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Hair damage caused by
overly harsh shampoos, styling agents and hair straighteners
is most commonly caused by the alkalinity of the agents. On the
pH (alkaline/acidic) scale, hair is somewhat acidic with a pH
of 4.4 to 5.5. When slightly acidic hair is bathed in an alkaline
solution, the cuticle scales swell and lift away from the cortex
core. The immediate effect is to give the hair a rough texture,
rather dull in appearance. The lifting of the cuticle away from
the cortex also opens the cortex to chemical attack. (This is
a useful property when the purpose is to change hair colour;
when the cuticle lifts away from the cortex, a hair colouring
agent is able to penetrate the cortex and stain cortex keratins
with the desired colour. When this is done too frequently, however,
there can be an accumulation of damage to the cortex.)
The effect of an alkaline solution is immediately counteracted
when the hair is bathed in a moderately weak acidic solution
such as vinegar (a solution of acetic acid). The vinegar (or
lemon juice) rinse was a normal procedure in past years when
soap, which is slightly alkaline, was the only cleansing agent
available for shampooing hair. The acidic bath heals the swollen
cuticle and restores the smooth texture and sheen of hair.
Some alkaline styling agents are left in the hair for extended
periods of time. This can cause cumulative hair damage. |
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When you are deciding what hair care products to
use you should first get advice from a qualified hair care professional.
Good hairdressers who have been in the game for a long time can
usually assess your hair and give you a suggestion as to the
type of product that you should be using. Then, if you know a
little bit more about the problems with your hair, you can read
the labels on the various products and assess what will or won't
work for you.
When all is said and done, no matter what the
hairdresser says, and no matter what the labels on the bottle
say, the final test will be to look at your hair and decide whether
it looks better or not. Unless there is a specific problem with
your hair, some hair professionals will suggest that you try
a number of different products, to find out which one works best
for you. How do you know which one works best for you? This is
the easiest part... your hair looks good. |
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The purpose of a shampoo is to remove dirt, dead
skin and excess oil from the scalp and hair, and leave the hair
attractively pliant and glossy. Most shampoos today contain a
detergent as the cleansing agent. Other ingredients commonly
include chemicals added for specialty purposes a consumer may
find attractive:
• Conditioners and softeners to make
the hair pliant and glossy after the shampoo;
• Fragrances to leave the hair with an attractive aromatic quality;
•
Sequestering agents to remove minerals from "hard" water
that may make cleansing more difficult; and,
•
Foaming agents which contribute little to a shampoo's cleansing
power, but address the belief of consumers that "foam" or "lather" is
necessary for effective cleansing. A growing market for "organic" products is represented
in shampoos that (1) use soap rather than detergent as the
cleansing agent, and (2) add "herbal extracts" and
vitamins to the list of ingredients.
A number of anti-dandruff shampoos are available. Anti-dandruff
ingredients are zinc pyrithione (also called zinc omadine)
and selenium sulphide. Which anti-dandruff shampoo will work
best for any individual is difficult to predict; the consumer
must usually decide on the basis of results obtained. Excessively
oily, scaly or itchy dandruff that persists may need medical
attention.
In choosing a shampoo based on objective criteria, remember
that hair is slightly acidic. Most shampoos are acidic to a
greater or lesser degree (pH of 5 is slightly acidic, pH of
3 is more
acidic). The shampoo of greater acidity (lower pH) tends to
have greater cleansing power - an attribute not needed by most
people whose hair is not especially dirty or oily.
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The purpose of a conditioner is to make hair easy
to comb, easy to style and have an attractive gloss after shampooing.
Some shampoos have an added conditioner, or a conditioner may
be applied separately following the shampoo. Conditioners can
be categorised in several ways:
• Cationic detergents - most commonly
quaternary ammonium compounds. These are found
in both shampoos and hair conditioners.
They effectively restore roughened cuticles and decrease static
electricity in newly shampooed hair. Cationic detergents are
a good choice in shampoos and conditioners for persons with dyed
or permanent-waved hair.
•
Film-forming conditioning agents - also called "hair thickeners",
they are polymer agents such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The
polymer fills defects in the hair shaft, enhances hair gloss
and reduces static electricity. The polymer coating thickens
the hair shaft; for this reason, film-forming conditioners are
not appropriate for fine hair because the added thickness and
weight makes the hair difficult to style.
•
Protein conditioning agents - contain animal protein that is
able to enter the hair shaft. This provides a temporary strengthening
of hair shafts that have been damaged or "weathered".
Conditioners are further identified as (1) "instant" that
are applied immediately after shampooing and then rinsed out,
(2) "deep conditioning" that are left in the hair for
up to 30 minutes after shampooing to enhance hair shaft repair
(protein conditioning agents are often ingredients in "deep" conditioners),
and (3) "leave-in" conditioners that are left in the
hair until the next shampoo. Leave-in conditioners may be especially
useful for kinky hair to aid in hair styling. |
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Hair styling agents are used to create the styling "look" preferred
by the individual. Leave-in conditioners (pomades or glycerine-based
products) are common styling agents for kinky hair. Common
styling aids for straight hair are products that increase the
appearance of volume (body, fullness and shape).
All of the styling agents contain polymers to enhance the sheen
of hair and the "hold" of the style through every day
events. The polymers are (1) alcohol-based, (2) wax-based, and
(3) water-based, each with properties that may make the product
optimal for the individual. |
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| Permanent waving uses complex chemical interactions
between styling chemicals and hair to alter the structure of
hair and render it pliable for converting straight hair into
wavy or curly hair. The procedure is performed more quickly and
efficiently by a licensed beautician or cosmetologist in a salon.
Failure to perform the procedure carefully, for example, to neutralise
the chemicals that alter hair structure, can result in cumulative
damage to hair. |
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Hair straightening is accomplished by three types of procedures:
• Mechanical, which uses heavy pomades to hold the hair in a minimally
kinked form. While this method causes least hair damage, it is
also the least effective in straightening hair.
•
Heat, which uses hot-combing and hair "ironing" to
alter the chemical structure of hair so it can be combed out
straight. The application of high heat and hard combing can cause
hair loss in some individuals.
• Chemical, which uses alkaline chemicals to alter the structure
of hair keratins and render the hair easier to be moulded into
a straighter form. The most potent chemical hair straightener
is a lye solution, which is also dangerous to use and is little
used today. Ammonium bisulphite creams are milder than lye solutions,
but also less effective. Overall, chemical hair straightening
is most likely to cause permanent damage to hair. |
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Hair styling products for volume can be generally
categorised into three categories by their key holding polymers.
All three
have different unique benefits in the styling process. |
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Water-based hair styling polymers are delivered to the hair
as a film that dries relatively slowly. As the film dries it
becomes sticky and forms bonds between hair strands, making the
desired style easier to achieve and maintain. As with gels, this
stickiness leads to a positive end result - a smooth style that
lasts. After the hair is dry, the polymer forms a hard film that
bonds the hair into place. Combing or disrupting the hair can
break the bond, but even the broken pieces provide some friction,
which provides some hold benefits by helping to prevent hair
strands from sliding across each other.
Hair Gels
Hair gels are water-based products that use water-based
polymers with a variety of thickeners to achieve the desired
product consistency
and texture. Because of their thickness they are particularly
good for creating seam welds that increase apparent hair stiffness
and give a texturised look and great root lift.
Hair Mouses & Foams
Hair mousses and foams make it easy to apply the styling polymers
to your hair because in the foaming state it can be spread
very thinly. Mousses and foams are great for long hair that
would
otherwise be weighed down by large clumps of polymer. Another
benefit of mousse is that its foamy state is not runny and
thus will stay where you put it - making it another good alternative
for adding root lift to a straight style.
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They primarily hold hair through seam welds creating
large locks of many hairs bonded together. The result is hair
that
stands up from the scalp in large chunks, creating a chunky,
texturised look. The holding power is created by the waxy material's
internal stickiness or cohesiveness. The waxy materials do not "dry" because
they are not water-soluble. Thus these bonds don't become rigid
over time. The positive benefits of not drying mean that the
bonds can be easily remoulded by running your hands through your
hair over time.
Hair Waxs & pomades
Hair waxes and pomades are the ultimate flexible hair styling
products and can give great root lift. But be careful - they
are potentially heavy and greasy if not used in the proper quantity.
They are typically water and oil emulsions that combine water-soluble
polymers with waxy ingredients. They are best used on very short
hairstyles and create texture for a chunky look. If they
are not formulated well, they can be difficult to wash out of
hair since they repel water. Use of a clarifying or purifying
shampoo is recommended with waxes. |
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Alcohol-based styling polymers are delivered to the hair in
a solution of polymer and alcohol that dries very quickly. The
rate of drying is much faster than that for water-based styling
products because alcohol evaporates much faster than water. As
the alcohol evaporates the film dries, forming bonds between
hair strands, welding the hairs together in the desired style.
A fast drying rate makes alcohol-based stylers perfect for locking
in finished styles because they do not rewet the hair.
Alcohol-based polymers are typically much more humidity resistant
than water-based polymers. That is because alcohol-based polymers
require surfactant, like shampoo, to make them soluble in water.
Thus the water available through high humidity does not soften
or loosen hairspray bonds.
Hair spray is the most common alcohol-based styler. Hair spray
is a solution of polymer in a mixture of alcohol and water that
is sprayed on the hair in small droplets. It's a myth that alcohol
in hair spray dries out your hair. First, you don't soak your
hair in hair spray; you only apply a very small amount. Second,
the alcohol evaporates away very quickly, without getting a chance
to penetrate your hair or pulling out any water. |
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| Millions of people change hair colour every year, using home
hair-colouring kits or using the services of a hair-care professional
in a salon. |
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Changing the colour of hair is a chemical process. The simplest
change is to remove all colour with a bleaching agent leaving
the hair a featureless white or yellowish white, and then adding
a colour of your choice. All other changes of hair colour are
complex reactions of chemicals in the hair-colouring product
with chemicals and biochemicals in hair.
The chemicals in the hair-colouring product have functions in
(1) preparing hair to accept the hair dye, (2) altering hair
shaft biology to maximise colour change, (3) minimising chemical
damage
to the hair shaft, and (4) "setting" the dye to make
the colour change permanent until the dyed hair is shed in the
normal cycling of hair growth. |
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The hair shaft is a biologic fibre consisting of
layers of structured proteins (keratins) and protective oils.
In order
for hair colour to be changed, the oils have to be partially
removed and the keratins that make up the structure of the cortex
and the outer protective armour have to be "softened" in
order for them to accept the hair dye. The natural oils of the
hair shaft are altered or removed by a bleaching agent. These
changes in the structural keratins and protective oils make the
hair shaft "dryer" and more brittle than it is naturally.
While a single hair colour change may not result in irreversible
damage, more frequent hair colour changes (e.g., weekly to monthly)
may result in irreversible damage such as split-ends and dry,
hard-to-comb "weathering".
Hair can also be damaged by using harsh cheap shampoos. Damage
to dy
ed hair can be minimized by using conditioning shampoos,
or using silicone-containing conditioners after shampooing.
Hair that has been coloured can also be damaged by exposure during
swimming or frequently washing hair in plain tap water; the protective
layers in hair that have been damaged in the process of hair
colouring do not protect hair from being "dried out" by
excessive exposure to water. Furthermore, excessive exposure
to ultraviolet light (sunlight) can cause further weathering
and cause hair colour to fade.
Allergic reactions to hair dyes are rare, but they do occur in
some people. Hair-colouring kits usually recommend testing the
product on forearm skin before applying it to the scalp. Products
for colouring scalp hair should never be used on eyebrows, eyelashes
or beards. Questions have been raised regarding the carcinogenic
(cancer-causing) potential of hair dyes. Analysis of a large
number of studies concluded that there is no evidence of increased
risk for cancer associated with use of hair dyes. |
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Four types of hair colouring agents are available:
• Gradual, a type commonly used by men
who want to inconspicuously change gray hair back to its original
colour. The colouring agent
is an aqueous solution of a metal salt such as lead acetate.
The coloured hair may be rendered dry and brittle.
• Temporary hair colours are added after one shampoo and removed
with the next. The colouring agents are actually dyes adapted
from the textile industry.
• Semi-permanent are also adapted textile dyes, polymers or vegetable
dyes that will stay in the hair through multiple shampoos.
•
Permanent colouring agents do not require re-dyeing until the
coloured hair grows out and "shows roots". While these
are the most popular of all hair colouring agents, they are also
the most damaging to hair. The dye is permanent because it chemically
alters and binds to the keratins; this alteration of keratins
decreases the strength of their chemical bonds and this decreases
the strength of the hair shaft.
Frequent use of hair colouring increases the probability for
permanent hair damage. |
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