writes: I got hair extensions almost two years ago. I paid $4,000 for the kind that are put on individually with clips, which need to be put in and taken out with a tool that only salons have and they have to be adjusted every month.
After about nine months, as the stylist was adjusting the clips, I noticed that my hair was coming out along with the extensions! There was no more hair below the clip of hair extension hair. My hair was just gone. It all broke off at hundreds of different places where the clips were attached. It looked like a horror film!
I cried for months. Now my hair is still growing from my roots, but it’s not getting longer. Is there anything I can do to help strengthen my hair and stop it from breaking? If I were a multimillionaire, would there be some way? Do movie stars have some way that we don’t know about to repair their hair?
Based on her description, Wanda probably has a condition known as traction alopecia, a type of hair loss that is caused by pulling on hair. In some cases this can be caused by wearing your hair in a ponytail; in this case it’s caused by the weight of the extensions. Over a long period, this pulling stress can cause the follicle to atrophy and stop producing normal hairs. Depending on the intensity and duration of the stress, the follicle may or may not recover.
FOLLICLE RECOVERY
If the extensions are removed in time, the follicles will recover and begin producing thick, strong hairs again. But if the follicles were permanently damaged, there’s not much that can be done. Sadly, there is no secret millionaire’s product that can solve the problem; there is no known medical treatment for late-stage traction alopecia.
One thing that might help increase hair strength, though, is treatment with pure coconut oil. Coconut oil is one of the few natural oils shown to penetrate the cortex and provide some strengthening effect to hair. It won’t make hair grow any thicker, but it might help protect thinner, weaker strands.
STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT STRAIGHTENING IRONS
Corinne asks: I’m in the market for a high-end straightening iron, and I feel completely overwhelmed by all the product choices out there! The major differences I see for most irons are the types of plates used, which include tourmaline/ceramic mix, ceramic and metal. While I’m presuming it’s the high heat (some heat up to 450°F) that helps straighten the hair shaft, how do these different plates benefit the hair? Are these newer kinds of straighteners with the tourmaline and ceramic healthier for your hair? I’m looking for an iron that works well, but doesn’t completely wreck and fry my hair shaft.
The number of choices for hair appliances is, indeed, paralyzing! But you don’t have to pay too much attention to all the hype about the different types of ironing plates. While it’s true that more expensive irons can be made from higher-quality materials, that really just means that the heating element is more rugged and the plates are built to take wear and tear. Cheaper flat irons may have inferior plates that can’t handle the heat and may snag your hair.
But whether it is tourmaline or ceramic, there’s nothing about the composition of the plate material that makes it intrinsically healthier for your hair. And don’t believe any of that crap about ionic straighteners. That’s pure marketing hype without a shred of scientific validation.
THE BOTTOM LINE
When buying a straightening iron, you’ll need to pay a bit more for high-quality construction, but you don’t need to pay extra for bogus scientific claims. There is no proof that tourmaline irons are better.
HOW TO KILL LICE AND NOT YOUR HAIR
Susan scratches her head: I’m having a lice problem. I just want to know what’s the most effective way to kill lice and nits and not dry or damage my hair in the process.
Head lice are tiny crawling insects about the size of a sesame seed or smaller. They have six clawed legs that they use to crawl over your hair; they cannot hop, jump or fly. Lice lay eggs, also known as nits, which they glue to individual hair shafts. Lice live only on humans, not pets, and (here’s the best part) they feed on human blood!
9 TIPS TO STOP SMELLY HAIR
It seems that a lot of people are complaining about smelly hair, and the blogosphere is buzzing with tips on how to neutralize hair odors. Here are nine ways to get rid of the odor and keep your hair smelling great.
1. Wash and condition your hair: This may seem obvious, but it’s the most thorough way to get your hair clean and odor-free.
2. Hair wipes: Hair wipes are like baby wipes made especially for your locks. Ted Gibson has an excellent product that should help remove any odor from your hair.
3. Hair fragrance: One way to get rid of an odor is to cover it up with some other odor. Hair fragrances are great for this purpose.
4. Use your perfume: If you can’t find a “real” hair fragrance, just improvise with your favorite perfume or cologne. Just be sure not to use too much!
5. Powder shampoo: Instead of getting your hair wet, you can use a dry powder shampoo to add a little fragrance and remove the odor. Just sprinkle it in and brush the odors out.
6. Leave-in conditioner or combing cream: A touch of leave-in conditioner or another styling product can mask icky odors.
7. Do a speedy, secret sink wash: Wet your hands, take a tiny dab of liquid soap and run your fingers through your hair. Caution: This doesn’t work on all hairstyles.
8. Dryer sheets: You’ll cover up the odor and you’ll get rid of embarrassing static cling.
9. Use an antimicrobial shampoo: This can help if your smelly scalp is caused by scalp fungus or bacteria.
NIT PICKING
The good news is that there several over-the-counter drug products that are effective against lice and nits. The bad news is that these products contain isopropyl alcohol, which can dry your hair. There are “natural” lice cures, but there is little or no data to prove that these are effective. The safest and surest way to get rid of lice and not damage your hair is to use a lice comb to pick the nits out one by one, but this is a very tedious and time-consuming process.
Recently, there was a study done by researchers at the University of Utah in which they created a steam-cleaning device (a cross between a vacuum cleaner and a hair dryer) to kill lice. It’s not even available to the public yet, but it could prove to be an interesting new treatment.
BEST LICE TREATMENT
Which treatment method is best? Rather than spelling out all the pros and cons of each method here, go to HeadLice.org for a thorough question-and-answer page. And if you do decide to use the lice-killing shampoo, make sure you follow that with a good conditioner to counteract the drying effects of the alcohol.
3 HAIR MYTHS
