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Q&A: Will Oils Prevent Moisture From Penetrating The Hair?

21 Nov

Question

Ayesha asks: I just wanted to ask, when we talk about oils and other natural stuff coating our hair, does it mean it forms a layer on the hair, preventing the penetration of water to the hair shaft when you have a shower and wash your hair?

Answer

Hi Ayesha,

Not necessarily. Oils do form a coating around your hair strand which slows down evaporation of moisture off of your hair, but it will not prevent moisture from getting in.

If you oil dry hair and then mist it with water it will still absorb it and puff up. So in this respect it will not stop moisture from getting in, but your hair will not absorb as much water as quickly with oil on, as it would if your hair had no product on. So it will take more water to reach maximum saturation.

This of course depends on the type of product you are using. Natural Oils create what i consider to be breathable layers, which means that they will not clog the hair’s cuticles or the scalp’s pores. Other products however, may very well hinder moisture absorption such as mineral oil and silicones. Silicones may not suffocate the hair as much as mineral oil but if over used it can create an impermeable barrier which will leave your hair dry, dull and lifeless. Click HERE for my post on the dangers of mineral oil.

Washing your hair with oil already applied still allows the moisture to get in, keeps the hair soft and prevents it from being overly dry afterwards. That is why so many people use oils as a pre wash treatment to soften and ‘protect’ the strands during shampooing session.

Using a gentle shampoo will not strip all the oils off your hair and thus allows it to still be soft and moisturised. Using a harsher shampoo containing sulphates or coco betaine will remove or strip off most, if not all of the oils on the hair.

Co-washes will not remove all product build up such as silicones and heavy butters but still offers a mild cleansing experience.

So… in summery

Oils don’t stop moisture from getting in. Other products such as mineral oil and silicones may prevent moisture from entering if allowed to build-up and washing your hair with oils already on your hair will not stop the water from penetrating the shaft. Oils used as pre wash treatments can help protect hair from drying out whilst washing. Using sulphate and coco betaine shampoos will remove all product build-up whilst co-washing and gentler shampoos will not strip all the natural oils off the hair, maintaining softness.

Check out The Natural Havens post on Oils to gain a better understanding of how they function on hair.

 

Take care.

 

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2010 in Oils, Q&A, Will Oils Prevent Moisture From Penetrating the Hair?

 

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Q&A: Brazilian Blowouts

17 Nov

Question

Lorraine asks: I have recently read about the Brazilian blow out treatment (keratin) is this safe to use on the hair as the write up on it suggests that it is not damaging and it seems a lot of "Naturals" are using this form of straightening?

Wanitta Asks: Can you do a blog on the new fad-Brazilian Blowout pros and cons please?

Answer

Well, to be totally honest i’d never really heard about a Brazilian Blowout until i was asked about it. But i’ve done my research on the subject and… well, there’s plenty of information out there about it. Here’s what i’ve found.

The original Brazilian Blowout Website suggests that this treatment “actually improves the condition of the hair by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft to eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle” and that “The end result is smooth, healthy, conditioned hair with radiant shine”.

The website also states that their formulation is FORMALDEHYDE Free.

The results are meant to last for up to 6 months if using the recommended after care products.

I looked around on YouTube to see if i could find a tutorial on how it’s actually applied and i found one here. It requires a lot of heat. Applying the product, washing, blowdrying, pressing, rinsing, applying more product, blowdrying and pressing.

However, digging a little more about this treatment brought up a few skeletons, as it were about the formulation.

Brazilian Blowout under the spotlight

Check out this news report from an American news channel and this one, questioning the amount of formaldehyde within this treatment, suggesting it contains up to 10% of this chemical substance. Salon practitioners and clients complained of nose bleeds, eye irritation and difficulty breathing!

I found this really helpful article on Fashionista discussing the potential dangers of the Brazilian Blowout treatment asking an organic chemist with more than 20 years pharmaceutical experience to look more into the matter. He states

“The long and short of it is that methylene glycol equals formaldehyde, period, get over it, done, move on. Also, there are chemicals that can be put into solution that when heated, turn into formaldehyde quickly. So a chemical that is not technically formaldehyde in solution, can turn into formaldehyde.

A WebMD article noted that formaldehyde is needed to bond with the keratin in these treatments, and that any product with less than 2% formaldehyde probably wouldn’t work. So you can draw the obvious conclusions.”

So… The Brazilian Blowout is designed to bond keratin to the hair shaft, thus making it stronger, smoother and straighter. Keratin can not bond to the hair shaft, only fill in the gaps of damaged cuticles. So something is needed to make it ‘stick’. And that, my friends, seems to be where the formaldehyde comes into play. So this protein layer is melted onto the hair and is what keeps it straight, until it is gradually stripped off.

It’s not looking very good for the Brazilian Blowout i’m afraid.

So, What is Formaldehyde?

The Cancer.gov Website has a breakdown of this chemical substance and states that “ Formaldehyde is a colourless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used in building materials and to produce many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials. In addition, formaldehyde is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant, and as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories. Formaldehyde also occurs naturally in the environment. It is produced in small amounts by most living organisms as part of normal metabolic processes”.

What’s the risks associated with this chemical?

The website also states “When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde, whereas others have no reaction to the same level of exposure”.

Can Formaldehyde cause cancer?

Cancer.gov suggests “Although the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure are well known, less is known about its potential long-term health effects. In 1980, laboratory studies showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. This finding raised the question of whether formaldehyde exposure could also cause cancer in humans. In 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure (1). Since that time, some studies of humans have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with certain types of cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen”.

So regular exposure to this chemical can contribute to cancer!

Watch this Video about one YouTubers thoughts on the matter after watching it being done in a salon, and this article on The Natural Haven giving a scientific breakdown of how it works and whether or not it’s worth doing.

My Thoughts

After considering all the research i’ve come to the conclusion that i will NEVER get this treatment done. I don’t see any pros in doing it at all. Why?

  1. You all know that i try and do what is right by my body and i take my health seriously. I would not want to expose myself to such dangerous substances all in the name of beauty!
  2. It takes away my power of control. I love my natural hair, i’m not trying to change it or run away from it in any way. If i ever decide to to straighten my hair, i want to be able to decide how long i keep it for. I would only want it for a few days, NOT MONTHS!
  3. My ethos is love who you are. Learn to appreciate the way God made you. I think it’s a bit of a cop out, personally. What’s the point of being natural if your going to straighten your hair for up to 6 months at a time? It makes no sense to me! Straighter is not always better.

It’s all about educating yourself, i believe. I’m not going to say don’t do it. We all have to be accountable for our own decisions. Do your own research and ask yourself why you would want such a treatment done. You can get stronger hair other ways. You can get straighter hair other ways that is not so damaging to your health and that does not last for so long.

 

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2010 in Brazilian Blowout, Q&A

 

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Q&A: How Do You Work Out Your Hair Type?

22 Oct

Question:

Fayola asks: Could you do something on how to work out your hair type?

I have loose curls/waves. They aren’t like spirals, more like a short frizzy bodywave. I don’t seem to fit into any of the category 3 or 4 descriptions I’ve read and obviously category 1 and 2 aren’t applicable due to my ethnicity!
It would really help me understand how to look after my hair appropriately and would help me choose the right products.

Answer:

Hi Fayola, thanks for your question.

Hair typing can help identify the kind of hair that you have in terms of curl pattern. Determining the kind of curl pattern you have can help you choose products and hairstyles that are more appropriate for you.

As black or mixed race women, our hair type generally falls under the categories of 3 and 4 (Andre’s typing system). But it can be quite difficult to accurately determine the type of curl that you have against this system. Our curls can span from wavy to tightly coiled and may not necessarily fall under any one type. Some women (like me) have more than one type of curl pattern on our head. Mine is 4b in the middle and 4a round the front of my hairline.

Some women prefer to go with other systems but i’ve used the most popular one for ease of identification.

The best thing to do is look for the type that is closest to your hair.

The hair typing system is more about the degree of curl rather than race (i believe). So if your hair falls under type 2 for instance, then that’s fine. It does sound to me like you just might have a 2c hair type (or even 2b). If you don’t feel 100% comfortable with this than go with 3a (if that’s the next closest) and look for products and hair styles that will work for this type. You should still get good results from identifying with this type.

Here are some hair typing charts i found.

Type 1

Type 2

Type 3

Type 4

The chart below expands a little bit more on the curl patterns to include more sub-types as most people feel that afro hair cannot be categorised in just 6 sub-types. (But remember, most go with the chart above).

 

Also check out this post on hair typing here on the black hair media forum for a more in-depth chart of the different types of curl in each hair type.

There are others as i said before like the LOIS typing system but some do find it a little confusing.

Here is an article all about understanding hair types (It’s very long – 9 pages, but very helpful) and even introduces a new system to include 5 groups and no sub categories. Very Interesting indeed.

How can I tell what kind of curl I have?

My best advice would be to examine your hair while it’s wet or loaded with conditioner as this shows your true curl pattern. Obviously this is easiest whilst washing your hair.

So, the next time you’re co-washing or shampooing, keep a mirror close by to view how your hair looks when wet. It’s also a good idea to take pictures of it for your records. Pictures also make it easier to match up your hair to the charts above.

Shed hair can also be used for this purpose. When detangling, keep a few strands of your hair from your comb or brush and wet it. You can also take pictures of these, then compare it to the charts above.

Remember nothing is set in stone. You may not necessarily fall into any one category. Some people don’t even follow the hair typing system at all. They just feel their way out with their hair.

 

I hope this helps Fayola.

 

 

If anyone has any questions they want answered email me at NaturalHair.Advice@Gmail.com

 

 
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Posted by on October 22, 2010 in How Do You Work Out Your Hair Type?, Q&A

 

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Q&A: Is Sea Salt Good or Bad For Our Hair?

14 Oct

In the last Q&A post Nikeisha asked: I have heard people say that taking a dip in the sea helps with skin and hair problems.. is this due to the country/climate one lives in or is it a myth. If I were to wash my hair with some sea salt in the water would it cause my hair to weaken?

Answer:

Unfortunately i can’t really give a definite answer here. I searched and searched but couldn’t find any hard and fast facts about the effects of sea salt on hair. It seems that sea salt and regular salt have the same effects on hair irrespective of climate/country.

The Good

The research i did suggested that salt makes hair very soft and smooth and adds volume. Salt can be found in shampoos and conditioners for these very reasons. Most of these articles were written by Caucasians so… not sure if it applies to us. However, i came across a black blog ‘The Kingdom of Kiya’ and this controversial post talked about how she stumbled upon the unusual effects of salt on her kinky hair. In conclusion salt seems to make her hair very soft and smooth when mixed with conditioner and used as a treatment. Very interesting indeed. Read it for yourself here and come to your own conclusion.

The Bad

Salt is a natural abrasive. If salt is left in the hair for too long then it can rub away at the cuticles and also the scalp causing damage and hair loss. Salt also draws out water. It is dehydrating when used excessively. So again salt in the hair can cause dryness. It also strips hair of oil and can take off the outer keratin coating of the hair, as it can break down protein bonds, leading to excessive dryness. That is why it is recommended to wash your hair often when exercising. All the salt in sweat can have these negative effects and build up in your hair if you exercise regularly (everyday or every other day) and lead to breakage. So there may be positive effects of sweating on the hair but it can quickly turn negative if left on.

Conclusion

It MIGHT actually be beneficial to use salt in a treatment of some sort such as a deep condition, pre-poo treatment or salt rinse and left in only for a short amount of time (maybe 15-30 mins or so) and  used irregularly, say… once a month (if that). If you exercise intensively and sweat loads then you may already get some of the benefits of salt in the hair and may not need to experiment with any extra salt as it could very well be salt overload for you, but make sure you wash your hair regularly after each intensive workout if possible, to remove the salt deposited by the sweat. I may even give it a try just to be sure for MYSELF. However, i would suggest using it with caution and only as a wash out treatment. I would not recommend using salt in any kind of leave-in product where it will not be washed out due to the negative effects stated above.

So… salt may have some benefits for our hair but i personally would not recommended it for regular or prolonged use.

 

Hope this helps.

 

If you or anyone decides to give a salt treatment of some sort a try then leave a comment here and let me know how it went.

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Posted by on October 14, 2010 in Hair Care, Is Sea Salt Good or Bad For Our Hair?, Q&A

 

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Q&A: What’s The Difference Between Bottled and Distilled Water For Hair Purposes?

11 Oct

Question:

Nikeisha asks: Is there a distinct difference between bottled water and distilled water if using on the hair?

and

Also, I have heard people say that taking a dip in the sea helps with skin and hair problems.. is this due to the country/climate one lives in or is it a myth. If I were to wash my hair with some sea salt in the water would it cause my hair to weaken?

Answer:

Hi Nikeisha. Thanks for your questions.

I’ll answer the first question here and the second in another post.

It may seem like a really simple question but really it’s not, so i’m going to have to break it up into sections to get a full understanding of the answer. Here goes!

The Problem With Tap Water

All my research definitely suggests that tap (hard) water is very bad for our hair and skin as the chlorine and other chemicals deposited in the water can have a very negative effect.

Your skin is a living sponge that absorbs virtually anything that comes in contact with it. That is one reason your skin is so vulnerable to chemicals in water. Chlorine oxides are formed when chlorine enters the skin. These chlorine oxides are linked to aging, freckles, and skin de-pigmentation, and itchy/ flaky skin. Chlorine dries out hair, makes it brittle, and leaves it looking dull and damaged. (3).

Like your skin, your hair is "wide open" when it is in hot water and it absorbs the chlorine, which strips the hair shaft of its natural oils, leaving it dry and dull. Also, chlorine and other chemicals found in tap water can interfere with and shorten the "life" of hair colouring, highlights and other hair treatments.

Tap water often contains at least as much, if not more, chlorine than is recommended for use in swimming pools.(2)

So if you live in a hard water area it is certainly worthwhile to invest in purer , softer water for better health benefits, including skin and hair. The biggest question is what kind of purified water is better?

So What Is the Difference Between Bottled and Distilled?

Distilled water is the product of distillation, meaning the original water source has been converted into steam and then cooled down until it condenses into its final distilled form. This means heavy minerals and metals such as salt and iron do not generally survive the conversion to steam and are left behind as residue. Distilled water contains only scant traces of the minerals contained in natural spring water and other water sources.(1)

Bottled water, however, may not necessarily be better than tap water in some instances. “An estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes further treated, sometimes not.” (2)

Types of bottled water

The UK Food Safety Administration list three types of bottled water for consumption. Natural mineral water is water that originates from an underground table or deposit which emerges from a spring and is tapped at one or more natural exits. Spring Water originates from an underground water source, is bottled at the source and satisfies biological labelling requirements. Bottled drinking water is drinking water that doesn’t come from a spring or natural mineral source and may come from a variety of sources, including municipal supplies.

Natural Mineral Water

  • Natural mineral water must come from a recognized spring and must be tapped from a natural exit. The spring must be free from pollution, and certain information about the source must be known. The water’s physical and chemical characteristics must be analysed. In addition, this information should be gathered over time to make sure the properties of the water remain consistent and for quality control purposes.

    Spring Water

  • Spring water should come from an aquifer or other water deposit point. Its chemical composition need not be constant; however, it must be bottled at the source to be labelled spring water. Bacterial colony counts and other biological data should be consistently checked. Spring water is intended for consumption without treatment and its label should include information on the spring from which the water was taken.

    Bottled Drinking Water

  • Bottled drinking water has no restrictions on treatments as long as these treatments don’t make the water unsuitable for human consumption. However, this water must meet certain safety guidelines set forth by the Food Safety Administration.(4)

    My Suggestion

    From all that we’ve learned, distilled water seems to be better than bottled water for the purposes of washing our hair as we just can’t be sure of the quality of the bottled water we are buying.

    But MY question now is – is distilled water better than filtered water for our hair?

    The reason why we need purified water to wash our hair, as stated above, is because it contains much less toxins, harsh chemicals and mineral deposits that can be damaging to our delicate hair and scalp. Distilled water is definitely one road to travel but is it worth the necessary expense. In my opinion No. A shower filter is much cheaper than a constant demand for distilled water and most last from 6 months to a year. They focus on removing toxins such as chlorine and hard mineral deposits out of the water for a much safer showering experience. Depending on the filter you buy will depend on the results that you get so shop around and do your research first before you buy one. If you can afford one, then a whole house filter system will be perfect, a bit costly to install but well worth the investment. You can also buy little filter balls to put in your bath if you don’t have a shower.

    And there you have it. A consistent flow of purer water for healthier hair!

    However if this is not possible and tap/hard water is all that’s available at this time, don’t worry too much as using a chelating shampoo once in a while is great at removing the minerals deposited in your hair.

     

    Sorry for the length of the post but it was a lot to get through. I hope this helps.

    •  

     

    1. Source – WiseGeek.com
    2. Source -  AllAboutWater.org
    3. Source – Thefreewaterreport.org
    4. Source – UK Food standard Agency Guidelines

     
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    Posted by on October 11, 2010 in Bottled or Distilled Water For Hair?, Hair Care, Q&A

     

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