Is Your Hair Healthy?

– Check the Comb

Pluck out a strand of hair at the root and examine the base. Strong hair has a thick bulb. “If there’s no bulb, the hair follicle isn’t healthy,” says Michael Shaun Corby, global creative director for Alterna Hair Care. The cause? Damage from styling or, potentially, genetically linked hair loss in women and male pattern baldness.

Looking for hair loss treatment? First, you need to determine if you have a hair loss problem. The tips below will help you to do just that:

– Give It a Tug

Wrap a strand of hair around your index finger and thumb (like a piece of string), then use your other hand to tug on it. If it snaps immediately, your hair is lacking moisture; if it stretches “like bubble gum,” says Corby, it needs protein, which strengthens the hair’s keratin bonds.

Do the “Sink or Float” Test

Drop a strand of hair into a glass of water. A healthy strand will float. If it sinks, the shaft is porous. This can happen to color-treated hair, but it can also occur with a protein deficiency.

To get a fair picture of your hair’s overall health, repeat tests on at least four strands from different parts of your head, suggests Donna Maggi, education manager of Nioxin, a hair-and scalp-care company.

Stop a Bad-Hair Day Before It Starts

If you go outside with wet hair

Outdoor elements (wind, cool temperatures) can be rough even for dry hair, explains Corby. But when hair is wet, it’s actually more fragile and susceptible to breakage.

Healthy-hair fix: Try styling products designed to cut drying time. The Paul Mitchell hair products, namely Paul Mitchell Express Style line, is formulated with technology to help hair dry faster.

5 Top Picks for 2011

1. Sebastian Shaper Fierce Ultra-Firm Finishing Hairspray
“It’s hard to find a lightweight hairspray that doesn’t stink, but this one is great because it’s completely odorless. And it gives good hold.”

2. Aveda Shampure Shampoo
“Great daily shampoo, it’s gentle and packed with organic ingredients.”
—Anthony Cristiano (clients include Demi Moore and Mariah Carey)

3. Moroccanoil Treatment, 3.4oz
Moroccanoil Treatment, is a unique serum with instant absorption into hair to create a beautiful shine and long term conditioning.

4. CHI Silk Infusion 2oz
CHI hair products help strengthen your hair, providing incredible softness, manageability and shine without any build-up. Alcohol free, enriched with pure silk and wheat and soy proteins.

5. Bumble and Bumble products review
Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray helps fine hair achieve styling lift-off, but also works wonders on any hair type – thick, thin, or otherwise.

Learn more about Bumble and Bumble brand and choose among the variety of salon hair products recommended by the hair styling experts in the industry.