~Are You Bald Under That Scarf?~

aSalaam uAlaikum and Good Morning My Stylish Sisters!

Insh'Allah you all enjoyed your coffee this morning...I definitely savored my lemon juice and flaxseed concoctions. *gag*  Actually the smoothie of berries and soy milk was quite enjoyable, and kind of killed the taste I had in my mouth from the others.  Alhamdulillah, one Detox breakfast down, only 13 to go!

Well, I don't know about you ladies, but I have had some hilarious comments made to me by people who just really have no idea why I wear a scarf.  Anything from "Do you wear that in the shower?" to my favorite "Are you bald under that thing?"  I personally try not to get offended by comments like these, because it is obvious they are made out of ignorance, and it is my responsibility as a Muslimah to help to inform them.  So I usually politely inform them that we do NOT wear it in the shower, in fact we take it off at home, or when we are only around women and some male family members.  I also like to explain that when we are home, we do style our hair and wear makeup to look our nicest for our husbands.  (well....when we have time and energy)

Not so long ago I was getting my hair trimmed, and the lady doing my hair let me know that my hair was getting very thin on the top of my head.  She told me it is probably because I wear tight underscarves, and pull my hair straight back, and that I should cut some bangs to give my hair a break and let it heal.  Well the jury is still out about the whole bangs issue, but have started parting my hair on the side before putting it in a bun, and try not to wear underscarves every day.

So I thought it would be interesting, and insh'Allah beneficial to do a post about hair health.  It can be something that we easily push to the side of our brains, because we are otherwise occupied with school or work, kids or husbands, shoes or handbags...LOL ok maybe not all of us are occupied with those last two, but you get my point.  But just because we may not share our hair with the world, does not mean that it is not an important issue.  I personally do not want to be bald by the age of 40, and I do like to look nice for my husband, so I did a little research into good health-care tips and this is what I came up with:

Eat Your Way to Healthy Hair:
Just as we talked about with the healthy skin post, our consumption of healthy food is absolutely vital in order to have healthy, strong, shiny hair.  This includes getting plenty of Protein and Beta-carotene, as well as a good variety of vitamins.  Here is a quick rundown of essential nutrients for healthy hair:

Protein:  Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products are all high in protein, as well as soybeans, seeds and nuts for our vegetarian sisters.

Beta-carotene: Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that helps your body process protein, and helps encourage hair growth, as well as helps to prevent hair loss.  It can be found in many different fruits and vegetables, especially those that are orange in color.

Vitamins: Vitamin A fosters scalp health; B-complex vitamins may help promote hair growth and prevent hair loss and breakage; Biotin-rich meats, dairy foods, nuts, and whole grains helps to keep your scalp healthy; Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, helps keep your blood vessels healthy, helps prevent hair breakage, and promotes hair growth; Vitamin E helps your cells repair themselves and encourages hair growth; Vitamin K can promote hair health.

Minerals:  Minerals can help promote hair growth, as well as protect against hair breakage.  Minerals and trace minerals can be found in many unprocessed foods, especially organic foods that have a higher concentration of minerals in them.  Some of these foods include: meat, seafood, nuts, seeds, liver, eggs, rice, oats, whole-grain, sunflower seeds, lettuce, onion, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, strawberries, dates, and raisins.

For a more complete list of foods to eat for healthy hair go here.

Healthy Hair Maintenance:

Here are some very simple tips that actually work, to help you gain and maintain more beautiful hair:

Brush Before a Shower:
By brushing your hair before getting into the shower, you are helping to remove any dirt that might be clinging to your hair, as well as detangling it while it is dry (you should never brush wet hair, as it will cause breakage and split ends)

Pick a Shampoo That is Good For Your Hair:
Sounds simple doesn't it?  Well, as women we tend to try to find whatever products will work well for us AND our husbands, our kids, our sisters, our mom, or whoever you may reside with.  In this case though, it is worth the extra money to get something that is specifically formulated for your hair, whether it is thin or thick, dry or oily, curly or stick straight.  Here are some good tips on finding the perfect shampoo for you.  My advice is don't skimp on getting a good shampoo, I did that once when I was a broke college student, and my hair has never been the same.  I recommend Paul Mitchell shampoo, which you can get at any beauty supply, or even at Target.

Massage Your Scalp:
Once you have chosen a shampoo that will work for your hair, massage it gently into your hair and scalp while you are in the shower.  This will boost the circulation in your scalp which will encourage hair growth, and scalp health.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize:
Sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Conditioner is always important for your hair health, but it is especially important in dry climates, during winter months, or for people who spend a lot of time in the pool or the ocean.  You can also pick a conditioner according to your hair type.  I highly recommend that for those sisters who are on a budget, if you absolutely must skimp on your shampoo, don't do it on your conditioner.  A good, quality conditioner can make all the difference, and you don't need to use a lot at a time, so it should last a while.  I highly recommend Paul Mitchell Super Strong Daily Conditioner, which you can find at Target for a reasonable price.

Rinse Well:
Rinse your hair well after both shampooing, and conditioning.  Always use cool water for your last rinse of your shower, because it closes your cuticles and encourages shine. Also, when possible, try to rinse your hair with vinegar, preferably apple vinegar.  Personally I can't stand doing this, because I looooove the smell when my hair is freshly washed, but vinegar will rinse any perfumes out of your hair that can cause drying.

Air Dry:
If possible, always let your hair air dry.  Blowdrying can cause excessive drying of your hair and scalp, and too much heat is detrimental to your hair's health.  Simply squeeze the excess water out of your locks (never ever ever rub your hair), and blot your scalp, then let it air dry.

Brushing and Styling:
Like I mentioned before, it is very important that you don't brush your hair while it is wet.  This will cause breakage and split ends, which will cause your hair to look lifeless and tired.  Also, if you style your hair try to use blowdryers, straightening irons, or curling irons as little as possible.  Hair spray is also not healthy for your hair, so if you have to use it, do so sparingly and try to pick as natural of a spray as possible.

Lifestyle:
As I said at the beginning, what you eat affects your hair in big ways.  There are also other factors that contribute to hair health such as not smoking, exercising, trying to eliminate extra stress, and getting enough sleep.  Your hair is an organ, just as your skin is, so it is a safe bet to assume that anything healthy for your skin is healthy for your hair as well.  If you are a sister who likes to dye your hair, try to use a dye that is as natural as possible, and condition your hair very well after dying.  Also, get shampoo that is specifically formulated for dyed hair.

You can get more information on hair health by going here.

So ladies, hair health should be a part of our daily routine whether we wear hijab or not.  I know it can be hard to set aside any extra time for ourselves, but really caring for your hair doesn't take any time at all.  Just a few minutes a day of some scalp massage, along with making healthy lifestyle choices, and you'll have long, luscious locks in no time!

Ma'Salaama and Happy Brushing!

Fashionably Yours,
The (NOT bald under that scarf) Mujahada in Prada