- Quench the Thirst of Frizzy Hair
- by Diana Dudas
G.C.H.S.R.H.
I receive literally hundreds
of emails a week. Pertaining to various hair care problems. Most
of these emails come for frustrated frizzy haired ladies and
gents, from all over the world. It seems like such as mystery"
why is my hair so frizzy?”, “What can be done to calm
my poofy hair?", Why is my hair so dry?”
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Well, in this article I hope
to cover some of the main reasons as to why many of us suffer
with the affliction better known as THE FRIZZIES! But most of
all it has to do with a moisture deficiency!
Oil and Water...
90% of us suffer with dry brittle
or frizzy hair because our hair is deficient of (moisture) WATER!
There is a certain preconceived notion that has been passed on
from generation to generation. That is the idea that our hair
is dry, because we are lacking in natural oils. We are told that
if we nurture our hair by brushing vigorously 100 times a day,
with an all-natural bristle brush, or if we pamper our hair with
hot oil treatments or smother out hair with cholesterols. If
we do all of these things, then we are sure to be blessed with
beautiful, shiny and healthy locks. This might be the case, if
you have young virgin (hair that is not chemically treated) hair.
But this is certainly not the case, once you have impaled your
tresses, with harsh chemicals such as bleaches and alkaline permanents.
Or if you have naturally curly hair,
Naturally Curly Hair...
Those of us with curly hair,
YES! I too have curly hair; have these curls, because of a curvature
of the hair follicles. A normal hair follicle under a microscope
would be seen as perfectly straight. However we have a definite
bend in ours. This causes us to have natural curls. When the
hair curves it compels the cuticle (the outer layer of the hair)
to lift. |
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The cuticle...
Under a microscope, A cuticle
is similar in appearance to shingles on a roof. When the hair
is in good conditioner and has good porosity the tiles or cuticle
layers are tight together and perfect in shape. When hair is
in bad conditioner or has poor porosity, the cuticle layers are
lifted and sometimes damaged and broken.
When the cuticle layers are in
good health, the hair has a smooth appearance, and because the
layers of the cuticle are so tightly knit together, the light
is able to reflect off the cuticle. This is what makes hair shine!
When the cuticle layers are not
tight together, the hair will feel coarse and brittle. The hair
will then absorb the light and not reflect. This will give a
surface appearance of dull and lifeless hair.
To sum up this scenario. Because
curly haired cuticle layer is permanently lifted, it feels, coarse,
and brittle and has no brilliance. Hence the dull, lifeless look.
It also means that our hair has poor porosity.
Porosity...
Is the ability for hair to be
able to absorb and retain moisture. The best way for me to explain
this is to would be for you to imagine a sponge. First of all
imagine a brand new sponge. It will have tiny holes in it, and
when you immerse it in water, it will soak up a large quantity,
and be able to hold that liquid for a long period of time. This
is because it has good porosity. Now imagine an old sponge. Its
holes have become damaged and distorted. It might even be torn
in some areas. When you immerse this sponge in the same amount
of liquid, it will absorb far less and will certainly not be
able to retain the moisture so readily.
It is the same with hair. Hair
that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture
as well as hair that has good porosity. making hair permanently
dry.
Hot oil treatments...
Traditions have taught many of
us that lavishly applying oil to our hair will give us the soft,
shiny hair that we all desire. However more often than not, the
opposite takes place. Most oils if they are not essential oils
do not have the ability to penetrate into the hair shaft. Nor
do heavy cholesterols. What they will do, is to lay on top of
the cuticle, and coat the cuticle. This may give the hair some
Brilliance. However, it will also coat the hair. And causes product
build up.
Product build up...
Once the hair is coated, your
problems will commence. First of all, the moisture that our hair
so desperately needs will not be able to permeate through the
wall of product build. The moisture is then not able to find
it’s way underneath the cuticle layer. The hair cannot then
be conditioned. Also the oils will not diffuse. If you use any
kind of hot styling tools such as blow dryers or hot irons, what
will happen to your hair, is exactly what happens when you put
an egg into a hot pan. It will fry.
If you live in a sunny climate,
the oil will do the same thing. The sun will heat the oil and
fry your hair. You must have heard the term, my hair feels fried.
Optimum condition...
For hair to be in tiptop conditioner
is has to have a moisture (water) content of at least 8%, and
the right balance of protein and natural oil. Most of us produce
enough natural oil (sebum), to keep our hair healthy, but lack
the moisture.
What to do...
You need to give your hair lots
of TLC, with product that are designed to restore your hair’s
moisture level to its optimum 8%. Look for shampoos that contain
natural humectants (magnet like properties to attract moisture),
that will work together will your natural oils, to restore your
hair’s moisture level to its optimum 8%. Treatment conditioners
that contain wheat, rice or corn proteins will repair damaged
cuticles, improve porosity, elasticity and general health and
appearance of your hair.
Those of us with naturally curly,
wavy or frizzy hair, or those of us who chemically treat our
hair. Will need to give our hair extra nurturing by supplying
our hair with the necessary nutrition and moisture that it needs.
Chemical treatments (I.e. perms, hair dyes or bleaches.), will
deplete the hair of moisture. bringing the hair moisture level
own to as low as 2%. When this occurs you will start to notice
split ends. If these are not repaired forthwith and the moisture
level not restored to 8%, Your split ends will turn to breakage.
This obviously needs to be avoided at all costs. Those of us
who live in hot, sunny or arid climates; need to make sure that
our hair care product contain sunscreens to protect our hair
from the damaging affects of the UV rays. If not the same thing
will happen as to those of use that use chemicals on our hair.
Summary... Our hair needs MOISTURE, MOISTURE, and MOISTURE!
Who needs to add moisture more than most? People with naturally
curly hair, chemically treated hair or people who live in hot
sunny climates.
Please feel free to email me
with any hair care questions that you may have at dudasdiana@aol.com
© Copyright 2002 Diana Dudas |
Beauty Secrets of the World
