*All Hair Doctor answers are offered for general education purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. If you feel you have a health issue, you should see your personal physician for diagnosis and treatment.
Dear Hair Doctor,
My hair is between chin length and shoulder length and I have to curl it everyday. Also, I color it. I have split ends like crazy and am always looking for new products that can help. Will your stuff be the answer I’m looking for?
Signed,
Split End Susan
Dear Susan,
You know the old saying “When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”? I’m afraid this applies to your situation. By “digging” I mean the first step is to stop doing things that damage the hair shaft. This is going to involve a frank talk with your hairdresser. Heat from curling irons etc. is quite damaging to your hair, as well as the chemical dyes. I don’t know what other products you’re using so I can’t speak to that. It might be a good idea to consider changing your hair style to one that requires less damaging acts and products as a first step. Also, if the ends are severely damaged a good cut might be in order. Your hairstylist would be a good resource for that.
What I can tell you about our products is that they will not further damage your hair, and some of them might help restore some health to it.
Sincerely,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
My hair is between chin length and shoulder length and I have to curl it everyday. Also, I color it. I have split ends like crazy and am always looking for new products that can help. Will your stuff be the answer I’m looking for?
Signed,
Split End Susan
Dear Susan,
You know the old saying “When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging”? I’m afraid this applies to your situation. By “digging” I mean the first step is to stop doing things that damage the hair shaft. This is going to involve a frank talk with your hairdresser. Heat from curling irons etc. is quite damaging to your hair, as well as the chemical dyes. I don’t know what other products you’re using so I can’t speak to that. It might be a good idea to consider changing your hair style to one that requires less damaging acts and products as a first step. Also, if the ends are severely damaged a good cut might be in order. Your hairstylist would be a good resource for that.
What I can tell you about our products is that they will not further damage your hair, and some of them might help restore some health to it.
Sincerely,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
Dear Hair Doctor,
I have medium brown hair that’s starting to get some grey. I had been dyeing my hair blonde, but I really want a more natural way of doing my hair. However, I’m just not ready for grey yet! What can I do?
Signed,
Roots Soon
Dear Rootsie,
I’m assuming you like the blonde, since that’s the color you were dyeing your hair. The blend found in our Chestnut Henna Bar can dye grey hair a lovely golden blonde and maybe brighten the brown by layering henna over it. However, you're still going to have that abrupt change of color at your root line which might be hard to mask. Since you’re still able to use commercial hair color, I would suggest having your hairdresser work in highlights and lowlights (light and dark streaks) once your natural hair color starts to show. This could give you a nice blend of your current color and your natural color. Then you can start using our Chestnut Options Bar for your color. It can work as either a dye or a shampoo. Leaving the lather on will assist in blending and extending color.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
I have medium brown hair that’s starting to get some grey. I had been dyeing my hair blonde, but I really want a more natural way of doing my hair. However, I’m just not ready for grey yet! What can I do?
Signed,
Roots Soon
Dear Rootsie,
I’m assuming you like the blonde, since that’s the color you were dyeing your hair. The blend found in our Chestnut Henna Bar can dye grey hair a lovely golden blonde and maybe brighten the brown by layering henna over it. However, you're still going to have that abrupt change of color at your root line which might be hard to mask. Since you’re still able to use commercial hair color, I would suggest having your hairdresser work in highlights and lowlights (light and dark streaks) once your natural hair color starts to show. This could give you a nice blend of your current color and your natural color. Then you can start using our Chestnut Options Bar for your color. It can work as either a dye or a shampoo. Leaving the lather on will assist in blending and extending color.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
Dear Hair Doctor,
I have a terribly itchy, flaky scalp. I have talked to my doctor and he says I just have dandruff. I’m currently using medicated shampoo which does help a little but if I go even a day without it or have to use another kind of shampoo my scalp just goes crazy! This is really miserable, it itches and burns and so embarrassing. What can I do?
Signed,
The Snowflake Queen
Dear Queenie,
OK, first things first. If there’s any way possible avoid putting anything on your hair for a couple of days. If that makes you itch to even think of it, consider ordering some of our Smile conditioner and then use just a dab of it on your fingertips and massage into your scalp. Smile has loads of coconut oil, which is very healing to skin. Also, one of the essential oils in it is lavender which is very soothing and calming for any kind of burning or inflammation.
If you could possibly give your hair a “vacation” from anything except possible Smile for 3 days it could give your scalp a chance to sort of reset itself as far as scaling and oil production. (Yes, it might look very gross during this time.)
Another thing to take a hard look at is the ingredients in all of your hair products. Even if you have short hair and only use shampoo, some of the ingredients in those are known to cause itching and inflammation. You might want to consider shampooing with Lavange`, which is all natural and has jojoba oil and essential oils such as Lavender that can really improve your scalp’s condition. As an alternate to an all natural or solid shampoo, you may want to try our liquid shampoo Rain. While it contains relatively mild surfactants, we have limited the ingredient list as much as possible - fewer ingredients, fewer potential allergens! Many of our most sensitive customers use it with no issues at all.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
I have a terribly itchy, flaky scalp. I have talked to my doctor and he says I just have dandruff. I’m currently using medicated shampoo which does help a little but if I go even a day without it or have to use another kind of shampoo my scalp just goes crazy! This is really miserable, it itches and burns and so embarrassing. What can I do?
Signed,
The Snowflake Queen
Dear Queenie,
OK, first things first. If there’s any way possible avoid putting anything on your hair for a couple of days. If that makes you itch to even think of it, consider ordering some of our Smile conditioner and then use just a dab of it on your fingertips and massage into your scalp. Smile has loads of coconut oil, which is very healing to skin. Also, one of the essential oils in it is lavender which is very soothing and calming for any kind of burning or inflammation.
If you could possibly give your hair a “vacation” from anything except possible Smile for 3 days it could give your scalp a chance to sort of reset itself as far as scaling and oil production. (Yes, it might look very gross during this time.)
Another thing to take a hard look at is the ingredients in all of your hair products. Even if you have short hair and only use shampoo, some of the ingredients in those are known to cause itching and inflammation. You might want to consider shampooing with Lavange`, which is all natural and has jojoba oil and essential oils such as Lavender that can really improve your scalp’s condition. As an alternate to an all natural or solid shampoo, you may want to try our liquid shampoo Rain. While it contains relatively mild surfactants, we have limited the ingredient list as much as possible - fewer ingredients, fewer potential allergens! Many of our most sensitive customers use it with no issues at all.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
Dear Hair Doctor,
My hair is so blah. It’s fine, straight and pretty thin. I use lots of hair products just to give it some shape and body. I lose lots of hair both in the shower and when I brush and think it may be getting thinner as time goes on, which is really going to be awful. I use [brand name removed] hair products. Is there anything that I can do?
Signed,
Losing What I Got
Dear Losing,
You need to use our Red henna shampoo bars . . . but not to make your hair color red.
Thinning hair is not normal, and signals a problem in your scalp. I would suggest you stop using products with lots of synthetic ingredients. Could you wear your hair a different way so you wouldn’t need to use those products yet still look presentable?
Our henna bars are made with a gentle, all natural shampoo base. Some ingredients in commercial hair products can be very tough on the skin on your scalp. Bad scalp=bad hair. Using a natural shampoo without preservatives may help the condition of your scalp.
Also, Radiant Bars and Options Bars contain henna (Options has more). Henna has been used for thousands of years as a hair conditioner. Many of the people who use it have very dark hair and are not using it to color their hair red. Henna coats the hair strands with a shiny substance which can give your hair more body because it slightly thickens it. It can also seal split ends and roughened areas of the hair and prevent further damage. It is felt that henna can be beneficial to your scalp as well. We are hearing reports of hair growing back after using this shampoo for about a month. I first noticed my hair was much thicker after I invented and began using these bars. Now my hair is as thick or thicker than when I was quite young. Several friends and customers are telling me they are growing new hair, too. You’ll know because you suddenly start feeling these little short hairs-yay!
Your hair isn’t going to turn around overnight but you should see steady progress with the Radiant or Options Red. After a month or so you could also consider Blonde bars, which have cassia. Cassia is sometimes called “neutral henna”--even though it’s not technically henna at all--because it doesn’t give any red color, even when applied as a paste to the hair. As a nice side-effect, if you leave your options shampoo in place for a while during each shampoo, you can get a gradual shift (highlighting, really) in your color.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor
My hair is so blah. It’s fine, straight and pretty thin. I use lots of hair products just to give it some shape and body. I lose lots of hair both in the shower and when I brush and think it may be getting thinner as time goes on, which is really going to be awful. I use [brand name removed] hair products. Is there anything that I can do?
Signed,
Losing What I Got
Dear Losing,
You need to use our Red henna shampoo bars . . . but not to make your hair color red.
Thinning hair is not normal, and signals a problem in your scalp. I would suggest you stop using products with lots of synthetic ingredients. Could you wear your hair a different way so you wouldn’t need to use those products yet still look presentable?
Our henna bars are made with a gentle, all natural shampoo base. Some ingredients in commercial hair products can be very tough on the skin on your scalp. Bad scalp=bad hair. Using a natural shampoo without preservatives may help the condition of your scalp.
Also, Radiant Bars and Options Bars contain henna (Options has more). Henna has been used for thousands of years as a hair conditioner. Many of the people who use it have very dark hair and are not using it to color their hair red. Henna coats the hair strands with a shiny substance which can give your hair more body because it slightly thickens it. It can also seal split ends and roughened areas of the hair and prevent further damage. It is felt that henna can be beneficial to your scalp as well. We are hearing reports of hair growing back after using this shampoo for about a month. I first noticed my hair was much thicker after I invented and began using these bars. Now my hair is as thick or thicker than when I was quite young. Several friends and customers are telling me they are growing new hair, too. You’ll know because you suddenly start feeling these little short hairs-yay!
Your hair isn’t going to turn around overnight but you should see steady progress with the Radiant or Options Red. After a month or so you could also consider Blonde bars, which have cassia. Cassia is sometimes called “neutral henna”--even though it’s not technically henna at all--because it doesn’t give any red color, even when applied as a paste to the hair. As a nice side-effect, if you leave your options shampoo in place for a while during each shampoo, you can get a gradual shift (highlighting, really) in your color.
Signed,
Linda Mackey, DO
The Hair Doctor