By Jeffrey the Barak
Photo credit: NASA
Anyone who lives in Valdez knows what is still under every rock on the beach. As of now, Louisiana will be the same. And no-one is able to prevent it. The only thing proven to remove crude from seawater, human or animal hair inside nylon stockings, was not deployed sufficiently to prevent landfall, and now it’s too late. What a sad day.
A new awareness to the causes of hair loss in women
By Diana Dudas
Summertime can have a nasty habit of making us sit and notice. We suddenly have anew self awareness. Wintertime can have a definite adverse affect on both your hair and skin. This is aggravated by an over indulgence of rich nurturing foods, caffeine and alcohol. It sometimes takes spring creeping over the windowsill to give you that extra wake up call, and a new self awareness. It is during this time that your old summer wardrobes may look sad, due to extra poundage gained over the hibernation season. Skin may appear dry, and your hair can appear to seem limp and lifeless and in extreme cases hair loss may be apparent.
Hair loss in women is becoming more prominent, and this has persuaded doctors to take a closer look at the problem. It has been proven that poor diet can play a big part in promoting hair loss, especially in women, whom already have to contend with hormone in balances, which also contribute to hair loss.
What causes hair loss in women?
DHT
95% of hair loss in women is cause by androgentic Alopecia ( female pattern baldness). This may be inherited from your parents. What causes the hair loss in this condition is a chemical called DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is hormone that all men and women produce) .People that make more DHT have a lot of the enzyme called 5_alpha reductase. An excess of DHT may cause hair follicles to the hair become increasingly thinner, until the follicle will eventually stop producing hair at all. The baldness will be predominantly over the front and sides of the head and not in the crown area as with men. This will get worse with menopause.
A women’s biochemistry if often out of balance, and this along with poor diet can create a toxic environment and un acceptable amounts of copper and salt in the system.
Oily Hair
As hair thins the sebaceous gland that secreted sebum the hairs natural oil, will stay the same size and continue to produce the same amount of oil. This can make thinning hair overly oily, flat and lifeless. This makes frequent shampooing vital for hair loss cases with oily scalps. Sebum also contains DHT which can clog pores and deter healthy hair growth.
Hormones
Hormonal changes are a common cause of female hair loss. After a pregnancy, or when taking birth control pills, many women experience hair thinning to varying degrees, but only on a temporary basis.
While a woman is pregnant, and hormonal changes are occurring, more hair follicles enter the growth phase than normal. About two to three months after childbirth, the normal hair cycle returns and many hairs re-enter the resting phase, which causes excessive shedding to occur. If the condition does not change after six months, a woman may be experiencing hereditary hair thinning or maybe be lacking in certain nutrients to an unbalanced diet.
Unbalanced Diet
What you eat is reflected in the health of your hair. Your hair as well as your body needs a balanced, nutritious diet to stay healthy. Making a conscious decision to eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables that are loaded with vitamins and anti oxidants is essential. whist, whole grains , nuts and seeds will provide minerals and vitamins. A lean protein will add sufficient iron to the diet and a fortified cereal breakfast will complete the nutritional pyramid. Of course drinking plenty of purified water will give your hair maximum hydration.
Eating organic, will help deter the body from becoming toxic, especially from copper, and steering clear of processed foods will prevent a high sodium intake.
Salt and Copper wreak havoc
Unhealthy tissue concentrations of copper, can cause hair loss. These amounts would be below 1.7milligrams or above 3.5 milligrams. Copper toxicity can vary from person to person, and can depend on the individuals metabolism and diet. Vegetarians for example are not always able to retain copper, which means they are more susceptible to hair loss.
How does copper get into our system
Drinking water that comes from old copper pipes is prime. Also the food that we eat. For instance copper can be included in animals diets which in turn is then passed on in our daily regime. It is also not uncommon for farmers to incorporate copper into their anti-fungal and algae sprays. Birth control such as the pill and IUD both use copper, making women more susceptible to copper imbalances. Swimmers are also at risk sue to a popular algaecide used in pool water.
Salt Savvy
It is common knowledge that too much sodium or salt is not good for us, But even if we are salt savvy and do what’s best by avoiding salt. Our bodies can still produce too much sodium due to too much stress, which will naturally increase sodium retention.
What to advise!
If you have a client suffering with hair loss, it might be a good idea to mention the above and advise the following:
* Drink Bottled Water
* Avoid foods high in copper, such as milk, chocolate, oysters, nuts, high fat meats and salmon.
* Avoid salt and eat a low sodium diet ( steering clear of processed foods is a good idea as they tend to be high in sodium
* Try to stay stress free. If a stressful lifestyle is on the agenda, then relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation will help to reduce sodium levels.
Other causes of excessive hair loss.
* You should normally shed on average between 80-100 hairs each day, however any more than this and you might want to re-think your diet or lifestyle.
* Chemical treatments done in correctly , or excessive pulling on the hair due to over tight ponytails or braids, are also likely to cause hair loss.
If you follow a healthy lifestyle or do not fall into any of these categories and you are still experiencing hair loss, you may want to consult with your doctor or trichologist. As a more serious health problem may be the cause!
Author Diana Dudas G.C.H.S.R.H. is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
Wave of the future, A new awareness of chemical strengtheners and natural alternatives
By Diana Dudas
Although relaxing is a huge part of the black hair care industries income, sales from relaxers ,last year were down more than 5%. People are opting to go au naturel and there is now a definite trend towards natural hair. Later on we will look at non-chemical options (afro is definitely back); But for those who prefer the option of sleek shiny straight hair, lets answer some of your concerns on your choice of relaxers and how they will affect your hair.
Hairs chemical transformation
One of your first concerns will be the change of your hairs pH level. Hair in a healthy state should have a pH of between 4.5 – 5.5. Hairs natural oil, sebum, has a pH of 5. On the pH scale of between 1 – 14, 1 being the most acid and 14 being the most alkaline relaxers have a pH of between 8.4 and 14, thus changing your hairs naturally slightly acid state to alkaline. This will cause the hair to feel, dry coarse and in extreme cases you may experience hair breakage. It is therefore imperative to take good care of your newly relaxed hair by the use of pH balanced, treatment shampoos and conditioners.
Once the straightening solution has been applied to the hair, it will penetrate into the cortex (middle layer of hair), where it will react with the di -sulfide bonds, also known as the cysteine bonds. These bonds join together the protein chains, which are responsible for the structural stability and strength of the hair. This reaction will cause the protein chains to be broken and allow the hair to soften and take on a new form. Once this has occurred the hair is rinsed free of the solution so as not to allow any further softening to take place. The neutralizing process is then needed to repair the broken protein chains allowing the hair to be fixed into it’s new straight form. Chemical reactions can still occur up until 48 hours after your chemical service, so it is wise to wait at least that long before shampooing your hair.
Lye or no-lye
There are basically three types of hair relaxers. They are sodium hydroxide, guanidine hydroxide and ammonium thioglycolate:
Sodium hydroxide is the strongest of relaxers and is often called the lye relaxer. It is a very harsh, caustic chemical, and should only be used on coarse, extremely curly hair. The pH level is between 10 – 14 which means it has the most potentially harmful relaxer. And if not used with proper care can cause soreness of the scalp and dry, brittle hair.
No-lye relaxers are either Guanidine hydroxide (a combination of calcium hydroxide cream with guanidine carbonate), OR Ammonium thioglycolate. These have a pH of between 9 – 9.5, and are considered to be less damaging than the sodium hydroxide or lye relaxers. However it is still vital to give your hair the same TLC that you would give your hair with a sodium hydroxide relaxer.
New Ideas
A recent breakthrough in hair straightening is known as the thermal ionic or bio ionic system. Using an ammonium thioglycolate substance, with the aid of a flat iron maintained at 170° – 230°C, this process promises to transform your hair into permanently “pin-straight ” hair, that will be soft, shiny and frizz-free.
For this service your hair needs to be at least four inches long. You will have to completely grow out your relaxer. The service takes about three hours for short hair and 4 -5 hours for longer hair. Because of the time involved it is obviously a costly service. However the upside is that it only needs to be done every six months.
As with all other relaxers do not wash your hair for at least 48 hours. And use products that are pH balanced. Also with this particular service, it is not advised that you bleach or hi lite your hair at all afterwards.
Precautions
It is advisable when contemplating getting a chemical relaxer that you go to a hair stylist that is well respected in has plenty of experience. On your first visit to them, they should allow extra time to consult with you, check the porosity, elasticity and texture of your hair. Your scalp should also be checked for abrasions. This will allow them to determine the best type of relaxer for you, after which time a strand test should be done, to confirm their decision. During this time, records should be taken for future reference, and suggestions on after treatment hair care should be given. You should also be informed of how often you would need to return to the salon, so as to maintain your relaxed hair.
Non Chemical Relaxers
An exciting new approach to retexturizing hair are the non-chemical temporary strengtheners also known as a smoothing glaze. This innovative type of styling lotion allows you to choose when you want to go straight or stay curly, by temporarily relaxing curls. They are designed to straighten, reduce frizz and protect hair from heat. Look for natural ingredients such as Matricaria and wheat proteins. These lotions are normally humidity resistant also. For those who prefer the natural approach this is a great way to go:
Au Natural
With the increase in demand for natural alternatives to the 6 weekly regime of hair relaxing, there is obviously an increase of natural hair care experts. Offering new services in the maintenance of natural hair styles, such as the afro, , two strand twists, coils, braiding and locs.
As part of your natural heritage you may have learnt these techniques already. If not natural hair care experts are always willing to pass on their knowledge, of maintaining your look. Or you could maintain your natural look my a monthly visit to your salon.
Wave of the future
Natural hair care is the wave of the future . Women are becoming more aware of how harsh chemicals are on their hair and how toxic and harmful they can be to their health. There are more natural hair care salons now available and there is a new awareness about natural hair.
© 2003
Author Diana Dudas G.C.H.S.R.H. is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
Preventing common hair and scalp disorders caused from braids and weaves.
By Diana Dudas
My earliest memories of braids are watching little girls sitting on their front porch steps being having their hair done by their elders. Now, this old time tradition has turned in to a multi million dollar business. Braids have come a long stretch from tradition and become an elaborate art form. It seems as though, salons specializing in braids and weaves have popped up almost over night. This new talent is highly respected. However there are concerns and problems caused by going to a stylist not specialized in this field making it vital that you find a well respected hairstylist and insist on a receiving a consultation before making your appointment. Hair braiding can take anywhere from three to ten hours, and is therefore costly. So you need to be sure that this is something for you.
Why are consultations important?
Whenever you are considering trying a new hair service, or something that you haven?t done in a while, it is vital to sit down with your stylist of choice for a consultation.
Once you have decided on a service in this case braids or weaves, the stylist should discuss the pros and cons of this service along with telling you how to maintain your new look, and the cost entailed for both receiving and maintain the new look.
But most essentially during this time, the stylist should be checking a few vital pieces of information. Such as the hairs texture, porosity and most importantly the hairs ELASTICITY! Braids or weaves should never be performed on hair that as poor elasticity.
Why is the hairs elasticity so important?
Elasticity is in my opinion one of the most important properties of hair: This is the hairs ability to be able to spring back to its original shape and length without damage. Wet hair that is in optimum conditioner can be stretched up to 25% of its length and return back to its original length when dry. As an experiment, if you was to hold a piece of hair about two inches long in your fingers and pull, you would be able to see considerable movement.
Hairs elasticity depends mostly on the keratin levels and sulphide bonds in the cortex of the hair. These can be quite easily damaged by chemical treatments, such as relaxers, perms, or bleaching. These chemical services will then create poor elasticity in your hair. This will limit the amount the hair will be able to stretch. The hair will also not curl, be weak, fragile and will break easily. Natural and artificial sunlight will do the same damage. Poor elasticity can be rectified by the use of good treatment conditioners that contain wheat, rice and corn proteins. Treatments containing Keratin protein are also acceptable, however the natural ability of vegetable proteins to immediately penetrate into the hair shaft make them a better choice.
You should wait at least two weeks after a chemical service, or until you get the stylists OK, before considering braids or weaves.
Traction Alopecia caused by braids and weaves:
Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss. There are various types of Alopecia such Alopecia Areata (this is normally caused by severe trauma and causes one to lose hair in small patches on their head, that can then enlarge and become one).Alopecia Androgenetica (otherwise known as male of female pattern baldness, which normally happens as one matures) and Traction Alopecia.
Traction Alopecia is caused by constant stress on the hair follicle, due to continuous wearing of tight pony tails, hair buns , up-do?s and most commonly hair braids, such as corn rows, or braids that are now used for hair weaving techniques.
In order for hair braids to look neat and to last any length of time without loosening, they need to be put in very tightly. Most hairstylists specializing in braids or weaves etc. have great dexterity and strength in their fingers, this is due to having been braiding from a very young age.
It is important when receiving this service, to let the stylist know if they are pulling too hard, however it is my experience that stylists normally insist, that they need to be pull tightly in order for the braids stay in. If you are having braids as a one off, this is not too harmful as your hair follicle will be able to withstand the stress. However if you continue to braid your hair on a regular basis (every 6 weeks or so) Your hair will eventually pull away from the follicle, shortening the hairs lifespan.
Braids Shorten Your Hair’s Lifespan
The lifespan of an individual hair is on average between 2 and 6 years. This life span is divided into three stages
* ANAGEN which is the first stage, when the new hair grows from the base of the hair follicle.
* CATAGEN during which the hair has now ceased to grow, the root shrinks and the follicle breaks down, allowing the hair to move upward.
* TELOGEN the mature hair is loosely anchored to the hair root, and after a couple of months the hair will fall out. Hair overly stressed during braiding can encourage the hair to fall out shortening its lifespan.
Scalp problems caused by braiding wet hair.
I have known stylists to wet or dampen the hair before they braid. This is because it helps them to section the hair more precisely and makes hair easier to control and hold in their fingertips. What happens then is that when pulling the wet hair it will stretch it to its fullest potential, this will of course depend the condition and elasticity of the hair. Then as the hair dries it will contract and try to return to it?s previous length causing great stress on the hair follicle. This can cause severe headaches a day or two after the appointment. It can also cause sores to appear on the scalp which in turn can become infected and very painful. These sores can also be caused by the stylist being too harsh when using sharp combs or implements during braiding.
Hair Breakage caused by braiding too soon after a chemical service.
There are cases when braids are applied immediately after a chemical service. This is not acceptable because the hair after a chemical service does not an optimum moisture level of 8%, is overly porous, and most importantly, has poor elasticity. Even if the hair does not break at the time of service, it could break within days or weeks after the services.
Caring for your braids.
For all of the above reasons it is vital that once you have your braids that you take care of them. Follow the stylists instructions. However due to the lack of conditioning once your hair is braided ( it is often recommended that you do not condition for fear of the conditioner making the hair soft loosening the braids. It is vital that a month prior and past your appointment that you spend time giving your hair lots of TLC. This means pampering your hair with shampoos that will restore your hairs moisture level to its optimum 8% treatment conditioners that contain vegetable proteins, improving elasticity. Try and give your hair a treatment at least one a week.
Author’s Notes: There is no reason at all that you cannot enjoy the experience of hair braids or weaves, as long as you take the proper precautions. Go to a well respected specialist, use good professional hair care products, and ALWAYS GET A CONSULTATION.
If you have any questions on this article or other hair care questions, please feel free to e-mail me at dudasdiana@aol.com
© 2002
Author Diana Dudas G.C.H.S.R.H. is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
By Diana Dudas
It seems like such an enigma. Of the hundred or so emails I receive daily, the same question pops up endlessly. “Why is my hair so, frizzy and dry, coarse or brittle?” I intend to try and solve this mystery. And my first clue has to do with moisture deficiency!
Oil and Water
90% of us suffer with dry brittle or frizzy hair because our hair is deficient of (moisture) WATER! There is a certain preconceived notion that has been passed on from generation to generation. That is the idea that our hair is dry, because we are lacking in natural oils. We are told that if we nurture our hair by brushing vigorously 100 times a day, or if we nurture our hair with hot oil treatments and cholesterols. If we do all of these things, then we are sure to be blessed with beautiful, shiny and healthy locks. This might be the case, if you have young virgin (hair that is not chemically treated) hair. But this is certainly not the case, once you have impaled your tresses, with harsh chemicals such as bleaches and alkaline permanents. Or if you have naturally curly hair,
Naturally Curly Hair
Those of you who have curly hair, have these curls, because of a curvature of the hair follicles .A normal hair follicle under a microscope would be seen as perfectly straight. However yours would have a definite bend in it. This causes the hair to curl. Where the hair curves it compels the cuticle (the outer layer of the hair) to lift.
The Cuticle
Under a microscope, A cuticle is similar in appearance to shingles on a roof. When the hair is in good condition, and is straight and has good porosity the tiles or cuticle layers are tight together and in perfect in shape, giving the hair a smooth appearance. This makes light reflect off the hair enhancing shine! When hair is in bad conditioner, is curly or has poor porosity, the cuticle layers are lifted and sometimes damaged and broken. This makes the hair feel coarse and brittle. It also causes the hair to absorb light, giving the appearance of dull lifeless hair.
To sum up this scenario. Because curly haired cuticle layer is permanently lifted, it feels, coarse, and brittle and has no brilliance. Hence the dull, lifeless look. It also means that our hair has poor porosity.
Porosity
Is the ability for hair to be able to absorb and retain moisture. The best way for me to explain this is to would be for you to imagine a sponge. First of all imagine a brand new sponge. It will have tiny holes in it, and when you immerse it in water, it will soak up a large quantity, and be able to hold that liquid for a long period of time. This is because it has good porosity. Now imagine an old sponge. Its holes have become damaged and distorted. It might even be torn in some areas. When you immerse this sponge in the same amount of liquid, it will absorb far less and will certainly not be able to retain the moisture so readily.
It is the same with hair. Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity. making hair permanently dry.
Hot oil treatments
Traditions have taught many of us that lavishly applying oil to our hair will give us the soft, shiny hair that we all desire. However more often than not, the opposite takes place. Most oils if they are not essential oils do not have the ability to penetrate into the hair shaft. Nor do heavy cholesterols. What they will do, is to lay on top of the cuticle, and coat the cuticle. This may give the hair some Brilliance. However, it will also coat the hair. And causes product build up.
Product build up
Once the hair is coated, your problems will commence. First of all, the moisture that our hair so desperately needs will not be able to permeate through the wall of product build. The moisture is then not able to find it’s way underneath the cuticle layer. The hair cannot then be conditioned. Also the oils will not diffuse, but sit on top of the cuticle layer. If you use any kind of hot styling tools such as blow dryers or hot irons, what will happen to your hair, is exactly what happens when you put an egg into a hot pan. It will fry!
If you live in a sunny climate, the oil will do the same thing. The sun will heat the oil and fry your hair. You must have heard the term, my hair feels fried.
Optimum condition
For hair to be in tiptop conditioner is has to have a moisture (water) content of at least 8%, and the right balance of protein and natural oil. Most of us produce enough natural oil (sebum), to keep our hair healthy, but lack the moisture. After having a chemical service your moisture level will drop as low as 2%, causing, drying of the hair, followed by split ends. The same will happen with constant use of blow-dryers and hot styling tools, such as curling or flat irons. If the moisture level is not restored to it’s optimum 8%; by the use of good moisturizing products your hair will ultimately become brittle and possibly break.
What to do
You need to give your hair lots of TLC, with shampoos that are designed to restore your hair’s moisture level to its optimum 8%. Along with intense conditioners that will help to repair damaged cuticles, improve porosity, elasticity and general health and appearance of your hair. Avoid product build by using products that contain natural ingredients. Also avoid hot oil treatments, heavy cholesterol type conditioners, and petroleum-based and silicone-based products. Also hairsprays, mousses and gels that have a high alcohol or butane content.
Those of you with naturally curly, wavy or frizzy hair, those of you who use hot styling tools or who chemically treat your hair, will need to give your hair extra nurturing by supplying it with the necessary nutrition and moisture that it needs. Sun worshippers need to make sure that your hair care products have sunscreen properties to protect your hair from the damaging affects of the UV rays.
Summary
Our hair needs moisture, moisture, and moisture! Who needs to add moisture more than most? People with naturally curly hair, chemically treated, hot styling tool users or people who live in hot sunny and arid climates.
© 2002
Author Diana Dudas G.C.H.S.R.H. is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.