Best Reasons for Your Hair Damage

The root of many hair problems can be traced to poor hygiene. When most people hear that phrase they think of someone as being "dirty." In the case of hair care, however, poor hygiene can go both ways - not washing enough and washing too much.

Often hair that is shampooed every day will be dry and lifeless because too much of the natural oils produced by the sebaceous glands on the scalp have been stripped away by harsh detergents in the shampoo, in particular alcohols and sodium laurel (and laurite) sulfate. If you feel that you must shampoo daily, you may want to use a mild baby shampoo like Johnson & Johnson's.

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The flip side of this coin is people who do not shampoo often enough and allow oil to build up in their hair giving it a greasy, limp appearance that causes the strands to plaster themselves against the scalp. Contrary to popular belief, this oily state is actually the environment in which dandruff thrives. Once the scalp begins to itch, it is subject to more serious infections from scratching and from the growth of fungus and bacteria.

The recommended regimen for hair care is to shampoo every other day and to condition once to twice a week. You are striving to achieve the correct balance of oil on the hair shafts and the absence of artificial "product" build-up.

Sun Damage

The hair can sunburn just as easily as the skin. In the summer, heat, combined with humidity (and often as a result of chemicals found in swimming pools) will serve to dry the hair, making it subject to frizzing and breaking.

In the summer moisturizing your hair is important. You may find that you need to rotate your hair care products by season. Find a "replenishing" shampoo and consider using a "leave in" conditioner, if only in the short term, to prevent further drying of the hair. Avoid the use of blow dryers and curling irons. The last thing your hair needs is more heat. Allow it to air dry instead. Try to deep condition at least once a week, perhaps with a natural mixture of rosemary and olive oil under a warm towel for 45 minutes.

Straightened Hair Styles

Straightened or sedu hairstyles involve the use of some sedu hair straightener device. Normally a hair iron is used to remove the curl from the hair. Hair damage done by a sedu hair straightener device can be considerable. Anything that applies heat to the hair will have the effect of drying the strands and of making them brittle and more susceptible to breaking. Anything that causes friction or physical stress to the hair can cause hair loss.

In addition, curly hair has a unique chemical structure. Sulfur atoms in hair proteins create disulfide bonds by joining together in pairs. The greater is the distance between the proteins at the time of bonding, the greater the bend in the hair when the bond is formed. Heating techniques to relax that bond literally attack the chemical structure of curly hair.

Any time straightening techniques are used, the hair should be routinely moisturized. Keep split ends under control, and build times into your week when your hair can "relax" and be its natural curly self.

Hair Products

Finally, it's a good idea for us all to decipher the labels on our hair care products. Shampoos often contain detergent agents that dry out the hair. Hair sprays and gels contain alcohol which dries the scalp, especially when used daily. Ingredients in shampoos to avoid include sodium laurite sulfate, benzophenone-3, benzyl alcohol, DMDM hydration, and sodium laurel sulfate.

In many of these products the perfumes and preservatives that are present will cause an allergic reaction known as contact dermatitis. Any time you have severe itching and red irritation on the scalp it is a good idea to discontinue the use of all hair care products and to use something mild and healing like pine tar soap until the irritation subsides. Then add your regular products back one at a time until you find the culprit and can switch to a less irritating agent.

Conclusions

The healthier your lifestyle is the healthier your hair will be. With a proper diet, the recommended amount of sleep, and by avoiding smoking and drinking your hair should be "normal" for you. Hair comes in a variety of textures and with a variety of issues relative to degree of moisture (oily v. dry) but all these can be addressed with a proper selection of hair care products and styles. Damage caused by straightening hair and hair damage from other external sources can usually be eliminated by a change in habits and routine.

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