|
|
Frugal
Living Thrift
Saving Money Penny Pinching
Home
Frugal Living Tips and Frugal
Living Articles for Frugal Happy Families
|
Search Frugal and Simple Living Sites by Keyword
Below
|
Hair Care
Tips And How To Prevent Problem Hair
by David McEvoy
For many people, hair care takes up a significant part of the
time spent on overall grooming and this is understandable. After all, hair is
always on view so if you care about your appearance you naturally want your hair
to look good, smell pleasant and feel soft and silky to the touch and this takes
time and effort.
You may have heard it said that it isn't necessary for us to wash our hair
using shampoos and conditioners as in a natural state of being our hair would
cleanse itself. Perhaps this is true. Indeed there are cultures that don't use
any products on their hair other than water and perhaps a few herbs.
However, particularly in the western world today, our hair is constantly
exposed to wind, sun, rain, pollution, smells, smoke etc. and therefore it needs
to be washed, regularly, which in itself can be harsh on our hair, and if we
don't wash it, many people find that their hair can quickly become dirty
looking.
What makes our hair dry or greasy?
The sebaceous glands on our scalp produce sebum, an oily substance composed
mostly of fatty acids that helps to protect our scalp and prevent infections. It
is sebum that moisturizes the scalp and the hair and which gives hair its
natural shine, but the amount of sebum produced varies quite significantly from
individual to individual and is influenced by genetics, environment, diet and
overall health, chemicals and so on.
It's really quite simple, if for whatever reason you don't produce enough
sebum or if the pores are clogged or the sebum cannot easily work its way down
the hair shaft (as in very curly hair for example) then your hair is more likely
to be dry. If on the other hand you produce a lot of sebum then your hair is
more inclined to be greasy.
We all have different hair types and the secret to proper hair care is
catering for your particular hair type. Sometimes hair can be greasy near the
scalp and dry towards the ends of the hair. In these cases you need to treat
each area appropriately. In other words, the ends of the hair may need intensive
conditioning but the hair near the scalp doesn't.
You may hear some people say they have to wash their hair every single day
or it will become too greasy. However, washing the hair too frequently can
stimulate the sebaceous glands into producing even more sebum and exacerbate
that very problem. If they changed their routine and started washing their hair
every other day then the sebaceous glands would eventually adapt and start
producing less sebum.
How to prevent problem hair
Many people don't think about the condition of their hair until they have a
really bad hair day and start to notice problems but by then it's too late.
Actual hair is dead, it has no living cells, so once this hair is damaged there
really is very little you can do other than disguise it, prevent further damage,
or cut it, as it cannot repair itself so will never be restored to perfect
condition. Proper hair care involves three things in the following order.
First you need to feed your hair from the inside through diet so that you
give your hair the best start before it even makes an appearance on your head.
This means eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables,
and drinking plenty of water. However, you might also want to consider taking
fish oil as this contains essential Omega 3 fatty acids that are important for
healthy hair and sebum is composed mostly of fatty acids.
Secondly as the hair follicle, the sebaceous glands and the actual roots of
the hair are very much alive beneath the skin, it's so important to look after
the scalp by keeping it clean, moisturized and nourished as the condition of the
scalp will influence the condition and growth rate of your hair. This means
using natural products that don't contain harsh ingredients which can damage the
scalp. You must also avoid the use of sharp combs and hair accessories and never
pull or tug at your hair which will put pressure on your scalp.
Finally you need to maintain the condition of the hair itself and take steps
to prevent or at least limit damage. This means staying out of the sun as much
as possible which will dry the hair, using appropriate products for your hair
type, and ensuring that the hair is conditioned regularly to replace loss
moisture. You also need to limit the use of heating implements such as hair
dryers, curling tongs and hair straighteners, and if possible avoid the use of
dyes, bleaches and other chemicals which will all take their toll on your hair.
Did you know that omega 3 fish oil is the number one choice for
celebrities who want amazing
hair growth
and nails for more information come and visit our site. |
Home
|
|