Kim’s question: Aloha, Beauty Brains! I was laying on the beach yesterday reading a well-known women’s interest magazine, when I came across an article teaching readers how to “exfoliate hair”. It told readers to brush from the ends up to the roots in order to “open” the cuticle to “allow hair to absorb treatments better” and other strange instructions. (Doesn’t that just damage the cuticle?) My question is, does one really need to “exfoliate” their hair since it’s not skin?

The Right Brain’s response:

The advice that Kim is referring is from stylist Oscar Blandi and is featured in the Summer/Fall 2008 issue of Cosmo (p. 33). While exfoliating your scalp can provide a skin benefit, backcombing (also known as teasing), your hair to make it absorb treatment products is simply ridiculous.

Exfoliate skin, not hair

Skin is a living organ that produces new cells in its deep, inner layers. The fresh cells are pushed upward until they reach the outer layers of your skin where they die and are sloughed off. Exfoliating means you scrape off the upper, dead layers to reveal the newer skin cells below.

Hair, on the other hand, is dead as soon as it grows out of your scalp. Unlike skin, if you scrape off the surface of your hair it is not repaired or regenerated. Scraping off the cuticle just weakens your hair and leads to more split ends. (It does give your hair more volume, but at the cost of creating more damage.) Think of it this way: Breaking the cuticles off of your hair because of product “buildup” is like scraping the shingles off the roof of your house because they’re dirty. Both approaches cause more harm than good.

Improved penetration

Oscar says that exfoliating hair helps treatment products penetrate but this isn’t quite true either. Most treatments work on the surface of your hair to smooth the cuticle. While there are some ingredients, like coconut oil, that can penetrate into the cortex of your hair the mechanism of penetration is not enhanced by stripping off the cuticle. And even is there IS some minor improvement in penetration it’s certainly not worth the loss of cuticle protection.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Back combing hair is damaging. Period. With all due respect to famous stylists, like Oscar Blandi, they really should stick to styling and leave advice on the chemistry and biology of hair to the scientists who understand how these products work.

What do YOU think? Do you backcomb or tease your hair? Leave a comment and tease the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Katy’s combing question: A lot if my friends backcomb their hair. They say it adds more volume. My hair is fairly short and I tried this but I looked like a bird’s nest. What type of products would you recommend for people with short thin hair who are looking for a little extra volume boost for their hair?

The Right Brain’s reply:
Good question, Katy. The answer is a combination of hair biology and product chemistry.

What is backcombing?

As the name implies, backcombing means you literally comb your hair backwards. Instead of moving the comb from root to tip, you reverse the direction and comb your hair from tip to root. This kind of combing is also known as “teasing.” It’s an old stylist trick to give your hair more volume.

The good news - it works

Does it really work? You bet! Why? Because you’re combing your hair against the grain, so to speak. Look at your hair under a microscope, or, if you don’t have a microscope handy, you can look at the picture at the right. The hair is covered by small scales, known as cuticles, that make a hair shaft look a little like the bark on a palm tree. As the hair grows, the cuticles form in such a way that the leading edge is facing toward the end of your hair shaft.

When you back comb, you’re scraping the edge of the cuticle in the opposition direction. This action causes lifts the cuticle up and makes it stand away from the hair shaft. The more cuticles you lift up, the more volume your hair will have because each little piece of cuticle will push away the hair shaft laying next to it. You can create tons of volume by combing this way.

The bad news - it’s damaging

The bad news is that back combing is very bad for your hair. When you lift up those little pieces of cuticle, they never return to their nice flat arrangement, no matter what you do to your hair. Instead, they become increasingly loose and eventually break off. Once you remove enough layers of cuticles, your hair shaft will be damaged and you’ll create a split end. If it helps you to visualize it, think of cuticles like the shingles on the roof of a house. When they lay nice and flat they form a protective barrier on the roof that keeps the rain out of your bedroom. But when the shingles become loose, they break off and the next thing you know, the roof leaks and you’ve got a water stained carpet. That’s how cuticles work on your hair. Except for the part about staining your carpet.

Is there any safe way to boost volume?

Are there any good products that will allow you to boost volume without requiring you to scrape off your cuticle layer by layer? Sure, you can use a styling product to give the hair fibers some stiffness. Mousses and root boost stylers can coat your hair, providing some interaction that makes the fibers lift up and stand apart to it temporarily creates volume. Of course, this kind of volume disappears once you wash the product out of your hair. But does ANYTHING really last in this crazy modern world we live in? Here are few products you might try:

5 Popular Volume Boosters

Tresemme Volume Big Boost Root Lift Spray

Catwalk Root Boost

Paul Mitchell Root Boost

Redken Full Frame Volumizing Mousse

Rusk Full Volume Mousse

What’s your favorite tip or trick for adding volume to your hair? Leave a comment and share your secrets with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Neecholle needs knowledge: I have natural African-American textured hair, which I would like to grow longer by keeping my hair natural, healthy and moisturized. How safe, effective, and natural is the PhytoSpecific PhytoRelaxer?

The Right Brain responds:
Before we answer your question about Phytorelaxer, we’ll explain about hair and how it’s relaxed for our readers who may not understand the process.

Chemical bonds in hair

The shape of hair is partly controlled by chemical bridges, called disulfide bonds, that connect protein fibrils together. Because these bonds are so strong, a powerful chemical reaction is required to break them apart before the hair can be straightened. This reaction requires a very high pH. For those of you who fell asleep during chemistry class, pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance it. The pH scale runs from 1 to 14. Chemicals with a very low pH value (around 1 to 3) are very acidic and can be damaging to hair and skin. Chemicals with very high pH (10 to 14) are very basic and can also be damaging.

Relaxers have high pH

Relaxers must have a very high pH (11 or above) in order to work. Unfortunately, this pH can also weaken your hair and damage your scalp. Historically, relaxers used a chemical called sodium hydroxide (also known as “lye”) to create such a high pH. Over time, chemists found similar chemicals like calcium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, ammonium thioglycolate, and guanidine carbonate which basically do the same thing. Relaxers based on these chemicals are called “no lye” because they don’t contain sodium hydroxide. But they still expose your hair and scalp to very high, potentially damaging pH.

How Phytorelaxer works

Phytospecific’s Phytorelaxer is a no-lye type. It’s based on guanidine carbonate and its pH is between 11 and 12. Here’s what Phytospecifc’s website says about the product:

“Phytorelaxer is effective yet different because it permanently relaxes hair without harsh chemicals or irritation usually associated with chemical relaxers. The active ingredients in the straightening cream are a complex of egg and soy extracts. These ingredients are from 100% botanical sources and are hypoallergenic.”

This is a very misleading statement for two reasons. First, the pH of this product is very high, almost as high as lye relaxers, so it is using harsh chemicals. Second, the straightening cream may contain natural ingredients but egg and soy are not what make this product work. This cream is only one of the products in the relaxer kit. You also have to use the high pH guanidine carbonate Inductor product, or the hair won’t be permanently straightened.

So, to answer your question: is this a safe product? It’s as safe as other no-lye relaxers. Is it effective? Yes, it’s active ingredient really works. Is it natural? No, but Phytospecific leads you to think that based on what they say about the product. In our opinion, that’s misleading to consumers. They have a very good product, they shouldn’t have to distort the truth to get people to buy it.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Phytorelaxer is a good, but somewhat expensive, alternative if you’re looking for a milder relaxer. But don’t fall for their hype about natural egg and soy extracts permanently straightening your hair because that is just NOT TRUE.

If you want to try it for yourself, you can buy Phytorelaxer here. And if any of our community would like to share their thoughts on no-lye relaxers, we’d love to hear your comments.

Do you see the secret message in the face picture above? Leave a comment and let us know if you got it.

Andrea asks: I have a question regarding short “baby-like” hairs that grow around my hairline. I’ve had them ever since I was little and I’m wondering why they never grow out. They’re not due to damage. They’re not long enough to be “fly-aways”, but they’re obvious enough that I’m too embarrassed to pull my hair back in a ponytail. Is there anything I can do, or any product I should use, to help these baby hairs grow out?

The Right Brain Replies:
We recommend washing your hair with baby shampoo, wearing Baby Phat perfume, dressing in clothes from Bebe, and listening to music by the 70s glam-rock band, The Babys. Joking!

Why are some hairs different than others?

Seriously though, there’s really nothing you can do to make your “baby hairs” grow out. Their size and shape are determined by the genetics of your hair follicle. Some types of hairs are “programmed” to only grow so think and so long. You can read more about it in our post on “Why Armpit Hairs Don’t Grow Down To Your Knees.”

I’m sorry that we can’t recommend a product to help you battle baby hairs, but if they really bother you you might consider have electrolysis or laser hair removal.

Does any one else have trouble with baby hairs? Leave a comment and share your misery!

Ellie asks:
I usually don’t have the patience to blow dry my hair completely. But my hair dresser told me it is better to dry the hair roots completely than half blow drying the hair and then let it dry by itself. Is it true?

The Right Brain responds:
We think this idea is kind of silly but we’ll avoid the temptation to just tell you to get a new hair dresser and instead we’ll try to present both sides of the story.

Technically Speaking…

It’s more damaging to blow dry or towel dry your hair than it is to let it air dry. It’s as simple as that. That’s because heat from blow dryers can mess with the natural lipid distribution in your hair AND degrade the intercellular cement that holds the hair’s protective cuticle in place. And the physical abrasion from towel drying not only loosens healthy cuticles but can actually wear them away! So if you dry your hair a lot you’ll end up with less shine and more split ends.

Stylistically Speaking…

We assume a hair dresser would argue that blow drying keeps your hair sleek and smooth and that air drying makes it frizzy. But we don’t want to make the wrong assumption. Are there any hairdressers out there reading this? Post a comment with your opinion on this notion of partially drying hair.

So, Ellie, it looks like the answer to your drying dilemma could come down to what’s more important to you: avoiding damage or fighting frizz? Only you can decide that. (But, hey, if you’re THAT worried about frizz you can always use a good smoothing product after you dry your hair. You can buy an entire CASE (!) of this effective frizz fighter for only 20 bucks!

Tammy’s turmoil: Can you tell me what makes hair really shiny?

The Right Brain’s shimmering reply:
Naturally shiny hair has a cuticle that’s smooth and flat; it’s plumped up with water (about 10 to 15% by weight); and it’s rich in natural oils that keep the whole thing “glued” together.

Unfortunately, you’re stealing shine from your hair everyday and you probably don’t even realize it. If you want good gloss, you should avoid these 12 things that can rob hair of shine. Or as we like to call them, the Dulling Dozen:

1. Flood Damage

Even “harmless” water can be a shine stealer. That’s because too much moisture swells the hair shaft and causes the cuticle to buckle. The more frequently you wet your hair, the less shine you’re likely to have.

2. Shampoo Scrubbing

Scrubbing bubbles seem cute but all that rub a dub dub lifts the cuticle even more. Using a conditioning shampoo can help because the hair shafts won’t snag against each other when you’re lathering up.

3. Careless Under-conditioning

Ok, not everyone needs to condition EVERY time they wash their hair. BUT, if your hair is dry to begin with it’s much more likely to be damaged during and after styling if you skip conditioner. You’re just giving shine away!

4. Death by Towel Drying

So, now your hair is wet. What do you do? Blot, don’t rub! A rough towel can cause an amazing amount of damage on wet hair.

5. The Brush Off

Don’t fall for that old myth that you should brush you hair 100 strokes every night. While brushing does temporarily help by distributing natural oils, in the long run it strips off layers of cuticle and weakens hair.

6. Hot Styling Appliances

Heat is the natural enemy of shine. That’s because high temperatures damage the natural lipids (fancy word for oils) that help keep hair flexible and shiny. If you do decide to heat style, use protection!

7. Protective Product Residue

Yes, you do need to use heat protection but be careful what you wish for. Some leave in creams and gels leave behind a dulling residue.

8. Color My World

Chemical coloring is very damaging because it breaks down the inner structure of hair protein. Even if you use the special conditioner that comes with the coloring kit, your hair never fully recovers.

9. Wave Bye Bye

Permanent waving is another chemical process that’s highly damaging.

10. Twist and Shout

Twisting and playing with your hair is a dangerous habit as far as shine is concerned. That’s because the torsional forces (fancy word for twisting and bending) loosens the cuticles.

11. I Dig A Pony

Wearing your hair in a pony tail may seem like a hassle free style, but if you pull it back too tightly you may be creating micro-fractures in the hair that will reflect light unevenly and cause loss of shine.

12. Here Comes The Sun

And with the sun comes damaging UV radiation that can wreak havoc on natural hair lipids like 18-methyleicosinoic acid. Without these lipids hair dulls quickly. If you can’t stay out of the sun make sure you’re protecting your hair with a good conditioner.

Lina says: I was very happy to read your post about coconut oil penetrating hair. I have been using it for a while and feel my hair is stronger than it used to be. I`d like to keep using coconut oil and I want to add olive oil to make my hair shiny but I`m worried that mixing the two oils will stop the coconut oil from penetrating. Is it ok to mix two oils on my hair? Thanks for all of your helpful information - you’ve kept me from wasting money on over-hyped products.

The Left Brain provides an oily update:

Thanks for your kind words, Lina. Yes, studies have shown that coconut oil actually penetrates the hair to help make it stronger. And as it turns out, olive oil also has penetrating properties. Scientists at the Textile Research (J. Cosmet.Sci 52, 169-184, 2001) tested Olive oil, Avocado oil, Meadowfoam seed oil, Sunflower oil, and Jojoba oil. Their results showed that straight chain glycerides like olive oil easily penetrate into the hair. Polyunsaturated oils , like Jojoba oil, are more open in their structure so they don’t pass through the layers of cuticles very well.

What does that mean in plain English? Olive and Avocado oils penetrate all the way into the hair shaft. Meadowfoam seed oil partially penetrates, and jojoba and sunflower oils don’t penetrate at all. They’re very superficial and don’t really provide any practical benefit. Kind of like Ryan Seacrest.

And to answer your question: mixing coconut and olive oils shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, it’s possible that the olive/coconut oil combination might even penetrate hair better. I won’t bore you with the details, but it has to do with mixed micelles. I’d start with a 50/50 mixture and see how that works for your hair.

Hott Mama asks: With summer quickly approaching I’m worried about sun exposure on my hair. I know that sun makes my color fade faster, but is it doing any real damage to my hair? The Left Brain responds:

Dear Mother, yes sunlight can cause serious physical damage to hair. According to the International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2007 29. 143-146) the Textile Research Institute at Princeton University conducted a study in which they exposed hair of different ethnic types to natural environmental conditions in sunny (and hot) Arizona.

They found that the hair changed dramatically after extended exposure: the fibers became thinner and the cuticle scales fused together. The hair also became extremely brittle with numerous radial cracks and fractures. Perhaps most disturbingly the researchers said that “individual hair fibers fused together to form rod-like structures stuck together by solubilized, oozed out, gelled, and finally hardened proteins.” Whoa. Melted hair? One can only assume what kind of heat wave Arizona was having at the time of this study!

The good news is, they also found out that natural melanin pigment in the hair helped protect it from this environmental assault. Indian and Chinese hair, which have a higher melanin content, experienced less damage than European hair that had moderate, low or no melanin. (I guess that means if you have gray hair and you live in Arizona, you should never go outside.)

Please understand that this study was done under very extreme conditions. Under normal circumstances, hair recieves more damage from washing and drying and chemical processing than it does from sunlight. But it does make you stop and think about how to protect your hair. Since the Right Brain always makes fun of me for wearing a hat, I won’t suggest that as an option for you. But if you’re interested, you can read our previous post about sunscreen in hair care products.

Betty`s got a problem:

Hello! I am so GLAD I found you! I have had this problem now for about 3 months. I wash and condition my hair on a daily basis and by the middle of the day my hair has a sweaty, muggy smell. I just can`t describe it, it just smells! Even worse when I`m running late in the morning and I am not able to wash my hair I could smell that sweaty, muggy smell throughout the day. I there anything I can do to stop this?

The Left Brain responds:

Betty, I had never heard of this problem before so I was surprised when I found out that you’re not the only one who suffers from hair malodor. A quick search turned up several discussion boards on smelly hair. There’s even a website that specializes in Smelly Hair.

What Causes Smelly Hair?

They claim the problem is a fungus that grows on oily scalps. That sounds plausible since the odor you describe as sweaty and muggy could be caused by microbial growth. I know that sometimes the towel I used to dry my hair develops a funky smell kind of like the one you describe. That happens when it doesn`t dry out completely, so I assume there`s some mildew or similar organism that responsible. If I don`t notice it right way, that mildew odor transfers from the towel to my hair. Could this be the cause of your problem too?

What can you do about it?

Smellyscalp.com says use an antimicrobial shampoo. That certainly could help. You can also try changing your towel and your pillow case. If that doesn’t work, you might try shaving your head, like Britney. (Just kidding!) You could also try using a product like the Stila hair refresher, but that will just cover up the odor. It won`t address the source of the problem.

I hope this helps, write back and let The Beauty Brains know what happens.

Here’s an interesting story that is making the rounds on the internet about blondes, genetics and natural selection. According to the story (from the BBC no less) the number of natural blondes has decreased to such low levels that in 200 years there may not be any left. It seems that “bottle blondes” are out-competing natural blondes for mates thus having an easier time passing along their non-blonde hair genes. Does this mean you should run out and invest in companies like Revlon, Garnier, and Clairol that make hair dyes?

Don’t bother because it turns out that this story is completely false! The truth is blondes are not headed for extinction any time soon. The investigators at one of our favorite sites Snopes.com have shown that this is a different version of an urban legend that has been circulating since as early as 1865.

In this BBC story, it’s suggested that German researchers made the pronouncement. But upon further investigation the story’s source was actually an article published in the German equivalent to Cosmo. And while Cosmo, Glamour, Allure, and all the other women’s magazines have some great information, they are also not immune to sloppy reporting and accepting naivety.

The Beauty Brains‘ Bottom line

No, natural blondes won’t be extinct any time soon. And you can’t believe everything you read no matter how respected the source. It’s a basic Beauty Brains’ belief…

Always have independent confirmation of the facts