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How
to Treat and Style Problem Hair
Limp
Hair
By
Doris Möller
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Before
I explain how to treat and style
limp hair lets first find out what limp hair is really like.
The following are characteristics that describe limp hair.
It is of fine to average thickness (the diameter of each
hair) has high density (the number of hairs on your scalp)
and is straight. This is the type of hair that does not
hold a style that has volume and goes flat in no time. I
am extremely familiar with this kind of hair because this
is the type of hair I have. You would never know I have
limp hair when you look at me. It looks like my hair has
lots of body. My hair style lasts for days and days. I will
tell you my secret in a minute. |
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Most women who have limp
hair have natural blonde hair ranging from dark blonde (mousey
blonde) to very light blonde hair and women with these hair
colors have the highest density of hair (I am one of those
people). In other words they have the greatest amount of
hair on their scalp compared to other natural hair colors.
Here is a breakdown of the average number of hairs on the
scalp for each hair color: |
· Blonde – 140,000 hairs
· Brown - 110,000 hairs
· Black - 108,000 hairs
· Red -- 90,000 hairs
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In case you were wondering
how you can count all that hair on your scalp here is how
it is done. You count the hair on one square inch and then
the entire area of the scalp is measured.
You could say that red heads
rarely have a problem with limp hair because of the low
density of their hair given that high density is the main
culprit. |
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The combination of straight hair, fine
to average thickness and high density makes
it difficult to have a hair style with volume. A woman with
fine hair and a natural wave has it much easier because
the natural wave or curl, gives the hair body. |
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How
should you treat limp hair? |
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So, what can you do to have a hair
style that not only looks good but lasts several days so
that you don’t have to do your hair every day? There
are two possibilities. |
1.
If you have the kind of face shape where you can
and want to wear your hair fairly flat, at short or medium
length, then all you need is a good hair cut. The
most important thing about your hair cut is that it also
is layered in the proper proportions. The layers
will give you the right amount of volume and make your hair
come alive. Remember, hair that is totally one length will
lie flat no matter what you do to style it. |
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The
secret to styling limp, straight and high density hair and
having a hair style that lasts |
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2.
If you have limp hair and the shape of your face is either
round or square then you need more volume
on the top to balance your face and to have your hair style
suit you. In this case the perfect solution that
is a permanent wave which will give your hair body and to
make your hair style last. This is the secret to solving
the problem of styling limp hair. |
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Not just a body wave, but a tighter
curl. If the wave/curl is too loose (a body
wave has a loose wave) you won’t have enough body.
That being said, it is only logical to have a good hair
cut. It is the foundation for your perm and hair style.
You must also make sure that your hair is the right length
because if it is too long for your style your hair will
fall flat again. Make sure you have your hair cut every
six weeks. |
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But,
what happens to the body in your hair as the perm
grows out? After about
two and a half months your hair will start to lose its
body because the roots become straight. Do
you have to wait until your perm has grown out before
perming your hair again?. You don’t have to
wait until your perm has grown out before having
another perm. What is the
solution? You can have a root perm. A
root perm is a technique where only the straight part
(your re-growth)
gets permed. With this hair perming method you
can always have body in your hair as well keep
your hair healthier. |
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Now, you may be afraid that a permanent
wave will damage your hair. A perm does
make the cuticle of your hair stand out to a certain degree
(which is the sign of damaged hair). The good news is that
your hair can easily cope with this state because it is
such a strong fiber. I am a perfect example. I have been
perming and highlighting my very straight limp hair for
years now and my hair still looks great and has wonderful
body. My clients always comment on how great hair looks
and when I tell them that I have limp hair they can’t
believe it. Having highlights makes it that much better
because it adds more body. |
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Should
you perm colored hair? |
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You can definitely perm color treated
hair. I have done it for my clients for
many years. I have permed and colored hair the same day
and never once had a problem. |
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When your hair has a permanent wave
you need to style it after shampooing it.
You can not just wash it and leave it or only dry it with
the blow dryer. (Unless you prefer to leave your hair curly) |
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If you want to have a hair style that
has volume and hair that looks smooth, shiny
and healthy you need to style it after shampooing. The
best thing to do after shampooing is to apply a
conditioner as well as an extra hold setting lotion.
The best way to apply the setting lotion is to pour an amount
equal to a twenty-five cent piece into the palm of your
hand, then distribute it to the other hand and gently rub
it in your hair and the root area. Comb your hair through. |
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You can now dry your
hair a little with the blow dryer first. You can either
style your hair with a round brush and a blow dryer or set
it with Velcro rollers on damp to wet hair, making narrow
sections for each roller and winding the hair neatly and
with tension around each roller and then drying it with
a hair dryer. However the most effective method is to sit
under a dryer or a dryer cap for about thirty minutes. Putting
Velcro rollers into dry hair will not give your hair a proper
shape. |
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Oily
Hair
The Truth about Oily Hair
by
Doris Möller
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What is oily hair?
A person who suffers from oily hair knows exactly what oily
hair looks like and what it feels like. It sticks together,
lies flat, separates and is impossible to style any more.
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What is the cause of oily hair?
It is caused by the over activity of the sebaceous glands.
Have a look at the illustration and you will see where it
is located. Sometimes an oily scalp occurs in combination
with dandruff, but very often hair is only oily. |
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Why do the sebaceous glands produce
abnormal amounts of sebum? If you know the
cause you might be able to do something about it. One thing
for sure, it is definitely caused internally and not by
something you are doing externally such as brushing, shampooing,
conditioning, styling lotion, unless you are using a heavy
styling aid such as a pomade etc. that makes your hair oily.
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The cause of oily hair can be
one of the results of hormonal changes; teenagers often
suffer from oily hair. Another cause is illness. When a
person is not well this can be one of the symptoms. I have
observed this many times when some of my clients were suffering
from an illness their hair was oily. Also, taking medications
can be the cause as can extreme stress. |
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| The scientific fact is
that it is an internal problem that manifests itself externally.
What can you do to treat oily hair?
Unless you know what the cause is e.g. illness, stress,
and medication and change that situation than the only thing
that is left to do is to shampoo your hair every day or
as often as necessary to remove the oil from your scalp
and hair. Any shampoo has the ability to do that because
it is in its chemical make-up to lift the oil and dirt particles
off your scalp and hair with the help of water.
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No
shampoo will remedy oily hair. No product that you can apply
externally will have any effect. You might be worried that
the shampoo is going to dry out your hair. Again the scientific
fact is that a shampoo has a pH of below 7 and that means
that it is acid balanced and will not disturb (dry out)
your scalp’s and hair’s pH balance. |
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How
to style cowlicks
by Doris Möller
The
Cowlick on Your Crown Area
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There are usually three types of cowlicks
that you might have to deal with. The biggest one is on
your crown area. To understand why it can give us problems
styling our hair you have to know what a cowlick really
looks like. |
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Cowlick hair naturally grows from a
point. On the crown area the hair points
forward towards the front, the sides and then downward towards
your nape. Like this: |
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Everybody is born with a cowlick
on the crown area of their head. They can vary slightly.
Chances are you inherited one either from your father or
your mother. Each hair protrudes from your scalp protrudes
from that central point on your crown growing forward and
downward. It looks like a point from which the hair grows
in all directions. |
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If you are happy to wear your
hair forward then you won’t have any
problems because you are following the direction of the
hair growth. But, if you want to style your hair in the
opposite direction your hair is growing then it will resist
you by either sticking out or falling forward and sideways,
creating a part. |
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The main problem for women as far as
the cowlick on the crown is concerned, is
not so much that the hair sticks out but that the hair separates
at the crown area and lays in the direction it grows. When
that happens it may give the appearance that your hair is
thinning there. However, rest assured it has nothing to
do with that, it is only an optical illusion. |
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The problem comes from
where the hair grows forward in the cowlick because you
usually want to style your hair in the opposite direction,
in the direction of your nape. Usually, Mother Nature wins,
unless you outsmart it. At least we can try. |
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The
Solution |
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Various solutions have been suggested
to manage cowlick problems. (Some people
have suggested using electrolysis to remove the hair on
that spot. The problem is that you are left with no hair
there. Not such a good idea). However I have learned through
experience as a hair stylist (and on my own hair) that the
secret to a problem free cowlick is the length of the hair
on the crown. It must not be too long nor must it be too
short. If the hair there is too short it will stick out.
If it is too long it will separate. |
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If your hair is straight you can also
have a permanent wave to manage your cowlick, in addition
to the right length of hair to solve your cowlick problem.
Why a perm? Because a perm will redirect the root area and
therefore make the hair fall in the direction you want it
to go at least until the perm has grown out about an inch.
Therefore for straight hair the best solution to prevent
the hair from falling flat and separating on the crown area
is to have the right length and a permanent wave. When done
properly it works really well. |
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The
Nape Cowlick |
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The cowlick in the nape area occurs
when the hair on your neck grows up and the hair above it
grows down. This is what makes your hair stick out. |
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The Solution |
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To prevent it from sticking out, you
can either cut the hair short enough in that
area so it won’t be able to stick out or shape
it in such a way as to give it heaviness which will cause
it to lie flat. You can also cut the hair
underneath (using either scissors or clippers).
If you don’t want to do that you can apply
some permanent lotion to hair that is growing up
and then comb it down flat, to redirect the roots. Let it
process for the required time. |
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Cowlick
in the Front Forehead Area |
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The third type of cowlick is in the
front of your head. When the hair in the
front at the hairline grows up and to the right and to the
left of your head it will separate and make a part. It is
most annoying especially if you want to have bangs and always
end up with a part. |
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The
Solution |
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What
can you do about that? You
can use a bigger section for bangs to make the hair heavier
and blow style it with a round brush (down) into shape.
If done properly your hair will not separate. You
can also perm that part of the hair (redirecting
the roots) and then blow style it. This is more effective
and will last until the perm starts to grow out. |
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