Hair Care – The Best Products for Healthier Hair

Healthy hair takes a lot of work. To maintain proper hair care often involves a myriad of hair care products…each designed or developed to treat, clean or moisturize? So, which are the best for you and your hair style? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular products that will give you the best chance for healthier hair.Hair ShampooWell, this could be a pretty long topic, but we’ll keep to the basics. Shampoos contain surfactants. Surfactants are the cleansing agents and active ingredients used to break-down oil, irrigate dirt from the scalp and follicle pores, and remove left-over and built-up styling products. Many shampoos contain Sodium Laurel Sulphate – not to be confused with Sodium Laureth Sulphate. For hair care products, I’d recommend the later.Laurel sulfate has been shown to be an effective cleanser, but…and I repeat but, is harsh on your skin and scalp. It can lead to scalp acne, irritation, and in extreme cases, hair loss and thinning. So, tip #1, avoid shampoos with Laurel Sulphate – especially if you have sensitive skin.On the bright side, many shampoos have been introduced in the past few years formulated with herbs, botanical extracts and essential oils. Ingredients such as Sage work extremely well for dandruff or flaking. Peppermint and menthol stimulate scalp circulation. Green Tea and Tea Tree Oil are natural antioxidants and help soothe itchy or inflamed scalp. Fenugreek helps deep clean and is often used in clarifying shampoos along with Zinc. Zinc and a derivative, Zinc PCA, not only deep clean, but act as a DHT blocking agent. Though efficacy varies from person to person, many of these hair care ingredients are being increasingly used to improve hair health.Hair ConditionersAt the end of the day, the primary purpose of conditioners is to do just that, condition your hair. Follicles and your scalp take a molecular beating during perms, straightening, or relaxing. The shaft’s cellular structure is literally repositioned to allow for styling, to maintain curls or to smooth. Flat irons and curling irons can produce heat damage which fries the shaft, cuticle and medulla.Conditioners need to be able to do two things. One, infuse moisture. And, two, deliver nutrients and protect. Conditioners are one of the most important hair care products and should be given careful consideration.Most styling depletes hair of moisture. For healthy maintenance and growth, your hair needs from 5-8% moisture content. Hydration allows for elasticity and delivery of nutrients. Dry or brittle hair is prone breaking, snapping and frizz…all of which fall neatly into the category of damage. Conditioners with smoothing compounds or those that externally infuse moisture and vitamins work best for long-term hair care.Ingredients such as Emu Oil have grown in popularity in the past few years. Emu oil is a transdermal – meaning it can penetrate into the follicle shaft and scalp. It has natural moisturizing properties and is an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. It works especially well for hair that lacks moisture or is prone to dryness. Other ingredients to keep an eye out for are Panthenol – which cleans and soothes the scalp and Jojoba Oil. Jojoba Oil is pretty interesting. It’s derived from a native mid-western U.S shrub (bush) and mimics sebum – the natural oil secreted by the sebaceous glands in our scalp. As such, Jojoba Oil aids in protecting the hair and it has deep cleaning benefits as well. It has become a de facto replacement for mineral oil for ethnic hair types because it moistures naturally and is not harsh.Proper hair care requires taking a closer look at what you’re putting on your head. Today’s hair care products offer many options and ingredients for healthy follicles and scalp. Consider your hair type and style with added focus on any problems you may have – scalp acne, scalp psoriasis, dry or brittle, etc. The right products for you are available and there are active ingredients that give you long-term, healthy hair.

The primary kinds of vitamins used for hair loss are those considered antioxidants. Vitamin A is an antioxidant that can help produce healthy sebum in the scalp, while vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps maintain general skin %26 hair health. Vitamin C is available in common foods such as citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables and, therefore, should be a natural inclusion in your suite of vitamins used for hair-loss-prevention.

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation, however, it can raise blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. If you are taking high blood pressure medication or anticoagulants you should check with your doctor before taking Vitamin E for hair loss care. An alternative to Vitamin E is Niacin (Vitamin B3). This vitamin also promotes scalp circulation, however, there are some slight side effects that have been documented that may reduce your use of this vitamin for treating hair.

Not all vitamins are called vitamins and biotin is one such example, and as it aids in producing keratin, it may actually help prevent graying and loss of hair. Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) also may prevent graying and hair loss.

Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are both recommended for preventing hair-loss and, therefore, should be used in your application of vitamins for hair loss treatment.

Treating HairLoss with Natural Products

In addition to applying vitamins for hair loss treatment, there are additional natural remedies. For instance Ginkgo biloba is a very popular herbal remedy that some believe delivers more nutrients to the hair follicles and so promotes hair re-growth. Although not a vitamin treatment for hair loss, shou wu, is an ancient Chinese herb that has been used for centuries for hair-loss and baldness. It is frequently available in both tea and capsule form and is one of the main ingredients found in many commercial remedies for the treatment of hair loss.

Two other natural remedies are popular. Saw palmetto has the ability to protect the prostrate and can slow loss of hair down as well as re-grow it. Finally, it is well known that the chemical DHT attacks the hair follicle and causes hair loss in males and sometimes in women. It is, however, not known that the stinging nettle blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT. This natural remedy can be purchased in both pill and capsule form. In conclusion, using a combination of a vitamin treatment for loss of hair and other natural remedies, is becoming a more acceptable form of alternative medicine as vitamins for hair-loss is itself, becoming better documented and as a result, is regarded as safe.

We all know that our hair is made up of mostly proteins. There are many things that can destroy and damage the hair bond and protein balance - sun, hair color treatments, highlights, excessive styling, relaxers, and general lack of nutrition and amino acids are several factors that destroy the natural balance and condition of our hair.

Proper hair care requires not only careful styling and design, but requires a focus on infusing moisture and balanced nutrition with hair vitamins to maintain healthy hair.

Our hair grows from the roots and therefore requires proper nutrition and vitamins for healthy growth and to avoid temporary hair loss and damage and to grow strong, healthy and resilient. Proper nutrition must be maintained to allow for faster growing, manageable hair.

Many vitamin supplements lack required nutrients and vitamins to target healthy hair. They often do not provide necessary amino acids and minerals that help bond the hair’s structure. Likewise, shampoos and conditioners, though they may infuse moisture and add volume, may lack nutrients for the root and bulb - the epicenter of hair growth and health.

Our hair requires ample amounts of vitamins and nutrients the same way our body does. If you are starting a hair vitamins supplement as part of your regimen, patience and consistency are the watch words for satisfactory results, but a formulated blend of vitamins and nutrients specifically formulated for hair, can lead to faster hair growth, slow or reversal of temporary hair loss, and provide you with stronger, silkier and more manageable hair.

Let’s review several of the necessary vitamins and minerals important in hair supplements:

Vitamins

  Vitamin A - an antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum (oil) in the scalp

  Vitamin C - helps develop healthy hair and skin

  Vitamin E - improves scalp circulation and blood flow

  Vitamin B12 - helps to control hair loss and to increase metabolism

  Vitamin B6 - slows hair loss and boosts melanin (color pigmentation)

  Pantothenic - assists reducing hair loss and accelerated or natural graying

  Biotin - helps produce Keratin, slows hair loss and graying

  Inositol - promotes healthy cell and root development

  Niacin - promotes proper circulation, boosts oxygen and scalp nutrients

Minerals

  Calcium - necessary for stronger bone and hair structure

  Copper - helps prevent hair defects in structure and color maintenance

  Chromium - helps prevent hypo and hyperglycemia

  Iodine - helps slow hair loss and moisture retention

  Selenium - improves suppleness of the scalp

  Potassium - promotes healthy hair growth and improves circulation

  Manganese - helps prevent slow growth

  Iron - helps prevent hair loss

  Zinc - repairs hair and iron deficiency

  Sulfur - serves as a primary component of the hair structure

  Silica - helps strengthen and helps prevent hair loss

Feed your hair with hair nutrition vitamins and you’ll be rewarded with healthy, faster growing hair. Hair care is important and you should treat your hair the same way you would your body - with proper, balanced nutrition

Temporary hair loss, “Diffuse” hair loss, is often the result of stress, DHT accumulation, excessive styling or product usage, hormonal changes, excessive oil or dirt, and medication. Male and female hair loss can often be treated and natural hair growth restored with proper treatment.

Trichogen is a botanical complex formulated to combat hair loss and thinning by increasing circulation to the scalp, while blocking DHT and irrigating and cleansing.

What is Trichogen?

Trichogen is a botanical complex developed to combat hair loss and promote new hair growth. Growing in popularity in hair loss products, Trichogen is a 14 organic and botanical extract complex clinically proven to slow or stop hair loss and to promote new, natural hair growth.

Often used in topical treatments, spray applications and in shampoos, Trichogen increases circulation, helps block 5 Alpha Reductase enzymes and DHT - that lead to hair loss - and introduces vital amino acids while cleansing and irrigating and regulating DHT, excessive oil, product build-up and dirt.

Components of Trichogen

Trichogen was formulated with extracts that work together blocking 5 Alpha Reductase enzymes that lead to DHT (dihydratestosterone), while cleansing and improving scalp circulation. Let’s take a closer look at individual components, many of which can be found in vitamins for hair growth:

Panax Ginseng Root Extract - increases scalp stimulation increasing hair depth and thickness

Arginine - a powerful amino acid, a building block of hair structure

Acetyl Tyrosine - an additional essential amino acid

Arctium Majus Root Extract - helps to block DHT

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein - essential protein needed for hair growth

Zinc Gluconate - helps block DHT when combined with niacinamide and biotin

Niacinamide and Biotin - helps block conversion of testosterone to DHT

Salvia Sclarea Extract - stimulates scalp and attaches to DHT

Cinnamomumb Zeylanicum Extract - irrigates DHT and bacteria from the scalp

Ginko Biloba Extract - stimulates capillary microcirculation in the scalp

Kigelia Africana Extract - helps block 5 alpha reductase enzymes

Hair Growth Applications

Trichogen has become a popular ingredient in hair loss products and hair growth products. Combined and formulated with targeted active ingredients, Trichogen has been shown to stop or slow hair loss and restore and stimulate natural hair growth.

Though not a panacea, in many cases it reverses damage caused by DHT, while promoting microcirculation that carries vital amino acids, vitamins and nutrients to the scalp and follicle root - often extending or reinvigorating Anagen phase hair growth.

Common applications include topical follicle stimulators and hair growth treatments. Often Trichogen is combined with other active ingredients, such as Panthenol which helps heal the scalp and infuse moisture, B12 vitamin complex which targets hair and nail growth, Fenugreek which improves scalp circulation and aspiration, or Jojoba Oil or Emu Oil which deep clean dirt, oil, and bacteria, while acting as an anti-inflammatory.

In combination with a myriad of ingredients for scalp and hair health, Trichogen has proved itself as a vital component in combating hair loss and restoring natural hair growth.