Secrets of the Scalp

"That me in the corner, doing my passion; loosing my religion!"

It has been my passion to help people love their authentic selves via hair from when I was a social worker. My "modus operandi" is via teaching the masses how to do their own hair. At the salon where our work, we have 3 simple steps to help each person reach that goal. First, we never ask, "How would you like your hair styled today?" Instead, we have each potential customer complete a two page questionnaire about their hair. Secondly, we customize their hair care regimen that leads to the last step of teaching home hair care. 

The questionnaire asks a few key questions about hair and the goals one may have for their hair. This blog Ndogo captures the most common goals I read and hear on a daily basis. This blog will also provide simple solutions to those common goals. Drum roll please....

Number one, "I want my hair to be healthy." Healthy hair always and only starts with a healthy body. No hair care product, styling tool or hair stylist can ever make hair healthy. Please do not do business with people claiming to specialize in healthy hair, unless they sell whole foods during your salon visit. A nutritionist is best suited in your quest to have healthy hair. Hair care products, styling tools and hair stylists can ONLY make hair look and feel healthy. Instead of depleting your debit cards to fill your cabinets with hair care and hair styling products and tools that serve no purpose; go to:

• Grocery store. Go to the grocery store and stay out of those middle aisles. Eat whole fresh foods and less process and refined foods. 
• To the gym. Go to the gym. Exercising increases blood flow and carries the oxygen.. Your blood has the vital nutrients to make your hair healthy.
• Drink water. Go drink more water. Water is not only about hydration. Water is the catalyst to help cellular communication. Water helps the cells deliver vital nutrients to other organs throughout your body. The follicle is an organ!
• Sleep. Go to sleep because our bodies rejuvenate while we sleep. The body cannot recover from a day of living when we are up fretting. So close the books, turn off the TV, turn off your phone and go to sleep.
• Bathroom. Yes, go to the bathroom and have a great bowel movement. Yep, you have got to boo boo; move them kits. Bowel movement eliminates toxins in the body from the food we consume, beverages we drink and stuff we apply to our skin. So, please boo boo. And make sure you are boo booing after each meal or at least twice a day.  

Number two, "I want my hair to be longer." Longer hair starts with genetics followed by a clean scalp. The less you clean your scalp, the less blood flow you will have to nourish your hair to make it strong so hair stylist/barber can care for it and make it look nice. Scalps can be cleaned by shampooing at least once to five times a week. Scalps can be cleaned by combing and brushing to loosen flakes on the scalp and increase blood circulation. Combing and brushing also redistributes the natural oils your scalps makes. 

Number three, "I want my hair to be thicker and stronger." Thick and strong hair begins with a clean scalp. Again, blood flow is the key to healthy hair. Not cleansing your hair for days, weeks to months only results in limp hair. I can not tell you how many people have worn hair additions in every facet only to end up with long limp hair that could not be styled. While some people hair may be longer and stronger after wearing hair additions; most do not. Understand your hair is different. Your hair is unique to you. So if you are wearing hair additions to give yourself a break from the stress of hair styling; do not wear them past a few weeks. If you have access to your scalp, use a damp cloth to wipe away the fibrin (or flakes) from the scalp to prevent clogging of follicle (the tiny hole the hair grows from). This promotes a healthy scalp environment for hair to grow.

Helping someone understand how to get "more hair."

Number four, "I want more hair. My hair is limp." Most people confuse density with length. If your hair is fine and limp; growing it longer will not suffice. If you grow "less dense limp hair" long; the result is long limp hair. Density refers to the number of follicles (tiny hole that your hair grows from) have on your scalp. Long hair is not dense hair. Density is assigned to you at about 30 weeks in your moms stomach. So, no product can give you more density.

Number five, "I want my edges to grow back." Your hair line hair is different from the rest of your hair. Your hair line hair is technically called vellus hair (in children), lanugo (baby's hair) or as some people call it, "baby hair." Vellus and lanugo hair typically rub out of a baby's head in about 9 months. Immediately afterward, hair starts to replace it. It is not uncommon for adults and toddlers to keep some of their vellus or lanugo hair slightly around the hairline. Therefore anything that is tight, chemically drying, chemically softening or very hot; results in the loss of the edges. The best solution is to refrain from tight pulling, caustic chemicals and hot styling tools. If your edges have been compromised, you can go see a dermatologist or try burdock oil to revitalize the follicle with the hope hair will regrow.

Scalp care is the secret to nourishing hair. Scalp care promotes blood circulation which leads to healthy hair. Scalp care is the foundation of every hair style you can imagine. If you do not incorporate scalp care into the scope of your hair care; your hair will not look as nice. Your hair will not style as it should. Your hair will not grow in properly. Your scalp will be full of flakes and become itchy. 

The scalp is an opening. The scalp does emit (discharge) yeast. That is your scalp's natural cleansing process. Just as your mouth creates plaque, the ears/belly button make wax, nose make boogers/mucus, anus release bowel, and vagina secretes yeast; the scalp emits yeast. This further validates and highlights the importance of a clean scalp. This is not a "white" or "straight oily hair" people thing; this is a human thing. While some textures do not require shampooing daily; waiting weeks, to months is not best. 

The "secret" revealed.

So, the next time you ask yourself or your hairstylist/barber to give you healthy, longer, thicker, less limp hair and regrow your edges; wash it. That is the secret.