Hair Challenges Part I
Hair Challenges Part I
Author: Jenna White | San Francisco Hairstylist
December 2nd, 2021
December 2nd, 2021
Dear readers,
This guide is meant to enlighten you about what is really going on with your hair. Move the hair product marketing aside and step into the mind of a hair professional by learning the science behind your strands, which are fluid and, at times, inconsistent. They can be changed with heat, weather, and chemicals, all agents that can be manipulated to achieve your desired look. As a third-generation hair professional, I'm excited to share this knowledge to give you more control over your hair challenges.
Always,
Jenna
This guide is meant to enlighten you about what is really going on with your hair. Move the hair product marketing aside and step into the mind of a hair professional by learning the science behind your strands, which are fluid and, at times, inconsistent. They can be changed with heat, weather, and chemicals, all agents that can be manipulated to achieve your desired look. As a third-generation hair professional, I'm excited to share this knowledge to give you more control over your hair challenges.
Always,
Jenna
To lay a foundation for the sections below, I want to start with the science behind your hair's structure. This can be a big step in understanding the cause of your hair challenge. Your strands are mostly made up of a keratin protein, which consists of the COHNS elements (Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Sulfur). These elements create the following bonds in your hair:
Disulfide bonds can cause permanent change in the hair structure, allowing us to perform services like perms and color. They are also responsible for the hair’s strength. Hydrogen bonds cause temporary change and adjust the hair's shape, for example, during washing and drying. We can use this knowledge to our advantage when styling - weather induced frizz can be reset simply by rinsing with water and styling in a new way. Check out this guide titled "Hair Frizz Science: Water and Hydrogen Bonds" to learn more. The big takeaway I want you to have before jumping into the sections below is this: the further we push the limits of our hair the more challenges we may face.
- hydrogen bonds
- salt bonds
- disulfide bonds
Disulfide bonds can cause permanent change in the hair structure, allowing us to perform services like perms and color. They are also responsible for the hair’s strength. Hydrogen bonds cause temporary change and adjust the hair's shape, for example, during washing and drying. We can use this knowledge to our advantage when styling - weather induced frizz can be reset simply by rinsing with water and styling in a new way. Check out this guide titled "Hair Frizz Science: Water and Hydrogen Bonds" to learn more. The big takeaway I want you to have before jumping into the sections below is this: the further we push the limits of our hair the more challenges we may face.
DESCRIPTION: An article published by Live Science titled What Makes Hair Curly states that there are two theories behind the cause of curly hair. "The first hypothesis states that curls can be explained by a greater number of hair cells on the convex side of the hair follicle — that is, the outside edge of the curl — and fewer on the concave side — the inside edge. That relatively smaller number of cells on the inside creates a shorter edge, which pulls the follicle inwards, creating the curl. The other theory suggests that differences between the cell lengths on the convex and concave sides of the strand of hair could explain curls. Similar to the first theory, the relative size difference between elongated cells on the outside and compact cells on the inside creates the curl." In addition to this, a hair's curl pattern is dictated by the shape of its follicle. The hair challenge of undefined curls is usually caused by a combination of dry hair, damage and frizz. Curly hair is more susceptible to these hair challenges because the outer side of every curl is exposed to the elements more than the inner side, making it more likely to weaken and break over time. This breakage is further aggravated by tangles, which form more easily in curly hair. This article published by MIT News titled The Physics of Curly Hair models in 3D how tangles form in curly hair!
CAUSES:
THE FIX: Finding the right products for the right area on your head will help. Generally when we are talking about definition in curls, having extremely healthy moisturized hair with the right hold products (for example, gels or hairspray) will be the perfect set up for defined curls. Methods to try:
CAUSES:
- Product choice
- Combing tangles out before wetting/washing hair
- The right haircut with the correct amount of weight removed for your curl pattern
- Hormones
- Drugs
- Mineral build up
- Vitamins
- Chemical treatments
THE FIX: Finding the right products for the right area on your head will help. Generally when we are talking about definition in curls, having extremely healthy moisturized hair with the right hold products (for example, gels or hairspray) will be the perfect set up for defined curls. Methods to try:
- Combing the hair as little as possible when it's wet, brush it while dry before washing to remove tangles
- Using a fine tooth comb, start at your ends and work your way up
- Diffusing the hair with a blow dryer