Get rid of your split-ends now!

Realising when its time to TRIM!

Split ends! a girls worst enemy?

Split ends are the curse of every woman!! Split ends happen when the protective cuticle has been stripped away from the ends of hair. The hair splits into two or three strands at the end of the hair forming a Y-shape.

If not treated they will travel up the hair shaft! The split may be two or three centimeters in length.

Split ends are more often in long hair but can also be found in shorter hair. You cannot repair them; nothing will fix split ends once they are formed.

The truth is split ends are never a cute look!!

Trim away that end you really do not need it!

Have you ever noticed someone who has a decent length of hair or even a short hair-cut but the ends of the hair look dry, split and generally just frazzled?

If so and maybe that person is you- you should get a good trim.

If the bulk of your hair is in good condition then a good trim is all you need, but be sure to go to a good hairdresser- not one who is scissor happy!

I have heard many a horror story where by you enter the hairdresser's for a trim and walk out with a cut- I mean whats that all about, especially if you have very long hair- be careful who you entrust with scissors near your tresses!

DIY TRIMMING:

I personally trim my own hair. I have little faith in stylists so I entrust the scissorsd to my hands only.

IMPORTANT: Invest in quality hair cuting scissors- paper scissors are not sharp enough to properly trim your hair with!

Buy some quality hair-trimming scissors

Method:

The easiest way to trim your hair especially if you are trying to grow it out long, is the search and destroy method.

How is it done?

I part my hair in 4 sections, and taking one section at a time I go through the hair and search for split ends to destroy! It takes a while, but it saves my length and eliminates splits at the same time.

I do not mind my hair being slightly uneven if it means I acchieve my hair goal.

What causes split ends?

The following things will create split-ends in your hair

• Excessive hair coloring
• Vigorous brushing
• Over-processing your hair
• Hair Straightening - over-use of flat irons/tongs
• Blow-drying
• Not trimming your hair regularly
• Sleeping with your hair in a ponytail
• Too much sun
• Poor health

Avoid products that claim to "heal" split ends. They will only temporarily glue split ends together, and will cause more damage further down the road.

I know many black ladies who are scared to cut there hair- even when it looks like a frazzled birds nest at the ends- but its an empowering thing when you do and it really makes your hair look healthier and thicker if fine hair is your problem.

How to prevent the dreaded split ends!

You can prevent split ends by keeping your hair hydrated and healthy but also:

• Don't brush your hair too often or too extensively.
• Don't brush wet hair.
• Use brushes and combs with smooth, flexible, wide-spaced teeth.
• Avoid nylon bristles.
• Condition after shampooing, and use a deep conditioner once a month.
• Apply conditioner only on the tips after you dry your hair.
• Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and wind.
• When in the sun wear a hat to minimize sun damage.
• Use a mild shampoo rich in ceramides.

The Power of a Deep Conditioner...

Part 1) Deep Conditioning: How to feed your hair?

How often do you deep condition your hair? once every 2 weeks, once a month?

I do it once a week and I attribute this key-step in my regime to keeping my hair healthy.

My motto is: 'conditioner is a curls best friend' make it yours too!

There is no other single process you can do to your hair whether it is relaxed or natural that will:

a) Strengthen it more
b) make it more shiny and
c) make it generally more healthy- than a good old deep condition or DC!

This is one of my favourites!! it strengthens and adds moisture with a great smell too!

How to deep condition your hair?

• If you want to, you can wash your hair first. I simply rinse it out well and gently squeeze out the excess water with a soft towel, I do not always shampoo before hand- its not always necessary!

• Generously apply your deep conditioner to damp hair towel blotted hair, slather it on and focus on the ends. Work through with your fingers, or use a wide toothed comb to work through your hair. This is the only time I ever use a comb or brush on my wet conditioned hair. Otherwise, only use your fingers.

• Place the shower cap over hair, and then put the heating device on your head for a full 30-45 minutes. You need at least 30 minutes to allow the hair cuticle to open fully, and let the conditioner completely penetrate and feed your hair.

• After 30+ minutes or longer, (you could leave the conditioner on at this point, even all night after heating), take off your cap and let your hair cool for at least 5 minutes. This allows your hair shaft to close again.

• Rinse hair with warm water until about 80% of the conditioner is rinsed out.
  
• Do a final rinse with the coldest water you can stand. This is important to seal your hair shaft and get all the benefits of your deep conditioning treatment.

• Apply a leave-on conditioner and allow your hair to air dry.
  
• Do not wash your hair the next day. Give your hair a break after a deep conditioning for at least 24 hours.

• I suggest deep conditioning weekly. The week-ends are best for me.
  
  By doing this, your hair will will become healthier and shinier. It will regain its softness, and retain length. Moisture-robbed hair is more subject to breakage and unmanageability.
  
  

My 5 ***** Dream Conditioner wish-list:

These conditioners are great for relaxed and natural hair- but you need to fly 1000's of miles to get them as they are not sold in the UK! boo hoo ;(

One of my favourite Dominican conditioners...this will give your hair slip like you have never felt before.

Yet another favourite from the Dominicans- a fabulous product...

This one is out of this world! once you have tried it you will wonder where it has been all your life- it delivers unreal moisture to the dryest hair.

Natural Alternatives:

If your at home and do not have a deep conditioner to hand, then have a rummage around your kitchen cupboard and dig up some of these ingredients to condition your hair with:

1. Mayonnaise - this is excellent to use as a protein conditioner, add some honey to it to make it super moisturising
2. Avocado - Mash up one of these with some honey to add some moisture to dry tresses, do not use heat, just cover your head with a plastic cap
3. Eggs - Whisk up a couple of these to strengthen your strands, do not use any heat- unless you want fried egg in your hair!!
4. Honey & Olive oil - warm a mixture of these two together, apply to your head and cover with a cap for a super moisturising treat!

The key to conditioning is to ensure to use products that strengthen and moisturise your strands...so if you have no real DC to hand think out of the box or the kitchen to be precise!

The *DEEP Conditioning Challenge!

Ladies as the summer comes to an end and the humidity lessens, your hair will become dryer as we turn the heating up and start wearing our hats again.
So why not challenge yourself to up the moisture levels and improve the health of your tresses over the next 2 months!

Join us at http://www.grow-it-long.ning.com/ as we take part in our Deep Condition challenge.

It will be fun to see how your hair responds: start date is September 1st ending on November 1st, you can also join by clicking the purple GROW LONG HAIR button at the top of the page on the right hand side.

The health of your hair lays in your hands...take responsibility for it!

Peace & Blessings
xx

Get Retro for real Growth, thickness and health!

Rollerset your way to healthier hair...

Hi ladies,

Its time to dust off the rollers and the bonnet hair-dryer and get yourself ready for your healthiest head of hair yet.



HOW?

By using rollers to straighten and dry your hair instead of the fry it-limp-it-thin it-blow-dryer is one sure fire way to straighten and dry your hair the healthy way.

If you wash your hair and deep condition, apply a light leave-in conditioner- it then apply your rollers and get under the bonnet dryer to dry your hair...ok it is time consuming, but your hair will reap the benefits...

Benefits:

Thicker hair

Less breakage

Less split ends

Retain your hair length

Stronger hair

Hair with more body!

Shinier hair

Hair that moves!

Across the pond...

If you have ever been to the USA, you will notice that the women there live in the hair salon! and they also swear by their roller-sets...its a way of life for them. No matter how long or short their hair is, it has that SWANG!!

Check out this video showing a popular Dominican haircare technique used by ladies in the USA to get movement in the hair after roller-setting..

What do you think?

All you need to rollerset your own hair is:

A packet of magnetic rollers, get the biggest ones your hair can take, we are not going for granny style curls!!

A decent rat-tail comb, be careful not to buy the really cheap plastic ones that they sell in the local hairshop- they WILL rip your hair out...a quality comb will set you back at least £5.00!

A quality detangling comb, again you will not find this quality in your local Pak or hair shop!

An oldie but goody, however do not use it straight from the bottle, dilute it with water in one of these, for better results...

You can get one of these for 99p from your pound-shop!

A hooded dryer is a great investment in your hair! if not then compromise get a soft bonnet dryer, there quite inexpensive in argos!

Indirect heat like this from the bonnet dryer, is upto 90% better for your precious strands than theddirect fire of a blow-fryer- I mean dryer!!

Tips:

Deep condition your hair with heat for at least 45minutes before your roller-set, then add a little leave-in conditioner, the key to swingy hair after rollersetting is not to use too much product!

Next proceed to rollerset your hair, with your bottle of lottabody water spray, take medium sections of hair, spray and smooth out with your quality rat-tail comb and add your rollers!

Practice makes perfect...

Once your hair is dry, proceed to wrap it...to get a smoother look.

Try this for 3 months and see how your hair improves...

Blowdryers or fryers!!

I know that blow-drying your hair is quick and convenient, but if your hair is already relaxed then its weak from that process alone, so when we add direct heat from the blow-dryer it weakens and dries out the hair even further!

When you blow dry black hair, we are zapping the moisture from the hair- the water inside the hair shaft boils and sometimes can explode- creating split ends...:(

Blow-dry tips:

If you do blow-dry ensure you always allow your hair to air-dry for at least 3o mins first,use the cool setting and always apply a heat protectant spray like...

Healthier hair is there for the taking...but how much do you really want it!!

From India with LOVE xx...

The power of...Ayurvedic Haircare


Ever wondered why ladies of Indian descent always seem to have long flowing locks?

Do you remember when you were at school and your Indian class-mate with her long braids hair always smelt of a strange oil? More than likely it was Jasmine oil or coconut oil...whatever it was it worked wonders!

Well I am here to say how about adopting something Indian inspired into your life...forget about the Curries and Naan bread, I mean Ayurvedic haircare techniques.

AYURVEDIC HAIRCARE 101- The Basics

No matter what type of hair nature blessed you with, there are things you can do to keep it healthy, lustrous, looking its best, according to the tradition of Ayurveda, the 5,000-year old system of holistic healing that originated in India:



1) Oiling the hair and scalp:


A warm oil scalp massage two or three times a week will help stimulate growth and moisturize the scalp. You can use a good quality coconut, almond or olive oil.

Apply some mildly warmed oil to your hair and gently massage into your scalp evenly with your fingertips. Leave on overnight if you can, if not, leave on for at least an hour or two, then get it out by shampooing your hair. The scalp massage helps you relax and aids sound sleep as well.

Oils to use:

Coconut oil
Almond oil
Olive oil

A lovely coconut oil...

One of my favourites is this one by parachute...its a premium brand and smells divine- you'll be surprised how shiny it makes your hair. Try it on damp hair and let your hair dry naturally...and watch that shine.

Buy this from your local Indian wholesaler or grocery shop

2) Henna- Natures best Protein treatment!

This videos show how you should use it...see below for reasons why!

Henna is traditionally used in India and West Africa as a hair conditioner, strengthener and natural colourant.

Benefits:

It will thicken your strands

It will strengthen your hair and may help with breakage

It is 100% natural

Inexpensive to buy

You will see a difference from the first application

My favourite brand is...Karishma- body quality art henna

My Henna-mix Recipe:

1 pkt of Karishma Henna

1 tub of natural yhoghurt

2 tbsp honey

2 oz Olive oil

Add all to a metal bowl, mix well and leave it for 1-2 hours for conditioning benefits or overnight to use as a conditioning treatment with colour!

WARNING!!

Always apply oil to your hair as a hot oil treatment prior to using henna...do not rinse it out as the henna can be drying!

Only buy 'body quality art henna' as it is a fine grain...and better quality and purer

Do not add anything acidic to your mix- as it can be drying enough on the hair, the colour will release if left overnight naturally.

Follow up your henna treatment with a moisturising deep conditioner, add oil to the conditioner to increase moisture.

The colour your hair becomes varies from head to head- natural highlights!)

3) Using Herbal powders:

Amla, Shikakai, Maka, Brahmi or Neem

Using these Ayurvedic powders is said to have the following benefits for your hair:

• They stop hair breakage
• Strengthen the roots
• Strengthen the hair
• Condition the hair
  

How to use them?:

For conditioning and strengthening effects, use 1 tbsp of Amla + 1tbsp of Brahmi or Maka and make a tea with it, put in in a mug and let it brew, once brewed use an old stocking to strain the liquid off into a large jug and ass another cup of plain water.

Use this tea to rinse your hair with, after saturating your hair in coconut or olive oil and leaving overnight. Pour over your hair and do not touch your hair just let it sit their on the scalp for 5-10 minutes, then proceed to rinse it from your hair.

Follow up with a deep conditioner treatment for at least 45 mins!

Different tea mixes for different conditions:

(add 1 tbsp of each of the following)

Brahmi + Amala = conditioning

Amla + Shikakai = cleansing

Amla + Neem = Deep clean/dandruff

Maka + Amla + Brahmi = Super conditioning/strengthening.

My Ayurvedic experience...

I have been using henna for the past 12 months and it really has helped to make my hair stronger and thicker as well as giving an incredible shine.

I have recently started using the tea rinses and again they really are great at strengthening the hair. It takes a while to get into a routine with them, but once you do there is no stopping you.

Natural is best for me, so I love all things given to us from Mother Nature...

My Ayurvedic Results so far:

Check out the shine I have got from my recent henna treatment:

This is the colour my hair has become...I only henna every 3 months or so:

It has also helped me to retain length by strengthening my strands:

So what are you waiting for...try something natural and beneficial for your hair!

Think out the box...

You can also buy oils with Ayurvedic herbs like amla and brahmi in them, these are also great for your hair as a hot oil treatment, or a leave-in oil.

Why does my hair not Grow Long??

What you need to know to get your hair to GROW...

Its summer time ladies! and that means its the perfect opportunity to get your hair growing...most people get a good growth spurt throughout the summer months due to the humid weather.

Take the opportunity to get upto 1 inch of growth in a month with the help of my hair growing tips...

READ ON...

Firstly I would like to dispel the myth that black hair does not grow...

The number of times a sister has said to me ...but my hair just does not grow! is ridiculous!

All hair grows in fact hair grows an average minimum of a 1/4 inch per month, so if you are not seeing that growth- What are you doing wrong??


Now For The Science:

Hair Stucture

Hair is composed of strong structural protein called keratin. This is the same kind of protein that makes up the nails and the outer layer of skin.

Each strand of hair consists of three layers. An inner-most layer or medulla which is only present in large thick hairs.

The middle layer known as the cortex. The cortex provides strength and both the color and the texture of hair.

The outermost layer is known as the cuticle. The cuticle is thin and colorless and serves as a protector of the cortex.

The Hairs life-cycle phases:

• Anagen Phase - Growth Phase

Approximately 85% of all hairs are in the growing phase at any one time. The Anagen phase or growth phase can vary from two to six years. Hair grows approximately 10cm per year and any individual hair is unlikely to grow more than one meter long.

• Catagen Phase - transitional phase
  
  At the end of the Anagen phase the hairs enters into a Catagen phase which lasts about one or two weeks, during the Catagen phase the hair follicle shrinks to about 1/6 of the normal length. The lower part is destroyed and the dermal papilla breaks away to rest below.
  

• Telogen Phase - resting phase

The resting phase follows the catagen phase and normally lasts about 5-6 weeks. During this time the hair does not grow but stays attached to the follicle while the dermal papilla stays in a resting phase below. Approximately 10-15 percent of all hairs are in this

Increase blood-flow to your follicles to get better growth

Some people say that long hair is down to genetics and that is partially true- however you can grow your hair longer than you imagined with the right care and products!




Hair Growth Formulae: Healthy hair= moisture + massage = length retention= Longer hair!

Relaxed heads:

If you think your hair doesn't grow...why do you continue to apply relaxer to your 'new-growth?

Natural heads:

Its difficult to see your growth if the ends of your hair are constantly between the teeth of your comb!!

If your hair is natural your hair will probably grow out then down...so you may notice it getting bigger, but unless you straighten it its hard to see its length
























If this head of hair was straightened it would be past her shoulders...

Lets GET REAL: Admit your hair mistakes, admit your hair is un-healthy, not growing and breaking (if it is!!) and do something about it!!

My TOP Tips for growing your hair longer:

• Set a hair length goal in your mind- you do not have to tell anyone - but write it down! sometimes when we take things out of our minds and jot them down, it makes them more real...and we will sub-consciously work towards that goal.





• Make a fresh start: If your hair is breaking, trim off those ends to prevent further damage. The ends of your hair are the oldest part, so keep the split ends at bay to see real growth!





• Create your own haircare regime- give your hair a 'date with you' whereby you pay it the attention it needs to grow healthy and long, take the time to deep condition and steam it!





• Give your hair a holiday, a time-out , a break from its daily life. Rest your hair whilst wearing a Protective style (see below)





• Pay attention to your scalp! Healthy hair grows from a healthy clean scalp. If your scalp is full of grease, bacteria you cannot see, and dandruff, or is very dry- your hair will not grow properly. Will a rose bush grow in a desert
  
  
  



• Wash your scalp frequently! forget the myths about hair growing when its dirty! that is nonsense. Your hair will thrive if the scalp is cleaned frequently, but use the righ shampoos and conditioners. aim for at least twice a week, I wash my hair at least 3 times a week, sometimes using only conditioner!! The massage is great for the scalp when washing/rinsing.
  




• Stimulate your scalp to grow hair by 5-10 minute daily massaging/scritching (see below) it with oils. Growth stimulating oils like the Grow-it long serum, contain growth stimulating essential oils like rosemary, that increases the blood-flow to the roots on your head. Will a plant grow without water?
  




• Treat your hair like silk! Our hair is very fragile, especially when wet, so avoid combing or brushing it when wet, use your fingers instead. detangle your hair gently, from the bottom up, when its saturated in conditioner
  



• Moisturise your hair daily- especially the ends of the hair which are the oldest. You need to stop breakage to see your length! Apply a heavier moisturiser to the ends of your hair so they stay strong. Castor oil is great for this!





• Excercise for 30 mins at least 3 x a week- to increase the blood flow to your scalp.
  




• Eat/Drink healthily...what you put in your mouth can affect how your hair sprouts out!! eat plenty of hair growing veg like, spinach, carrots, protein and drink lots of water.





• Take quality hair, skin and nail vitamins, or a good multi-vitamin with minerals, this can really help with your hair growth. You need vits like B12, C, A, E and Zinc, the mineral Silica and protein L-Cysteine, to really increase hair growth.






• Wear your hair up! to avoid split ends and dry-ness keep the ends of your hair away from your clothes...your hair cannot handle the friction of brushing against your clothes regularly, its lie asking for them to split and break off.





• Avoid hair products containing, Petroleum, Mineral Oil, SLS in shampoos., and alcohols in gels and sprays. Use products that use plant botanicals, essential oils, vegetable oils, silk , wheat and vegetable proteins, biotin and panthenol.
  





• Be careful when relaxing your hair and especially when re-touching new growth. If your hair is over-processed it will break off like straw. Never go over the old relaxed hair with the relaxer- that is hair virtual hair suicide!!
  




• You are what you HEAT! Avoid using heat on your hair! Blow-dryers, flat-irons and tongs! if you must use a heat defence spray, like tresemme's thermal heat desfence.

TOP TIP: Try sleeping with a plastic cap on your head at night time.. to retain moisture! works a treat...this will help your hair retain length by not drying out!




• Picture your growth! take a starting picture of your hair and every 3 months take another picture so you can actually see and compare your growth!!
  



• Check out my online hair album http://public.fotki.com/salheaven/hairgrowthpack/root-energizer-growth to get an example of why documenting your hair growth really helps- as you see your progress in pictures!
  
  

Scritching 101:

To really maximize your growth results, you should "scritch" your hair daily, after oiling our scalp. (Place a satin scarf or bonnet on your head first if you so please...)

"Scritching" is like, massaging your scalp with the pads of your fingers and lightly with the tips of your nails. It also aids in circulation, bringing blood to your scalp to feed your hair- giving you better hair growth!!

The main benefits of scritching:

• Cleanses scalp by exfoliating dandruff, debris and dead cells
  Remedies hair loss
  Encourages hair growth

Don't cheat yourself!!

















Pay' n Go hair!!

We can all buy ourselves long hair, just like the celebs...but there is something magical when that long hair is growing from your own roots!!

It does not matter whether it is relaxed or natural- as longs as its healthy!!

Weave Woes:

How many times have you been on a date with a pretty weave and the guy tries to touch your hair stating how long it is!! and you flinch and recoil with your heart racing! as he is about to discover the lumps and bumps where the weave/tracks are attached to your scalp!!



Its Time to get GROWING!!

Check out these growth charts and set yourself a goal:

Your Ideal hair length??

Will it be sl, apl or mbl? see the charts for what the abbreviations mean...

Hair Growth Charts

12 months later?

The Kinder surprise effect!

Do you remember those chocolate eggs with the toy inside? Whereby you never knew until you ate the chocolate and opened the plastic container inside what you were going to get!! Reminisce on that excitment you felt, and think about how that can be trasnslated into hair-growth!!

Hair is a funny thing and black hair grows best when its not manipualted or combed daily!



Give your hair a protective style leave it for 2 months and check the surprise amount of growth you have at the end of the 2 months.



Protective Styling for major hair GROWTH:


Weaves, Braids, Natural twists and Wigs or Instant weaves are very effective styles that protect your hair from the stress of everyday life.

BRAID it UP for GROWTH...

NOTE: Make sure you stick to a healthy haircare regime, when in your protective style, to maximise your growth!!

PROTECTIVE STYLING + A CONSISTENT REGIME = HAIR GROWTH

Alopecia..or just plain old getting bald spots or thinning hair!

Help...I think I am losing my hair!

Whenever you think about someone going bald or their hair-line receding or the top of the hair getting thin...do you think of your Grandad and his friends, with their shiny heads and bits of hair round the sides! or do you run from the mirror too ashamed to confront your own HAIR ISSUE, and put on your comfort blanket...your trusty wig?

If the latter is you, then you- you are not alone so take heed.

There are thousands of women around the country who suffer with hair-loss problems.

The difference being the number of women who choose to actively do something about it.

Possible reasons for hair-loss in ethnic women/girls:

Weaves that are sewn on tightly
Braids/exstensions put in too tightly

Ponytails and other styles that can pull tightly and put tension on the hair-line
Chemical Abuse from relaxers/perms

Hereditary genetic disposition
Stress

Hormones
Pregnancy

Vitamin deficiency

Hair neglect

Traction Alopecia-(hair-line hair-loss)

In a society where wearing hair exstensions has now become second nature to many young teenage girls and women, you do not have to look far to see a girl/woman who has lost her hair-line- subsequently called ' Traction Alopecia' this is very common but wholly preventable among ethnic women.

This type of hair-loss is self induced, through how we do our hair, or sometimes it can be inflicted by parents (in mis-guided ignorance) onto their children, who have no control over their hair styles.

A severe example of traction alopecia caused by tight/ weaves/braids

The picture above has become so common placed in high-street salons, whereby the problem is not treated but just covered up by sometimes reckless hairdressers with a weave/wig-cap that will only serve to distress the remaining hair/hair-line!

How to prevent this happening to you:

1. When wearing ponytails don't scrape the hair up so tightly you look chinese!- (especially if you have a thin hair-line...try to do it loosely, or leave the hairline free- to protect and keep it!)

1. When getting a weave done, ensure the hair-line is left out and the canerows are not done too tightly. (Speak up- tell the stylist- if you feel a tightness, no style is worth losing your hair for)

1. If you have exstensions make sure they do not pull on the delicate hairs around your hair-line, its better to have to re-do them if they look messy, if put in loosely, than have your hair-line come out with the exstension when you take them out.
   

Over time if the hair-line is constantly stressed- the hair is permanently lost- but if caught in time the hair can be nurtured to re-grow with consistent attention, growth stimulating oils and regular massaging of the area.

Note the WARNING SIGNS:

If you ever get those tiny white bumps around the edge of your hairline where the hair is being pulled- then this is a warning sign- your scalp is being damaged- the hair is literally being pulled from the root! loosen your hair immediately if in exstensions/braids or a weave and massage the area to avoid permanent scalp scarring and hair-loss.

Parents Please Note:

Since you control the styling of your childs precious tresses...make sure that you do not damage the hair-line for that 'cute hairstyle'.

A child/toddlers hair is even more supscebtible to damage- so keep the styling loose.

Leave the hair-line tension free

Avoid canerow styles that pull the hair away from the face

Avoid tight ponytails and bobble styles

If your child says the hair is tight- Listen to them!

Adopt styles that leave the hair and moreso scalp stress-free, like free flowing twists, without the use of exstensions and please NO WEAVES!

This innocent looking style is already causing breakage around this child's fragile hair-line, by pulling away from the hair-line...

A simple hair-line loving hairstyle...using bobbles that contain no metal bits!

Alopecia Areata:

This is another common form of hair-loss affecting ethnic women, it forms small circular bald spots over the crown of the head, it can be quite distressing as is all hair-loss, but it can grow back, and does so in 90% of patients.

However if you feel you are suffering with this type of hair-loss, you should not be using any type of chemical on your scalp. I have witnesses over-zealous and un-educated hairdressers too often perming the remaining hair on a lady with this problem! Ridiculous.

Alopecia areata

What Causes it?

Alopecia areata is not contagious. It occurs more frequently in people who have affected family members, suggesting that heredity may be a factor. In addition, it is slightly more likely to occur in people who have relatives with autoimmune diseases.

The condition is thought to be an autoimmune disorder, in which the body attacks its own hair follicles and suppresses or stops hair growth

Other forms of hair-loss/Alopecia

Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, another hair-loss condition common among ethnic women, is characterized by circle-shaped balding at the crown toward the front of the head.

Many trichologists blame this condition on the sometimes outrageous things we do to our hair with tension, heat and chemicals.

Light At the end of the tunnel: It can GROW back!

The picture below shows a lady suffering with balding towards the front crown section as described above. However she is now experiencing great growth results after only 3 months, with the help of the 100% Natural ROOT2TiP Hair Growth Pack, e-mail root2tiphair@yahoo.co.uk for details.

3 months later, thicker hair & growth

Another example of great results with using the Root2Tip Growth pack

Be positive:

At the end of the day you can either seek help for your hair-loss problems or choose to ignore them, hair-loss affects your confidence and self-esteem, but the best way to deal with that is to really get to the ROOT of the problem.

Take a positive step in the right direction today. E-mail root2tiphair@yahoo.co.uk for advice on great products.

Help...I want to stop using relaxers in my Hair!!

I QUIT THE RELAXER TODAY!!

So you have made the BIG decision to stop using relaxers in your hair- CONGRATULATIONS! you should be really proud of yourself.

It certainly is not an easy choice to make especially since you may have been relaxing your hair since you were 10 years old!


So what now??

Its only been 2 weeks since your usual re-touch day and your mind keeps wondering onto the pretty boxes of relaxers on the top shelf in your local hair-care shop!

Do not fear you are not going mad! and you are not alone, especially when you have been invited out next week and the finishing touch to your outfit is that well over-due re-touch to those roots!

Try to be strong and resist the temptation to relax again. Its a bit like when you quit smoking cigarettes- you need to wean yourself off slowly!

The most addictive white stuff known to woman! creamy crack...relaxers

Below are 10 really good reasons to further inspire you to quit the relaxer for good!

1) You will never have to suffer from a burning scalp again!
2) You will save money £££££££, as you no longer need to visit the hairdressers for re-touches...
3) Your hair will over time regain its natural thickness and BODY!
4) Your hair will feel and be stronger- as relaxing hair can often make it weak and thin.
5) Your scalp will begin to be healthier- it will not feel so dry
6) You will retain length much easier - providing the hair is well moisturised and maintained!
7) That portion of your hair that seems to get shorter with every re-touch will grow again as it is not being OVER-PROCESSED- in particular the back/nape area of the head!
8) You will have to spend more time getting to know how to handle your natural texture.
9) You will feel a sense of liberation, as you look forward to A NEW YOU- HAIR IS DEAD- BUT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR’S ALIVE AGAIN!
10) You may even notice that your natural hair was never that bad to begin with!

Learn to love your unique hair texture....

Keeping The hair Healthy whilst you TRANSITION from Relaxed-Natural

Try to wash your hair at least once or twice a week to keep the scalp clean to encourage growth.

Use a conditioner to rinse your hair with at least 3 times a week- it helps with tangling!

Decide on whether you want to do a BIG CHOP and get rid of the relaxed hair or whether you will trim it off as the re-growth grows out.

Take time when handling your hair as the two different textures you will experience will be difficult to handle. Your hair will be very fragile due to this so take your time with it.

Handle your hair only with conditioner in it, it is easier to manage this way- and less likely to break.

If you decide to keep the relaxed hair until your natural hair has grown to a decent length then try a PROTECTIVE STYLE- to help your hair grow out and prevent damage to it.

Try any of these PROTECTIVE Styles:

Braids
Twists
Sew-in weave
Instant Weave
Wig

MOISTURISE daily- especially the re-growth.

Massage your scalp to promote GROWTH and use a GROWTH stimulating scalp oil like the GROW-it Long Serum Scalp oil or the ROOT ENERGiZER scalp tonic...to make your hair grow thicker and nourrish your roots...(see below)

The ROOT ENERGiZER & GROW-it-long Scalp oils (100% ALL-NATURAL)...great for thicker hair and growth

For those who CAN'T stop relaxing:

If you feel that to stop relaxing is not for you, but you still want healthier hair, then read on...

Try to S-T-R-E-T-C-H O-U-T the length of time between your usual re-touches.

So relax every 3 months instead of every 4 weeks- this will help your hair to thicken up as you will have less chance of over-processing the already relaxed hair when you re-touch.

Lessen the amount of time you relax your hair for- i.e, instead of leaving the relaxer on for 20 minutes leave it on for 10 mins, this will leave you with some natural body in your hair.

Use a protective style to help you STRETCH out your next relaxer. By wearing braids or a wig you will have an easier time when trying to stretch as your hair is out of the way and not manipulated.

Deep condition regularly

Moisturise daily

Take time with your hair

Try to only comb- using a wide tooth comb when your hair is saturated with conditioner or oil.

6 weeks of thick healthy growth acchieved using a protective style and the GROW-it-long serum scalp oil

Whatever you decide to do...you can have healthier hair if you stick to a simple haircare regime and treat your tresses like silk...

GOOD LUCK!!

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E-mail me at root2tiphair@yahoo.co.uk for details of how to buy the ROOT2TiP 'GROW-it-long Serum Scalp Oil and the ROOT ENERGiZER Scalp tonic

100% All- Natural Haircare Products

That really do CARE for Your Hair!!