Cuticle - the cuticle is made up of scales and is translucent. It has a protective function
Cortex - It forms the bulk of the hair and it is in this part of the hair that the chemical changes of perming and neutralising take place
Medulla - the medula is an air space in the middle of the hair and may not always be present
Healthy hair has the right amount of protein and moisture in it and the outer layer of the cuticle �shingles� lies down which, in turn, protects the inner layers of hair strands from damage, like say straightening. When the outer cuticles are not moisturized and coated with conditioner the outer �shingles� stand out and and hair is dry, dull, and rough.
To find out if your hair is healthy there are 3 easy tests.
1. Hold a strand between your hands and pull. The perfect balance is a hair strand that stretches a little and breaks with a loud pop. does anything else you need protein or deep conditioning treatments. curlynikki.com
2. You can also tell if your hair is not getting enough moisture. Put a strand in a bowl of water. If it floats, your good, if it sinks right away that means it�s too porous and absorbs water too quickly becuase it�s dry. Of course �dry� hair is not really �dry� it just means the outer layer is standing up and the water can fill into the inner layer of the strand (like a sponge) pulling the hair down into the water.
3. Simple: split ends. End of the hair strand looks like a Y. If you do not get these trimmed immediately they can move up the shaft.
Since hair is made from protein its deficiency can cause increase hair loss.
Free radical damage also can cause it.
My HealthWorks strongly recommends( in addition to Nutritious diet , regular exercise ) following regimen.
HAIR CARE | ||||||||
BIOTIN HAIRPLUS | PRIMROSE OMEGA-369 | COCONUT MIRACLE-X | ||||||
AYURKESH HAIR OIL | PROTOMAX | ALOE VERA | ||||||
MULTIMAX | ||||||||
SPIRULINA | ||||||||
Hair Health Nutrition and hair: deficiencies and supplements. Finner AM1. Author information Abstract Hair follicle cells have a high turnover. A caloric deprivation or deficiency of several components, such as proteins, minerals,essential fatty acids, and vitamins, caused by inborn errors or reduced uptake, can lead to structural abnormalities, pigmentation changes, or hair loss, although exact data are often lacking. The diagnosis is established through a careful history, clinical examination of hair loss activity, and hair quality and confirmed through targeted laboratory tests. Examples of genetic hair disorders caused by reduced nutritional components are zinc deficiency in acrodermatitisenteropathicaand copper deficiency in Menkes kinky hair syndrome.
Aloe Vera Evaluation of the wound healing potential of Aloe vera-based extract of Nerium oleander. Akgun SG1, AydemirS2, Ozkan N2, Yuksel M3, Sardas S1. Author information Abstract OBJECTIVE: Nerium oleander (Apocynaceae) and Aloe vera (Liliaceae) are among the widely used herbal remedies for treating skin diseases and possess numerous activities such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antioxidant. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible wound healing effect of Aloev era-based extract of the N. oleander leaf (NAE-8) based on its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and DNA repair capacity along with histological changes and to compare them with the traditional silver sulfadiazine treatment (SSD). METHODS: Twenty-four Wistaralbino rats were randomly grouped as follows: i) control, ii) burn alone (burn), iii) burn with topical NAE-8 (burn+NAE-8) treatment, and iv) burn with topical 1% silver sulfadiazine (burn+SSD) treatment. All groups received their related topical application twice a day for 14 consecutive days. Upon completion of the experimental protocol, trunk blood and skin tissues were collected for measuring malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione (GSH), myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumornecrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-1� (IL-1�), %DNA in the tail (%DNAT) levels along with histological examinations. RESULTS: Thermal injury-induced alterations in MDA, GSH, MPO, TNF-a, IL-1�, and %DNAT levels were significantly reversed by NAE-8 treatment. These ameliorative effects were also supported by histological findings. CONCLUSION: Findings of the present study suggest that NAE-8 is a promising remedy for treating skin burn injury.
Comparison of healing effect of aloe vera extract and silver sulfadiazine in burn injuries in experimental rat model. AkhoondinasabMR1, AkhoondinasabM2, Saberi M3. Author information Abstract BACKGROUND: Wound healing is widely discussed in the medical literature. This study compared the healing effect of aloe vera extract and silver sulfadiazine in burn injuries in experimental rat model. METHODS: Sixteen rats were randomly assigned to one of two groups, each group 8 rats. A deep second-degree burn on the lower back and 3(rd) degree burn on upper back of each rat were created with a standard burning procedure. Burns were dressed daily with aloe vera extract in group 2 and silver sulfadiazine in group 1. Response to treatment was assessed by digital photography during treatment until day 32. Histological parameters (PMN, epithelialization, fibrosis and angiogenesis) were assessed after biopsy of scar at the end of research. RESULTS: Wound healing was more visible in aloe vera group. Also the speed of healing in aloe vera group was better than silver sulfadiazine group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, aloe vera can be a therapy of choice for burn injuries.
Effect of high-dose isoflavoneson cognition, quality of life, androgens, and lipoprotein in post-menopausal women. Basaria S1, Wisniewski A, Dupree K, Bruno T, Song MY, Yao F, OjumuA, John M, Dobs AS. Author information Abstract CONTEXT: Recent interventional studies indicate that post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and breast cancer. Isoflavones, a class of plant estrogens, have structural similarities to estradiol. Hence, isoflavonesmay exert beneficial estrogenic health effects in postmenopausal women with fewer adverse effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of high-dose isoflavoneson self-reported quality of life (QOL), cognition, lipoproteins and androgen status in post-menopausal women. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial of 93 healthy, ambulatory, post-menopausal women (mean age 56 yr). The study was conducted at a tertiary care center in the United States. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to receive 20 g of soy protein containing 160 mg of total isoflavonesvs taste-matched placebo (20 g whole milk protein). Both soy and the placebo were provided in the form of a powder to be mixed with beverages. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: QOL was judged by the Menopause-specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire while cognitive function was assessed with standard instruments. Total, free, and bioavailable testosterone, gonadotropins, SHBG, and fasting lipids were measured. RESULTS: Eighty-four women (90%) completed the study (active=38, placebo=46). There was a significant improvement in all 4 QOL subscales (vasomotor, psychosexual, physical, and sexual) among the women taking isoflavones, while no changes were seen in the placebo group. No significant changes in cognition, serum androgens or plasma lipids were seen within any of the groups. However, at the end of the study, a group-by-time interaction was observed such that total testosterone and HDL levels were significantly lower in the isoflavonescompared to placebo groups. CONCLUSION: High-dose isoflavonesis associated with improved QOL among women who have become menopausal recently. Hence, the timing of isoflavonesupplementation with regards to the onset of menopause appears to be important. The use of isoflavones, as an alternative to estrogen therapy, may be potentially useful and seemingly safe in this group of women who are looking for relief from menopausal symptoms.