There are various ways in which you could take care of your hair. One of by washing them on a regular basis which is extremely imperative for the reason that hygiene takes the top priority when it comes to hair care. Yes, it is true that when your hair is clean and clear there is no way you could have any problem taking care of them at all. This is one aspect which is why you should make it a point to wash it every now and then with the right kind of shampoo and conditioner.

Picking the right product is always important for if you fail to do so you would end up spoiling the body of your hair. Make sure that you speak to someone who knows everything about hair products before finally investing in one. While buying a shampoo make it a point to pick something that is mild and free from detergent so as to save your hair from all the wear and tear that such products cause.  Once you buy what ever you want, you might as well try using it for a while to see if it really suits you or not. If the product is of good quality it will help your hair stay clean and healthy all the time.

You could even make home made conditioners for your hair. One of the best in this respect is the henna treatment which does your hair a whole lot of good. All you need to do is take some natural green henna and mix it with beaten egg, a tablespoon of coffee powder, some mustard oil and apply it all over your hair. Keep it on like that for a couple of hours and then wash off. You will note that the quality of your hair will improve by way of using this natural hair conditioner on a regular basis.

There is yet another hair conditioner, just like the many others that you could make sitting in the privacy of your homes. The best part of the home made conditioners is the fact that they tend to be natural and away from chemicals which makes them better than the market products. Mix an egg with some olive oil and beat it all well. Apply after using a shampoo and see the difference. You might as well use some milk to rinse your hair with, towards the end of the shower so as to make them soft and lustrous.

Hair care is not at all difficult. It just asks for some time by the end of which you will have the kind of hair that you always wanted.

How to wash hair?

Hair should be completely wet before applying shampoo. It should be applied close to the scalp. Then gently lather should be worked up. This way the shampoo would be concentrated around the scalp where the oils and impurities settle down and lesser amount would be at the end of the hair follicle.

Women having long hair could use their fingers to de-tangle the hair during the shampooing and rinsing. While washing hair, care should be taken to not wash with face down towards the front as it would entangle the hair. After washing hair, squeezing the hair by dividing the hair into sections would take out the excess water.

What are good hair are products?

There are many products available like volumizing, mint, rosemary, conditioners etc. But these should be purchased as per need and must be used within the expiry date. Care should be taken keep the bottles away from the extreme heat, coat or direct sunlight.

Normally, gels and hair spray have a long shelf life compared to shampoos and conditioners. Once they get spoilt, the shampoos and conditioners begin to look clumpy or thin and transparent at the top of the bottle. This happens in the ones with natural ingredients in it. Some of hair care products loose their color or turn yellow, loose fragrance or smell foul. After spoilage, if they are used they don’t cause infections but may not serve the purpose.

How to brush and style hair?

To clean the brush, firstly all the built up hair should be removed using comb. Then it should be soaked in hot water with few drops of shampoo or mild detergent. After minutes, the brush should be rinsed in water and dried.

Choice of hair brush

Paddle Brush: To create smoothness and style in thick, coarse hair and voluminous.

Flat Back Brush: To reinforce hair sleekness and style on medium length hair.

Round Vented Brush: Should be used on wavy hair along with wide tooth comb. The brush should have rounded nylon ball tips molded as part of the bristle to avoid it getting caught in the curls and breaking away. To make avoid the frizzy or fly away hair, wavy and curly hair when dry should be initially brush with wide tooth comb.

Vented with Natural Brushes: Should be used on fine hair to get a straight look. The natural bristles will stimulate the scalp and nourish the hair follicles.

Thermal Brush: Should be used while blowing drying to lift up hair. A barrel shaped thermal brush of size 4 heat up while blow drying create body and curl. Flat thermal brushes can be used for straightening hair with a blow dryer.
Always ensure to keep the dryer away from the hair.

Above all other side effects, hair loss affects the patients very much. Along with the pain of the dreaded disease and its treatments, the patients would have face the trauma of change is appearance as well. Doctors say reassurance from family, friends and medical professional and local support group and other organizations is the only way out of it.

While some chemotherapy drugs don’t cause hair loss but most of them do. The degree of hair loss could vary with treatments. For some its thinning of hair while others complete hair loss from the scalp.

When hair is lost from the body, it doesn’t the patients affect as much as on the scalp. Generally, the hair regrows within 6 to 8 weeks of completion of chemotherapy. In the interim patients could opt for wig, scarves or cap etc to cover their head. Its better to keep the head covered especially in cooler weather in order to avoid loosing body heat.

Here a few ideas for covering the head during chemotherapy period. People could choose the option that would best fit their personality and budget. Its better to let know the medical insurer about the choice of head covering.

Wigs

Wigs also called “scalp prosthesis” or “cranial hair prosthesis” comes in various colors, textures , style and price range. The ones made of man made materials are cheaper than the ones that are made of real human hair. To benefit the most out of wigs, its better to buy one before starting chemotherapy. This way it would be possible to buy a wig that would be close match to natural hair. While buying a wig, its better to take a friend along to choose the best fitting one.

Scarves

Scarves are a very popular among chemotherapy patients, particularly women. Scarves can be relatively inexpensive, and so you might want to purchase several, to complement different outfits.

Choose large scarves that can be wrapped completely around the head. Head scarves should be made of cotton, linen, or a similarly textured fabric that will stay in place. Avoid slick fabrics, such as silk or polyester, which can slide off the head.

Hats and Turbans

Hats and turbans can be practical and stylish. Some chemotherapy patients are comfortable just wearing a simple baseball cap on casual occasions. A fancier hat or turban can complement your outfit and lend a touch of pizzazz. The possibilities are limited only by the selection at your hat shop.

Mix and Match

Many patients choose more than one head covering option and “mix and match” as the mood suits them. You might want to leave your head uncovered while at home, and then choose a head covering when going out that feels best for the occasion. For example, you might choose a simple cap for a walk around the neighborhood, a scarf for a trip to the supermarket, or a wig for a social event.

Cancer therapy is difficult. But, with a little planning, looking good during your therapy can be easy.

Bleaching can be carried out at home or at the hairdressers. When hair is bleached, the pigment is removed which makes the hair white or colorless. Hydrogen peroxide or ammonium per sulphate is the oxidizing agents used for bleaching. Along with this, alkaline solution is used. This would lift the cuticle of hair and which would make the oxidizer deep inside. Bleaching too often would the hair look dull and lifeless as the cuticle would not lie back over the hair shaft properly. So care should be taken to reduce the damage to the hair shaft while bleaching it.

A light colored hair like brown passes through several shades before becoming white. It would become red, then orange and then brassy yellow before becoming white.

Those going in highlighting of hair strands through home highlighting kits should do it carefully as per the instructions. The kits would normally come with a cap to be placed on the head. Only the hair that needs to be highlighted should be pulled through the holes in the cap. These home highlighting kits have right of mix of bleach in them.

The ones with dark shade of hair should visit the hair dressers for bleaching it. It may be more expensive but would do less harm to the hair than done at home. The hair dressers would apply a toner after the bleaching the hair so as to remove the brassiness that could occur.

Tips for bleaching hair

• All those bleaching hair must remember to trim it at least once a month.

• Always good quality conditioner and shampoo should be used on the hair. Else the hair may become weak and dull and even break off.

• While bleaching at home the bleach should not be let to stay on the hair too long. As soon as the bleached is applied, the hair should be washed immediately.

• Since bleaches are discoloring agents, they can damage the clothing. Wearing old towel and old clothes would be better so that even if it accidentally comes in contact with the dress, the clothing would be affected.

• No metal spoons and bowls should be used for mixing of the bleach as it could cause unnecessary acidic reaction.

• Those who have perms or chemically straightened hair should not use bleach as it could damage the curls.

• Pregnant women should talk to doctor before going in for hair bleach

• Bleaches are toxic and could cause allergic reactions as well. So it’s better to test in a small portion of hair before going in for whole hair.

• Inhaling hair bleach is not advisable. Bleaching should be always done in a ventilated room.

Henna is a natural hair colorant. It’s obtained from Lawsonia leaf which gives red colour, indigoferae leaf that gives dark shades and Cassia auriculata leaves are used for hair conditioning. It’s easily available in any health food and beauty products stores. The combination of these leaves will give different shades. The natural color of henna is red but it can enhance other colors too.

The leaves are powdered and mixed with hot water to make paste for applying on the hair. It’s a semi permanent dye and coats the hair with color. It’s also useful for sealing in oils and strengthening the cuticle which results in shiny and bouncy hair. But this dye is notorious for staining skin and nails.

Henna is a better than regular hair dyes as it doesn’t contain any chemical. There fore the risk of cancer associated with regular dyes is not applicable to henna. It’s the safest non-toxic and contains no coloring agent like peroxide or ammonia.

Henna Application To Hairs

It’s better to try henna on a small strand of hair first before applying throughout the head. First the hair strand should be tied. The henna should be mixed with hot water in a non-metallic container and stirred with a plastic brush until it reaches a creamy consistency. Then the cream should be applied on the hair strand through the brush and covered with a plastic sheet.

Heat may be applied to enhance the red color. The color should be checked every 5 minutes for getting the right shade. Once the right shade is reached, the hair should be washed. The same process could be repeated for the entire hair. Those with grey hair could go for stronger formulations.

Removing Henna From Hairs

Only draw back with henna is that removing the color is not very easy. If it needs to be removed then the processes should be carried on within 24 hours of application of henna.

If the hair is porous or light colored removal becomes difficult. Those with light color hair could mix Crystal Light Lemonade with half cup of conditioner or crème rinse and apply on the hair. It should be covered with a plastic cap for 45 minutes. The hair should be rinsed.

For dark hair, Baking soda and molasses should be applied in equal quantities on the hair and covered with a plastic cap. After the mixture hardens, it should be shampooed.  The above are fast forward means of removing it. But continues use of high detergent shampoo with heavy conditioner will gradually fade out the color.

The hairstyle should be chosen based on the shape of the face. There are basically 4 different face shapes. They are round, square, heart and oval.

Heart Shaped

The heart shaped faces are the best to have as they suit all hairstyles. They look great in short hair, long hair and any shape and length in between.

Oval Shaped

People with oval shape should opt to have long hair.  The could have a bangs or pull back hair and tie up a pony tail or have a upswept hairstyle.

Square Shaped

People with square face look better with bangs which offset their square forehead. It looks all the more better if they have shoulder length hair with wispy curls and free flowing styles. Its better to avoid pulling back the hair.

Round Shaped

Round faced people look great with short hair with bangs that gives a bit of height. This would make their face look longer and wispy curls towards the face would make them even more attractive. They should never try pull back styles like pony tail or upswept hairdo. The idea behind the style is to reduces the roundness of the face and not accentuate it in any manner.

Dandruff Treatment

Dandruff is a major problem which men, women, young and old face. It causes hair loss and generally women get desperate to get rid of it. They feel ashamed of it and try to hide its presence. Those suffering from dandruff are wary of wearing dark coloured clothes. Presence of dandruff affects the self confidence and self esteem.

But there is no need to be depressed by presence of dandruff. Knowing about dandruff and the causes for it can help to prevent aggravation and treatment.

What is Dandruff ?

Dandruff occurs on oily scalp as well as dry scalp. Dandruff is the dead skin cells in the scalp which flake and fall out. It occurs due to the problem in the scalp. Oily dandruff occurs due to overactive oil glands in the roots of the hair which increases the speed of natural shedding of the dead cells and causes flakiness. Some times dandruff can be on eyelids too. Dry dandruff occurs due to clogging of the oil glands and makes the hair dull, dry and lustre less.

Dandruff Treatment

To get rid of dandruff the hair should be shampooed every day. The scalp should be massaged thoroughly to remove the dead skin. It’s recommended to use shampoo with coal tar or salicylic acid, sulfur, selenium sulfide, or pyrithione zinc. Shampoos with tar reduce the production of cells and restore life to dry hair while the salicylic acid removes the dead cells. These shampoos also reduce the spread of fungus that cause dandruff. While using these shampoos, the instructions of use should be strictly adhered to as overuse can have negative impact.

Market is full of anti dandruff shampoos. Not all products would be effective on everyone. So if one product doesn’t work after using for a reasonable amount time, then there is no harm in trying out another one. If none work, then a skin specialist should be consulted.
Vitamins and supplements could also help with dandruff. But the doctors should be consulted before using any. Supplements that could be used are zinc lozenges, vitamin B6, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, kelp tablets, salmon oil, and primrose oil which improve the oil secretion naturally and help in healing.

Supplements suggested to be very important to aid in natural healing are zinc lozenges, vitamin B6, beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin E, kelp tablets, salmon oil, and primrose oil. Lecithin should be includes as it strengthens the cells in the hair and scalp.

Hair styling to suit face

Different hair styles have different impact on the each person’s face. Some styles can make a round face look flat while others can make it look chubbier. To know which style would suit the face, its best to consult a professional hair dresser. There are inexpensive computerised software available which shows the impact of various hairdos on a person’s face.

Changing hair style

Variety is spice of life. So its a good idea to change hair style once in a while to give a different look. Sometimes it could be tied up, at times let loose and so on

Trim hair frequently

Hair should be trimmed off at the edges regularly to prevent them for damaging. Some people need to trim hair once in 6 to 8 weeks while others may need once in 3-4 months. It depends on the hair growth rate but trimming is important for the growth of hair.

Accessories and clothes to match hair style

Matching the clothes and accessory would speak about the person’s style.  If a person with a very sophisticated hairstyle sports a very jazzy outfit, it would really odd.

Colouring, frosting or tipping hair

Colouring, frosting or tipping hair would highlight the hair and give a different look. It’s better to consult a professional to know at the nature of the scalp and suggestions on the products to be used. Also its best to try out on a small portion of hair to ensure the chemicals suit the hair and it spreads evenly.

Avoid extremities

Its a good idea to try out different styles but it should be done when there are no commitments. If a person in customer facing job goes with a spiked and purple coloured hair, he/she wouldn’t give a leave good impression.  Its good to do these in the holidays. Its always better to opt a hairstyle which suits the daily life but can be changed when need arises.

Shampoo and conditioner to suit hair

There are variety of shampoos and conditioner available in the market. Its best to check the ingredients and choose the one that sounds convincing.