Your client’s hair is basically an appendage of their body. Everything they put on their hair and scalp, as well as into their body, will affect the condition of their hair. Lifestyle, diet, rest, vitamin deficiencies, and the proper use of professional hair care products and appliances will affect the condition of their hair. Stress and diet play an im-portant role in maintaining healthy hair as improper care of their health and wellness can lead to thinning hair and/or hair loss. Hormonal changes, medications and crazy diets can also affect the condition of the hair. As salon and spa professionals, we must continue to educate our clients on how to achieve great looking hair through health and wellness.
Reading Hair Through Consultations
It is extremely important to have professional hair, skin, nail and beauty consultations with each client every time they visit the salon. Educating them on the best services and products to maintain a great haircut, hair color, perm and style with fabulous looking hair every day will help clients returning to your business. When a guest arrives, take a few moments to review any changes to their lifestyle, diet, medications, new hair care appliances, at-home hair care products, and routines. A new blow dryer with a very hot temperature may change your analysis of their hair condition and future needs. They may have started a new diet, taken on a new medication, been exposed to a change in environmental conditions, or noticed some hormonal changes. They may have also noticed that their hair has less body, shine and luster. Therefore, the professional hair care consultation is your key to helping your clients successfully achieve great hair. Here are three conditions that effect the hair and provide a look into the overall health of the body.
Brittle Hair
Usually associated with over-compromising the hair, brittle hair may be the result of many things including a hormonal imbalance or salon and/or home chemical processes. It may also be due to excessive use of hot hairstyling tools, sun exposure, environmental factors, diet, lifestyle, and incorrect use of hairstyling products. Diet has an important effect on your client’s hair as well. They must maintain a well-balanced diet in order to keep their hair in a healthy state. If your clients do not maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle with environmental protections, their hair and scalp may become dry and brittle.
Split Ends
Split ends, also known as trichoptilosis, are caused by thermal, chemical or mechanical stress. There are many potential causes inclusive of the improper use of blow dryers, hot hair styling tools, chemical processes, low-fat diets, sun exposure, and harsh environmental conditions. An excessive use of certain hair care tools along with products and chemicals, like perms and hair color, can cause split ends by stripping the protective outside layer of the hair shaft which weakens the hair, making it more prone to split ends. Mechanical stresses include pulling a comb forcefully through tangled hair and repeated combing. Split ends can be seen as a symptom of some physical disorders such as Menkes disease and occipital horn syndrome. Regular haircuts and trims every six to 10 weeks are essential to help avoid split ends. There is no specific remedy for split ends beyond trimming the affected hair. However, there are some professional shampoos that help heal the split ends by sealing the ends back together.
Dull, Lifeless Hair
Dull hair is generally associated with the cuticle layers of the hair being chipped away. When the cuticle lies flat, it will reflect shine that looks healthy and vibrant. Along with dry and brittle hair, your client’s diet, lifestyle, use of harsh shampoos, chemical processes, and excessive exposure to harsh environmental conditions also contribute to dull hair. To replace shine and luster, be sure your clients cool down the water temperature after their hot shower before finishing. Be sure to only work with professional hair care products that contain high quality ingredients. There are many professional hair care products that you can recommend to your clients that will add shine, luster, bounce and volume. An old home remedy also works by using a light spray of apple cider vinegar to help lock down the cuticle layers.
Generally, the biggest concerns that people have about their hair is how to cut and color it to best fit their personal style. However, the overall condition of a person’s hair and scalp says a lot more about them than how closely they follow the latest styles and trends. As skin care professionals it is imperative to understand and recognize the signs of distress as they can be an indication of a variety of health related problems.
Josef and Shaun Settle own the Avant Gard Salon & Spa, Avant Gard The School in Indiana. They recently launched Shaoé Haircare as a new professional luxury hair care brand. They can be reached at 317-272-1149, 317-272-7660 or e-mail info@shaoehaircare.com.
