Dry hair, oily scalp and split hair info

There are three conditions of the scalp and hair so common, and so little understood, that I believe some note of amplification in their consideration may well be worth while. These conditions are dry hair, oily scalp, and split hair.

Dry hair and scalp is perhaps the most frequent of all hair and scalp troubles. To a very large extent it is due to errors of diet—especially those errors that tend to produce over-acid conditions of the system.

Over-indulgence in meat, coffee, candy and sugars, condiments—such as pickles —the use of white bread, crackers, "pearled" barley, unscoured oat meal, uncoated rice, and foods which have been deprived of the mineral salts that maintain blood alkalinity, are frequently to blame for dryness of the scalp.

In fact, some authors claim that the "scurf" of dandruff—when it is cast off profusely, and in large flakes—is nothing more or less than a mixture of the excess acids of the system and the oily secretions of the hair follicle.

Treatment for dry hair

It is obvious that, if this is the case—which I firmly believe it is, in a large number of instances—washing the hair and scalp is merely of temporary benefit. Washing will, of course, remove that material which has been permitted to accumulate. But it will not overcome what must be regarded as a distinctly systemic condition.

Careful regulation of the diet is necessary in all these cases—if any permanent benefit is to be secured. To remove the accumulated uric and lactic acid from the system in the shortest space of time, I have found that an exclusive milk diet is one of the best of all methods of treatment. Don't use other foods with milk—acid or sweet raw fruits can be excepted.

Milk is one of the richest of all foods in lime salts—in a form to be readily assimilated by the system and carried into the blood, for remineralization purposes—which means, to re-supply the blood with its lost store of mineral salts. But don't make the mistake of using it in addition or with your regular meals.

If you are not familiar with the methods essential in securing results from an exclusive milk diet, you should secure the necessary information before beginning it—otherwise your efforts may be fruitless.

Dry or scaly scalps will respond to proper regulation of the diet—sometimes within six or eight weeks—especially if reinforced with the daily application of olive oil or Vaseline—rubbed carefully into the scalp with the tips of the fingers. It should be noted that severe colds and fever tend to dry the scalp very rapidly.

Daily massage of the scalp is one of the best of all methods of preventing a dry scalp, as massage helps to bring about a better blood supply to the parts. A better blood supply brings an increased amount of nutrition. And an increased amount of nutrition brings to the scalp and hair follicles their normal nourishment and oil lubricant.

What to do for oily hair

No one knows the exact cause of oily hair. To say that it is due to over-activity of the sebaceous ducts that furnish the natural oil for the hair is merely to say that too much of anything is too much—without in the slightest degree explaining why there should be too much.

The fact of the matter is that certain people, with what is called a certain "idiosyncrasy," when their health becomes abnormal, develop dry, scaly scalps. Others may have, or may develop, an oily condition of the scalp. What we are chiefly interested in, however, is how to prevent or overcome this excess oiliness—not in the theories of its origins.

In order to overcome oiliness one of the first things is to try to re-establish a normal condition of scalp-health—a very large part of which depends upon general health. Every precaution must be taken to keep the system in a high state of nutrition—and especially in a perfect condition as regards elimination from skin, kidneys and bowels.

This will tend to reduce the amount of toxic material in the system, and improve the general condition of health.

Plenty of fresh air an essential

The hair and scalp should be exposed to the air and mild sunlight as often as possible—separating the strands so that the air and sun penetrate to every portion of the scalp.

It is best to pull the hair across, strand by strand—so as to permit the air and the sun to strike every square inch of the scalp. This procedure, if persistently carried out, sometimes has a very remarkable result.

In addition, the hair should be washed frequently with a pure soap and warm water, followed by a thorough rinsing in clear water.
It is frequently admissible to wash the hair—or rather the scalp—in cold water—just as cold as can comfortably be borne.

This has a wonderfully tonic effect on the nutrition of the scalp, as it brings a greater supply of blood to the parts—and reinforces the local nutrition of the hair follicle.

It is always well to bear in mind that the scalp should not be massaged too vigorously where there is a tendency towards oiliness, as over-vigorous massage frequently perpetuates and increases the very trouble you may be attempting to eradicate. Too much massage, too rough treatment of the hair will sometimes destroy the hair roots.

The same thing is true of the use of electric fans or electric dryers, developing a current of hot air. They may seem to work well for a while but the after-results are sometimes not desirable.

Try always to keep the scalp loose

One of the chief aids to hair health is a loose scalp. Whether the tendency is towards excessive dryness, excessive oiliness, dandruff or falling hair—the loosening of the scalp by properly applied massage is always a help.

The proper method of massage, in order to bring about this condition, has been fully described on another page. I merely refer to the matter here, in order to emphasize its importance.

Bobbed hair helpful

Very often excessive dryness and excessive oiliness refuse to yield to treatment unless the thick, heavy hair is cut and a better circulation of the scalp is perfected. This only stands to reason, and is readily comprehended on the grounds of hygiene.

So, while woman's crown of glory may well be in her long, luxuriant hair, this self-same crown may prove a tremendous handicap if the local nutrition of the scalp is involved.

And, after all, bobbed hair is eminently sensible, and can be made really artistic—particularly if it be delicately waved by pushing a comb up through the hair, while it is yet damp after shampooing.

The violet ray an effective agent for normalizing the scalp

Some perfectly splendid results are secured from time to time in oily conditions of the scalp by the use of the violet ray. The high frequency electric current, generated in a vacuum tube, and applied regularly to every part of the scalp for, say, ten minutes morning and evening, have produced most satisfactory improvement in many hundreds of cases.

This is readily explainable when it is understood that the violet ray stimulates nutrition, helps get rid of waste, and overcomes local toxemia.

As a last resort tonics with an alcohol base may be used cautiously in oily scalp conditions. The alcohol "eats up" the oil, and tends to dry the scalp because of its inherent affinity for fats.

It would be well not to depend on these tonics. Use them with extreme care, and not for too extended a length of time.

For split hair

It is ordinarily considered that, with split hair, there is nothing that offers radical correction except repeated clipping of the split ends.
About one-half to one inch of the tips of the hair should be scissored off, repeating this every two weeks for three or four months. It will normally be found at the expiration of this time that the hair will grow freely, without any tendency towards splitting.

One of the greatest English hair dressers, who has worked at Buckingham Palace in his capacity as Hair Dresser to the Court, has devised a method which has been tremendously successful.

This method, like all really big things, is simplicity itself. It consists merely in soaking the tips or ends of the hair in a shallow bath of olive oil before retiring, twice a week, and then drying the hair thoroughly in a warm towel. The hair can then be put up in a loose braid, or else confined with a ribbon, so as to prevent tangling.

If this treatment is kept up for six months, the tendency of the hair to split will be gone. This has worked in hundreds of cases, some of which have resisted almost every other method of treatment.

I believe much good will come of a more general knowledge of these important details in the care of the hair, not only for their importance to every man and woman who desires to present a well-groomed appearance, but also because they are simple and absolutely practical.