Hair Structure

Hair grows out of follicles in the skin. This means that the only live portion of the hair is inside the follicle. The external portion of all hair is dead keratin molecules. The actual hair as such consists of a cortex, which gives hair its color and strength. This cortex is covered by a single layer of cells that make up the cuticle. There is an unstructured portion at the base of the hair called the medulla that may or may not be there in hair and does not serve any purpose. It is the cuticle, cortex and medulla that make up our hair. The characteristics of the hair, such as whether it is wavy, straight or curled, or even its color, depends on genetic factors. It is the melanin molecules in the hair that gives it its color, while it is the nature of the follicle and its shape that gives hair its wave or curl.

How to care for hair

Hair care is important, and people spend a lot of money on hair care. Even with all this care, however, people most often seem to have problems with their hair. Just a little hair care could improve the texture of your locks. Hair care can be quite simple if you know the basics and what your hair needs. Given below are some tips to help you take care of your hair and achieve the desired style and results.

Suit your hair style to your hair.

Most people want to have a certain style, and go out of their way to get products that will make their hair amenable to the kind of style that they want. But, if you were to accept the kind of hair you have and instead style your hair in a way that takes advantage of its natural texture, many of your problems will be solved.

Use fewer chemicals.

Chemicals damage hair. Research has shown that even the mildest shampoos will cause you to lose twice as much hair as you normally do. Repeated use of shampoos will cause more hair loss than the natural regrowth, causing your hair to thin out. Don’t be fooled by marketing claims of how shampoos will repair or fix your hair. Hair is dead cells and has no capacity to regenerate or heal. Once it is damaged, the only alternative is to cut out the damaged portion and take care of the new growing hair.

Heat damages hair.

Did you know that the heat that comes out from a blow drier damages your hair? Even setting it at the lowest heat setting will damage hair, drying it out. Flat irons cause the most amount of damage to the hair, and no matter how advanced the appliance, it still gives off heat, and heat damages hair.

Massage with oils.

Not only do oils rejuvenate your skin but they also rehydrate your hair and bring back the shine and luster, especially when you use shampoos that remove all the natural oils from hair. Massage some oil into the scalp regularly and brush it with a wide toothed comb to spread the oil through the hair.

Do not believe what you hear.

Remember that any benefit provided by one ingredient will very often not be sufficient to remedy the damage done by other ingredients. Even the perfume that is part of the shampoo is composed of hundreds of chemicals, most of which are harmful to hair. Also, out of the 10,000 or more ingredients that are used in shampoos, less than 11% have even been tested by the FDA. To make your own natural hair oil mix avocado oil, some vegetable oil such as olive oil or coconut oil, and massage it into your scalp and hair.

References
http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docID=662932

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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