Hair Care Myths that can be Contributing to Your Hair Loss

We’re sure you might know a lot about your hair and how to care for it but is every tip you’ve picked up along the way true? There are a ton of false hair care tips out there that men and women have believed for years to be true. Your “popular” hair care routine can be doing more harm to your hair than good. We can pretty much agree everyone wants full, healthy hair so it’s important to know what is right and wrong for your locks.

1.Your hair is self-cleaning

This is certainly not true! Your hair and scalp will only become dirtier if you don’t wash it. Excessive sebum and dirt build-up clogs hair follicles, slowing hair growth, and can increase breakage and hair loss. However, the frequency with which you wash your hair depends on your hair type and how oily your scalp is. Switch to an every-other-day or every-third day shampoo, if you can.  If you work out or sweat a simple rinse is effective.” For maximum effect try HairStart® DexPan™ Scalp Preparation. It revitalizes your scalp by making it clean and removing excessive sebum oils and debris that can block the follicle, restricting new fragile hair from coming through the scalp.

2.  Dry shampoo is better than regular shampoo

It’s okay to use dry shampoo but it doesn’t actually clean your hair. New York City dermatologist Francesca J. Fusco, who consults for Unilever, notes that the scalp needs to be hydrated and washed with shampoo. “It is fine to use dry shampoo in a pinch, but nothing replaces… water and wet shampoo.” When shampooing, make sure to gently massage the scalp and not just focus on your hair. You’ll know when you scalp and hair is clean, when you produce large, foamy bubbles. Use shampoos that are sulfate-free and that have ingredients designed to clean your scalp, like tea tree oil.  Shampoos like HairStart® Gentle Cleanse™ are free of sodium laurel sulfates and DEA, two harsh ingredients found in almost all commercially available shampoos.

3.  Fine hair shouldn’t be conditioned

Many believe conditioners weigh down fine or thin hair and often forgo this vital step. All hair types need conditioner that moisturizes the hair and scalp. Conditioner, like HairStart® Condition25™, provides your hair with essential vitamins and minerals for fuller and healthy-looking hair. A properly moisturized hair and scalp gives hair a beautiful shine and increases elasticity. It’s also especially important for detangling and preventing split ends. To prevent thin hair from getting weighed down put conditioner on the ends of your hair strands and use a lighter leave-in conditioner such NEA Silkening Conditioning Mist.

4.  Cutting your hair makes it grow faster

Your hair goes through a cycle of phases. The speed of your hair growth depends on the time your hair follicles spends in the anagen phase (growth phase) or telogen (resting) phase. “Cutting the hair shaft itself has nothing to do with the hair follicle that is located within the skin or the dermis,” says hair surgeon Ken L. Williams Jr. However, regularly trimming your ends can get rid of split ends and can help make your hair appear longer. Celebrity hairstylist Paloma Rose Garcia suggests trimming your hair every 3 months at a minimum. In between trim appointments use NEA Frizz Control and Gloss to tame split and frizzy ends and protect against heat damage.

5.  2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner is just as effective as 2 separate bottles

While it may seem like a great time saver this works for very few hair types. Shampoo and conditioner serve two different and specific purposes. Shampoo cleans dirt and excess build-up out of your scalp, while conditioner helps retain moisture and shine caused by the good naturally occurring oils produced in your hair strands. “When they are done at the same time, it strips away the shine and healthy look that you get when done separately," says Temur from Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger. However, don’t get 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioners confused with moisturizing shampoos. When followed by a creamy conditioner, moisturizing shampoos are great for thick coarse hair. Fine, thin hair needs a good scalp cleansing shampoo followed by a light weight conditioner. Applying a normal multi-step hair care regimen can save you time in the long run from having to hide thinning or unhealthy hair.

To find your healthy hair care routine and solve your hair loss come to New England Associates®! Schedule your FREE microscopic hair and scalp evaluation with us today or find more information on our website.

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Since 1982 New England Associates^® has known hair loss is as individual as you are. New England Associates^® offers all of the procedures that work to repair, replace, restore, and grow hair. We are members of the American Hair Loss Council and the Better Business Bureau. Locations include Wakefield, MA and Manchester, NH. Our hair restoration options include hair and scalp treatments, non-medical hair replacement, laser hair therapy treatments, hair transplants, and shampoos and vitamins for fine and thinning hair.

https://www.womenshealth.com.au/hair-care-myths

https://www.gq.com/story/how-often-should-you-shampoo

https://www.allure.com/story/hair-myths-busted

https://www.bustle.com/articles/200441-does-2-in-1-shampoo-conditioner-actually-work-an-expert-weighs-in

https://splinternews.com/shampoo-and-conditioner-in-one-real-or-scam-1825422097

Discover the Best Hair Care Routine for Your Hair

The key to maintaining healthy hair is to adopt a hair care regimen customized to your specific hair care needs early on. Last month we talked about the three main categories hair falls into and how to identify your specific hair type. If you haven’t identified your hair type within each category check out our last blog http://hairstart.blogspot.com/2018/08/get-best-care-for-your-hair.html then circle back here. Knowing your hair type within each key factor not only gives you insight on styling techniques but also provides information on which products are best suited for your hair’s needs. Here are some ideas on how to custom-tailor your hair care routine and maintain your hair’s health.

Managing Texture:

Thick hair can be a bit difficult to manage while thin hair never seems to hold any desired styles and is more prone to damage from over-processing. Washing thick hair less often is better since it tends to be drier and benefits from buildup of natural oils. However on wash days, when it comes to detangling thick hair find a good detangling brush and spray a small amount of hairspray on it. Starting from the ends slowly work your way up to the root, using short downward strokes, to avoid pulling out mounds of hair. Hairstylist Mia Santiago of Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger suggests avoiding products with “volume” on the bottle instead opting for “highly concentrated products” so you’re not using gallons of conditioner just to cover all of your hair. When it comes to fine hair less is more when it comes to chemical treatments and styling mousses and gels. Wash fine hair often to prevent stringy, greasy hair and avoid putting conditioner directly on your roots for more volume. To protect fine hair from over processing and damage lessen the amount of time color and chemical treatments sit in your hair and let your hair air dry as much as possible. If you are blow-drying or styling with a curling iron use low heat and always apply a heat protection sealant beforehand.

Controlling Hair Porosity:

The porosity level of your hair is a factor of genetics but is changed by environment and frequency of styling. Lauren Cash from Madison Reed says, “Ideally, you don’t want high porous hair (damaged) or low porous hair (resistant to absorbing moisture well), you’re aiming for the healthy average.” If you have high-level porosity or damaged hair use hair care products infused with keratin, argon oil, and ginseng root extract to repair damage, strengthen your hair, and seal in moisture. Depending on the level of hair damage weekly or monthly hair masks and protein treatments are great for filling gaps and tears in your hair. Reinforce with hair styling products that use sulfate-free formulas and will protect from environmental stressors. To increase moisture retention on low porosity hair use products containing more alkaline ingredients that will help lift your cuticles. Shampooing with warm water and steaming your hair also opens up cuticles and helps moisture get to your hair when it comes to applying conditioners. Afterwards, lightly rinse conditioner out with cool water and style on damp hair. Lock in moisture with light oils and butters such as castor oil, olive oil, and shea butter but avoid using too much to prevent excessive product build up.

Maintaining Elasticity:

To maintain hair elasticity avoid frequent heat styling and lengthen the time between chemical treatments and coloring. To restore elasticity use shampoos and conditioners packed with protein and let your hair air dry often. Once a week use a deep conditioning mask or reconstructive treatment with keratin or vegetable protein and leave it in your hair for 30 minutes to an hour before rinsing. This will prevent breakage and restore elasticity by maintaining a healthy balance of strength and moisture.

Our HairStart® products are fit for every hair type and provide essential nutrients and moisture to repair damaged and thinning hair or strengthen already healthy hair. Visit our website to learn more about our hair restoration products and services. If you’re suffering from any type of hair loss we can help! Call 1-866-424-7782 to schedule your free consultation today.

New England Associates® has been helping people look their best since 1982. Utilizing the latest advancements, we’re able to repair, replace and restore lost hair. To find the right program for your specific hair loss, we provide several surgical and non-surgical options, as well as laser hair therapy. For a FREE microscopic hair and scalp exam call 1-866-HairStart (1-866-424-7782) today! For more information about NEA and our treatment programs visit our website and download our FREE “Look As Good As You Feel!”™ information kit or have it sent to your home. We’re “Your First Step to a Better Looking Future!”™ don’t wait contact us today!

Links:

https://www.madison-reed.com/blog/my-hair-type

http://stylevitae.com/8-natural-products-that-improve-curly-hair-elasticity/