VALLEYGIRL

[iris]

Hi Valleygirl. I have a question. I remember reading a post where you said that a stylist told you not to use products that heavily coat the hair because the keratin and medulla will not get the proper nourishment that is needed? I thought after hair leaves the follicles it is all but dead? How can you feed something that is not alive. Also, I've read where CICI24 have said one of her friends who used a cuticle sealer now has waiste-length hair, because the sealer protected the hair strands from breaking. I was just curious to what you have to say? Thanks for your reply /images/graemlins/laugh.gif.

<font color="red">Iris</font color>

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Hi Iris,
I posed this question to two stylists b/c I was concerned about buildup when using the no shampoo routine and also about using shea butter on my hair. They both told me that the hair strand (as well as scalp) needs to be cleaned on a regular basis b/c when buildup occurs you cut off proper moisture and nourishment to your hair shaft and "the core layer where it's color and overall condition are retained". Now buildup and cuticle sealing are two entirely different things. B/c I am not a professional I am still trying to figure out what products cause each result. George Michael Salon which specializes in care for long hair stresses the importance of an acidifying conditioner to seal the cuticles. I have learned things like detanglers seal the cuticle, apple cider vinegar seal the cuticle...things like petroleum products and (I've heard ) shea butter don't seal but cause buildup. Henna (again I've only heard) does not seal but causes buildup. In my opinion sealing means temporary..your inner core is protected but can still be opened to get the proper nutrition and moisture it needs. Buildup on the other hand means that your cuticles have product deeply embedded within them and when you do deep treatments or even try to wash your hair won't receive what it needs...therefore causing breakage.
As far as hair being dead ...from Ouidads book:
"hair is a multistructured part of the anatomy and contains a cortex, medulla and cuticle...just as you must eat to survive so must you feed your hair - to maintain its health shine and manageability" This kinda explains how when we take certain vitamins we see a difference in the strength and shine of our hair and even our nails which are also made up of dead protein.
B/c I wear my hair in its natural state and I like it that way I choose to stay away from things that will relax my natural curl pattern whether it is a natural way of relaxing it (henna) or chemicals (lye). That is how I found out about henna cauing buildup and what it does. In my experience shea butter even relaxes my curl pattern to a degree and that is when I was told that shea butter, beeswax and heavy oils cause buildup
and will be hard to remove if used too much or even a little depending on your hair.
So in my opinion since everyone's hair is so different and we all have different needs b/c of what we do to our hair on a daily basis I would say to pay attention to your hair and what it needs. As Ouidad says throughout her book "listen to your hair..it speaks to you and tells you what it needs" I think if someone uses henna who isn't concerned about loosing curl definition from time to time it shouldn't be too bad. Just as cellophanes are not bad but I could imagine if using them on a weekly basis couldn't be too good and would cause buildup.

I hope I answered your question...again I am not a professional but just know what works for MY hair.
If anyone else has something to add or if I am wrong please post away!!!! I would love to see what everyone else thinks.
Valleygirl

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

I wanted to add that silicone serums are supposed to seal the cuticle. But I read on another hair board that one gal wanted to use her bottle of Frizz Ease for something else when she was finished with it and she couldn't get it clean even after using dishwashing liquid!!! She stopped using it after that b/c she was afraid of what it was doing to her hair.
So after reading this I am of the midset of if it doesn't wash out in one shampoo (two max) then it can't be good for my hair (or my curls)...so I skip it.
Valleygirl

 

[iris]

Hi ValleyGirl! Thanks for your response. You know what, both you and CICI made sense to me on many points. I believe as you've said, you must listen to your hair and use what works best for you. Yet, I'm still confused to a degree /images/graemlins/confused.gif. I understand hair has a cortex, medulla, and cuticle. <font color="red">BUT,</font color> I thought vitamins/minerals only affected hair that is to come out of the follicle? Are you saying supplements can also affect our hairshaft... <font color="red">Hair that is already out of the follicles?</font color> To my understanding, hair that is in the follicles are living and are nourished by what we eat whether good or bad. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds as if you were saying the hairstrands already out of the follicles, even if all the way down to your waiste, can still be nourished by the supplements you take? If this is true, <font color="red">THEN WOW /images/graemlins/shocked.gif!</font color> You learn something new everyday! I really appreciate your double post. It shows you are really interested in helping as best you can. BTW, I appreciate both you and CICI's posts. Gives me both sides of the coin to consider. I would really appreciate your reply to this thread. I think I may call a few salon's myself.LOL! This is really an exciting thread. I'm here to learn and am coming away with great information. Thanks Valleygirl /images/graemlins/smile.gif. Your response is really appreciated.

web page

<font color="red">Iris</font color>

 

[iris]

ValleyGirl, on the webpage please click on the 6th photo. This is how I eventually want my hair to be /images/graemlins/grin.gif You can only see the image when I log into my Yahoo Group Account. After I log out, you won't be able to see it until I reopen. For some reason, I couldn't get that image to upload on this page. Anyways, isn't her hair awesome?

<font color="red">Iris</font color>

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Hi Iris
Yes I have heard and read several times on hair boards that the vitamins we take and the food we eat can only affect hair that is growing out of the follicle BUT in my experience with taking vitimins I see a difference in my entire head of hair.
Now I don't know if it is my imagination but I when I take horestail grass which is the only supplement I take I see a definite difference in the shine and strength of my hair.
And I think Amethyst takes supplements like MSM and Silica and said her hair was also shiny like a horses tail ..now I don't know how long she has been taking them but I have been very bad with taking mine and when I run out I go for a month and notice a difference then start again and I see the great results.
Like I said it may be my imagination but I also see a big difference in my nails when I take supplements. I am going to research this a little more and please also post any additional info you may find on this and the cuticle sealing we discussed above.
One of the people I contacted was a tricholigist ( a hair and scalp doctor) Maybe I will bother her again with this question regarding supplements and the hair that has alraedy grown out of the follice and see what she says.
Valleygirl

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Iris
I can't see it
Let me know when you log on again.
Or maybe it is only available to members like some of the Yahoo groups are set up.
Valleygirl

 

[iris]

Thanks for your response. Please ask the trichologist again. Please oh please /images/graemlins/smile.gif I really want to hear what she has to say. Who is Amethyst. Someone else on a thread mentioned something about an 'Amethyst shine'. Am I missing something? Again, if hair is STILL AFFECTED by our diet AFTER coming out of the Follicles, then you have helped me add arsenal to my haircare regimen that I surely know will assist in the strength and retaining of my strands. Thanks muchacha /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Iris

 

[iris]

Now that I'm on-line, you can see the pic. It's photo #6.

Iris

 

[VALLEYGIRL]

Iris for some reason I still can't see it. Amethyst is a member of this forum. I haven't seen any posts from her recently but she did some research and saw that they feed horses diets high in MSM and silica in order to give their coats and tails a high shine. She also mentioned that even her eyebrows glisten b/c she takes supplements.
Valleygirl
Oh I will ask her and let you know what she says

 

[iris]

I just clicked on it and it came up? I'm sorry, but in the process of waiting for your reply, I skipped to other websites. I know this is aggravating, but maybe if you try now, it'll pop-up. If not, I'll have to find another way to post the pic. Eyebrows shining /images/graemlins/shocked.gif?! I hope she hurries up and post here soon because I have questions that I definately want to ask her RLOL! Thanks for your reply Valleygirl.

Iris

 

[iris]

ValleyGirl. <font color="red">THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.</font color> I thought even if I skipped to another website, being that I left the account open, you would be able to access it. My eyes are getting tired now. I'm off to bed chica /images/graemlins/smirk.gif. But, thanks a million times over for your replies /images/graemlins/grin.gif. I will talk to you tomorrow.

Buenas Noches Muneca
<font color="red">Iris</font color>