Hair care:
All about your hair
You hate your hair?
Is anyone ever happy with their hair? It doesn’t seem like it! Either
their hair is too wavy, too straight, too thin, too brittle, or some
strange combination of those factors. Then, to make matters worse, the
things people do to their hair to solve a problem often seem to create
another hair crisis.
The first step to sanity is to accept reality. Most hair
characteristics, such as texture and colour, are genetic. You can’t do
much to change them, so you just have to learn to live with them - at
least for a while.
What you can do is to make some decisions about the way you treat
your hair. Learn about common hair problems and do whatever you can to
keep your hair healthy and in good condition.
Shampoos today are very effective, but the manufacturers instruct you
to wash and repeat simply so you use more of their product.Most people
lose about 100 - 150 hairs per day, but don’t worry, your hair is apt to
grow new ones.
Identify your hair
Oily Hair
After dandruff, the main complaint of most teenagers is oily, greasy,
or stringy hair. Unfortunately, your hair needs that oil. Oil glands in
the scalp secrete oil for each of the hair’s follicles. This oil
actually allows the hair to slide through the scalp and protects the
hair from the elements.
The key is finding ways to cut down on some of those nasty oil
spills. Wash your hair as often as you like, but use a mild shampoo and
wash only once. You do not need to add a conditioner to oily hair. If
you really want it drier, you can make it drier by having it permed or
tinted.
Dry Hair
If you have dry hair, your scalp is producing less sebum than it
should and you end up with dry, brittle hair.
When the layer of oil in the hair is broken down, the moisture
trapped below evaporates, leaving the hair to dry out and become more
prone to damage. It isn’t long before you end up with dry, unmanageable
areas complete with split ends and broken shafts.
You should wash it as infrequently as you can and use a mild shampoo
with a cream conditioner afterwards. Leave the conditioner on for a few
minutes before rinsing. Don’t brush your hair out too much, try to comb
it gently. Dry hair is fragile hair!!!
The good news about hair is that it is programmed and designed to
battle the elements. The cells in your hair shaft’s thin outer layer, or
cuticle, overlap like scales to protect the shaft’s inner mass of fibre,
called the cortex. This shaft is usually covered with a lubricant called
sebum; that is the oily stuff.
The bad news is that you’re in a constant state of combat with the
environment. Sun, salt and chlorinated water draw moisture from the
hair, strip away the sebum and damage the cuticle of the hair. If the
cuticle scales crack or warp, the roughened hair surface loses its
natural sheen and the fibre of the cortex frays, creating frizzy, dry
hair.
Hair Tips
Here are some tips to keep your hair in shape:
Use conditioners
They won’t necessarily give your hair a radiant glow, but they can
coat the hair with a lubricant or synthetic that replaces the stripped
out sebum. Some conditioners bond to the hair, helping to smooth the
cuticle and restore sheen to the hair. Others cut down the static
charges of flyaway hair.
Go easy on colouring, hot rollers and dryers - especially if you
spend a lot of time outdoors.
Remember, “perm” is short for “permanent” and although it is not
permanent it can take a long time to grow out. If you really want to
have it done, have a hairdresser do it and make sure they tell you the
different options for your hair type.
Wear a hat in the sun
The sun dries your hair out, as it bleaches it too. Hats can be cute,
fun and change your look. You can also use an umbrella at outdoor
activities.
Wear a bathing cap in pools or in salt water. Comb conditioner into
your hair before you put the cap on and then wash your hair afterward.
You think you will look like a dork, but chlorinated pool water can
change your hair colour. So, it lightens and damages everyone’s hair!
Dry your hair gently, by blotting and squeezing, not wringing or
rubbing.
Never brush wet hair. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb.
Hair Dyes
Whether your colour is blonde, red, black or brown, you should know
what you’re getting into when you use hair dyes. The jury is still out
on whether hair dyes cause long-term health problems, but it still pays
to be cautious by following these tips:
Try to postpone the decision to dye your hair permanently for as long
as possible.
Learn to make the most of your natural colour.
Dye your hair as little as possible, not just because you’re sick of
the last colour. The more you use permanent dyes or go from one wild
extreme to the next, the more likely you are to damage your hair.
Read hair dye instructions carefully. Leave the product on only as
long as the instructions indicate and use it only in the amounts
indicated.
Try highlights or streaking instead of colouring your entire head.
Talk with a cosmetologist who specialises in hair colouring. He or
she may be able to give you some tips related to problem products.
Consider going to a professional hairdresser or “hair colourist” if
you must dye your hair. They are the pros and will have a lot more
experience than you or your friends.
Top Hair Tips:
Shampooing tips
If your shampoo isn’t lathering, your hair most likely isn’t wet
enough! Add water, not more shampoo.
You do NOT have to switch shampoos (some say to change them weekly),
you only need to change products if your hair goes through a change like
if you perm it or colour it.
Wash your hair with warm water (not very hot) Don’t use cold, even if
your best bud says it is good for your hair. Shampoos are formulated to
work best with little warm water.
To eliminate friz or to define curls use a wave enhancing shampoo
like Back to Basics Get Curly Shampoo.
Don’t pour shampoo onto your head! Pour it into your hands then work
it through your hair.
Dandruff shampoos -
Massage them into your scalp, then leave the suds on for a few
minutes before rinsing.
If greasy hair is a problem, use a deep cleansing shampoo like
Clairol Herbal Essences Clarifying Shampoo.
Curly hair is often dry, so use a moisturising shampoo like
Neutrogena Clean Shampoo Replenishing.
Before conditioning, squeeze excess water from your hair (please be
gentle) soaking wet strands don’t absorb conditioner very well.
To strengthen strands try a protein-based conditioner like Pantene
Pro-V Daily Treatment Conditioner.
After conditioning, rinse those locks with cool water to boost the
circulation in your scalp and to increase the shine of your locks.
You’ll know conditioner is all washed out when your hair feels
slightly slippery.
DON’T pile your hair on top of your head (if it is long), this will
only create knots.
DON’T brush wet hair, it can tear your hair, use a comb, more on that
in Hair Tips. |