Everyday you see people with all color and style of hair. But did you know that you have a hair type? Yes! Not all hair has been created the same.
Lets start with the basic structure of hair:
1) Hair grows from the follicle, which is long and bulbous. If you were to pull out a strand of hair you would see the bulge at the tip of the hair. The cells at the base of the follicle divide rapidly and is where you get your hair growth.
2) Each strand of hair consists of three layers, the first being the innermost layer called the medulla. This is only present though in thick hair though.
3) The middle layer is known as the cortex. This layer provides the strength, color and texture of your hair.
4) The outer most layer is called the cuticle and this is what protects the cortex. It is completely colorless.
5) The entire strand of hair is made up of a protein called keratin. And that is hair!
There are 2 basic kinds of hair:
1) Terminal hair is the hair that grows thick and long and is found on the head, armpits, pubic hair face and chest. It is dark, oily and flat.
2) Vellus hair is soft, fine, short and pink, often wavy and even translucent. It is found all over the body and is the first type to appear at birth.
The type of hair you have seems to have a lot to do with geography. If you have curly hair you are more likely to get fine, wavy hair. If you have straight hair you have more coarse, straight hair. Each successive hair type you have is caused by different proportions of the hair type you have.
If you have curly hair you have the tendency to lose your hair. If you had straight hair you would not need to worry about hair loss. The more curly your hair is the more it is likely to turn out. The thicker your hair is the more it can hold onto the curl. If your hair is straight you may not need as much coaxing to straighten it out. There isn’t as much of a chance of it turning out curly or straight.
If you have thin hair you may not need as much styling. If your hair is coarse or curly you may want to use a shampoo that will actually add volume to your hair and make it look fuller. If your hair is straight you may not need any styling help.
Once you determine your hair type you have to figure out what is your hair care regime. Do you want it straight, or curly, or long, or short? Once you know what you want it is much easier to pick products that will work with your type of hair.
Do you want more volume? You can use a thickening shampoo and have it so saturated that it will lift the roots and give it a lift.
Do you want to lengthen? You can have your hair curled so that it has a slight cowliness and flip. If you want it to be straight you can use a straightening shampoo and then blow dry your hair upside down for about a minute.
Do you want to make your hair shiny? A clarifying shampoo can remove any dirt and grease and then resurface your hair so that it shines.
Do you want to color your hair? You need to wait until your hair is almost dry before coloring it. Once it is moist you can apply color. If you have grey hair use a shade lighter than what you would usually wear.
When you dye your hair you should always follow the package instructions carefully and rinse your hair very well. This will remove any excess dye. You should only get chemical services done between your eyebrows, this will open up the pores in your skin and protect you from skin problems.
Most of all, take your time in letting your hair color do its job, and do not rush. You may not regret you had such a great color if you spend the time to do it right.
