Hair If You Care

Henna vs. Hair Dyes

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 22:19:00 +0000

Henna and hair dyes, both are used to color hair to make it look pretty. Let’s compare both the products to see advantages and disadvantages in using them.

Note:

Please note that this is just a comparison between both henna and hair dye. I am not giving any advice on a particular product. This is just an attempt to help choose the good one for hair. And this is just my opinion regarding both henna and hair dyes.

	HENNA	HAIR DYES
Advantages	Uses all natural ingredients that go easy on the hair. Keeps hair shiny, healthy and soft. Keeps hair away from split ends. Doesn’t cause any side effects or harm to the hair. Strengthens the hair. This is plant-based so doesn’t ruin the hair cuticle. Makes hair look pretty!	Easy to prepare with less work. Instant Results. Hair gets desired color immediately after applying. Comes in different shades of color to choose from. Makes hair look pretty!
Disadvantages	Need to prepare a day ahead. Involves some work. Need to apply repeatedly (almost every 15 days) for best results. Gives only a single shade of color.	Uses chemicals as ingredients that might cause some skin irritations, hair loss, burning, swelling of the scalp, itchiness etc. The hair may become dry, form split ends, and begin to break. Some studies show that certain permanent hair dyes might cause cancer in women. Little expensive compared to Henna.

If you choose Henna to dye your hair, here is how to prepare henna at home. Click the link below:

Henna Preparation

Head Lice and Prevention/Cure

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Head lice are common problem among kids especially between the ages 3-12 yrs. Lice are not so dangerous but they might cause irritation and itchiness on the head. And they are contagious too!

Picture Courtesy: Medline Plus

What is a Louse?

A Louse (Lice in plural) is a small flightless parasitic insect which lives on the bodies of humans and other mammals and infests human skin and hair.

The louse's body is flattened. The eggs, or nits, are cemented to the hair or plumage of the host, and most species spend their entire lives on the bodies of host animals. Heavy infestations cause much irritation and may lead to secondary infections. In moving from host to host, lice may spread many diseases, including tapeworm infestation in dogs and murine typhus in rats.

How can we find out lice on a person’s head?

Even though lice are very small, they can be easily seen by the naked eye. We can feel them by:

Ticklish feeling on the head/hair
Feeling like itching frequently
Sores we get by scratching often

How do we get them?

Head lice are easily spreadable from one person to another. Especially when we come in contact with any infested person or use the same clothing or bed or even using the same hair brush, lice are easily transferred from that person’s head to ours. These head lice can easily be seen among school children.

Head lice mostly infect our hair. They lay tiny eggs on the hair that look like flakes of dandruff. But they don’t fall away from the scalp like dandruff and stay put.

Their lifetime is 30 days on a human being, but the eggs live for more than 2 weeks.

How to prevent them?

Make sure not to use the same hair brushes or combs, bedding, towels or clothes that a person who has head lice used.

Avoid direct contact with persons who are infested with head lice.

Parents and schools should be educated about the head lice. We should keep in mind that having head lice has nothing to do with social status or personal hygiene. It’s so common in people, especially in children.

What’s the cure?

Getting rid of head lice requires treating the individual, the family, and the household.

Treat the individual and the family -- This requires using an over-the-counter or prescription lice- killing medicine. Treat only persons who are infested. Remember that all lice-killing products are pesticides. Follow these treatment steps:

Remove all clothing.
Apply lice-killing medicine, also called pediculicide [peh-DICK-you-luh-side], according to label instructions. If the affected person has extra-long hair, you may need to use a second bottle.
WARNING: Do not use a creme rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice-killing medicine. Do not re-wash hair for 1-2 days after treatment.
Have the affected person put on clean clothing after treatment.
If some live lice are still found but are moving more slowly than before treatment, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair. The medicine sometimes takes longer than the time recommended on the package to kill the lice.
After treatment, if no dead lice are found and lice seem as active as before, the medicine may not be working. See your health-care provider for a different medicine. Follow treatment instructions.
Remove nits and lice from the hair shaft using a nit comb, often found in lice-killing medicine packages. Flea combs used for cats and dogs can also be used.
After treatment, check, comb, and remove nits and lice from the hair every 2-3 days.
Re-treat in 7-10 days.
Check all treated persons for 2-3 weeks until you are sure all lice and nits are gone.

Treat the household:

To kill lice and nits, machine wash all washable clothing and bed linens that the infested person touched during the 2 days before they were diagnosed. Wash clothes and linens in the HOT water cycle (130 F). Dry items on the hot cycle for at least 20 minutes.
Dry clean clothing that is not washable (coats, hats, scarves, etc.). OR
Seal all non-washable items (clothing, stuffed animals, comforters, etc.) in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
Soak combs and brushes for 1 hour in rubbing alcohol or Lysol, or wash with soap and hot water.
Vacuum the floor and furniture. Do not use lice sprays; they can be toxic if inhaled.

Cautions:

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use head-lice medications.
Consult a health-care provider before using lice-killing products on a person who has allergies, asthma, or other medical conditions.
Do not use extra amounts of lice-killing medicines.
Do not use lice-killing medicines on the eyebrows or eyelashes.

Source: http://www.dhpe.org/infect/lice.html

Make Money with ExpoTV by Product Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 00:43:00 +0000

Would you like to make money just by sharing your opinion about products like shampoos, soaps, hair oils, electronics etc? Alright, I would like take you to this wonderful place where you can share your opinions about any product by making simple videos. Believe me, it will be so fun and worthy of your time.

I am talking about ExpoTV, a community of consumers who share their unbiased opinion about products – all on video! There are thousands of creators already taking part, and almost 300,000 video reviews at expotv.com. And the good thing is you can earn up to $20 for reviews or win great prizes if you submit your videos to Expo.

Just share your personal opinion and demonstrate how you use the product! Real, honest consumer opinions are what ExpoTV is all about. You can make money by simply making video reviews of hair products (or just about anything else!).

So what are you waiting for? Start uploading your reviews and make some money!

Hair Shampooing Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:43:00 +0000

What is a Shampoo?

Am I kidding? I know this is a silly question, but there is nothing wrong in educating ourselves with the simple meaning of the shampoo, right?

Shampoo is nothing but a hair care product used to clean the scalp/hair to remove oils, dirt and environmental pollutants that build up in hair.

How to Shampoo Properly?

Here are some simple tips that I have learned!

Keep in mind that while shampooing water should be neither too cold nor too hot.
Before applying shampoo, thoroughly wet hair using warm water.
Pour a little amount of shampoo on palm and rub hands to evenly distribute.
Then apply it to scalp with fingers and gently massage and allow suds to be distributed throughout the hair.
Then work out your way to the ends and later rinse the hair with plenty of water.
After rinsing, gently dry the hair with a towel.
Try to avoid using a blow dryer to dry wet hair unless you’re in a hurry.

And here are some more useful tips I have collected from different hair sites:

The right way to condition:After rinsing shampoo, apply some conditioner in one hand and rub palms together to evenly distribute. Apply conditioner from the middle of the hair shaft down to ends; do not massage conditioner onto scalp unless scalp is dry. Comb through hair to distribute product evenly. Leave conditioner on hair long to help smooth the cuticle—it only takes a few seconds. Rinse thoroughly - It’s important to rinse shampoo and conditioner from your scalp. Stand under the shower and gently lift hair to permit the water to reach the scalp. Hair will be thoroughly rinsed when it feels consistently clean as you run your fingers from scalp to ends. Some people believe a cold water rinse is best. (http://www.salonweb.com/pro/shampoo.htm)

Shampooing the hair properly too is a technique, which has to be done properly. If you don't use the right shampoo on your hair or you don't wash it properly, you can damage your hair. If shampoo is not applied and washed thoroughly its particles remains in the head and on hair, which can cause roughness, itching and dandruff in the hair. One should shampoo the hair very carefully with washing the hair off with sufficient amount of water. For kids you should use mild shampoo and do not let them wash their head with shampoo till they are big enough to learn it properly. (http://www.beautytips.ayurvediccure.com/hair-care/how-to-shampoo-hair.htm)

The scalp should be treated as gently as possible and a mild shampoo should always be used. You may need to experiment with various shampoos until you find the one that suits you best. And it is a good idea to change your shampoo occasionally; your hair and scalp get used to its action, and after a time it may not work as well as it once did. (http://www.time4tips.com/beauty/hair-care/hair_shampooing.htm)

The frequency of shampooing and conditioning again depends on your hair type.

Oily hair can be washed everyday without harm.
It is good to wash normal hair everyday if you have an active lifestyle of swimming, sports, or exercising. If not, then once or twice a week is best.
Combination hair (hair that is oily toward the scalp but dry along the outer length) should be washed daily along the scalp area but less frequently along the lengths. Condition the dry lengths each time you wash, but avoid conditioning the scalp area.
Curly hair should be washed every other day so as not to disturb curls and prevent it from becoming fluffy. Curliness tends to prevent our scalp's naturally protective sebum from traveling the length of the hair shafts, which can lead to dryness.
Dry, damaged, and colored hair should be washed every few days to prevent further damage from chemical overload and because of the weakness of the hair when it is wet. (http://www.howtodothings.com/fashion-and-personal-care/a3904-how-to-shampoo-and-condition-your-hair.html)

Last but not the least, here is a video showing how to shampoo properly:

Video Source: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-shampoo-your-hair

Hope this is some useful information for most of us! Catch you all in my next post!

Thyroid Disease and Hair Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:12:00 +0000

Does Thyroid disease affect hair?

Before I write something about the topic, let me explain what thyroid disease is.

Thyroid is nothing but a gland which produces and stores the hormones that help in regulating the heart rate, blood pressure, the metabolism rate and also the body temperature. These hormones play an important role in the growth and development of children.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland located in the lower part of the neck.

Picture courtesy: ABC Health & Well Being

When this gland doesn’t produce the required amount of hormones that are needed by the body, thyroid disease occurs.

If the thyroid gland releases too many hormones into the bloodstream it is considered as overactive and it results in hyperthyroidism.
If it releases very little amount of hormones, it is considered as underactive and it results in hypothyroidism.

These thyroid diseases can be treated with hormone replacement pills that can restore normal levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. But it requires doctor visits once or twice a year for examination and blood tests as needed.

So how this affects hair?

Having talked about the thyroid gland and thyroid disease now let me talk about its effects on the hair health.

Like I wrote before, hair needs proper diet and nutrition, but there are so many other things that affect hair loss. Hormonal changes, some medicines, a surgery and many medical conditions also affect hair loss. Thyroid disease is one of those.

The overproduction and the underproduction of thyroid hormones cause rapid hair loss. This is the main symptom of thyroid disease that can be easily identified. Due to this hair loss, thinning of hair occurs.

So, if anybody has severe hair loss without any reason, and suspect that they might have a thyroid disease should consult a physician immediately and seek advice. If the thyroid disease is treated properly with regular doses of thyroid hormones, hair loss can become less.

There are many other reasons like hormonal changes/ dietary habits/ mental and physical stress that affect hair loss. But, there is a pretty connection between hair loss and thyroid problems.

It can be rectified if proper medication is taken under a physician’s guidance. Please keep in mind that, THYROID DISEASE IS NOT DANGEROUS and CAN BE TREATED EASILY. It’s a common disease in many people and I read somewhere that it is hereditary.

On a Happy Note:

Recently, I came to know that certain yoga postures can cure thyroid disease permanently by balancing the thyroid hormones. Check out the following links for more information on yoga for thyroid disease.

Coconut Oil for Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:36:00 +0000

What is Coconut Oil?

It’s nothing but the oil derived by pressing the coconut meat or copra.

How is it useful for hair?

Coconut Oil works as a wonderful conditioner for hair. It makes the hair soft and conditions the scalp. It’s even useful in getting rid of dandruff better than a medicated shampoo, when used as a pre-wash conditioner.
Coconut oil makes the hair shiny and helps in the healthy growth of hair. This gives the best natural nutrition for hair. Regular massage of the scalp with coconut oil helps in getting rid of dandruff, lice, dryness etc.
Apply coconut oil to your scalp to get protection from the harmful and drying effects of the ultra violet rays, when going out in the hot sun.
Coconut oil, for its benefits to the hair, has been used for thousands of years by the people around the world. Hair remains soft and shiny if a small amount of coconut oil is applied on a regular basis.
Coconut oil quickly gets absorbed into the hair shaft to replace the missing natural oils.

How to apply Coconut Oil for Hair?

I read a lot about applying coconut oil to wet hair, where it works the best. It was suggested to apply the oil right after getting out of the shower and when the hair is not that dripping, just damp.
But the method that works for me the best, is applying warm coconut oil an hour before taking a shower and washing it off with a good shampoo. My hair becomes so shiny after that. You can try whatever method suits you.
And I apply oil once in three days to keep it soft and shiny. With that my hair falling has also reduced to a considerable extent.
Run your fingers through the hair evenly and rub coconut oil into the hair. You may want to use a comb to distribute the oil thorough the hair, which is also fine.

What are the other uses of Coconut Oil?

Mix coconut oil and lemon juice in 2:1 ratio and massage into the roots of the hair to get rid of dandruff.
When freshly grated coconut meal is applied to hair and washed after some time, it works as a conditioner for the hair.
When a mixture of coconut oil and almond oil (a little bit) is applied to the hair and massaged into the scalp gently for at least 10 to 15 minutes every day, it cools down the scalp and gives shininess to the hair.

Indian Gooseberry Powder (Amla) for Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:21:00 +0000

We all know that gooseberry is an edible fruit that can be eaten just like that or in a cooked form or even as a pickle. But the amazing fact is that it is very good for hair too! For hair, gooseberry is used mostly in powder form which is available in ethnic stores. The main advantages of applying gooseberry powder to hair are, preventing graying of hair and causing a cooling effect for hair. The gooseberries are like a tonic for hair that enriches hair growth and pigmentation.

I have collected a lot of information from the World Wide Web regarding the uses and usage of Indian Gooseberry Powder for the well being of hair. Hope this will be useful to many (including me)!

The Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis) is a deciduous tree of the Euphorbiaceae family. It is known for its edible fruit of the same name.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_gooseberry

Indian gooseberry is an accepted hair tonic in traditional recipes for enriching hair growth and pigmentation. The fruit, cut into pieces is dried preferably in the shade. These pieces are boiled in coconut oil till the solid matter becomes charres. This darkish oil is excellent in preventing graying .The water is which dried Amla pieces are soaked overnight is also nourishing to hair and can be used for the last rinse while washing the hair. Indian gooseberry is used in various ways. The best way to take it with the least loss vitamin C, is to eat it raw with a little salt. It is often used in the form of pickles and it is dried and powdered. The berry may also be used as a vegetable. It is boiled in a small amount of water till soft and taken with a little salt.

Source:
http://www.allayurveda.com/herb_month_march2007.htm

The use of Indian gooseberry is the foremost among the home remedies found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair. This is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation. Massaging the scalp every night with a teaspoonful of amla juice, mixed with a teaspoon of almond oil and a few drops of lime juice, also proves beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair.

Source:
http://www.shvoong.com/medicine-and-health/1728735-premature-graying-hair-treatment-using/

A most celebrated hair conditioner, a quarter kilo of amla fruits are boiled in a kilo of coconut oil and stored to make an effective preventive for balding and greying of hair.

Source:http://www.home-remedies.info/herbal-medicines/gooseberry.htm

Gooseberries are one of the most favored fruits for hair maintenance in the East, especially Indian homes. Its extract is great for cleansing and condition hair while roasted; it has the capacity to darken hair. Try mixing ground, dried gooseberries with lemon juice and applying on graying hair. Gradually, graying will stop and the hair will be much healthier than before.

Source: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/11-3-2004-61148.asp

Hope this information about gooseberries and their importance for hair's good health is helpful. Catch you in next post with another topic related to hair. Have a good day!

Want to grow a long hair?

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:14:00 +0000

Growing a healthy, long hair is not that difficult. You don’t need expensive hair products or vitamins for that process. All you need is: dedication, and a lot of patience.

If you are experiencing hair loss, extreme dryness or any sudden change in your hair's condition, it may be due to a medical condition. You better take the advice of a qualified medical practitioner.

Here are some useful tips:

Trim your hair often. It would be better if you trim it a half-inch every three or four months.
Check for the split ends frequently, as they tend to interrupt the hair growth. Cut the split ends off, whenever you find one. That’s the only best way to stop them.
Avoid chlorine and saltwater. If you swim very often, use a good bathing cap to protect the hair.
If you are exposed to the sun for a long time, use a conditioner that provides SPF protection against the sun's rays, or cover your hair with a hat or scarf.
Be careful when using rubber bands, as they will tear your hair when you try to remove them.
If you wear a braid or a ponytail to create your hairstyle, make sure it isn't pulled tight. If it were tight it would put stress on the roots of your hair.
As I previously wrote use proper nutrition, if you want a healthy hair.
Be gentle with your hair when it is wet. NEVER brush your hair when it's wet, this is when your hair is at its most delicate.
Comb your hair before shampooing. If the hair were free of tangles, the hair falling during shampooing would stop to a certain extent.
Never wash your hair with very hot water, as it would break the hair follicles. Rinse your hair in as cold water as you can stand. This will make the cuticle lay flat and stop the hair breakage and makes the hair very shiny that's easier to comb wet.
The last tip is: Do not wash the hair too frequently! Yes, you heard it correctly! Letting hair get dirty occasionally helps spread natural oils through to the ends that makes the hair grow longer.

Above all, the main key in growing the long hair is to have patience. The hair doesn’t grow long overnight. If you keep on caring the hair with delicate touch and nutrition, you will be able to grow long hair.

Loose that Hair Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Hair loss is a common condition among both men and women. There are many causes of hair loss in men and women, including disease, nutritional deficiency, hormone imbalance, and stress.

A number of things can cause excessive hair loss.

Due to a major surgery but it is temporary
Due to hormonal problems - If the thyroid gland is overactive or under active, the hair may fall out
Due to pregnancy – this is temporary too
Use of some medicines
Due to certain infections such as fungal infections
Due to some diseases like diabetes

Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.

To prevent against hair loss:

Take proper nutrition. Lack of vitamins, minerals and protein can cause hair loss.
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables and consume a balanced diet on a daily basis to prevent premature hair loss.
Deal with stresses in your life. Stressful situations can cause hair loss.
Hairstyles such as ponytails, braids and artificial hairstyles can cause baldness by the constant pulling and tugging of your hair follicles. Look for more relaxed styles when possible.
Use perms and other chemicals less frequently as they can cause breakage and permanent damage.
Before taking any new medications read the various side effects associated with it.

There are a variety of hair loss prevention products on the market. Consult your physician before selecting a product.

Henna

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 07:44:00 +0000

Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a flowering plant. Henna is a tall shrub or small tree. It produces a red-orange dye molecule called lawsone. This has been used to dye skin, hair, fingernails, leather, silk and wool.

In India, henna is used as fresh leaves rather than as dried powder. It’s used in various festivals and celebrations by women and children to make desingns on their hands. It is left on overnight. When it gets dried it leaves a bright red or reddish brown design on the hands, which makes the hands appear beautiful.

Henna has many traditional and commercial uses, the most common being as a dye for hair, skin and fingernails.

Henna has been followed for centuries as the herbal treatment for the hair. It is also useful to control falling hair and dandruff. It promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss. It also conditions the hair. It has a cooling effect on the scalp.

Prepare henna in the following procedure, apply it on the hair, leave it for 1 hour and then wash it off. It not only cools the scalp but also gives good color to the hair.

Things needed for henna paste:
1 cup henna powder (available in any ethnic store)
1 tsp gooseberry powder (it gives nice black shade)
1 tsp black coffee or
1 tsp black tea
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup curd
10 drops oil

Henna Powder

Preparation:

Mix all of the above items together and leave it for 12 hours. Then apply the paste on the hair. One egg yolk also can be added at the end to make the hair smooth and silky. Leave it on the hair for an hour. Later wash the hair well with a good shampoo and dry it. This definitely gives a good feeling for the hair. As some drops of oil are added while making the paste, it makes even the dry hair smooth and silky.

Henna Paste

Mend those Split Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:51:00 +0000

The ends of hair that have split into strands are called Split Ends.

The causes for split ends are:

The natural protective oils of the scalp fail to reach the ends of the hair, as it grows. The reason for this is getting too much exposure to the sun, going through too many shampoos, use of hair dryers and hot irons. The hair gets brittle at the end due to dryness and gives way to split.

Split ends are most often seen in long hair but also occur in short hair that is not in good condition. This can be a problem for anyone trying to grow his or her hair.

The Solution:

The split ends have no permanent cure. The best cure for the split ends is to cut them off. The hair should be trimmed frequently to avoid the split ends. The split ends grows faster than the hair. If they were not treated in time they would spoil the health of the hair.

Exposure to excess heat and too much brushing and combing should be avoided.

If you want to grew your hair long don’t ignore the split ends, because, as they split they also break away making your hair get shorter every time you brush it!

Shake off Dandruff

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:50:00 +0000

Dandruff is the common cosmetic concern for many people.

What is Dandruff?

Dandruff is the scaly scurf that forms on the scalp of a person. It is a natural and harmless scalp condition in which the shedding of dead skin cells occurs at an unusually fast rate.

Even though it is not considered to be a disease, it does cause some irritation and embarrassment to the people suffering from it. It even makes the head itchy.

The possible reasons for this are:

1. Oily scalp
2. Stress
3. Nutritional deficiencies
4. Use of certain hair sprays or gels
5. Food allergies
6. Cold weather.

Home remedies to consider:

Rub the juice of a lemon or Yogurt well into the scalp, leave it for some time and wash it off.

Always try to use clean combs or hairbrushes.

Hair Care

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:52:00 +0000

Keeping the hair healthy and beautiful, needs good care. I would like to share some tips that really worked for me.

Apply warm oil to the hair once a week and massage it into the scalp and take a shower after one hour. Massaging helps in good blood circulation.

Never use blow dryers to dry the hair. Let it dry natuarlly by wrapping a towel around the hair.

Instead of coloring the hair with artificial dyes, use the natural henna which also helps in making the hair stronger.

Never brush your hair when wet. The hair is more vulnerable when wet and tend to fall off easily.

Eat a balanced diet. Include a lot of vegetables in your food, especially greens.

Find some good websites that give information on the hair care in the links section.

About Hair If You Care

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:30:00 +0000

A lustrous and healthy hair makes a person look beautiful. If we want to keep our hair healthy and beautiful, we have to take well care of it. There are so many factors that affect the hair in a bad way. Dandruff, head lice, and split ends fall into that category. Of course, the weather conditions or medical conditions also harm the health of the hair. But, if we take some precautions or make use of some remedies, we can prevent the bad state of the hair. I made a little attempt to bundle up all the information that I have known and that I have collected on the web at one place. As a result, this web site has emerged.

Links

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:22:00 +0000

All Topics

noreply@blogger.com (Uma) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:43:00 +0000