hair care

texture

degree of coarseness or fineness in the hair fiber

what does fine hair feel like?

silk

what does coarse hair feel like?

wool

what does medium hair feel like?

cotton

visual examination

provides clues on the condition of the hair

density

number of active hair follicles per square inch on the scalp; influences the amount of hair that should be parted and wrapped around a perm tool, roller, or curling iron

porosity

ability of the hair to absorb moisture, liquids, or chemicals

average porosity

the cuticle is slightly raised; normal ability to absorb moisture; hair in good condition, suitable for most services

resistant porosity

the cuticle is flat; able to absorb moisture; also called poor porosity

extreme porosity

the cuticle is raised; too porous; hair damaged from chemical services; treatment required prior to chemical services

uneven porosity

combination of two or more porosities

elasticity

ability of hair to stretch and return to its original shape without breaking

how much does normal/dry hair stretch?

20% (of its length)

how much does wet hair stretch?

40-50% or 1/2 its length

how do you test for structural strength

1. remove strand of hair
2. hold between thumb and forefinger
3. with thumb-nail, run the distance of the hair
4. pull hair taut for 10 seconds; release
*if hair returns to curl pattern completely =good condition; if hair returns only 50% or less= weak (needs conditioning)

effects of climate: humid regions

curl retention is a challenge

effects of climate: dry regions

hair tends to be fly away

how many cuticle scale layers are there?

7 to 12

how do scales lie on healthy hair?

flat

what does acid mantle do?

lubricates the outermost layer of the cuticle and reduce friction

what damages the cuticle?

combing and brushing

what is broken hair?

also known as abraded hair; cuticle becomes cracked and frayed

what are split ends?

also known as brittle hair, fragilitis crinium, and trichoptilosis; small cracks in the cuticle deepen into the cortex

what are nodules?

also known as trichorrhexis nodosa, or knotted hair; lumps or swelling along the hair shaft

what are canities?

also known as grayness; gray or whiteness of hair; congenital or acquired

what is monilethrix?

also known as beaded hair; breaks in the hair between beads or nodes

what is matting?

also known as plica polonica; mass of hair strands that cannot be separated

what is ringed hair?

also known as pili annulati; alternating bands of gray and dark hair

what is hypertrichosis?

also known as ambras syndrome; abnormal coverage of hair on areas of the body

what is hirsutism?

also known as superfluous hair; excessive amounts of hair in women

what is mechanical damage?

results from incorrect use of salon tools

what are scales?

known as psoriasis; thick, crusty, patches of red irritated scalp (refer to a physician)

what is dandruff?

also known as pityriasis; chronic, excessive, flaking, itchiness, tightness, and irritation (shampoo with anti-dandruff shampoo)

what is dry dandruff?

also known as pityriasis capitis simplex; dry flakes which can appear translucent

what is greasy/waxy dandruff?

also known as pityriasis steadoides; oily flakes combined with sebum. stick to the scalp in clusters (yellow-ish)

what is the leading cause of dandruff?

a naturally occurring microscopic fungus called malassezia

what is ringworm?

also known as tinea; a red, circular, patch of blisters. caused by vegetable parasites (refer to physician)

what is ringworm of the scalp?

also known as tinea capitas; enlarged, open hair follicles surrounded by clusters of red spots (refer to physician)

what is honeycomb ringworm?

also known as tinea favosa (or favus); dry, yellow, encrusted areas. may have an odor. shiny scars may result (refer to a physician)

what is an itch mite?

also known as scabies; red, watery vesicles. animal parasite burrowing under the skin (refer to a physician)

what is head lice?

also known as pediculosis capitis; infestation of head lice causing itching and eventual infection

what is lanugo hair?

fine, silky hair covering the body before birth

what is vellus hair?

short, fine, non-pigmented hair that replaces lanugo

what is terminal hair?

long, thick, pigmented hair such as scalp and eyebrow hair

what is the average daily hair loss of hair strands?

40 to 100 strands

what is alopecia?

excessive hair loss caused by fungal or bacterial infection or inflammatory disease of scalp; occurs in men and women

what is androgenetic alopecia?

progressive shrinking or miniaturization of certain scalp follicles; most common form of alopecia; male pattern baldness or thinning of hair in females

what does androgenetic alopecia look like in men?

known as "male pattern baldness"; creates a horse shoe-shaped fringe; loss pattern evaluated; common for men to "go bald"

what does androgenetic alopecia look like in women?

generalized thinning over the crown; scattered hair thinning; density evaluated; rare for women to "go bald"

how can you evaluate the degree of hair loss?

rating the:
pattern: refers to shape and location of area (men)
density: refers to how much hair is covering the scalp in the area of loss (women)

what is post-partum alopecia?

temporary hair loss at the end of pregnancy

what is alopecia areata?

autoimmune disease; sudden loss of hair in round or rectangular patches

what is alopecia areata totalis

total loss of hair on the scalp

what is alopecia areata universalis?

loss of hair over entire scalp and body

what is alopecia prematura?

baldness that occurs early in life

what is telogen effluvium?

premature shedding of hair during resting stage (telogen stage)

what is traction/traumatic alopecia?

hair loss from excessive pulling or twisting

how can you treat androgenetic alopecia?

1. FDA-approved products
2. products that provide an environment for possible hair regrowth or loss prevention
3. surgical options
4. wigs, toupees, hair additions
5. cosmetic hair thickeners