Hair is fairly strong and can generally withstand normal grooming
techniques. However, there can be thinning or breakage of hair due to
poor grooming habits, and following several tips can prevent these
bouts of thinning and breakage. Avoid combing hair with fine-toothed
combs when wet, as this is a common cause of breakage. Although this is
a tempting practice because hair straightens and detangles much better
if combed when wet, the stress on the hair shaft is immense when the
hair is wet because it is weakened.
This goes for brushing the hair when wet also. Brushing the hair in
general can be stimulating to the scalp, encouraging blood flow to the
hair follicles and maintaining their health. Brushing the hair before
washing it can loosen up flakes of sebum and dead skin buildup and make
it easier to thoroughly clean the scalp during shampooing. Remember,
over combing or over brushing generally will cause damage to the hair,
which is quite contrary to the old 100-stroke brushing rule.
Although clean hair is desirable and even necessary for the maintenance
of healthy hair, excessive shampooing can strip vital minerals like
calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen and iron from the hair. This is
particularly true when using commercial shampoos. Most commercial
shampoos contain formaldehyde as a preservative. To disguise the
presence of formaldehyde it is listed in the ingredients as
Quanternium-15. This substance can be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and
poisonous to the entire system.
Unfortunately for those who suffer with dandruff, anti-dandruff
shampoos are some of the most dangerous shampoos on the market.
Selenium sulfide is the main ingredient in most dandruff shampoos, a
substance that has shown to cause degeneration of the liver. Other
toxic chemicals such as polyvinyl pyrrlidone plastic (PVP), which is a
proven carcinogenic, and creosol which has been proven to be highly
toxic are commonly found in dandruff shampoos. This is why it is very
important to correct this condition as quickly as possible through
natural means.
Natural shampoos normally found in health food stores are a much better
choice. Even with natural shampoos, be careful of the ingredient Sodium
Lauryl Sulfate can strip away too much oil from the hair, causing
shampoo residue to be left behind. Ingredients that have proven useful
in shampoos are cocamides, Panthenol Pro-B, of course the previously
discussed vitamins, aloe vera, sage, nettle, burdock, chamomile,
chaparral, horsetail and rosemary. Also look for shampoos that contain
keratin, the protein substance that hair is made of, or amino acids.
This will help seal breakages in the cuticle.
Choose a shampoo with a proper pH balance; a level of 5.5 is ideal. The
pH scale runs from 0 to 6.9 for acids and 7.1 to 14 for alkaline, with
7 being neutral. Although generally conditioners are good for hair
provided that they do not contain the previously mentioned harmful
chemicals, shampoos with conditioners included should be avoided.
Shampooing and conditioning serve two different functions and the
effectiveness of both are diminished by combining the process.
When shampooing, pour the shampoo into the hands and rub the shampoo in
with your hands rather than pouring it on your head. By pouring shampoo
directly into the hair you may promote buildup in one particular spot.
Massage gently with your fingertips to loosen flakes and buildup and to
stimulate circulation, but avoid using the fingernails as this may
scratch the scalp and cause scarring over time. Shampoo with warm water
to open the pores and rinse with cool water to promote shrinking the
pores back to their normal size. After washing hair, dry it by blotting
the hair with a towel. Avoid rubbing, especially with terrycloth
towels, as this will pull hair when it is in a weakened state due to
the wetness.
Be sure to follow directions on all perms and relaxers, as misuse can
cause serious damage to the hair shaft. Excessive coloring, styling or
heat treatments, and chemical treatments can damage hair and cause
breakage even when directions are followed. Always keep in mind that
these perms and relaxers have harsh chemicals in them that chemically
alter hair, and long-term use of these chemicals can cause harm to hair
shafts and follicles causing some hair loss. If you can avoid the use
of these chemicals, by all means do. The result could be the increased
life of your hair.
If you decide to use perms or relaxers to process hair, be sure to use
semi-permanent hair color or henna. This will avoid harsh reactions
between the relaxer or perm and the ammonia and peroxide amounts in
permanent dyes. It is always best to allow the hair to rest untreated
as much as possible, and avoid mixing chemical processes. Another
styling caution is against the overuse of hairstyles that pull the hair
too tight, such as ponytails and braids, which will cause hair loss
especially along the sides of the scalp. This syndrome is called
traction alopecia. Keep in mind when styling hair that hair is living
and growing, and is susceptible to the stress of constant pulling
continuous abuse causes scarring, which will lead to permanent hair
loss in the areas affected. Along with leaving the hair chemically
untreated for a time, leaving it in a loose style without
over-manipulation for as long as possible will ensure optimum results.
