Healthy Textures

Pregnancy and Hair Loss

Many women experience post-pregnancy hair loss. This article will outline the cause of this condition and some possible solutions.

Causes of Postpartum Shedding

During pregnancy, the levels of progesterone and estrogen are very high. The increase in estrogen often stimulates hair growth and reduces the amount of hair shed during pregnancy.

After birth, these hormone levels will drop to their normal state and many women will experience Telogen Effluvium, which is excessive postpartum shedding. This condition is temporary and will usually last one to four months after pregnancy.

When should you see a doctor?

If the condition lasts longer than 6-12 months, check with your doctor. In addition, if you are also experiencing brittle nails, fatigue, prolonged colds and weight gain, consult with your doctor as you may have a hypothyroid condition.

Kids Hair - How to Reduce Tangles!

For a lot of mothers and fathers, washing and styling their kid's hair can be quite an ordeal. Detangling alone can be tedious and time-consuming. Here are a few tips to help reduce the amount of tangles in your child's hair.

1) Apply oil or conditioner to the hair before washing. This will help keep their hair soft and manageable during the washing cycle. Apply to dry hair and comb the hair to distribute the oil and work out any pre-existing knots or tangles.

2) Next, divide the hair into four sections. Wash and rinse one individual section at a time.

3) Focus on washing the roots, not the hair and massaging the product into the scalp in circular motions. Squeeze the product down the length of the hair.

Spotlight on... Strengthening Hair Products!

Looking to add some strength to your hair? Does your hair feel a bit limp or lackluster?

The first thing most people do is run to the store and buy a whole line of "strengthening products". But with textured hair, these products can dry out our hair and increase breakage and shedding.

When it comes to strengthening shampoo, always follow with a moisturizing conditioner to smooth the hair shaft and add moisture to the hair.

When it comes to strengthening conditioners, always remember that less is more. Start off by applying a quarter size amount and see how your hair reacts to the product. A quarter size amount that is well-distributed might be all you need.

Or, take the product to your stylist and let he or she apply it to your hair. Your stylist may be better able to concentrate the product on the areas that need it the most.

5 Ways to Roller Set Faster!

Let's face it. Roller setting is time-consuming! Nothing beats the soft curls and bounce it provides but the whole process takes a long time. Here are a few tips that have helped me achieve salon quality roller sets in a shorter period of time.

1. Chuck Your Setting Lotion

Setting lotion can make the hair sticky and hard to detangle.  Each section you have to detangle takes a ton of time.Try setting with leave-in conditioner instead or applying it only towards the ends of the hair. After removing the rollers, try pin curling the hair for 30 minutes or overnight for long lasting curls.

2. Roll Up

For years, I roller set the way my stylist taught me. Comb a section of hair up to the ceiling, place the roller on the ends and roll down to the scalp. But after some severe arm cramps, I decided to comb the hair down, place a roller on the ends and roll up to the ceiling. Not only are your arms more comfortable but the rollers take up less space, making it more comfortable under the dryer.

Tip of the Week!

Instead of using a lot of oil on wash day, try using less oil more frequently, i.e. one drop of oil daily throughout the week.

This will help keep your hairstyles light and bouncy for a longer period of time.

Spotlight On..... Dr. Hauschka Neem Oil!

So, I tried this oil during an intense scalp massage from Eviama Life Spa, which is a Philadelphia day spa offering holistic spa therapies, facials, massage, waxing, nail care, yoga, reiki, and meditation. If you are in the Philadelphia area, I would highly recommend the spa. They are AMAZING!

Anywhoo, the Neem hair oil is an intense treatment which strengthens the hair and scalp. Its perfect for chemically treated hair and thinning hair. The neem leaf and chamomile extracts stimulate scalp circulation to calm dry, itchy scalp conditions, help discourage hair loss and encourage strong, healthy new growth.

The owner of the salon recommended it to me during one of her massages (a much needed gift from my bf's mother) as a pre-shampoo treatment that will help add strength and thickness to the hair, promote a healthy scalp and add shine and softness.

Spotlight on... Cold Water Rinses!!

Are you looking for ways to add more shine to your hair? Try a cold water rinse!

Thirty seconds under cold running water will help seal the cuticles on the hair shaft, trapping moisture into the hair and creating that beautiful hair commercial shine.

It also constricts the opening of the sebaceous glands to help moderate sebum production.

It's the perfect addition to the Deep Conditioning/No Trimming Challenge starting September 1st. Join the over 280 challengers here!

Spotlight on....Jilbere Shower Comb

I love this comb! It hangs nicely in the my shower and is perfect for distributing conditioner or detangling hair, especially under running water.

After using this, I can step out of the shower well conditioned and tangle free. Perfect for natural divas and women with thick hair that is usually hard to detangle. I also recommended for any of the ladies on the DC/NT challenge :)

Paula Begoun on Parabens!

Parabens seem to be a common ingredient in many drugstore and salon quality products. For the past few years, it have been suggested that this ingredient could cause breast cancer.

Here is what Paula Begoun, best selling author of Don't Go Shopping for Hair Products without Me, says about the commonly used ingredient.

"Parabens are a group of preservatives, including butylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, and ethylparaben, that are the most widely used group of preservatives in cosmetics. It is estimated that more than 90% of all cosmetic products contain some form of paraben. Parabens are believed to cause less irritation than some preservatives. There is research showing that in animal models (and in vitro) parabens can have weak estrogenic activity. Whether that poses any health risk for humans who are using cosmetics is unknown. The technical findings of the study, which involved both oral administration and injection into rat skin, did show evidence of a weak estrogen effect on cells in a way that could be problematic for binding to receptor sites that may cause proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The study concluded that “future work will need to address the extent to which parabens can accumulate in hormonally sensitive tissues and also the extent to which their weak oestrogenic activity can add to the more general environmental oestrogen problem” (Source: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, January 2002, pages 49–60).

DC/NT Challenge – When to Use Protein and Moisture Based Deep Conditioners

So, if you have joined the DC/NT Challenge, you might be wondering when to use a moisturizing conditioner and when to use a protein based conditioner.

A good rule of thumb is to start by analyzing your own hair. If your hair feels relatively healthy and your aren’t experiencing any significant breakage, thinning or dryness, then try to incorporate both moisture and protein into your regimen. This will help ensure that your hair remains strong yet moisturized and soft.

There are a couple ways to incorporate protein and moisture into your regimen.

• Alternate between deep conditioning with a light protein based conditioner (like Aubrey GPB) and moisture based deep conditioner (like Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner) each week. Apply the conditioner to wet hair, cover with a plastic cap or hot wet towel and sit under a hooded dryer.
• Shampoo with a strengthening shampoo (like Aphogee Shampoo for Damaged hair – only lather once with this product) and deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner (like Keracare Humecto) and/or vice versa.
• Pre-poo with a protein based conditioner and deep condition with a moisturizing conditioner and/or vice versa.

These are some of the methods I use to ensure my hair gets an equal amount of moisture and protein each week.