Natural Skin Care Guide

After chilly winter comes the warmth of summer. This is also the ideal time to indulge in some outdoor activities. Swimming is always a welcome idea to beat the heat of summers. Swimming in hot summer may be soothing to your skin but swimming in a pool of chlorine and other chemicals is bound to have some effect not just on your skin but also on your hair. Discoloration and hair damage are some of the common problems faced by the regular swimmers. Chlorine and other chemicals which are used in the pool to kill harmful bacteria and keep the water clean can make your hair dry, pale and can even turn your hair greenish in color ( especially visible in blondes). Chlorine the major chemical used in the pool water breaks down the hair oils and makes the hair dry, brittle and dull. The condition becomes worse for those swimmers who perm and color their hair too often. Hairs which have been subjected to some chemical treatments can react adversely with the chemicals of the pool water. So, if you love to keep your hair permed then the only solution to keep the chlorine’s bleaching effect away from your hair strands is to wear a swim caps.

To get rid of the green layer deposited on the hair you can use shampoo and conditioner meant exclusively for swimmer’s hair. Some home remedies like washing the hair with lemon juice or vinegar are also helpful. Keep your hair moisturized. Apply moisturizer generously on your hair before you take a dip into the swimming pool. Use a swimming cap also plunging into the pool water. But if you are not comfortable about wearing a swimming cap then keep your hair away from chlorinated water contact as far as possible and make moisturizing a part of your daily hair acre routine.

Some herbal treatments can also counter the effect of the chlorine mixed with pool water. Use non sticky hair oil before diving in the pool. Massage your hair thoroughly so that the hair oil gets deep into your hair and the chlorinated water does minimal damage to your hair. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo after you come out of the water. Yogurt is a good vitalizer for damaged hair. It not only treats the lifeless hair but also cools your head while the yeast in the yogurt does the repair work.

Dry or Frizzy hair is a common problem faced by millions of women across the world. The problem is more serious for women with curly hair. Frizzy hair is unmanageable and gives an unkempt looks. It also makes the person look much older.

Causes of hair frizz

• Some women are born with curly locks that are frizzy.
• Hair can get frizzy from excessive use of styling products. Gels or hairsprays that have high alcohol content which can aggravate hair frizziness.
• Hot and humid weather is often the cause of frizziness.
• Blow-drying of hair or excessive use of curling irons can cause hair frizz.
• Exposure to sun’s rays and strong wind can also cause unmanageable frizz.
• Imbalance in the pH level of the hair due to certain medication can contribute to this frizziness.
• Nutritional deficiency, stress and illness can lead to hair damage, split ends, frizz and hair fall.
• Hair gets damaged from perming, coloring and bleaching which tends to develop frizz.
• Use of harsh chemicals on hair with can cause frizz. Harsh chemical relaxers cause damage to hair. Constant straightening of the hair can aggravate the problem of frizz.
• Those who have natural coarse hair have greater tendency of developing dryness and frizzines.
• Lack of moisture and deficiency in protein in the cortical layers of the hair can cause frizzy hair.
• Hard combing of hair can cause frizz.

Dandruff is a common and an embarrassing hair problem which has affected million around the world. Dandruff are white scales of dead skin shed by the scalp. Dandruff makes the roots of the hair weak and makes the hair fall. Dandruff may be the result of some scalp disorder. As part of skin regeneration process, the dead skin of our scalp is replaced by new skin. The dead skin normally remains on the surface our scalp as white flakes. The dandruff sufferers shed skin more frequently. It can be once in two weeks as against one month in case of normal situation. The dandruff suffer will notice an excessive flaking in their shoulder and clothes along with some other symptoms like itchy scalp, redness of scalp, inflammation.

Causes of dandruff:

• Pityrosporum ovale is a kind of fungus which is found on everybody’s scalp. The main function of this fungus is to metabolize human fat. But problem arises when the fungus grows faster than normal rate which disturbs the normal rate of skin regeneration.
• Overactive sebaceous gland can lead to access secretion of oil. Mild dandruff is usually a result of too much oiliness of the skin.
• Zinc deficiency can make one more vulnerable to dandruff. Frequent intake of fried foods, dairy foods, nuts and sugar can deteriorate the scalp condition and make the condition conducive for dandruff.
• Other causes of dandruff are excessive sweating, family history, food allergies, use of alkaline or harsh soaps, certain hair products such as dyes, hair spray or hair gel, stress, yeast infections. Even Cold, dry winters can be responsible for bring on dandruff or making it worse.

Dandruff is a scalp problem which needs much attention. So, when it is indentified that you have dandruff, there are certain precautions you can take to check the problem.

• Dandruff can be treated using medicated shampoos and lotions available in the medical stores. Choose the one that suits you. Wash your hair with a shampoo at least once a week. After applying shampoo rinse your hair thoroughly. Make sure that no shampoo is left in the hair. If the hair products like shampoos, conditioners are not washed properly they can accentuate the ill-effects.
• Dandruff is contagious so, it is always safer to separate your comb, hair brush from others.
  Clean them from time to time. Never use the comb of an infected person.
• Brush your hair thrice a day.
• Exposure to natural sunlight can be helpful in treating dandruff.
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables in the form of salad; take food rich in vitamins B, C and E. Avoid fried foods, dairy foods, nuts and sugar as far as possible this will be helpful in reversing the condition of a dandruff affected scalp. Eat food rich in rich zinc content. Beans, turkey, red meat, pork, and shellfish such as oysters are good sources of zinc.
• Styling products like hair spray, waxes, gel, and mousse tend to build up on the scalp, causing it to produce excess oil and can often cause allergic reactions. So, avoid these products as far as possible.

Home remedies to treat dandruff:

• Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.
• Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and then wash the hair with a shampoo.
• Heat the oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. Wash the hair with herbal shampoo after 30 minutes.
• Soak fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Crush the seeds and make a paste. Apply the paste on the scalp. Leave it for half an hour and then wash it off with a shampoo. Fenugreek seeds are an excellent remedy for dandruff.
• Make a mixture 100 g each of Indian goose berry, reetha, and shikakai, and boil in two liter of water until the liquid reduces to half. Use it as a shampoo for one month. This will cure the problem of dandruff and make your hair thick.
• Massage the scalp with almond oil and give it a hot towel therapy.
• Add two spoonful of vinegar to two spoonful of lemon juice then message your scalp with the mixture. Wash it with an egg shampoo after sometime.
• Boil coconut oil with small onions. Massage the Scalp with it. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.
• Rinse your hair with fresh lemon juice. It prevents dandruff, makes the hair oil free and gives a natural shine to the hair.
• Mix mashed beet root leaves with henna paste and apply the mixture on your hair to prevent dandruff.
• Mix two spoonful of vinegar with six spoonful of water and apply it the on the scalp. Leave it overnight. Wash it with a shampoo the next morning. Rinse with vinegar water. Continue this once a week for at least three months to see the result. This will also add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.
• Add black pepper to warm coconut oil. Boil the oil, allow it to cool then strain it. Apply this oil on your hair at night.

Everybody wants to look beautiful. One may go for hair dying either to change his/ her look or to hide grey hair. Whatever may be the reason, a dyed hair looks beautiful only when it is done appropriately. A badly done hair dye can ruin one’s look. So, here are some guidelines to help you make your hair dyeing a pleasant experience.

Hair dye can be best done in a professional salon but it can be pretty expensive. So, if you choose to do it yourself take care of a few things:

There are basically 3 types of hair dye. The permanent hair dye which remains for a considerable amount of time. But it contains ammonia which can make the hair very dry and damaged. The long lasting semi permanent hair colour remains up to 20 washes. After 6 -10 washing the colour starts fading in case of semi permanent hair colour. However, semi permanent hair colour is recommended for the first time user.

Choose a hair colour that goes well with your skin tone. Yellow skinned people should avoid golden shades; pale skinned people look aged and ghostly in very dark hair tones. Those people who had blonde hair in their childhood have the right skin tone for blonde shade. However, it is always safe to try a couple of shades lighter or darker than the current shade.

For short haired women it is better to go for full colour than highlighting. But medium to long haired women looks good in highlights especially if it is around the face.

Some precautions should to be taken while colouring your hair. If you are applying a bright colour on your hair, use petroleum jelly or cream around your hairline to prevent colour from dripping into your face. If you have forgotten to cover the hair line with petroleum jelly before applying colour than use cotton soaked in alcohol based toner to wipe the stained area. Always wear gloves and spread a dark coloured towel around your neck while coloring. If the colour gets into your eyes wash it immediately. After dying, always rinse with cold or tepid water to avoid your own hair from falling out. Never use hair dye on eyebrows and eyelashes

Start conditioning your hair a month before dying it but stop applying it a few hours before applying the hair dye. Make sure that your hair is clean and free of dirt before coloring. Shampoo them properly. Trim the hair part with tangles and split ends to smooth the colour. Before applying it on the entre head apply the colour on a portion of your neck or behind your ears to check if you are allergic to it. Do this test 1-2 days before applying the colour in your hair.

Refresh your color by using a color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit very small amounts of color into hair. You can have your hair roots touched up every 6-8 weeks before your hair root starts showing.

Healthy and shiny hair adds to the beauty of a woman. But in today’s busy and polluted world the hair is often robbed off its sheen. Off late a number of hair related problem has also cropped up. Let’s see how these problems sorted out.

One common hair problems is dandruff. Dandruff is white scales of dead skin shed by the scalp. It results to itchy and inflamed scalp. Dandruff makes the roots of the hair weak and makes hair fall. When it is indentified that you have dandruff, there are certain precautions you can take to check the problem.

There are a number of anti dandruff shampoo available in the market. Choose the one that suits you. Wash your hair with a shampoo at least once a week. After applying shampoo rinse your hair thoroughly. Make sure that no shampoo is left in the hair. If the hair products like shampoos, conditioners are not washed properly they can accentuate the ill-effects. Since dandruff is contagious, it is safe to separate your comb, hair brush from others and clean them from time to time. Never use the comb of an infected person. Brush your hair thrice a day. Eat raw fruits and vegetables in the form of salad; take food rich in vitamins B, C and E and zinc. Avoid fried foods, dairy foods, nuts and sugar as far as possible this will be helpful in reversing the condition of a dandruff affected scalp.

Here are some natural remedies to treat dandruff:

Mix two spoonful of vinegar with six spoonful of water and apply it the on the scalp. Leave it overnight. Wash it with a shampoo the next morning. Rinse with vinegar water. Continue this once a week for at least three months to see the result. This will also add bounce to dull and lifeless hair.
Add two spoonful of vinegar to two spoonful of lemon juice then message your scalp with the mixture. Wash it with an egg shampoo after sometime.

Boil coconut oil with small onions. Massage the Scalp with it. Wash it off with a mixture of green gram powder and water drained from cooked (boiled) rice.

Apply a mixture of almond oil and gooseberry juice with finger tips on the scalp.

Apply the warm mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and coconut oil. Do a steam -towel- wrap for 15 minutes and then wash the hair with a shampoo.

Heat the oil with a little camphor. Apply the oil in the scalp and massage for 10 minutes. Wash the hair with herbal shampoo after 30 minutes.

Soak fenugreek seeds overnight in water. Crush the seeds and make a paste. Apply the paste on the scalp. Leave it for half an hour and then wash it off with a shampoo. Fenugreek seeds are an excellent remedy for dandruff.

General tips for healthy and shiny hair:

• Castor oil helps in the growth of the hair. So, apply castor oil for luxuriant growth of hair.
• Boil tea leaves in water for some time. Let it cool down. Then rinse your hair with the brew.
• Apply gram powder in the hair and wash it with water drained from the cooked rice.
• Soak a handful of gooseberry in a cup of milk for two hours. Make it as a paste and apply in the hair.
• Make a mixture of egg white, 2 spoon of castor oil, 1 spoon glycerin and apply it on the scalp and hair. Then wash it after some time.
• Massage your hair with warm coconut oil one hour before washing it with shampoo. Boil the juices of curry leaves, basil, hibiscus flower and gooseberry with coconut oil. Filter and use this hair oil to control hair loss and thinning. Apply it on your hair, keep it for some time and rinse.
• If your cuticles are damaged, provide a hot towel therapy once in a while as the steaming opens out the pores and absorbs the oil.
• Egg white and curd is a good conditioner for hair. Condition your hair with a mixture of curd, beer and egg.
• Let half a cup of curry leaves soak in a cup of coconut and mustard oils overnight. Next morning, heating the oil on a low fire till the curry leaves turn crisp. Remove it from heat and add two to three camphor balls in the mixture. Strain the oil after it cools. Apply oil to hair roots using cotton wool massaging in circular motion. Leave the oil overnight and shampoo the next morning. Repeat this twice a week.

Some tips for women with long hairs. Women with long hair should not sleep with hairs tied in ponytail or braided. This may create tension in the hair roots and lead to hair fall. Don’t make your ponytail too tight. It is a good idea to trim your hair once in three months to keep the spilt ends at bay. Always loosen the tangles of your hair with fingers or wide toothed comb before washing your hair with shampoo. Do not dry your hair by rubbing the hair with towel. Instead let the towel blot the water from your hair. Use silk pillow covers to prevent your hair from being caught and broken while sleeping.

All these natural remedies works wonder for hair. So, enjoy looking great with soft, shiny and beautiful throughout the year.

Hair fall is a problem common to both men and women. Hair fall in women usually do not lead to complete baldness as in case of men. Nevertheless, it has always been a cause of concern for many women. However there a lot of medicinal and cosmetic options to address this problem. Let’s have a look over the different types of hair loss. There are three main types of hair loss among women. These are:

Androgenetic alopecia -This type of hair alopecia causes permanent hair loss in both men and women. In case of man this condition is called as male-pattern baldness. In this condition, the male starts losing hair from above the temple. Later on, the hairline recedes to form a characteristic “M” shape. Hair becomes very thins at the crown of the head, often leading to partial or complete baldness. The pattern of hair loss in women is different from that of male-pattern baldness. In women, the hair becomes thinner all over the head and the hairline does not recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women hardly leads to total baldness. The cause of this hair disorder is thought to be genetic as well as environmental.

Alopecia Areata (Patchy baldness) – A disorder in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles, causing loss of hair on the scalp, face, and other parts of the body.

Traumatic Alopecia – It is a type of hair loss caused by injury to the scalp. Traumatic alopecia can be caused in an attempt to straighten the natural curls of the hair, tying the hair in tight pony tails or braids, treating the hair with chemicals to change the colour and texture, using hot rollers over the hair shafts. Brushing of the hair too hard can also cause hair loss.

Hair loss can be caused by the lack of essential minerals and vitamins in the diet. A scalp infection like dandruff can weaken the hair roots and can lead to hair fall. Pregnancy, use of certain drugs, high fever, or stress can lead to generalized hair loss.

There are several ways to treat female hair loss with different hair loss products, some commonly used methods are:

There are different options of treating alopecia areata. The most common option is to allow the hair to grow naturally if the patch is very small. Application of topical steroids like Diprolene or Temovate in the patchy area can help in getting the hair back. However it involves several months of usage. Another option can be injection of the steroid such as Celestone directly into the scalp. Results can be seen within 4-8 weeks. But it has got a side effects in the form of thinning of hair. Sometimes irritant like anthralin is used to stimulate hair growth. Treatment by means of drugs like methoxsalen that react to ultraviolet radiation or sunlight is called photochemotherapy. It is used to treat serious cases of psoriasis. It may take 40-80 treatments for initiating hair growth and 1-2 years for complete regrowth. Traumatic alopecia can be treated by discontinuing the styling practices that causes the hair and scalp injury like not using harsh chemicals to change the pattern and colour of hair, avoiding hot curling rods to curl hair etc. But for those who can’t compromise with styling. It is advised to the minimize risk of injury to scalp by using looser and larger wrapping and braids which will minimize the tension on the scalp and hair. Chemicals should only be applied to the hair and not to the scalp directly. Some other options for hair growth can be head massage which is said to stimulate the hair follicles and hair growth, producing new hair growth after only a few sessions. However result from this treatment cannot be confirmed. If medication fails to have any positive effect, you can see a hair specialist for hair implants. This is a procedure that is often performed in a few different sessions under local anesthetic.