Hair cleaning and conditioning

A free article on Health and Fitness

By: drrony

Hair care is an generally term for parts of hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair on the human head. Hair care will differ by according to one's hair type and according to various processes that can be applied to the hair. All hair is not the same; indeed, of hair is just a manifestation of human diversity.

In this article, 'Hair care' is taken to mean special care of hair on the human head, but mention should be made of process and services which impact hair on other parts of the body. This includes men‘s and women’s facial, pubic, and to other body hair, which may be dyed, trimmed, shaved, plucked, or otherwise removed with treatments such as the waxing, sugaring, and threading. These services are offered basically in salons, barber shops, and day spas, and products are available to commercially for home use Laser hair removal and electrolysis are also available, though these are just provided (in the US) by licensed professionals in medical offices or specialty spas.
Hair cleaning and conditioning

[edit] Biological processes and hygiene
Care of the hair and care of the scalp skin may to appear separate, but are actually intertwined because hair grows from beneath the skin. The living parts of the hair (hair follicle, hair root, root sheath, and sebaceous gland) are beneath the skin, while the actual hair shaft which then emerges (the cuticle which covers the cortex and medulla) has no living processes. o or changes made to the visible hair shaft cannot be strictly repaired by a biological process, though much can be done to manage hair and ensure that the cuticle remains here intact. (For more information on the biological processes involved in the hair production, see Hair.)

The sebaceous glands in human skin produce the sebum, which is in fact composed over all of fatty acids. Sebum acts to protect the hair and skin, and can inhibit the growth of the microorganisms on the skin. Sebum contributes to the skin’s slightly acidic natural pH somewhere in between 5 and 6.8 on the pH spectrum. This oily substance actually gives hair moisture and shine as it travels naturally down the hair shaft, and serves then as a protective substance preventing the hair from drying out or absorbing excessive amounts of external substances. Sebum is also being distributed down the hair shaft “mechanically” by brushing and combing. When sebum is basically present in excess, the roots of the hair can appear oily, greasy, normally darker than normal, and the hair may stick together.
[edit] Hair cleaning
To combat this appearance of “dirty” hair, and to remove the actual dirt and other contaminants and external substances like those sweat, the hair may be washed. Often hair is washed as part of a shower or bathing with a specialized soap that called shampoo. Those with damaged or curly hair, or sensitive scalps, may get benefit from cleansing with a light conditioner, instead. However, this requires that only water-soluble products this are applied to the hair and scalp.

To help lift any scaly skin, detritis, and sebum, mainly for those who suffer from scalp skin ailments, very gently scratching the surface of the skin with just a small fine toothed comb may help to loosen and to lift grime and dead skin cells before a hair wash, helping to have a much cleaner scalp skin after a hair wash.
Microfiber towels that help to absorb the water from hair faster than conventional towels are then available on the market. These are mostly helpful for those with very thick hair that may otherwise take a while to dry, specially if air drying.

Washing hair with shampoo and conditioner should be used moderately. Washing with the shampoo and conditioner more than 3 times a week may dry hair, making it "frizzy