Access to Air Promotes Hair Growth

I don't know about you, but this sleep cap with the holes in it is what I grew up wearing at night.  The emphasis is on the air flow to the scalp.

Now, consider the fact that we always envy women who can go to bed without "tying" their hair up.  They get maximum air flow to their scalp.

To further support my conclusion that the scalp's access to air flow promotes hair growth - I have a client who started with me seven years ago who had a "baldness pattern" where she had a little afro in the back of her head, but  no hair in the front.  Over the years, we kept her in wigs for corporate job purposes.  What we found was that the wigs that allowed more air flow seemed to promote more hair growth as far as thickening was concerned.  The healthy hair in the back seemed to spawn additional hair to continue growing from the back to the front.  So within six years, she actually had enough hair to braid cornrows from the front to the back of her head.  This was a huge accomplishment.  Now, that it is seven years later, she is comfortable wearing a baseball cap and showcasing her long cornrows in the back in her downtime. Her hair had finally grown enough to help her feel normal enough to go in public without a wig. This was a huge milestone.  I was so happy that she was happy.  There are still some areas of her scalp that are "smoothed over" and  shiny and will probably never grow another hair, but to look in the mirror and to see hair all over her head brought her joy.  I was proud that I made this journey with her.

So what is my message to everyone:  If your headscarf that you sleep in does not allow airflow, then you may be causing your hair to thin.

Think about it, have you ever let down a sweaty ponytail that had been in that ponytail for three days or even a whole week?  The scalp sometimes smells rancid right?  The sweat which is moisture, the thickness of the ponytail can compact heat, and we are always shedding cells which is "food" for bacteria growth.

So just like sweaty feet and any other sweaty body part that does not get enough air flow - bacteria or fungus can grow or suffocate the scalp and hair follicles without proper airflow.

Consider a real silk scarf which are usually dry clean only care or a sleep cap that allows airflow through it.  Those satin polyester scarves and bonnets do not allow air through them if there are no holes in them.

I even had to discontinue wearing my extra wide headband at night because my scalp area that I slept on seemed to feel a little sticky.  After a few days of sleeping free of any headwraps of any sort, my scalp felt more normal and healthier.  No stickiness and more volume.

For those who need to save their hairstyles at night, use several roller pins to anchor your style down and sleep on a satin pillow cover.

Let's try to give all the headwraps a rest!  You should be able to see a difference in one week.  If not, at least within two weeks, you should see and feel a difference.  Keep me posted.

Update:  I just purchased this "slumber cap" from RiteAid Drugstore for $3.79 USD plus tax.  It is ConAir brand.  So yes, these sleep or slumber caps still are being made.  Yay!!! They came in pink, white, and blue colors.

Exercising Hair Help: Hair Nets!

It's 2012! A New Year! And with any new year, weight loss and exercise becomes the focus to shed those holiday pounds!

So what to do with your hair doing exercise?

Wrap it? No. Most people find that all of their hair gets wet from sweat if they wrap it.

Ponytail it? Yes, if you have long, straight hair. A Loose ponytail plus a hair net designed for a bun as pictured in the Jac O Net "pink packaging" in this article should control the ponytail. Notice the net is shorter and more compact than the other pictures.

So you have long hair in a roller set? Try pushing all your curls up into a bouffant hair net with or without elastic. You are trying to avoid the ends getting sweaty and to keep the hair off your face and neck.

For more exercise friendly hairstyling ideas, please see my separate article on flexi-rod sets.

But as far as hair nets go, they typically come in one pack or two pack or three packs or even five pack by Scunci. The hair nets come in different colors: Blonde, Black, Light Brown, Dark Brown, Medium Brown. Please choose the color that most closely matches your hair color.

They are designed to be invisible so you may find that they can be hard to keep up with. Try to keep the pouch handy to store your hair net for the next use.

The hair nets have large holes to allow for scalp breathability. They are a good sleep option as well especially when your spouse gets tired of the satin bonnet!

Sweat and Humidity Friendly Hairstyling

Before travelling to the hair show, I visited the more "urban" salons to see what they were up to. Typically, they charge less for their hair services, but folks want their hairstyle to hold up no matter what the cost of the service. So what I saw repeatedly was clients being rolled with these small narrow flexi-rods. Apparently, whether you are relaxed, natural, or in transition, this was the best hairstyling option for surviving the weather. I had some of these smaller flexi-rods in my salon inventory, but I stocked up on these while I was at the hair show. They are the perfect size because no matter how many you put in the hair, your head will still fit under the dryer. The larger rods sometimes are hard to dry because you can not get the dryer hood completely over the head.

The results are curly hair. This styling should be exercise friendly as well.

Night Sweats? Alternative to Satin Pillow Covers!

Feeling like a slave to the satin pillow cover? I have. I had been sweating fiercely this summer on my "polyester" satin pillow cover. My clients reported sweating as well. So here is the next level of hair protection while sleeping . . . The buckwheat hull pillow and cotton sateen pillow covers.

Cotton sateen is more breathable, and it is smooth like satin. The buckwheat hull pillow conforms to the head and neck for comfort. The hulls allow air circulation, and the pillow can be refrigerated to make the hulls cool. Cold therapy should only be used after seeking medical advice.

The hulls should also absorb any sweat. I am excited about my new pillow and its benefits. I watched a youtube video to assist me in choosing a good pillow. The key point that I remembered was to purchase a pillow with a zipper opening. As the pillow ages, the hulls may become flatter or less dense. The opening in the pillow will allow me to add more organic buckwheat hulls as I need to.

Price: Pillow plus cotton sateen pillow cover is about a $100 investment.

Those who are allergy prone should seek medical advice as to whether or not this pillow will trigger an allergy attack.