by Kristina Stellhorn
Never before have I hated a haircut so much. Thin, wayfaring strands on the sides are too thin and can't perform, and the thicker, curlier sections in the back have been chopped so short I can't do anything with them. The rest of my hair looks lost, trying to determine where it's supposed to be and what it's supposed to do. Go to the right? The left? Sit with the hair on top? I stare at my hair in the mirror and want to cry... or curse.
The last person to cut it (I won't call her my hairdresser because I'm not going back) is a trained professional and owns her own salon. After our initial meeting, I showed her pictures of different styles and colors, telling her I wanted to keep my length. So what happened when I finally sat down in her chair?
Long hair is a luxury for some people (including me).
Because my hair growth has been slow-going since birth, I treasure when it reaches a certain length and try to protect it.
At the age of about one year - when many other kids have a headful - all that my bean boasted was a tiny bit of fuzz. Around age two, there wasn't much more (I've seen pictures). My mother told me more than once that when people peeked into my stroller, they'd compliment her on what a beautiful baby boy I was.
Yes, I have naturally curly hair, but I don't know whose follicle dysfunction I "inhairited". Were my dad's undulating waves slow to grow, or did I get some ancestral genetic defect from my mother's side? Had the umbilical cord that wrapped around my neck when I was born cut off nutrients to the scalp? Why was I so different?
By the time I was five years old, I finally had enough hair to work with, but it was very different from my sisters'. In every family photo, my hair is nothing like theirs. As my siblings and I stretched, they developed flowing golden locks on their heads. I had short, curly wisps. My hair had a mind of its own (and still does today) and was quite difficult to manage, according to my mother. To counteract the chaos on my head, she decided to give me a pixie cut, and later, a shag. Whatever length I had grown in childhood was regularly eradicated by her with just a few snips.
Because of this tragic history, I tell a stylist to leave my hair as long as possible.
Most do, but the last one didn't. Either she ignored me, or she was distracted. No, she was impassioned - about Japanese politics. I know, I know... atypical salon chit-chat, right? I must have looked like a real suckah for the topic. What choice did I have? I was in her chair (in Japan) for three hours for a cut and color, and she had a pair of scissors in her hand.
She belongs in the category of hairdressers who believe they hold the best judgment and ultimate say in deciding how a client's hair should be cut. I had encountered this kind in the past and usually trusted them, but never had I experienced a disaster like this one. No, it wasn't time for free-wheeling with the shears! She was unfamiliar with how my hair would react or how it normally looked. (I arrived with my hair up in a bun.) For this reason, I made it clear by communicating the specific style and length I wanted.
No matter, I won't be going back. And no, I don't hate her, but I'm pretty mad at what she did to my hair. Now I have to figure out how to fix it, and luckily, I've already done the research.
Here are my recommendations for longer, healthier hair, after a bad cut, or simply to boost and revitalize your locks.
1. Castor Oil
Just the sound of this hair miracle can make a person grimace. If you're of a certain age, you know that castor oil was a home remedy used to cure everything. You may even have personal experience with the stuff. Moms, grandmas and mean aunts would force a spoonful down a child's throat to ease stomach pain and constipation, or teach a misbehaving child a lesson. I can't imagine it tastes very good; as a punishment for a filthy mouth, it must have worked quite well (in the place of the other standard threat - a bar of soap).
Amazingly, castor oil - which comes from the lowly castor bean (50% to 70% oil) - has been used for centuries to treat eye, hair and skin conditions, constipation, infections, and can even cure a headache. Its uses as an herbal medicine go back at least 6,000 years.
In addition to all the other wonderful things it does for a human body, castor oil helps your hair grow. It is rich in fatty acids, proteins, minerals and Vitamin E, all of which nourish your follicles and moisturize hair from the roots.
Try mixing about a tablespoon of castor oil with an equal portion of your favorite leave-in conditioner (such as Mane & Tail's Herbal Gro with olive oil and keratin), rubbing the pomade into your scalp.
Castor oil is sticky, so when it touches your hair, it tends to create tangles. To prevent this, mix it with olive or coconut oil and then comb it through your hair with your fingertips to ensure you reach the hairline. For a more intensive treatment, leave the oil mixture on your hair all day when you're not planning to go out, or cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on overnight. If you have shorter hair (like mine after my recent haircut), you can comb the mixture on to slick your hair back, creating a smooth, shiny finish.
It's not the only oil that's good for your locks. Olive and coconut oil also offer benefits, and they taste much better. Consuming either one provides your body with healthy fats for faster-growing hair. Applying these oils directly to head support scalp health in different ways.
Castor and other oils will create a noticeable difference in your hair's health - and length - almost overnight. It's incredible. Try applying them weekly and enjoy the results.
2. Royal Jelly
During my trip to Costa Rica two years ago, I forgot my travel shampoo in my sister's shower in Arizona. While looking for a replacement locally, I came across Tio Nacho, a line of hair care products that seemed - according to the ingredients - more natural than most.
Unfamiliar with the label's Spanish ingredient jalea real, I looked it up to learn that my shampoo was made with royal jelly: a nourishing substance produced by worker bees for their queen, a superfood responsible for her long life. After using the product consistently, I noticed my hair seemed shinier, fuller, and longer... and was hooked. (Since then I've purchased other Tio Nacho products, including one that - mixed with chamomile - naturally lightens hair.)
Royal jelly is packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes, all of which nourish hair and scalp, promoting overall hair vitality and growth. It can also help prevent premature graying and fight against harsh chemicals used on our hair, as well as protecting locks from heat treatments like blow-drying, straightening and curling.
Royal jelly supplements are available in stores and online. Powders, capsules and the jelly itself (mixed with honey) are also out there. The powder can be mixed into smoothies, and the jelly itself can be applied to hair and scalp. Like honey, royal jelly promotes good health and has many nutritional properties, not just for hair.
3. The Direction of the Stroke Can Encourage the Growth
It was about a year ago when I encountered a woman with long, thick hair cascading down to her waist. Despite being older than me, her stunning hair gave the impression of a 20-year-old's. I inquired about her beauty secret.
"It's the direction you brush your hair," she explained, describing how she bends over and brushes her hair out every day, starting at the nape of the neck and going upwards to the crown of her head. This advice was passed down to her and obviously had proven to be effective. Additionally, she mentioned, she uses a specific brush with boar bristles.
Ever since that day, I have been brushing my damp hair in the same way, and it appears to be beneficial. The act of running a comb or brush through your hair feels pleasant, and this gentle stimulation of the scalp is believed to promote hair growth. This brings us to the next valuable suggestion.
4. Scalp Massage
Studies have shown that massaging the head helps hair grow. When you're brushing or combing using the back-to-the-front technique mentioned above, be sure to go deep, so the bristles or teeth gently stroke your scalp. It feels good, right?
Like any massage, not only does this ease stress, but it stretches the cells of hair follicles - pore- or tube-like structures surrounding each hair root - and the source of your locks.
"The benefits of a scalp massage for hair growth centers on the hair follicles. Each hair on your head starts its life within a follicle, located just beneath the skin on your scalp." Massaging the head stimulates the follicles to produce thicker hair. It's also believed that massaging your scalp dilates blood vessels beneath the skin, additionally encouraging hair growth (healthline.com).
You can perform your own scalp massage with your fingers, use your comb or brush, or get a scalp massager. Make sure that if you use a tool, it penetrates your hair all the way to your scalp. (The tines on some metal scalp massagers are too thin or flimsy to be effective on thicker hair.)
Another "bad influence" on hair growth is stress, which may cause hair to fall out. Regular scalp massage has several benefits in addition to stimulating your follicles. You'll relax, ridding your body of tension that may put hair follicles into a "resting phase."
5. Superfoods: Strength for your Strands
There are plenty of delicious, healthy foods that encourage strong hair growth. These include salmon, eggs, yogurt, avocados, and beans. Because they're "superfoods," they offer nutritional benefits for the rest of the body as well and should be a regular part of mealtimes. Below are a few superfoods you can enjoy knowing they're helping your hair grow healthy as well.
Whether you prefer black-, blue-, straw-, or rasp-, berries are one food that protect your body and hair from damage. They're key in producing collagen, which prevents hair follicle damage... and graying. They help promote blood circulation to the scalp as well.
Strawberries are particularly good for your hair as they are packed with magnesium, Omega 3 fatty acids, copper, and ellagic acid, a substance that helps prevent hair thinning and loss.
Instead of only eating berries for hair health, you can also experiment with a berry hair mask. Combine berry powder with coconut, olive, or almond oil, and massage it into your hair before shampooing.
Buckwheat is a whole grain that's generally very good for the body. It comes in different forms, such as buckwheat flour, flakes and groats. Here in Japan, noodles made from ground buckwheat (soba) are popular in many dishes. You can also put buckwheat into breads and smoothies, or eat it for breakfast instead of oatmeal. Buckwheat contains silica, which is known as the "beauty mineral." It strengthens hair and helps keep it from thinning. Buckwheat is just one food that delivers key nutrients to the hair follicles and the scalp.
Dark chocolate with a cacao content of 70% or higher is also good for the hair. It is rich in potassium, copper, iron, and magnesium, all of which promote healthy hair and skin. Magnesium is involved in the hair growth cycle, and without it, protein synthesis may be disrupted, causing problems with hair growth. Chocolate - a favorite substance - is a feel-good food that also reduces another enemy of hair growth: stress. Chomp away!
One food that is known to help keep bodies youthful is pumpkin. When it comes to the hair, pumpkin flesh provides iron, beta-carotene and Vitamins A, C and E, all of which repair cell damage. The Vitamin A in pumpkin helps keep your hair moisturized and strong. Pumpkins also contain biotin (Vitamin B-7), which promotes hair growth and aids in the production of keratin in hair strands. Omega fatty acids, found in pumpkin seeds, also promote hair growth.
Nuts including peanuts, cashews, almonds, and walnuts are protein powerhouses complete with healthy fats, biotin and zinc. These superfoods support healthy scalp development, stimulating hair growth and preventing hair loss. The zinc in nuts serves to maintain the structure of the hair follicles, and Brazil nuts - like chocolate - contain selenium, which studies say may help hair growth. Selenium also helps the thyroid do its job in regulating hair growth.
Don't hate the hairdresser - or the haircut. You're now equipped with nature's weapons to combat any pair of eager scissors.
About that too-short haircut?
Here are some suggestions:
Get your last cut fixed. If you can't snip off the too-long strands or make modifications to your unwanted style, find someone who can.
Research any stylist before you go. Find photos on their website or social media (if available) of past work. If you're in a new town, ask around to find out who has an impeccable reputation for doing good hair. Talk to people who have hair like you!
Quality is not always equivalent to price. An expensive hairdresser can do as crappy a job as someone at a chain haircut outlet. Just because you pay a lot, don't expect to get what you want.
Bring a photo (or two) of your ideal style, and repeat what you want, especially if you're in a foreign country. Make sure you are understood.
Your idea of long (and short) may be different than the hairstylist's; show with your hands how long you want to keep your hair, or how short you would like it cut.
Remember, your hair will grow back, especially with care and use of nutritious products and foods (as listed above).
Lastly, try not to move so often that you have to find a new hairstylist in every state or country in which you reside. (This is not an option for some of us working vacationers.)
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