The desire for a lustrous mane is the desire of every woman, but its reality is one that eludes many. Arab News gathered some of the main hair-related concerns of women across the country and asked two experts, celebrity hairstylist Asgar and Haneefah Al-Amreekiyyah, medical assistant and freelance blogger/writer on natural beauty and Prophetic medicine, for their insight. The result was an A-to-Z guide on hair care, from modern hair treatments and techniques to grandma-style tips. Here are four common hair problems and their solutions:
1. My hair becomes very dry and tough to manage. Its shine is completely lost.
Asgar: You can opt for an intensive hair repair treatment, which is suitable for dry and dull hair. This treatment is a deep conditioner that is used to add moisture and shine to hair. The state of your hair is an indication of your general state of health. Make sure you drink plenty of water and fruit juices and always keep hydrated; you’ll find the effects reflected in your hair and skin.
HAA: Do away with toxic haircare products. These chemical-laden “goods” are great at producing facades. Your hair will become damaged through repeated use over time. There are all-natural haircare product alternatives, from baking soda to mayo and egg conditioner and from green tea rinses to linseed hair gel. Treat your hair with a paste of dried ground lotus leaves mixed with lukewarm water. Apply to the entire hair shaft. Cover your head. Leave the mixture for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water (to close the follicles). Massage your scalp with your fingertips until the water runs clear. Lotus leaf is among the best purifiers for the head, mentioned in "At Tibbun Nabawi" by Imam Dhahabi. Lotus leaf also softens the hair. Seal your hair with a natural leave-in conditioner. Lightly pat with a towel. Air-dry your mane instead of using a blowdryer, or put the blowdryer on the lowest possible setting if absolutely necessary. Give yourself a weekly hot-oil treatment. Among those recommended are: plain or sweet almond oil, arnica oil, lettuce oil, watercress oil, castor oil, olive oil and rosemary oil.
2. My hair becomes oily after 24 hours of washing and I experience hair loss.
Asgar: Wash your hair frequently, but not every day, as daily washing may cause the hair shaft to be stripped of its natural oils too quickly, thereby producing excess sebum to make up for the loss, causing the hair to become even oiler. Use lukewarm water when you are shampooing, as hot water can cause the hair follicles to open, leading to moisture loss.
Be careful with conditioners; avoid using them at the root as this part of the hair is already moisturized by natural oils. A conditioner is actually meant to nourish the drier ends, so limit use to the lower half of your hair. Stay away from hair gels because they will make your hair look greasy. Be careful when looking for a product that adds extra shine to your hair. This can promote the “oily look” in those who have greasy hair. Make sure to regularly trim your hair, as this will help to keep your hair from becoming more damaged and it will appear thicker and stronger.
HAA: Peel a lemon. Place peels in a blender with one egg yolk, four spoons of hazelnut oil and ten grams of hazelnut powder. Blend well. Gently massage the mixture into your hair and scalp. Leave for 15 minutes. Wash your hair with an all-natural shampoo. Rinse well and then towel-dry. Avoid harsh chemicals and unnatural products as much as possible. Your scalp produces an excessive amount of oil in effort to protect itself from irritants and over-stimulation. Use all-natural horsetail oil and other such products for hair growth. Do your best to “get to the root” of your hair loss, as the reason could be one of many factors such as stress, medicinal side-effects, etc. Treat the actual problem for actual results.
3. I’m looking for an alternative to typical conditioners.
Asgar: It all depends on your hair type and what suits your hair better. Intensive hair masks are great to rejuvenate dull, tired looking hair. I recommend going for an intensive treatment at least once a month.
HAA: Try blending three egg yolks, 1/2 cup of coconut oil, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, two tablespoons of water and one peeled, de-seeded avocado together into a smooth melange. Apply with an applicator brush to avoid wasting your hodgepodge and messy spills. This brush provides light scalp stimulation. Leave in for thirty minutes, then rinse out with shampoo. Use an herbal leave-in conditioner afterwards. Refrigerate your home-made hair masque and discard after three days.
4. I experience hair loss due to lack of exposure to sunshine.
Asgar: Hair tends to fall regardless of whether you're in the sun or not. Try and give your hair as much sunshine as you can, but bear in mind wearing something to protect your head from the heat. Also, nourish your hair by making sure you regularly use hair oils and avoid harsh chemicals.
Furthermore, try to use light colored scarves that are less likely to absorb the heat from the sun, as this will protect the hair from overexposure to heat and the sun's rays.
HAA: The sun is essential for producing vitamin D and a deficiency in this vitamin can be detrimental to one’s health. Ask your doctor about taking what’s known as the “25-Hydroxy" vitamin D blood test, as this will help you determine whether vitamin D deficiency is contributing to your hair loss. This will also prevent vitamin D toxicity, the direct opposite to deficiency. Embark on a natural routine once light has been shed on the root of your problem and you’ll be well on your way back to a healthy scalp.
