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3 Top Tips for this Winter

30/10/2013

2 Comments

 
Having enjoyed a wonderful Black History Month this October I have now noticed the cold weather is rushing in faster than we can wrap up. Protecting our hair from wind, rain and central heating should be easy and can make a difference to your hair manageability during this cold season. 

Here are my 3 top tips;


1. Condition, Condition, Condition.

Hair may have been roughed up by hats, blown silly by the wind or dried out by all the central heating resulting in dull, dry, frizzy hair that is unmanageable. The more unmanageable hair becomes, the more likely you may be to reach for your straighteners, blow dryers and brushes, which can start off the vicious cycle of heat induced hair damage (see our first blog post).

The easiest way to infuse moisture into the hair shaft and keep hair feeling smooth and healthy is to make a real effort when conditioning your hair. Smoothing it over your hair whilst you’re in the shower and then rinsing off is not going to make an impact. 

Take the time whilst you’re in a steamed up bathroom to make sure the conditioner has covered the hair from root to tip. Gently comb the hair, using a smooth, wide toothed comb, to tease out tangles and ensure an even distribution of conditioner....then rinse out.

Once a week I would suggest a steam treatment. At our clinic we use our rich conditioning masks and professional hair steamers to nourish and help repair damaged hair, making a difference to the softness and manageability.





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3. Stay moisturised!

I cannot emphasise the need to moisturise enough! 

Hair, particularly chemically processed hair (dyed, permed, straightened) will have a degree of porosity, meaning water can move into the hair but also out of the hair. If our environment becomes more weathering (strong winds, rain, and high central heating), then our hair will lose more moisture and it is up to us to replace it.

Dry hair means, less elasticity which means easy breakage and split ends, leaving hair looking unhealthy. 
Moisturised hair will have a more balanced water content and improved elasticity, giving it strength to put up with the weather no matter how much it tests us. 

Our favourite moisturiser is our best-selling  Leave- in Hair Protector. It has a high protein content which nourishes the hair and is hypo-allergenic so wont irritate the skin, keeping it moisturised and strong. For drier European hair, only a little bit is needed after washing to seal the ends of the hair which can become more weathered. For Afro hair, which is more porous and can easily become dry, you can apply it as and when you feel it’s necessary, to soften and moisturise the hair, this could be daily. 

Good luck with the weather.

Teresa Angelina Richardson MIT






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2. Protective styles.

It is common sense that we wrap up our hands in the cold and we must do the same to the vulnerable extremities of our hair too. 

For longer hair, I am a big fan of French plaits when tied loosely. It protects the hair by keeping the majority of it covered under the plait, and when loose, doesn't pull at the hair line or small sections of the hair causing traction. The trick is to keep the plait large so that surface area of exposed hair is kept to a minimum.

If hair is shorter, a silk scarf can be a blessing to protect hair from the elements whilst limiting the amount of rubbing the scarf does on the hair itself. 


For afro hair, try to avoid wool hats as these rub on drier, brittle hair causing friction and breakage. If you can, try to find a silk or satin lined hat to reduce rubbing on the hair.





















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2 Comments

The Consultant has spoken...!

12/7/2013

3 Comments

 
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Welcome to our first blog post.

This and subsequent blog posts aim to highlight common hair problems that I see on a daily basis with patients who come to my clinic. I will offer possible solutions, explain what is the truth and what is myth and also hopefully initiate discussion on the topics. Importantly I want our audience to be able to contact us with comments and questions as receiving feedback ensures that the Fulham Scalp and Hair Clinic can continue to offer tailored and relevant advice.

As a Clinic that specialises in afro hair, many topics may revolve around the damage, treatment and maintenance of afro hair, but if your have a question about a different hair type we are still more than able to help so don't feel discouraged to contact us.



Blow-dryers and straighteners


Today I want to start discussing some common bad habits that leave hair with much to be desired. Blow drying and straightening are techniques that many people over indulge in when changing the look of their hair, but the subsequent damage can build up and cause hair breakage as well as reducing hair length.

Blow drying and straightening have the obvious weapon in common of direct and intense heat. Their use requires the application of a high temperature on a small amount of hair. However, this is essentially desiccating the hair, stripping all moisture from it and in some instances burning it completely. 


There is also the effect of the round bristle brush which is often forgotten. Bristle brushes, by the nature of their uneven but natural texture, can scratch and shred the hair shaft making it easier for the hair to dry out and break, forming split ends. When that is followed by high levels of heat from hair-dryers or straighteners then you can be sure that you have dragged out every last drop of moisture from the hair shaft. 


If this treatment is infrequent the hair might be able to withstand the damage, but when a habit is made of it, the effects are clear and noticeable.
What is left of the hair is similar to straw; dry, inflexible and easily breakable and this effect of heat on the hair is really enhanced in Afro hair as it is more porous than European and Asian hair types and so more easily dries out.



It’s a vicious cycle!
I understand that, particularly with very curly or Afro hair, one can end up relying on their straighteners and dryer to style their hair. Yet the more you use these pieces of equipment, the drier the hair gets and the more difficult it becomes to style it without them. It’s a vicious cycle, one which can leave men and women's hair addicted to their heat stylers.


As prolonged use sets in, many start to notice sever hair breakage, loss of sheen and vitality and a real difficulty to achieve and maintain length with their hair. The hair's growth is battling against the breakage at the ends, giving the impression that the hair has stopped growing. It hasn't stopped growing of course, but when the ends are constantly fraying and breaking, it’s like taking one step forward with growth but one step back with damage, giving the impression that length is remaining the same.


It’s at this point that we get many patients coming to my clinic, upset that their hair has changed from what they remembered it to be and depressed that it won’t grow. 
Those that haven't sought out my help either have sense enough to cut off the damaged hair and start again without or with less heat, whilst others may go in the opposite direction and apply extensions or weaves to hide the lack of growth and provide versatility for styles. The use of extensions and weaves are a contentious subject for me, but I'll leave that for another post in the future.


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Recovering
When I see this type of damage in the hair of my patients and have explained to them how and why it’s occurring, the recovery process begins. Damaged hair should be regularly trimmed and then the hair should be thoroughly steam treated with a rich and nourishing mask to rehydrate the hair. I would introduce more gentle approaches to drying hair after washing if naturally drying your hair isn't feasible. My personal preference is the use of rollers and a hood dryer.

Until the next post, all the best


Teresa Angelina Richardson MIT

3 Comments

    Our opinions shared

    Let's talk about hair, haircare, bad habits, good habits, myths and truths.  Let's get down to the basics of achieving beautiful hair in a healthy manner.

    -Teresa Angelina Richardson MIT
    

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