Saturday, August 29, 2020

STRESS Can Make Your Hair a MESS.

 


Is Your Hair Stressed Out? 

(Yes, It’s really a “THING”.)

Anyone out there who has NOT been experiencing especially high levels of stress and anxiety since, say, February 2020? (Silence. No hands raised. Can you say pandemic?)

So, we all know that stress affects your body negatively and we feel and see the signs of it (inflammation in our bodies, hormone levels, heart palpitations, facial breakouts, emotional and psychological stress, etc.). But have you really thought about what it does to your hair?

I’ve noticed something interesting with nearly all my clients over the past six months. Most are coming to the salon with dry, brittle, dull-looking hair and are complaining of increased hair loss. No, they haven’t been vacationing nor has there been much exposure to the summer elements – sun, salt water, chlorine, etc., like we normally see during the summer, which can wreak havoc on your hair. Most people have been quarantined and/or are working inside in their air-conditioned homes. Most have had extra time on their hands to maintain and even enjoy “beauty routines” they normally find difficult to fit in their busy lives. So, what gives? I suspect it’s the effect of stress and anxiety on their hair.

When we think of stress, many of us think about ‘pulling out’ our hair. However, prolonged periods of stress can actually lead to chemical and physical changes in your hair’s color, texture, and body. Does your scalp itch and feel more sensitive when you’re under pressure? Do you notice more hair left in your brush during stressful times?


  1.  Hair Loss and Compromised Scalp Health.[i] Telogen effluvium is a form of temporary hair loss that usually happens after stress, a shock, or a traumatic event. It usually occurs on the top of the scalp. This phenomenon can occur when a substantial amount of anxiety and stress can cause the hair follicles to resume a resting phase which can, over time, cause the hair to either fall out in clumps or weaken significantly in structure, causing it to break and look dull and lifeless. Thankfully, anxiety-induced hair loss is reversible — and you can start by dialing up your self-care, says Dr. Sood. “Focus on a healthy diet, exercise, good sleep, and relationships,” he advises. “Consider yoga, meditation, or other relaxation techniques like music, massage, coloring, gardening, or reading.”

    “Stress causes an increased release of cortisol. This can cause increased shedding of scalp hair. In response to chronic stress, levels of male hormones, such as testosterone and DHEAS, also rise, leading to an increased oiliness of the scalp and greasiness of the hair as well as premature shedding of mature hair follicles,” said Dr. Rebecca Tung, Loyola University Health System. Regular exercise and extra sleep can help control the damage to your hair caused by stress. “Sometimes I will suggest nutritional support such as the vitamin biotin plus a one-a-day multivitamin,” said Dr. Tung.[ii]

Best Solution: Scalp massages with oil. A great way to speed up the hair growth process is to stimulate the scalp with an oil massage. Not only does this increase blood flow to the hair follicles, but it promotes the growth of healthy hair by providing necessary nutrients. Rub high-quality hair oil between your fingers to warm it up and then gently massage into the scalp in small circular motions for about 10 minutes. Wash the oil out in the shower with a shampoo and deep conditioner. Avoid getting conditioner on your scalp, as this may clog your hair follicles and prevent growth.


Alopecia areata
 is a condition that causes the hair to suddenly fall out in large clumps and affects approximately 6.8 million people in the USA. The condition occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the hair follicles with stress and anxiety having a known effect on the various functions of the body, including the immune system. Hair loss may be limited to the scalp but can occur throughout the body and may, unfortunately, be a permanent fixture.
 

2.     Weakened Hair.  Your body’s hormones may fail you when you are under stress. A big result here is that it creates weakness in your hair. This may be due to the lack of normal sleep patterns. It can also mean that the immune system is not working the way it should. All of this leaves your hair weak and compromised. That means it is more vulnerable to toxins. It may fall out easier. It may lack that shine that you love.[iii] The good news is that Salon 1580 can help. Call today to arrange a consultation for a free, private, hair and scalp analysis.  

Long periods of stress may cause your hair to grow more slowly than normal. Without new, fresh length, your hair may be more susceptible to breakage. If your scalp produces less oil when you're stressed, this will add to the breakage, causing your hair to take look and feel brittle. 

Best Solution: Leave-in treatment. To prevent the ends of your hair from breaking and becoming damaged, apply a leave-in treatment when your hair is wet and let it air dry. Instead of using heat on your hair to style it, try an air-dry hairstyle. Limiting the amount of heat you use on your hair will help to conserve the health of your ends, which is usually where damage starts. Being gentle with your hair will help to minimize the damaging relationship between stress and hair.[iv]  

More tips and tricks to benefit the health of your hair can be found in a blog post I wrote last September, and can be found HERE. Another blog post you may find helpful is THIS (“Is Your Hair On Drugs?”), especially if you have begun taking new medications.   

3.     Gray Hair.[v] The idea that acute stress can cause hair to turn gray is a popular belief. But until now, that link wasn’t scientifically proven. Indeed, stress can cause hair to gray prematurely by affecting the stem cells that are responsible for regenerating hair pigment. The findings give insights for future research into how stress affects stem cells and tissue regeneration.


Hair Reconstruction, Renewal, Reconditioning

Here are some solutions for stressed tresses I offer my clients to restore health and beauty to their hair:

  • Keratin Treatments - If your hair is dull, and/or frizzy, kinky, damaged or unmanageable, you are probably a good candidate for keratin treatments. Read all about them HERE.

  • Olaplex Treatments for ultimate breakage insurance – Both stand-alone treatments and as an additive to any chemical service in the salon, plus take home treatments. Read all about them HERE.

  • Hair Repair and Protection Treatments - Read more HERE about affordable Extreme CAT Protein Reconstruction Treatments and MegaMask Treatments. 

  • Add a Deep Conditioning Treatment at the salon. There’s even a special deep conditioning mask created just for blondes – the GKhair Hot Bombshell Mask.

  •  Craving More Shine? Add on a gloss or glaze treatment during your color service.

  • No One Likes Fading Color! How about color protection AND a hair-smoothing mini-keratin treatment all in one?  Add a Color Seal mini-keratin treatment to any color service. 

DE-STRESS your mind and body with hair-repairing pampering and a glass of wine or your favorite beverage. YOU DESERVE IT! Remember, great hair doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by appointment. 678-361-4247

 




[i]  “The Negative Effect of Anxiety and Stress on Your Hair,” Mental Health Connecticut, March 13, 2018. Jane Sandwood. https://www.mhconn.org/uncategorized/negative-effect-anxiety-stress-hair/

[ii] "REVERSING THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY STRESS" By Mary Kay Kleist, Naperville Magazine, August 2014.  https://napervillemagazine.com/2014/08/hair-repair-reversing-damage-caused-stress/

[iii] "STRESS AND HAIR LOSS- 4 WAYS STRESS AFFECTS YOUR HAIR," By Unique Hair Concepts, https://www.uniquehairconcepts.com/blog/309-stress-and-hair-loss-4-ways-stress-affects-your-hair.html#gref

[v] "How stress causes gray hair," National Institutes of Health, Feb. 4, 2020. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-stress-causes-gray-hair










Thursday, July 30, 2020

Olaplex Treatments Can Change Everything!



OLAPLEX. One Ingredient Changes Everything. Using the Olaplex system, Salon 1580 can give you the softest, shiniest, and healthiest hair imaginable. You can use Olaplex to restore compromised hair, or add it to another chemical service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance. Did you know that many Atlanta-area salons refuse to provide any color/highlighting services unless the customer agrees to invest in an Olaplex treatment first? It's that important and effective in protecting your hair from chemical processing damage.

Olaplex is a bond multiplier that dramatically eliminates breakage from chemical services and leaves hair feeling amazing! Ask your stylist to add Olaplex to your next chemical service for “insurance” against chemical damage! As a color/highlights service upgrade, Olaplex will make your hair stronger and your color will last longer. Include Olaplex before a keratin treatment, for best results. An Olaplex Treatment repairs the hair shaft; then the keratin treatment penetrates the cuticle of the repaired shaft. Combined, you will have the smoothest, healthiest hair imaginable!

Olaplex is available also as a stand-alone treatment to repair damaged hair.


 THE OLAPLEX DIFFERENCE is Real Science, with Real Results. Go beyond the surface with the only salon system that rebuilds broken hair bonds. We can help you PREVENT DAMAGE to your hair and even REPAIR YOUR HAIR.


The Olaplex simple three-step process includes a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level to seek out broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damageTHIS IS PERMANENT REPAIR to the hair which is treated.


Olaplex was developed by two of the world's leading chemists. This dream team invented a single-ingredient chemistry that is free of silicones and oils. Olaplex links broken bonds in the hair before, during, and after chemical services.



The three-step system that completely changes the game. Whether it's used as a stand-alone mini-treatment or as insurance for another salon chemical service, Olaplex produces incredibly healthy hair.
Olaplex No.1: Bond Multiplier®
BEGINNING THE REBUILDING
This concentrated, first-step salon treatment process rebuilds broken disulfide bonds and begins the process of preventing damage and repairing hair.

Olaplex No.2: Bond Perfector®
PURSUING HAIR PERFECTION
This second-step salon treatment process continues to rebuild and restore any remaining broken bonds, ensuring the strongest, shiniest, and healthiest hair possible.

Olaplex No.3: Hair Perfector
LASTING PROTECTION AT HOME
This final retail step provides our clients continuous protection, at home, from ongoing damage.

Cost:
Olaplex Treatments (“Stand Alone Treatment,” with no other chemical service): start at only $45*
Olaplex Treatments (“with another chemical service”): start at only $30*
Olaplex Step No.3 -- the Take Home product ($30). You will use this reconstruction treatment once weekly at home to continue repairing and protecting your hair to achieve the softest, shiniest, and healthiest hair imaginable. Lasts about one month.


*Extra charge may apply for hair length below the shoulders, above-average thickness, and/or dry, damaged hair, as this will require more product and service time.





Friday, April 17, 2020

Surviving Coronavirus Outside the Salon



Back to the Basics …
Surviving Coronavirus Outside the Salon

 


Is isolation changing the way you look? Suddenly barred from hair and nail salons, waxers, barber shops, day spas, spray-tanning salons, clothing stores, and cosmetics stores, people have found it much more difficult to maintain the routines that structure their appearance. I know it may sound superficial or even self-centered to be concerned about your hair roots, among all the other, more pressing fears and issues we are faced with during this COVID-19 pandemic like protecting our health, food supplies, sanitizing and paper supplies, income, job stability and being concerned about the safety of our elderly and friends and relatives with other health issues.

Nevertheless, this goes far beyond the issue of vanity. The care of a human body ties people to the physical, social world they’ve been abruptly ejected from. Stuck inside, we are left with just our existing tools and skills, trying to maintain our sense of self (or at least our eyebrows). No doubt about it: our appearance is connected to our identity.[1]

In order to survive this pandemic outside the salon, here are a few tips and tidbits that I hope will be helpful.

Minimizing the Effects of your Hair’s Regrowth

Need to camouflage those gray roots? If you color your hair and have been unable to go to the salon while quarantined, here are some ways you can minimize the effects of your hair’s regrowth:

  •   Style your hair differently when dealing with regrowth:
o   Change your part line, styling your hair in different direction.

o   Back-combing (teasing) gathers hair at the roots and can camouflage your root growth.

o   Braiding your hair, weaving and intertwining your varying hair colors.

o   Wear your hair swept up in a messy bun or in a ponytail.

o   Use a large curling iron or hot curler set to give volume by lifting the hair off your scalp.

o   Wear a nice hat, scarf, or even a ball cap. This will also protect your hair against UV damage when you do (have to) go out.
 


  • Root Concealer: Of course, there’s always the option to pick up a small can of root concealer the next time you go to the grocery or drug store. Aerosol root concealer extends salon color with temporary gray root cover-up. Many brands are waterproof and transfer-proof. This touch-up spray with a nozzle applicator can cover root regrowth exactly where you need it. Root concealer sprays can evenly disperse and adhere to hair for fuller coverage. Please, please, please, don't try to box color your hair at home. You won't want to have to spend more time and money later for color correction once salons reopen.
Focus on Preserving the Health of your Hair

Right now, you may not be able to control having gray roots, or the ability to get a much-needed keratin treatment, or even unibrows and chin hairs, but you can use your time wisely to ensure and preserve the health of your hair. (To read my previous blog post devoted to this subject, click HERE or on the image below.)

https://patalessi-salon1580.blogspot.com/2019/09/f

As tempting as it is to skip your routine self-care regimen (since not many people other than immediate family can see you right now), you still need to practice good hair hygiene. Beautiful hair starts with a healthy foundation achieved by using the right cleansing techniques. Now is the perfect time to focus on your hair and skin care, since there may be less demands on your time and schedule while you’re stuck at home. Your normal routine prior to quarantining may have often necessitated a quick shampoo, condition, and rinse. You deserve to be pampered and the truth is that taking the extra time to properly cleanse and moisturize your hair and skin can be worth it in the long run. To keep your hair looking its best, and your scalp healthy to promote hair growth, consider rethinking how you wash and condition your hair with the helpful tips found here in our May 2019 blog post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0xhhG1Hyos

Don’t neglect the health of your hair. Here are some more tips to help:
  • You exfoliate your skin; don't forget about your scalp, too. Proper blood circulation can stimulate hair growth and health. It can prevent dandruff and dry scalp.
  • Always use leave-in creams and serums.
  • Give yourself a deep conditioning treatment once a week at home. Wash hair thoroughly, then mix conditioner and hair serum in your palms and run it through your hair. Comb it through, wrap it in a towel, and let it treat your hair for a couple of hours. Rinse it out and let your hair air dry if possible to reduce heat stress.
  • If you dry your hair or use heat styling implements, always use a thermal styling protection product to eliminate heat damage. 
  • Stress & Exercise: Stress affects the whole body, including your hair and scalp. Stress can make your hair dull, unhealthy, and contribute to dandruff, lack of hair growth and even balding.Try to reduce stress in your life. I know this isn't easy, given today's difficult and unsure times, but try exercising. Exercise not only makes your entire body (including your hair) healthier from the inside out, it can also work the stress right out of your system, replacing it with endorphins - chemicals that help to relieve pain and stress, and boost happiness.
  • Get enough sleep to ensure adequate hormone growth (HGH) which affects the hair. Eat the right foods and drink plenty of water.

Getting Ready to Face the World Again
Use this time to think about changes to your hairstyle, cut and color. You survived the pandemic, so be brave and think about a whole new makeover for your next visit (yes, we are booking now!). Read my February blog post, “What to Expect in a Hair Makeover and 9 Key Factors to Consider” to educate and inspire in this decision.

For your next appointment, ask for a deep conditioning treatment. I recommend these once monthly, or more often for dry, damaged hair. I use only GKhair deep conditioning treatments, which strengthen hair weakened by chemical services, heat styling, and environmental effects. It smooths the hair surface by closing the cuticle layers, and it evens the porosity of the hair.


Stay Stocked Up on Your Hair Care Products

Running low on hair products? Just call me and conveniently order and pay via credit card over the phone. My products are deeply discounted through April 30 AND I’m not charging sales tax AND I’m not even charging a credit card fee! I can deliver them to you via UPS or USPS for an additional shipping cost.


Save Money by Prepaying Now and Get Fantastic Discounts


Pat Alessi is yet again expanding the SALON 1580 STIMULUS PACKAGE! Prepay and SAVE!
  • Enjoy 15-20% off our most popular services! (See details HERE).

  •  Claim your FREE $25 Gift Certificate, just for you from Pat, toward any chemical service! You can even use it NOW toward your next prepaid chemical services (see our irresistible prepaid offers HERE).

  • Through April 30, I AM NOT CHARGING TAX OR A CREDIT CARD FEE for prepaid services or prepaid hair product orders.

STAY SAFE. STAY HEALTHY. AND PLEASE DON’T NEGLECT THE HEATH OF YOUR HAIR. We hair salon owners hope to see you, our valued customers, SOON!
 



[1] Isolation is Changing How You Look, The Atlantic. Amanda Mull, March 25, 2020.

_______________________________

PAT ALESSI - SALON 1580

Salon Lofts   |   Lofts #11 & #13
Roswell Marketplace   |   10800 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 240
Roswell, GA 30076 |  678-361-4247
pat@patalessihair.com  |  www.patalessihair.com


© 2020 by Pat Alessi - Salon 1580. 
The content here may not be used, duplicated, or downloaded without permission. 

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