Did you know that your hair has multiple layers to it? Did you know those layers are reactive to various conditions? Do you know how to take care of the layers of your hair?
If you answered no to any of these, you should read this!
The hair that grows from your head may look very simple, but deep down it’s composed of many layers.
- Hair Follicle: A tube like structure in your pores that supports the hair bulb and hair.
- Hair Bulb: The base that hair grows from, this has blood vessels that bring nutrients to the hair.
- Inner Root: Shapes hair inside the follicle.
- Outer Root: Surrounds the inner root for added strength and support.
- Cortex: The main core strand that holds the keratin (protein) and pigment (natural color) of your hair.
- Cuticle: The outer most layer of the hair that provides support and protection to the strand and its growth.
A simple understanding of the layers can benefit you when taking on challenges you may face with your own hair. Being able to identify the layer in need of help, can speed the process of repair.
Hair is reactive! Have you ever dealt with frizz or had to fight for volume in your hair? That’s your hair reacting to its environment. Whether it’s humidity or hot tools, these reactions can leave us frustrated with our look. As we now know, the hair strand has layers and is made up of keratin. Keratin is the main protein of our hair, skin, and nails. These parts of our body have similar reactions to each other. Heat will open up the pores in your skin, while cold will clench it tight, Your hair is the same way.
Have you ever blow dried your hair and it just frizzed up or was so fluffy that you felt goofy? Chances are it was just your hair strand layers wide open from the heat. The heat may have molded your hair into a direction but it doesn’t seal the hair strand layers down. This is the purpose of the cool air button on almost all blow dryers. Understanding the reactions of your hair can help you deal with simple issues that keep you from feeling completely put together.
Maintaining healthy hair shouldn’t be such a challenge, but with various conditions and different elements that can affect our hair in numerous ways, understanding what your hair needs regardless of the environment is crucial.
For easiest understanding, your hair needs two things, hydration and protein. Get a conditioner (separate from your shampoos or research the one you use and see if there is a better option out there. It is common for men to only shampoo their hair. While this cleans the scalp and hair, it tends to remove most of the natural oils our bodies have created to protect the hair. This must be supplemented back into your hair and can be done with conditioner.
If you are lacking in protein, the results can be anything from thinning or balding, to hair breakage and texture change. This can take more time to heal depending on how serious of a problem you have.
The goal, find a product that contains keratin. SELENE, our leave-in conditioner, is loaded with nutrients, keratin being one of them! SELENE allows the hair to absorb ingredients over time and fully penetrate the shaft. For very damaged hair, deep conditioning treatments and supplements/vitamins can be a huge help.
The science of hair isn’t a common topic of conversation but is a great help when it comes to treating your hair specifically. Take time to understand how your hair works to better identify how to keep your hair at its healthiest!