The inportance of conditioning.

In this chapter we deal with the basic scientific principles behind keeping hair 'in good condition'. We look at what is meant by 'good condition', and why hair sometimes gets into 'bad condition'.We present some 'dos and don'ts', and look at a few real-life examples.Hair conditionHair is a remarkably tough material. It can stand up to considerable abuse, but over time this can wreak havoc with its natural properties.In particular, its porosity can be badly affected, so that it breaks easily and cannot be styled satisfactorily. Sometimes this may be due to a medical condition or poor nutrition: due to a lack of protein in the diet damages the hair.Other reasons for poor condition may be caused by over-exposure to sun and salt water, over-bleaching, faulty permanent waving, excessive coating by metallic dyes, hair restorers, or by improper use of shampoos, bleaches, tints and other chemical preparations. When any of these conditions exist, reconditioning treatments are necessary before hair is restored.On the other hand, we can recognize hair that is in good condition. It shines, it is easy to manage - it just looks good. Probably the most obvious aspect of healthy hair is its shine - its ability to reflect light. This property depends mainly on the cuticle of the hair shaft, and how intact it is.The good condition of your hair depends on the current state of each of the 100,000 or so individual hair shafts on your head. If the cuticles are intact, if heat or chemicals have not affected its cortex, and if the hair does not have a build up of grease or styling products, then the hair will probably have reasonable shine and body.The most sensible approach is to: clean your hair frequently, using good-quality products, and -most importantly - remember to condition it well, and have the ends cut regularly by a skilled stylist, so as to prevent weathering effects such as split ends.If you are thinking of changing your hair color, get advice first from an experienced hair technician, who can tell you how much color change your particular hair can stand, and which hair coloring products would be suitable.If you are considering a perm ask for advice on whether your hair type can withstand a perm at that moment, or if it would be safer to improve its condition first. And, once permed, pay even more attention to conditioning your hair, and don't repeat the perm too often.With an understanding of the principles of good hair care, and regularly putting those principles into practice, everyone can aim to keep their hair in good condition.
Hair in poor conditionThe natural look of your hair depends on several inherited factors. Hair that is in poor condition looks dull and dry. So how does it get that way?Dark hair, as we have seen, looks glossier than blond hair. The presence or absence of natural oils makes a difference. And very straight hair reflects light better than tousled hair does.Some of us, however, fall into the trap of trying to improve upon nature, not just once but over and over again. Where you can go wrong includes:
Not understanding the basic properties of hair in general, and your own hair in particular
Trying to lighten the color of your hair more than it can stand (bleach damage)
Continually trying to correct previous mistakes
Perming hair that is already in poor condition.
Follow these dietary suggestions for restoration of healthy hair:
The right food is important for your hair.
Without Vitamin A your hair becomes brittle, and abnormal dandruff can develop.
Without Vitamin B1 or B6 you can start to lose your hair.
Vitamin C stimulates the hair growth and regulates the generation of pigments in the hair strand.
Vitamin B12 supports feeding the root.
Hair damage
In this section we look at some real-life cases of hair that is obviously not in good condition.This person's hair looks dull and lifeless. It doesn't shine, and it is obviously difficult to manage. Examining a few hairs under the microscope would reveal what has happened to it, and suggest what might be done.It is all too easy to fall into the trap of blaming the last product put on to the hair as the single cause of a problem. Much more often, hair condition is lost as a result of a combination of mis-treatments over a long period.
Damage from weathering
Weathering, is the gradual wearing away of the cuticle of the hair shaft. The damage exposes the cortex, which becomes worn down as well, and the hair can eventually break. In normal hair, this sort of damage is only noticeable near the tips of untrimmed long hair, which may look lusterless and pale with some split ends. The length of time for which hair can grow without the damage becoming visible depends on the natural quality of the hair, how frequently it is damaged, and how much on-going protection has been given to it by conditioning.The reason why conditioning is so important in slowing down natural weathering lies in the ability of the cortex to retain moisture. Dry, out-of-condition hair lacks moisture, and the correct moisture content (hydration) of hair has to be restored for the hair to regain its condition and its 'healthy' look. Without enough moisture the number of hydrogen bonds may be reduced. Conditioning allows re-establishment of the hydrogen bonds and improves the moisture content of the hair by improving the weatherproofing of the cuticle. This determines the amount of static charge on the hair and the resistance of hair to mechanical stresses like brushing and combing.
Damage from hair cutting and styling
Cutting hair with blunt scissors results in a cut with a long, jagged edge, at which the cuticle scales will be especially vulnerable to further damage. This is why stylists use good-quality steel scissors, which are very sharp and cut cleanly. It is even possible to tell whether a stylist chose to use scissors or a razor by looking at the record of the hair: razor cutting produces long, tapering sections of cuticle which weather quickly, and even peel back.Some stylists prefer to cut hair when it is dry, in the belief that this will save the hair from heavy brushing when it is damp and therefore vulnerable to damage. A circular or semicircular brush is probably the least damaging to hair.
Damage from the sun
The ultraviolet light in direct sunlight affects the cuticle in a similar way to bleach, and eventually the keratin protein of the hair breaks down. The result is than the hair is gradually weakened and becomes drier. The effect shows up as light streaks in the hair (sun bleaching).
Mechanical damageThough hair is robust, it can still be damaged by over-enthusiastic brushing and combing, especially when it is wet and if there is some degree of tangling. Metal combs are particularly hard on the hair. Backbrushing and backcombing are extremely harmful, since they tug against the scales of the cuticle, which all lie pointing towards the tip of the shaft like tiles on a roof.Hair that has been treated chemically (permed, colored or bleached) has, as we have seen, already been damaged to some extent. The result is that it is at greater risk of damage from the daily hair care routine. The surface of chemically treated hair is receptive to conditioners and other protective treatments, however, and if applied regularly these products can give real protection to the hair.
Heat damage
We have seen the importance of the moisture content of hair to the hair's condition. Processes like blow-drying reduce the moisture content below its normal level and can in themselves be harmful. Hair dryers and other heated appliances first soften the keratin of the hair. If they are too hot, they can actually cause the water in the hair to boil, and tiny bubbles of steam then form inside the softened hair shaft. The hair is thereby weakened, and may break altogether.
Minimising damage
Once it has been significantly damaged, the cuticle cannot be repaired. So hair care must be aimed at preventing injury in the first place. Obviously, all procedures should therefore be carried out as gently as possible. Apart from this, the best way to keep damage to a minimum is to condition regularly and thoroughly. This helps to keep the cuticle intact, lower friction and reduce static charge on the hair.Conditioners that contain dimethicone (a silicone compound) deposit mainly at the edges of the cuticle scales - just where the damage happens most easily.