HAIR CARE
A little elementary knowledge about hair helps you know how to handle it. It also makes us aware of the damage that improper treatment can wreak.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE HAIR
Hair is a protein matter called ‘keratin’. The hair that we see on the head is a horny substance that is actually ‘dead’. It grows from a narrow tube below the scalp’s surface called a follicle. At the follicle’s base is a small concentration of living cells called the papilla, which eventually forms hair. Next to each follicle is a sebaceous gland which produces the natural oil that keeps the hair lubricated and shiny. Each hair is made up of three concentric layers. The outer layer has tiny, transparent scales overlapping and contributing to the shine. When these scales are removed, the hair loses its natural lustre and begins to look dull and rough. The middle layer contains the pigment that gives the hair its colour. There is also an inner layer, which may be absent if the hair is lovely.
Individual hair has three phases of development—the growth phase, the transition and the resting phase. The hair is shed at the end of the resting phase, and the same process is repeated by the hair that replaces it. This means that the hair on the head is at different stages of development—that is why it does not all fall out together. Hair fall, therefore, is natural. It is only when hair loss is more than a replacement that thinning and balding set in.
Hair, like the skin, hair owes its colour to melanin, the pigment formed in particular cells. This depends mainly on hereditary characteristics and can also be influenced by racial factors. The texture of the hair also depends on these factors. Grey hair is a mixture of colourless hair and naturally coloured hair. When the pigment cells become inactive, the hair turns white. This can happen due to ageing or other reasons like illness, sudden shock, or internal disorder.
Hair has specific characteristics which help us to know how to handle it. For one thing, hair is porous. This allows dyes and other lotions to penetrate the outer layer, causing the hair to be bleached, tinted or dyed. The permanent cream also works similarly by affecting the middle layer. Many chemical ingredients can damage the outer layer by lifting the scales, affecting both the texture and the look of the hair, which becomes dry, rough, brittle and lustreless. Strand also has elasticity. Styles and procedures which cause it to be stretched and pulled can damage it.
Hair may be dry or greasy, according to the activity of the oil-producing glands. As the hair shaft grows, it gets coated with sebum unless it can flow freely along the hair shaft. Dandruff and other scalp conditions can hinder growth. Under activity of the oil, glands cause hair to dry, while overtraining makes it greasy, attracting dirt and causing other problems.
Hair is fed by the blood flowing to the follicle. That is why diet and good blood circulation are so important. External care that we give helps to keep the scalp and hair in good condition. Thus, both internal health and external care are essential for healthy hair. Fatigue, mental tension and internal ill health are all reflected by the hair, as tension in the follicle muscles is affected. Healthy, luxuriant hair is not difficult to achieve. Like all beauty assets, it needs constant care, with a basic knowledge of its particular characteristics. This knowledge should guide you in choosing the products that have been specially formulated for your hair. Hair is like a beautiful, delicate fabric. Handle it that way.
HAIR TYPES
Before you get down to hair care, it is essential first to ensure what kind of hair you have and then to look after it accordingly.
DRY HAIR
Dry hair, for example, would need plenty of nourishment. The roots, consequently, require extra oil and feeding. So, if you have dry hair, make it a point to use shampoos and tonics that have nutritional value, preferably with lanolin or vaseline bases. Egg shampoo goes a long way towards preventing hair dryness.
Between hair sets, make use of a good hair conditioner. Hot oil treatments, like massages with warm olive oil, are highly beneficial for toning dry hair and preventing it from becoming brittle. Steaming the scalp before a hot oil massage is a good idea by placing the head in front of the basin of boiling water or soaking a towel in boiling water and then wrapping it around the scalp. This is an excellent method for opening up the pores of the scalp.
Rub some oil right into the roots if the hair is dehydrated before steaming. This proves even more beneficial and effective as subsequent steaming and a second massage with oil encourage better and deeper absorption. Since it is a simple treatment, it can be done at home quickly.
The main idea is to loosen and relax the scalp so that blood circulation in the head is accelerated and the sebaceous glands are stimulated.
An excellent nourishing hair preparation is required for the proper method of hair massage. The tips of the fingers are placed firmly on the head at the nape of the neck. With the fingers planted firmly on the head, work in small, circular strokes, first clockwise and then anti-clockwise, moving the skin of the scalp as you do so. An unskilled massage is useless.
Sometimes dryness of the scalp is due to nothing more than improper brushing. The brush bristles must first be pressed gently into the scalp and then carried gently to the hair tips. If the hair is brushed superficially, the oil glands become lazy because you are not exercising them sufficiently.
Wash hair with a lanolin-based shampoo. Here is another beauty secret—always rinse your hair with a gentle acidic solution to rid the scalp of the alkaline mantle. This is quickly and economically done by using two tsp. Of cosmetic vinegar in your last rinse. It helps prevent excessive oiliness and allows the scalp to avoid and rid itself of infection.
OILY HAIR
Oily hair requires an entirely different treatment. It is important to remember that though brushing is perfect for healthy hair, too much brushing is not suitable for oily hair because it stimulates oil glands that are already overactive. So, go easy on the brush. Get yourself a good tonic especially blended for your type of hair. It would be best to buy something to brace the scalp and prevent oiliness.
If your hair is oily, it must be washed every third or fourth day or even more frequently, depending on your comfort. A good, nourishing liquid shampoo is often the best answer.
Excessive oiliness, when neglected, often leads to falling hair and premature baldness, especially in men, after 35. Treated in time, the loss can be checked considerably, but lost hair cannot be replaced.
DANDRUFF IS DANGEROUS
The hair, like the skin, is a barometer of the state of your internal health. If you are generally healthy and have a balanced diet, you will probably find that your hair reflects it. On the other hand, illness, tension and deficiencies can affect the hair and give rise to various problems. Hair is fed by blood flowing to the hair follicles, which means that good circulation is necessary for healthy hair. For this reason, the daily diet and everyday living habits are of great importance. At some time or other, most of us are confronted with hair problems. One of the most common is dandruff, which can trigger other issues like hair loss or acne.
Dandruff is scalp disease. Some forms of dandruff can cause severe itching, and scratching the scalp with the nails can cause secondary bacterial infections. All these, together, give rise to a more severe problem, accelerating hair loss and undermining hair health. Dandruff, as well as other bacterial and fungal infections of the scalp, can be cured. Still, very often, people get resigned to living with mild dandruff and overlook the necessity of having it treated.
What one needs to know is not only how to cure it but also how to tackle the problem in all its aspects. The object is to restore health to the scalp, and by doing so, to the hair itself. If you change your diet and living habits, consume more fresh foods and drink plenty of water, you will tackle the problem at the grassroots.
Treatment with herbal extracts is highly effective. Several herbs have appropriate medicinal properties and are so mild that there is no damage to delicate tresses. This is one factor that is a definite advantage, as many dandruff treatments are very harsh on the hair and leave it dry and brittle.
Side by side with clinical treatments, a course of treatment is given for daily use at home. This creates an awareness of the right way to take daily hair care. Herbs like henna, shikakai, reetha and amla are antiseptic ingredients provided by nature and have an excellent cleansing action without the harmful effects of detergents.
Light oil massage often helps to dislodge dandruff flakes, though there is a myth about the effectiveness of the head massage. When there is hair loss, a vigorous massage can cause more hair to fall, as the roots are already weak. Besides, it can damage the hair shaft.
Hair is very delicate and should be handled very gently. The scalp should be massaged gently. The fingertips should be used to move the skin of the scalp in small circulatory movements. For dandruff, a light massage with hot oil helps to rid the scalp of the flakes. Pure coconut or olive oil can be heated and applied on the scalp with a gentle massage at night. It should be left on overnight. The following day the juice of one lemon should be used an hour before shampooing. This can be an excellent weekly treatment for the scalp.
Henna is a natural product that also helps to control dandruff infections. However, one must be very careful about the quality of henna used. Specially prepared henna powder, mixed with other ingredients, effectively prevents dandruff and improves the hair’s texture.
Henna promotes hair growth, restores health, and gives hair a lush, shiny, soft texture. It effectively cleanses, eliminating toxic wastes that accumulate on the scalp and inhibiting natural hair growth.
These treatments help to create an ‘acid mantle’ on the scalp. The skin and scalp typically flourish in an acid medium. Washing never harms the hair—it is the use of harsh shampoos that do. The hair should be kept scrupulously clean, which can be achieved by washing it at least twice a week. Hygiene is closely related to both health and beauty. Where dandruff is concerned, there is a great necessity to keep the hair, combs, towels and pillowcases clean, as there are chances of re-infection.
Dandruff can be infectious, and one should keep personal belongings separate to eliminate the chances of infecting others. Whenever you wash your hair, soak your brushes and combs in a mug of hot water containing an antiseptic solution. After cleaning hair, rinse it thoroughly, ending with a herbal rinse. Medicated rinses, which are anti-dandruff lotions, are available, containing extracts of mint, Brahmi, amla, etc. so that the natural acid mantle is restored to the scalp. Many do not know that dandruff can cause skin problems like pimples, acne or rash. Those prone to dandruff often have spots and pimples on the forehead, cheeks, and back. It can lead to severe acne infection, spreading to the back, chest and upper arms, wherever the skin comes in contact with the hair.
Naturally, healthy hair has that luxuriant and vibrant look that the best hairdressing efforts cannot achieve. No hairstyle, however glamorous, can work wonders if the hair’s health is poor. Naturally, beautiful things have a ‘look’ that cannot be achieved artificially. The hair should have that vital, alive look with shine, elasticity and bounce. This vitality is responsible for the youthful quality that all women try so hard to achieve.