Tag: Curling Irons

5 Steps To Perfect Hair

Your hair is your crowning glory. Look after it and it will shine for all the world to see. You dont always need expensive treatments, or visits to a hair salon to manage your hair professionally. Theres so much you can do yourself.

1. For shiny, healthy hair think first of your bodys intake. Your hair is really just a reflection of what you are inside. A good balanced, nutritious and healthy diet will do more to make your hair shine than any shampoo or conditioner. And drink eight to ten glasses of water a day too; hair is 25% water, so dont let yours go thirsty!

2. Dry your hair after washing in the ambient temperature of your room after using an absorbent towel to soak up the excess moisture, but dont rub hard. If possible, dont use blow-drying, flat irons, curling irons or hot rollers. Artificial heating will leave your hair brittle and damaged in time. Be natural whenever you can.

3. Prevent unnecessary hair damage by using the right kind of hairbrush. Only comb wet hair with a wide-tooth comb, combing from end to root, but avoiding touching the root. Detangling wet hair with a hard steel comb can create a lot of damage, so dont!

4. Remove trichoptlosis, or split ends, like this: take small sections of your hair and carefully twist them in a gentle downward motion. The split ends will stick out. Using sharp scissors, carefully cut into the twisted section, but not right through, to remove the damaged cuticles and leave a natural layered look. Cut roughly the same amount from each twist to balance the effect.

5. Hair loss can be slowed, or even reversed by applying a few simple tips, though they probably wont cure an underlying condition. Biotin can help to regenerate hair follicles: blend bananas with honey, yoghurt and low-fat milk, and drink it daily. Supplements such as Vitamin B6, zinc and saw palmetto will help too, but eliminating stress and getting plenty of sleep may work just as well.

We are all obsessed with our hair, whether we are 9 or 90, male or female. Look after yourself first and foremost and your hair will reflect that care and attention. The Biblical Samsons strength lay in his fine flowing hair. Your hair reflects your strength too.

Information on Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia is caused by chronic traction (pulling) on the hair follicle. Traction alopecia mostly occurs in African-American women and men who braid their hair too tightly. It is also common in other ethnic groups known for traditional hair styles that involve pulling the hair.

There is also seen a pronounced traction alopecia in the beard area of this Sikh man. The Sikh men do not cut scalp or beard hair. The beard hairs are pulled straight and then twisted and tightly knotted. Daily knotting often results in this form of traction alopecia.

Men who attach hairpieces to their existing hair also suffer from this type of hair loss. The traction alopecia in such cases can also lead to permanent hair loss if the hairpiece is attached in the same location over a long period of time.

If we put the examples from ethnic groups aside, traction alopecia occurs most often in pre-teenagers, teenagers, young adults then it does in older men and women.

It is a very unfortunate state that hair styles and fashions and hair styling methods are causing baldness and hair loss among today’s younger generations. The hair loss in all such cases is mostly due to Traction alopecia. The hair loss is caused by long term hair pulling and breakage due to very tight hair braiding, hair weaves and cornrows.

The over use of hair style aids such as sponge hair rollers or curling irons may also promote traction alopecia. Traction alopecia often shows as distinct patches of hair loss in those areas where the hair and hair follicles have been put under excessive strain. The hair loss may occur anywhere on the scalp depending on the nature of the hair style or process that is causing the traction alopecia. Prolonged traction alopecia can lead to cicatrization of the new hair follicle and permanent hair loss.

Traction alopecia is reversible if diagnosed in the early stages. Permanent hair loss can occur too slowly for immediate detection. Hair loss is often occurs in the front, and hair line but is also subject to the immediate adjacent area to where the hair is being pulled and damaged.

An effective treatment is to simply avoid hair styling that puts excessive strain on the hair. Even with removal of the cause of traction alopecia it may take up to three months for the hair to recover. Areas of scalp subjected to chronic traction alopecia may never fully recover.

Traction alopecia is generally a non-scarring, non-inflammatory form of hair loss although long term use of hair styles involving traction over 3 or more years may result in a mild immune cell infiltrate and irreversible scarring damage to some hair follicles. Any form of chronic traction alopecia will eventually lead to fibrosis around hair follicles and total destruction of some hair follicles. Once destroyed the hair follicles will not re-grow under any circumstances hence chronic traction alopecia can be described as a scarring cicatricial alopecia.

Permanent traction alopecia does not respond to medical treatment such as minoxidil or finasteride due to non-genetic nature of hair loss. The only way one can treat traction alopecia is with hair transplants. Follicular unit hair grafting has been identified as the only practical solution to treating traction alopecia. Number of patients with traction alopecia coming to hair transplant clinics is generally increasing and the treatment is providing them a good response.