From Japan to Brazil, and all around the world… the latest craze is to have silky, straight hair.

TV commercials, billboards, and magazines are full of flashy advertising for revolutionary products that promise to “improve the quality of your hair inside out.”

It all sounds wonderful, but at what expense? Has anyone ever stopped to figure out if it’s really worth it? Plus, what’s wrong with having curly hair anyway?

Well, let me tell you, you’re taking a huge risk if you’re using some of these treatments.

As a stylist and salon owner, I’m expected to keep up with the latest trends. I remember the first time I came into contact with one Brazilian treatment. I signed up for a special class to learn this new service, and it cost me a pretty penny. But on the first day, I had to run out of there. It smelled horrible! I find it funny now, but I’m so glad I was too sensitive to tolerate it.

Here’s the scary part… I later found out that the smell was formaldehyde. Yeah, you heard me! The same stuff they use on dead people. Well, needless to say, there went that part of my income.

Okay, gals, let’s keep it real. Formaldehyde is found in quite a few things like household products, cabinetry, etc. But to knowingly put that stuff on your scalp is totally absurd to me.

This keratin treatment from Brazil comes in the form of a liquid, so it’s very difficult to keep it from touching your skin. After applying it to your hair, you then repeatedly pass a 450-degree iron through it to thoroughly seal the treatment. The fumes that are released during that process undoubtedly poison everything and everyone in the vicinity.

And then you’re told you can’t wash your hair for several days. Can you imagine living with that obnoxious odor and spreading it around on your pillows, then onto your face?

Yuck!

After doing some research, I found out that you and your stylist should be forced to wear a gas mask and full-body protection… because what you’re inhaling and absorbing through your skin can be fatal.

The EPA says formaldehyde is a carcinogen… which means it causes cancer. And according to independent experts on the Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel, cosmetic products should have no more than 2% formaldehyde in them to be considered “safe.”

The problem is, a lot of these hair products contain 10 times that amount!

I also found out in my research that this original Brazilian keratin treatment is not even being distributed in Brazil. Hmmm…

Well I have curly hair, and I am most definitely interested in going straight sometimes. But after all I’ve been through trying to achieve that look, none of it sounds like a good idea to me.

My advice to you is to make sure you do your homework before making a decision.

1) Make sure your stylist is experienced in hair relaxing and chemical straightening techniques. If possible, get a recommendation from a trusted source.

2) Go in for a consultation prior to committing. Inquire about the brand they’re using and if they test frequently for formaldehyde levels.

3) During your consultation, ask to see your stylist’s qualifications. And don’t hesitate to request information on how to contact other customers to find out about their results.

4) Make sure you completely understand the process and the steps you need to follow in caring for your treated hair.

If you decide to go ahead and get it anyway, make sure you are well aware of the negative consequences that could result from the treatment. Not only the horrible smell and exposure to formaldehyde, but also what your hair may look like if things go wrong.

Otherwise it’s all window dressing…

Keep on Stylin’!

Anesta Dawkins

[Ed. Note: Anesta Dawkins is Owner and Founder of Salon Hottie in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is an accomplished hairstylist, platform artist, and instructor. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry and a satisfied network of clients, Anesta is dedicated to keeping you current with the latest and most innovative products in the beauty industry.]

I’ve been a hair stylist for over 20 years, and I’ve seen it all when it comes to thinning hair. Lots of guys and girls who come to my salon have this problem. Especially as they get older. And believe me, it can be devastating.

They come to me full of frustration. They’ve tried everything – from hair extensions to all kinds of gooey hair products that only fake the funk.

Thinning hair and balding are much more common than you might think. You may be guilty of trying some of these trendy solutions yourself.

But after all that pulling and tugging, it can leave you with a very unhealthy scalp and hair. And even more frustrated than you were before by all your efforts to make your hair look full and sexy.

Let’s face it, gals, isn’t that all we really want? Sexy, lustrous locks!

With more and more of my older female clients looking as bald as their husbands, I decided to do my own research. There just had to be a solution.

So I decided to ask Dr. Sears about it…

Turns out, in most cases, there’s a hormone culprit at the root of the problem. An imbalance of this hormone is usually the case with the guys, but can also happen to women. It gets even worse as we age, and that’s exactly what I was seeing in my salon!

But to explain why that’s happening to us women, I have to get a little more technical…

Now, are you ready for this? The hormone has a big, fancy name, “dihydrotestosterone.” But don’t let that bother you too much. We’ll just call it “DHT” for short.

The point is, if women with the pattern of a receding hair line and hair thinning over the crown were to get tested, the results would most likely show a high level of DHT in their blood.

Ready for the good news? Dr. Sears has a solution. It’s called Infuse…

Infuse is a spray-on strengthening and thickening formula that blocks the deteriorating effects of DHT. It also helps to replenish your scalp and hair by redistributing vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the growth of vibrant hair. It literally feeds new life into your hair follicles, revives your scalp, and brings your hair back to life.

Studies on Infuse show that it:

• Reduces the appearance of hair loss
• Gives you thicker, stronger, silkier, shinier hair
• Helps diminish scalp irritation

So there is hope for us all!

I’ve been using this product myself, especially on my hairline, which has been abused by chemicals and hair weaves over the years. I can’t tell you the difference it has made to my life. My salon clients refuse to go without it.

I’m sure it will work for you as well.

Here’s how you can try it yourself…

Keep on Stylin’!

Anesta Dawkins

We do not lose our hair because of wear and tear from the environment. New scientific discoveries have led to a very important revelation about why hair thins with age. Your hair falls out on command – commands from hormones. The secret to keeping a naturally thick, lustrous, full head of hair is to change that hormonal command.

We have known for some time that male hormones were involved. They provide a genetically programmed signal for hair thinning to begin and they control how it progresses as you age. Convention made a big mistake, however, in blaming testosterone. As it turns out high testosterone levels throughout life can protect you from hair loss.

The real culprit has turned out to be a different male hormone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone also exists in women where it also causes hair loss. In fact, most women I’ve treated with the pattern of receding hair lines and hair thinning over the crown have high DHT levels in their blood.

I have seen high blood levels of DHT induce hair loss in young athletes who abuse anabolic steroids. In some cases, there was not a genetic predisposition to baldness. When we employ strategies to lower DHT, their hair loss stops.

You can use these same strategies to lower your DHT. They have been recently proven to reduce hair loss, preserve your current head of hair or even induce new hair growth.

You may have seen ads for the prescription drug Propecia. It has been a significant balding treatment breakthrough. Propecia has been associated with a number of side effects though. It’s also very expensive, is not covered by most health insurances and has not been approved for women. There are safer, less expensive natural alternatives that can do the same thing. In fact, they can work by exactly the same mechanism.

Propecia works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT. This is the perfect point of attack. It has the effect of both decreasing DHT and increasing testosterone. Propecia inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase necessary for this conversion. A number of plant-based nutrients also inhibit this enzyme.

Testosterone: Notice the 4,5 double-bond on the A (leftmost) ring.

Testosterone Changes to DHT: Notice the double bond is missing…

The most powerful nutrient to block the conversion of testosterone to DHT is beta-sitosterol. Beta-sitosterol has been proven to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase from converting testosterone into DHT.

A study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine examined beta-sitosterol’s effectiveness in blocking the production of DHT. The study analyzed men between the ages of 23 and 64 with hair loss.

The participants either received beta-sitosterol or a placebo. The researchers found that 60% of the men receiving beta-sitosterol had an improvement in hair growth. They also lost less hair than the placebo group.¹ A softgel containing B-sitosterol 50mg and saw palmetto 200mg extract versus placebo in treating hair loss was used.

You can also find beta-sitosterol in a few herbs at health food stores: saw palmetto, pygeum bark extract and in pumpkin seeds.

Another important nutrient is gamma linolenic acid (GLA). It is an essential fatty acid found in natural plant oils. It is difficult to obtain healthy amounts through diet alone.

Gamma linolenic acid is a proven 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology published one well-known study, researchers tested GLA’s efficacy on hamsters. GLA successfully inhibited the 5-alpha-reductase  converting testosterone into DHT.²

Like most health issues, good nutrition serves as the foundation. Stress, drugs of abuse, bad health habits and prescription drugs aggravate the problem and can accelerate the loss of hair.

6 Tips For Keeping Your Hair Youthful

• Eat a healthy, high protein diet
• Avoid too much stress
• Do not use illegal drugs
• Avoid prescription drugs
• Limit hat wearing
• Take a multivitamin

New technologies are rapidly emerging that will change the way older men look.  better hair grafts to hormonal manipulation to new prescription drugs, the options have changed useless, vain and troublesome snake oils to a powerful armamentarium that can have a real effect.

Growing real hair takes time. There are no immediate solutions for a return of natural hair growth. But, if you have patience, you can expect to make a difference by sticking to a well thought out strategy.

1. Prager N, et al., A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. J Altern Complement Med 2002 Apr; 8(2): 143-152
2. Liang T, et al., Growth suppression of hamster flank organs by topical application of gamma-linolenic and other fatty acid inhibitors of 5 alpha-reductase. J Inv Derm 1997 Aug; 109(2): 152-157