Simple Beauty Tips

In only the last few years, beauty therapy also encompasses hair health. Having clean hair with an absence of oil in the hair has become important and is often seen as a cure for many ailments. More time and money is spent on hair products than any other body product. When a woman’s hair pleases her, she has more self-esteem and therefore feels more beautiful

Hair is the most rapidly growing structure in the entire body. It grows about ½ inch every month, faster in the summer than the winter and more at night than the day. The growing phase of hair, called anagen, lasts up to 6 years. The catagen phase (or degeneration phase) is when the follicle stops growing and then shrinks.

Hair becomes very elastic when wet and stretches 1/4 of its length and returns to normal when dry. This is what lets hairdressers set hair into a certain style, which lasts until the next time the hair is set.

If the hair feels rough and prickly, especially at the ends, then it is a sign of dryness and damage. The smoothness depends upon a coating of sebum which is the natural lubricant of the hair. If the hair is sticky, this indicates an excessive production of sebum. It will need frequent washing.

If your hair is wound around your finger and it springs back immediately, then your hair is very straight. If you have a wavy curl, the hair will hold its shape after taking it off your finger. A very curly hair will either wind tightly around the finger or will refuse to wrap around it at all.

Five characteristics that determine the look of the hair are density, texture, movement, colour and condition. The first four are the result of heredity. Condition is the result of how you care for or abuse your hair. Density depends on how many hair follicles were on your hair when you were born. Blondes have the most, then brunettes, then redheads.

Texture refers to the size of each shaft of hair. Fine hair is silky and shiny, soft and slippery and springs out from rollers. It dries slowly it it is thick and drops out quickly from a set. Course hair is springy and is usually thick. It is strong and sets well, but usually wants its own way. It is sometimes glossy but is often wiry and lacking sheen. Movement is determined by the growth pattern of the hair in the papilla, which in turn defines the shape of the hair shaft. Straight hair is smooth and strong. It lies flat when wet, hates to curl and resists setting. It generally parts itself quickly. Wavy hair has lots of movement, especially when short. It holds sets well. Curly hair is springy, is usually coarse and strong. It is difficult to set and has a tendency to frizz.

The natural colouring of the hair is due to pigment which is present and the cortex. The difference in colour is determined by the percentage of the four natural pigments: black, brown, yellow or red.

The condition of your hair is due to your general health and the health of your scalp, which determines the strength and health of the hair. Most damage is self-inflicted in the interests of fashion and most hair is damaged to some degree. Healthy hair is smooth surfaced, has a faint coating of sebum, remains smooth when wet, doesn’t tangle, is slightly oily and the scalp is free of flakes. Dry and straw like hair is brittle and splits at the ends. It lacks elasticity and breaks when stretched. The scalp could produce dry, powdery flakes. The main causes of dry and straw-like hair are from either natural wear and tear or mechanical damage or chemical damage.

Natural damage is usually due to insufficient moisture level in the cortex. Another factor could be a lack of sebum flowing along the shaft. Each hair contains water actually, but if there is a lack of sebum to prevent evaporation, most of the moisture is lost and causes the hair to dry out. This can be cause from heredity, ageing, poor health or hormonal imbalance.

Wear and tear and mechanical damage is very common. So common in fact, that it is often accepted as normal. It often occurs form simply washing your hair incorrectly. The correct shampoo used should be a mild one. As well, harsh objects like spiky, heated or brush rollers, metal combs and plastic brushes will cause damage to the hair. Elastic bands should not be used because they tear the hair. Damage done by heated rollers, even if they do contain conditioners, can be limited by wrapping thin foam rubber around them. Electric tongs dry out the hair and burn the ends badly. Never iron or tong hair to straighten it. Central heating, sun, seawater, and chlorinated water are also drying.

Chemical damage is caused when the protective cuticle around the hair ruptures and sometimes disappears altogether. Chemical damage happens when the hair is carelessly or bleached, tinted, permed or straightened too often. Something called over porosity happens when portions of the hair shaft breaks down and becomes very soft and stretchy. The hair tangles easily and may have brassy or green tones.

Tags: beauty and spa, beauty therapy, clean hair, hair follicles, health and beauty

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