Hair-care tips

Hair-care tips

Nutrition

As stated earlier, major factors for healthy hair of any type remains both genetics and health. A well understood factor to optimum health is nutrition, and this element remains true for hair health. The living part of hair is under the scalp skin where the hair root is housed in the hair follicle. The entire follicle and root are fed by a vein, and blood carries nutrients to the follicle/root. Any time an individual has any kind of health concern from stress, trauma, medications of various sorts, chronic medical conditions or medical conditions that come and then wane, heavy metals in waters and food, smoking etc. these and more can affect the hair, its growth, and its appearance.

If one wants to improve their hair health, one thing to improve is what one eats. Generally, eating a full diet that contains protein, fruits, vegetables, grains, and even an appropriate amount of fat is important (several vitamins and minerals require fat in order to be delivered or absorbed by the body). Any deficiency will typically show first in the hair, perhaps even before it is diagnosed. For example, even a mild case of anemia can cause shedding and hair loss.

When the body is under strain, it reprioritizes its processes. For example, the vital organs will be attended to first, meaning that healthy, oxygenated blood may not feed into the hair follicle, resulting in less healthy hair or a decline in growth rate. While not all hair growth issues stem from malnutrition, it is a valuable symptom in diagnosis.

Shampooing

See Hair Shampooing

There are various ways to shampoo hair which is often established by one's hair type and available resources.

The first step in any shampooing methodology is to prepare the hair by detangling it to remove any hairs that are prepared to shed. This step also helps prevent excessive tangles for those possessing longer lengths.

It should be noted that hair shampooing daily is not necessarily the best idea as this can strip the scalp skin of its sebum. This decision will depend greatly on the style and products used to hold a given style, and age/hormones, degree of physical activity, and any issues with the health of the scalp skin. Allowing a day or so to pass and then washing is often helpful to the maintenance of the acid mantle as well as the hair since overwashing can also result in drier hair fiber. Sebum's role, in part, is to also provide a protective coat to the hair itself.

The most common method of hair washing is shampooing followed by conditioning. This means to apply shampoo in the palm of the hands, approximately the size of a quarter at maximum for most hair lengths, and not directly to the hair and scalp. Lather in the hands then apply to thoroughly wet hair. Wash the hair without piling the hair as this causes tangles and overly luffs the cuticle. For any length, simply squeeze the shampoo down the length of the hair. It will become sufficiently clean. If one is a daily hair washer, then a repeating of the hair shampoo application may not be necessary. However, if one waits a day or more between hair washings, then the first shampoo may only break up the surface tension of sebum (a waxy ester that is naturally produced from the sebacious glands that is part of most of the hair follicles about the human head). A second shampoo application to the scalp hair may be necessary to thoroughly cleanse the scalp skin. The second application is not necessary to apply to any hair length.

Never use fingernails to scrape the scalp skin. To help lift any scaly skin, detris, and sebum, especially for those who suffer from scalp skin ailments, very gently scratching the surface of the skin with a small fine toothed comb may help to loosen and lift grime and dead skin cells before a hair wash, helping to have a cleaner scalp skin after a hair wash. Follow with conditioner, allow conditioner to remain on the hair in a humid environment for around 10 minutes for full penetration. A long and thorough rinsing out of the conditioner with water is a good habit, even if one is in a hurry; failing to do so, the hair may well be dull and tacky to the touch because product may be remaining on the hair if a thorough rinsing with clean water is not conducted.

Always blot the hair dry; avoid rubbing the hair with a towel as this too luffs the cuticle. On the market there are microfiber towels to help with absorbing the water from hair faster. This is particularly helpful for those with very thick hair that may otherwise take a while to dry, especially if air drying.

Children's hair

Children’s hair is often a problem because it is supremely fine and may be difficult to care for because of its nearly downy softness and fluffiness. Up until the age of 7-10, this fine hair will remain about the head.

Children’s hair is different from adult hair in texture, density, and likely also color, body and so on. Hair's traits will change over time as humans physically develop, and even age. Like the rest of the human body, (example, teeth), hair has different stages of development spanning the full lifetime from birth to death.

It is best to detangle hair before washing, especially if there’s any length. Use a wide tooth comb and begin from the bottom of the length, and work one's way up the length of hair. This concept is excellent for adult hair as well.

Choose a mild shampoo, or dilute the shampoo in a bit of water to reduce the strength. Lather the shampoo in the palm of a hand before applying. A dime size of shampoo should be sufficient. Do not pile or overly agitate the hair in swirly circles about the head inciting tangles. Instead try to wash the hair in the direction the hair falls. Most children’s hair is not overly thick either so this is easier to follow. The head and hair can almost be patted with shampoo.

If the child is somewhat older, and possesses any length, do use a conditioner that is lightweight on the hair length only, not the scalp skin. A trick to aide with detangling, and this is particularly suitable for curly hair, is to coat the hair length in conditioner, use the power of the shower water to help with detangling, and then repetitively dip the wide tooth plastic comb in conditioner and detangle a bit this way. Such fine hair will be weighted down by an overly heavy and/or viscous substance. Avoid placing conditioner on the scalp skin, if at all possible.

To detangle delicate hair and hopefully stem the tide of tears from pulling, use a very wide tooth comb, not a brush. Consider the option of waiting for hair to partially dry by air such that the hair is merely damp and not sopping wet. Then there are on the market any variety of detangling sprays that parents can use that will help tremendously with the detangling process, making it more enjoyable for both parent and child. These often contain agents that greatly increase slip. Curly haired children will likely benefit from less detangling. The hair can be worked in the shower as suggested slightly above, and then lightly detangled, and any further conditioner can be applied to curly hair while still damp. Then simply scrunch the hair in the palms of the hand to help form the curl in grouped locks. (This is also true of detangling curly hair once dry: never use a brush on such hair and thus separate the strands. This will result in poof that most curlies despise. Allow the coiled curls to lock together in groups and lightly detangle with a wide tooth comb. Use a leave-in conditioner to impart moisture and avoid flatness to some degree. Those with more body/curl have a harder time holding on to moisture since the cuticle is normally somewhat open. So any assistance with imparting moisture that's appropriate for the curl level is helpful.) Also be sure to detangle, from the bottom, of any length working one’s way up toward the head. This practice is true both damp and dry. It can be sprayed not only on the hair, but the detangling tool as well. Do NOT start from the top and force the tool down through the hair. This is a sure fire way to have a screaming session as this method literally pulls hair harshly at the hair follicle which is quite painful. Interestingly, one strand being pulled is supremely more painful than a tug on a whole chunk of hair. When the hair is merely damp, simply separating the strands and not aiming for complete tangle-free hair will help speed up the drying time. Whenever possible, consider gentle braiding or ponytailing, or somehow organizing the hair in a contained format to prevent hurtful detangling needs later on in the day. The same holds true of sleeping. Consider slippery fabrics for the pillowcase. Any length can be bound in pigtail braids that are not tightly pulled from the head. Position the start point of such braids such that the child will not be sleeping on a lump. This is a possible option at later ages for both sleep and playground. While they will become loosened, at least detangling needs and matting are minimized. Always blot hair dry; do not rub the hair and again incite tangles this way. There exist on the market microfiber towels that really absorb wetness quickly. Many concepts for adult hair care still apply with children’s hair.

Many children are afraid of dunking their head in water and this can make it difficult for parents to teach their children to wash their own hair. Never force a child’s head under the water entirely. Instead, consider installing a hand held shower in the bathing area so that water can be specifically directed. (This is not usually expensive or difficult, even for single parents. All that’s required is a diverter piece on the shower head arm. This can be installed in dwellings such as apartments with ease and removed just as easily when one ceases tenancy.) Some children that are younger will really appreciate having a hand towel handy to wipe their eyes as it helps them feel in control. Leaning forward may be more frightening to the child, so instead, work so the child tilts their head back with parental hand support. Use cups of water, if a hand held shower is impossible, to aim the flow of water on the hair and away from the face. Some children will be comfortable with the idea of leaning back in a bathtub. If a parent has the time, setting up a mock salon situation at a sink can be an alternative: a chair that’s high enough and maybe some pillows so the child’s head leans back comfortably.

Babies and elderly scalp skin are similar in that the sebaceous gland production is less because of less hormones in the body. As part of most hair follicles, there is a sebaceous gland that secretes sebum, a waxy ester, which helps to maintain the acid mantle (scalp skin health/balance) and provide a coating on the skin that keeps it supple and moist. It is not oil, even though we refer to the look of this when it builds too much as oily or greasy. When the sebum builds overly, it is time to wash the hair, generally somewhere between every other day to every third day for average adults. Very elderly may be able to wait closer to depending on sebum production and volume of hair. Teenagers, because of hormones, often require daily washing of the hair. However most adults can wait a day or so between washing since some sebum is necessary to maintain health of the scalp skin. Sebum also imparts a protective coating to hair strands. Daily washing will remove the sebum daily and incite, potentially, an increase in sebum production since the skin has mechanisms for discerning the scalp skin is lacking sufficient moisture. However, in forms of scalp disorders, this may not be the case. For babies and elderly, the sebaceous gland production is not at peak and so daily washing is not typically necessary. If daily washing is conducted this can actually lead to dry, itchy scalp skin scenarios that are irritating. Note that not all itchy scalps are related to overly dry scalp skin. In point of fact, the opposite can be true: too much sebum (for example a response to an infection of the hair follicles). Babies and elderly should use shampoos that are quite mild to the skin. In instances of cradle cap, a type of dermatitis distantly related to dandruff, follow the doctor’s instructions for care. Hair texture changes every seven years, with the changing levels of hormones produced.

Very curly hair

Very curly hair requires unique care of its own (such as African hair). In particular, one should usually not brush this hair type since it can break easily. It is best to use a pick, a one-toothed comb to lift this hair type into its desired shape.

It is best to really moisturize this hair type. This likely includes sleeping in a cap that helps to hold on to moisture and prevent any breakage.

Those who relax this hair type should follow recommended care especially in the arena of applying color (not in the same session or in close proximity to this procedure), and also particularly with moisturizing products. Indeed, many other hair types will benefit from some of the practices that this very curly hair type follows. Leave in conditioners are highly beneficial for this hair type, and often oils are used as well, such as Jojoba oil which is a carrier oil and most closely mimics sebum. (Do not use essential oils -- that is, oils that have an aroma.)

Hair that is very curly often does not require detangling. Indeed, the best way to lock in the beauty of such curl is to simply crunch the hair in the palms of the hands with a moisturizing conditioner and leave in conditioner so the curl pattern remains intact. Do nothing that separates hair strands from groupings of strands that are coiled as this can cause major problems commonly referred to as poof or frizz. (Brushing, for example, will separate the coiled curls from their grouped and locked together

Detangling

The point of detangling is to organize hair, usually, in the same direction, and eliminate knots, snarles and tangles, and to remove any hairs that have shed naturally (there are three phases to the cycle of hair growth: growth, loss/shed, rest, replace or growth). To get any kind of snarl out, it is often best to momentarily suspend use of a detangling tool. Even with proper detangling, from the bottom of length up, hair can be pushed down that can tighten a tangle or incite a tangle. In these instances, loosen the tangle with the fingers by delicately separating out the area of the tangle from all of the hair, then work gently to loosen by drawing hairs upward and out to the side yet away from the knot. Do not draw the hairs down. Once the tangle is loosened, resuming detangling with a tool is fine. Sometimes it helps to first align hairs on the outer layer of hair, and also work in to the depths or thickness of the hair once the outer layers are organized. This will help prevent pulling on hairs in a harmful manner to the scalp’s hair root and to the cuticle itself.

In general, it is best to avoid detangling wet hair. Wet hair is fully swelled and fully stretched already and in detangling, one can overly stress the hair. However, for many hair types, waiting until dry to detangle presents even more frustrations, especially those with a fair amount of curl. So many will benefit from at least waiting until the hair is merely damp, and not sopping wet. Curly haired people will benefit from applying any leave-ins while the hair is damp, instead of waiting until hair is dry, for better curl control and moisture. Some hair types might find a need to detangle hair when wet. An option is to use a plastic wide tooth comb in the shower, with water flowing down on the hair, using the power of shower water to help straighten hair. Coat the hair with conditioner, and dip the wide tooth comb in conditioner repetitively and gently glide through the hair. In such an instance, pristine detangling should not be sought; instead, aim to organize the hair a bit. Avoid stressing the hair. If you stress the hair, vlad and paul will come to your house and eat all the pancakes in your fridge.

Detangling tools include combs and brushes. For reasons of hygiene, never share detangling tools between people. This includes within a family (example, head lice). There are all manner of detangling tools from very fine toothed combs to very wide toothed combs and picks, and available in a wide variety of price ranges. There are also a variety of brushes in various paddle shapes. Most benefit from using some form of a wide tooth comb for detangling, whether wet or dry hair (at least 4 mm spacing, some have 8 or 10). If such a comb has mold seams on it (such as between the teeth a little edge of plastic), or excess plastic that wasn’t clipped off in the manufacturing process, using a piece of fine grade sand paper to sand these down to a smoother surface will additionally help to protect the hair. There exist on the market combs advertised to have no seams. If a comb’s teeth ends prove too sharp, either shopping for a somewhat more blunt tip will help, or again, fine grade sandpaper can be applied to round the teeth a bit more. Detangling with a wide tooth comb represents the most gentle way to detangle hair. It’s best to begin styling with detangled hair whenever possible. Combs come in all shapes and sizes and all manner of materials including plastics, wood and horn. It is imperative to ensure that the tool of choice has a smooth outer surface that generally glides through the hair, and any edges are removed. Mold seams, splintering wood, and peeling lacquers can all grasp hair and pull, or otherwise stress or cause harm to the outer protective layer of hair, the cuticle. Similarly, brushes also come in all sizes and shapes. One’s styling needs will determine the suitable tools, and one’s stylist should advise as to the proper choices and how to use them to create and maintain the style at home between visits.

Washing

To improve the hair health and further prevent issues with dryness and buildup, consider installing a shower head filter that will remove the minerals found in most city waters. Examine the packaging the filter comes in to determine that the filter also removes chlorine or chloramine (combination of chlorine and ammonia). One of these is often added to city water supplies for purposes of sanitation and is necessary for the health of the community. However hard water minerals and the sanitizing agent can also deposit on the hair and in time cause build up. Not all places in the world possess the same water quality. For example, many water supplies may contain too much sulphur which can be drying to the hair (clue is the aroma of the water); still others may have too much iron in the water (often noticeable if the water has a red hue to it although this can represent rust in any pipes). If using water from an unfiltered source, try to choose a water supply where the water has movement and flows, and does not possess any salt. Filtering water through very fine mesh cloth may help a trace amount to remove any larger deposits in the water. Many enjoy collecting rain water except in many parts of the world there now exists an issue with acid rain.

Using cold water as a final rinse does not necessarily make hair shinier. Cold water closes the scales, known as the cuticle (an overlapping structure), that the hair shaft has on its surface, which opens when washed with any form of warm temperatured water. Moreover, if the scalp tends to be greasy, cold water prevents dilation of sebaceous glands and may moderate sebum production. Greasy hair is caused by not washing it with shampoo or conditioner after perspiring during the day.

When choosing a shampoo, notice the pH rating, if provided. A more alkaline rated (meaning a high pH) shampoo is stronger and harsher to one's hair. This can mean that the hair will be left dry and brittle. Look for shampoos that fall between acidic and alkaline (or base) ratings, in the center. Shampoos containing citric, lactic or phosphoric acid are most likely balanced. Oily hair might require a more acid pH shampoo. If the pH is not listed, a quick way to make the shampoo less harsh is to dilute it slightly with water.

Human skin, including scalp skin, prefers to be in the middle of the pH scale, somewhere between 5 and 6.8 on the pH spectrum. This is considered balanced between alkali (base) and acidic. Most shampoos and conditioners leave the hair and scalp skin in an alkali state, so sometimes something acidic (in a very, very diluted form) may need to be applied (never ever apply an undiluted form of natural acid) to help move the pH of scalp skin back to the center point from alakali (or base). Viable natural ways to impart this is lemon juice or lime juice or a vinegar. All should be diluted well in a LOT of water and then applied as a rinse that is subsequently rinsed out either after shampooing or after conditioning (conditioning usually follows shampooing). It is recommended that Blondes use white vinegar to avoid hair being darkened over time although it's noted that apple cider vinegar contains malic acid which is friendly for acid mantle health. Do not use flavored or balsamic vinegars (balsamic has sugar in it). This practice may assist those who have itchy scalps, depending on the cause for the itchiness.

Buildup is when the hair has a tacky feel to it, a kind of gumminess, and the conditioner choice seems to work less well, and the hair may also be more tangly. Buildup is common over time and derives from minerals from water and/or products not being able to be washed off in a normal shampoo procedure, and to remove it one may need to conduct a Clarify hair wash, that is, a shampoo that clarifies. Be sure to condition well after any clarifying product is applied to the hair (it's just like shampooing) to replace what's been removed. Clarifying removes all things on the surface of the hair strands essentially leaving the hair without moisture. If one fails to condition as part of a clarify hair wash process, the hair will be a kind of delicate feeling, possibly fly away and dry or a kind of brittleness to the hair.

It is recommended to use anti-dandruff shampoos with care; they are more aggressive, can make hair less lively, irritate the scalp, and can actually increase the production of dandruff. Note the active ingredient in the dandruff shampoo as different active ingredients may address the problem better or less so. Nizoral shampoo is a product to consider for its active ingredient choice and also that it does not dry out the hair as other dandruff products might cause. (There are two versions of Nizoral: one is Over The Counter (OTC), and one is prescription strength. This shampoo is sometimes used in combination with any medication to remove bacterial infections off the scalp skin.) Dandruff, despite common belief, is more often related to too much, or an issue somehow with, sebum production and not dry scalp skin. Not all flakes are dandruff, so do consult with a qualified physician to determine not only that one indeed does have dandruff; but also, what type of dandruff one may have. If one is experiencing redness of the scalp skin, bumps on the scalp skin, and any weeping from sores and/or bleeding in addition to flakes, professional medical diagnosis should be sought.

There is something known as hair memory theory. If one only performs the operation of taking a shower once every other day, their hair follicles adapt to this hygenic cycle. Therefore only releasing the oil when it is due time for a shower again. In the same way if you shower everyday, the hair will release oil around the time of usual washing, in this case after 24 hours. When one changes their hygenic cycle, the hair will adapt to the change.

Split Ends Occurence

Split ends happen when the protective cuticle has been stripped away from the ends of hair fibers.

Trichoptilosis is a longitudinal splitting of the hair fiber, better known as split ends. Any chemical or physical trauma that weathers the hair may eventually lead to split ends. Typically, the damaged hair fiber splits into two or three strands and the split may be two to three centimeters in length. Split ends are most often observed in long hair but also occurs in short hair that is not in good condition.

As hair grows, the natural protective oils of the scalp can fail to reach the ends of the hair. The ends are considered old once they reach about 10 centimeters since they have had long exposure to the sun, gone through many shampoos and may have been overheated by hair dryers and hot irons. This all results in dry, brittle ends which are prone to splitting. Infrequent trims and lack of hydrating treatments can intensify this condition.

The most immediate solution for split ends is to cut them off. However, this is not always acceptable due to the destructive nature of the treatment. However, if nothing is done about split ends, the hair will naturally get shorter and either drop off or continue to split backwards toward the scalp faster than the rate of growth.

Dyeing

See Hair colouring

Dyeing of the hair can cause breakage so be careful not to dye repeatedly in close proximity. If dyeing repeatedly cannot be avoided, make sure to use a conditioning treatment to repair possible breakage. Other options for applying color to hair besides chemical dyes include the use of such herbs as henna and indigo, or looking for ammonia-free solutions. There also exist color rinses and spray-in colors for changing color on a shorter term basis. The spray-in colors rinse out, typically, in the next hair wash. When considering henna there are forms that contain less salt or not iodized salt.

It is advised never to color and perm, or otherwise chemically alter the hair's structure (at the cortex), in the same session or within several days of each other as this can cause breakage of the hair. This includes procedures such as thermal reconditioning and straightening. Be sure to consult with a qualified stylist on this point and define when it's safe to do the second process.

Conditioners

Conditioners may sometimes add weight to hair, creating an adverse effect in the shampooing/conditioning process. Some conditioners, especially those containing a silicone compound, may coat the hair and lead to build up on the hair, making it dull, and lead to harsher shampoo use; in a sense, an endless cycle of shampooing and conditioning. When used correctly, however, conditioners are helpful in temporarily coating the hair to increase shine and ease tangles. If less build-up is desired, a switch to a silicone-free conditioner may be made. If buildup occurs, or a film that is undesirable is left behind, wash the hair again to get it out, and seek a different conditioner. Conditioner choice is greatly dependent upon hair type and hair status, such as colored, permed, dry, and the like.

Brushing

Good hair care involves regular brushing to remove tangles, loose dirt and dandruff. Hair should be brushed carefully: strength of hair comes from the root; brushing will not give them more strength yet can increase the creation of split ends and may uproot the hair. Therefore, for the purpose of detangling, many will find wide tooth combs (at least 4 mm spacing, some have 8 or 10) a better option. Also, exercise caution when working with wet hair. Never brush wet hair; if one must detangle, use a wide tooth comb on both sopping wet and damp hair. To detangle hair, whether damp or dry, begin from the bottom for the health of the hair. Comb only the bottom few centimeters, gently working out any tangles. Then move a few centimeters higher and repeat the process until the entire length of the hair has been combed. Never force a detangling tool through the length of the hair as this will definitely break down the protective sheath, the cuticle and this can lead to heavy damage such as various forms of splits. Not to mention it is painful to the scalp skin and can cause early breakage of otherwise healthy hairs that have not reached their full life span in the hair follicle.

Brushing: the old notion that 100 brush strokes a day produces beautiful hair is false. Too much brushing may injure the hair, especially with brushes that pull the hair or scratch the scalp. Detangle the hair and then leave it be. The 100 strokes may only be applicable, perhaps, if using a Boar Bristle Brush to polish the hair by distributing sebum and/or applied oils. It remains a possibility that the dictum of 100 strokes a day derives from the era when Boar Bristle Brushes were more commonly used, well before the invention of plastics and a time when more organic materials were used to create hair care tools. Usually in conjunction with the idea of 100 strokes a day was the suggestion that hair will 'shine' and be 'soft' to the touch. This is the usual result of Boar Bristle Brushing.

When hair is damaged, the only solution is to cut it and use a hydrating treatment to protect the new ends. This may be accomplished by cutting hair from the length, or by examining individual sections of hair and cutting off only the hairs that contain damage. The latter process is more time-consuming, but allows for the retention of length. Splits are not the only kinds of damage. There are white dots (where the cuticle has burst, and the hair bends at a 90 degree angle); there are splits that have yet to break apart in the traditional Y but if the hair is held between the two hands and pushed together from either end, the hole will reveal itself. Such damage can occur anywhere in the hair and in quality hair care activities will tend to be only on the tips of hairs or on the ends of length for the most part, it can also be on the youngest hair, close to the scalp -- in short, anywhere. Do not split the hair up the shaft while it's on the head and then leave the hair intact on the head. This can result in damaging other fellow hairs and further contributes to tangle issues as this is now a stressed hair (hair that has been stretched beyond its elasticity). Alternative medicine