, give shine."
However, it should be noted that some oils such as nut and rosemary may lead to an allergic reaction if rubbed into the scalp. She also noted that those with dandruff should avoid hair oils.
Ultimately, the Trichologist says that it's difficult for the hair to absorb nutrients, meaning that we should largely focus on our diets to ensure healthy hair.
"Food is the best source," she insists. "Protein - your hair is largely protein."
While many use rice water as a hair rinse, Carol says that it would be even better taken internally - if you can stomach it, that is.
If you insist on washing your hair with rice water, be careful not to leave it hanging about as flies are attracted to stagnant water, and be sure to use it at the very end of your wash.
"I don't like too much starch in water but there are nutrients in it," she explains. "Rain water has nutrients as well. So, as a finishing - when you've already washed your hair with regular water, warm and not too hot - it's a good thing because you'll smooth out the outer cuticle."
Egg whites should also be taken internally rather than externally, with Carol noting that if you insist on using egg whites be sure to use it on wet hair and avoid leaving it on too long as it can be very tricky to wash out.
The hair cycling trend posits that you should alternate your hair products throughout the week, using a clarifying shampoo one wash day followed by a hydrating shampoo the next - is there anything to this?
"It's not necessary if you don't do a lot with your hair," she says, adding that if you have certain issues like dandruff you may want to stick exclusively to a dandruff shampoo.
If you're someone who uses a lot of different products or are concerned with hair loss, though, it may be worth your while to change up your routine to make sure you're caring for your scalp as much as your hair.
"A healthy scalp is healthy hair," she states.
On average, Carol recommends washing hair three to four times a week, however, this may vary from person to person. She also suggests that anyone who exercises or sweats a lot should wash their hair more often as this can lead to pattern hair loss.
"If you've got a really itchy scalp, you should be doing it more," she adds.
When it comes to investing in hair products, Carol says that people should stick to whatever works best for them as the most important thing is to take care of your hair to the best of your ability.
Wrapping up the show, Carol reminded listeners to see a specialist if they are losing their hair as there is often a simple explanation. Hair extensions, for example, are known to cause traction alopecia.
For more hair information, listen back to the full interview on RTÉ 2FM above.
