TikTok has proven to be an inexhaustible source of self-care hacks ranging from makeup tips to homemade shampoos that claim to offer a range of benefits from clearer skin to thicker hair. But some trends may be doing more harm than anything else, with experts at Superdrug warning against the latest haircare recipe taking over the social media app.
Hair cycling is hailed as a cure for a range of hair problems including hair loss, dandruff and oily hair. It involves alternating hair care products, typically in five-day cycles, to accommodate the changing needs of your scalp due to pollution, hormones and weather.
However, Dr Matee Rajput, the UK’s leading director of celebrity hair surgery, warns that this trend also has a hidden downside for overall hair health: “There is no evidence that this trend improves hair growth or prevents hair loss, and it involves the application of a variety of chemicals to the scalp.
“Constantly switching between multiple products can lead to scalp irritation,” he added. This irritation can hinder hair growth, cause inflammation, damage hair follicles and impair the growth of new follicles.
Other trends that Dr. Rajput advises against for fear of damage or disappointing results include rice water rinses, glycolic acid, cryotherapy scalp treatments and egg yolk hair masks. He also advised against techniques such as washing and applying products with the head tilted downward, applying onion juice to the scalp and scalp guasha, which involves scraping a flat tool across the scalp.
However, it’s not all bad news, as the expert pointed out that some viral hacks and tricks are either harmless or actually do what they promise. One such trend is the apple cider vinegar rinse, which recommends rinsing hair with apple cider vinegar to reduce dandruff, aid hair growth, and balance the pH of the scalp.
Dr. Rajput acknowledged that not all of these promises may be fulfilled, and while he would not personally recommend it to his clients, he added, “It would not be harmful if someone used this method.”
Some TikTok trends he invited people to try out included using rosemary water to reduce hair loss, rosemary oil to stimulate hair growth, castor oil to reduce split ends, and dermarolling. Although the expert was against hair cycling, he offered an alternative with hair slugging, which involves loading the hair with lots of products to lock in moisture and hydration.
