‘Dry hair’ is perhaps one of the most frustrating hair woes. This is especially true in Dubai when you have heat, sun, sea and chlorinated water to contend with.  You can have the best colour, cut and hairstylist – but if your hair is dry it’s never going to look or feel its best. Thankfully though, there are many easy steps you can take to restore hydration, shine and health to your tresses. And also ways to keep it from getting dry and damaged in the first place.

MOISTURIZE

Dry hair lacks moisture. And this is what causes it to look dull and also to break easily. The best way to re-vitalise fragile, dry locks is to hydrate them with a leave in pre shampoo treatment. What surprises many people though, is that daily shampooing can help with this too. Water is your hair’s most natural hydrator – it’s moisture, not oil content that keeps your hair supple. The use of a leave in conditioning protection spray can also be beneficial– acting as both a curative and preventative styling tool.

CONDITION

You should always use conditioner after you shampoo, but it’s especially vital if you have dry hair. Dry hair usually has a rough cuticle, which means it can’t reflect light well. Daily use of a post-shampoo conditioner for your hair texture will smooth your hair cuticle, giving you lovely light reflection and shine.

PROTECT FROM CHEMICAL PROCESSING

Dry hair is already fragile, so take extra precautions when you colour or highlight it. Make your stylist aware of your dry hair concerns and stress that you don’t want them to overlap previously bleached areas of hair. For extra protection and hydration, use an intensive moisturising mask 3 days before and then again after any colouring or bleaching.

UV PROTECTION

The summer is a great time to let your hair dry naturally and give it a break from heated styling aids . However, don’t leave your hair to dry in the sun. While the sun’s rays may be ‘natural’ they are just as damaging to your hair as bleach and can burn both your hair and scalp (just like they can burn your skin). ‘Natural’ can be a bit of a misleading word – after all, aren’t poison ivy, hemlock and bee stings ’natural’? If you’re going to sit in the sun all day, we suggest using a hair mask that contains UV protection, and then wash your hair at the end of the day.

HEALTHY DIET

This dry hair remedy isn’t a ‘quick fix’, but in the long term a healthy, well balanced diet will produce much stronger hair that’s in better condition. Your hair only grows half and inch a month, so you will see results from a nutritious diet in about 6 months. We suggest eating at least 120g of protein with breakfast and lunch (your hair is, after all, made of protein!) and including a mixture of complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables into your daily regime. Try to eat red meat, such as steak or liver, at least twice a week, especially if you are menstruating. Red meats contain both iron and ferritin (a stored iron that helps make hair cell protein) and are essential for strong,  healthy hair growth.

STYLING

If you use a blow-dryer to style your hair, make sure to hold it at least 6 inches away, and stop when’ just dry’. Correct blow drying doesn’t dry out your hair – it’s applying heat to already dried hair that does the damage. Straightening irons are never good for your hair, but they can certainly tame hard-to-control tresses. With this in mind, we suggest limiting their use to twice a week – and always use a styling aid with heat protection when doing so.

Seriously dry hair? Book a relaxing Spa Treatment at our Hair Sap Dubai, for 20% off. I am running a fit, healthy hair special offer for all my blog subscribers.

In their recent article, ‘Loss Adjuster’, Hair Journal spoke to the Dubai Hair Doctor about the signs that hairdressers should look for in order to help and support clients with hair loss. “There are three main types of hair loss and very often it is the regular stylist and junior at the backwash who may spot signs of thinning over time” Doc says. The following is some advice he gave to HJ.

Temporary Hair Loss

Temporary loss is just what the name implies- temporary. With this type of hair loss, people have the ability to recover 100% of the hair they have lost. The most common causes in women are post partum shedding, weight loss, anaemia, thyroid disorders and other health issues. However, before becoming overly concerned with increased shedding, Lyons suggests that hairdressers “take into account how often the hair is washed and the length before assuming it is something more serious”. But if the shedding has been going on for over six weeks, a visit to a trichologist should be recommended.

Semi-Permanent Loss

Semi-permanent loss in women is caused by female pattern hair loss – an inherited genetic condition that Lyon’s recognises as “becoming more common among young women”. Fortunately, this type of hair loss is partially reversible if dealt with by an experienced professional or clinic. The signs to look for are hair that is thinner on the top of the head and fuller around the back and sides and also a wider parting. Lyons recommends to HJ that hairdressers ask questions about their client’s general health, any weight loss, diet changes or notice in increased shedding in order to help. However, usually with female pattern hair loss, increased shedding isn’t necessarily noticed. In this type of loss, the hairs usually grow back finer and do not grow quite as long.

Permanent Hair Loss

Unfortunately, hair loss can be permanent. Permanent hair loss occurs when the hair follicle becomes damaged and is unable to produce new hairs. This can happen either from injury to the head, burns, localised radiotherapy and rarely from alopecia areata . However, in terms of alopecia areata, it can often go into remission whereby the hair will spontaneously grow back (in 98% of cases), but the loss can recur at any time.

While on-going hair loss should be checked out by a trichologist, Lyons says “with some little experience, knowledge and confidence hairdressers can certainly offer significant help and advise for their clients”.

I am often asked whether or not stress causes hair loss While many common conceptions about hair loss are myths, the belief that stress can effect hair shedding is a fact!

The simple science is that stress can, through a convoluted route, cause an increase in your bodies’ levels of testosterone – a male hormone (androgen) that can cause hair loss and thinning when found in excess. However, even normal or subnormal amounts of androgens can cause hair loss in those that have follicle sensitivity, and those with this genetic predisposition are even more likely to suffer from stress related hair shedding.Even though some degree of stress is unavoidable, there are things that can be done to reduce day to day anxiety. We suggest trying yoga or meditation, or even taking an afternoon nap. While moderate exercise can be a good stress reliever, it’s important to note that extreme exercise can also increase testosterone levels and lead to increased  hair fall. You should also take care to eat well when you are stressed (although it can be difficult!) as a poor diet can further exacerbate hair loss and scalp problemsStress will not, however, cause immediate hair loss unless the shock to your body has been extreme (i.e. stress from a trauma). Increased hair fall usually occurs six-eight weeks after an episode of stress due to your hair growth cycle. If you are experiencing hair loss, think back a month or two for possible triggers.

You have most likely heard the latest buzz over sulfate free shampoo and if you have had a keratin treatment lately, you have probably been told that this is a must have for your hair to stay healthy!.  If you haven’t, take a look on the back of your shampoo bottle and you’ll likely see ingredients likeSodium Laureth Sulfate. Perhaps you’ve heard that sulfates are bad for your hair and are now seeking the truth about sulfate free hair products.

So, lets put a few facts down here and stop the hype.

What is the role of Sulfate in Shampoo?

Try filling a glass of water to the brim, then slowly add a few more drops. You’ll notice that the water will rise above the edge but not spill over. This phenomenon is known as surface tension.

This concept of surface tension can be applied when washing your hair. Because there are millions of water molecules covering your hair when it is being washed, this creates a strong surface tension that prevents the penetration of water through the grease in your hair.

This is where sulfates come in handy; a sulfate is a surfactant.Adding a surfactant gives shampoo the ability to break the surface tension and penetrate through the oil in your hair more effectively than using water alone.

Now try adding a drop of detergent to your full glass of water. This will break the surface tension, causing water to leak down the sides. This represents how a sulfate would work in your hair.

This means that the addition of sulfates allows for a more thorough cleansing. Sulfates can be very potent or mild depending on their chemical composition. The reason why sulfates have been used in virtually every shampoo over the last few decades is because they are ridiculously cheap to manufacture and create many foamy bubbles.

Sulfates –  Foam and Bubbles

Sulfates like Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) are used to make nice, foamy bubbles, also known as lather. Many people are misinformed and associate lather with cleanliness. In fact, the amount of lather has no relationship to the quality of the shampoo, but the psychological effects of a thick, rich, creamy bubble makes us feel that the product is better for our hair.

But now you’ve been educated that foam and bubbles are not necessary to do the job. What’s worse is it takes forever to drain.

Which Sulfates are in Shampoos?

The following are different forms of sulfates that may be added to your shampoo. There are some kind of sulfate (surfactant) in all shampoos, there has to be to cleanse the hair properly. They well be listed under another name or guise but they will be there in one form or another. I’ve listed them in order of most to least potent.

• Sodium Myreth Sulfate
• Triethanolamine (TEA) Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Ammonia Laureth Sulfate

Should you use Sulfate Free Shampoo?

Firstly, I want to shut down the myth that sulfates are carcinogenic. There is no scientific evidence behind this claim.

The most common sulfate found in shampoo is Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS). It is true that a more potent type of SLS is actually used as a car engine degreaser, however these are not the same formulations that are used in shampoos. The sulfates do not remove natural oils from both your hair and body, leading to dryness, thinning, or even hair loss.

SLS  products used in modern day shampoos do not have the ability to penetrate through the skin and enhance allergic responses, damage skin cells, and cause skin roughening, leading to conditions such as contact dermatitis.

Sulfates are a great additive to help clean your hair. So you’re left with a dilemma. Do you want to scan the supermarket shelves for a ‘so called’ sulfate free shampoo and believe all the marketing hype, designed purely to remove the hard earned coffers from your pocket. Or buy a good quality shampoo that will leave your hair and scalp clean and fresh and do its job!