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Hair Loss News Archives
August 2010
Hair Care Products Can Deliver The Goods For Thinning And Textured Hair
Does Your Hair Need A Little TLC
Aug 2010
Hair is considered a woman's "crowning glory," but women with thinning hair and those with curly, textured hair may face considerable challenges in keeping their hair looking its best.
Fortunately, there are many different hair care products, or hair
cosmetics, that can help conceal thinning hair and also keep
textured hair in check.
At the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting 2010
in Chicago, dermatologist Victoria Barbosa, MD, FAAD, assistant
professor of dermatology at Rush University Medical Center in
Chicago, discussed how certain hair cosmetics can improve the
appearance of thinning and textured hair.
"Today, hair cosmetics are tailored for use with a variety of hair
types, making it easy for consumers to select the most appropriate
products," said Dr. Barbosa. "So whether your hair is thinning or
thick and curly, there are many products that can address your
individual hair care needs."
The Skinny on Making Thinning Hair Look Fuller
For women with thinning hair who do not want to resort to medical or
surgical treatments, Dr. Barbosa offered several tips for selecting
products that can make thinning hair look thicker.
A hair cosmetic designed primarily to conceal the scalp in women
with hair loss is a pressed powder available in small plastic pots
that are applied with a device similar to an eye shadow applicator.
The pressed powder is rubbed on the applicator and then applied
directly to the scalp to conceal areas of thinning hair. These
pressed powders are available in several different shades to closely
match the surrounding hair.
Dr. Barbosa noted that these pressed powders can be used in
conjunction with keratin fiber hair cosmetics for women with more
moderate hair loss. These fiber hair cosmetics use statically
charged fibers that can be sprinkled over the hair to thicken its
appearance. Most of these types of hair cosmetics come in five to 10
different shades to match hair color and will stay on the hair until
it is shampooed.
"For women with mild to moderate hair loss, fiber hair cosmetics are
a safe and effective quick fix for adding volume to areas of
thinning hair," said Dr. Barbosa. "Even though the results are
temporary, these products can help women feel less self-conscious
about their hair loss."
When choosing products to clean the hair, Dr. Barbosa recommended
that women with thinning hair should avoid shampoos labeled as
conditioning shampoo, as they contain heavier conditioners that can
weigh down the hair and make it look limper. Instead, volumizing
shampoos are good choices because they tend to contain ingredients
like protein that coat the hair and make it appear fuller.
Since hair is most prone to breakage when it is wet, conditioners
play an important role in prepping hair for combing and styling with
heat products. Dr. Barbosa noted that most people can benefit from
some type of conditioner, but the key is finding the right one for
each hair type. For example, some conditioners are marketed for
"fine hair," which contain lighter formulas for thin hair. Women
with thin hair also should apply conditioner primarily to the ends
of the hair rather than the scalp and avoid conditioners labeled
"intensive conditioners," as they also will be too heavy for thin
hair.
"Finding the best shampoo and conditioner for thin hair is really a
matter of trial and error, as there is not one single ingredient to
look for and many different formulas are available," said Dr.
Barbosa. "But shampoos and conditioners are important in keeping
hair clean and manageable, so it is worth the investment to find
ones that work best on your hair."
Highly Textured Hair Can Benefit from Niche Products
According to Dr. Barbosa, women with highly textured, curly hair,
fall into two groups one group of women opt to make their hair more
manageable by using relaxers for straight hair styles; the other
group prefers more natural hairstyles. For each group, Dr. Barbosa
offered tips on selecting the right hair cosmetics to keep textured
hair healthy and looking its best.
Hair relaxers work by rearranging the structure of curly hair to
make hair straight and give women with textured hair more styling
options. Since by its nature textured hair is more fragile than
naturally straight hair, it is more prone to damage from styling
products and heat.
"Women who want straight hairstyles can use relaxers, but they have
to be careful and recognize that relaxers make curly hair more
fragile," said Dr. Barbosa. "In this instance, the key is
conditioning the hair with conditioning shampoos along with
intensive conditioners."
Another important tip for women who use relaxers is to minimize the
application of direct heat to the hair. Dr. Barbosa recommended
drying hair under a cap or hood dryer rather than with a hand-held
hairdryer and to use rollers rather than curling irons or flat irons
to avoid subjecting the hair to direct heat. In addition, she
cautioned that flat irons should never be used on damp hair, as this
could cause hair to "bubble" and eventually break from heat damage.
In addition, there also are an increased number of products geared
toward natural hairstyles for women with curly hair. Since the hair
is kept naturally curly, hair care products need to address the
manageability issues of this hair type. For example, Dr. Barbosa
recommended that women who opt for naturally curly hairstyles use
heavier styling products that decrease frizz while maintaining
curls.
"Over the years, natural hairstyles for women of different
ethnicities have become more culturally and socially accepted,
giving way to a new group of silicone- and glycerin-based products
that help define and refine hair texture, add moisture to the hair
and reduce frizz," said Dr. Barbosa. "In a sense, we want to
organize the curls with these styling products, which also will make
hair more manageable and less prone to breakage."
Regardless of how they style their hair, women with textured hair
should only wash their hair once a week on average, since this type
of hair is more fragile and more prone to damage when it is wet.
Conditioning is an integral part of maintaining healthy, textured
hair, and Dr. Barbosa added that "leave-in" conditioners or lighter
conditioners that can be sprayed on the hair are good choices to use
on the hair every day.
"Today, women with all different hair
types have more styling options than ever thanks to the introduction
of new hair cosmetics formulated for specific hair types and
concerns," said Dr. Barbosa. "Dermatologists can help consumers
select the best products for their individual hair care needs and
minimize hair damage along the way."
Source: American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
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