Whether you have straight hair, curly hair, frizzy hair or fine hair, we all have hair of some sort (unless you have gone the Britney route and shaved it all off). Here’s some “scientific information” and valuable tips to keep your hair healthy.

Most hair is made of three layers (I say “most” because some people with fine hair don’t have one of the layers). The Cuticle, the Cortex, and the Medulla.

The cuticle is the outermost layer that’s made up of overlapping scales (kind of like a fish). It is clear in colour, and is what gives shine to healthy, smooth hair – since in healthy hair, the cuticles lay flat. In damaged hair, the cuticles are raised – giving the hair a dry, brittle texture. Deep conditioning products can help smooth the cuticles, as the cuticle is the only protective layer of the hair. When you use chemicals on your hair (relaxer, perm, etc), it raises the cuticle layer to enter the next layer inside, called the cortex.

The cortex is essentially the bulk of the hair strand. It gives the hair elasticity, strength, and colour. The cortex is made of mostly protein – this is why some of the better deep conditioners contain protein, it re-builds the hair from the inside out.

The most inner part of the hair shaft is called the medulla. It’s a light core that’s mostly air-filled, and may not exist in some people with fine hair.

The shape of your hair depends on its cross-sectional shape. Hair that has a circular cross-section (meaning if you were to slice a hair horizontally, what shape it would be) would be straight, and hair that has a flatter cross-section would be curlier. The flatter the cross-section, the curlier the hair. This is purely genetic and you cannot change the shape of your hair cross-section (sorry!).

Hair Therapy Tips:

• When your hair is wet, use a wide-tooth comb, working from tip to root to detangle. Because wet hair breaks much easier, do not use a regular brush.
• When hair is frizzy, attempting to tame it with a blow-dryer or flat iron (or a Japanese chemical straightening treatment) is a bad idea. Instead of trying to force the cuticles of your damaged hair flat, moisturize and treat your hair to repair.
• Dehydrated hair needs a lot of moisture, so if your hair is frizzy and dry, only shampoo 2 to 3 times a week. Unlike conditioner which sits on your hair strands, shampoo strips them.
• Heat-protecting products contain silicone to act like a coat of barrier against damage from the heat. It’s not damage-proof though. If you need to blow-dry and then flat-iron, make sure to let your hair cool down for a few minutes in between to prevent frying (that sizzling sound with smoke coming out of your hair). TRESemme has a great line of heat protecting products.
• Natural bristle brushes, like boar, do a great job of soaking up excess oil. Use a boar paddle brush if your hair is fine and oily, but avoid it if your hair is dry and frizzy (synthetic bristles are better for this type of hair).
• Don’t take hot steamy showers especially if you have fine, oily hair. Hot water aggravates the scalp, causing more oil production.
• Damaged and coloured hair goes dull and fades faster because the outer cuticle is roughed up, and parts of the cortex (centre) are exposed. The hair becomes more porous, which leads to strands not accepting hair dye as well and colour pigments leaking out in the shower.
• If you have coloured hair, make sure to use shampoos and conditioners that help retain colour. You can’t go wrong with John Frieda’s line of products for colour treated hair.
• Last but not least… The worst thing you can do to your hair is use a cheap plastic brush!