Hair Challenges Part II
Hair Challenges Part II
Author: Jenna White | San Francisco Hairstylist
December 12th, 2021
December 12th, 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: The process of removing mineral and product build up, which can have unintended consequences. For example, adverse reactions during chemical services like coloring.
CAUSES: When we rinse our hair with water we're often exposing it to minerals in our plumbing system. These minerals are not water soluble and cannot be removed with shampoo alone. Plumbing systems with "hard water" have a higher concentration of these minerals, and will often turn lighter strands less desirable colors, such as dull greens and yellows. The U.S. Geological Survey defines hardness in water by its concentration of alkaline salts, which are mainly calcium and magnesium. Other minerals that can also contribute are iron and copper.
Leaving this hard water build up on your hair can cause the following conditions:
THE FIXES
PRODUCTS
Ingredients
Product Benefits:
CAUSES: When we rinse our hair with water we're often exposing it to minerals in our plumbing system. These minerals are not water soluble and cannot be removed with shampoo alone. Plumbing systems with "hard water" have a higher concentration of these minerals, and will often turn lighter strands less desirable colors, such as dull greens and yellows. The U.S. Geological Survey defines hardness in water by its concentration of alkaline salts, which are mainly calcium and magnesium. Other minerals that can also contribute are iron and copper.
Leaving this hard water build up on your hair can cause the following conditions:
- Additional Product Build Up: Hard water is less effective at cleaning your hair because it exacerbates residue left behind by products. Over time, the same products we use to seal in moisture or add volume have the opposite effect of their intended use if they aren't properly removed. Common culprits are oil-based Products, such as Cetyl alcohol, emollients, butters, Cationic Polymers and surfactants. Cationic ingredients you'll want to remove include:
- Cationic Polymers: Polyquaternium-4, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-11
- Cationic surfactants: Behentrimonium chloride, Behentrimonium methosulfate, Cetrimonium bromide, Cetrimonium chloride, Stearalkonium chloride, Dicetyldimonium chloride, Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride
- Source: Science-y Hair Blog
- Mineral Damage: Several studies have shown the negative effects of hard water on hair. I share two below.
- Scanning electron microscopy study of hair shaft changes related to hardness of water, 2017: ". . . long-term deposition of salts on the hair shaft may lead to an abrasive action on the hair shaft leading to surface damage, water loss, and eventually decreased thickness”.
- Effect of topical application of hard water in weakening of hair in men, 2016: "The surface of hard water treated hair has a ruffled appearance with higher mineral deposition and decreased thickness when compared with the surface of distilled water treated hair . . . The results showed that the tensile strength of hair was significantly (p=0.001) reduced in hair treated with hard water as compared to hair treated with de-ionized water".
THE FIXES
- Use clarifying shampoos every 3 - 6 weeks
- Monthly or bi-monthly clarifying treatments at the salon
- Avoid washing your hair with hard water if possible (ex: if you have hard water at home, shower at the gym)
PRODUCTS
Ingredients
- Shampoos with Vitamin C and Ascorbic Acid
- Scalp treatments with Salicylic Acid
Product Benefits: