Hair Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Take it with a grain of salt. Listed below are questions we’re asked most frequently. Chemistry composition varies from person to person so be sure to consult a professional before committing to a course of action.
Hair Care Products and Tools
Q. I have naturally wavy hair. Can I still get a perm?
A. Yes. But with a different haircut, that naturally wavy hair may turn into curly hair. The issue may be more about weight than it is about curl. An individual consultation will help to find a working solution.
Split Ends
Q. I’m having troubles with split ends. What can I do?
A. The best conditioner in the world is a haircut. It may be necessary to change the products being used and an upgrade may be in order. We all have a tendency to use what works for us. Unfortunately, that mindset lends itself to using products that have been outdated as new technologies in hair care treatments advance.
Loose Hair
Q. I have recently noticed an increase in loose hair after washing. Am I losing my hair?
A. Hair is probably the greatest indicator of a person’s health. There has been less research of the human hair follicle than any other part of the body. Normally, everybody will experience a period within a year where they will notice more hair loss than before, but it will subside. Life changing events can directly affect the condition of your hair. If the hair follicle is dormant, then Rogaine® or Nioxin® may rejuvenate or reactivate the hair follicle. You will have to use either product for 30 days before seeing any change and it’s a 50/50 chance. “If the follicle is dead, there is no raising the dead.”
Greasy Hair
Q. My hair is too greasy. What can I do?
A. Everybody’s hair is different and every client is treated on an individual basis. As with other attempts to troubleshoot a client’s individual needs, the solution may require exploration of multiple products to achieve the desired effect. Usually, if we’re in a product research situation, I will absorb the cost of the inventory and the client can pay me for what works and return what doesn’t.
Fine and Flat Hair
Q. My hair is very fine and flat. What can I do?
A. Everybody’s hair is different and every client is treated on an individual basis. As with other attempts to troubleshoot a client’s individual needs, the solution may require exploration of multiple products to achieve the desired effect. Usually, if we’re in a product research situation, I will absorb the cost of the inventory and the client can pay me for what works and return what doesn’t.
Dry and Frizzy Hair
Q. My hair is dry and frizzy but I desire shiny, straight, healthy looking hair. What can I do?
A. Traditionally, I will put together a package of “magic potions,” write down the list and put it in the client’s file. The client then takes the products home and tests the results of each product. When the client returns they may keep and pay for what works, what doesn’t work is returned to the manufacturer.
Limp Hair
Q. I want more body and my hair is limp. What can I do?
A. As with many of the other issues addressed previously, an individual consultation will help to find a working solution.
Dandruff or Dry, Flaky Scalp
Q. Recently I have noticed white flakes on my shirt collar. Do I have dandruff? How can I get rid of this?
A. Flakes on your shirt are not necessarily an indicator of dandruff. Unfortunately, television has trained our society that if flakes are noticed then a cure for dandruff is the next step. Flakes could be – more commonly – an indicator of a flaky scalp. As with dry skin, a simple scrubbing with a loufa (or a hairbrush in the case of the scalp) followed by a good shampooing may be enough to get the flakes under control. Dandruff, on the other hand, is a fungal infection and may require the application of a product specifically designed to fight the fungus. If you have noticed flakes on your collar, visit a hair specialist to evaluate what treatments will work best for you.
Q. What can I do for my dry scalp in the winter?
A. Be certain to brush well prior to washing.
Straightening Your Hair
Q. I would like to straighten my hair, but retain its body. What can I do?
A. Everybody’s hair is different and every client is treated on an individual basis. As with other attempts to troubleshoot a client’s individual needs, the solution may require exploration of multiple products to achieve the desired effect. Usually, if we’re in a product research situation, I will absorb the cost of the inventory and the client can pay me for what works and return what doesn’t.
Q. I have color-treated hair and want to straighten it. Is that possible?
A. Yes, carefully. An evaluation of what has been done will determine the steps necessary to achieve the desired effect.
Q. Can I straighten my permed hair?
A. Yes. Although it may also be a possibility that another hairstyle will allow the hair to grow out naturally.
Changing Your Hairstyle
Q. I have had the same hair style for a long time. I’m ready for a change, but I don’t want to lose any length. What can I do?
A. Get out the pictures. What do you hate about your hair? What do you love about your hair? Where is your comfort zone? Ear length, shoulder length, bra-strap length? What are your perimeters? Resources and questions such as these will help to define a direction. It’s always better to err in not enough cut or not enough color. My methodology is: Less is better than more. That’s what the checkup is for. The end result will be the product of communication. A product you may not find pictured in a magazine, but one that is appropriate for your needs and desires.
Q. My hair style is very short and I would like for it too look more feminine. What can I do?
A. Hair is like cloth. There is a world of difference between linen and wool. The solution to making the style appear more feminine may require additional styling techniques or alternative products. An individual consultation will help to find a working solution.
Q. My hair is heavy. What can I do to lighten the weight?
A. Cutting the length, layering and texturing are possibilities. Visual examples (pictures) and an individual consultation will help to find a working solution.
Hairstyle Maintenance
Q. My hair always looks better when I leave the salon and I cannot replicate it at home. What am I not doing right?
A. With a follow-up consultation, it may be possible to define what steps need to be taken to replicate the salon effect. Be certain to bring with you all of the products and tools you use at home.
Q. Is it possible to get a hairstyle that requires little to no prep time? Sort of “wash and go”?
A. Yes. But just like with your IRA, the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. You have an idea of expectations, but sometimes they require more work than you are willing to do. Everything has a price; hair is no different.
Q. How is it that humidity affects my hair?
A. In the winter, people with naturally curly hair may require a stronger curl activator or layer it more to encourage the curl. The summer season may require the opposite.
Q. Blow waving my hair on a daily basis leaves me with an undesired effect. What can I do to achieve a better, more pleasing effect?
A. Again, everybody’s chemistry is different. What works for one client may not work for another. An individual consultation will help to find a working solution.
Q. I like it when my hair flips. How can I encourage that?
A. Techniques that encourage flipping may be utilized when cutting the hair, or tools may be used when styling.
Hair Coloring
Q. Is coloring harmful to your hair?
A. No. Even with the presence of chemicals in the coloring treatment, some products also have conditioning agents. Hair color treatments and perms essentially make the hair swell, not strip it. Your specialist just needs to make certain which to choose.
Q. How often will I have to reapply a permanent color treatment?
A. During the coloring process, a permanent color treatment will lift the hair to the desired level. Once the hair is lifted, color is deposited into the hair. Within 4-6 weeks, the color will have completely washed out and the remaining color will show the signs of the lifting process, commonly referred to as “brassy” and will begin to show roots.
Q. What is demi-permanent hair?
A. Demi-permanent hair color treatments are less than permanent. The composition of the mixture is such that it does not afford the chemical bonding found in permanent color treatments. Permanent color treatments will fade some, but not totally, so roots will begin to show. Demi-color will wash out completely and there will not be any roots.
Q. How often will I have to reapply a demi-permanent color treatment?
A. The quality of the demi-color will dissolve in about 4-6 weeks.
Q. Why does a professional hair coloring treatment have to take so long?
A. There are 12 levels of color to chose from, white to black, and where you fall in line within that range will dictate the amount of time involved with making the change. The greater the level of change, the more time necessary. A cut-and-color session can be accomplished in as little as an hour.
Q. How often should I retouch my colored hair?
A. This is dependent upon your comfort zone. On average, hair grows as quickly as 1/2-inch per month. Some may choose to redo their color in as little as 3 weeks, others may choose to wait as long as 12.
Highlighting
Q. Is it possible to highlight my grey hair?
A. Sure. We have actually performed this often. Mostly it’s a matter of using the grey hair that’s there and using one or two other colors with it so that they all complement each other.
Q. Can I get highlights that are not so loud? Subtle highlights?
A. Highlights are available in a wide degree of tones. It’s simply a matter of selecting a tone that is in alignment with the client’s goals or desires.
Q. My highlighted ends appear one color and not highlighted. Why?
A. It sounds as though this is a result of the application of the highlighter. It may be due to not “kicking out” the ends before folding the foil.
Perms
Q. I have naturally wavy hair. Can I still get a perm?
A. Yes. But with a different haircut, that naturally wavy hair may turn into curly hair. The issue may be more about weight than it is about curl. An individual consultation will help to find a working solution.