We all know it's good to take care of our hair, but unfortunately we don't always take the time to apply a hair mask. How often do you think about your hair wrap every day? Unfortunately not many people do and if we are lucky we use it once a week. But did you know that you get much more out of your hair mask if you apply it to dry hair? According to a dermatologist in NY who told us that we normal people put our hair mask in wet hair. But that we should instead apply it to dry hair to make it more effective.

Why?

If you want to get the most out of your expensive hair mask, you don't want to compete for space in your hair. Because basically, your hair is pretty much saturated with water already when you wet your hair and it can therefore not absorb as much hair mask. This means that the hair mask you put in your hair is more like a coating on your hair than actually moisturising your hair on the inside. That's a pretty big waste of time and money.

So try applying your hair mask to dry hair next time! It's a very simple change, but it can make a big difference.

Too much sun can make your hair brittle like a dry mop, resulting in brittle hair with split ends. This is especially true for those with blonde or grey hair, and if you already have thinning hair you are more likely to burn your scalp.

How you can prevent sun damage to your scalp.

Being proactive and choosing hair care products with sunscreen provides some protection, but it can be difficult to distribute it evenly on your hair. So it's a good idea to wear a hat when you're out in the sun - especially if your scalp is exposed. Choose a hat made of sun-protective fabric with UPF 30 (ultraviolet protection factor).

Getting sun damage, i.e. burns on the scalp, affects how your scalp feels and can eventually impair your hair growth. A major burn can create scar tissue on the scalp and then hair growth can stop completely. Therefore, take care of your scalp in the sun because it gets a lot of sun on it.

Have a nice continued summer with the Akacia medial team!

Did you know that smoking negatively affects your hair and can contribute to hair loss? A good reason to quit for good!

How does smoking affect hair?

Your hair follicles rely on a steady flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to function and stimulate hair growth. Smoking significantly impairs circulation to the extremities and thus the hair follicles. Smoking also contaminates our blood and affects the quality of the blood that actually reaches our hair follicles. Some studies have also suggested that smoking may contribute to the clogging of pores on the scalp.

Smoking isn't always the answer to why you're losing hair, but a combination of genetics, stress and DHT can together with smoking become an accelerator for your hair loss

If you are having a hair transplant, smoking will negatively affect your healing and this is true for any type of surgery.

After a long day with a tight hairstyle, it is common for the scalp to be sore and feel strange. This is because the hair follicles have sensory receptors and when we put our hair up, pressure is created on the nerve endings of the follicles, when these have been under pressure for a long time, they become sore.

In the long run, tight hairstyles can give you thinning hair.

Although hair tenderness is not dangerous, it may be the body's warning signals that the hair follicles are suffering. Prolonged pressure can have negative consequences. The hair can thin out and in the worst case lead to permanent hair loss, this is known as Traction alopecia.

Traction alopecia develops over time, so the difference can be noticed after a few months or years. But once the hair follicles have died, they don't come back, most often thinning around the hairline, behind the ears but also in the centre of the head.

To prevent suffering from Traction alopecia, it is good if you vary the set every day. Alternate between braids, tassels or knots. It is also good to let your hair rest completely from tight hairstyles at least once a week.

A good alternative to hair tassels are scrunchies (see picture) which give your hair a good chance to recover. Feel free to vary the position of your ponytail from high to low and on the sides.

Scalp massage

It can also thicken hair, and only 4 minutes of scalp massage each day is needed to activate hair production, according to one study.

The study also found that the massage slowed down the genes associated with inflammation and hair loss. Participants in the study also reported an improvement in the quality of their hair. One explanation is that a scalp massage speeds up blood circulation in the scalp and nourishes the only living part of the hair, the 'root'. Results may take a few months as hair grows in cycles.

More benefits of scalp massage

Another study also shows that twice-weekly scalp massage reduces stress, which is a known cause of hair loss. It was found that stress hormones, blood pressure and heart rate were reduced by the massage.

Taking a shower is a great opportunity to get some scalp massage in for a few minutes while washing your hair. Use your fingertips and make circular, kneading movements so that you feel your scalp moving. If you are very tense, you can gradually increase the pressure of your fingers. Massage the scalp from the hairline at the temples and neck to the top of the head.

Scientific studies show that a 4 minute scalp massage every day for 24 weeks resulted in thicker hair. This was due to an increase in blood flow.

Unfortunately, not everyone can expect great results from massage, but fortunately, we at Akacia Medical have many great solutions for you.

How to do a scalp massage

1. Perform a scalp massage on wet or dry hair, whichever suits you best. As long as your hair is clean and free of hair products. Many people prefer to do their scalp massage in the shower with conditioner in their hair. Others prefer to do it after they have washed, conditioned and rinsed. If you work with wet hair, make sure any tangles are dealt with first.
2. Massage your scalp by drawing like check marks on your scalp. Work your fingers into the scalp, avoiding the use of nails so as not to damage the scalp and prevent hair breakage. Move your fingers around the scalp and cover all areas. Use slow, gentle movements to move your fingertips in a circular motion, alternating fingertips around different areas of the scalp.
3. If you wish, you can add two to three drops of an essential oil such as rosemary, lavender, thyme or cedarwood to your fingertips before massaging your scalp. Studies have shown that essential oils increase blood circulation and are commonly used to treat various scalp problems. Essential oils also help moisturise a dry scalp. If you have oily skin or an oily scalp, you should avoid oils.
4. Massage your scalp for at least three minutes or longer if desired. Repeat it as often as necessary. Scalp massage performed once or twice daily can expect more results.

Ayurvedic scalp massage

Hair loss treated in Ayurveda is a combination of diet, herbs, oil massage, meditation, aromatherapy, breathing and yoga. The Ayurvedic lifestyle is holistic about our entire health, it relies heavily on activating and stimulating the metabolism to help the body detoxify itself. The scalp benefits from improved blood circulation and the hair roots receive more oxygen and nutrients. This is a scalp massage that helps with stress and many special oils are often used. Many times dry scalp can be improved with this massage. 

What might also be of interest to you:

• Scalp brushes
• Hair consultation
• Advanced cutting adapted to your hair structure

Sources: ePlasty, PubMed, Journal of Physical Therapy Science

Is it possible to predict whether you will lose your hair?

Will I lose hair?

If so, when will it start?

What can I expect?

That you are asking yourself these questions is not at all surprising as hair loss is something that affects many people, both men and women. Losing hair is to some extent hereditary and you are probably familiar with the expression "having thin hair runs in the family". Many also say, my father is thin-haired so I will also be thin-haired, for example... and there is a certain amount of truth in that.

It is difficult to predict whether you will grow thinning hair.

But just because one of your parents lost their hair at an early age, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will be affected. It will not or always start at the same time. Nor are you safe even if both your parents have hair left.

In order to better predict

Take a careful look at your family's hair: including uncles, aunts, uncles, grandparents and others - and don't forget the female members of the family. If many people in your family have thinning hair, you are more likely to have thinning hair yourself. But there is no guarantee that you will lose your hair in the future, so there is hope.

In the future, it may be possible to predict future thinning hair if research can identify the specific gene or genes associated with androgenetic alopecia.

Finally, although it is not possible to predict with certainty whether you will lose hair (but with a high degree of certainty), there are well-documented probabilities. A specialist at a hair clinic can examine hair follicles. What you can do proactively is to maintain good health and eat a well-balanced diet to give yourself the best chance of keeping your hair for life!

Read more about hair loss