Finding and Choosing the
Right Hair Care Products
The
right hair care products can actually enhance the quality
and longetivity of the hair, thus slowing down hair
loss. Although sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are commonly
found in shampoos to enable easy lathering and cleaning,
there some controveries surrounding it safety and a
cause for hair loss. This
is specifically addressed in our page on SLES and the
related sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). On the other
side, copper tripeptides actually enhances the growth
of hair. The products
I use take care of these issues. More of this later.
Hair
Care Products Today
Modern
hair care products consider the fact that many people
wash their hair once a day or even more. While this
will remove dirt and smell and make the hair look healthy,
the process removes the protective sebum coating. It
is therefore essential that they be gentle while effective.
Using
Electrical Charges of the Hair
Believe
it or not, hair has a small negative electrical charge.
When you use products that have a positive charge, they
can coat the cuticle
of the hair. The right product can give a nice sheen
to the hair and make it more manageable.
The
hair conditioner is one of these products. It contains
silicone carrying a mild positive charge. The molecules
get attracted to the cuticle to leave behind the desired
quality. Some products
contain additional ingrediants that supports hair growth.
Untangling
the Hair
Many
of today's shampoos and conditioners are mixed in cleansers
to allow for easy combing of the wet hair and untangle
it. Conditioners enhance this feature further.
Long
kinky hair and dreadlocks are tough customers for untangling.
It helps to separate your hair into sections using a
long knitting needle. If possible detangle it from the
scalp outwards and deal with each knot along the way.
Do not rush the process as it may damage the hair.
Chemicals
in Hair Care Products
In
addition to cleaning agents, shampoos and conditioners
contain a number of chemicals, added to them for:
- Controlling
the degree of acidity (pH).
- Controlling
the thickness of the solution (viscosity)
- Prolonging
shelf life of the product with preservation agent
to limit bacteria growth.
- Enhancing
the look of the product through colors and perfumes.
Dimethicone
and panthenol (which is a vitamin B derivative) are
often found in hair care products. They are absorbed
into the hair and provide moisture to dry areas when
the new hair grows. Surfactants are added to increase
absorption of these ingredients into the hair and replace
sebum in giving the hair a slippery feel (sebum obstructs
absorption).
Zinc
pyrithione is contained in some shampoos to treat dandruff
(or flaky scalp). These shampoos must meet FDA over-the-counter
drug requirements.
Plyquarternium
and stearamidaproply dimethylamine alter the electrical
charge of the hair shaft to add moisture to it. These
are found in volumizing shampoos and conitioners to
add bulk to thin looking hair. They are valued during
winter months to help dry hair caused by living in heated
buildings.
Surfactants
to make hair slippery and clean BUT.....
Surfactants
which are now common in shampoos, are compounds that
accomplish the following when added to shampoos:
- Help
shampoo to lather.
- Strong
enough to remove dirt without the need for hard scrubbing.
- Help
the thorough rinsing of hair.
- They
penetrate flakes and dirt that are embedded in the
hair, thus removing grease and dirt from the hair.
- The
foam created helps lift dirt from the hair and allow
for it to wash away.
- Many
modern shampoos attempt to balance between the potentially
corrosive quality of the ingredients and sensitivilty
of the skin. BUT, researchers are finding that the
presence of certain strong cleaning ingredients such
as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) will contribute to
hair loss.
Picking
the Proper Shampoo
Setting
aside the evidence that SLS
contained in most shampoos has some damaging qualities,
shampoos come in a great variety to address different
kinds of hair. Firstly, determine the kind of hair you
have:
Normal Hair
- Neither
greasy nor dry.
- Not
permed or color treated.
- Does
not use products to hold its style.
- Usually
look healthy.
Fine
Hair
- Looks
weak, limp and lack volume.
- Manageable
with difficulty.
- Easily
get greasy.
Dry
Hair
- Dull
and rough.
- Usually
frizzy.
- Have
been treated with perms or coloring agents.
- Easily
tangled.
Oil (sebum)
on the hair carries dirt. Too much of it makes the hair
difficult to manage. Avoid running your fingers through
your hair because sebum spreads easily in this way.
The belief
that greasy hair calls for shampoos with stronger sulfactants.
These usually contain a higher proportion of the damaging
SLS. One should consider trying a shampoo that is
SLS free for a while before resigning to strong shampoos.
Anecdotal testimonies suggest that effective cleansing
results are achievable with these milder shampoos.
Conditioners
can interferewith perming and coloring. If you are doing
these, you can offset the inpact of conditioners by
using shampoos that contain silicone micro-emulsifiers.
Important read on better hair care below:
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