Archive for October, 2009

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Straight Hair Tips - How to Get Straight Hair

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Tips to Get Straight Hair

The color and texture of each person’s hair is part of the genetic makeup and depends on ethnicity, environment, and heredity. Some people develop straight, soft hair while others may have curly, dry hair. The bottom line is that each person is born with a particular type of hair, which cannot really be changed. However, there are many cosmetic products and procedures that can bring about a temporary change in the appearance of hair. Some of these may claim that they offer a “permanent change.” However, as the hair grows out from the roots, it will have the appearance of the person’s natural hair texture. This can easily be observed when people dye their hair; in time the lower part of the hair has the original color, while only the upper length remains colored.

One of the most popular cosmetic changes requested by people is straightening of hair. The hair care industry offers several solutions for this, many of which are heat treatments, such as hair ironing. In these cases, heat is applied to the hairs, which are then ironed out to straighten them. However, most of these heat treatments last only until the next shower. In addition, the heat damages the hair, and repeated usage can cause hair loss. Another alternative is chemical straightening, which lasts for a longer time. However, this process uses chemicals to breakdown the natural structure of hair, which is also harmful. In fact, the Office of Cosmetics and Colors at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that chemically straightened or relaxed hair account for a large number of consumer complaints, including hair loss, scalp burns, and allergic reactions.

Home Remedies for Straight Hair

There are also some popular home remedies for getting straight hair. One common method is to apply castor oil, making sure that all the hairs are coated. Then a wide tooth comb is used to firmly brush from root to tip while using a blow dryer on a medium setting. For extremely curly hair, a combination of one cup of fresh coconut milk and half a cup of lime juice can be used. This mix should be kept overnight in the refrigerator, where it turns into a cream. The cream should be applied deep into the hair and covered with a wet towel for around 30 minutes before shampooing. It is claimed that repeating this hair pack three times a week for two weeks leads to straighter hair.

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How to Regain Hair Growth with Hair Loss Home Treatment

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Regain Hair Loss

Hair loss or alopecia is a common condition that results in gradual thinning of hair, leading up to complete baldness. There are many causes of hair loss, including hormonal or biochemical changes, physical damage to the scalp, fungal infections, adverse reaction to medications (such as chemotherapy), and side effects of certain diseases. A small number of cases have been reported where alopecia has been caused due to sudden stress or emotional turmoil. In all cases, a dermatologist will need to diagnose the root cause of alopecia before any treatment can be suggested. In general however, it has been found that it is easier to slow down or stop the process of hair loss in most patients than attempt any re-growth in areas that are already bald.

In men, the most common type of hair loss is androgenic alopecia, which is also called male pattern baldness. It causes characteristic loss of hair starting with the forehead and top of the head in more than half of adult males. The cause of this type of alopecia is linked to the presence of free testosterone, which is acted upon by certain enzymes to form dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This DHT then binds to hair follicles (roots), preventing normal hair growth and leading to baldness. Recently the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has approved topical products containing minoxidil and finasteride for treatment of androgenic alopecia. While the exact nature of their effect is unclear, medical studies show that both these drugs show significant results in halting hair loss and promoting new hair growth in affected areas. Minoxidil is also used for alopecia areata, a type of hair loss more commonly observed in women. This type causes hair loss in small patches in all parts of the body, sometimes even leading to complete hairlessness. However, almost 50% of patients regain all hair without any treatment.

In natural remedies, hair massages with essential oils of primrose and flaxseed can help due to high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which are required for healthy hair. Regular aerobic exercise and a healthy diet also help in reducing levels of free testosterone, which can benefit patients with androgenic alopecia. In hair loss cases linked to a fungal infection of the scalp, a daily rinse with tea tree oil solution can clean up the infection, stopping the hair loss. If the hair loss is severe, cosmetic procedures such as hair transplantation can insert healthy hair follicles in bald areas.

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Natural Hair Oils and Conditioners for Head Lice Treatment

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Head lice are parasitic organisms that infest the human scalp and may even infect the hair follicles and cause hair loss. Lice can get transferred from one person to another very easily through close physical contact. Mostly, children suffer from this problem. The common symptom of this condition is a constant urge to scratch the scalp. In some cases, lice may even lead to fevers.

Treating Head Lice

There are a few basic preventive measures that one should follow to keep away head lice. Do not share personal articles such as towels, combs and swimming or shower caps, in public places like swimming pools and locker rooms. Ensure that you wash your hair regularly with an effective antibacterial shampoo. In addition to this, a few natural remedies may help solve the problem. Massage a generous amount of petroleum jelly on the scalp of the child and work your way down to the tips of the hair using your fingers. Once the scalp and hair have become completely greasy, put on a shower cap on the child’s head and place him under a hair drier for half an hour. Now remove the shower cap and comb the entire mass of the hair downwards so that the lice and the nits are removed. Following this, rinse the child’s hair thoroughly with warm water and a mild shampoo and conditioner. You may also follow the same procedure using a diluted solution of tea tree oil and almond or olive oil.

Another effective remedy for getting rid of lice is to add a pinch of camphor to some mildly heated coconut oil and massage the entire scalp with this oil every night before going to bed. The next morning the hair should be washed using water and a mild herbal shampoo. This will make head lice go away within a week. You may also soak a few Margosa leaves in a bottle containing coconut oil for a few days. Apply this oil on the roots of the hair every day. The natural antibacterial property of the Margosa leaves helps destroy the lice and the eggs that they lay on the scalp, and effectively cure any infection of the hair follicles that they might have caused by them. Application of mayonnaise on the hair and the scalp is also known to be an excellent natural solution for conditioning the hair as well as getting rid of head lice.

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What Causes Alopecia In Women and How to Cure It

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Causes of Alopecia in Women

Alopecia is a disorder of the immune system of the body in which the lymphocytes surrounding the hair follicles release a chemical that hinders hair growth. This causes gradual hair loss and may even lead to partial or total baldness. Though both men and women can suffer from this condition, the pattern of hair loss differs significantly between the sexes. While men start losing hair from their temples and the sides of the head, eventually getting a bald patch in the centre of the scalp, women lose hair from the front of the head which causes the hairline to recede gradually and the hair to become thin and sparse. The kind of alopecia women usually suffer from is called androgenic alopecia. This typically affects women after menopause, when the level of estrogen in the body declines sharply and consequently the balance between the female hormones and the male hormone, testosterone is disturbed. This causes the hair follicles to become weak and leads to hair loss.

Home Remedies for Alopecia Treatments

There are a few simple home remedies to treat this condition and prevent excessive loss of hair. You should soak your scalp and hair for 5 minutes in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and sage tea after shampooing and then rinse your hair thoroughly with water. This helps prevents excessive hair loss. Alternatively, you may also mix equal the vinegar and water in equal proportions and add 10 drops of sage oil to this solution and apply it all over your hair. Wrap up your hair with a towel for half an hour after the application of this mixture and then shampoo your hair. Another remedy that could prove beneficial would be to, soak some fenugreek seeds in a glass of water overnight and grind them to paste the next morning. Apply this paste at the roots of your hair and let it dry for 15-20 minutes. Following this, wash your hair with the water in which the seeds were soaked. This is an excellent natural means of boosting hair growth.

A simple yet effective remedy from the kitchen is an egg. Apply the yolk of an egg on your hair 15 minutes before shampooing your hair. This makes your hair softer and stronger. You may also cut a few Indian gooseberries and dry them out in shade. Then grind them to a powder and make a paste by adding a little water to it. Massage your scalp with this paste and wash it off after 20 minutes. Follow this remedy twice a week to make hair grow denser and faster.

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How to Make Hair Wavy Naturally

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Whether a person’s hair is straight, wavy or curly depends largely on their genes. However, there are mechanical and chemical devices of changing the natural pattern of your hair. Rolling irons and curlers have been quite popular for making straight hair curly or wavy. However, the regular application of heat and pressure on the hair can render it excessively dry and frizzy. In the long run, such artificial devices also weaken the roots of the hair and may lead to hair loss. Thus, it is advisable that if you wish to change your hairstyle or turn straight hair curly or wavy, you can follow a few natural tips to do so.

Tips for Wavy Hair

An effective but time-consuming way of giving your hair a natural wavy look is to wrap up your hair with a cotton towel immediately after a shower and allow it to slowly absorb the excess water from the hair. When your hair is half dry, take off the towel and run your fingers gently through the entire mass of your hair in order to untangle any knots that might be present. Do not use a comb or hairbrush for this purpose. Once this is done, start rubbing your hair dry with the towel using one hand, and simultaneously keep crunching your hair with the other hand. Continue this procedure for a few minutes. This will give your hair broad natural waves that last for at least a few hours. If you want the waves to be more pronounced and to last longer, shampoo and condition your hair half an hour before you go to bed at night, and allow the hair to become semi-dry in the air. Now comb the hair straight and then apply some moisturizing hair cream or gel on it. Comb your hair once again and then divide it into three equal parts longitudinally. Tie up your hair in a braid till only about an inch of hair is left loose at the tip and depending on how long or short you want the waves to be, adjust the tightness of the braid beforehand. Now go to sleep. The next morning untie the braid and run your fingers through your hair. You will find that the moisturizing cream has not only made your hair soft and silky, but also given it beautiful, natural waves that stay in place for hours on end. This is especially useful if you wear your hair loose.

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