Natural Hair: What to Do About That Dry, Itchy, Flaky Scalp

ByImani Brown

If you are like me, one of the main reasons you may have decided to go natural is/was because of the constant itchy, dry and flaky scalp you may have experienced as a result of chemical straightening. My scalp was completely, I mean COMPLETELY, fried when I stopped straightening. To the point that when I would blow dry my hair giant flakes and scabs would go flying around the room. My hair also always looked flaky. But I didn't think of it as dandruff, just severely chemically damaged and burned skin. It was gross. 3 years later, my scalp is still not completely healed, but it is much better. It definitely doesn't itch anymore. I started doing scalp massage and I saw results pretty fast after that. I also learned that the best thing for the scalp is to do the following:

Wash your hair at least twice a week, if possible, paying attention to massaging the scalp.
Add to your routine, a generous scalp massage with oil on a regular basis. The oil should be something like tea tree or rosemary (if you can stand the smell) or other essential oils. Mix the tea tree or rosemary oil in with a base oil such as olive or jojoba oil... this will be a mix of, lets say 10 drops of essential oil to every ounce of the base oil. You just apply a few drops (a few drops for each section) to your fingers and massage your scalp in sections around your head.
Drink water.
Take fish oils and or eat lots of foods with good fats (like salmon and avocado).
DO NOT use any shampoo with sulfates or other detergents. Use shampoo with natural ingredients or co-poo only.
DO NOT use witchhazel or sea breeze as people often suggest. These just contain alcohol which cause more drying.
I also personally believe that the dandruff shampoos are also bad news. It seems better to use more natural approaches to solve the problem. But I'm not a dermatologist, so this isn't "educated" advice, just advice from my own experience. I tried all of the maximum strength dandruff shampoos and I only felt like my hair was suffering and my scalp problems came back as soon as I stopped using them.
If you feel like you need to bring out the big guns, do a weekly or bi weekly rinse of 1 part acv (apple cider vinegar), 1 part hydrogen peroxide, and 3 parts water also works really well. I did this to start out, and the relief and healing came pretty quickly. I just didn't like the smell of the acv, so I moved on to try the next thing.

Good luck with healing your scalp!! Check out the free e-book on http://transitioningfromrelaxedtonaturalhair.com for for detailed steps and information on how to co-poo, how to heal your scalp, and how to get your hair to grow really long, really fast.

I am a writer and artist with a broad spectrum of interests. Lately I write a lot to share my knowledge about natural hair care. Please visit my site, http://transitioningfromrelaxedtonaturalhair.com for more information.

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Permanent Removal of Unwanted Hair: Pros and Cons of Electrolysis

ByTeresa Ann Pickard

If you are looking for permanent removal of unwanted hair, electrolysis is the only method that the FDA has approved a permanent solution. Just keep in mind that to achieve permanent hair removal, you will need several treatments spread out over weeks or months.

How Electrolysis Works

An electrologist will destroy each hair follicle by using a metal probe or a needle shaped electrode (this needle shaped instrument is not large but very small - fine). When it comes to electrolysis, there are a few different types - thermolysis, blend and galvanic.

There are different stages when it comes to the growth of hair - growing, resting and shedding. It's normal for electrolysis to be done in several sessions because of the different hair growth stages and the fact that hair is never on the same stage at the same time. (You could get just one treatment and the visible area will be "cleared" and look great, but for the best total results, it will take several sessions.)

Now that you have some basic information, let's take a look at a few pros and cons of electrolysis starting with the pros first.

Pros
Beneficial for several different skin and hair types. Unlike laser which targets the color (also known as pigment) of the hair, electrolysis targets the hair follicle itself making all different hair and skin types eligible for treatments.Permanent removal. Other methods can only offer a "reduction" in unwanted hair growth. Electrolysis destroys the hair follicle so it is 99% unable to grow more hair.You can shave the day before treatment. Other methods, such as waxing, require that you don't shave for a certain number of days before treatment.

Cons
Availability of professional electrologists. Sometimes only metropolitan areas or large suburbs have qualified practitioners.Length of treatment. Depending upon the part of the body being treated, it can take anywhere from 10-20 sessions for electrolysis to be effective in permanent hair removal. You need to make sure you can invest the time (and money) for this. Each session will take anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour.Investment. As mentioned above, you already know it's going to take several different treatments. Price will vary on the area you live in but it's estimated that the average price per treatment is $50.00.Hair follicles that are bent can make electrolysis treatments harder. If you've done a lot of tweezing or waxing in the past, this can cause your hair follicles to become misshapen or bent. This will cause electrolysis to be difficult because the needle won't be able to get straight to the root, so destroying the hair follicle will be difficult.Discolored skin. This is not common and usually only happens if the treatments are done improperly.

Does it Hurt?

Every person has a different pain tolerance so there isn't an easy way to answer this. One person could say it hurt a lot but to someone else it might not hurt at all. The 'general consensus' seems to be that it feels like a bee sting or pricking sensation.

A skilled electrologist will constantly be checking with you and looking at your skin to be sure you are handling the treatment well. Ice and ibuprofen can be helpful for people whose skin is very sensitive.

There you have it, some pros and cons of electrolysis for permanent removal of unwanted hair. Always consult a trusted electrologist before making a decision on something this important.

If you are looking for a permanent removal of unwanted hair growth, you owe it to yourself to look into electrolysis. In the Atlanta area, I offer free consultations by appointment. Call me at 770-495-1833 or visit Elite Electrolysis http://teresapickard.com

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