Because the hair that grows from our scalps is no longer
living once it passes from the follicle, it is very important to keep it
balanced with proper levels of moisture and protein. In order to keep each
stand intact, you must have enough moisture and protein, but never too much;
too much of either can harm your hair. It is essential to keep a good routine
of conditioning treatments based upon your individual needs.
If too much moisture is given, the hair can become oily and
greasy, and the follicles can become clogged with sebum. This often prompts the
hair strands to fall out, as the scalp is often unhealthy when the scalp
becomes too oily. Just like the skin on your face or the rest of your body,
your scalp can get acne and other skin conditions like eczema. It is important
to keep the hair and scalp clear of excessive oil and product buildup, as too
much of these things can cause damage during heat styling, instead of
protecting the hair. Determining the best products to use to give your hair
enough moisture without overdoing it can be difficult.
Protein is an important element in fortifying your hair. For
damaged hair, protein can be used to attach itself to the damaged areas that
are more likely to break. The protein molecules are able to bond with areas
within the cortex that are damaged, allowing vulnerable strands of hair to be
filled. Too much protein can cause the hair to be rigid and stiff. If there is
too much protein and not enough oil to lubricate the hair, it becomes more
likely to break and splinter. This is usually what you are trying to avoid.
Proper use of protein products can seal split ends temporarily, so if you
carefully rotate moisturizing products with protein-rich ones, you can find a
balance.
Different hair textures requires different things, and the
needs can shift each season, or depending upon what processes your hair
endures; coloring, relaxing, perming, or lightening the hair can be important
factors in your hair's condition. Using tap water and heat styling are also
relevant, and can have a big impact in both moisture and protein. Understanding
how to analyze your hair can help you determine the texture, resilience, and
density of your hair so that you can determine what products to use and how
frequently. It is also important to advise your stylist of all of these things
so that they can be familiar with why
your hair texture is the way it is so that they can avoid further damaging
vulnerable hair.
Different hair textures need different things, so looking at
your hair and carefully analyzing it is something that you should do
periodically to check in on the needs of your hair. This analysis is an easy four step process
that determines three major things. First, you will determine the overall
density of your hair, which will give you an idea of how densely packed the
hairs on your head are. Second, you will examine the texture of your hair to
determine how thick or fine it is. Next, you will examine the strands to
understand how strong and resilient they are.
To understand your hair's density, you'll need to closely
examine an area on the top of your head. Density is defined by how much hair
you have on your head. Can you see the scalp easily, or are these hairs so
closely packed that it is difficult to see the scalp? If you have thick or high
density, you will notice that the hairs are closely bundled together. If you
have thin or low density, you will see more of the skin on your head. You might
also fall somewhere in the middle, as many have medium density.
Texture is the second factor that you will want to examine.
Compared to other people you know, do the strands of your hair seem thin or
thick? It is easiest to determine this when looking at the hair of a friend
(nonrelative). Thick hair will be wider, thicker, and typically stronger. Thin
hair is skinnier and easier to break. Your hair's thickness determines its
texture, and this is often related to your curl pattern.
The strength of your hair is determined by how porous and
elastic it is. To figure out how porous your hair is, think about how your hair
feels after you wash it. When you blot out the moisture from your hair
initially, does it feel extremely saturated, or not so much? Does it take a
very long time to dry naturally, or does it have the feeling and appearance of
being mostly dry fairly quickly? If it feels as though your hair dries very
quickly, your hair is less porous; if
water doesn't penetrate the hair easily, it will dry faster. If your hair feels
damp but not overly wet or heavy, you are on the normal end of porousness. If
the hair is extremely wet, heavy, or even slightly sticky, that means it has
higher porosity, which means it accepts a great amount of water into each
strand.
The final factor in determining the strength of your hair
should be examined when the hair is dry. The overall elasticity will give you a
more complete understanding of your hair's strength. This is done by simply
grabbing a single strand of hair and steadily stretching it. You should do this
slowly and without the intention of breaking it, although it can snap. If it
snaps and breaks immediately, it is less elastic. If it stretches visibly
before breaking, it has more elasticity. The length of your hair and how many
inches it stretches will tell you if your hair is of average elasticity, or
higher elasticity.
The reason that elasticity and porousness and important
factors in determining strength is because they go hand in hand; more porous
hair will snap more quickly since there may be small micro-gaps within the
shaft where water can easily enter, or while dry, small amounts of stress can
cause it to snap.
It is possible to have a number of different combinations
when it comes to density, texture, and strength, as well as different types of
curl patterns. Curl pattern does not determine the texture or density of the
hair, so taking care to choose products that fit your hair well is important.
For example, any curly hair products are made with thick hair in mind, and many
products created for low-density hair are made with thin hair in mind. Being
aware of your hair type will allow you to choose the best products and
treatments.
Popular moisturizing ingredients are broken up into two
categories; humectants—products that seal in moisture, and those that actually
penetrate the hair and bring added moisture where it is absent. Glycerin (which
can work as a moisturizer when it is somewhat diluted) and silicones are
humectants—also commonly referred to as sealants. They seal in the moisture to
prevent moisture loss and increased vulnerability. Too much of these products
can make the hair feel weighed down. Other popular ingredients include cetearyl
alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, and urea. While many people associate
alcohols with drying, these are valuable components of moisturizing formulas.
Some natural butters and oils work better at actually
bringing moisture to the hair. Shea and cocoa butters—when blended properly to
fit your hair texture and porousness—moisturizes the hair quite effectively.
Dry hair and porous hair will accept more, and fine hair will accept less.
Knowing your hair type will stop you from over-saturating your strands.
Protein can be replenished with natural oils like coconut
oil, avocado oil, and sweet almond oil. If you're looking for ingredients in
pre-made products, there are many ingredients to look out for in the top 5
items in the list of ingredients. You'll want to pick products that have natural organic oils like Root Rehab. Other popular products include silk
or soy proteins, wheat or oat proteins, amino acids, collagen, and pathenol.
When in doubt, your stylist should be able to guide you
toward the best products for your hair type, as well as how frequently they
should be used. With a bit of patience in determining your hair type and best
routine, you can better balance protein and moisture for healthy, vital hair.
©2015 Egypt Lawson / Hairline Illusions
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