Archive for April, 2008
Doesn’t it seem like the person with shiny hair is so beautiful? Don’t you feel like that should be you? Now, it can be.
Hair is coated with natural oil called sebum, which allows it to shine and retain its moisture. Sebum is produced by a gland called sebaceous and is found near every hair follicle in the scalp.
However, this natural oil is heavily affected by our hormones, the things we use to style or wash our hair and by dry windy weather. This then leaves our hair feeling and looking dry and boring.
But you can control the destiny of your hair. Several products have been created specifically for enhancement of shiny hair. Hair shampoo has the purpose of cleaning the dirt and buildup your hair encounters with every day life.
But its harsh chemicals can leave your hair dry, and that is when hair conditioner comes into play. Hair conditioner works like a lotion for your hair. It allows it to recondition its follicles and get back to its normal self. But these two items are made for cleaning your hair in the shower.
Oils have also been a great tool to get your hair to shine. Hair shine and oils allow you to protect your hair when you are outside. They can block the dry wind and harsh rays of the sun from stripping away the sebum. In many cases of really dry hair, it is recommended that you try a hot oil treatment. In less than 30 minutes, you can retain your natural oil, relieve your hair from the stress and reduce split ends.
If you use products hair dye, make sure you also collaborate products created for color treated hair. A hairdryer or curling iron works wonders for creating style, but using these appliances can cause great damage and dryness. If you are fond of your hairdryer or hair iron, you should look out for heat activated conditioner or shampoo. This way, you will not be causing harm to your precious locks and will not only make your hair in good condition but also make your hair shine.
When styling your hair, do not pull your hair back too tight. This will not only cause stress to your hair, but it will dry your scalp as well.
Hard brushing can result to unwanted hair loss or irritation to your scalp.
Brushing your hair gently is another for of massaging your hair and it also produces shiny hair.
There are many ways for you to make your hair shine. With simply daily routines, you can maintain having beautiful, shiny hair.
April 30th, 2008
Hair is made of strong elastic strands of protein called keratin and in chemical terms is composed of oxygen, iron, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulphur, carbon and phosphorus.
The exact proportions of these chemical elements vary with sex, age, type and colour of hair.
The sources of hair are very small tiny pockets in our skin and scalp known as follicles. These follicles are not evenly spread on the scalp but are found together in groups of two to five each. Every follicle follows a life cycle of its own producing six inches of hair a year for as long as four years before it falls out then starts all over again after a short period.
The basal tip of the hair in the scalp is known as papilla which is a small out-growth of the skin shaped like a doorknob and lying at the tip of the follicle.
The papilla contains the blood vessels to supply nourishment to the hair.
During the active period the new cell growth pushes the older part of the hair away from the papilla until the hair falls out. It is the pattern of cell growth at the papilla which determines whether hair grow straight wavy or curly.
The growth pattern usually becomes uneven during the adolescence when the hair growth is at its peak.
It declines as we grow older. The cell growth pattern can change otherwise also due to illness, drugs, pregnancy, etc.
Though hair strands look as singular fibres, each hair is constructed in three different layers: the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla.
The cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair which provides protection to the inner cortex layer.
It is made up of flattened, hard, horny cells. When the cuticle breaks and dislodges at the end of the hair, the result is split ends. Improper care and frequent use of harsh chemicals on hair damage the cuticle.
The cortex is the second layer.
The qualitative properties of strength, elasticity, pliability, direction and growth pattern, width and the texture of hair depend on the composition of the cortex. The cortex is composed of fibres twisted together like a rope.
It is the cortex which gives the hair its colour. The presence of the four natural pigments black, brown, yellow and red are logged in the cortex in varying proportions, and the air spaces in the cortex determine the colour and shade of hair.
The excess black and deep brown pigment is what gives oriental women the dark hair they possess.
Lastly, the medulla is the unimportant innermost layer which is composed of soft keratin. Medulla is often not present in some hair. Hair that lacks medulla is no worse than hair that has medulla.
April 29th, 2008
People who care for their hair are not necessarily vain or pompous.
Hair care is important for anybody. So in order to administer the proper hair care, a person must know the ins and outs when it comes to hair characteristics. There are four major categories when it comes to hair characteristics and these are porosity, elasticity, density, and texture.
Porosity. The hair has the ability to take in moisture or to absorb it. This absorption is determined through the amount each of your cuticle is raised.
This is what is known as porosity. So why be concerned about your hair’s porosity? For example, you wanted to get some hair treatment. Naturally this would involve the administering of chemicals to your hair. Less of these chemicals could lead to the ineffectiveness of that treatment while more of these chemicals can thoroughly damage your hair.
It is then for the goal of a healthy shiny hair that the right chemical service is rendered.
And to determine that rightness, knowing the porosity of your hair can benefit you a lot. Porosity of hair can be divided into three categories—high porosity, normal porosity, and low porosity. Low porosity means your hair is rather resistant to hair treatments, normal porosity means the hair is receptive, while high porosity means administering of chemicals to your hair should be done with great caution.
The next important hair characteristic is elasticity. This refers to the degree in which your hair can be stretched. That degree wherein the hair can be stretched without damaging it and spring back to the length it originally had, that is elasticity.
This characteristic of the hair is important because it can indicate the condition of your hair. You will know whether your hair is still strong or already weak. Once you are aware of that, you can then proceed to finding the right hair care treatment or product to use. Take note that when your hair is wet it can be stretched at one and one-fourth more than its original length. When dry, stretching capability is only at a quarter of the original length.
Elasticity can be affected by chemical services, heat, brushing, and combing.
Another hair characteristic is density. This is the number of your hairs per square inch that are on your scalp. Knowing the thickness or thinness of your hair is done by measuring its density. Studies show that the average head area is 120 sq. in.
and the hairs on a person’s head is numbering at an average of 100,000 to 150,000. Daily, the head is said to normally shed hair of about 50 to 80 strands.
Finally, there is texture. This is measured by determining how much diameter an individual hair strand has. There are three categories covering this characteristic—coarse, medium, and fine. The larger the diameter, the coarser the hair becomes and of course, if the diameter is small, your hair is fine. Fine hair may be sensitive to chemical processes while coarse hair can be resistant. So no matter what hair care you do, natural hair care or otherwise, take note of these hair characteristics.
April 28th, 2008
Gray hair is an inevitable sign of aging. There are many who are quite gracious in accepting the fact that their hair are turning gray. There are others, however, who are doing everything humanly possible to somehow curtail their aging process. It is imperative for these people to realize though, that it is possible for them to still look gorgeously great even with their silvery manes. All it takes is becoming more aware of the causes of graying hair as well as knowing ways of better gray hair care.
The Whys and Hows of Gray Hair
Your hair does not really change in color but it does lose its natural color pigmentation. As you age, your hair follicles grow old with you and as every strand undergo changes at diverse rates, different shades of gray are attained. The depletion of the color pigments will result in the gradual lightening of these strands until such time that the gray will turn into white. There is no treatment for gray hair, except if getting them is a result of other circumstances.
Generally, gray hairs start appearing during the forties at varying degrees for a group of people. People with dark hair will see gray hairs earlier than those with blond hairs. Men, generally will get gray hairs sooner than women. However, there are also factors other than age that could cause graying hair. Among these factors are change in hormonal levels caused by stress or trauma, smoking, malnutrition and even, Werner Syndrome, which is a disease that speeds up aging.
Gray Hair Care
Even if the causes of getting gray hairs prematurely are not known exactly, there are ways on taking care of gray hair that you could do. You could still look fabulous even with your gray hair. Just remember that as you age, you will also get hair that is more coarse and dry, as compared to youthful hair. To cushion these age effects on your hair, you should take care in using hair products that will moisturize your hair deeply. There are also other hair products that could add volume to your hair, as you will also tend to fall victim to hair loss when you age.
Take note to stay away from heat treatments like blow dryers and curling irons, as they will take away the moisture from your hair. Stay away from hair products that have harsh ingredients, as your hair will also tend to more delicate when you age. As much as possible, use treatments or products that have more natural ingredients, so that your graying hair will still be as healthy as it can be.
If you must dye your hair, do this is soon as you notice any gray hairs and be regular about doing touch-ups. Be sure to choose a shade that’s lighter than your hair color by at most two shades. This makes it easy for the color to blend with your complexion, which also changes as you age.
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April 25th, 2008
Every hair washing makes a difference.
If washing the hair is done in the improper way, this might damage your hair permanently. The most common damage when dealing with hair care is when you take a bath and put on shampoo. Some people especially the women, because they have long hairstyles, tend to apply the shampoo from the tip of the hair to the scalp.
Upon doing this they will eventually do the mixing of the hair in the head leading it to a damage hair and tangled hair. Just do the massaging from the scalp with the fingers and just do it gently. From the scalp through the tips of the hair.
Wash hair with complete care and that’s the most important thing.
When doing a hair wash, at first you would notice that there is not so much lather. But not to worry it is just because there is still dirt present in the hair.
So better rinse the hair but don’t squeeze it or even so don’t pull the hair for this might cause hair problems too. It is better just to smoothly run down your hands just to remove excess water and shampoo then wash the hair again. Your hair would now be more cleaner and washable.
In hair washing it doesn’t need to be cold or warm water, the effects after each wash is just the same. It is the process of washing hair that is important. Experts would say and recommends that in regards to washing hair with warm or cold water, it is better to wash hair with warm water so as to kill the dirt that is building up and then rinse it with cold water because it adds more shine.
Some people would concentrate on the hair itself, but the better way is to concentrate more on the hairline. Caring for the hair also means maintaining your scalp to be healthy. A healthy scalp leads to healthy hair.
Always remember that the personality of an individual also depends on the attractiveness or the beauty of their hair. The character that it brings to the person will be greatly appreciated if that person is treating the hair with much responsibility. Be always attentive to what your looks are like especially the hair. It is where some people judge a person and their personality in the way you care for your hair.
April 24th, 2008
Like a plant, your hair also needs different types of care and nourishment as the weather changes. Caring for the hair is as much needed during winters than during summers. Cooler temperatures as well as shorter hours under the sun bring in different types of demands when it comes to hair care. Most people are unaware that their hair needs more moisture during winter than during hot summer days.
The sun brings in natural highlights to your hair. When winter comes and you only get to spend lesser time under the sun, your hair becomes dull and loses its luster. The harsher air brought by winter will also result in your hair becoming drier and more brittle than it ever did during summers.
Here are some winter hair care tips that you could actually apply to have healthy and great looking hair even during the harsh winter season:
• Winter is the best time to put some color or highlights into your hair. You could also go for perms as well to liven up your look a bit. Because lesser sunlight means duller looking hair, then you can turn this around by going for those highlights or that greater hair color. There is no better way to liven up your Christmas spirit than sporting a new do.
• Take great care in moisturizing your hair during winter. This is especially needed if you had some chemical treatments done on your hair like perms and colors. Look for a hair conditioning product that contains cetyl alcohol, an ingredient derived from coconut and known as the best ingredient for top-notch hair moisturizing. You could also try looking for shampoo and conditioning products that contain cetearyl alcohol. This is another ingredient that is particularly good in moisturizing your hair. If you have excessively dry hair that looks damaged, it is best to use a shampoo that has a moisturizing ingredient apart from the conditioner.
• Winter hair care also entails locking in that moisture. It is no good to just moisturize during winter, you also have to lock in the added moisture as much as possible. You can do this by rinsing your deeply conditioned hair with cold water. This helps close down the hair cuticles to seal in the moisture. You can also try applying an apple cider vinegar on your hair. You can let this settle on your hair for just a few minutes before rinsing it with cold water. The acidity of the vinegar will not only lock in the moisture but will also help in making the color stay longer. It will also leave your hair smelling fresher and cleaner.
April 23rd, 2008
There are several reasons why damaged hair may occur.
Most often dry and damaged hair occurs from the over use of harsh chemicals or styling products. Damaged hair is the first sign that alerts us that we are doing something wrong when it comes to taking care of our hair. A person’s hair is a symbol of their identity. Many celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston are famous for their beautiful and shiny hair.
Damaged hair gives the appearance of a rough and coarsened look. A person who has dry and damaged hair usually looks older than their actual age. There are several tips for preventing dry and damaged hair. Damaged hair can be a thing of the past after following these simple remedies.
Damaged hair care can be performed in a number of different ways.
One cause of damaged hair is perms. Perms damaged hair because of the harsh chemicals that are used in the perming solution. To prevent perms damaged hair it is important that someone uses a perm kit that has a more sensitive based perming solution or an effective conditioning treatment. After a person receives a harsh perm their hair appears very dry and full of split ends.
Stop perm damaged hair by using a special conditioner designed to repair premed or color treated hair. This type of conditioner is a number one damaged hair care tip.
Repairing damaged hair can occur through a number of different conditioning treatments. One should also remember when using proper damaged hair care to not shampoo their hair regularly if their hair is extremely damaged.
Shampoo tends to strip away at the hair causing over and excessive drying. Repairing damaged hair can be done through the use of a leave in conditioner. A leave in conditioner will work on repairing split ends and other hair issues. Another conditioner to use when repairing damaged hair is one that is left on for several minutes and then rinsed out thoroughly.
This type of conditioner uses the heat and steam from the shower to successfully repair damaged hair.
Some people experience hair damage from straightening their hair. When a person uses a heated styling device that straightens their hair this causes breakage of the hair follicles. Straightening is very hard on a person’s hair. If you straighten your hair often it is a good idea to use a heavy conditioner that specializes in hair repair. Straightening creates many beautiful hairstyles but one must also take the time to repair the damage that is done.
By following these tips damaged hair can easily be prevented.
April 22nd, 2008
Slow growth is usually a result of the body’s inability to provide the body’s scalp with the necessary nutrients.
There are certain nutrients that the scalp needs for healthy hair growth. Sometimes hair is grown so slow that the hair follicles actually remain dormant. Faster hair growth occurs when the scalp receives all of the necessary nutrients that are vital to healthy hair growth. A person who desires faster hair growth can take a number of vitamins and supplements.
The minerals that support faster hair growth are sulfur, zinc, calcium, copper, chromium, iodine, magnesium, iron, potassium and selenium. Many health food stores or grocery stores will sell a pre-packaged supplement that is designed to provide a person with the necessary nutrients needed for faster hair growth.
An individual can also do certain hair care treatments that cause hair follicles to grow faster. One hair care treatment is to gently massage the scalp.
This improves the circulation of blood flow. When a person has their scalp massaged essentially that individual is stimulating their hair follicles. It is important to massage the scalp for ten minutes on a daily basis.
Another hair care treatment is the performing of certain Yoga exercises.
Exercises like the “headstand” or “shirsana” promote faster hair growth by stimulating the scalp’s hair follicles.
A person who desires faster hair growth can use a hair care treatment of olive oil, castor oil and coconut oil. Heat the mixture and then apply the warm oils to the roots of your hair. This will stimulate the hair causing the hair to grow faster.
Another trick is to take prenatal vitamins.
A person with long hair may notice that in the beginning their hair grew very rapidly and then seemed to stop growing altogether. This is a very common occurrence. It seems that everyone’s hair reaches a certain length and then stops growing. A person with long hair may become very frustrated by this occurrence.
In order to promote long hair to continue growing one should take an over the counter hair supplement. This will allow the scalp to receive extra nutrients.
Many people wish that their hair would grow faster. By following these helpful suggestions one can have longer hair in a faster amount of time. Long hair is a symbol of beauty. We live in a culture today in which long hair is very popular. Many celebrities have long, thick and gorgeous hair. Achieve longer hair by taking a vitamin supplement or by using one of these many other remedies that can be performed at home.
April 21st, 2008
The styling of the hair is always the main concern for people who wants to compliment themselves. The function of a very beautiful hair is to make your face and personality bloom too. There are too many things or circumstances that shall give an individual that bad hair day.
The factors that shall guide you in the process of eliminating that bad hair day problem are very attainable. Some tips and guidelines to help you overcome certain problems as well as other factors that helps develop bad hair day.
• Don’t ever get too much sun as possible. If you are being exposed to the sun for a very long time, this may damage your hair. Those chemically treated hair especially would pose a big problem for you if you are exposed in the sun for a long time. We all know that the sun could cause a lot of problems.
Some of it might not be in the hair but also in the individual’s mood, this would lead into a bad hair day for such.
• Never develop a habit that when everything is starting to get wrong, you would start to take it upon something or someone because your irritated with someone or something.
• Other factor that is to be considered when bad hair day strikes is because of the humidity. Humidity causes frizz which affects those with curly hair or thick and coarse hair.
• To fight bad hair because of the humid weather, you have to start using appropriate products for the hair and not products that will weigh hair down.
Through this, the hair would be more manageable and healthier.
• Never continue to have a bad hair, this sometimes contributes to you looking old, therefore making the process of aging faster.
• Bad hair that is chemically styled is encouraged to keep the hair moisturized in order to replenish it.
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• When experiencing a bad hair day, all the emotions will also start to crash in.
you would eventually get mad, so just keep your calm and momentarily this solution would lead you eliminating that bad hair day experience.
• Bad hair days will almost always make your day the longest day that you would experience. So just keep it a habit that when you wake up in the morning everything that you need is there to keep the good mood flowing.
April 18th, 2008
Taking in a balanced diet will not only affect the state of your body’s health but also that of your hair. If you think that balanced nutrition is only for the body, then you are wrong. There is also such a thing as a diet for healthy hair.
Hair nutrition is basically the same as getting a balanced diet for your bodily functions. You would still need to take in all the needed vitamins and minerals that could be translated into a healthy hair diet. You have to be aware that what you eat will be reflected on your shining glory. The secret to getting the right nutrition for healthy hair is basically eating a diet that includes all the right amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as lean meats. Throw in eggs, whole grains, dairy products that are low in fat and unsaturated fats, among others and you are already on your way to attaining that healthy hair diet.
Protein-rich Diet for Healthy Hair
Your hair is made up of a kind of protein that is known as keratin. In line with this, you would have to ensure that your hair nutrition includes great amounts of protein that are necessary for the healthy growth of your hair.
Loading Up on Vitamins
It is not only your body that needs vitamins. These essential nutrients are also needed by your hair for it to become lustrous and healthy. The perfect diet for healthy hair should include beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, B-complex and biotin. Beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that could curtail hair loss just like the B-complex. Biotin can also help in your avoiding getting a scalp that itches and is scaly.
Getting Enough Minerals
There are also certain minerals that can do a whole lot of good for your hair. Iron, zinc and copper are known to provide the needed nutrients for your hair follicles, which could result in stronger hair growth. Iron and zinc go hand in hand in helping you avoid hair loss. Copper and iron, on the other hand, are your helpers against the fading of your color pigmentation early.
Other Things to Consider for Hair Care
There are also other nutrients that you need to take in that would greatly help you maintain a great diet for healthy hair. One of these is the omega-3 fatty acids, which is known to help you attain a degree of luster to your hair that stays longer. Another is the iodine, which helps in treating hair that is oily and limp. You should also take care in not going through crash diets because these could also affect the health of your hair.
April 17th, 2008
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