10 Great Hair Care Tips

If you watch the tabloids, you know that even the stars have bad hair days. It just seems that when the professional stylists are out of the picture, it is inherently human to have a less than glamorous mane. But you can do your part to stay ahead of the battle by following these great tips for hair care.

1. Use a professional conditioner that is formulated for your specific hair type. While you can skimp a little on the shampoo, a good, professional conditioner is a must have. Look for products in salons that are customized for your hair type. For instance: If you have color or a perm, choose a conditioner that is for chemically processed hair. And stay away from those all-in-one shampoo and conditioner combos.

2. Choose a cut tailored to your face and body shape. The number one mistake that people make when choosing a new hairstyle is to pick a style based on popularity rather than how it will enhance their features. Always choose a new cut based on how it will enhance or detract from your facial features and build. If you have broad shoulders, choose a full-bodied cut over a close cropped head hugging doo. 

3. Don’t forget your UV protectants. Just as your skin gets damaged by wind and sun, so does your hair. To combat this, look for finishing products such as mousses, gels and sprays that block UV rays.

4. Keep your appointments. Did you know that your hair will split faster than it will grow? You need to get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks, even if it’s just a micro trim. A good hairdresser makes them good because they know what to leave on the head, not take off.

5. Leave chemicals to the professionals. There is a reason why beauticians need to go to school to learn how to handle chemicals and hair processes. You can do irreparable damage with these products even if the package says that it’s way easy. And even if you don’t make your hair fall out, you could end up looking like a clown and paying a stylist big bucks to fix your mess. (Note: Most stylists charge double the rate for corrective color than they do for normal color processes)

6. Get color for interest and body. Every cut needs a little bit of color to make it truly breathtaking. No matter whether your taste is subtle or dramatic, you can add interest and volume to your tresses with a color process. Highlights, lowlights, all over color, gray coverage, you name it, it’s all good for your look.

7. Do weekly conditioning treatments. Even if your hair is extremely healthy, it is constantly on the attack from wind, sun, cold and heat. During the summer months, your hair is battered even more when it absorbs chlorine and other chemicals from your pool. 

8. Get an ionic ceramic flat iron. Instead of frying your hair with a conventional metal plated flat iron. Straighten your tresses, add shine and infuse moisture with one of the a negative ionic flat irons. We personally use T3 irons for all our work. 

9. Choose your styling products wisely. Avoid products that leave build-up on your hair. If you see white gunk, that means that your product is not water-soluble and may be coating your hair shaft. Build-up causes limpness, breakage and inability to curl not to mention the white flakes.

10. Did you know that if you use a towel after your shower to dry your hair you are causing split ends and adding static electricity to your hair. Don’t rub the towel back and forth over your hair, scrunch the towel around your hair like your would scrunch crackers in your soup.

While all of these tips won’t make you look like you’ve hired a personal hairdresser, they will help you look the very best that you can each and every day. When it comes to hair care, remember that you wear your hair everyday. Now isn’t it worth the time, effort and money that it takes to keep it looking spectacular?

The Truth On Hair Loss Myths...

You might be surprised to learn that many people are unable to untangle fact from fiction when it comes to hair loss. Some of the blame lies with the many companies and individuals exploiting hair loss myths in order to sell bogus hair products. Other myths may linger because people with hair loss, particularly women, are reluctant to talk about an issue that remains sensitive and sometimes emotional. The timing and pattern of pattern baldness is also different in men and women.

While men tend to start losing hair in the 30s and 40s, hair loss begins in the 40s or 50s in women, though it can occur as early as the 20s. And while men first lose hair in the front and at the top of the head, women’s hair thins diffusely throughout the scalp.

Until recently, women have been reluctant to seek treatment, but hair restoration surgeons say that women make up more and more of their practices. In reality, hair loss is just as common in women as it is in men, though the degree of loss tends to vary by gender. ‘By the age of 50, over 50 percent of men have significant hair loss.’ Dr. McAndrews says.

‘For women, about 25 percent have significant hair loss by the age of 50, though it may be less apparent because women are more conscientious about hiding it than men are.’ For most people, hair loss is a result of a genetic predisposition. For some, however, hair loss may result from a condition called telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is a condition where a lot of hair may fall out in a relatively short period of time.

The most common causes are childbirth, high fever, severe illness and even high stress. In most cases this type of hair loss is temporary. Other common causes are like inadequate protein or iron in your diet, or poor nourishment caused by fad diets or an eating disorder. Chemicals used for dying, bleaching, straightening or perming hair as well as excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair too tight can also cause gradual hair loss.

Hot Tips To Prevent Hair Loss!

While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss. Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation. If you are taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to your hair loss.

At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a "resting phase" and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

Over here are some excellent resources on how to prevent further hair loss:

Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause your hair to fall out.

Exercise, do yoga, meditate or find some other practice that will help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels. If you wear pigtails, cornrows, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hair style to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.

If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanents are causing inflammation to the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using them.

Use gentle shampoos and conditioners to avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair.

In men, herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice root help block the formation of DHT. The same holds true for supplementation with zinc. As an added benefit, studies show that these supplements can also help prevent prostate enlargement.

Massage your scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation in the scalp and promote hair growth. Again, if you are experiencing hair loss, check with your doctor to ensure that a more serious disorder isn't the cause.

Hair Loss Prevention - Save your Hair Now!

Men, do you like to style your hair everyday? Do you use gels and creams and waxes to make it sleek and cool?

Women, do you use hairdryers or curling irons daily? Do you stretch your hair with braids or ponytails, and even overuse hair color?

Frequent abuse is one of the causes of hair loss. If we want to save our hair, this is the first step that we should be aware of. See if you are observing the following:

Avoid rubbing your hair too vigorously and styling your hair when it’s wet. This can cause it to stretch and break. Be careful in using permanent dyes or color on your hair. These chemicals usually cause hair damage.

Eat your vitamins! Our hair is composed of a protein called keratin. It is good to find a vitamin or food supplement that will nourish this type of protein. Also, take vitamins that have antioxidants. These fight free radicals that can damage healthy cells in our body including our hair.

Have a well-balanced diet. Eat foods that have high protein content such as Lean Meats, Peanuts and Almonds, Eggs, Legumes, Oatmeal, Whole Grain Bread and Cottage Cheese. Keeping yourself physically healthy will prevent you from taking medications that can cause hair loss.

Regular exercise and getting enough sleep naturally maintains overall health, as well as lowering stress in our lives. You may ask, are stress and hair loss related?  Absolutely!

If you are currently in the middle of a problem, you may be stressed. If you are putting a very high demand of your physical and mental energy to perform higher and above your capacity, you may be stressed too. Usually, hair loss happens after the onset of a very stressful situation or event. Telogen Effluvium is the medical name given to hair loss induced stress.

When you realize that you are stressed, you must think of ways on how you can effectively manage it. One good technique is the “art of disassociation.” It is a kind of meditation you can do by imagining that the cause of your stress is moving farther and farther away from you. You can feel a sense of calmness and it will show in your face and in your actions. This is an important tool to allow your body to calm down and remove built-up stress.

Another tool to use in managing stress is to have a form of relaxation that you enjoy doing. For example, if you like reading or watching a good movie, then do these activities often to release stress. Engaging in sports is the best way that some people use to relax themselves. Pick out a fun activity that will suit you.  

All of us want beautiful and healthy hair. Therefore, consciously caring for it should be a daily habit. It is better to be safe than sorry so don’t take your hair for granted! It is sometimes unfortunate that we appreciate what we have when we already lost them. Take care of your hair before it’s too late.

Did I Inherit A Hair Loss Gene?

Men who start to go bald even before a mid-life crisis may have their mothers to blame, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the main construction manual for a full head of hair is located on the X chromosome, which sons always inherit from their mothers.

This genetic storage space contains the so-called androgen receptor gene, a long time balding suspect. Looking at men who were losing their hair at a relatively young age, a team led by Markus Nothen, PhD, of the Life & Brain Center at Bonn University, Germany systematically examined all of the genetic patterns within the X chromosome to see why certain hairlines recede faster than others. It’s not a pretty picture.

The study, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, claims that a single alteration in the androgen-receptor gene is the major reason why some men end up going bald before their fathers. Nearly half of bald men would not be bald if they did not have this genetic variation. The hair loss in these younger men, he added, was much more severe than in the men who still had a reason to use a comb in their 60s.

The two approved medicines to treat hair loss (Rogaine and Propecia) need to be taken for a long time to see results. With Propecia, doctors sometimes advise their patients not to expect any results before at least six to eight months. And both need to be used indefinitely to maintain its effect. Once you stop, hair loss will continue.

Although there are only two medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat hair loss, many people are interested in other, alternative treatments. The herb saw palmetto has been used for many years in Europe to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate and there is some evidence that it may also be effective in treating hair loss.