Styling appliances can dry, tease, straighten, crimp, curl and even toast your hair.

If you groan every time you see perfectly styled hair or secretly wish you had hair that looked like Jennifer Aniston’s, you are ready to be introduced to the tools that can make your secret hair fantasies into coiffed realities. Hair styling tools are not just convenient but are actually a boon to millions of women around the world. These unassuming gadgets tease, straighten, crimp, curl and even toast your hair (if not used carefully!). So there’s an appliance out there that’s been made for you in terms of your hair or the style you require.

Take your pick from the following.

Hair dryers: Hair dryers are important gadgets that are used to quick-dry and style the hair. We would recommend a 1000 watt plus dryer. Always choose a dryer that has a thermostat. So that if it gets too hot, the dryer stops and doesn’t burn the hair. A nozzle for the dryer is also very important because the shape of the nozzle helps to concentrate the heat from the dryer at a particular spot or section. Choose a hair dryer that has a range of heat and speed settings so that the hair can be power dried on high heat, finished on lower heat and then used to set the style on a cooler temperature. Hair dryers are mostly used for blow drying.

Hair stylers: They combine the versatility of a hair dryer with the convenience of a styling tool. They operate on the same principle as that of a hair dryer, i.e., blowing warm air through the styler. Some of them come with attachments like brushes, prongs and tongs. Some also have attachments that create waves and increase volume at the roots.

Diffusers: These are used to style curly or permed hair. The basic job of a diffuser is to spread the heat and air from the dryer over a wider area of the hair, encouraging curl formation by spreading the airflow over the hair without disturbing the curls. The prongs on a diffuser also help increase volume at the roots and give the hair some lift. Diffusers with flat heads are designed for gentle drying and are more suitable for shorter styles. Some new models have long straight prongs that are designed to add volume to straight hair while giving it a sleeker finish.

The following attachments have to be heated before they can be used on the hair. You need to be very careful when using these gadgets. If you over heat them, you are likely to burn and subsequently damage your hair and the appliance.

Tongs:These are used to add curls to straight or wavy hair. The appliance consists of a barrel and a depressor groove. The hair is curled around the barrel and held in place till the heated tong sets the style. The size of the curls you get depends on the thickness of the barrel.

Crimpers: Crimpers are generally used to create special styling effects and to increase volume in the hair. Crimpers consist of two ridged metal plates that produce uniform patterned crimps in straight lines on the hair when it’s placed between the heated plates. The hair must be straightened first, either by blow drying or using flat irons for better results.

Straighteners:This attachment works similarly like the crimper accept that instead of creating ripples it flattens the hair. They are generally used to iron out frizzy or very curly hair.

Heated rollers: These are ideal for hair that has to be styled in a short time. They are very effective in adding body and curls to the hair, considering that the rollers come in different sizes, you can get tighter curls or big bouncy ones depending on your choice. These rollers have to be heated after which the hair is then curled around them. Clips that come with the rollers are used to hold the hair in place. The speed at which the rollers heat up depend on the type of rollers being used. Almost all rollers cool down in 30 minutes.

So there you go, you have a variety of choices that can add character and change the very look of your hair. One must add that you need to check the manuals for instructions and follow them to ensure that these appliances have some great styling days ahead of them.

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder but signs of beauty do not last forever. Advancing age often transforms what we perceive as attributes of beauty. For example, hair is considered to be one of the objects of beauty. Millions of rupees are spent every year by marketers and consumers alike to make hair beautiful. With age hair too changes and is no longer an object of beauty. What are these changes?

The most visible and obvious hair change with age is in the hair color. Hair color is caused by a pigment (melanin) that is produced by the hair follicle. With aging, the follicle produces less melanin.

Graying often begins in the 30’s although this age can vary. Graying usually begins at the temples and extends to the top of the scalp. Hair becomes progressively lighter, eventually turning white. By the time they are in their 40’s, about 40% of all people have some gray scalp hair.

Body and facial hair also turn gray, but usually later than scalp hair. Graying is also genetically determined, for example a son can gray early if it runs in the family. Gray hair tends to occur earlier in Caucasians and later in Asian races. Although, a lot of money is spent on nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other products to stop or decrease the rate of graying, they do not help.

The other major hair change with aging is in the hair thickness. Hair is a protein strand that grows through an opening (follicle) in the skin. A single hair has a normal “life cycle” of about 4 or 5 years. That hair then falls out and is replaced with a new hair. The amount of hair on our body and head is determined by our genetic make up. However, almost everyone experiences some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth slows, the hair strands become smaller (and have less pigment) and so the thick coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine and light-colored.

Many of the hair follicles stop producing new hairs. Both men and women lose hair as they age. About 25% of men begin to show some signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old, and about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60. Men develop a typical pattern of baldness associated with the male hormone testosterone hair is lost first from the front and top of the scalp. Women also show a typical pattern of hair loss as they age the hair becomes less dense all over and the scalp may become visible.

Body and facial hair are also lost. Although the number of hairs is less, individual hair may become coarser. Women may notice a loss of body hair but may find that they have coarse facial hair, especially on the chin and around the lips. Men may find the hair of their eyebrows, ears, and nose becoming longer and coarser.

Deal with excessive body hair

Some women (some children too) have dark, coarse and excessive body hair. This condition is called hirsutism. It is also known as hypertrichosis or excessive hair on females.

The condition is characterized by enlarged hair follicles and increased pigmentation of hair. The hair typically occurs in a distribution pattern, which is normally seen in adult males. The causes vary from heredity, or endocrine system abnormalities (like acromegaly, precocious puberty, Cushing’s syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and ovarian lesions), or certain medications such as minoxidil, androgenic steroids, or testosterone. There may be signs of masculinization, such as deepening of the voice, excessive facial hair growth, increased muscle mass, decreased breast size, increased size of genitals, and menstrual irregularities. Risk factors for hirsutism include family history of hirsutism, endocrine disorders, use of androgens (androgenic steroids or testosterone as amongst athletes), and old age.

How is the condition diagnosed?

The condition is diagnosed from the patient’s health and family history and by examining the patient. For diagnosing the cause of hirsutism, following special tests may be required:

• blood test to determine levels of: luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulation hormone (FSH), prolactin, and other hormones
• abdominal CT scan
• Ultrasonography

What is the treatment?

The treatment depends upon the cause of the hirsutism and medications to control it. If hirsutism is due to an underlying endocrine disorder, treatment of the disorder may resolve the excessive hair growth and other symptoms. In addition, cosmetic treatment can eliminate unwanted hair.

• Cosmetic treatment: Most beauty saloons and dermatologists can suggest methods for eliminating excess hair. The methods include bleaching, tweezing, hot wax treatments, chemical depilatories, shaving, electrolysis or laser depilation.
• It may be necessary to consult your doctor for treatment of conditions like menopause, ovarian cysts or tumors.
• If hirsutism is due to elevated androgen levels (such as with congenital adrenal hyperplasia), it may be treated with low dose dexamethasone, oral contraceptives, or antiandrogen medications.

However, hair can’t hold up against the vagaries of an urban lifestyle, which can leave it looking dull, and feeling rough and brittle. Fortunately, in most cases the damage can be repaired thanks to the breed of conditioners available today. They are our hair’s best line of defence. Here’s more about conditioners.

What they do

Hair is generally conditioned after a cleansing treatment (shampooing). Normally a shampoo is slightly alkaline in nature, which helps it clean the dirt or build up from hair products that settles on the hair. A conditioner is used to restore the hair back to its natural ph balance, which ranges between about 4.5 to 5.5. The cuticle scales of the hair strands open up on application of a shampoo. The conditioner smoothens the hair shaft and helps close the cuticles so that the hair surface appears smooth and shiny. It also helps repair the broken area of the cuticle and/or the cortex if it has sustained some damage.

The types of conditioners

Conditioners that help attract water or moisture are called moisturizers. The ones that retain water or moisture in the cortex are emollients. Some have anti-oxidants that are used specifically used for chemically treated hair (Coloured, highlighted or permed hair). Some conditioners are surface acting. They don’t enter the hair but just coat the hair shaft. They contain fats and waxes, lecithin, vegetable and mineral oils. Some conditioners are deep or penetrating conditioners. They go into the hair shaft to repair the cuticle or cortex of the hair. These conditioners, which contain various amino acids, emollients and moisturisers, also strengthen the hair. Leave-in conditioners are designed to help retain moisture, reduce static, and add shine. They are good for fine hair as they avoid conditioner overload, which can make the hair limp. These easy-to-use products provide a protective barrier against the effects of blow-drying. These don’t need to be rinsed off after you apply them on the hair.

The perfect conditioner for you

Conditioning varies according to the following categories:

• Normal hair
• Naturally dry hair
• Chemically treated hair

Normal hair

Normal, healthy hair also needs conditioning to maintain its quality. Products that have moisturising agents like aloe Vera and synthetic ingredients that help retain moisture and elasticity of the hair are recommended. You also need to be careful about getting a conditioner that’s specially formulated for normal hair. Basic conditioners for normal hair coat the hair – smoothing down the cuticle making the hair glossy and easier to manage.

Naturally dry hair

This type of hair is brittle most of the time due to lack of moisture. Using conditioning treatments for dry, brittle hair helps prevent breakage while combing, brushing, shampooing or even towel drying. They need conditioning products with emollients that retain moisture in the hair.

Chemically treated hair

When light reflects off healthy hair that has cuticle scales, which overlap and lie flat, it gives the hair a smooth and glossy effect. However, perming and colouring, bad maintenance can lift the cuticles, allowing the moisture to escape from the cortex, which ends up drying the hair and making it brittle. To put the shine back you may need specific conditioners. Hair like this needs conditioning products called restructurants. These products rebuild the broken bonds of the internal structure of the hair and try to make them stronger. The application of these products also helps restore the quality of the hair.

Hair is composed of keratin, which is about 96 per cent protein in composition.Hence most people with a healthy protein diet tend to have a good crop of hair.However, if your diet lacks protein, it can be supplemented superficially from other natural sources, which are used to make products that act as fillers for the missing cuticles of the hair. These are surface acting treatments, and therefore last for about one or two shampoos, and would need reapplication.

If you’re considering hair replacement…
Hair loss is primarily caused by a combination of aging, a change in hormones, and a family history of baldness. As a rule, the earlier hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become. Hair loss can also be caused by burns or trauma, in which case hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment, and may be covered by health insurance.

If you and your doctor have determined that hair transplants are the best option for you, you can feel comfortable knowing that board-certified plastic surgeons have been successfully performing this type of procedure for more than thirty years.

If you’re considering hair replacement surgery, this information will give you a basic understanding of the variety of procedures involved. It can’t answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on your individual circumstances. Ask your surgeon if there are anything you don’t understand about the procedure you plan to have.

The truth about hair loss

Baldness is often blamed on poor circulation to the scalp, vitamin deficiencies, dandruff, and even excessive hat wearing. All of these theories have been disproved. It’s also untrue that hair loss can be determined by looking at your maternal grandfather, or that 40-year-old men who haven’t lost their hair will never lose it.

The best candidates for hair replacement

Hair replacement surgery can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence, but the results won’t necessarily match your ideal. Before you decide to have surgery, think carefully about your expectations and discuss them with your surgeon.

It’s important to understand that all hair replacement techniques use your existing hair. The goal of surgery is to find the most efficient uses for existing hair.

Hair replacement candidates must have healthy hair growth at the back and sides of the head to serve as donor areas. Donor areas are the places on the head from which grafts and flaps are taken. Other factors, such as hair color, texture and waviness or curliness may also affect the cosmetic result. There are a number of techniques used in hair replacement surgery. Sometimes, two or more techniques are used to achieve the best results.

Transplant techniques, such as punch grafts, mini-grafts, micro-grafts, slit grafts, and strip grafts are generally performed on patients who desire a more modest change in hair fullness. Flaps, tissue-expansion and scalp-reduction are procedures that are usually more appropriate for patients who desire a more dramatic change. Remember, there are limits to what can be accomplished. An individual with very little hair might not be advised to undergo hair replacement surgery.

Hair loss in women

Some doctors estimate that one in five women will experience some degree of hair loss usually caused by aging, illness, or hormonal changes after menopause. Women tend to experience a subtle thinning all over the scalp rather than losing hair in patches as is common in men. To correct the problem, some women choose to wear a wig or hair extensions. Others have had some success using a topical prescriptive drug. The effectiveness of such drugs varies in some patients and simply prevents further hair loss without stimulating any appreciable new growth. Hair replacement surgery may be the answer for those who feel uncomfortable with either of these options.

Because mini-grafts are usually the surgical treatment of choice for filling-in thinning areas, good candidates for this procedure should have dense hair growth at the back of the head. Mini-grafts are harvested from this dense area and replanted in thinning areas to create a fuller look. Occasionally flap and tissue expansion procedures may be used if the individual is judged to be a good candidate.

If you’re considering a hair replacement procedure, it’s important to understand that you will never have the coverage you had prior to your hair loss, but surgery may camouflage the thin areas and give you more fullness.

All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk

Hair replacement surgery is normally safe when performed by a qualified, experienced physician. Still, individuals vary greatly in their physical reactions and healing abilities, and the outcome is never completely predictable.

As in any surgical procedure, infection may occur. Excessive bleeding and/or wide scars, sometimes-called “stretch-back” scars caused by tension may result from some scalp-reduction procedures.

In transplant procedures, there is a risk that some of the grafts won’t “take.” Although it is normal for the hair contained within the plugs to fall out before establishing regrowth in its new location, sometimes the skin plug dies and surgery must be repeated. At times, patients with plug grafts will notice small bumps on the scalp that form at the transplant sites. These areas can usually be camouflaged with surrounding hair.

When hair loss progresses after surgery, an unnatural, “patchy” look may result-especially if the newly-placed hair lies next to patches of hair that continue to thin out. If this happens, additional surgery may be required.

Planning your surgery

Hair replacement surgery is an individualized treatment. To make sure that every surgical option is available to you, find a doctor who has experience performing all types of replacement techniques-flaps and tissue expansion as well as transplants. Look elsewhere if your doctor tells you that he or she has perfected one technique that can “do it all.”

In your initial consultation, your surgeon will evaluate your hair growth and loss, review your family history of hair loss, and find out if you’ve had any previous hair replacement surgery. Your surgeon will also ask you about your lifestyle and discuss your expectations and goals for surgery.

Your doctor should also check medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood-clotting problems, or the tendency to form excessive scars. Be sure to tell your surgeon if you smoke or are taking any drugs or medications, especially aspirin or other drugs that affect clotting.

If you decide to have hair replacement surgery, your surgeon will explain anesthesia, the type of facility where the surgery will be performed, and the risks and cost involved. Don’t hesitate to ask your doctor any questions.

Make sure you understand your surgeon’s plan-which procedures will be used and how long each will take. Ask your doctor to give you an idea of what you will look like after the procedure or, in the case of grafts, after each stage of treatment.

Preparing for your surgery

Your surgeon will give you specific instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking and avoiding certain vitamins and medications. Carefully following these instructions will help your surgery go more smoothly. If you smoke, it’s especially important to stop at least a week or two before surgery; smoking inhibits blood flow to the skin, and can interfere with healing.You should arrange for someone to drive you home after your surgery. Plan to take it easy for a day or two after the procedure and arrange for assistance if you think you’ll need it.

Where your surgery will be performed

Hair replacement surgery is usually performed in a physician’s office-based facility or in an outpatient surgery center. Rarely does it require a hospital stay.

Types of anesthesia

Hair replacement surgery, no matter what technique is used, is usually performed using a local anesthesia along with sedation to make you relaxed and comfortable. Your scalp will be insensitive to pain, but you may be aware of some tugging or pressure. General anesthesia may be used for more complex cases involving tissue expansion or flaps. If general anesthesia is used, you’ll sleep through the procedure.

The surgery

Hair transplantation involves removing small pieces of hair bearing scalp grafts from a donor site and relocating them to a bald or thinning area. Grafts differ by size and shape. Round-shaped punch grafts usually contain about 10-15 hairs. The much smaller mini-graft contains about two to four hairs; and the micro-graft, one to two hairs. Slit grafts, which are inserted into slits created in the scalp, contain about four to10 hairs each; strip grafts are long and thin and contain 30-40 hairs.

Generally, several surgical sessions may be needed to achieve satisfactory fullness-and a healing interval of several months is usually recommended between each session. It may take up to two years before you see the final result with a full transplant series. The amount of coverage you’ll need is partly dependent upon the color and texture of your hair. Coarse, gray or light-colored hair affords better coverage than fine, dark-colored hair. The number of large plugs transplanted in the first session varies with each individual, but the average is about 50. For mini-grafts or micro-grafts, the number can be up to 700 per session.

Just before surgery, the “donor area” will be trimmed short so that the grafts can be easily accessed and removed. For punch grafts, your doctor may use a special tube-like instrument made of sharp carbon steel that punches the round graft out of the donor site so it can be replaced in the area to be covered-generally the frontal hairline. For other types of grafts, your doctor will use a scalpel to remove small sections of hair-bearing scalp, which will be divided into tiny sections and transplanted into tiny holes or slits within the scalp. When grafts are taken, your doctor may periodically inject small amounts of saline solution into the scalp to maintain proper skin strength. The donor site holes may be closed with stitches-for punch grafts, a single stitch may close each punch site; for other types of grafts, a small, straight-line scar will result. The stitches are usually concealed with the surrounding hair.

To maintain healthy circulation in the scalp, the grafts are placed about one-eighth of an inch apart. In later sessions, the spaces between the plugs will be filled in with additional grafts. Your doctor will take great care in removing and placement of grafts to ensure that the transplanted hair will grow in a natural direction and that hair growth at the donor site is not adversely affected.After the grafting session is complete, the scalp will be cleansed and covered with gauze. You may have to wear a pressure bandage for a day or two. Some doctors allow their patients to recover bandage-free.

Plastic surgeons are the leaders in tissue expansion, a procedure commonly used in reconstructive surgery to repair burn wounds and injuries with significant skin loss. Its application in hair replacement surgery has yielded dramatic results-significant coverage in a relatively short amount of time.

In this technique, a balloon-like device called a tissue expander is inserted beneath hair-bearing scalp that lies next to a bald area. The device is gradually inflated with salt water over a period of weeks, causing the skin to expand and grow new skin cells. This causes a bulge beneath the hair-bearing scalp, especially after several weeks.

When the skin beneath the hair has stretched enough-usually about two months after the first operation-another procedure is performed to bring the expanded skin over to cover the adjacent bald area. For more information about tissue expansion, ask your plastic surgeon for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Inc. brochure entitled, Tissue Expansion: Creating New Skin from Old.

Flap surgery: Flap surgery on the scalp has been performed successfully for more than 20 years. This procedure is capable of quickly covering large areas of baldness and is customized for each individual patient. The size of the flap and its placement are largely dependent upon the patient’s goals and needs. One flap can do the work of 350 or more punch grafts.

A section of bald scalp is cut out and a flap of hair-bearing skin is lifted off the surface while still attached at one end. The hair-bearing flap is brought into its new position and sewn into place, while remaining “tethered” to its original blood supply.

As you heal, you’ll notice that the scar is camouflaged-or at least obscured-by relocated hair, which grows to the very edge of the incision.

In recent years, plastic surgeons have made significant advances in flap techniques, combining flap surgery and scalp reduction for better coverage of the crown; or with tissue expansion, to provide better frontal coverage and a more natural hairline.

Scalp reduction: This technique is sometimes referred to as advancement flap surgery because sections of hair-bearing scalp are pulled forward or “advanced” to fill in a bald crown.

Scalp reduction is for coverage of bald areas at the top and back of the head. It’s not beneficial for coverage of the frontal hairline. After the scalp is injected with a local anesthetic, a segment of bald scalp is removed. The pattern of the section of removed scalp varies widely, depending on the patient’s goals. If a large amount of coverage is needed, doctors commonly remove a segment of scalp in an inverted Y-shape. Excisions may also be shaped like a U, a pointed oval, or some other figure.

The skin surrounding the cut-out area is loosened and pulled, so that the sections of hair-bearing scalp can be brought together and closed with stitches. It’s likely that you’ll feel a strong tugging at this point, and occasional pain.

After your surgery

How you feel after surgery depends on the extent and complexity of the procedure. Any aching, excessive tightness or throbbing can be controlled with pain medication prescribed by your physician. If bandages are used, they will usually be removed one day later. You may gently wash your hair within two days following surgery. Any stitches will be removed in a week to 10 days. Be sure to discuss the possibility of swelling, bruising, and drainage with your surgeon.

Because strenuous activity increases blood flow to the scalp and may cause your transplants or incisions to bleed, you may be instructed to avoid vigorous exercise and contact sports for at least three weeks. Some doctors also advise that sexual activity be avoided for at least 10 days after surgery. To make sure that your incisions are healing properly, your doctor will probably want to see you several times during the first month after surgery. It’s important that you carefully follow any advice you receive at these follow-up visits.

Getting back to normal

How soon you resume your normal routine depends on the length, complexity and type of surgery you’ve had. You may feel well enough to go back to work and resume normal, light activity after several days. Many patients who have had transplants (plugs or other grafts) are dismayed to find that their “new” hair falls out within six weeks after surgery. Remember, this condition is normal and almost always temporary. After hair falls out, it will take another five to six weeks before hair growth resumes. You can expect about a half-inch of growth per month.

Follow-up procedures

You may need a surgical “touch-up” procedure to create more natural-looking results after your incisions have healed. Sometimes, this involves blending, a filling-in of the hairline using a combination of mini-grafts, micro-grafts, or slit grafts. Or, if you’ve had a flap procedure, a small bump called a “dog ear” may remain visible on the scalp. Your doctor can surgically remove this after complete healing has occurred.

In general, it’s best to anticipate that you will need a touch-up procedure. Your surgeon can usually predict how extensive your follow-up surgery is likely to be.