Journey to the Center of the Curl

Hair anatomy:
         You would think with all the products, vitamins, and all around hype about hair that the structure of the hair would be more complicated than what it actually is. Lets start from the inside out beginning with the Medulla. This structure is only present in large thick hair. The Medulla doesn't serve much of purpose. The next layer us the cortex. This layer is one of the more important ones. This is what contains the pigment, and gives the hair strand its color. It also hold the moisture and is responsible for the strength and elasticity of the hair. It is important to keep the hair moisturized in order to keep the cortex in good health. Try products that are water based and contain things like hydrolyzed proteins to provide moisture and strength to the hair strands. The outer most layer of the strand is the Cuticle. Much like the cuticle of the nail its main purpose is protection. The cuticle protects the delicate protein structures within the cortex. The cuticle is is not one long smooth covering although it may feel that way when you run your fingers along the length of your hair . The cuticle is actually  more like shingles. one layer upon another. These layers can lift up when doing different things such as washing, or styling the hair. If the cuticle is not laid down it can result in loss of moisture, causing the hair to become dry and brittle.  It is important to use styling products have a slightly acidic pH ( between 4.0-7.0) that is close to the pH of hair to lay down the cuticle. There are products that are pH balanced, but if you are looking for a more natural approach try adding aloe vera juice/gel to your products to bring down the pH. It is also important to seal in the moisture. You can so this by so once you have added your pH balanced products make sure to add an oil. I personally am a fan of coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. There are tons of other options out there for every one though you just have to find the oil that works best for you. Along with moisturizing and sealing it is also important to manipulate the hair as little as possible. This will protect the cuticle from wear and tare and also allowing you to retain more length in the long run. Try protective styling or if that isn't for you try low manipulation hair styles, like a bun or puff. Just keep you hands out of your hair as much as possible to prevent split ends and breakage. I know its hard, but its possible