By Kendra Aarhus, Women's Hairstyles Expert

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Is Your Hair Color Fading Problems all Your Fault?
Whether you color your hair yourself (be careful, please) or you spend hundreds of dollars at the salon, some people just can't seem to catch a break with hair color fading. While some fading is to be expected, you may be surprised to learn that some of the reasons your hair color is fading is all your fault, and some of the things you always thought was fading your hair, really aren't at all.
 
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Your Hair is Damaged
Honesty is the best policy here. Is your hair damaged? Do you flat iron and curl it too often? Are your highlights damaging your hair? 
 
FACT: When you hair is damaged the cuticle of your hair doesn't seal down and the color escapes through this unsealed cuticle.
 
You may have damage that you don't even realize. For example, if you use box color often or your hair is over processed, your hair's cuticle suffers un-repairable damage.
 
MYTH: You can't reverse most damage that's already done to your hair, but there are a few things you can do to stop the damage and prevent future damage. Above all, be sure to discuss you hair's damage with your hair dresser and come up with a plan of products and services that can help prevent future damage.
 
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Your Shampoo is Stripping Your Hair Color
FACT: So often your hair color investment is literally washed down the drain by your shampoo. Shampoos can be full of sulfates and harsh detergents that wash everything off your hair, including the color.
 
MYTH: Color safe shampoo will not fade color.
 
The wrong shampoo can be the problem, but washing your hair too often is a guaranteed way to strip you color, no matter what kind of shampoo you use. While it's great to shop for shampoo that's sulfate free and color safe; you'll get more mileage out of your color if you put as many days between shampoos as possible.
 
A great alternative to traditional shampoo is a cleansing conditioner, but do your homework before choosing a cleansing conditioner. Many are full of waxes that can cause serious long term damage to your hair.
 
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Sun Exposure is Fading Your Hair
FACT: The sun is one of the biggest culprits of hair color robbery.
 
MYTH: Sunscreen for your hair will block UV rays and keep hair from fading.
 
Ultra Violet protection is a lot easier with hair products these days, but even the best sun screen can't completely prevent color fade from sun exposure. If you know you're going to be spending a lot of time in the sun (yard word, beach days, or sporting events), investing in a hat that completely blocks UV rays is your best bet for sun protection.
 
Do continue to use products that help deliver SPF protection. Even small doses of sun exposure add up to color fading and products that protect from UV rays can help minimize that exposure.
 
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Your Water Temperature is Fading Your Hair
MYTH: You've probably been told time and time again that you have to rinse your hair in cold water to keep your color from fading. This is a big fat myth, in my opinion.
FACT: The fact is that rinsing your hair in warm water is okay, but it's not necessary to freeze in your final moments in the shower. Scalding hot water can open your cuticle, but rinsing in warm to slightly cool water is just fine.
 
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Your Toner has Worn Off
FACT: Toner wears off before your next hair color appointment. If your stylist used a toner to perfect your hair color or highlights, it'll probably wear off after 6 to 8 weeks.
 
MYTH: You have to return to the salon to have your toner updated.
You can keep your toner (which typically tones out yellow and brassy tones) fresh by self toning at home using self toning shampoos and conditioners. These products have a pigmented base that keep unwanted tones at bay or keep your color vibrant.
 
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You're Not Deep Conditioning Your Hair
FACT: Deep conditioning treatments will help restore shine and seal the cuticle of your hair, keeping the color locked in for longer.
 
MYTH: Deep conditioning treatments are expensive and should be done at the salon.
 
I love at home deep conditioning treatments, and some of my favorites are incredibly affordable. A weekly mask with a deep conditioning treatment will ensure your color lasts longer, and your hair will have more shine and vibrancy.
 

While I was researching the "extinction of blondes" I came across similar claims about redheads.

Over the years many news organizations have reported that redheads or "gingers," would eventually become extinct.  Other news outlets and blogs picked up the story, citing the "Oxford Hair Foundation" or "genetic scientists" who claimed that there would be no more redheads by as early as 2060.  It turns out that all those people were wrong. Redheads are here to stay and should be around well beyond 2060.

These articles work on the mistaken assumption that recessive genes -- like the one for red hair -- can "die out." Recessive genes can become rare but don't disappear completely unless everyone carrying that gene dies or fails to reproduce. So while red hair may remain rare, enough people carry the gene that, barring global catastrophe, redheads should continue to appear for some time.

Some of the articles discussing redhead extinction referred to the Oxford Hair Foundation as an "independent" institute or research­ foundation, but a Google search shows that the Oxford Hair Foundation is funded by Proctor & Gamble, makers of numerous beauty products -- including red hair dye.

In the most recent wave of redhead extinction warnings, some news outlets incorrectly cited the September 2007 issue of National Geographic as the source of the extinction claims. Others, correctly, cited that issue of National Geographic for the statistics it presented in a short piece on redheads. In fact, the National Geographic story provided some data about red hair in the world population, but it only said that "news reports" have claimed that redheads were going extinct. The piece did not explicitly back the claim. Instead, the article stated that "while redheads may decline, the potential for red isn't going away". Unfortunately the misconception about disappearing redheads is now widespread.

Experts who have been interviewed agree that the redhead extinction claim is bogus. David Pearce from the University of Rochester Medical Center told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in 2005 -- after the last round of redhead extinction news -- that the scientists behind the original claim should "check their calculator".  Rick Sturm, a researcher in hair and skin genetics at the University of Queensland, told the Australian Broadcasting Company that "there's no shortage of red-heads" and that the Oxford Hair Foundation didn't provide sufficient scientific evidence to prove its findings.

Red hair is caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene. It's also a recessive trait, so it takes both parents passing on a mutated version of the MC1R gene to produce a redheaded child. Because it's a recessive trait, red hair can easily skip a generation. It can then reappear after skipping one or more generations if both parents, no matter their hair color, carry the red hair gene.

(source: Science: HowStuffWorks)

I was hanging out with a few friends earlier today and we were talking a hair (of course we were) and someone mentioned that there wouldn't be any more blondes in a few hundred years.   I'd never heard this before so I thought I'd research their comment.   

The Claim:  A study undertaken by the World Health Organization concluded that natural blondes are likely to be extinct within 200 years.

Well, this is completely FALSE.  

The problem is that blonde hair is caused by a recessive gene.

In order for a child to have blonde hair, it must have the gene on both sides of the family in the grandparents' generation.  

The researchers also believe that so-called bottle blondes may be to blame for the demise of their natural rivals.
 
They suggest that dyed-blondes are more attractive to men who choose them as partners over true blondes.
 
But Jonathan Rees, professor of dermatology at the University of Edinburgh said it was unlikely blondes would die out completely.  "Genes don't die out unless there is a disadvantage of having that gene or by chance. They don't disappear," he told BBC News Online.  "The only reason blondes would disappear is if having the gene was a disadvantage and I do not think that is the case.
 
"The frequency of blondes may drop but they won't disappear."  [source: BBC News].

(Source: Science: HowStuffWorks)

SNOPES.com also debunked this claim.