Lovely, shining hair is one of the greatest assets of a woman’s beauty. It is considered a vital element of sex appeal. The most important factor for healthy condition of the hair is to ensure that the body is supplied with all the essential nutrients. The advice contained in chapter 2 on Diet for Natural Beauty’ applies equally to hair.
There are, however, certain nutrients which are of particular importance to health of the hair. The vitamins of B group, especially pantothenic acid, influence hair growth, oil production and color. An adequate supply of these vitamins is thus essential. Vitamins A and C also play an important role in the production of healthy hair, and vitamin E encourages hair growth by carrying oxygen to the hair roots. To ensure an adequate intake of the essential fatty acids, it is advisable to include two teaspoons of sunflower or safflower oil in the daily diet. Since the hair is made from keratin, the diet should include adequate quantities of protein in the form of dairy products, pulses and nuts. Of the minerals, zinc, copper, iron and iodine are essential to healthy hair. Copper is adequately available in food. Good sources of iron are liver, kidneys, whole grains, and molasses. The only foods that contain appreciable quantities of iodine are sea foods.
The hair, like the skin, is affected not only by diet and health, but also by tension. In a person who is tense, the muscles at the base of the neck are constricted, and this impedes the flow of blood to the scalp, resulting in weak hair growth.
Hair Care: The care for the hair depends on its type. There are, however, certain basic guidelines which apply to all types. It is a mistake to wash the hair too frequently. This is likely to do more harm than good. Shampoos may make hair clean, but at the same time they remove the natural oils and protective acid coating. A study at Cornell University found that shampooing created a loss of calcium, phosphorus, iron, and nitrogen from the hair. This came as a result of continued washing either with soap or commercial shampoos. It is therefore essential to use the type of shampoo that will do the least damage to the hair. The following tips regarding shampoo will be useful:
(i) Use shampoo only when absolutely necessary.
(ii) Avoid using hard water, or water containing chemicals including chlorine. Rain water is ideal.
(iii) Use a rinse after shampooing to undo the damage of the shampoo-vinegar cir lemon juice may be used.
Brushing: Brushing the hair regularly is essential both to free it of dust, dead cells and tangles and to stimulate the scalp. A rubber cushioned brush is the easiest to clean, and is more flexible for gentle styling. In case-of short hair, it is advisable to use a brush with short, densely spaced bristles. For long hair, a vent angle brush, which has lots of space between the bristles, is better for getting the tangles out. Radial brushes, which have a completely circular base, are the best choice for styling curls while blow drying. The choice of combs also depends on the type of hair. Wide-tooth combs are designed for very coarse or tightly curled hair. A fine toothed tail comb is used for lifting sections of hair, while blow drying, roller setting or for curling hair back into shape without upsetting the overall style. In case of an ordinary comb, a plastic one with rounded teeth is ideal.
The larger end should be initially used to ease it through the hair, and the fine end to get a smooth, even finish. The most effective way to brush the hair is to bend forward from the waist with the head down to wards the ground, and brush from the nape of the neck forwards towards the forehead. Short hair can be brushed right from the roots to the, ends in one stroke, but in case of long hair, two strokes should be used for the length of each hair, to avoid stretching it. A scalp massage should be resorted just before or after brushing the hair. Like brushing this will stimulate the circulation, dislodge dirt and dandruff, and encourage hair growth. For a massage, fingers should be spread fan wise and slipped through the hair. With the thumbs pressed behind the ears, press down on the scalp with the fingertips. Now rotate the fingers so that they move the scalp over the bony structure of the head. The scalp should be massaged daily if time permits, or at. least once a week.
Washing: The correct way to wash the hair is to use warm and not hot water, preferably from the shower. Once the hair is wet, a small quantity of shampoo should be applied, tipping it on the palm of the hand and rubbing the hands together. Shampoo should never be applied directly to the hair as this makes it difficult to get an even distribution. Work the shampoo gently but firmly all over the scalp using a circular motion. This method of massaging of the scalp encourages good circulation and ensures cleanliness of the hair. Continue to massage the shampoo in for several minutes, using the tips of the fingers rather than the nails. A second application of shampoo is needed only if your hair is really dirty. After shampooing, give the hair a really good rinse, and go on rinsing it till the last trace of soap is removed.
Conditioning: A hair conditioner should be applied after the hair has been thoroughly cleansed. These products are especially helpful for long hair, where the overlapping scales which cover the outer layer of hair often get roughed up as it grows. A conditioner helps to smooth these scales down, and to give gleaming hair which is easier to comb and manage. Hair that is colored, premed or exposed to the sun also benefits from a conditioner. Usually, dry hair should be conditioned once a week, normal hair once a fortnight, and greasy hair not more than once a month. All conditioners are basically a combination of oils or waxes, detergents and emulsifiers, with optional extra ingredients, often incorporating herbal extracts with gentle plant and vegetable oils and essences. After conditioning, rinse your hair again, adding cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Drying and Styling: It is important that the hair should be dried correctly in a natural way. It can be easily damaged when wet. Rubbing with the towel should be avoided. When the hair is wet, a comb should be used as brushing will stretch and tear it. The best way to dry the hair naturally is finger drying. If you want to use a hair dryer, always have it on the coolest setting, since heat dries out the hair. Most damage is done by over drying, so avoid holding the dryer over one area for too long, and stop drying your hair a few minutes before it feels completely dry. For the same reason, it is advisable not to use attachments like brushes or nozzles, as these concentrate the heat too much, or to hold the dryer any closer than six inches from the hair. Heated hair rollers or curling tongs also tend to damage the hair, so use these for special occasions only. Lemon juice combed through the hair after rinsing acts as a natural setting lotion.
In case of dry hair, a conditioner used after shampooing will put some life and lustre into the hair. An occasional oil treatment also helps improve dry hair. A warmed vegetable oil should be applied. It should be massaged in well, and the head should be wrapped in a towel which has been wrung out in hot water. This should be left on for at least a quarter of an hour before shampooing. Lemon juice in the final rinse will help to remove any last traces of oil. An egg yolk is a gentle cleanser which especially suits dry hair. One or two egg yolks should be mixed with a little warm water. The water should not be too hot. This mixture should be applied to the hair. Wrap a towel round the head and leave the mixture on for several minutes before rinsing thoroughly. There is no need to apply any other shampoo.
Home Remedies: Certain herbs and natural substances have been found useful in giving shine and lustre to the hair. One such method is to add a few tea leaves to a glass of water and to then heat it. The juice of a lime should be squeezed in the sieved mixture and the mixture should be applied to the hair before shampooing. The juice of celery leaves helps to grow long and lustrous hair. Two or three handfuls of celery leaves should be boiled in water. It should then be cooled and strained. The juice of lime should be added to it. This mixture should be used to rinse the hair after washing. Dry peels of lemons and oranges can also be used beneficially to give lustre and shine to the hair. These peels should be used with soap-nut or while shampooing the hair. This will maintain soft and silky hair and also remove dandruff from the scalp.
Rinsing the hair with the juice of a lemon or vinegar also gives lustre to the hair. Add lemon-juice or vinegar to half a bucket of water. After washing the hair, rinse it with this water. Castor oil, being unsaturated, can be used to rejuvenate the hair. It can be used externally by rubbing it into the scalp at bedtime, and the hair should be washed the next morning. Alternatively, the oil may be rubbed into the scalp and a large towel which has been dipped in hot water and wrung out, may be tied around the head for a while. This allows greater penetration of the oil deep into the surface of the scalp.
Coloring: Permanent dyes are harmful to the hair, as they penetrate the hair cortex layer with the aid of hydrogen peroxide, destroy the keratin structure and create porosity. These dyes gradually eat away and destroy the delicate structure of the hair. This is true of semi-permanent dyes also. Herbs, which are comparatively safe and healthy, have been used for many centuries as coloring agents. The best-known of these is henna. Indian women apply it not only to their hands and feet on auspicious occasions, but also use it for coloring hair. Being a natural coloring agent, its use is not restricted to the young but also to the old well past their middle-age.
Henna is completely organic and comes in a powder form with a smell faintly resembling that of hay. Henna, if used carefully and sensibly, can do more than just color the hair. Like semi-permanent color, it coats the hair shaft, but normally does not penetrate it. Because of this coating action, henna gives the hair a little bulk and body and thus it is also useful as a conditioner. It has a drying effect on the scalp and hence it controls an oily condition of the hair. It gives extra shine to the hair when used the first time, provided an egg and lemon juice is added to it. But repeated application will cause a build up that coats the hair and gives an appearance of dullness. For this reason, the application of henna should be restricted to about four times a year.
Protection Against The Sun: The hair is constantly exposed to the environment as very few of us cover our hair. It can be damaged by over-exposure to the sun. Sun-damaged hair is weak and unhealthy. It is therefore essential to protect the hair from the sun by covering it with a scarf or hat or by using an umbrella.
