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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Weekly summary - 272/273/274th week -- Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

Happy New Year and Merry Xmas to all the readers.
I have just have a new hair cut but the style has been stick with the one that I kept almost I started this blog. Why? I just think it is hard to cover my bald spot is hard with other spiky hair style.
However, I think most of us that still in the early stage may want to try up mosre hair sty;e while we still can. Wow, sound pessimistic?? But it is the truth. Let us look at 10 hair style for thinning hair men that can try on.
Here we go.

No. 10 Shag

Type of hair loss it's good for: Early receding hairline.

At the very early stages of hair thinning, when you see no reason to commit to a short cut, consider a style that involves shaggy layers. You'll want to ask your barber for a cut that’s long in front, that falls over your forehead and has a medium length all over. At home, use your fingers to tousle your layers with a bit of gel or lightweight styling cream. By drawing attention to your cool, just-rolled-out-of-bed look, longer hair combined with slightly disheveled layers is a smart trick to mask the early stages of balding.

No. 9 Short and tapered all over

Type of hair loss it's good for: Thinning on top.

If you've noticed that your forehead has started to become more prominent but that you still have plenty of hair, ask your barber for a cut that's short all over and slightly tapered in back and on the sides. Next, invest in some hair paste and apply a minute amount to towel-dried hair, making sure to distribute the product evenly throughout. Finally, use your fingers to make only the hair on top of your head a bit messy, leaving your sides and the back looking proper. This style works to minimize hair loss because its rough texture gives hair extra volume, leading to the perception that you have more.

No. 8 Long front

Type of hair loss it's good for: Early receding hairline.

If your hair is thinning at a slow pace and you still have a reasonably full mane, grow out the hair on top of your head. Once this hair is longer than the hair on the back and sides of your head, you can brush your hair forward, using a little gel to keep everything in place. In addition to helping you hide an expanding forehead, this style is simple and won't make you seem like you're trying too hard.

No. 7 Slicked back

Type of hair loss it's good for: Bald spots near the back of the head.

When your hair is still relatively thick apart for minor receding in a spot or two, try wearing it slicked back. To do so, you'll need to grow the front of your hair long enough so that when you slick it back, it will effectively mask a bald spot. Use a little bit of product to increase volume, keep your hair in place and further conceal hair loss. Just remember that slicking your hair back results in an old-school debonair look, but slicking your hair to the side puts you firmly in comb-over territory.

No. 6 Faux faux hawk

Type of hair loss it's good for: Hair loss around the temples.

Though the faux hawk may bring images of douchery to mind, a modified, toned-down version (a faux faux hawk, if you will) is actually a clever way to divert attention from hair loss near the temples. Begin by asking your barber for a short, choppy cut that will work with your shifting natural hair line. Then, apply a dab of gel to your hair and use your fingers to haphazardly move hair toward the center of your head, making sure to keep everything nice and messy in order to make your hair loss less evident.

No. 5 Short and spiked

Type of hair loss it's good for: All-over thinning.

For hair that is thinning all over, rather than in a specific location, an ideal hairstyle is one that is short and spiked. It's easy to achieve with a little hair gel, and the increased volume means you'll appear to have a fuller head of hair. Also, because this edgy style creates space between your locks and distracts the eye, it places the focus on where your hair is, rather than where it’s not.

No. 4 Short crew cut

Type of hair loss it's good for: Receding at the temples or the crown.

When it comes time to switch to a shorter cut in order to minimize the appearance of thinning hair, go with a crew cut. Not only is it timelessly stylish and suitable for any age or face shape, but, by blending the thinner portions of your hair with thicker ones, this style creates the illusion of a fuller head of hair. This cut works best when not much is required to blend in bald spots.

No. 3 Buzz cut

Type of hair loss it's good for: Early bald spots.

The buzz cut has at least three advantages for men with thinning hair. First, less hair on your head makes hair loss less obvious. Second, this style is a classic that works in any professional or social environment. For example, with a polished suit, this cut is sharp and sophisticated. On the other hand, with a distressed denim and a hoodie, the buzz cut has an edgy, urban appeal. Finally, it's extremely low maintenance, so you can toss out most of your hair-styling products.

No. 2 Modified Caesar cut

Type of hair loss it's good for: Advanced temple hair loss.

The rule of thumb to follow for hair loss in general is that, as bald spots become more obvious, your hair should become shorter. If you've reached a stage at which you have virtually no hair in your temple region but some remains on your crown and you don't want to go hairless yet, work with what you've got. The solution is to request a cut that's clipper-short without being a buzz cut and to use the smallest amount of gel or pomade to finger brush your hair forward. The result will reduce the appearance of thinning on top of your head and will lend a distinguished air to men with salt-and-pepper locks.

No. 1 Clean shaven

Type of hair loss it's good for: Advanced hair loss.

When you've reached the point of no return, shaving off all your remaining hair is a great option. In fact, if you have an even and pleasingly shaped skull, a hair-free style could be one of the best moves you'll ever make. It takes a significant amount of confidence to go completely bald, which will translate into an air of authority in your professional life and serious sex appeal when it comes to women.

Anyway, is that work for Asian??

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Weekly summary - 270/271th week -- hard water and hair loss

I suddenly read this as some of my colleagues who travel to US for a few months, face hair loss problem. It is understood that the quality of the water there is difference with Malaysia and thus can cause hair loss.
What is hard water??
Get this from hair loss help forum.
Over 85% of the population in the U.S., according to the Water Quality Association, are bathing with hard water. While hard water is fine for drinking, it can cause many problems for your hair, scalp and skin.

These problems include:

* Hair feels dry
* Hair is resistant to color or perming
* Dandruff or eczema of the scalp
* Dry, flaky skin
* Thinning hair
* Colors fading too quickly
* Perms appearing to fall out
* Discoloration or darkening of hair
* Hair lacks body and shine

HOW YOUR WATER AFFECTS YOUR HAIR

The water you use to wash your hair, scalp, and skin comes from one of two sources:

* Ground Water
* Surface Water

Ground Water

If your water comes from the ground, it is either from your own well or from the local treatment plant that derives the water from wells pumping water from the ground. The source of ground water is from rain passing through aquifers, which are layers of minerals. The acidity (pH below 7) of the rain increases the dissolving effect of minerals. These dissolved solids are found in the water when pumped above the ground and used to bathe.

Surface Water

If your water comes from the treatment plant which derives the water from a surface source, the water is coming from either a river or a lake. Surface water usually contains less minerals because the water has not filtered down through the mineral layers. However, increasing populations are polluting the water causing additional bacteria growth. As a result, the treatment plants must add more chlorine to kill bacteria and then add lime (a calcium compound) to help control the chlorine levels.

Water hardness is determined by the level of calcium that is in the water either found naturally from the ground or put into the water by the treatment plant.

While calcium is the element that determines hardness of water, there are many other elements in the water that effect the texture, volume, shine, control and health of hair.

What are the minerals that effect hair?

* Calcium
* Iron
* Copper
* Magnesium
* Silica
* Lead

What other elements effect hair?

* Chlorine -a harsh oxidizer added to the water to kill bacteria also adversely effects hair.

How do minerals and chlorine attach to the hair?

Our hair, scalp and skin have an electrical charge and that charge is negative. Minerals and oxidizers are charged positive. When a positively charged mineral comes in contact with our hair, scalp, or skin, it attaches on like a magnet.

How do hard water minerals and chlorine effect hair?

Calcium - If your source for water is a well, then more than likely you have calcium in your water. If your source for water is coming from a treatment plant, calcium may have been added to your water. Calcium is the mineral that determines hardness of water.

How calcium effects hair:

* Calcium leaves the hair feeling dry and weighted down. It can even cause a perm to appear relaxed.
* Calcium builds up on the scalp causing flaking of the scalp, giving the appearance of dandruff.
* Calcium can choke the hair at the mouth of the follicle causing the hair to break off, then coating the scalp, blocking further new hair growth.

Iron - Iron is found in ground water from domestic wells and wells used by treatment plants as the source for local water.

How iron effects hair:

* Iron leaves the hair feeling dry, brittle and weighted down.
* Iron can cause dark hair to tint darker and blonde hair to turn orange.
* Iron can block perms and color from properly processing.

Copper - Copper originates in water in three ways:

1. It comes from the ground and is pumped into the water from a well.
2. Particles of copper can come from copper piping. The corrosion caused by hard water lifts the copper particles off the pipes and deposits them into the water.
3. Copper sulfates are added to swimming pools to control the growth of algae. Copper is often added to lakes (that are a source of drinking water) in the summer to kill algae.

How copper effects hair:

* Copper discolors hair causing blonde hair to turn green and dark hair to tint darker.
* Copper can weigh hair down and cause dryness.
* Copper can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.

Magnesium - Usually found wherever calcium comes naturally from the ground, magnesium is abundant in the soil and is very much a part of the mineral complex associated with hard water.

How magnesium effects hair:

* Magnesium causes hair to feel dry.
* Magnesium causes hair to appear weighted down.
* Magnesium can inhibit the proper processing of perms, color and relaxers.
* Magnesium causes hair to lack shine.

Silica - Silica is a sand-like substance found in desert or volcanic areas. It is usually bound to calcium or magnesium and forms very hard, virtually insoluble deposits.

How silica effects hair:

Silica causes many of the same effects on the hair as calcium.

* Silica causes hair to feel dry.
* Silica weighes hair down.
* Silica can cause dandruff-like symptoms of flaking.
* Build up of silica can choke the hair follicle causing hair to fall out.

Lead - Lead acetate is used in certain home remedy gray hair cover-ups.

How lead effects hair:

* Lead can cause the hair to feel dry.
* Lead can prevent the proper processing of perms, color, and relaxers.

Chlorine - unlike the other elements listed above, chlorine is not a mineral but an oxidizer. Chlorine is put into drinking water and swimming pools to kill bacteria. In addition to the following effects chlorine has on hair, due to it's oxidizing effects, chlorine also oxidizes minerals onto the hair causing worse effects of those minerals.

How chlorine effects hair:

* Active chlorine in the hair can cause hair to feel gummy when wet and straw-like when dry.
* Chlorine can damage the cuticle and proteins of the hair.
* As an oxidizer, chlorine can cause the air and sun to oxidize hair and worsen the conditions listed above.
* Chlorine can cause hair to feel dry.
* Chlorine can cause hair to become brittle.
* Chlorine can cause hair to lack shine.

What is the solution ??I am not convince with the solution I found on internet.
http://www.boldsky.com/beauty/hair-care/2011/hard-water-hair-care-tips-040211-aid0083.html

My hair condition (2 weeks after Propecia)

My hair condition (2 weeks after Propecia)

Frontal M shape

Frontal M shape