Scrub-a-dub-dub! Everyone knows that you have to shampoo your hair, otherwise you have tons of gross buildup and it just won't cooperate. Conditioner is just as important otherwise you won't even be able to comb your hair, much less style it. It's very important to pick a quality shampoo and conditioner fit for your hair type. Say you have color-treated hair you get color-protective shampoo and conditioner. Makes sense right? Right. Now, its pretty much just lather, rinse, (only repeat for VERY dirty oily hair) condition, and rinse again. But there are some helpful tricks to it. When you shampoo, don?t be too rough with your hair or you'll damage the cuticle. Always be sure the shampoo is completely rinsed. When conditioning, focus on the ends of your hair as they are most prone to breakage and therefore tangles. The water should be cold when you do the last rinse out with your conditioner. It helps seal the cuticle (basically, hair strand), making it so your hair appears shinier.

Once your hair is clean and fresh, you'll probably want to use a shine serum or detangling solution on it. Gently pat your hair dry as much as possible with your towel and squeeze a small amount of product into your hand. I like Biosilk Silk Therapy Treatment. Massage the product into your hair gently, again focusing mostly on the ends. Avoid the roots, as they can look greasy with shine serum on them. Now it's time for blow-drying. If you have curly hair, you'll want to use a diffuser so you don?t frizz your curls. Otherwise, you shouldn't need any attachments. Pointing the nozzle down, blow-dry your hair from five inches away. Make sure not to hold it in one spot, or it'll get fried. Once hair is semi-dry, lift hair in sections with your fingers and blow-dry a section at a time. This will keep your hair from being flat when it's done being blow-dried.

Flipped-out or curled under? Spiraled, waved? Now you have to decide what you want to day with you hair unless you like it just blow-dried. Check out iVillage's Virtual Hairstylist below for some great ideas. They even tell you how to do it! Is that not the coolest thing ever?!?

Written By:Katie Weaver & Debbie Frantzen http://www.glitznspritz.com

1. What are lice?

Lice are small parasite-like insects. Their home is on the hairs of people. They eat by sucking a small quantity of blood from our scalp. Lice usually thrive on scalps of 3 to 12 year-old kids. Girls are much more susceptible to lice than boys.

2. Lice facts:

- Lice do not pose a significant risk to our health- Lice can easily spread from one person to another- The feeling of itchiness is caused by the lice bites- Frequent scratching of the scalp can cause further inflammation- In rare cases, the skin can be infected which may trigger infection

3. How to treat lice:

Lice shampoos and lotions can be directly bought over-the-counter or can be prescribed. The medications are based on the lice treatment history of the patient. Do not experiment on these treatments because they are very much like insecticides. Follow your doctor?s advice or instructions carefully. The directions on the shampoo or lotion should be strictly followed so that the treatment can be effective. Your doctor may also ask you to buy hair rinses that are made to untangle hair.

These lice treatments most often than not, completely eradicate lice although continuous usage is needed for it to take affect. Seven to ten days is the common treatment period for lice by this method. Before stopping medication, you should be positive that all lice are killed since they can easily reproduce and come back with a vengeance.

4. Lice removal tips:

- Lice lay eggs attached to the base of the hair. In addition to using medication, it is recommended, especially for children ages 2 to 6, to manually remove the eggs from the hair one by one- Combs with fine bristles should be used to comb your child?s hair after taking a bath- Shampoo hair 3 up to 4 days in a span of 2 weeks. The hair should be wet before combing- Beddings and clothes that are just worn by someone with lice should be washed in very hot water- Store clothing and anything else that can not be washed in bags that are airtight for two weeks, such as toys or bedcovers- Carpet and upholstery in homes and cars should be vacuum cleaned regularly- Submerge objects like brushes, combs, headbands, hair ties and barrettes in rubbing alcohol or shampoo for lice treatment for one hour, or dispose of them- Do not utilize hair dryers to dry the hair of your child after putting on the anti-lice medication. Some chemicals in the shampoo or lotion are flammable- Shampoos and conditioners should not be used prior to lice treatment application- Sprays or pest control should not be used to kill lice. It could do more harm than good. It can also be poisonous- Lice treatment should not be used or applied to a single person for more than three times. If the lice are still there after three applications, the medication should be changed. - One lice treatment should be used at time. Do not alternate it with another

For more great lice related articles and resources check out http://www.lice.haircarehaven.com

So what should you look for in a shampoo when deciding on the best treatment for your hair? Gray hair will usually be dry so you need a shampoo that will bring back the moisture in your hair as well as replace the vital nutrients that are lacking. There are many shampoos on the market that treat thinning, dry, brittle and oily hair however there are not many that claim to treat gray hair.

If you are looking for a shampoo that is going to treat your Gray hair as well as return your hair to its natural color or at least darken it to some degree then you need to have a very specific shampoo. Do not go for a shampoo that promises to bring back your natural hair color in one or two washed as this means that the shampoo contains a lot of dye and will do nothing for the condition of your hair. Most people want a shampoo that will gradually change the color of their hair over time so that it is not too noticeable or immediately obvious.

When our hair goes gray it is because the cells in our hair follicles called ?Melanocytes?, stop producing pigment and the result is a transparent hair. The transparent hair against your healthier darker hair gives the appearance of Gray hair. In reality the hair is not Gray but transparent. When we reach this stage its because our hair is no longer as healthy as it use to be so we need to treat it in such a way that we replace what it has lost. Although we have mentioned the main cause of the hair going Gray it is also important to remember that the lack of nutrients such as B12 and Omegas 3?s are major contributors of hair going Gray.

So to treat your Gray hair you need to replace these 2 ingredients. B12 can be taken in tablet form but the Omega 3?s can be found in some shampoos. The way it works is that the Omega 3 rich shampoo penetrates deep into the hair follicle to deliver unprecedented nutrition to keep the hair follicle in its original color. The oil contained in the shampoo is known as the follicle awakener and has been used by many to help prevent the onset of gray hair. Every hair must have omega 3's to grow properly.

There are products on the market that have these attributes so there is a solution to treating your Gray hair. Whether you want to get your hair color back or just look after your hair the way it is then you need the right shampoo. So make sure the shampoo you choose has these ingredients in them. Just because you have Gray hair doesn?t mean it shouldn?t look good.

Grant Marwick is a freelance writer and owner of http://www.no-gray-hair.com that provides solutions and advice on the treatment of gray hair and Shampoo for Gray Hair

The idea of hair extension has been a new and astonishing development in the field of cosmetology. As per the process goes, strands of hair are attached to the track of actual and natural hair. The hair extensions are attached to the tracks with the help of copper coils that merge invisibly with the natural hair. Another thing to be taken care of that hair extension should be completely human hairs and not the mixed or animal hairs attached. Since the arrival of this form of growing hairs, it has been creating a revolution everywhere.

Hair extension has been preferred by a lot of people, who want that their hair should look beautiful. The concept of hair extension claims that every type of damaged hair can be fixed and corrected. Hair extensions are used according to the texture of the individual?s hair. After all, extensions should match the natural texture otherwise the desired effect won?t be achieved at all. A person without properly stylized hair looks very messy. It is the suitable cut and style that enhances the overall personality of a person.

Be it natural hair or hair extension, proper maintenance is required. Without appropriate looking after, the hair extension would tangle and looks like a bird?s nest. It is sure that you won?t wish to have your hair look like that. After having hair extension fixed to your hair, you would be required to pay visit to your stylist after every 2 or 3 months for maintenance. As far as the maintenance process goes, coils are opened and restringed near to the scalp. After restringing, the shedded hairs are removed and then finally re-clamping is done. Apart from this, you should wash your hair after every 2 or 3 days and moisturize it too.

In the world of fashion and stylizing, hair extension has made its mark. Many times, people look out a special style or texture of hair and strive for that kind of hair. And this would make you anxious to get such type of length or style. Hair extension has been developed to meet the urgent demands to customers for growing their hair. Your hair is such a fantastic thing that if you get them done through a specialist and take proper care of them, the results would surely fetch you compliments.

Anne Foster is a hair extension professional who loves giving her clients a completely new look through hair styles. She works for Killforthishair and likes to help out anyone who wants a new hair style. For more information on hair extension, human hair extension and real hair extension visit http://www.killforthishair.com

Invest some time and care!

Everyone wants to have younger looking skin. Unfortunately, even the most expensive skin care products, with all their claims of 'reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles', can't turn back the years. However, don't despair! There are steps that we can all take to make sure our skin looks healthy and vibrant and stays wrinkle-free for longer. All we've got to do is invest some time and care in looking after it.

It is important to understand the basic function of our skin in order to look after it properly. The skin is our body?s largest organ and comprises three major layers:

The Epidermis: This layer has five sub-layers the outer layer consists of mainly dead cells which are continuously shed and replaced by cells beneath. The epidermis is also responsible for ?water proofing? your skin, protecting your skin from potential invasion of microbes and generate new skin cells which move from the deep layer of the epidermis to the outer layer, where they are eventually shed.

The Dermis: Is the ?middle layer of the skin and is composed of connective tissue containing collagen and elastin. The dermis is thick in the palms and soles and very thin in the eyelids. It contains blood vessels, nerves, glands, and hair follicles.

The Subcutaneous layer: This layer consists of areolar and adipose tissue. Fibres from the dermis extend down into the subcutaneous layer and anchor the skin to it. The subcutaneous layer, in turn, attaches to underlying tissues and organs.

Aging of the skin

There are several factors influencing how quickly our skin ages, ranging from genetic factors, your natural skin type, as well as external factors such as exposure to sunlight, environmental factors and whether you smoke or not. In general, pale skins wrinkle faster than darker skins, which are protected by increased amounts of pigment and lipids.

Another vital factor is, of course, our age. Our skin looks and functions very differently at 20 as opposed to when we are 60.

Below is a skin care plan of how to look after your skin as the decades go by and how to adapt your skin care regime accordingly.

Looking after your skin in your 20s

Your 20s is a great time for your skin. You've left behind the adolescence acne and your skin has a radiant, youthful glow and the epidermis is well toned.

However, this is not the time to be complacent. In your 20s skin cell renewal drops by up to 28 per cent, dead skin cells are not as easily shed and external factors are starting to have a greater impact, leaving your skin slightly duller.

According to dermatologists, 80 per cent of all aging can be directly related to exposure to sunlight. Therefore, it is a good idea to avoid the mid-day sun, or if you have to be out in the heat of the day (especially in countries like Australia), than cover up. Penetrating UVA rays will start to damage collagen fibres and elastin coils in your skin.

Smoking one factor you can control and now would be a good time to quite. Smoking inhibits oxygen getting to the outer layer of your skin and has a premature aging effect. In addition, smoking can cause fine lines around the mouth over the years and this is to be avoided ? if you want to keep your good looks.

Looking after your skin in your 30s

By the time you get to your 30s skin cell turnover has slowed. Environmental damage from pollution, smoke and sunlight are starting to take their toll on the dermis, causing collagen fibres to loosen so that skin starts to loose its tone and develop fine lines and wrinkles. When you smile, subcutaneous fat forms ridges and refuse to bounce back as readily as it once did. Your first wrinkles may start to appear.

By now you should have established a daily skincare regime that involves exfoliating (two or three times a week), cleansing, moisturising and sun protection for your skin. In your 30s, it's important to maintain a balanced diet consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and fish, which are high in antioxidants such as Vitamins A, B, C and E. These Vitamins counteract free radicals in your body that help the skin to repair itself, produce the enzymes that stabilise collagen production, and stay moist and healthy. For further protection, try using a day cr?me, such as one that contains vitamin E, for example: Wildcrafted?s Age Defying Essence.

Alcohol should only be consumed in moderation as it deprives your skin of vital nutrients and may cause your facial blood vessels to become dilated leading to permanent, red ?spider veins? on your cheeks and in men often across the nose.

Maintaining well hydrated tissues by drinking plenty of water each and every day (3 litres a day is not at all excessive) is vital to retain moisture in your skin. In addition, you should ensure that you get enough quality sleep.

Looking after your skin in your 40s

In your 40s, collagen fibres decrease in number, stiffen, break apart, and form into a shapeless, matted tangle. Elastic fibres lose some of their elasticity, thicken into clumps, and fray. The result is the skin forms crevices and furrows known as lines and wrinkles. In addition, loss of fat in the subcutaneous layer leaves your skin more fragile, whereas the dermis will continue to lose its elasticity. A rich nourishing night cr?me, such as Wildcrafted?s rejuvenating night cr?me, becomes a vital part of your skin care regime.

During this time the stratum corneum (the outer layer of the epidermis) starts to grow even thicker, as dead skin cells hang around for longer. If you are not already using an exfoliant regularly, now is a good time to get into the habit of exfoliating your skin regularly using a facial scrub ? 2-3 times a week is all that?s necessary. You could also use a cream containing Rose oil, Jojoba oil or similar, as these contain natural AHA?s (alpha hydroxy acids) and to help remove dead skin cells.

As deeper wrinkles start to form, you may wish to use a complete skin care system, which systematically helps you to nourish and moisturise your skin on all levels. Choose natural skin care products for your daily skin care regime, as you do not want to introduce unnecessary toxins into your system by using products full of unpronounceable chemicals. Quality natural skin care systems, such as Wildcrafted?s range of natural skin care systems should be matched to your specific skin type.

Looking after your skin in your 50s and above

As we reach our 50s and beyond, the hair and nails grow more slowly. Langerhans cells (involved in the immune response, dwindle in number, thus decreasing the immune responsiveness of older skin. Decreased size of sebaceous (oil) glands leads to dry and broken skin that is more susceptible to infection.

In women, after the menopause, decreased oestrogen levels mean that skin lose its plumpness and tone, and it may be left dry, itchy and more sensitive to allergens.

At this stage in your life it is important to take that extra care of your skin?s health. Mature skin is more fragile, prone to injury and infection and bruises easily. As if this was not bad enough, it also takes longer to heal. Taking care of your skin will reduce the aging effect keep it healthier as well as more resistant to injury and infections. Remember, a face that has a lived in look is much more attractive than a Botox face and character is much more beauty.

About The Author

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

Join our Natural Skin Care Newsletter ? it?s fun, free and Informative and you receive a free eBook on natural skin care.

There are many tried-and-tested advices from skin care experts. Here, we list a few tips on prevention, self-care techniques and prescription treatment options which you may want to consider. Remember, if you treat your dry skin earlier, the better the easier it is for your control and manage this dry skin problem.

Prevention:

Add a purifier to your house. This can help to eliminate dust particles as well as add more humidity to your house. By keeping the temperature low, your skin will feel cool and less moisture will be lost.

Self-Care Techniques:

For most cases, you can carry out self-remedy as dry skin is a non life-threatening condition. Using a good dry skin moisturizer and effective dry skin products like Zemed and Autopalm can help to control this problem.

Medical Treatment:

If you think your case is severe enough, you may need to seek your dermatologist?s advice. In such cases, cortisone may be prescribed.

Dry Skin Care Tips

It is very important for you to know which skin care products suit your skin before you start to use them for your skin?s benefit. Not all skin care products are suitable as all of us have different skin type. If you want dry skin to stay away, you need to maintain a regular skin care regimen and practice good skin care habits.

Jerrick is the author of Dry Skin Care Guide.com ? a self-help site for skin care sufferers. For more dry skin remedies, recipes, treatments and suitable dry skin products for your use, visit his website at www.dry-skin-care-guide.com.

You begin your preparation ritual for the evening, having an extra long bath, treating your hair, shaving, exfoliating, and applying a mask to your face. Then you get dressed, perfect your make-up in a way that even Revlon would have been impressed with, and now for your hair! When you dry and style it, it looks great, then you apply your new advanced generation hairspray ? just a little all over like the professional advised, and yes, you look hot!

A quick once over in the mirror, shoes on and you are out the door in a record two and a half hours from when you started. You're driving to your friends house to pick her up and you catch a glimpse of your hair in the rearview-mirror. Surely those dull drooping strings aren't part of your design! You rush to your friend's door, barely say hello, then race to her mirror.

Aargh! What happened to the full bodied shiny style you saw only fifteen minutes ago? Why does your hair look a shade darker than usual and why are those bits all stuck together? You grab a comb and try to perk it up, but nothing improves. You borrow hairspray from your friend but the two combined seems to form some sort of super glue effect and it?s just getting worse. You contemplate whether you have time to shower and wash it again, but you know you don't.

Although your hair probably doesn't look anywhere near as bad as you think it does, if you're not 100% happy with it, you won't feel confident and happy with yourself. Anyway, you head out for your function feeling disappointed and silly for trying something new on a night out.

One of the most important rules of hairspray use is always know your product before you rely on it.

There are so many different hairsprays on the market, and so many unique types of hair, you may have to trial many before you find one that is your perfect match. Not all hairsprays are created equal, and the days of the shiny, crystallized, stiff looks for everyone are in the past. Using hairspray doesn't mean you have to have a unmovable mass on you head, and if you prefer a natural look it should be yours.

The Science Of Hairspray

Hairspray is a liquid which you spray on your hair that is sticky and sets quickly. It is basically a liquid plastic which joins to make a coating, then the liquid evaporates and the film that remains dries. Over time, the chemistry involved in creating hair spray recipes has become so complex and involved it is an art form of it's own. There are so many qualities to be considered such as whether it's flexible, and if it's strong hold, extra strong, maximum, or ultra strong. Does it smell like apples or more like fly spray? What environment is it designed for? And what hair type is it meant to be used on? Finding all the qualities you want, then finding the brand to suit your hair is the challenge, but the odds are in your favor and once you do find it, you will probably be loyal for life.

The reason we use hairspray is to hold our hair in position once we style it. Some only need a little bit of help to keep their hair in place, and others who have more stubborn hair need maximum hold.

A flexible hair spray is one that is light to medium strength and will let your hair still move around naturally while keeping the style.

Strong, extra strength or firm should keep your hair still while you're active or in bad weather or if you need to keep a sophisticated hairstyle in place.

The hair sprays that have the strongest hold usually dry very quickly and really do freeze your hair in place through difficult conditions. They will normally be called maximum strength, ultra strength or freeze.

Purchasing Hair Spray That Will Work For You

Once you have decided how strong you want your hairspray to be, there are other properties to take into account. There is a wide range of scents, which are usually brand specific, and you don?t want one that you find unpleasant or even worse that irritates you. You can purchase unscented varieties, or almost any flower or fruit you can think of. Try to match it to your shampoo to get the most out of the fragrance you choose. Also, beware of cheap and nasty hairsprays that can smell like fly spray. You may think the smell wears off in a few minutes but other people can notice it.

Depending on your hairstyle, you may need to spray a continuous light weight film over your entire hair, or perhaps you prefer to spurt it in burst here and there as you go along. This will determine whether you need a pump spray that is non-aerosol or an aerosol, and both are good for their own purposes. An example would be if you to try to use a pump on a fine full-bodied hairstyle, the weight and moisture could destroy your hard work.

In today's climate, you might want to consider a hairspray that has some protective characteristics such as UV filtering, moisturizing or even color protection if your hair is dyed. You can buy some hairsprays that are designed specifically for particular hair types like frizzy, curly, damaged or fine. If you have trouble with your hair being flat try the lighter ?volumizing? variety which is made to lift, add volume and give shine to lifeless hair. Nowadays there are some new formulas that claim to not be sticky and have no shine, if that s something you may prefer. And of course there is the colored variety which is also available with glitter, and both are a novelty product for most people.

It can be a good idea to have a few hairsprays on hand to suit different styles and conditions. If you are playing tennis and wearing a visor out in the sun you may want a maximum hold with UV sun protection, whereas if your hair is up in a bun and you just want to curl your wisps up a little, then a non aerosol, more flexible spray should be your choice.

How To Use the Hair Spray You Choose

In most cases, you should use your hair spray on dry hair. The idea is the use it as the last step in your styling procedure and let the film set and stay in place. If you brush it, wet it, or go out in terrible whether, the coating on your hair will break up and become ineffective. If you do use hairspray every day, you should be sure to wash your hair with a good clarifying shampoo regularly to avoid build-up which can cause dullness and cuticle damage.

To prevent disasters occurring at times when you need to rely on your hair spray the most, you should spend some time experimenting with different varieties. There are so many brands surviving on the market for a reason, and that is because we all have unique and individual needs. A punky Mohawk hairstyle is going to require a completely different hair spray to a naturally curly and long style. Find the spray that you like the smell of and has a good balance of hold for your style and how it feels. This way your hair should be at it?s best every time.

Stuff4Beauty Your Hair Products Specialists!

Similarly, some women are using some hair styling agents that can be damaging to the natural health of the hair. If they want to maintain the natural hair growth it is essential that they stop using such products and use natural hair care products derived from plants and herb extracts.

Nature has given us many herbs that are known to prevent hair loss. There are some herbs that act as natural hair growth stimulants ? they improve the blood circulation in the scalp and stimulate the growth of hair follicles. They activate the dermal papilla in the hair follicles and kindle overall scalp metabolism to enhance the natural hair growth cycles.

Experimental studies show that the extracts from grape seeds increase the production of cells in the hair follicle. It has also been observed that the grape extracts affect the hair growth cycles to have more natural growth. Grape seed extracts promote healthy hair growth by defeating the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that stops the hair growth. The agents in grape seeds help in facilitating the follicles to move from telogen (resting) to the anagen (growing) phase at a faster rate.

Ginkgo biloba leaf extracts act as good tonic and one of the most used hair care remedies. The extract helps to increase and maintain peripheral micro-capillary circulation, ultimately improving or maintaining natural hair growth. The hair growth is stimulated through combined effects on proliferation and apoptosis (cell death) of the cells in the hair follicle.

Aloe vera (aloe barbadensis) is a natural hair care remedy, which can be used for treating alopecia. It contains aloenin, a potent stimulant which promotes rapid hair growth without any irritation in the scalp.

Sage (Salvia officinalis), also called ?common sage? or ?garden sage? is generally used as hair rinses or skin lotions. It is especially helpful in maintaining sheen of dark curly hair. When blended with rosemary it stimulates hair growth. The constituents that are responsible for its hair growth stimulating effects are tannins, saponins, borneol and camphor.

You can improve the general health of your hair by using natural oil as a hair care accessory. Oils such as coconut oil, rosemary, West Indian bay and chamomile are some of the natural oils that are known to help in hair growth.

Coconut oil is a triglyceride having a high affinity for hair proteins. Because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, it is able to penetrate the hair shaft. This hair care oil lubricates and gives a smooth feel to dry hair shafts. It also heals the structure of damaged hair and protects it from harmful UVA radiation.

Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) is a medicinal herb used for treating various hair ailments. It is also used as a natural hair conditioner, especially for dark hair. It is also used as a treatment for dandruff. Rosemary oil stimulates the growth of hair. The main constituent of this hair care oil is caffeic acid and its derivative rosmarinic acid has antioxidant effects that help in providing shine to hair.

Lavender oil when used as a hair care accessory not only helps in treating lice and fleas in the hair, but also gives a pleasant aroma to your hair. It is also used to treat itchiness and psoriasis in the scalp. Researches have shown that lavender oil may be effective against alopecia areata and may help prevent hair loss.

James Brian is a freelance writer writing on a number of topics related to hair care remedies for natural hair growth. Read some of his articles at http://www.hairinformation.com/

Appearance of Hair Loss in Women

The appearance of hair loss in most females is usually different from its appearance in men. Women usually do not go bald or partially bald, and they generally do not have bald spots on the crown of the head. In women, hair loss typically shows up as overall thinning of the hair, both the quantity of hair on the head and the thickness of each individual hair. Some women do have a receding hairline, but rarely as pronounced and noticeable as what many men experience.

Emotional Effects of Hair Loss in Women

A woman?s self esteem and sense of self are typically much more dependent on the way they look than is generally the case for men. Of course, men find it distressing to lose their hair, but for females the emotional effects can be particularly devastating.

When you think of how much money and effort goes into advertising women?s hair care products, styling products, cosmetics and hair care appliances such as blow dryers and curling irons, it is easy to understand why women find it so distressing to experience hair loss. Our society places so much emphasis on looks, especially for women, that female hair loss can lead to a great deal of emotional pain, anxiety, and even trigger episodes of depression.

Medical Causes of Hair Loss in Women

The most common female hair loss causes are related to medical conditions and hormonal changes. While many are similar to those experienced by men, many more are specific to women.

Hormones ? Women experience far more hormonal issues than men do, and at a much greater frequency. Pregnancy, childbirth and menopause are all conditions unique to women that can affect the amount and permanence of hair loss and cause balding.

Medication ? Several medications can cause or contribute to female hair loss, including anti-depressants, blood thinners, birth control pills, anti-cholesterol drugs and chemotherapy drugs.

Illness/Surgery ? Many common illnesses can cause female hair loss, such as diabetes and thyroid over- or under-activity, as can conditions that put the body under stress such as high fevers or major surgery.

Other Causes ? Anemia, anorexia, bulimia, excess vitamin A, fungal infections, and zinc or fatty acid deficiency can also be the cause of hair loss in women.

Genetic Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Female pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, is estimated to occur in 15% or less of American women. The chemical process in the body is similar, in that hormones and dehydrotestosterone (DHT) combine to cause hair follicles to shut down. Even though the chemical process is the same, the appearance of the hair loss in females is generally different, with women experiencing general thinning of hair rather than the bald spots or pronounced receding hairline so common in men.

Some experts theorize that differences in hair follicles between males and females may contribute to differences in the appearance of hair loss. In men, hair tends to grow straight up out of the follicle, causing oil and other secretions on the scalp to build up and block follicles. In women, however, hair tends to grow out of the follicle at an angle, allowing oil and secretions to flow more readily out of the follicle.

Everyday Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Women subject their hair to many everyday stresses that can lead to hair damage and hair loss. A few such female hair loss causes include:

? Harsh shampoos? Hair coloring? Hair bleaching? Permanent waves? Frequent use of blow dryers, curling irons and other heated appliances? Improper or harsh brushing and/or combing? Frequent wearing of tight ponytails, braids, and other hair restraints

While these things generally do not cause immediate or permanent hair loss in females, they do often lead to dry, damaged hair that is more likely to break off and thus appear thinner and more brittle. In women whose hair is already thin due to hormonal changes that come with aging, actions such as these can have a large impact on hair appearance.

Proper Diagnosis

Women experiencing hair loss should consult their doctor for an accurate diagnosis of what is causing them to lose hair. In the case of an undiagnosed condition such as diabetes or thyroid problems, treating the medical condition can often stop and even reverse hair loss problems. If the doctor finds that hormonal issues related to menopause and aging are the cause, then he or she is the best resource for information and advice on effective female hair loss solutions.

Topical Hair Loss Treatment

There is only one topical female hair loss treatment approved by the FDA for use by women ? minoxidil. This medication is marketed under the name Rogaine and is readily available over the counter in most drug stores, grocery stores, and online.

Rogaine is effective at restoring hair growth and decreasing the appearance of thinning hair in women, but it often takes several months for results to become noticeable in most females. It is quite easy and convenient to apply in the privacy of home, but must be continued indefinitely in order to maintain hair regrowth. If Rogaine use is discontinued, any hair that has regrown will be lost once again.

Surgical Hair Restoration

Surgical hair loss treatments such as hair grafting are quite effective for male pattern baldness, but because the nature of hair loss is different in women, females are generally not good candidates for such treatment. Hair grafting is a process of harvesting hair from actively growing parts of the head and transplanting them to areas of thinning and dormant growth. Because females tend to lose their hair all over the head instead of in a concentrated location, grafting does not usually have much effect. For those women who do have definite balding spots or patches, though, surgical treatment may be an option. It is best to consult an experienced hair restoration surgeon who will diagnose the cause and suggest a suitable solution.

About the Author:
Julie-Ann Amos is a freelance writer for Hair-Loss-Adviser.com, a consumer guide to hair loss in women andmale pattern baldness. She has researched numerous products to find the best hair loss treatment.

Copyright 2006 Hair-Loss-Adviser.com

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Some people produce a lot more oil than others. There is nothing you can do about it other than frequent and regular shampooing with a mild shampoo. The best time to shampoo your hair is first thing in the morning. This way your hair is fresh all day. If you shampoo at night, your oil glands will have an 8-hour start on you and your hair could look quite oily come lunch time.

Not only does oily hair look dirty, it also has an odor. People who frequently have oily hair often are not aware of this. You can teach them by telling them to wash their hands, dry them, and smell them. After that, get them to run their clean hands through their hair and rub their scalp. Have them smell their hands again. They will then see what you mean.

Natural hair oil can change your hair's appearance and behavior. Fine hair is especially effected by oil and tends to have a wild appearance when it's oily. Places on your head that have cowlicks (such as at the crown of your head, or at your front hairline) become less manageable and stick up when they are oily. The oil makes your hair stick together and therefore causes curly or wavy hair to look curlier or wavier. Oiliness also makes then hair look even thinner by clumping your hair and making your scalp visible.

Needless to say, a frequent and regular shampooing schedule will help the health of your hair and keep it looking and smelling better.

Nadine Visscher is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Cutting Hair and Cutting Your Own Hair. She has been cutting hair for 20 years and has helped many people save a lot of money by teaching them the necessary basic techniques to give a great haircut at home.