Time for special hair, scalp care

THE 2005 Carnival is over. Those who opted for the Carnival hair colours or to expose their hair to the scorching sun should be aware that this is now the time for special hair care and deep scalp and hair conditioning treatments. You must note that all products are not designed for all types of textured hair. It is therefore important for you to know the right conditioner to make your hair soft and healthy again. There are four factors to be considered: •Texture, •Porosity, •Density, •Elasticity.

Texture: Is your hair fine, medium or coarse? The right weight of conditioner must be determined by the texture of your hair. Heavy conditioners tend to be greasy and will make light hair difficult to style. In other words the molecules in this type of conditioner will be too heavy for the hair shaft of light hair and will leave it lifeless. On the other hand if the conditioner is too light and the hair is coarse, it will remain dry and frizzy.

Porosity: This means the ability of the hair to absorb water or hair care products. Dry brittle hair will require more moisturiser and less protein than hair that is soft and limp. One must discover the right mix of moisturiser and protein shampoo/conditioner to ensure that hair maintains the right degree of porosity.

Density: This is the number of hair strands per inch of scalp. This determines the amount of product to be used, since someone with low density will not require as much product as someone with high density.

Elasticity: The ability of the hair to stretch and return to its natural position without breakage. Hair with poor elasticity breaks very easily and requires special types of conditioners. Though hair care is not seen as a science, it does require scientific analysis in order to determine the right product to be used on a client. Hair analysis is critical to proper hair care and successful chemical use. It is recommended that you have your hair analysed by a qualified trichologist and take the results to your hair stylist. This will assist both of you in understanding and deciding on the right products to be used for your hair and your personal daily care routine. I consider this to be the basic rule in developing and maintaining healthy hair.

Germaine Williams-Beckles is a qualified trichologist. If you have queries about your hair or scalp condition send questions to news@newsday.co.tt or call 625-6774