Some say hair specifically head hair is a woman’s crowning glory and made most women obsess with their hair, hairstyle, hair care services and products. This addiction to hair vanity seems came from the backward era of stereo-type gender roles, when women are only valued for their reproductive ability and overtly feminize looks, like an chattel, emphasizing on long shiny hair, fair- flawless complexion and hourglass fertile figure. However, this obsession on the appearance of healthy hair and hairstyle is not only confined with women but also men, and hair care product is a growing multi-billion industry.
Do not let other dictate what to do with your hair, especially when they have something to gain from that directives. There also institutions that tyrannically demand a certain hairstyle to be maintained like academia. Such policies and aggressive marketing strategy, especially the one that deguise as suggestion, should be challenge and not taken leniently, such help develop critical thinking, self-autonomy, independence and confidence. One could just politely inquire for rational explanation and decline or follow intutionatize rules, then later politely ask for justification and negotiate a compromise. Such tip toeing would help not to offend ‘sensibility’ but still hold at bay questionable imperatives.
Anatomy and Physiology of Hair
In general, hair is a thread like substance of protein filament that grows out of the skins. It composed of a root and shaft. The root is like a soft bulb that lies in the dermis beneath the epidermis or skin in a container called a follicle. The shaft is the part that is seen outside the skin. It has color, which varies on the melanin (pigment) production. Oil glands, which also beneath the epidermis, keep the skin moisturize and soft, but also keep the hair soft and flexible. Hair varies from thick to thin, coarse to fine, straight to curly, long to short [1].
Hair grows by producing new cells in the root and then pushing them out, the shaft of the hair is made up of these cells. It has a specific growth cycle with three stages: Anagen (active phase), catagen (transition period) and telogen (resting phase). All three occur simultaneously; one strand may be in the anagen while another is in the telogen [2]. Each stage has a specific length of time, and it varies from person to person. Different hair color and follicle shape affects the timing of these phases. However, the average rate of hair growth is about 1 centimeters (cm) every 28 days or 1.25 cm (0.5 inches) a month, or about 15 cm (6 inches) per year [3].
Normally, about 90% of our hair follicles are in anagen phase, 10-14% is in telogen phase and 1-2% in catagen. Thus, about fifty to a hundred hairs are shed daily from normal scalp. But when the body is subjected to extreme stress, it could induce the hair to enter prematurely in telogen phase and begin to fall, causing a noticeable hair loss [4]. There are also other factors and disorders that causes hair loss and inhibit hair growth, if you would like to know more about such subject matter please comment below and will create a condense informative article.
General Simple Hair Care
1. Keep it neat daily and protect it from harsh elements. Depending on the type of hair, combing daily would help spread the oil evenly and keep hair soft and flexible. Avoid abusing your hair.
2. Choose a hairstyle that efficiently works for you. Find a reliable and trust-worthy hair care professional and a dermatologist, just in case.
3. Choose hair items and products carefully, even the simple and basic hair brush, hair bands and bobby pins.
4. Frequency of shampooing and conditioning depends of oiliness of scalp, and environmental exposure. Choose a natural or organic hair products, if not available or accessible one could always dilute a solution with water, or neutralize harsh chemical with diluted vinegar spray on one's hair 30 minutes before shampooing.
5. Hot oil treatment once a month, this is a tried and tested French care hair routine. One doesn’t need break the bank to go to a hair salon every month. Secure the brand of hot oil that had worked for you and do it yourself every month. All natural hot oil is a freshly squeezed coconut milk or "gata." NTS: Not coconut oil but fresh and warmed coconut MILK.
4. Don’t rely heavily on hair products like hair relaxing, straightening and the likes. Chemicals that alter damage hair and scalp, if one could avoid it completely.
5. Eat healthy food, hair is made up of new cell grow so supply your body with healthy protein to promote growth and maximize vitamin intake by taking it at the right time.
Finally, hair is not just a part of one’s anatomy but also unique identity, individuality and autonomy. Linda Rodin a New York photographer celebrates herself by embracing her gray hair and never even once dyed to hide it, still she exudes confidence and simple elegance.
Is this health and fitness article aggressively interesting? If you want to hear more honest opinions on health and fitness or is there a health issues you are curious about please post let us know your questions, inquiries and requests in the comment section below, and do not forget to follow. If you find this article lacking, please share your thoughts, all reactions, suggestions and corrections are welcome. And maybe follow to help this blog post better content. Thank you!
As always keep it simple and enjoy!
References
1. Kinkead, E.B., Sehbai, D.S. & Tunney, C.J. (Eds.). (1972). Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia (Vols. 9). Australia: McGraw-hill Far Eastern Publishers
2. Braun-Falco, O., Plewig, G., Wolff, H.H., & BurgDorf, W.H.C. (1996). Dermatology (Second Edition). Italy: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
3. Huang, S.J. (2017, September 10). The Definition if the Anagen Phase of Hair Growth. [Blog File]. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/what-is-the-anagen-phase-of-hair-growth-1069411
4. Brannon, H. (2017, February 28). The Telogen Phase of the Hair Cycle. [Blog File]. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/telogen-phase-1069283
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