Operation Restore
Locks of Love
National Alopecia
Areata Foundation
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THE HAIR RESTORATION REPORT January 2002 Congratulations! You have
been selected to receive this issue of the "HAIR RESTORATION
REPORT." This report contains tips on how to make the
most out of the hair you already have, slow the hair loss
process and more effectively plan and manage the restoration
of your hair. In This Issue: Avoiding Damaged HairIt is important that you maintain a consistent environment for your hair. Protect your hair when in the sun or in the water. To much exposure to sun, wind, or swimming pool chemicals will dry out your hair and cause it to knot. Certain hairstyles and treatments can also cause breakage or root damage. We suggest that you avoid tight braiding, buns, or ponytails. This is particularly important for women with long hair.Curling is safest if you twist your hair into pin curls overnight. Use of hot rollers or curling irons gives the best results for coarse hair, but they may damage strands or roots when used to excess. When you use a curling iron, always roll in the ends last. For safe curling of fine hair, let it air dry and wind it loosely around sponge rollers. Never roll your hair too tightly in curlers. Teasing and backcombing should be done gently or not at all. A styling gel or mousse can give your hair more body or thickness. They do not necessarily damage your hair, but you may experience extra dryness, especially at the hair ends. pH Balance Many products today claim to be pH balanced. The pH of a liquid is a chemical term to indicate its acidity. This is measured by the amount of free hydrogen atoms and expressed by the pH. When the liquid has a pH of 1 or 2 it is very acidy while a pH of 5 or 6 is very lightly acid. A neutral liquid has a pH of 7, and with a pH above 7 the liquid becomes "basic." When a product is pH balanced it simply means that in the formulation, chemical buffers were added so that the product has a constant pH or acidity. Most products are made (pH balanced) at a pH of 7 or a little less. That is not always the best way to go. The human skin and the human hair have a pH between 5 and 6. This means that the skin's surface is slightly acid. Scientists know today that this acid environment is to prevent growth of bacteria and that this acidity is a protection against substances with a high pH. The skin is covered with a complicated mixture of natural chemicals that have the ability to neutralize bases and to some extend also acids. It has been proven that soaps of high pH ("basic soaps") can be very irritating for the skin and can temporarily destroy or weaken this natural acid barrier. That is why shampoos, lotions and creams should have a pH of between 5 and 6 adjusted to the pH of the skin. Dyes Beware of hair dyes or bleaches. Bleach chemically alters the melanin granule in the middle layer of each hair strand. Despite careful treatment, persistent bleaching eventually damages even healthy, strong hair shafts, but it does not injure the roots from which future hair growth takes place. Hair dyes work more like paint by covering hair strands with color or by mixing with the melanin granules without altering them. Dyes come in temporary forms, which eventually wash out, and semi-permanent and permanent forms. Conduct a patch test to check for possible irritation, because a severe allergic reaction to hair dye could cause hair loss. Waving Permanent waving rearranges the inner hair molecules, breaking and reforming its sulfur bonds, in a step-wise chemical process (that gives off the familiar sulfide odor which wafts off the head being waved). Permanent waving is safe for healthy hair, but you may find it results in increased dryness and splitting. Straightening and permanent waving use the same chemical methods to change the properties of hair strands. In permanent waving, a gentle shampoo first strips off the sebum, then swelling agents open up the hair shaft -- to allow entry of the bond-rearranging waving solution. Modern waving solutions (mostly ammonium or sodium sulfide) are more flexible than the former types, they are also safer and more controllable. The latest acidic waving lotions, although more expensive, have the gentlest hair-reforming action, and are advised for use on fragile or tinted hair. Wound on rollers of varying sizes, hair gets a permanent curl of the desired type. The final extent of the wave depends on the kind of hair (finer curling faster), the time the solution stays on and the size of roller used. After the hair is arranged in its new, curly configuration. Waving solution is rinsed off and the second solution, the neutralizer, which restores the linkage, is put on to halt the curling process. The waving action must be stopped at the right time to avoid over processing. Modern waving solutions are often self-timed; the hair-altering reaction is automatically halted after a designated time. A permanent waving should never be done on hair dyed with metallic products, and only with extreme care (using the gentler waving lotions) on hair that's been recently bleached or tinted with permanent, oxidative dyes. Dual processing could disintegrate hair made porous by the tinting procedure. Waving after coloring hair requires great care and use of weaker waving lotions -- a fact known by any trained hairdresser. Done by a reliable stylist, permanent waving today is pretty safe. We hope this helps you to maintain a healthy environment for you hair and that it addresses your styling concerns and needs. If you need more information please feel free to contact any of our counselors at 1-800-242-6900. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ****** Want to know more about the many options available to you in hair restoration, hair maintenance and hair replacement? Contact the Sword Medical Center office nearest you 1-800-242-6900 or go to www.swordmedical.com ******* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Virtual Hair Restoration Consultation
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