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.

Tighten Up on That Backstroke

Throwback; The Fatback Band

Nothing, and I do mean nothing means summer time like splashing in the pool. When I was younger, summertime meant fun times. I would hang out with my family, eat good food, listen to good music and do the latest dance. If you are old enough to remember the R&B funk group, "The Fatback Band," then you might just remember one of their hit songs that had a dance that was so appropriate for summertime fun at the pool; "Backstrokin."  "Lookin for that good stuff; why don't ya tighten up on that backstroke." My cousins and I would sing the song and do the dance as we played by the pool and swam.

Going to the pool, beach, ocean or lake is refreshing. It is a great way to stay in shape, keep cool and have fun. However, the havoc the minerals in the water wreaks on your hair is anything but fun. As a hairstylist, many of my customers travel to different parts of the world where getting in the water and swimming is almost always a part of the fun. Many of them avoid fun in the water because they do not like what it does to their hair. They do not like the dryness, the change in their hair color and they do not like it because most times they do not want to do their hair over.

I am one of those people who love adventure. When it comes to having the opportunity to commune and have fun in nature, one must go for it. I don't feel that people should avoid water because of their hair. So this blog Ndogo will highlight the best ways to jump in the water, "tighten up on that backstroke" and have fun.

The best advice I give everyone about having fun in the water is number one, lower your expectations. Nothing will kill the fun in the sun than constantly talking about how you would, but you do not want to get your hair wet. Most people look just as good wet as they do dry. Instead of paying for fancy hairstyles before you go on your vacation or excursion that has water on the agenda, keep the hairstyle simple. The options of ponytails, hats, braids or braid/twist styles that required added artificial hair are great options so you can splash and dash. Lower your expectations on your hair and bring attention to how nice you look in your swimsuit, your hat, sunglasses, smile and so on. Do not bring attention to your hair if it something that you seriously do not want to be bothered with. Everyone looks great with a ponytail while having fun in the sun. If you dislike your hair as it dries or if you have no time to bother with it, wear a hat. You can also opt to wear a head-band or throw on a wig. You can do a lot, but by all means, have fun.

Always wet your hair first.

The second advice to protect your hair when getting in the water is to avoid damage from chlorine and other minerals in the water. Therefore, the best thing to do is to wet your hair first with tap water. That is correct. The best way to keep your hair from drying out, reduce color fading, reduce tangled tresses and to reduce brittleness, is to wet your hair first with tap water. Hair can only absorb one chemical at a time. Chlorine is in tap water. "Ewe," yeah I know. Most municipalities use chlorine in their water systems for health and safety reasons. "Chlorine is a highly efficient disinfectant, and it is added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing bacteria that can get in the water and can transport it in the pipes. Chlorine has been hailed as the savior against cholera and various other water-borne diseases, and rightfully so,” says Steve Harrison, president of water filter maker Environmental Systems Distributing. “It's disinfectant qualities…have allowed communities and whole cities to grow and prosper by providing disease-free tap water to homes and industry.” So, always wet your hair first. 

Old reliable; Baking Soda

The third advice is to remove the chlorine from your hair before it becomes too difficult to manage and expensive to treat. The best way to remove chlorine from your hair is "thee" old baking soda rinse. I'm sure most of you remember your mom reaching for the orange box of Arm&Hammer baking soda when you were a kid as she dunked your head under the faucet at the kitchen sink. I never knew why she did it, but she would use it every time after we went swimming. So, now here is the recipe. Only use 1/2 cup of baking soda and mix it with one cup of warm water to help the baking soda crystals dissolve. Shampoo your hair thoroughly with your favorite shampoo. Then pour the rinse over your entire head of hair. Follow up with your favorite conditioner. This old fashioned tried, true, and trusted method works because of the acidic properties in the baking soda that will soften your hair to release the chlorine from your hair; thus keeping your curls, waves and kinks in tact. In addition, using the baking soda rinse will also prevent your hair from drying out and feeling brittle. Understand that when it comes to the health of the hair, pH is the name of the game. Forget about all those fancy brands with their fancy ingredients. If the product does not adjust and balance the pH in its performance on your hair and scalp .... it's garbage. So using the baking soda rinse on hair is a must. It naturally and easily removes toxins from the hair. It is affordable. It works on all hair textures, types, lengths, and density regardless the race. Bam!

Shop wisely and keep your receipt.

Lastly, use hair care products that have sunscreens formulated in the product. Products such as "Clarins", "Phyto Plage' Protective Beach Hair Spray" and "Aveda's Sun Care Protective Spray" for hair works wonders. These are just a few of my favorites. Sometimes sunscreen for hair can be pretty costly, so be sure to shop around. Keep your receipt. Just in case you do not like the sunscreen you purchased for your hair, you can return it or exchange it. Sunscreens for hair is a great way to prevent your hair color from fading, your scalp from burning and your hair from drying out. Sunscreens are great for summertime hair care. Sunscreens can be oily. Be sure to read the directions first and follow the manufactures instructions. I have not come across one customer or reader who was not impressed with adding sunscreen to their summer hair care regimen.

As you can see, fun in the sun by the water is all about protecting your hair before, during and after you get the water. Use these tips to prevent damaged, dry, color faded and brittle hair. So as you go on through the summer lookin' for that good stuff, remember to "tighten up on that backstroke" and you too will have fun in the water all summer long and will not have a care in the world about your hair!