Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Hair Care For Different Hair Types

Your hair, much like your skin, can say a lot about your health. Most of us have complaints about our hair. Despite the problems, we choose to ignore it or give minimum

importance to the same. As we ignore the hair problems, it increases and turns into a nightmare. We choose to live with the hair problems as most of us do not know about

the therapies and treatments needed to cure it.

Factors affecting hair

a. Diet and health

b. Hereditary/genes also determine the hair colour and density

c. Chemical and drug reactions

d. Hormonal changes

e. Emotional stress and trauma

The first step to do away with hair problems is to identify your hair type. Often, a simple modification in our hair care regime can go a long way in getting rid of any

complaint we have. Today, there are a wide range of products available in the market catering specifically to one's hair type. A commonly asked question is 'How do I know

what my hair type is?' This article will attempt to answer some basic hair questions.

TYPES OF HAIR

These are some of the regUlar hair types. We should try to identify which one is ours.

Normal Hair

Normal hair is shiny, non-greasy and easy to manage.

Oily Hair

Oily hair feels greasy even a short while after shampoo. It feels as if a conditioner has been applied to such hair and it sometimes looks flat. Very oily hair might slide

out of the follicle early. Oily hair goes with oily skin. The scalp has a tendency to secrete excess oil, which makes it lank and greasy. It is therefore important to keep

the scalp clean.

A hair care regime for oily hair would aim at removing excess oil and exfoliating the skin cells, which clog up and suffocate the hair follicles in the scalp. The emphasis

is on cleansing and toning. Cleansing involves washing and rinsing the hair. It is also essential to rinse the shampoo off thoroughly with cold water after washing with

warm water.

Dry hair

Dry hair is difficult to control after shampooing, it looks thin and rough, it is susceptible to tangles and has ends that are dry and split. It has a non-slippery feel and

does not slide through your fingers. This doesn't necessarily go along with a dry scalp. However, if your scalp is dry, you may develop dandruff and your hair may become

thin if the dandruff is not treated.

The main cause of dry hair is lack of sebum in the scalp, which makes the hair coarse and brittle and susceptible to damage. Poor nutrition, exposure to the sun and over

use of heated appliances can also rob the hair of valuable moisture. Brushing and combing will help to stimulate the scalp and distribute existing oils to the brittle ends.

The aim of a hair care regime for dry hair is to replenish oil and moisture in the hair. So, the emphasis is on conditioning. Frequent shampooing should be avoided.

A generous oil application the night before washing your hair is recommended, as this will condition the hair and scalp and stimulate the oil glands and circulation flow as

well. If your hair is very dry and damaged, apply a hydrating mask once a week. Avoid vigorous drying with a towel after washing your hair, as this will remove essential

moisture. Instead gently squeeze excess water from the hair and blot dry with a towel.

Characteristics of healthy hair

You know that you have healthy hair if you find that it is:

1. Thick and dense

2. Fine and silky, which means not too oily or rough

3. Lustre-filled, having shine and gloss

4. Pliable, capable of setting and styling

5. Full-bodied and not limp or lank

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Healthy and Beautiful Locks with Natural Hair Care Remedies

The beauty and hair care industry is often associated with expensive cosmetics and damaging chemicals. However this is not always true. You can keep your hair looking

gorgeous without spending too much money and sacrificing its health. By using natural hair care remedies, which you can make yourself at home, you do not need to spend

hundreds of dollars or subject your hair to degrading ordeals. Moreover, you are also helping the environment by not adding harmful wastes to your surroundings. Here are

some natural hair care remedies:

- to strengthen and smoothing your hair, you could apply a natural hair mask with just a few drops of lemon juice to egg. Add around six to eight drops of lemon juice to

one egg, beat it well. After thoroughly cleansing your hair with your favorite shampoo, apply the egg-lemon mixture and leave on for about a minute or so. Rinse very well

and make sure that there are no residues left. The egg will add nutrients such as protein and vitamin E to your hair, while the lemon adds limonene oil that conditions the

hair.

-massaging aromatherapy oils to the hair also helps condition it as well as reduces the occurrence of falling hair. Aroma oils also help you develop a healthy disposition

by reducing stress. Use lavender oil for relaxation, you may also use rosemary or tea tree oil which are among the good remedies to help fight infection and fungus.

- your usual shampoo routine can sometimes damage hair when inevitable residue builds up. Use lemon or vinegar to remove residue accumulation and prevent shampoo fatigue.

Rinse your hair with vinegar diluted to equal parts of water or pure lemon juice once a week to maintain naturally clean hair.

- avocado is another good fruit for hair care. The proteins in the fruit strengthen the hair while the fats help condition the hair. Mix a mashed avocado with a tablespoon

of lemon juice, a teaspoonful of sea salt, and a tablespoon of aloe. Come this paste through your hair using your fingers. Cover your hair with a shower cap or a plastic

bag the wrap your head with a towel to seal the mixture. Leave the treatment on for about 20 to 30 minutes, if you have a home hair steamer, you could decrease the time by

half. Once this is done, you could remove the wraps and then rinse your hair very well to reveal a very conditioned, luscious air.

- to have a shiny hair with great body and volume, mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of lukewarm water. Shampoo your hair and rinse thoroughly. Use the

vinegar-water mixture as a final rinse. Your hair would benefit from repeated rinsing of this mixture. This hair care remedy not only restores the softness and shine of

your hair, but it also strengthens limp hair.

-cleansing is the single most important part of hair care. For a great cleaning rinse, mix 1 cup of vinegar with a few tablespoons of dried rosemary in a microwaveable

container. Heat the mixture in a microwave oven for a minute and a half. With a spoon, crush the rosemary to the side of the container to release its essence. Filter the

mixture with a sieve and allow it to cool. After shampooing and rinsing, apply the mixture to hair and leave on for about two minutes. Finally, rinse the mixture with cool

tap water.

-a hot oil treatment is a luxury that you can also experience at home. Mix a quarter of a cup of soybean or canola oil in a glass container. Place the cup in a hot water

bath to heat the oil. With your hands, massage the oil onto your wet hair and leave it there for just two minutes. Wash your hair with your favorite shampoo and rinse very

well. If it is available in your area, use coconut oil, which has more nutritive properties than canola oil.

-frizzy hair is another problem that can be taken cared of using natural remedies. Mix four tablespoons of plain, natural yogurt with one whole egg. Shampoo your hair and

rinse very well. Pour the mixture onto your hair and massage thoroughly, carefully working from the roots to the tips of your hair. Leave the mixture on for about five to

ten minutes. Rinse the mixture well with cool water. This can help your hair become tangle-free.

Hair care is very easy to do, and not to mention cheap. With these natural hair care remedies, you are sure to maintain beautiful and healthy locks

Friday, July 27, 2012

Hair Care Tips and Treatments From the Hair Care Professionals

As was once said by Jonathon on the hit reality TV hare care series Blowout, your hair is like art and when properly styled and cut can transform a normal person into a

superstar." A new style can give you a whole new look and open up many new possibilities for you. It is essential then that you go to a real hair care professional and

learn to care for your hair. With hair, you really do get what you pay for. Here are some great tips to help you get the most from your hair.

First and most importantly, go to a professional hair stylist. Let them give you a professional opinion on cut, style and maintenance. They will take your body, face, hair

color, skin tone, etc... all into account and come up with a hairstyle, color and cut that will best suit you. The difference of before and after is usually night and day.

Rarely do any of us have a great style and cut that fits us best. We may have a cut and hairstyle that looks great on Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, or even Paris Hilton. But

does it suit us? A professional will charge, on average, anywhere between $40 and $100. This may be more than you are used to, but it is well worth it. With hair care you

get what you pay for. The higher the celebrity status of the hairstylist, the more they will charge. Many times you can save a little by having a great hairstylists student

or apprentice do your hair. You will still get a great haircut and the master stylist will check in on your hair and make sure it is done right.

Don't smoke. Smoking has been proven to seriously dry out and age your skin and your scalp. Smoking is very detrimental to proper hair care. It can cause bad dandruff, weak

hair follicles and dried out and damaged hair. Not to mention that your hair can stink and turn yellowish on really heavy smokers. If you must smoke use a good anti

dandruff shampoo and wash your hair 2 to 3 times per week (any more than this and you will exacerbate the dry scalp and hair). Use conditioner at every wash and allow it

appropriate time to treat and condition your hair. Don't just apply it and wash it out. Also do not use conditioners with alcohol as an ingredient as this will dry out your

hair and scalp even more.

Spa hair care treatments. Spas not only have great skin care and skin care treatments, but also great hair care treatments. Spas usually get the latest hair care products

and treatments first (from soothing natural botanical products, treatments, washes and cleansers to the latest in hydrating conditioners). What could be better than getting

a massage, great skin care and a great haircut and style at the same time? Many of these spas have money saving packages if you do more than one treatment.

Proper nutrition and diet. A poor diet that is deficient in vitamins, minerals and protein has been proven to cause weak hair follicles and promotes thinner, dried out

hair. It is easier to change the diet and take a multivitamin than to treat weak, dried out hair. The easiest way to make sure you are getting good nutrition, take a

multivitamin. Generic brand multivitamins are under $10 for a 3-4 month supply and it will improve your hair. Also drink plenty of water, this may sound trivial, but

researchers have found that lack of good hydration or dehydration can be evidenced in a persons hair. Be sure to drink 4-8 glasses of water a day. This is very important

for skin care and, now also, for hair care. Another great tip is to watch the popular reality hair care series Blowout with Jonathon. You can pick up on the latest fashion

hairdos and style trends and learn some neat tricks and tips.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Hair Care Tips for Dry Hair

Summer is approaching, time to wear short hairstyles and pay special attention to your hair care, because the sun and humidity is the worst enemy of your hair's cuticles,

causing damage that results in split ends, dry hair, frizzy hair or brittle hair. In healthy conditions, hair's moisture content is approximately 10%, but sunlight has the

same damaging effect as a hot blow dryer on your hair.

When hair's moisture content drops below normal moisture, it is necessary to increase your hair's ability to attract and retain natural moisture, preventing dry hair.

Frizzy hair is a pain that can be prevented by shampooing your hair thoroughly and then applying a rinse out conditioner to eliminate static electricity, adding moisture

and shine.

Keeping a hair care routine and short hairstyles during summer does help to prevent novice effects of sunlight. Additionally, wearing a hat at the beach, and applying after

sun exposure such as a Sun Hair Repair Mask, keeps or replenishes the moisture of your hair. However, take in mind the aluminizing and voluminzing products make your hair

take body and shine but do not hydrate it.

It is not mandatory to spend your summer on the beach, so if you stay home take a weekend to apply a good deep conditioner on your hair. Health care at home allows you to

take an intensive treatment with jojoba oil, or any other product especially designed for dry hair or frizzy hair. Apply the warm treatment on the ends and frizziest parts

of your hair, wrapping it in plastic, then go to bed and sleep the night through.

At the beach, make sure to wear your hat and if you and use a deep cleansing shampoo as soon as you get back home. This hair care is to prevent possible damage to your hair

after a day exposing it to the sun and salty seawater. However, take in mind that severely dry hair may be burnt and cannot be fixed.

In this case, it is much better to trim the damaged sections of your hair off, particularly if you have frizzy hair, and opt to wear any of the modern short hairstyles to

mask the problem while your hair grows again. One thing you should discontinue during summer is the use of blow dryers because summer heat is hot enough to damage it by

itself and contains potential frizzies.

There are many hair care products to control frizzy hair, but be careful. Most of them contain silicone that coats your hair after several applications causing major harm

instead of benefits to your hair. On the other hand, some hair conditioners only provide moisture to your hair while they are coating your hair as well. These products do

not harm your hair, but do not help either.

Short hairstyles for summer time are the key to enjoying the sun and yet remember to continue religiously your hair care routine without missing your sunny days.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

7 Great Hair Care Tips

Hair is an important aspect in a person's look. Every day almost every person thinks about what hairstyles to use or how to take care of his hair. The hair care methods are

vital in having a great hair resulting in a great image. I will try to share with you some hair care secrets and advice that always worked for me.

Hair Care Tips

1. First of all you have to love your hair. You have to love it because it makes you look good, it gives you real advantages. But believe me that there are hundreds of

people that hate their hair. And that's not good because if you don't like your hair then you will probably neglect it. You shouldn't hate your hair because, even if it's

not such a beautiful type of hair like you see at other people on the street there are many ways to make it look real good.

2. Accept your hair for what it is. It doesn't matter what kind of hair you have, thin, wavy, curly or stick straight, just accept it and respect it. If it's curled than

don't try to straighten it. Using different damaging chemicals and methods to change your hair type it will practically destroy it. A person with curled hair will be

desperate to straighten it up. A person with straight hair will surely want to get it curled. So try to make changes to your hair in the most kindly way.

3. Maintain your hair with pride and consistency. Depending on the length and style, have it trimmed appropriately. If you wear your hair short, have the style refreshed

every 3-4 weeks. If you are growing your hair longer, have it trimmed every 6-8 weeks to remove split ends.

4. Choose a real good stylist for your hair styles. The styles has to respect your hair and all your demands and needs. Try too chose stylists recommended by friends.

5. Invest all the amount of money that you can afford on the best hair care products that you can find on the market.

6. Try to have as many activities as you can that are healthy for your hair. The hair is a part of your body and you should treat it well too. Exercise, eat well and avoid

smoking and alcohol.

7. Try to pamper your hair once a week minimum. this means having a hot oil treatment or taking Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs). Also try to have a scalp massage as often as

possible. If you treat your hair good believe me that it will respond.

All in all the hair is an important part in your body that should be well taken care of. Try to spend as much time as you can for your hair care.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

New Hair Loss Solutions

How early you spot your thinning hair determines how much hair you save. If you wait until the hair loss is visible to the naked eye, you’re too late—50 percent is already gone.

National hair restoration expert Alan J. Bauman, M.D., founder and medical director of Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, was featured last week on ABC’s Good Morning America, FOX News, and The New York Times discussing the benefits of new procedures and treatment options.

Today, thanks to new technology and medical advancements, hair loss is no longer inevitable—it’s optional.

Latisse for Hair Loss: Latisse (Bimatoprost) is already FDA approved to grow longer eyelashes. Allergan is currently conducting phase I clinical trials to use it on male and female pattern hair loss as well. If it succeeds, it will be only the second topical treatment to receive FDA approval for hair loss (the other is minoxidil). Dr. Bauman is already prescribing Latisse for off-label use on the scalp in some patients and seeing positive results. Both The New York Times and Good Morning America featured Dr. Bauman’s pioneering research with Latisse.

Laser Therapy: FDA-approved, low-level lasers are a key new weapon in the battle against thinning—and not just for men, but for women too. LaserCap is the latest breakthrough in laser therapy; this “hands-free” device offers the power of a clinical laser therapy unit in a cordless, rechargeable, discreet treatment device that literally “fits under your hat” for non-chemical, non-invasive, pain-free treatment almost anywhere, anytime.

HairCheck: Simple, painless, non-invasive way to measure and track the amount of hair growing in a given area of scalp (called your Hair Mass Index or “Hair Number”). This information allows patients to follow and track their treatment to maximize effectiveness. HairCheck is also a valuable tool as it can also quantify the degree of hair breakage from harsh hair care regimens. HairCheck is what Dr. Bauman was using in the Good Morning America segment to calculate the benefits of Latisse on male pattern hair loss.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

The Role of Azelaic Acid and Zinc in Hair Regrowth

Taking vitamins for hair regrowth so as to stimulate hair production or decelerate baldness is a hot topic of dialogue for people with hair loss for quite a while. Androgenic alopecia (a.k.a. androgenic alopecia) afflicts an incredible number of men and appears to be most prevalent in populations who have adapted to some cold climate. Due to this, there is some suggestion that hair loss may be an evolutionary development to assist in fighting prostate type of cancer. Having less hair improves the absorption of ultraviolet radiation from sunlight which, subsequently, could lessen the chance of developing a prostate type of cancer.

However, not surprisingly speculation, what exactly is now clear would be that the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can be constructed from testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase (5-AR), constitutes a significant contribution, not just in prostate enlargement, but to hair loss too. So, is it possible to grow hair faster and counter the results of 5-AR? Well, it may be possible since there are several freely available vitamins and supplements that appear in order to inhibit the act of 5-AR, hence inhibit the progress of hair loss.


Azelaic Acid

Azelaic acid can be a natural organic acid present in barley, rye, and wheat. It has developed into a popular element of hair conditioners and is also popular in treating acne. However, recent attention has focused on its potential in treating hair loss. Some studies appear to claim that azelaic acid, rather like zinc, can disrupt the creation of DHT. Furthermore, azelaic acid seems to be effective with zinc compounds to help inhibit DHT production. Adding vitamin B6 appears to further enhance this anti-DHT compound and 5-AR inhibition rates that go up to 90 percent happen to be claimed.


Zinc

There were several studies claiming to show the inhibiting effect of zinc compounds around the activity of 5-AR. It has prompted some researchers to take a position concerning the chance for zinc being valuable in disorders associated with raised degrees of DHT. A lot of the published 5-AR/DHT research have understandably focused on issues concerning prostate-related conditions; nevertheless, the results manage to reveal that when degrees of zinc are low, the conversion of testosterone to DHT by 5-AR is increased. In contrast, at higher zinc levels, producing DHT is significantly inhibited. One of the most readily absorbed type of zinc is zinc citrate; also, the presence of vitamin B6 appears to significantly raise the efficacy and bio-availability of this zinc compound.