Things You Should Never Let A Stylist Do To Your Hair

from Longhairlovers Healthy Hair Secrets Revealed (2005)

by Jennifer Bowers Bahney

It's easy to get talked into letting a stylist try a new hair cutting technique or a new chemical process, but these decisions should never be made lightly. When you know how different techniques affect your hair, you can politely decline before damage is done. If you are a stylist, please reconsider using any of the following techniques on your clients.

• Never let a stylist use blunt scissors. Dull blades don't make a clean cut; instead, they leave the hair with a jagged edge that exposes the cuticle to future damage. The best method for cutting or trimming hair is with very sharp metal scissors designed to cut hair.

• Never let a stylist use a razor. Some stylists choose to razor cut hair instead of using scissors. Razor cutting slices the cuticle into long, tapered sections that exposes the inner cortex and sets the hair up for future damage.

• Never let a stylist singe your hair. Singeing is a method of "controlled burning" with the purpose of sealing the hair shaft and supposedly preventing split ends. It's a technique that seems to go in and out of style and should be avoided at all costs.

• Never let a stylist perm or color your hair if your hair is too porous. Test your hair for porosity by putting a strand in a cut of water. If the hair floats, the cuticle is probably healthy enough to keep moisture from passing into the cortex. If the hair sinks, it's likely that the cuticle's scales are lifted and your hair is over-porous. If your hair is over-porous, don't let anyone talk you into having your hair permed or colored until it's back in proper shape with trims and thorough conditioning.
• Never let a stylist brush your hair when wet. Wet hair is in a weakened state because its hydrogen bonds are temporarily broken (they reform when the hair dries). It should be handled carefully and detangled with a smooth wide-toothed comb. Brushing causes tension that can easily cause wet hair to snap.

• Never let a stylist backcomb your hair. Backcoming (or "teasing") is a method stylists use to make hair appear more voluminous. They often backcomb before creating an updo to give the style more height. Backcombing is one of the worst things that you can do to your hair because it everely lifts the cuticles and leaves them vulnerable the next time you comb your hair. There is no way to repair backcombed hair, so be sure to avoid this technique.

• Never let a stylist use excessive heat on your hair. It's perfectly fine to tell your stylist to skip the blow dryer altogether. It's better to go home with a damp head than to risk getting "bubble hair." Bubble hair happens when water in the hair shaft actually comes to a boil and tiny bubbles of steam form inside. The bubbles create weak spots on the hair shaft that can easily break. If you just can't give up your blowouts, try to cut down on using other heated styling tools like curling and straightening irons. Also ask your stylist for a series of deep conditioning treatments to keep your hair properly moisturized.

• Never let a stylist perm and color your hair on the same day. All chemical processes do some damage to your hair. Performing two chemical processes, one right after the other, is a recipe for disaster. The bonds that hold your hair together -- hydrogen and disulphide -- need time to reform after a chemical process. Your stylist should be able to give you proper care instructions (including conditioning) that will prepare your hair for the next chemical process.

• If you're growing your hair long, never let a stylist cut your hair when it's wet. When hair is wet, the hydrogen bonds temporarily break, allowing hair to stretch and appear longer than it actually is. The hair can appear to shrink when it dries, leaving your hair shorter than you had intended. Dry cutting ensures accuracy when length is important.