Study || Hard Water Impact On Hair

Hard water metals concentrate primarily in the cuticle layer.  A study published in 2011 indicated that these metals can affect certain hair properties, which include:

- stiffening of hair strand
- reduction of combing forces
- improvement of ability to hold a style in virgin hair
- reduction of ability to hold a style in bleached hair

Additionally, certain variables affect the uptake of hard water metals by the hair, such as the:

- condition of the hair (e.g., chemically damaged)
- pH of the water
- level of water hardness


ABSTRACTS:
STRUCTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF HARD WATER METALS (2011)
UPTAKE OF HARD WATER METALS BY HAIR (2011)

Intermission: Hair & Attitude

A short break from the usual blog topics ...

When I wear my hair loose, which is rare, it is big, kinky, and ... foreign. I have had the occasional stranger's hand in my fro. I have had people approach me with the first sentences out of their mouth concerning my hair. "How do you do that?" "Do you plan to loc?" Etc. Last Friday, I got my first "I approached you because your natural hair attracted me" from a male. The reactions do not bother me, though, and I actually find it entertaining especially since the reason I went natural was to achieve healthy hair and not to make a statement. Though many black women are transitioning to natural today, the look of natural is still foreign to some.

My sister emailed me an interesting article with audios from nine women -- natural, weaved, straightened, loced, etc. -- about attitudes surrounding their hair. A related article is also included touching upon black hair and politics. Here is a synopsis followed by a link to the read:

"When it comes to straightening hair or letting it be natural, the choice still pushes deep emotional buttons for many African-American women. Others ask, why can't hair just be hair? Nine black women discuss their hairstyles and the attitudes surrounding their hair..."

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/08/27/fashion/20090827-hair-interactive.html

Care to share your experiences?

Nape Breakage?

For some people the nape hair grows just fine. For others, the nape area suffers constant breakage, stunted growth, and is the most fragile section of the scalp.

Before 2007, my nape hair never surpassed two to three inches (except for during my childhood years). It was severely damaged from overprocessing and dryness and would seem to break the instant it was touched. In 2007, I began to seriously address my nape breakage by stretching the period between chemical relaxers and paying extra attention to the area as I conditioned and moisturized (i.e., extra TLC). With these changes and more, my nape hair was gradually restored to good health. Nowadays, it has reached a length I never imagined it could. (In 2008, I officially went natural, but that isn't to say that one needs to do so to have a healthy growing nape.)

Do you have nape growth issues? If so, any of the following could be the source of the problem. Eliminate that source and your nape hair will be restored to good health and growth.

Causes of stunted/slow growth of nape hair:
*poor internal health
*dryness
*under conditioned
*breakage from tight headbands, scarves, etc.
*over-brushing
*over-processing (raise your hand if you relax that section first)
*friction from shirt, scarf, coat, couch
*too much tension (e.g., braiding nape hair too tightly)
*inadequate neutralization after relaxing
*heat damage from trying to get that nape hair straight
*sleeping on the back of head

Tips for Stretching Relaxers or Transitioning

*Strengthen the demarcation line
The demarcation line is the point at which the new growth meets the chemically straigthened hair. Keep this section strong with protein-based conditioning and you will minimize breakage.

*Wear low-manipulation & protective styles
Low manipulation styles include braidouts, twistouts, rollersets, strawsets, and other styles that require minimal styling of the hair afterwards.
Protective styles include buns, braids, twists, cornrows under a wig or sew-in, and other styles that involve almost no styling of the hair afterwards.

*Moisturize regularly & thoroughly
Dry hair is much more prone to breakage and fragility than well-moisturized hair. Look for water-based moisturizers.

*Wash in sections
Especially if your hair is on the longer side. This will reduce tangling, thus reducing breakage.

*Invest in a wide tooth comb
Wide tooth combs are gentler on the demarcation line than brushes and smaller combs.

More tips coming soon ...

Healthy Hair Feature: Caroline

1) Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed, or transitioning?

Relaxed (3-4 times per year). Considering switching to Brazilian Keratin Treatments or other less damaging forms of hair straightening.


2) What mistakes have you made in your hair care journey?

Neglecting my hair when I started to reach my desired length. My hair needs constant TLC and is very sensitive to moisture-protein balance. Additionally, it was sometimes it was hard for me to stick to the little-heat/little-manipulation mantra and my hair was not happy with this. However, I've found some great heatless protective styles (braidouts, bantu knots, buns, etc.) that have really helped me in my hair care journey.


3) What is your current HEALTHY HAIR routine?

-I use the entire Hydratherma Naturals line (sans the heat protector, I prefer Redkin Smooth Down)
-Wash 2x's per week (lather roots only and let the rinsing wash the rest of my hair), the second wash may often be a co-wash
-Deep Condition 1x per week
-I alternate between the Moisture Boosting Deep Conditioner and the Amino Plus Deep Conditioner
-I moisturize 2x's per day (morning and evening) with the Root Stimulator on my scalp followed by the Leave-In conditioner, Growth Lotion, and Growth Oil (to seal)
-I usually sleep with my hair in one big bantu knot or a couple of small bantu knots and a silk scarf and satin cap
-I wear my hair in a protective style most of the time except for special occasions



4) Do you have a HEALTHY BODY routine? If so, what is it?

I'm a huge health nut (and currently in Medical School)! I think it is extremely important to eat right and exercise especially if you desire healthier hair. I only eat whole grains/oats, lean meats (boneless skinless chicken, fish, lean ground turkey), vegetables, fruits, lean dairy, eggs, nuts and beans. I also try to incorporate whey protein before a workout (I love the Myoplex drinks), ground Flaxseed, and olive oil in my meals. Some of my favorite snacks are the Fiber One bars (great way to get your daily requirement of fiber) and the Yo Plus Yogurts which have dairy, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and probiotics!

I try to stick to a 3x/wk workout regimen which consists of circuits using weights (Women's Health website has some great workout routines) and I run on the treadmill after all of my workouts.

Lastly, I take a multivitamin with plenty of Biotin, Niacin, Vitamins A, C, D and E.


5) Do you have any advice for those seeking healthy tresses?

Get to know your hair and what works best for it. Does it need to be moisturized 2x/day or 1x/day? Washed once or twice a week? Deep conditioned once or twice a week? It's really about finding a routine that works best for your hair and that is realistic for your life. Also, don't try crazy shampoos and creams that say that they will grow your hair five times faster. The reality is that if you want healthier hair that grows at its peak pace you need to eat healthy, exercise, take your vitamins and care for your hair from the moment it comes out of your scalp. If you want length you have to keep caring for your hair consistently. There are some great products that will of course help retain your length: scalp stimulators, mineral-oil and petroleum free hair lotions, alcohol free sprays, certain oils, etc. With the dedication and the right products healthy hair is definitely within reach.

Reader's Question: More on Moisture ... Dry Ends

Post inspired by a reader! Thank you for your questions. Answer to Part 2 coming soon.

What causes these dry ends?

Sebum is the hair and scalp's natural conditioner. In straight hair, this oily substance can generally move down the shaft to the ends fairly easily because of the direct path. The hair's close proximity to the scalp as well as continual brushing and combing also aid in the transport process. As for textured hair? That is another story.

The coilier your hair, the harder it is for sebum to travel down to the ends. Here's my analogy: Imagine oil running along a straight road versus a path full of turns and twists. In the latter case, the oil may slow down or even get caught at each curve. By the time it reaches its destination, only a fraction of the oil will remain. There is also the possibility that it may never reach its destination. This process is basically what curly, coily, and kinky hairs experience. Additionally, factor in a minimal brushing/combing routine and the reality that some natural hair works against gravity (i.e., stands up and out away from the scalp). We ultimately have a case in which sebum just barely reaches the ends of our hair, if at all.

Now the explanation above is just one of many causes of dry ends. Other reasons are listed in this post on moisture and length retention.

How do you stop dry ends (due to inadequate sebum)?
Since sebum may barely, if at all, reach the ends of textured hair, it is necessary to quench and condition those ends. Here are some methods that work for me and may hopefully work for others:

*Discard harsh regular shampoos
Shampoos with SLS and other strong ingredients strip my hair (including my ends) of their natural oils. The shampoo I use on a regular basis contains more gentle substances. Other options to explore are conditioner washing or using homemade natural cleansers instead of a shampoo. Some people also do a treatment with oil at a warm or room temperature prior to washing to minimize sebum loss from their strands. (Click here for hot oil treatments.)

*Lather once when you shampoo
Minimal lathering equals minimal loss of whatever sebum is on my ends.

*No direct shampoo on the ends
I rarely expose my ends to direct shampoo. I just focus on the scalp and let the water and lather run down the rest of my hair.

*Saturate the ends with moisture and conditioner
Pay the most attention to your ends while conditioning and moisturizing.

*Invest in good products
Each individual head of hair is different, but this post may be a place to start in terms of what sealants, moisturizers, and conditioners to try.

*Eat foods containing omega-3 and vitamin A
Few people realize that foods, such as salmon, cantaloupe, and flaxseeds contribute to sebum production. For the omega-3 post, click here. For the vitamin A post, click here.

*Airdry the hair in a protective style
Protective styling isn't reserved for the protection of the ends. It has the added benefit, in my case, of helping my ends absorb and retain moisture post a washing session.

*Sleep with a silk scarf/pillowcase
The same added benefit applies here too.

How do you stop dry ends (due to porosity)?

I believe that another major contributor to dry ends in black hair is high porosity. What causes high porosity? Well, a number of things including gradual wear and tear of the hair. I really encourage anyone who believes they might have this issue to read this extremely informative article: Part 1 . For solutions to the porosity issues, do check out Part 2 as well: Part 2 .


SOURCES & MORE READS:
SEBUM
SEBUM & TEXTURED HAIR 1
SEBUM & TEXTURED HAIR 2: Randy Schueller, Perry Romanowski. "Conditioning agents for hair and skin".
SEALING (OILS & MOISTURE RETENTION)

Healthy Hair on the Web: Omolade (Texlaxed/Relaxed)

Today's healthy head of hair belongs to Omolade.  Isn't just beautiful!  If you are texlaxed/relaxed and want proof that type 4 hair can grow long and thick, here it is!  Omolade relaxes her tresses about twice a year and lives in protective styles (mostly updos, buns, and wigs).  You can read more about her routine on her blog: http://www.rehairducation.com.