Hair Care Tips

The following are some basic hair care tips that you can use to improve the health and look of your hair.
General
A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising and not eating nutritiously are not healthy for your hair.

Get enough sleep.
Hair Products (Gel, mouse, hair spary...)
Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol which dries out hair.
Avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp; if you put it on your scalp you'll clog the pores on your head.

Swimming
Before entering a pool, wet your hair so your hair will soak up the initial water instead of the chlorinated water.

When swimming where a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water, if you choose not to wear a cap make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are done swimming.

Drying
Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.

Don't leave the blowdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair.

To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towell and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.
Gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.

Combing/Brushing
Use a brush whose bristles are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible, which means less damage will be done to your hair.

Hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it's wet, or else it will cause breakage. Wait until your hair is almost completely dry before brushing it.

Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp.

To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo.

Comb your hair to remove any tangles before brushing it.

Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and work your way up to the base of your hair.

Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke.

Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity

Shampooing and Conditioning
Buy shampoos & conditioners that match your hair type. Trial and error is the best way to find out what specific hair product is best for your hair.

Shower with warm water; hot water can dry and/or irritate the scalp.

It is important to wash your hair; shampooing removes dirt, dead skin cells, hair oils, any hair products you may put into your hair.

When shampooing, rinse your hair out before applying any shampoo to remove any dust, dirt, and any other foreign items, then apply the shampoo onto your scalp and massage it gently with your finger tips and work your way outwards. After you are done make sure that you thouroughly rinse out your hair to remove any shampoo residue that may be left. Shampoo residue may dry your scalp/hair and or attract dirt. It is recommended that you only lather once to avoid drying your hair out. If you have oily hair, lathering again may stimulate your oil glands to create even more oil than normal.

You should wash your hair as often as you feel necessary to keep it clean but a general rule for oily hair is that you should wash it every day or every other day and for dry hair only wash it 2-3 times a week. Try rotating the shampoo and conditioner periodically, your hair responds differently to different products.

Use a conditioner after shampooing; it'll moisturize your hair, give it extra protection, add shine, reduce static, and makes it easier to untangle.

Use a leave in conditioner; it'll hydrate and protect your hair. A leave in conditioner on your hair is the equivalent of moisturizer on your face.

When conditioning your hair, try to spread conditioner evenly through out your hair and leave it in for a couple of minutes before rinsing out your hair.

Put the conditioner in at about an inch away from the scalp, the roots of your hair contain the most oils and usually don't need the extra conditioning.

Be gentle when shampooing and conditioning. Don't use excessive force rubbing your hair, remember hair is most vunerable when wet.

Find Your Perfect Prom Hairstyle

Get inspired by these romantic, trendy, and classic hairstyles for your big night! Whatever your vibe is, there's a hairstyle to match your prom look!

Roman Ponytail

How to Get the Look:

Step 1: Comb your hair back into a sleek ponytail at the crown of your head. Use a fine-tooth comb to help smooth any bumps.

Step 2: Dip your fingertips into a pomade, then lightly run them over your hair — it will maximize shine and fight frizz all night long.

Step 3: Tie a metallic piece of silk cord around the base of your pony, leaving two long pieces on either side. Crisscross them down the length of your pony. When you get to the end, wrap them around tightly a few times, knot the cord, then snip the excess.

Tip:

Gently pull sections of your pony with your fingers for a more volumizing shape.

Prom Hair Ideas Inspired

“For day, I saw a lot of hair that looks undone this season on the runways,” notes Thai Le, stylist at FRANK CASSI BEAUTY, a salon on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, FL, co-owned by Frank Friscioni, Color Director at Oscar Blandi Salon in NYC. “To achieve this great, flattering look, simply pull your hair back loosely and tie it into a couple of knots. Then stick a couple of bobby pins in to keep it (somewhat) in place!”

“At night, it’s the slicked back hair pulled into a bun for that sleek, chic runway-funway look. Find a side part and tie your hair back into a low ponytail. Use a wax to add shine and tame all the fly-aways. Braid the ponytail and then keep twisting it until it knots up. Use a few bobby pins to secure the twisted braid into a bun. Your hair will say F-A-S-H-I-O-N-I-S-T-A!” says Le.

The runway in NYC fashion week had a few focused hairstyles that are ideal for all hair types. Here’s some looks that may work for your prom hair:

- “Slicked back” is usually a no fail all nighter. A sleek straight pony or knotted bun allow for easily maintained styles.

- The “center or side part” was embraced with loose frizzy curls, tight slicked back pony and bun, shiny curls and flat iron straight looks. Sometimes a simple part embraces a facial feature more then makeup does!

- Retro styles also stole some shows. Pin-up girl inspired looks include loose curls, rolled bangs, slicked sides and bows/bandanas to hold the style in place

10 Trendy Ways To Wear A Bun

Amongst the braids, feathers and colored tips we’ve seen this season, the summer bun has also made a splash as one of the hottest hairstyles of the summer.  The great thing is, you don’t have to be a ballerina to wear a bun and there are literally tons of ways to wear the style!  

1. The Slick Classic Bun

 2. The Textured Classic Bun

3. The Messy Bun

 4. The Sassy Side Bun

 5. The Sleek Braided Bun

To help spike your bun creativity, we’ve compiled pics of our ten favorite bun hairstyles to give you a few ideas… 

6. The Messy Braided Bun

 7. The High Messy Bun With Headband

 8. The Ballerina Bun

 9. The Sleek Side Bun With Accessory

 

10. The Bun With Volume

Hair Loss Treatment

Hair Loss Treatment - There's been a revolution in biology. Armed with powerful new tools, scientists are learning how to read the complex chemical languages of the body, including how to coin new treatments for hair loss.

Like the cure for cancer, those new treatments aren't nearly ready for prime time. But they're coming, promises George Cotsarelis, MD, director of the Hair and Scalp Clinic at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"In the last 5 to 7 years there has been a boom in the understanding of hair loss," Cotsarelis tells WebMD. "We've made great strides at the level of basic research. Now the question is how we can convert these findings into clinical benefits. Those kinds of leaps really take decades."

The great leap would be to grow new hair on bald heads. But smaller steps aren't that far away.

Why do we care about a cure for baldness? Look around you. Hair loss is extremely common, it usually happens when the normal process of hair growth gets disrupted.

What We Know About Hair

"The hair is real. It's the head that's a fake."

-Steve Allen

Until it's gone, hair is easy to take for granted. But a close look reveals the hair follicle to be one of the most interesting organs of the body. It's most unusual feature: It is self-regenerating.

Hair follicles live just below the top layer of the skin. You have them all over your body except, fortunately, on your lips, palms, and soles.

At the base of the follicle is the hair bulb, where wildly growing matrix cells become hair.

A little farther up the follicle is the mysterious feature called the bulge. That's where follicle stem cells live. When they get the right set of chemical signals, these self-renewing cells divide. They don't divide like normal cells, in which both halves become new cells that keep splitting and developing. Only one half of the follicle stem cell does that. The other half becomes a new stem cell, and stays put for future regeneration.

Hair growth goes through several distinct stages:

Anagen. The growth phase of hair. An unknown signal tells follicle stem cells to do their thing. Next, the permanent part of the follicle -- the dermal papilla -- gives the "go" signal to hair matrix cells. Those cells grow wildly and become pigmented, creating a new hair shaft. At any given time, 90% of hair cells are in this stage.
Exogen. The new hair shaft pushes the old, dead hair shaft out of the skin. The old hair falls out.
Anagen finished. The new hair extends beyond the surface of the skin and keeps growing. The hair shaft fully matures.
Catagen. The lower two-thirds of the follicle shrivels up and is destroyed. The dermal papilla remains attached to the regressing follicle.
Telogen. The withered follicle rests. It waits for a signal telling it to start all over again.

Losing hair is part of a normal cycle of growth and replacement. Hair follicles go through the growth and resting cycle in a nonsynchronized fashion. But sometimes things go wrong.

Common Hair Loss Problems: Androgenetic Alopecia

Most of us, when we think of hair loss, think about aging men. Nearly all men eventually get that receding M-shaped hairline and thinning hair on the top of the head, also known as male pattern baldness. It's called androgenetic alopecia, and it's caused by a by-product of testosterone called DHT.

Aging women have a similar problem. Their hair gets thin, although it's not clear that this is necessarily caused by sex hormones.

What is clear is that the same thing happens in aging men and women. Hair follicles get smaller. The anagen stage of hair growth gets shorter, and the resting (telogen) stage gets longer. The result: Thin, very short hairs -- and many follicles empty of hair shafts.

Why is this pattern of hair loss only in the front and on top? That's where hormone-sensitive follicles live. The follicles on the sides and back of the head aren't affected by DHT and usually stay healthy.

Telogen Effluvium

The name is fancy -- telogen effluvium -- but all it means is increased hair shedding. Lots of hair shedding. For various reasons, many hair follicles enter the exogen stage all at once.

The good news here is that hair lost this way almost always grows back in a few months.

Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

Cancer cells grow wildly. Chemotherapy takes advantage of this by killing off cells with out-of-control growth. Unfortunately, there's one kind of normal cell that grows like this: Hair matrix cells.

Chemotherapy forces growing follicles into the catagen stage. The hair shaft doesn't develop properly, so the hair breaks and falls out.

The good news is that when chemotherapy is over, the follicles regenerate. Healthy, new hair grows again. The bad news is that, in the short term, chemotherapy causes near total hair loss.

Alopecia Areata

Sometimes a person's immune system attacks the cells of the growing hair bulb. This autoimmune condition is called alopecia areata.

Just as in chemotherapy, hair follicles are forced into the catagen phase. Hairs break and fall out, usually in patches scattered across the scalp.

Sometimes the immune system attacks only the hair bulb. In this case, the hair follicles regenerate when the immune system is brought under control.

Mens Hairstyles 2012

Women’s hairstyle trends are usually short lived and last for no more than a year. On the other hand, men’s hairstyle trends change slowly. The previous year’s trends are usually the root for the next year’s trends. However, there will be some modification on it. What’s the key trends for 2012 men’s hairstyle? Let’s check it out !

Short waves/ short cuts

2012 is about exploring masculine edge of men. People usually think that masculine means polished edge, but it didn’t come to the recent history. Curly for men is become a trend nowadays. It’s a hirstyle that reflect a relax life. The curl is come in several degrees, some tight and compact, others aofter but no less prone to doing whatever they like no matter how much product you put on it. The dominant curly trends for 2012 is far less height and with little effort to relax or straighten the curls. This style is suitable for those who has natural curl, or at least those who has wavy hair. Curly? Feel free !

Slicked Hair With A Side Part

Classic still survive. This is what happen in 2012 hair trends. Not only slicked back undercut which gives classic mood, slicked hair with a side part is rocking this year. This style is inspired from a feeling of mad men first impacted upon the global psyche. Previously, many people thought that it was only suitable for old men. Now, many designers apply this style on

catwalk or you can find it easily on the street. This is a hairstyle suitable for men who has relatively straight hair which is more likely to sit flat on the head complimenting the

hairstyle’s ‘slick’ shape. Those who has curly hair can straighten first before applying this style. Over all, this style is suitable for anykind of hair. Get classic to the trend !

Curly Mop Top

This curly only suitable for an indie gig or to a Bohemian style?Get over that. Event this style is suitable for daily activities, it needs extra confident to wear it. Not only confident to wera it, the hairstylist also needs extra ability to create ot, because this style is one of the trickiest hairstyles for 2012.

The emphasize is how to create an uncontrol curls, but doesn’t make it seems like you just coming back from a jungle for more than a year. This unique curly is suitable for those who has natural curly and plenty of length. It is not

recommended for those who has no curly or wavy hair, because it just hard enough for those who has natural curly and it will look weird if you make fake curl. Ready to out of control, curly?

The Undercut

The key for 2012 hairstyles is the undercut. In fact, undercut is one of the most fahionable andversatile options in 2012. Look on Brit-rock indie hairstyle, it’s swept from the side, it’s easy to work the hairstyle with an undercut, keeping the sides short and the long hair on top swept over and forwards.

Undercut also suitable for other style. Take a look at this style, combine an undercut with a side swept quiff. The main idea of this style is boasting the uncut parts of your hair which make it amazing cut for hair. this suitable do best work for any man who has straight or wavy hair capable of growing the top long. This style is not for those wwho hate hair falling on their forehead or moving at all. also, pay attention of the thickness of your hair to support the quiff.

Shoulder Length haircut

The first feeling that you get when you see this style, it os remembering you to Grecian God on movies. In reality, this style usually associated to the kick-band indie kid, the gy who revolves his life catching the next wave. In 2012, shoulder length haircut give an impressive as both smart and sleek finish. this year, many stylist apply this cut for officer also. Even it is the same style as a surfer or anybody who lives freely, you will note wether this is surfer style or officer style. Any man with long straight hair or managable waves not opposed to turning the heads sex they’re hoping to attract. Bad guy, or office guy? You decide.

Red Carpet Hairstyles

You don’t need to spend much for any high-paid hair stylists just to achieve your desired look of red carpet hairstyles. You also don’t need any kinds of special hair care products for such hairstyles that you can do it on your own of course with the help of some friends or buddies.

One best source for your desired look of red carpet hairstyles is the Internet. From the many photo galleries that you can see over the Internet, it’s definitely easier to copy the red carpet hairstyles for yourself. Red carpet hairstyles obviously represent poise and grace.

Most of the red carpet hairstyles that you can see either on the Internet or television, they always appear attractive and sexy. Some of the styles are hard to recognize if they are modernly made or have come from various styles of some years ago. Some styles are even very simple and yet considered to be the sexiest hair for the event. Well, it only means that you don’t need to elaborate more sophistication for hairstyles just to look great.

In creating your own red carpet hairstyles, you are required to wash and condition your hair in accordance to your type of hair. With the use of tourmaline dryer, blow dry your hair accompanied with some heat protecting spray that will shield your hair from potential damage of the heat.