Yours to theirs. No potions or lotions other than minoxidil and finasteride have been shown to predictably increase hair growth or prevent its destruction.
ADD REINFORCEMENTS. These are the vitamins and supplements that have been most favorably linked with good hair health.
Vitamins. The most important vitamins for hair loss are the B group (B6, biotin, and folate for slowing loss and pantothenic acid and niacin for promoting hair growth). You can get B vitamins through diet, as well, by eating such foods as beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, soybeans, bran, nuts, and eggs. See www.realage.com for our vitamin dosing recommendations.
Supplements. The extract of the berries of the saw palmetto shrub and the oil in avocados may slow hair loss and promote hair growth by preventing follicle-killing DHT from binding to receptor sites at the hair follicles. These supplements are controversial, however, and there are few studies that show their effectiveness. There is also some evidence that the amino acid L-lysine (at 500 to 1,000 mg) can help hair grow thicker (it hasn’t been tested in humans, but the coats of sheep grew thicker after being given L-lysine). And expect a new generation of shampoos containing pepper. Pepper has recently been shown in animals to knock out that evil enzyme that leads to hair loss.
KNOW HOW TO DYE. Surely you’ve read about links between hair dye and lymphoma. After a somewhat checkered history, hair dyeing today is considered safe and effective. Some dye ingredients that were a potential health concern in the past were removed many decades ago and are no longer used in the United States, although some ingredients may still represent a concern in other countries (like lead-containing products, which may represent a neurological risk). It will take several more decades to know if hair dyes currently in use have subtle side effects. Because of extensive lobbying in the 1930s, hair dye manufacturers have to put warnings on the labels only for skin and eye irritation. But in the late 1970s, the FDA proposed a warning linked to products that used two coal tar ingredients—4-methoxy-m-phenylenediamine (4-MMPD) or its sulfate cousin (it never was implemented). Professional colorists can decrease your exposure to potential toxins, but if you’re going to dye your hair yourself (though we think you look just fine), follow this advice:
Don’t leave the dye on your head any longer than necessary. Rinse your scalp thoroughly with water after use.
Wear gloves when applying hair dye (nitrile gloves are the best when dealing with chemicals), and carefully follow the directions.
Never be a home chemist and mix different hair dye products—you never know what you might create!
DEFROST THE FLAKES. The only flakes we tend to enjoy are the ones that cancel school and the ones we put in our cereal bowl. If white ones are falling from our head, we want no part of them. Dandruff results from inflammation of the scalp as well as from a fungus called Malassezia furfur, formerly called Pityrosporum ovale (stellar work by the ad agency that changed that name). The fungus loves the dark, warm jungle you call your hair.
The way to treat it: frequent washing with a medicated shampoo that helps control the scaling. This works by stopping your immune system from overreacting so your scalp doesn’t itch and you don’t scratch off the epidermis. Look for antimicrobial and antifungal shampoos that contain ingredients such as tar, selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, or ciclopirox. Don’t use these if you’re pregnant, nursing, or trying to conceive. Home remedies, herbals, and nontraditional medicines can have side effects, particularly when combined with traditional medicines and even foods. You should check with your doc and pharmacist about these raw medicines, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing. One solution: Green tea applied to your scalp. Green tea contains a polyphenol (called EGCG) that’s been shown to help. Unfortunately, green tea doesn’t work when it’s mixed with other chemicals, so shampoos with EGCG might not offer long-term answers. Just make a strong cup of green tea and apply it directly to your scalp. Cool it first—you do not want to burn the fungus if your scalp is attached. Like so many herbal remedies, however, the studies just haven’t been done showing that tea shampoos make a difference. (If psoriasis is the source of scalp flaking, you’ll want to limit washing so you don’t dry the scalp out further.)
It’s no secret that your hair—be it on your head, chin, or back—goes a long way toward determining how you feel and how you’re perceived by the outside world. So that warrants some further discussion on making the most of your hair and minimizing damage to it. We’ll leave the goatee braids to you and concentrate on helping you make those strands on your scalp shine through.
PERFECT HAIR MAINTENANCE
Step 1: SHAMPOO
Before getting into the shower, gently brush or finger-comb your hair to loosen up tangles and residue. When washing your hair, treat it as if it were fine silk—delicately. Leave hair hanging down and gently massage in shampoo starting at the roots and working down. Never pile shampoo on top of your head.
Step 2: CONDITION
Conditioner creates shine and preserves hair health by giving it smoothness and protecting against damage. For volume, condition only the middle and ends of your hair, where it’s most susceptible to damage. For shine, condition the entire strand. Do it every time you use shampoo and more often if you want.
Step 3: DRY
Don’t rub your hair with a towel or twist it tightly into a turban. Wet hair is delicate and breaks easily. Pat it gently and squeeze it with your towel or use a superabsorbent towel sold at salons. A wide-toothed comb is the best way to detangle and distribute styling products when hair is wet. And keep any dryers at low-heat settings.
SOLVING THE MANE PROBLEMS
Issue: Damage
Many people damage their hair during the maintenance and styling process—often without even knowing it. Here are the major damagers:
Excessive combing. Over time, excessive combing and brushing, especially of wet hair, can cause the delicate cuticle scales to lift and, in extreme cases, peel away. Forget those 100 strokes a night. The idea was to move oil from scalp into hair to give it shine. But if you comb aggressively when hair is wet, it will be damaged.
The wrong tools. Using the wrong combs and brushes (a wide-toothed comb is best), especially on fragile, chemically treated hair, can remove the cuticle layer in large portions, creating porous and dull hair strands.
Back-combing and teasing. Back-combing and teasing are extremely harmful, since they tug in the opposite direction of the cuticle scales, which can eventually rip them off, leaving the inner cortex exposed.
Heated appliances. When too hot or used on wet hair, heated appliances can actually cause hair to boil, creating permanent welts that weaken and dull the hair shaft and set the stage for breakage. Never use ceramic appliances on wet hair. If possible, do not blow-dry hair.
