Repairing hair after heat damage

Hair is constantly subjected to heat - from blow-drying to ironing. (See 4 signs that hair is damaged for a more in-depth guide on hair damage). Bottshair Director Mani Stockwell has provided a few tips on repairing hair after the heat damage, to prevent hair fragility.

Source: Birchbox

One important aspect of preventing heat damage is spraying the hair with strengthening mist after any heat treatment. One of the reasons heat treatment is so damaging to hair is that it excessively dries the hair. So adding a bit of moisture aids hair regeneration. He personally recommends the CHI keratin mist. It contains natural hair protein keratin for strength and flexibility to fill in damaged and weak sites in hair. The main selling point is how easy it is to do. Just point and spray - you can't go wrong.

Following on from the last point, choose hair conditioners that contain moisture retaining abilities. Look out for certain ingredients like argan oil, panthenol and amino acids. These ingredients all promote the absorption and retention of moisture in the hair. Many products on the market now contain a mixtures of these and marketed as hair rejuvenating. Mani hasn't recommended any specific products but I do have a few recommendations for you to check out. 

• Arvazilla Rejuvenating Hair Mask - contains argan oil, macadamia oil and aloe vera to even repair UV damage. 
• Art Naturals Argan Oil Hair Conditioner

If all else fails, some times heat damage has gone too far and is irreversible. You may consider cutting your hair in these instances.

Best of luck,
Daniel

4 signs that hair is damaged

Is my hair damaged?

It is important to know when your hair has been damaged. It is fundamental to damage control by knowing when to treat hair more carefully and also allows us to narrow down possible causes of the damage. The following questions are important in judging hair quality.

Does the hair have shine?

Did you know? Weathering of hair
can be seen under a microscope. (1)

Hair shine can be visually gauged by looking for the amount of light reflected from the hair. The natural arrangement of closely overlapping cuticles in the hair makes it shiny. The smoothness of the overlapping cuticle scales allows light to reflect, which we see as "shiny". Combing and brushing hair causes one to lose cuticle scales. This weathering of hair is sped up by excessive grooming and chemical treatment of hair, such as from dyeing. 

Not all hair has that natural shine. It's important to know the extent of shine natural to you. For instance, African-American individuals tend to have less shiny hair because their hair shaft is naturally irregular. 

Weathered hair that has lost a significant number of cuticles becomes dull and frizzy. Trichoptilosis, or split ends, results from too much loss of cuticles. The inner weak part of the hair, the medulla, is exposed and the hair breaks to give frizzy and "hard to manage" hair. 

Art Naturals Organic Argan Oil Hair Loss Shampoo for Hair Regrowth Review

Introduction

The product we are reviewing this week is Art Naturals Organic Argan Oil Hair Loss Shampoo for Hair Regrowth. As usual, we are examining the ingredients used in the product and discussing whether they can prevent hair loss and/or aid hair regrowth, based on solid scientific evidence.

Aloe Vera

Art Naturals has included aloe vera in this shampoo and whilst it has no hair follicle stimulating activity, it is known to be an excellent skin moisturizers. By conditioning the scalp, we reduce dermatitis and dandruff to create an environment that is more amendable to hair growth. The slight acidity of Aloe Vera is said to be close to the pH of skin which facilitates the penetration of nutrients into the scalp, to help strengthen hair and aid regrowth (1). In addition, because of the light absorption properties of Aloe, topical application of Aloe Vera can block 20-30% of UV rays to prevent sun-damage to scalp and hair (2). However, sun protection would be minimal as aloe is washed out the hair. 

Acupuressure points to combat hair loss and stimulate hair growth

Is acupressure supported by scientific evidence?

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Acupressure is a form of alternate therapy, a traditional Chinese therapy, where manual pressure is applied to stimulate specific points along the body. Acupressure points is thought to lie along the energy channels of your body, through which your life force (or 'qi') flows. Traditional acupressure (and acupuncture) theory states that if one of these channels is blocked or if there exists a imbalance, disease can result.

There is some scientific evidence suggesting that acupressure does treat some conditions. It has been used to treat insomnia patients with benefits lasting long term (1) and improve sleep quality in patients with end stage renal disease (2). It has also been show to reduce morning sickness, anxiety and depression in pregnant women (3). There hasn't been a lot of research done into the validity of acupressure on preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth. However, acupressure is a free (if you do it yourself), zero-risk procedure (provided you are not poking your eyes out!), so what do you have to lose!