Health & Beauty: Hair

Showing posts with label Hair. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

How To Reverse Hair Loss

These are helpful tips to help regenerate hair follicles, but they do not cure any underlying conditions, or stress-related hair loss:

Try drinking this- blend bananas with honey, yoghurt and low-fat milk. A drink rich in biotin can help keep your crowning glory firmly rooted.
Take dietary supplements such as Vitamin B6 and Zinc. Supplements are useful when you can't get enough from natural food sources.
Invert your head while you shampoo and massage your scalp.This helps promote blood circulation to the head.
Eliminate stress or else it can be disastrous to your precious hair.
Get enough sleep.

Slim Down A Full Face:
If you want o slim down a full face-the first rule for slimming down a fuller face is to style the hair away from the face.When it comes to length, prefer styles that go to the collarbone or just below the shoulders, which will give the hair body movement.It is also recommended staying away from very short cuts.If you want to pull up your hair to the ponytail, don't pull it back high on your head.

Tips For A Wonderful Hair Up-do:
There is nothing like an elegance of an easy, breezy style.To put your hair in an updo:
1.Start with a light styling lotion to help set the style before putting it up.Apply this before your hair is totally dry, work through the ends, and then smooth while finish drying.
2.Then you can make either a low or high ponytail and tie securely.For a smooth look, twist it evenly and pin carefully in place for elegance.If you're after something more fun and relaxed, twist the hair in a slightly messy fashion and keep in place with an assortment of colourful clips for accents.
3.You can either curl or crimp these so they'll frame your face beautifully.
4.Add a touch of hair spray to keep you super looking and you're ready to go.

Get Cascading Curls,Without Torturing Your Hair:
Try shampooing and conditioning the hair a day before doing your hair.Pop a light gel into your hair and work it through the ends and dry as usual.The next day, give your hair a light touch of hair spray.Then taking small sections of hair, start working the curling iron through your hair, letting each curl cool completely.Once your entire hair is done, you can choose to loosen the curls with your fingers for a tousled look or use a brush for a smoother look.Spray again with hair spray.

Party Hair In A Jiffy:
No time to go home before a big party but feel you want a different you to the one that was working all the day in office? Here's our super quick tip.

The most successful work-to-party hair is ultra simple.The sexiest party style always have plenty of movement and the key, is a few secret weapons in your desk drawer to ensure your hair stays up as long as you do.For a romantic style, wear your hair in plaits during the day to reveal those waves later on.Rake through the fingers for that loose, bed head look.Add a bit of gloss serum for shine, and well you have a beautiful hairstyle.

Get A Sleek Hairdo:
If you are fed up of your wanton curly hair, and dream of possessing a silky straight hairstyle, then just follow our guidelines:
Wash your hair and condition generously, towel dry and divide the hair into several sections.Taking one section at a time, brush it straight and blow dry in a vertical position.For a polished look pull the hair ends inwards.Apply specially formulated straightening products and you are ready to rock the world.
Wary of various hair care products on the sale counter and don't know which one to pick up for you hair type? We help you by explaining you these jargons:
Mousse:It shapes and sets the natural movement of your hair and is always to be used on wet hair.Ideally you need a coin size amount to work upon your hair.
Curl Boosters:It adds definition and brings action into naturally curly or permed hair.
Moulders:It styles and enhances your hair style and stays put to it for hours.

Regular Care Of Hair:

Taking care of hair is in fact much the same as taking care of skin.An effective hair care discipline involves cleansing, toning and conditioning routines carried out with religious regularity.

1.Care Of Oily Hair And Scalp Condition:
The principle of care for oily hair and scalp condition is the same as used for oily skin condition.The routine aims at removing the excess oil and to exfoliate skin cells which clogs up and suffocate the hair follicles in our scalp.The emphasis is laid on cleansing and toning routines.Since the hair has to be washed as frequently as it gets dirty and oily, a natural shampoo on a formulation of herbs such as amla, shikakai, trijla is ideal.Massaging hair and scalp is important for the well being as well as good growth of the hair.For dry hair, scalp massaging with oil is recommended.For oily hair massaging with toning lotion is suitable.

Home-made Cosmetics For Oily Hair:
A.Take some dry soap nuts(reetha) and soak them in water overnight.Mash them in the morning and strain the soapy solution.Add a tsp of shikakai powder and wash your hair.
If you are unable to make the shampoo cleanser at home, use this infusion recipe.Prepare it and mix in the shampoo you use.
B.To make the infusion, boil two handful of mint leaves in one and a half glass of water for 20 minutes.Strain the solution and mix in a 300ml bottle of shampoo.

Toning Lotion For Oily Hair:
Mix a tbsp of Malt Vinegar in a glass of water.Add a pinch of salt in it.Use 2 tbsps of it on your scalp and massage it with your finger tips twice a week.Leave the lotion on for one hour.Rinse with cool water, brush and set your hair.

2.Care For Dry Hair:
Dry hair tends to be thin and rough.It is susceptible to tangles, damage, breakage and split ends.The primary aim is to replenish the oil and the moisture in the hair.

Home-made Cosmetic Care For Dry Hair:
Below are given few natural recipes that are time-tested.

The Gentle Cleanser:
Beat an egg in a cup of the skimmed milk.When the foam becomes consistent, rub it into the scalp.Leave it on for 5 minutes.Rinse the hair thoroughly with water.Carry out this routine twice a week.

The Protein Conditioner:
Beat one tbsp of castor oil, one tbsp of glycerine, one tbsp of cider vinegar and a tsp of mild herbal shampoo.Apply it on scalp and leave it on for 20 minutes.Rinse with clear water.

A Special Massage Oil Toner
Buy a bottle of castor oil or coconut oil.Add a tsp of lavender essential oil in it.Heat a little and massage it gently on your scalp at night.Rinse or shampoo it out in the morning.Follow this routine at least twice a week.

Low Cost Ideas For Lovable Locks

1.Choose hair styles that goes naturally with your hair type and lasts a while between cutting so that it is easy to maintain and does not require a lot of styling products.

2.To make shampoo last longer, keep am empty bottle in the shower next to the bottle of the shampoo in use.When you are ready to lather up, squirt a small amount of shampoo into the empty bottle and then add a shot of water and shake it lightly.This distributes the shampoo over the hair more evenly, while using less of it.It also lathers up much faster than doing it the conventional way.

3.Collect complimentary and sample bottles and packages of hair care products and then take them along when going on short trips.

4.Give up perms, hair colouring and highlighting.It only goes onto reduce your hair into a haystack.The ideal hair length is till shoulders and you can tie it in a French braid or up in a bun.This way you will be saved from the hassle of blow drying or curling.

5.Instead of using the expensive detangling products from the store, make a homemade version using 1 part conditioner and 10 parts water.Then put into a recycled pump hair spray bottle.It works wonders for hair.

Low Cost Tips For Hair Care At Home:

1.For Lifeless Hair
If you have hair that is dry and unmanageable, rinse it with beer, but make sure to wash off all the beer brew to remove the not-so-pleasant smell.

2.For High Shine Hair
Take 1 large banana and 1 tbsp of honey.Mash the banana with fork and add the honey.Mix the two together.Wet hair with lukewarm water.Apply the banana honey mix all over the hair.Put the shower cap on and cover with towel.Leave on for an hour.Rinse out.

3.Hair Conditioner Made At Home
Mix half cup of honey with 1/4 cup of olive oil.Using a small amount at a time, work the mixture through hair until you coat it all over.Cover hair with a shower cap, leave on for 30 minutes.Remove shower cap; shampoo well and rinse.

Great Hair For A Glam Evening

Here are a few pointers for your crowning glory.

1.If you have long hair and are wearing a dress that bares some skin on top, leave it down and play up the texture a little.You can use a large barrel curling iron to make some big soft waves.Using Velcro rollers is also an easy way to create a beautiful body and bounce once your hair is dry.For an added touch, twist each piece inward before you secure it with a festive hair accessory.

2.If your dress has a high neck, wear your hair up.A twist or chignon is very elegant and after you've created your up-'do, be sure to pull a few strands around your face to soften the look and create the illusion that you threw your hair up effortlessly.

3.Women with short hair also have several options for formal occasions.For a super-sleek look, part your hair on the side and use styling gel to add shine and keep your hair flat against your head.If you want a style with a little more body, go a bit messy on the top and around the crown, while keeping your silhouette tight around the ears.

Whatever style you choose, test a few times before the big night.Practice makes it perfect.This will also give you the chance to experiment with different looks and find the one that works best for you.

How To Manage Your Tresses

Which Is Better-Combing Or Brushing?�
If you use a soft brush, brushing is less damaging than combing, but a stiff brush does cause more damage to the hair than a comb.Prolonged brushing also harms hair considerably.Back combing also damages the hair.It ruffles the scales of the cuticle as well as it causes knotting which is difficult to untangle.
Wet hair should never be combed or brushed as this causes greater damage to the hair.A good comb should have rounded and not sharp teeth.Nylon brushes with spiky ends also damage the hair.

How To Choose Your Shampoo?�
Most shampoos are detergent based(lauryl sulphates).To this are added several chemicals-stabilisers, preservatives, conditioning agents, perfumes and colours.
A shampoo should be judged by its performance-not by its appearance, colour, perfume and definitely not by its price.It should clean hair and rinse out easily, leaving the hair smooth and manageable.Lots of lather is not a measure of its efficiency-though it may indicate a high detergent content.Neither does a thick consistency mean that the shampoo is more concentrated.
There is a good range of products-labelled as "for oily hair", "for dry hair", and "for normal hair".The differences in these shampoos is in the type of detergent used and also in the concentration of the detergent (being greatest for greasy hair) used.
Regarding the pH of shampoos, it is generally agreed that neutral or slightly acidic shampoos are better for the hair, especially the hair that has been physically or chemically damaged.

How Safe Are Shampoos?�
Shampoos are very safe for the hair because they do not contain any harsh detergents, therefore the natural coating, the hydrolipidic film, is retained on the hair.

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?�
This depends on the type of hair and scalp, and also on the environment.If your hair is greasy then you would need to wash it frequently, say even 3-4 times every week.This is especially necessary if the environment you work in is dirty.Frequent shampooing is not harmful for the hair.

Do Exotic Shampoo Ingredients Have Any Real Effect On The Hair?�
Despite their popularity and appeal, many of the shampoo additives do not really benefit the hair, simply because they are quickly rinsed off the hair in the shampooing preocess.However some products, egg and beer for instance, may cling to the hair and impart apparent body to the hair and act as conditioning agents.Amino acids and panthenol are added to some shampoos because they give body to the hair.

Which Conditioner To Choose?�
Conditioners are generally used after shampooing.If the conditioner is not rinsed off well, the hair may appear greasy.Sometimes the conditioning agents are incorporated into shampoos; the conditioning perforamance of such combination shampoos is inferior to the perforamance of the 2-stage shampooing and conditioning.The term "balsam" is frequently mentioned in connection with creme-rinses.The term is applied to conditioners which contain plenty of oils and protein.Exotic natural additives such as collagen, gelatin, allantoin and henna are also being used in the conditioners.

Are Conditioners Safe?�
The conditioning compounds are not without adverse effectsThe hair maybe softened too much-this happens fequently with thin hair.

Curling And Straightening Of Hair:
How Do Hair Perms Work?�Perming is a chemical process of changing the shape of hair, so that the new style is retained through several washes.Perming can be achieved either by a cold process or by a hot process.
What Can Go Wrong With A Perm?�A number of factors combine to make the perm successful; the correct strength of the lotion, the curler size, the degree of tension with which the hair is wound around the curlers, and the development time.Things can go wrong with any of these and spoil the perm.With small curlers and too much tension on the hair, the hair might look frizzy.Similarly with too long a development time the curl becomes too tight.With a short developement time and larger curlers the perm is loose.
Damage to the hair is another problem with perming; this occurs most often in the hiar which is already damaged by dying.Even in normal hair, too prolonged an application or too strong a lotion may cause damage.
How Often Can You Perm Your Hair?�This depends on the condition of your hair.Some damage does take place during perming and this is more so if the hair has been dyed earlier and it is therefore better to avoid re-perming your hair earlier than 4-5 months.
Can Curly Hair Be Straightened>�Yes, hair can be straightened just as it can be curled.This is done either by using chemicals or heat.

Setting Of Hair:
What Are Setting Agents And Hair Sprays?� Setting agents keep the hair set longer.They are applied to wash the hair before it is set.Both, setting agents and hair sprays have very little chemical effect on the hair proteins.They both contain soluble polymers, but in different formulations.
Blow Drying: Heat is potentionally damaging to the hair because it results in the loss of natural oils and moisture, thereby making hair more prone to damage.
Blow Drying Tips:
a.Use the dryer when the hair is comparatively dry.
b.Be gentle.
c.Use a warm/cool setting on the dryer and keep moving it, so that no one section of hair is subjected to heat for too long.
d.Don't hold the dryer too near your head.
e.Direct the warm air along the direction of hair growth, so that you are blowing flat on the scales of each hair shaft and not ruffling them up.

Hair And Scalp Problems

1.Itchy Scalp:
If you have itching of the scalp, there maybe two main causes.

A.Lice:�Apart from affecting the scalp, lice can reside on the body anbd on the clothes as well.The lice suck blood from the skin and may cause infection.The main problem, however is itching.The thing to look for, to confirm the presence of lice, are the eggs laid by lice; these are attached to the hair and are the size of a pinhead, so you really have to search carfully for them.Once the diagnosis is made the problem is easily treated with malathion or gamma benzene hexachloride;both have to be applied once a week for two weeks.
B.Dandruff:�We all shed dead skin cells as a normal process; these cells are not shed off individually but as aggravates which are normally too small to be seen.In dandruff, however, the shedding of the dead cells is in larger visible aggravates;there is also an excessive production of dead cells.Dandruff is generally rare in children.Scaling generally begins to emerge at adolescence.Starting at puberty, dandruff increases gradually over the next few years; it is maximum in the early twenties.Later over the years, it gradually decreases and is decidedly rare in the elderly.
Getting Rid Of Dandruff:
There are two ways of treating dandruff:either the scales are removed as quickly as they are formed, or the formation of scales is suppressed.Shampooing is a good way to rapidly remove the scales.To be effective the washing should be thorough and frequent.Application of oils temporarily improves the appearance of a scaly scalp because the scales stick to the scalp and are less visible.But oils tend to nullify the effect of shampooing to a considerable extent and are best avoided if you are suffering from dandruff.Medicated shampoos are very popular, these contain selenium sulphide, zinc pyrithione or coaltar.These agents decrease the production of scales in addition to removing the scales.Corticosteroid applications are also very effective in reducing the production of scales and are used for severe dandruff.But the most important aspect of treating dandruff is that the medications should be used regularly till you outgrow the problem.

2.Greying Of Hair:
The age of onset of the greying process is largely determioned by our genes.Generally by the age of 50, 50% of the population have at least 50% grey hair.Grey hair can sometimes appear earlier too.Premature greying runs in certain families.Rapid greying of hair may occur after severe emotional stress.In certain internal diseases like diseases of the Thyroid Gland,certain anaemias, hair may grey early.
What Can Be Done:
The usual and the most effective way of dealing with greying of hair is dyeing it.There are several dyes available.The oxidative dyes are the most versatile and the most frequently used, despite the fact that they can cause reactions.Henna is also used because apart from its safety it is a superb conditioner.

3.Loss Of Hair-Baldness:

Causes Of Baldness:
All of us loose hair.A loss of upto 100 hair a day is normal, as this hair loss is replaced.Excessive hair loss which is not replaced leads to baldness.Baldness or alopecia, as your doctor would call it, has several causes:
a.The commonest form of baldness that affects men.It is called male pattern baldness.The hair loss in this condition depends on two factors, namely the presence of androgens(male sex hormones), and a genetic tendency to develop baldness.One out of every ten men is likely to develop some degree of alopecia by the age of 25; by the age of 35, 4 out 10 men show some baldness; and by the age of 50, nearly half of all men are bald.
b.Many systemic diseases can cause diffuse hair loss.Any prolonged debilitation(thyroid, viral fevers, malaria, operations, accidents and even child-birth) can be followed by diffuse loss of hair.Mental stress must be included as a cause of this type of baldness.Nutritional deficiencies, crash dieting and anorexia nervosa are all also associated with hair loss.Anaemia is an important cause of hair loss in women.
c.The third type of baldness is called alopecia areata.Patches of baldness first appear on the scalp, but can spread to the eyebrows and eyelashes as well.In men the beard area may be involved.Fortunately most of the time, the problem resolves on its own.This pattern of alopecia is more commonly seen in men and is sometimes associated with leucoderma and diabetes.
d.Some diseases of the scalp like fungal and bacterial infections on scalp can also cause baldness.
e.Finally physical trauma also results in hair loss; this type of hair loss affects women more often than it affects men.Tight hair styles, too much exposure to hot air can also be a cause to some extent.

Remedy:
a.The easiest and the cheapest solution is to grow the remaining hair, and to restyle it to cover the bald areas.Conditioning the hair would give body to the hair, but these methods can be resorted to only in mild cases of baldness.
b.Another but rather expensive solution is hair transplantation.Hair when transplanted from a hair producing area to a bald area of the scalp, continues to function and grow normally for a lifetime.If done with skill this method seems to work fairly well.

4.Superflous Hair:
Superflous hair or hirsutism maybe due to heredity or ethnic causes.A mild hirsutism might be seen in women after menopause.

Remedy:
a.Bleaching: �Bleaching is one way of making existing hair less conspicuous-it is good for down, rather than for thick coarse hair.It is the most commonly used method for camouflaging facial hair.But blaching might cause irritations in some.
b.Shaving: �It is a fallacy that hair grows faster and becomes coarser after shaving.Yes, after shaving hair does reappear with great rapidity(within 24 hrs), because shaving cuts the hair just at the surface.
c.Pumice Stone:�Abrasives in the form of pumice stones and special emery covered mitts and pads, are frequently used to remove unwanted hair.Though this method is cheap, its effects are temporary.This method is most effectively used on moderately coarse hair of the legs and arms and is not practical for use on the face.
d.Chemical Depilation:�Depilatory agents such as creams, lotions and sprays used in the method of depilation may cause irritation and dryness of the skin and thus should never be used on broken skin.However conduct a patch test before using any of the depilatory agents.
e.Waxing:�This is one of the oldest methods of removing hair.However, the wax should be warmed to the right temperature(neither too hot or too cold) and applied by an expert.If doing at home use cold waxing method instead.Waxing reduces hair growth if done frequently and is the best method of hair removal
f.Plucking And Threading:�These methods are usually reserved for eye-brows, hair on the upper lip and chin and for removing odd hair around the nipples.These methods do not increase hair growth.
g.Electrolysis:�Electric epilation is considered a safe and a cosmetically acceptable method of removing unwanted hair permanently.It is a useful way of getting rid of facial hair, but for hairy arms and legs it might prove too expensive and time-consuming.

The Magic Of Hair Colouring

Colours add beauty and glamour to our static life.The colours which express our feelings are used in cosmetics, couture and surroundings.They give us the freedom to scatter rainbow shades on our hair according to the occasion.Today hair colours are dominating the fashion world and thrill people of all ages and classes.Hair colours come in different shades, forms and qualities for different hair textures.

Types Of Hair Colours:
Colours are available today in all forms.Liquid, powder, oil, cream and gel, etc.Hair mascaras, crayons and colour hair-sprays are used as temporary and semi-permanent colours, whereas gel and other forms are used as permanent colours.

Trendy Shades:
The common shades used these days are reds and browns.Hair experts always go for brown and golden streaks for wheatish skin tones.Whereas for fair skin, they go for reddish or purple shades.

Hair Texture And Length:
All kinds of textures as well as hair lengths can be given a hair colour.But the expense increases in proportion to the length of hair.Short length hair looks more elegant with hair colours.

Techniques Of Hair Colour:
Highlighting, streaking, frosting, fingerpainting, etc are different techniques of colouring but teens today prefer the highlighting and streaking.

Care Of Coloured Hair:
Here's some tips for the care of coloured hair:
1.Avoid contact with bright sunlight.Little amount of sunrays accentuates the red tones.
2.Use of low pH shampoos.Preference to special colour shampoo.
3.Washing of hair after swimming and use of hair conditioner to avoid dryness of hairs.

Preventive Measures:
Experts lay stress on some preventive measures to avoid mishap during or after the colouring.They are:
1.Check any cut in the scalp.
2.Avoid metal containers.
3.Use rubber gloves.
4.Confirm the suitability of colour.

Focus: Hair Care

Regular Care Of Hair:

Taking care of hair is in fact much the same as taking care of skin.An effective hair care discipline involves cleansing, toning and conditioning routines carried out with religious regularity.

2.Care For Dry Hair:
Dry hair tends to be thin and rough.It is susceptible to tangles, damage, breakage and split ends.The primary aim is to replenish the oil and the moisture in the hair.

Home-made Cosmetic Care For Dry Hair:
Below are given few natural recipes that are time-tested.

Easy Ways To Make Fine Hair Look Fuller

Here are some tried-and true tips on how to make fine and limp hair look fuller.

Choose The Right Shampoo

After years of trying out shampoo after shampoo that ended up with my fine hair looking flat and lifeless, I've come up with a Golden Rule: Always go for clear shampoos.

It doesn't matter if the bottle says 'volumizing', 'for colored hair', or whatever - it has to be clear. If it's milky or opaque in texture, or says 'moisturizing shampoo', it's likely to be too heavy for your hair. You could use these heavier shampoos, but make sure you skip conditioner afterwards (unless your hair is very damaged)

Choose The Right Conditioner

If you have very fine hair, it's best not to overcondition your hair. Heavy conditioners are the main culprit in making fine hair look flat and limp.

Look for lightweight formulas or detanglers. Avoid conditioners that use heavy moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter or oils - those formulations are better for thicker-haired girls.

When applying conditioner, apply only on the mid-lengths or ends of the hair.

Depending on the condition of your hair, you might want to skip daily conditioning altogether and just deep-condition your hair just once a week or once a fortnight.

Keep Your Scalp Clean

Keep your scalp clean by washing your hair regularly - either every day or every other day. An oily scalp can easily weigh down fine hair. Between washes, try dry shampoo or talcum powder on the roots of your hair to absorb excess oil.

Go Easy On The Styling Products

Too many hair products will weigh down fine hair. Avoid the use of heavy gels or serums. It's best to use only one product at a time.

Color Your Hair

Coloring your hair swells each individual hair shaft and adds body to your fine hair. What's even better, fine hair 'takes' color better than thicker hair.

Darker colors will make your hair look thicker while lighter colors will make it look thinner.

Try highlighting your hair - the right highlights can add dimension to your hair, making it look thicker and fuller.

Choose The Right Haircut

Keep your hair medium length (e.g shoulder-length). Fine hair is not suited for very long hairstyles.

Avoid cutting too many layers into your hair as it can make your fine hair look even thinner. Layers near the crown, however, can give lift to your hair.