Become a Hair Loss Expert

DID YOU KNOW? According to a popular theory, humans have evolved beyond needing any hair. But when hair loss begins, it seems we can’t live without it!

Hair seems to define us, doesn’t it? But it also defines us as being a mammal, scientifically speaking, and anthropologically and archaeologically, evidence suggests that we have had hair (or fur) since before we stood up on two legs. Back then, goes the theory, humans needed protection from the elements such as extreme cold and ultraviolet radiation from the sun, so fur was a form of protection for our skin. As humans evolved with less of a need for that protection, body hair declined over the centuries. Once we learned how to wear animal furs and use bark and leaves as coverings, hair lost its protective value and restricted itself to just the areas on the human body we know of today. And most of those places are the focus of multibillion-dollar-a-year industries bent on removing the hair; but on the head it is the opposite: We spend as much time and money as possible devoted to keeping our hair and showing it off.

As such, hair bears great social significance in terms of defining a person’s identity. And when something happens to our hair -- such as a hair loss disease (for example, alopecia areata) or, on the other end of the spectrum, excessive hair growth on the body or even just a temporary accident -- we suffer great trauma as a result. Your hair can also identify you as a member of a certain social group, such as hippie, punk or prep or of a geographic, ethnic or religious group. As each displays its own defining characteristics, you can almost always spot an Orthodox Jew by his earlocks and tall hat, a Muslim by her hijab, a Rastafarian by his uncut dreadlocks. And, the act of shaving the head can symbolize punishment or purity depending on the situation. In fact, hair is also an indicator of health, with thinning or missing hair often an indicator of sickness.

Want to better understand hair loss? Then become a hair loss expert yourself.

Top-ten facts to give you a deeper understanding of hair loss and how to prevent hair loss:

1. The length of a piece of hair has three parts: the root, which lies in the follicle beneath the scalp; the bulb, which is the swelling at the base of the scalp; and the shaft, which is the strand above the scalp (that shows).
2. A cross section of a piece of hair also has three parts, and these are concentric. From the inside out: The medulla is the inner core of the hair; the cortex surrounds it in a layer of densely packed keratin; and the cuticle is hair’s outer, clear, protective layer made up of scales that overlap and lay flat, like roof shingles.
3. The cortex of the hair is the part that is penetrated and altered when you have a chemical process performed on your hair. The cuticle is the outer layer that gets roughed up by too much brushing, rubbing, heated styling-tool exposure and harsh chemicals, most often responsible for frizzy-looking, dull hair.
4. It’s the irregular shape of the hair follicle that determines whether your hair will be curly, kinky or wavy.
5. The sebaceous gland associated with each hair follicle is largely responsible for secreting hair’s own natural protection.
6. The reason that hair transplantation can be so successful is that each follicular unit is complete and can be removed and replaced to a new location in much the same way you transplant a garden plant with its roots attached.
7. A person’s individual hair growth cycle, which can last from two to seven years, dictates his or her ultimate hair length, if it was not cut for that long. The “ anagen” phase is a period of active growth and hair follicle regeneration. The “ catagen” phase is when that follicle stops growing new hair, which often results in natural, normal hair shedding. Next is the “ telogen” (resting) phase, in which the follicle remains dormant for a few months until it is reawakened by a new anagen growth phase. “ Exogen” is the term that describes hair shedding as old hairs become dislodged by new ones, which usually takes place at the onset of a new anagen phase.
8. Because of these phases, it’s important to realize that natural hair shedding of 100-200 hairs daily is perfectly normal and a natural part of hair growth. This is not considered to be the hair loss we dread.
9. Different ethnic hair types exhibit varying rates of growth: The average growth rate for Caucasian hair is about one-quarter inch per month, although hair growth can occur faster in children. Afro-Caribbean hair grows approximately half as fast as the Caucasian because of its fragile structure, and it rarely grows very long, either. Asian hair grows even faster than Caucasian hair and, as a result, grows even longer because of its thicker structure.
10. The top-six normal things that can affect your hair’s growth and health are hormonal changes, daily care, medications, stress, fungal or other infections and aging.

Now that you’re an expert and have a better understanding of what’s considered “normal” for hair, you’ll be able to identify any hair loss or hair-thinning concerns or issues you have and learn to better prevent hair loss and keep the hair you have.

Winter Skin Care and Makeup Tips

Winter challenges your skin and makeup more than any other season.

Here, what you need to know to give your skin the extra care and attention it needs, plus tips on beauty products for achieving the right winter look.

The change of seasons is always refreshing, but winter challenges the skin and makeup more than any of the other seasons. Cold temperatures, snowy weather, heated rooms, and excessive hot showers to warm you up (which, unfortunately, also dry your skin) all make your skin need extra care and attention.

The biggest problem is dry skin on the face, hands, and knees, and sometimes all over the body. The best advice is to moisturize. And moisturize.

Sometimes the dryness can turn into eczema. In that case you must turn to a dermatologist, who can help you choose the right skin care products. You can also use 0.1% hydracortisone once a week on the areas that are really dry, irritated, and itchy. Eczema is genetic and is most aggressive in winter.

The indoor heat along with the cold outdoor temperature makes your skin drier, no matter what your skin type is.

Dry skin: Use a facial serum or oil under a thicker-formula moisturizer.
Oily Skin: Use an oil-free serum and oil-free moisturizer.
Combination skin: Use oil-free products on the T‑zone and a thicker moisturizer on the cheeks, which get drier in the wintertime.

Sometimes those with oily skin should protect their skin with slightly creamier face products, especially against extremely cold temperatures and wind. Look for oil-based moisturizers (including almond, jojoba, or avocado oil) that don’t clog the pores. Sometimes you might get whiteheads (tiny white cysts containing lamellated keratin that a dermatologist or esthetician can take out with a tiny needle) around your eye area or on your cheeks. If you have dry skin, you must avoid water as much as you can; take short showers, and wash your face with a cleansing milk. And everyone should drink more water (or hot green tea) in the wintertime.

Many times dry skin gets flakes on the eyelids and cheeks and around the lip area. The best way to get rid of them is to exfoliate the skin right after showering, when the skin is still soft. After that apply a thick layer of a cream-based hydration mask all over your face. Leave it on for five minutes, then press a tissue on your face and let it absorb the mask. Don’t scrub your face; just gently tap it with the tissue so you get all the extra mask off your face. Do this in the evening, and by morning your skin will be much softer.

You can use the same method on superdry lips: exfoliate your lips and the skin around them with an exfoliating cream or lip scrub (many cosmetic manufacturers make lip spa products with scrubs and various kind of balms and sealing creams). You can also put a damp hand towel in a microwave for three minutes to heat it and then press it on your lips for a minute to soften the skin, then scrub the dead skin off gently with the towel. Note: Scrubbing the lips with a toothbrush is really hard on them and can actually break the skin.

MAKEUP
Base
Slightly richer foundations are better than tinted moisturizers because there is more to cover on your skin in the winter (uneven areas on the nose, cheeks, and eyelids). You must use SPF/UVA/UVB protection all year round. The sun that reflects from the snow is as strong as the sun that reflects from water. So choose a day cream with at least SPF 15, or a foundation with SPF. Skin is also paler in the winter, so you must use a wintertime base. Powder is needed all over the face for oily skin. Those with combination and dry skin should use powder on the T‑area only to set the base. If your skin is dry and flaky, don’t use any base product, just a face oil and your protecting SPF 15 face cream (but you can still use mascara and tinted lip balm).

Eyes
Most cosmetic companies launch autumn/winter collections full of darker shades for eye and lip makeup colors; dark grays, plums, burgundies, deep Spanish reds, and dark chocolate browns. That is because the fall/winter fashion shows give the direction to the makeup world as well. But there are no rules for which colors to use on a seasonal basis. Most of the products are matte and simply look better in winter: more dramatic and deeper hues that go hand in hand with fall/winter fashions. But remember that what works on the runway does not always work in real life.

If you love pastels in winter, go for them. Keep in mind, though, that if your face is pale, pastel colors will create a washed-out look that is not flattering; light pastel eye and lip makeup looks better on tanned skin, which is why pastels are very popular in the summer. For a cool-tone winter look, wear deeper colors on your eyes and give your lips a matte fuchsia tone instead of light icy pink. Or use some color on your eyes and keep your lips pale (as in the photo: I gave the lashes a shocking blue wintry color!).

Mascara should be waterproof; rain, snow, and going from outdoor to indoor temperatures will make regular mascara run. You don’t always have to use black mascara; try brown, blue, or green. Water-resistant eye pencil is excellent; because it’s made of waxes, it will stay through the rain. Water-resistant liquid eyeliners are good but don’t necessarily stay well because of their flakiness. There are some special eye makeup sealing products that you can apply on top of the eyeliner to make it hold longer. But an umbrella will do a better job in the end. I have also used water-resistant mascara as eyeliner, and sometimes it stays better than most of the real waterproof liners.

Lips
Cracked lips are the number one problem in winter. If your lips are superdry, skip the lipstick and use tinted lip balm, which is available in many different colors. The pigmentation is not that high, but you will get smooth, healthy-looking lips with a beautiful sheen. Make sure the balm has SPF and UVA/UVB protection. Exfoliate your lips regularly throughout the cold months. That way you will get rid of the dry flakes on the surface of your lips.

If you want a more dramatic winter look, fair skin looks really good with well-lined red lips, darker skin with well-lined deep brown or deeper cool reds. More moisturizing, richer-formula lip glosses are welcome products in the winter when the temperature drops below 0° Celsius. But on a really cold day, skip the glosses and use tinted lip balms. They protect and moisturize your lips the best.

Blush
Blush is a key item to the winter makeup look. It really gives some color to your skin and wakes up your whole face. Use the powder formulas, which sit better than gel or cream blushes. The color of your blush is completely your own choice; again, if you have a cool-tone look, use pink; for a warm tone, it can be peach, warm sand, or terracotta. The only color I would leave out are bronzes. They really don’t look great in winter.

Hands and Nails
Keep your hands moisturized. You can even sleep with cotton gloves on after applying a thick layer of hand cream to your hands. In the morning your hands and cuticles will be soft and moisturized.

Darker nail colors look trendy in the winter. You can buy a lipstick to match with your nail color because cosmetic companies launch the looks that way. It will always give a very sophisticated, mature look.

TIPS
Use a humidifier to add moisture to your indoor space if you have to use drying central heating. Put one in your bedroom, and you will notice the difference in your skin in the morning, especially when using face serum and night cream. Your skin will be softer and moister.

If you have very dry skin, use soap-free body wash instead of a soap bar when showering.

You can use a thicker-formula face cream (at least 60% oil) as your night cream. The same cream works as a deep-moisturizing face mask: just apply a thicker layer of the cream all over your face, except in the eye area. Keep it on the face for 10 to 15 minutes, and then press a tissue on the face to absorb the extra oils from the skin. Do this in the evening, and your skin will be moist, especially if you have the humidifier in your bedroom.

If you have sensitive skin, use a protective barrier moisturizer.

Monique's Salon and Eufora - Helping to Fight Winter Frizz

Five Steps to Fight Winter Frizz

It’s a widely known fact that the winter can turn hair into a frizzy, static-ridden mess. However, one truth that needs telling is there is more to curing the winter frizz blues than finding a miracle product. In fact, it’s an entire series of steps that must be taken to produce smooth, shiny hair with real staying power. Eufora Intl. Global Educator, Micky Hatoum, is also the owner of Altimo Hair Group Salon in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and is all too familiar with the effects of cold weather on hair. He offers five steps to help prepare your hair to contend with the harshest weather of the year.

Step 1: Start with a Great Cut – You owe it to yourself, but it’s also important to trim dry, dead ends to create a fresh canvas to work with. No product can bring those split ends back to life.

Step 2: Read Your Shampoo Bottle Label – Stay away from harsh surfactants that may cleanse hair but also strip it of moisture, strength, elasticity and its natural essential oils and proteins. Repetitive use ultimately results in dry, damaged and fuzzy hair. So now that you know it all starts at the shampoo bowl, be sure to ask your stylist to prescribe a care regimen tailored to your hair needs. Ingredients to watch out for include: Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, and TEA Lauryl Sulfate.

Step 3: Learn the Correct Way to Blow-dry – There is a misconception that you should stop blow-drying when hair begins to frizz because it will become even fuzzier. Hair actually goes through a drying process of 5 steps – wet to damp to dry to frizz to silk. Don’t panic and continue blow-drying hair beyond the frizz point. Think of ironing clothes. The higher the heat, the easier it is to remove the wrinkles.

Step 4: Use the Proper Tools – By prepping damp hair with a styling fixative such as Eufora Smoothn’ Straightening Balm, you’ll create a canvas to work with that will give you lasting results. Also, a round vented brush with a metal or ceramic base works well to create volume and de-frizz hair when blow-drying. The dryer heats up the base and hair is literally sandwiched by heat, much like a curling or flat iron. For those with extremely coarse or curly hair, a ceramic boar bristle brush and is recommended because it condenses the hair so it is frizz-free and shiny.

Step 5: Choose a Healthy Finishing Product – Eufora’s Pure Polish Finishing Drops offer amazing frizz control and acts as a shine enhancing emollients due to silica derived, Phenyl Trimethcone, Cyclomethicone and Dimethiconol. In addition, the drops include a blend of refined botanical oils including Kukui Nut Oil and Aloe Leaf Extract and Vitamin E for antioxidant benefits.

About Eufora: Since launching in 1997, Eufora has utilized advanced technology to protect, preserve and promote the health of color treated and chemically serviced hair. Eufora is the only salon professional product line to provide the legendary healing benefits of certified organic Aloe Vera Gel , which is the base for all formulations, in an optimum quality concentration. The unique blends utilize the most advanced botanical, vitamin and non-carcinogenic ingredients available with scientifically proven benefits to the hair, scalp and skin, as well as pure essential oils to fragrance all products for an aromatherapy experience.

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Get Your Hair Score With Hair Check exclusively at Monique's Salon

Revolutionary New Device Measures Hair Thinning, Hair Breakage and Hair ReGrowth

Today, hair loss and hair thinning affects an estimated 75% of all menand 10% of healthy women. As clients turn to beauty professions inthe salon, spa and hair replacement industries, they want to know the status of their hair loss and if the products or services they are using to promote hair growth are actually working. Devices that generate quantitative data regarding hair loss and growth have not been available previously, so evaluating the success of treatments for hair loss has been largely limited to observation. Until now, there has been no way to measure the quantity of hair in an area of scalp or the amount that has re‐grown as the result of salon, laser or dermatology treatments.

The patented Divi International HairCheck device is the first measurement tool to actually gauge hair thinning, hair breakage and hair regrowth. CEO Mike Vidal notes, “We anticipate that this new HairCheck measurement device will become the standard service throughout the beauty industry as well as for medical professionals. Salons, barbers, day spas, medical spas, hair replacement centers, dermatologists and other medical provided are all markets that will benefit from this valuable service.” The patented HairCheck technology gives a precise scientific measurement of how much hair is present in an area of scalp, measuring both the hair density and hair diameter within that area. Breakage is also measured, which allows for product and service recommendations that address the damage.

The HairCheck device measures the density of hair in a two by two centimeter area. The first measurement is performed at the back of the head just below the occipital bone for the baseline count of healthy hair. The second measurement is taken at the affected area on the top of the head. The technician then calculates the percentage of loss from the back of the head to the top. Readings for hair loss are usually performed every three to four months, while readings for hair breakage may be done more frequently. National Sales and Education Manager Richard Gundry says, “We are now able to give quantifiable results versus visual results for hair loss and breakage. If you were on a diet, you wouldn’t be able to accurately measure how much weight you’d lost if you didn’t have a scale! We are the scale to measure hair loss. If you cannot measure hair loss, then you cannot monitor it.”

Hair Loss treatments are rarely suggested to consumers until the hair is visibly thinner, but by that times as much as 50 percent of the hair in the thinning areas is already gone. With HairCheck, salon and hair replacement professionals will be able to measure how much hair their clients have lost in the affected area, perhaps years before balding becomes obvious to the naked eye. HairCheck enables hair care professionals or physicians to recommend home care products or hair restoration services based on scientific, credible evidence. On return visits, the success of the treatments will be determined with recommendations adjusted, based upon actual measurements.

The HairCheck is easy to use and it takes only a few minutes to evaluate hair loss or breakage. Mike Vidal helped develop the HairCheck measurement device following his own personal hair loss experience. After receiving a hair transplant from Dr. Bernard Cohen of Coral Gables, FL, a leading expert in the hair restoration field, Vidal worked with him to develop Cohen’s invention of the first tool to effectively measure hair loss. With Vidal’s background in mechanical engineering, he immediately understood the scientific validity of this invention. “I was extremely excited about getting involved with this new revolutionary technology and saw the incredible potential of offering this valuable new service in salons, hair replacement centers and medical offices.

With HairCheck, beauty industry and hair replacement professionals will now be able to add thousands of dollars to their monthly incomes. Implementing this simple, yet scientific new salon and medical office service will enable salon owners and hair replacement specialists to successfully grow their businesses, while providing clients with valuable hair loss solutions. Men and women with thinning hair, hair loss or hair breakage will become motivated clients, seeking additional services and products to improve the health of their hair. www.haircheck.com.