Hair Color, What’s the difference?

The statistics tell us 80% of women are choosing to color their hair today. This could be a result of baby boomers holding off the inevitalbe gray hairs or maybe just trying to enhance tones from dull and lifeless to bright and vibrant. Whatever the reason, once you’ve made the decision to color yourt hair, you’ll have another immediate decision to make . . . what type of hair color should you use.  There are three types of hair color to choose from when considering taking the plunge,.

Permanent hair color leaves a stronger line of demarcation, and does not fade out. It is the most difficult color type to maintain since on average our hair grows a ¼ inch per month. The ammonia is an alkalizer that opens the cuticle layer, allowing the hair color molecules to penetrate into the cortex; this is where the color molecules remain. Alkaline is the ammonia in hair color that opens the cuticle and allows the color to penetrate. This process opens the cuticle and may leave your hair frizzy and rough-looking. This is why following with a conditioner is always necessary. The conditioner closes the cuticle which allows it to lay flat increasing shine and easing style time.

A semi permanent hair color does not penetrate into the cortex; it just coats the outside but only lasts up to 8 shampoos. This would be used more for someone not wanting a commitment to a coloring at all but wants to add just a little something to their current hair style.

A demi permanent hair color gently penetrates the cortex, and depending on how dry and/or damaged your hair is, it could last longer or even get darker than expected. A demi permanent hair color is usually used when you want to enhance your current hair type and you’re not quite read to make a commitment to a permanent hair color. Demi permanent hair color will usually last a little longer than a semi permanent hair color but rinses out after several weeks.

This brings me to what I believe is a very important step in protecting any hair color treatment that is overlooked by many. Not only does your hair need a great shampoo and conditioner, but what you’re putting on your hair before using heat is just as crucial. Not using a product to protect your hair prior to blow drying or flat ironing is more damaging to your hair than anything else that you could do to your hair. Especially since a majority of our blow dryers can reach 140 degrees and our flat irons a whopping 450 degrees. Making sure your styling aid provides thermal protection is a must when trying to preserve your beautiful hair color!

In my 10 years as a hair stylist I have worked with many leave-in conditioners and styling products that provide thermal protection. There are a lot of good ones in today’s market! I recently was given the opportunity to take part in the development of a new product which I am excited about called Keracolor which provides thermal protection and enhances hair color. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a new leave-in!

Guest contributor Tarah Edberg has been a hair stylist for 10 years with Salon Zeo in Minneapolis and specializes in various hair color and foil techniques and is a Keracolor featured hair stylist.

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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Hair Dyeing Not Safe When Seborrheic Dermatitis is Suspected

Barb Responds

You’re on the right track asking questions, as you could considerably worsen your problem by having any chemical service done to your hair.  Any licensed professional will tell you not to use hair dye as long as long as any scalp condition is present.  Was it your primary doctor who diagnosed seborrheic dermatitis?  Most likely, he will advise you the same, or he may suggest a dermatologist to consult.

What is Seborrheic Dermatitis?

Seborrheic dermatitis (aka: eczema or cradle cap) is a condition doctors still don’t have a definitive. They do know it’s not a contagious disease and that (this will make you feel better about shampooing less often) it’s not a sign of poor hygiene. The Mayo Clinic reports that although causes are not yet known, they may include symptoms as normal as stress, fatigue or even a change of season (of which winter tends to be the most common time of year for the onset of this condition.)

Shampoos for Seborrheic Dermatitis

Dandruff shampoos and other medicated shampoos containing ingredients like, coal-tar and zinc can be very effective. There are a number of over-the-counter products as well as prescription strength products (shampoos and lotions) that can be used, but your doctor should be the one to prescribe the right product for you. Different skin types and conditions respond differently and you could possibly make matters worse by using a wrong product.  Call your doctor for a prescription or over-the-counter recommendation. Seeing that he already diagnosed your condition, you shouldn’t need another appointment for the recommendation.

Be sure to use the shampoo as directed, leaving it on for the full recommended time. If it doesn’t seem to have positive effects shortly, get on the phone with your doctor again and have him prescribe another type of shampoo. Also be mindful to avoid scratching your scalp which could break the skin and cause an infection.

Barb Quinn on Google+  

For further discussion on itchy scalp or dry scalp you might want to check out these other articles:

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Causes of Bad Hair Days

When you’re having a bad hair day, it can zap your confidence and ruin the whole day. So obviously this is a situation that you want to avoid, which is why you should try to get to the heart of the matter. As with any other situation, there are causes and solutions to the bad hair day dilemma that you may not know of, or have possibly forgotten about over the years. That said, here are some of the most common causes, and solutions that can help you avoid them in the future.

Weather-induced Bad Hair Days

Weather-induced bad hair days can be blamed on a protein known as Keratin that’s found in every strand of hair on your body. Keratin can break apart inside of the strand if the weather is humid, like in the summer. Broken keratin proteins then lead to your hair swelling up, which causes hair to frizz. Unfortunately, you’re not safe from damaged keratin in the winter either because the dry winter air and dry heat used to keep your home warm cause hair to have static. This in turn causes your hair to fly away and become harder to manage.

So what is there to do when you’re away from home and your collection of trustworthy hair products? Learn how to use what you’ve got in your purse! The odds of having a few bobby pins, a hair tie, hand cream and/or a comb in your purse are high, and if you’re not carrying these items with you, then we strongly suggest you do so. If you’re having a frizzy hair day due to rain or humidity, use your hand cream to apply to the tips. Also take a bobby pin and pin your bangs out of your face.

Another tip is to use your hair tie to make a messy bun or top knot bun; this is a great way to prevent the world from noticing. Finally, for those with long hair, you can braid it to take care of the problem. But no matter what tips you follow, just remember that it’s still important to apply a small amount of lotion on the ends of your hair to reduce frizz and give your hair a little more hold.

Bad Hair Days Caused by Lack of Time

When you’re running behind schedule because you reset the alarm too many times in the morning, you might not have enough time to style your hair to its full potential. In this situation, you can opt for a simple bun or braid as previously talked about; however, those aren’t the only options you have in this situation.

You can style your hair with little time by applying smoothing balm or cream onto damp hair, and then put your hair half up by securing it with a hair clip, bobby pins or a small hair elastic. If you have short bangs, style them with a flat iron so that they’re not bringing attention to the rest of your hair. To save yourself some time in the morning, and to give yourself a few extra minutes in front of the mirror, you should shower the night before, and lay your clothes out before going to bed at night. This enables you to sleep a little longer and have more time for your hair.

Styling Product Overload

You may suffer from a bad hair day due to over-styling or applying too much hair product to your hair. If you’re using too much hairspray or mousse, you’ll have crispy hair, which can cause it to look dirty. Once you’ve applied too much mousse or hairspray, there isn’t a whole lot you can do to fix it. If you use argon, Moroccan, or other hair oils in your hair to keep the frizz down, then you may apply too much, thus causing your hair to look greasy and in need of a shampoo. These situations are often the result of hairstyles that happen in a hurry when you’re not focusing on what you’re doing.

Nap Time Mishaps

If you’ve decided to take a nap in the middle of the day, or have accidentally fallen asleep on your desk, then your hair may have taken a turn for the worse! And hopefully, you’ve learned to carry a few beauty essentials with you for such occasions. If you have flat hair that looks greasy after you’ve slept on it, use dry shampoo to bring it back to life. If you’ve got plenty of time and have short hair, here is how to fix your bed head hair:

• To revive short hair, use a spray bottle to lightly mist your hair with water; don’t overdo it though!
• Next you’ll want to use a hair gel or mouse, and continue styling as usual.
• Finish up with a shot of hairspray to ensure that the messy hair doesn’t make another appearance.

For those with longer hair, consider yourself lucky because long hair hides messy hair better than a short style, making styling short hair harder. Focus on the area that is causing the problems, and use a curling iron or flat iron to pump the hair back up. If you’re unable to get to heat styling tools, then comb through the tangles, or put your hair in a ponytail.

If you have been suffering from one bad hair day after another, you may want to look at the health of your hair. If you are having a lot of frizz-filled days, you could have split ends that need tending to. Also look at the food you’re eating. If your diet is lacking protein and water, your hair will become dry and easily damaged. So take care of your hair from the inside-out in order to make it easier to manage on those bad hair days.

Guest contributor Ashley Olson is a professional beauty writer, she loves to write about hair care, hair styles and common beauty problems young women have to deal with on a daily basis.

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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