Hair care


Hair care or haircare is an overall term for hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair which grows from the human scalp, and to a lesser extent facial, pubic and other body hair. Hair care routines differ according to an individual's culture and the physical characteristics of one's hair. Hair may be colored, trimmed, shaved, plucked or otherwise removed with treatments such as waxing, sugaring and threading. Hair care services are offered in salons, barbershops and day spas, and products are available commercially for home use. Laser hair removal and electrolysis are also available, though these are provided by licensed professionals in medical offices or specialty spas.

Hair cleaning and conditioning

Biological processes and hygiene

Care of the hair and care of the scalp skin may appear separate, but are actually intertwined because hair grows from beneath the skin. The living parts of hair are beneath the skin, while the actual hair shaft which emerges has no living processes. Damage or changes made to the visible hair shaft cannot be repaired by a biological process, though much can be done to manage hair and ensure that the cuticle remains intact.
Scalp skin, just like any other skin on the body, must be kept healthy to ensure a healthy body and healthy hair production. If the scalp is cleaned regularly by those who have rough hair or have a hair-fall problem, it can result in loss of hair. However, not all scalp disorders are a result of bacterial infections. Some arise inexplicably, and often only the symptoms can be treated for management of the condition. There are also bacteria that can affect the hair itself. Head lice is probably the most common hair and scalp ailment worldwide. Head lice can be removed with great attention to detail, and studies show it is not necessarily associated with poor hygiene. More recent studies reveal that head lice actually thrive in clean hair. In this way, hair washing as a term may be a bit misleading, as what is necessary in healthy hair production and maintenance is often simply cleaning the surface of the scalp skin, the way the skin all over the body requires cleaning for good hygiene.
The sebaceous glands in human skin produce sebum, which is composed primarily of fatty acids. Sebum acts to protect hair and skin, and can inhibit the growth of microorganisms on the skin. Sebum contributes to the skin's slightly acidic natural pH somewhere between 5 and 6.8 on the pH spectrum. This oily substance gives hair moisture and shine as it travels naturally down the hair shaft, and serves as a protective substance by preventing the hair from drying out or absorbing excessive amounts of external substances. Even though sebum serves as a protective substance, too much of this oily substance can cause blockage around hair follicles. This blockage is usually from dandruff or even dead skin. As a result, "blocked or obstructed hair follicles" may prevent hair from producing. Sebum is also distributed down the hair shaft "mechanically" by brushing and combing. When sebum is present in excess, the roots of the hair can appear oily, greasy, and darker than normal, and the hair may stick together.

Hair cleaning

removes excess sweat and oil, as well as unwanted products from the hair and scalp. Often hair is washed as part of a shower or bathing with shampoo, a specialized surfactant. Shampoos work by applying water and shampoo to the hair. The specific shampoo for oily or dry hair breaks the surface tension of the water, allowing the hair to become soaked. This is known as the wetting action. The wetting action is caused by the head of the shampoo molecule attracting the water to the hair shaft. Conversely, the tail of the shampoo molecule is attracted to the grease, dirt and oil on the hair shaft. The physical action of shampooing makes the grease and dirt become an emulsion that is then rinsed away with the water. This is known as the emulsifying action. Sulfate free shampoos are less harming on color treated hair than normal shampoos that contain sulfates. Sulfates strip away natural oils as well as hair dye. Sulfates are also responsible for the foaming effect of shampoos.
Shampoos have a pH of between 4 & 6. Acidic shampoos are the most common type used and maintain or improve the condition of the hair as they do not swell the hairshaft and do not strip the natural oils.

Hairstyling tools

Hairstyling equipment

equipment which helps in creating hairstyles include:
The role of the microbiome in hair care is very important. There are both challenges and opportunities in meeting global regulatory standards. There are various models and methods for assessing the safety of hair care products within a global context. There is an emphasize on the journey of these products from laboratory testing to market. To make sure that the products are handled with care there are clinical and preclinical assessments in line with global regulations. The use of ex-vivo hair follicle models ensure product safety and efficacy to add an additional form of security within the product.
Cosmetics products used in creating and maintaining hairstyles include:
  • Hair coloring
  • Hair conditioner
  • Hair gel
  • Hair glue
  • Hair mousse
  • Hair serum
  • Hair spray
  • Hair tonic
  • Hair wax
  • Pomade

    Hair lengths

  • Bald – having no hair at all on the head
  • Shaved – hair that is completely shaved down to the scalp
  • Buzz – hair that is extremely short and hardly there
  • Cropped – hair that is a little longer than a buzz
  • Short back and sides – hair that is longer than a crop, but does not yet hit the ears
  • Ear-length – hair reaching one's ears
  • Chin-level – hair that grows down to the chin
  • Flip-level – hair reaching the neck or shoulders
  • Shoulder-length – hair reaching the shoulders
  • Armpit-length – hair reaching the armpit
  • Midback-level – hair that's at about the same point as the widest part of one's ribcage and chest area
  • Waist-length – hair that falls at the smallest part of one's waist, a little bit above the hip bones
  • Hip-length – hair reaching the top of one's hips
  • Tailbone-length – hair that is at about the area of one's tailbone
  • Classic length – hair that reaches where one's legs meet the buttocks
  • Thigh-length – hair that is at the mid-thigh
  • Knee-length – hair that is at the knee
  • Calf-length – hair that is at the calf
  • Floor-length – hair that reaches the floor

    Chemical alteration

Chemical alterations like perming, coloring can be carried out to change the perceived color and texture of hair. All of these are temporary alterations because permanent alterations are not possible at this time.
Chemical alteration of hair only affects the hair above the scalp; unless the hair roots are damaged, new hair will grow in with natural color and texture.

Hair coloring

is the process of adding pigment to or removing pigment from the hair shaft. Hair coloring processes may be referred to as coloring or bleaching, depending on whether pigment is being added or removed.
Temporary hair tints simply coat the shaft with pigments which later wash off.
Most permanent color changes require that the cuticle of the hair be opened so the color change can take place within the cuticle. This process, which uses chemicals to alter the structure of the hair, can damage the cuticle or internal structure of the hair, leaving it dry, weak, or prone to breakage. After the hair processing, the cuticle may not fully close, which results in coarse hair or an accelerated loss of pigment. Generally, the lighter the chosen color from one's initial hair color, the more damaged it may be. Other options for applying color to hair besides chemical dyes include the use of such herbs as henna and indigo, or choosing ammonia-free solutions.
The growing preference for natural and non-toxic hair dyes has led to increased demand for green products. Various natural pigments, like melanin in animals and curcumin in plants, are used for coloring and dyeing. These bio-friendly and less irritating nature-inspired dyes are seen as potential alternatives to conventional hair dyes. Despite the proposed benefits of these dyes, such as antistatic, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, their complex pigmentation mechanisms remain largely unexplored. There several nature inspired products that are used to create healthier hair dying products.

Perms and chemical straightening

and relaxation using relaxer or thermal reconditioning involve chemical alteration of the internal structure of the hair in order to affect its curliness or straightness. Hair that has been subjected to the use of a permanent is weaker due to the application of chemicals, and should be treated gently and with greater care than hair that isn't chemically altered.

Special considerations for hair types

Long hair

Many industries have requirements for hair being contained to prevent worker injury. This can include people working in construction, utilities, and machine shops of various sorts. Furthermore, many professions require containing the hair for reasons of public health, and a prime example is the food industry. There are also sports that may require similar constraints for safety reasons: to keep hair out of the eyes and blocking one's view, and to prevent being caught in sports equipment or trees and shrubs, or matted hair in severe weather conditions or water. Safety is usually the reason behind not allowing hair to fly loose on the backs of motorcycles and open-topped sports cars for longer tresses.