When we talk about hair care we almost always think about maintaining good hydration or not overusing heat tools. And although this care is essential, we often forget that there are certain gestures that deteriorate our hair day by day without realizing it. As explained by hairdresser Juan Leal and director of education at Pierino Cosmetics: “Many people focus on visible damage, but the problem is what we do every day without realizing it. Friction is one of the most aggressive factors for the hair fiber and is one of the most ignored.”
Surely you have heard many times that you should not rub your hair with a towel, because that is precisely one of the worst everyday gestures. But it is not the only one, also untangling the hair with little care, doing hairstyles with a lot of tension such as the famous updos. clean look or the simple rubbing of the hair against the fabrics because “they wear down the cuticle, losing its ability to retain nutrients and making it vulnerable to breakage,” says Leal.
Hair, even if it is dead, also has memory
The expert wants to emphasize this little-known aspect of hair. When Juan talks about hair memory, he means that the hair accumulates physical and chemical damage.
“Hair has an internal structure supported by hydrogen and sulfur bonds. Excessive heat and shape-changing tools, such as straightening irons, alter these bridges over time.” This is what is known as structural memory. We have a clear example in those women with curly hair who, over the years, notice that their curls are no longer the same, but more stretched.
On the other hand there is cumulative memory. “The products we apply are deposited on the fiber and, with the sun and lack of care, they generate aggression that gradually damages it,” says the hairdresser. In either case, the hair will suffer the consequences and will look worse over time.
How to know if my hair is aging
The scalp is very important in the health and quality of the hair, and according to the expert, an unhealthy scalp can also be a sign of aging. “You can be 20 years old and have unkempt skin, because, by nature, your skin has a greater tendency to oxidize, which is what causes our cells to age. With aged hair it is not so clear. A fundamental sign is an unhealthy scalp: when there is a problem of seborrheic dermatitis, sensitization or problems in the stratum corneum, this will cause the hair to thin, have more elasticity and more “frizz”explains Juan.
Hair nutrients are essential
When hair ages, one of the first things you notice is that it is no longer as shiny and looks much drier. This, in addition to the use of dyes, heat tools or sun exposure, is largely due to the lack of natural nutrients.
We can say that nutrients for hair are like elastin and collagen for the skin. Therefore, to prevent hair from aging, “the amino acids that form its structure are essential. When these amino acids join together in chains they form peptides, polypeptides and proteins,” comments the hairdresser.
Providing the hair with the necessary nutrients will make a big difference: “Amino acids and proteins build the hair fiber and also benefit the skin and the follicle, while lipids act as a shield: they protect the scalp from environmental and oxidative effects, and surround the fiber against external damage. Together, the three maintain the health of the entire hair, which is born from the union of the follicle and fiber,” explains the professional.
In this sense, what Juan Leal advises is to maintain a good hair routine, and take care of the hair as we do with the skin, which is known as skinification of the hair. “Without enough protein and amino acids, the hair fiber does not form well because it lacks keratin to seal the cuticle. And without sufficient lipids, something that usually goes hand in hand with an unbalanced microbiota, with excess yeast that alters it, the hair does not become greasy enough, and comes out more fragile, with more frizz and more likely to break.
What the expert recommends is the use of a serum that regulates the scalp microbiome. On the other hand, amino acids and protein will be very beneficial to nourish the follicle. Other essential products are the mask to provide lipids to the hair, the conditioner and the thermal protector.
Wash your hair yes, but every so often
Many people still have this question about how often they should wash their hair. In this we have to say that there are different opinions, since there are experts like the pharmacist Helena Rodero who advise washing your hair frequently: “The scalp is skin, how many times a day do you wash your face? A couple of times, right? At least washing your scalp once,” says the expert.
On the other hand, Leal makes another reference: “Even if we do sports every day, our hair should be washed every 48 hours because normally that is the time it takes for the microbiota to regenerate. It would be ideal if there is no hair problem,” responds the stylist.
Obviously, the hairdresser does not advise going three or four days without washing your hair, but he recommends doing it wisely: “Washing your hair daily with conventional shampoo attacks the scalp. The feeling of dirt is actually sweat and water, which already clean and regulate the skin on their own. The problem is that this habit ends up activating the sebaceous glands more: by not considering their own oil enough, they generate more. So washing daily ends up generating more oil, not less.”
The washing routine that Juan advises is to do it every other day. “If we need an extra, dry shampoos help. My personal trick is to apply them the opposite of usual: not on dirty hair, but right after washing it, with the hair still damp, on the roots. The starch remains deposited and, the next day, absorbs the grease as it is generated. Thus the clean effect lasts two days instead of one, with a cleaner optical sensation than applying it to already dirty hair,” he advises.
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