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SPECIALLY FOR YOU - Hair Care
'S'PECIALLY FOR YOU HAIR SALON located at 5802 F.M. 1765 in Texas City, Texas is a family owned, christian based hair salon. San Marshall has over 27 years of of advanced studies in hair care and professional treatment of problem hair and scalp conditions. Owner, San Marshall has been a certitified Trichologist for over 15 years. Trichology is the science and study of scalp and hair disorders and the treatment of all types of hair-loss. This includes:
*scaling
*dandruff
*psoriasis
*dermatitis
*baldness (female & male pattern hairloss)
*alopecia
and any abnormal conditions of the scalp and hair.
At SFY, we promote healthy hair growth in "a most relaxing atmosphere!"
HAIR CARE
Shampoos of higher pH (more alkaline) work better to clean the hair and scalp but more alkaline shampoos strip away too many natural scalp oils and extract the "glues" that help hold the hair shafts together. Experts say that these high pH alkaline shampoos make your hair look great for a few weeks but then cause the hair to become dry and brittle which and increases breakage of your hair. Also, avoid baby shampoos which are formulated for gentleness if they get in to the eyes but dry out the hair.
Be careful of "clarifying shampoos". They are rather harsh and intended to remove materials that build up on hair such as mousses and sprays but they also can remove color and perms. Some hair experts recommend avoiding such shampoos and instead just mix, in your hand, plain baking soda from your kitchen with your normal shampoo and apply this to your hair to remove build up.
The foaming of shampoos is often enhanced by "flash-foamers" but foaming means that too much shampoo was used and/or the shampoo is filled with foaming chemicals. Likewise, fragrances have no positive effect on shampoos. The test of a shampoo is what your hair looks like after using the shampoo for a week or two. Examine your hair's condition after this time. Does is seem healthy and easy to comb or is it hard to comb and limp looking? Also check to see if the hair becomes dry and if your scalp become itchy. If a shampoo doesn't work for you, try another brand. The cost of a shampoo is not generally related to quality but to advertising.
Dry hair lacks enough natural oils. To shampoo, use a minimum amount of a mild and slightly acid shampoo. Do not over shampoo and do not repeat the shampoo application regardless of instructions. Cosmetic companies try to increase your use of their product. If your hair is very dry, only shampoo every two to three days. Our ancestors went months between hair washing and had healthy hair.
Oily hair is more difficult to manage and shampoo. Oily hair looks moist, dull and is often difficult to comb. The fatty substance that covers oily hair called sebum is over produced by the sebaceous glands of the hair follicle. Sebum is rapidly is restored after washing the hair. More frequent washing with stronger, more soapy shampoos helps remove oil but damages the hair. Retinoic acid may be used to reduce oil production. Retinoic acid also stimulates hair growth and increases follicle health. But do not overuse the retinoic acid since this can result in scalp irritation.
When finished, the shampoo should be completely rinsed from the hair to help bring the pH back down to its natural level. Also, the detergents in shampoos are very irritating to the scalp and must be completely removed. Most experts recommend using a shower for the most complete removal of the shampoo.
Some shampoo manufacturers recommend that you comb through your wet hair to distribute the shampoo evenly into the hair. But wet hair is more easily broken way and you will only end up with worse hair.
Conditioners to re-glue hair cuticles
The outer layer of hair forms cuticles somewhat like fish scales and is shown in the picture to the left. A healthy strand of hair has an outer layer of scales that are laying close above each other. If scales are laying flat, the hair will look shiny, and a comb or brush will glide smoothly. The cuticles are glued down by mixtures of polypeptides - similar to the yellow liquid collagen glues used by schoolchildren such as LePage's Glue. Shampoos and soaps remove the glue-polypeptides and loosen the cuticle. High quality conditioners add small peptides back into the cuticle to glue it into place again. A small amount of pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) is also used which helps with the glue process. If the cuticle stays open it can start a tear (see second photo at the left) in the hair shaft that ultimately leads to breakage of the hair shaft (see third photo at the left). High quality conditioners also help glue together split hair ends. The longer you leave the conditioner on the hair, the better it smoothes out the hair cuticle. Some manufacturers say only to condition for a few seconds, but longer is better.
Many conditioners today contain botanicals and herbal extracts such as extracts of juniper berries and buckhorn leaves and so forth. These herbal extracts interfere with the glue process and reduce the protective effects of the hair conditioners. Combs with unpolished teeth, sharp hair clamps and tight elastic bands can also disrupt the hair scales and produce damage. With such a damage, the strand will rip more easily, the opened scales do not allow other strands to glide over as smooth as before, which can result in tangles.
Conditioners should be at a low pH of about 4.0 to 4.7. The hair proteins remain very strong at a low pH. Shampoos - with their higher pH - should be completely rinsed out of hair. Higher pH's start unraveling the protein strands and loosen and break the hair. Conditioners add a small amount of fat to give the hair a better shine.
Hot oil treatment conditionersare the latest marketing ploy from the cosmetic companies. The idea dates back to the 1950's when hot oil treatments were first marketed. The basic idea is that the application of heat drives the conditioners - oils, peptides, etc. - deeper into the hair shaft and the hair looks better for a short time. However, the high heat - about 250 degree F. from a hot air dryer - will ultimately damage the hair follicles - which cannot take heat much about 120 degrees F. - and the follicles will produce less hair and thinner hair.
Where to get good shampoos and conditioners? The best products are sold in hair salons.
BRUSHING HAIR:
Brushing is an essential part of healthy hair. Brushing helps keep the scalp healthy and improves the blood circulation which feeds the hair roots (follicles). It also helps distributes the natural protective fats along the length of the hair shafts. These fats serve as lubricants that allow smoother combing without breaking the hair shafts.
Morning brushing is best with a natural hair bristle brush which is similar to your hair structure and less likely to produce tangles on long hair. The brush should have a wooden base that reduces static electricity. If combing, start with a wide tooth tortoise shell comb. Never use a metal or rubber comb.
Brush your hair gently, starting from the hair roots at the nape of your neck and moving toward the end of the hair. Follow each brush stroke with a stoke from the open palm of your other hand to help counteract the build up of static electricity. Slowly build up you brushing to 50 strokes a day.
Hair experts have a number of suggestions. But remember, people who only want to cut your hair off usually know little about hair.
1. Hair is best cut when wet. The detangling comb is designed to be used on damp hair. Start at the ends and work up.
2. Detangle dry hair before washing. De-tangle ends first, then work your way up. Do not try to remove from top to bottom since this may pull out hair. Before entering a shower, use your your comb or brush to give your hair a few strokes. This aligns the strands, and help prevent tangles.
3. For washing, bring your hair to the front before you wet it and leave it there hanging down and keep it there during shampooing. During the washing, try not to move your hair. This keeps the hair strands in position so they won't move upwards and wrap themselves around other strands, resulting in tangles. Use water of room temperature for your hair. The lowest temperature that you can use is best for hair. Warm water open the hair scales, making the hair shaft more vulnerable to damage.
4. Use a minimum of a shampoo with a pH 5.0 to 6.0. Foaming the shampoo is overkill. Pour some shampoo into your palm, then rub your hands together and run the palms of your hands over your head but not yet down the string of hair. If the shampoo begins to foam, you used too much.
5. The shampoo is used to remove dirt from the top layers of your hair. Don't try to wash your hair inside out - just let the shampoo suds penetrate these under layers briefly as it flows over the lower part of your hair. Use your fingers to help release the soap from your head and works the shampoo down the hair. Running your fingers down the string of hair helps detangling.
Make sure that you wash out all of the shampoo. When you think all shampoo is gone, allow another half minute of constant water flow to ensure that residues are gone. Then bend over, and
give a final rinse of the lower hair part with cold water.
6. Use an acidifying conditioner with peptides that re-glue the hair cuticles. Such conditioners help detangle hair, add body and increase the hair's natural shine. Put extra conditioner on the hair ends to prevent split ends. Give the conditioner at least two minutes to glue into the hair. For a final rinse use cooler water.
7. Air dry your hair whenever possible. Do not dry your hair with your general bath towel.
8. When you must blow dry your hair, first wrap in a towel for a time to remove most of the water. Blow dry the hair for a time, then let it air dry for a time.
9. Never buy a "heavy duty reconstructor" for your hair. These usually contain protiens.
10. A "warm" setting on the hair dryer helps "set" the hair.
11. Never brush your hair when it is wet.
12. Excessive sunlight harms hair.
13. Find non-alcohol hair sprays which are less drying.
14. Only use wide toothed combs and picks when combing out wet hair.
15. Many stylist only cut hair. Tell them to keep trimming to an absolute minimum. Avoid hyper-critical hairdressers.
16. Only use coated or snag free elastics and hair fasteners.
17. Think of your hair as a silk garment and treat it accordingly. Both silk and hair are protein fibers. You would not wash a silk garment with a cheap detergent in a washing machine at a high temperature with a high agitation cycle and then dry it in a dryer at a high temperature. Think of what a silk garment would look like after such a treatment.
18. Take time for your hair. There is no product that can create wonderful hair within a few hours. If hair has been damaged, improvements will take a few weeks and sometimes months.
IF YOUR HAIR IS NOT BECOMING TO YOU... YOU SHOULD BE COMING TO US!
SPECIALLY FOR YOU HAIR DESIGNS
Call us at (409) 935-1212 about our:
*Monthly discount packages and save, save, save!
*Arithmatic scalp and neck massage that promotes hair growth.
*Wedding Party Packages.
*Little girls “Day of Beauty” Birthday Parties
(including hair, nails and/or feet)
* Gift Certificates
Hours:
Tues - Fri 10:00 am til 6:30 pm
Saturday 9:00 am til 2:00 pm
(Until 6:00 pm for parties)
Specially for You - Hair Designs
SFY-Hair Care
Send E-Mail to: sfyhd@sbcglobal.net
Copyright © 2007 S. Griffin. All Rights Reserved