What can we do for our clients, friends, and family members that are battling the terror that follows the effects of cancer treatment? Hair loss due to these intense treatments can be both painful emotionally as well as physically. How can a patient feel positive and strong when their professional image and personal style has been shaken to the core by advanced baldness?

What to understand about someone going through the emotional loss of their hair…

Many cancer patients are frightened of the treatment causing hair loss and afraid of eventual death from the disease. Hair loss is not about vanity. Our hair is intrinsic to our body image, which compromises who we are, how we feel about ourselves and what we want to be.

Hair loss is a constant reminder of having the disease in our bodies and is a powerful visual statement to others that we are sick. As salon professionals, when we see a client in distress over their hair loss, we want to help ease their mind as best we can and here are a few tips in helping them cope.

A cooling treatment that soothes and cools the hair follicles, has been noted in some cases to reduce the amount of chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles and in turn can reduce the amount of hair that will fall out. Here are a few ways to go about the cooling of the scalp to soothe side effects.

We recommend that the client asks her doctor about this “cool cap” method, as it only works for certain types of chemo- treatments.

Some commercially made “cool caps” contain a gel that stays cold for a long period of time. The caps are worn for some time before the chemo drugs are given. It is worn while the treatment is given and then up to two hours after. Your doctor will be able to tell you if the scalp cooling is a proper treatment for you.

Another type of chill type treatment that has benefits is offered by Organic Salon Systems. They offer an innovative white tea treatment and Ginko treatment for sensitive scalps infused with high quality USDA Organic ingredients to nourish the scalp and hair.

White Tea Treatment Hair Sets : eco Certified Organic White Tea Extract made with natural, gentle ingredients. They are a professional line that deeply repairs, has anti-oxidization properties and can restore hair strength and elasticity. Place the white tea packet in cold water prior to the application or service for cooling effect.

Ginko Hair Treatment Set: USDA Organic Gingko Leaf Extract. Helps rebuild hair strands and soothe scalps while creating a complete nourishing effect. Place packet in cold water prior to application or service for cooling effect.

Scalp care is crucial after hair loss from chemotherapy treatments. When the hair begins to grow back, the scalp can become scaly due to the severe dryness. Organic Salon Systems offers a Soothe Plus Treatment line and is an excellent choice for soothing sensitive scalps. This is offered in a treatment kit with three superior products that promote quick healing and high quality ingredients such as aloe (the all healing plant), fennel , willow bark, comfrey, and many more ingredients all geared towards having anti-inflammatory, soothing and protective healing properties.

Applying a daily dose of the Soothe Plus spray treatment to the scalp can help reduce the inflammation and calm irritation to follicles. It is also best to guide cancer patients from using “medicated” shampoos, as these are unnecessary and can irritate scalps by drying them out.

How long after chemo is it ok to color hair? This depends on the condition of the new hair growing back and the scalp condition. In some cases, it is good to do treatments to balance hair back to normal, as hair can grow back in a different texture and often unruly. With the Organic Color Systems line, we can offer clients hair color as a service as soon as their hair is long enough and scalp appears healthy. This is a healthier option for them for hair color due to the non-ammoniated formula and non-toxic ingredients that make up the color formulation.

There may be cases that the scalp or hair is not ready for a color or perming. Examples of this would be:

• The scalp is scaly, sore or irritated.
  
• Hair is dryer than normal.
• Hair is rough to the touch.
• Hair is lighter in color than before the treatment.
• Hair is breaking or not growing normally.

If the hair is dry or brittle during or after Cancer treatments, use only gentle hair products such as the Soothe Plus or Oolong Green Tea shampoo from O’right for comforting the scalp and moisturizing the hair.

We recommend that your clients brush their hair gently and even use a baby brush with soft bristles.  They can use wide toothed combs. At night,  wear a hair net, soft cap or turban to collect any loose hair. Always refrain from using excessive heat as this can cause dryness and make the hair weak which will then break.  Avoid wearing tight bands as they will additionally cause stress and damage while they sleep. They should always avoid sleeping in rollers as well.
A poor diet, stress, and alcohol can make the condition of hair worse. It is important to eat well with plenty of Organic fruits and vegetables and always drink plenty of water. This will keep the body in good condition.


Written By: Jennifer Andrews, for Organic Salon Systems

1) Unpredictable Results
Let’s face it, most of you box color users out there did not attend cosmetology school, and are lacking what we in the business call the “laws of color.” You probably aren’t sure exactly what color your hair is when the color is processing, or when to take off the color to achieve your most desired result. You probably don’t know what colors to mix to cancel out undesired tones in your hair, and we don’t expect you to. But, because of these reasons box color is more like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.

2) One Size Does Not Fit All
So, let’s think about this logically. Box color is formulated so that everyone and anyone can use it, but not everyone’s hair type, condition or color is even remotely the same. In fact, most box dyes are formulated with maximum amounts of pigment and developer, so that it is able to work on most people. The chances are if you have already dyed your hair previously, your processed hair isn’t going to need that strong of a developer; don’t damage it more by getting one size fits all, box color. You do not want this ‘one size fits all’ mentality when choosing your hair color, give yourself customization and expert knowledge, and seek a hair professional who will be able to accurately create a color for you and only YOU!

3) Regrowth Troubles
Again, you probably thought your regrowth would look like the rest of your head because that’s what the pretty lady on the box looks like, right? WRONG! I know this may seem repetitive, but it’s all about the ability to customize. Your regrowth is virgin hair, and the remainder of your head is more than likely already processed, or has seen some damage due to UV exposure or styling. Think you can pair up a good box color for your regrowth and pair it with the right box color for the rest of your hair without look like two different colors? Didn’t think so, leave it to the professionals.

4) Box Color Is Only One Color
This idea ties in both Number 2 and Number 3. We already know that your regrowth will need a different color formulation than the rest of your head, but how about when you want some actual dimension? Or how about if you want a hair color that takes a little more skill than an all over color application, like the much sought after, ombre look? You will not be able to achieve that with the onne color present in a box. Note: Most hairdressers never use less than 2 different colors to mix your desired color – customization!

5) ammonia
As an ammonia-free hair color company, this is an issue near and dear to our hearts. Most permanent hair color from a box works through the use of ammonia. The corrosive nature of ammonia allows it to blast open your hair’s cuticle, allowing the new color particles to penetrate the hair, and irreversibly changing the hair’s pH to an undesirable level. When the hair’s cuticle has been blasted open with ammonia it has difficulty closing back up. Think about it, an unclosed cuticle means major damage/split ends and inability for the hair to lock in color (fading). And guess what? The more you use ammoniated color, the more your hair will fade, causing you to dye your hair more often, causing hair and wallet distress. Not to mention that ammonia damages the hair’s naturalTyrosine levels; Tyrosine is a naturally occurring amino acid that makes up the protein in your hair and is responsible for the natural pigment. Hey, that’s not all! Ammonia damages your scalp’s sebaceous oil glands, inhibiting its ability to create the hair’s natural oils that contribute to your hair’s much needed moisture. Remember this formula for healthy hair: Protein + Mositure + Proper pH, and what did we just learn? Oh, yeah, ammonia destroys the balance of all of those essential components of your hair. Still not convinced? Read more aboutammonia-free color.


6) High Levels of PPDs
Recall, we said that box colors contain superfluous amounts of pigment and developer. What does that mean for you? Well, the pigment we are referring to is the pigment necessary for all PERMANENT hair color, PPD, also known as p- phenylenediamine, and many other derivatives that are just as harmful. Unfortunately, box color has an excessive amount of PPDs, causing an increase in allergies worldwide, as more and more individuals are dying their hair. hair dye Allergies are on the rise, causing unsightly reactions and in some cases, fatality. What’s worse? You may not be allergic to PPD this time, but with continued high exposure to this chemical you can become sensitive at any time! It is advised to seek out a permanent hair color line with low PPD and no derivatives, so that likelihood for an allergic reaction is significantly decreased.


7) Metallic Salts
There are still box dyes on the market today that use Metallic Salts, an ingredient used in hair color since the 1800s. You don’t use Candlestick Phones from the 1890s, right? Why not think the same way with your hair and treat yourself to some innovation. Metallic salts build up on the hair causing each time you use that box dye or Henna (the supposed natural hair color) for your hair to darken past your desired result. Not to mention that if you ever want to go lighter, Metallic Salts are difficult to remove for even the most savvy hairdresser (we’ve seen lots of smoke and smells, it’s not pretty). What’s worse? The building up of the Metallic Salts will over time begin to make the hair feel hard to the touch.

8) That $10 Box Color Won’t Feel That Affordable After a $300 Color Correction
So, you decided not to listen to the other 7 reasons because you still think you know best. Well, orange you the hair expert? We say orange, because that is often the color your hair will turn when attempting to color (especially lighten) with box color. Do your hair and wallet a favor, don’t spend $10 on box color, and then $300 on a color correction.

Kate Middleton pregnancy Announcement

Congratulations to Kate Middleton and Prince William on their newly announced expectancy of their first child! As anammonia-free hair color manufactured in the UK, this is exciting news for our company and country.

Most expected mothers, once given the exciting news of their pregnancy, began to ponder how their own personal lifestyle choices will change or improve to ensure a happy, healthy newborn. Many of these changes include what the mother-to-be puts in and on her body, and this of course, is not limited to her beauty routine.

Pregnancy and Hair Color

One of the most common concerns from expected mothers is, “How will I effectively cover my grey, or keep up with my desired hair color for the next 9 months?” The real answer is: consult your physician!

On that note, we asked on-staff doctor, Dr. Mazer, what his thoughts are on pregnancy and hair color. His reply: “Consider waiting through the first trimester to receive chemical services, but if you insist on coloring your hair, use a color such as, Organic Color Systems, which contains more natural, safer ingredients than other permanent hair colors on the market today.” Dr. Stephen Mazer has been a practicing and consulting physician in both government and the private sector for over 40 years.

Why should you be concerned about Hair Color & Pregnancy?

Nitrosamine
In 2005, the University of North Carolina conducted a study suggesting a link between neuroplastoma (cancer) in offpsring of mother’s who used permanent, semi and temporary hair color at home or in a salon. While evidence was deemed inconclusive regarding potential human carcinogenicity of specific hair dyes, common ingredients in hair dyes are aromatic amines, which are precursors of nitrosamines [3, 5]. Some nitrosamines, such as in tobacco smoke and beer, are known carcinogens [2, 4].
Organic Color Systems does NOT contain Nitrosamines.

parabens & Hair Color


Parabens are common, inexpensive preservatives found in many beauty products, and have been found to mimic estrogen in the body – this can be a huge concern for pregnant women who are already dealing with a bodily hormone changes or are planning to breast feed their children. Denmark has already banned the use of parabensin children’s products, and the EU is well on their way to replicating this safety measure.

In January of 2012, a team of research scientists at the University of Reading in the UK, found an astounding correlation between parabens and breast cancer. In fact, in virtually all tissue samples collected, 99% of breast cancer tissues contained at least 1 paraben, and 60% had at least 5 parabens [1].
Organic Color Systems does not contain Parabens.

Hair Color allergies & Pregnancy
During this special time, pregnancy can cause the body to react in unpredictable ways. With that, it is always advised that before the hair is dyed, a skin patch test is given to avoid contact with unwanted Allergies that could cause complications during pregnancy.

Scent Sensitivity & Pregnancy
As previously stated, the body will act in unexpected ways during pregnancy. A common trait is a sensitivity to smells that may not have bothered a pregnant woman previously. Our solution is simple, use a a hair color and product line that does not contain the harsh smell of chemicals and synthetic fragrance. When coloring a pregnant client’s hair, always proceed with caution, and give them the option of wearing a mask if they are sensitive even to natural smells.

Note: Ammonia is a known irritant of the skin, eyes and respiratory system, and can cause unforeseen asthmatic issues in pregnant women, and non-pregnant individuals alike – we recommend seeking a hair color line absent of this chemical.
Organic Color Systems is AMMONIA-FREE

[Sources]

1. Barr1, L., Metaxas1, G., Darbre, P., Savoy, L.A, University of Reading (2012) Measurement of paraben concentrations in human breast tissue at serial locations across the breast from axilla to sternum: Volume 32, Issue 3, pages 219–232

2. Carey FA (1996) Organic Chemistry, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill:
University of Virginia. pp. 927–928

3. Holly EA, Bracci PM, Hong MK, Mueller BA, Preston-Martin
S (2002) West Coast study of childhood brain tumours and
maternal use of hair-colouring products. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 16: 226–235

4. International Agency for Research on Cancer (1993) Occupational
Exposures of Hairdressers and Barbers and Personal Use of Hair
Colourants; Some Hair Dyes, Cosmetic Colourants, Industrial
Dyestuffs and Aromatic Amines. Lyon, France: International
Agency for Research on Cancer, pp. 43–53, 63–64, 93–94, 129–212.

5. Lijinsky W (1999) N-Nitroso compounds in the diet. Mutat Res
443: 129–138.

6. Barr1, L., Metaxas1, G., Darbre, P., Savoy, L.A, University of Reading (2012) Measurement of paraben concentrations in human breast tissue at serial locations across the breast from axilla to sternum: Volume 32, Issue 3, pages 219–232

As our population continues to age, more and more women find themselves being troubled by thinning hair. Women tend to experience hair loss less dramatically than men as female hair loss is more diffuse (hair over a large region of their scalp rather than loss of hair in a specific area), but the effects are still devastating. Female Alopecia, or female hair thinning, effects more than 60% of women over the age of 40 years old in the United States and Canada. Unlike male pattern baldness, female hair loss tends to be easier to treat and their are new certified organic ingredient technology that has proven to be highly effective and treating this beauty epidemic. Professional hairdressers will need to effectively treat female pattern baldness to remain successful in 2013 and beyond.

O’Right Organic Hair Tonic for Women represents the culmination of all the latest organic ingredient technologies to address hair thinning in women in one amazingly effective and extraordinarily safe product. It’s known by everyone who uses it as “simply amazing”. The certified organic ingredients combined in this tonic have been proven to address female hair loss from a number of different approaches, producing a highly effective solution that is only available from licensed salon professionals.

Human hair grows in three stages: the anagen phase, catagen phase, and the telogen phase. Some highly successful approaches to treating thinning hair is to naturally manipulate the amount of time hair cycles through each phase or providing specific nutrients, enzymes, and amino acids to hair follicles during specific phases to either protect the hair papilla (the hair’s root) or enhance the hair papilla’s mitotic (cell division) process.

On average, about 85% of all hair on a woman’s head is in this “active growth” phase at one time. Hair that grows during this 4 – 6 month phase is thick, healthy, and will grow at an average rate of 0.5 inches per month.

On average, about 5% of all hair on a woman’s head is in this “regression” phase where hair growth and cell division halt, the hair follicle shrinks, and the hair begins to separate from the follicle. This phase can last 3 – 5 weeks.

On average, about 10% of all hair on a woman’s head is in this “resting” phase as the follicle recovers and the old hair fiber grows out. Once the hair fiber has grown out, the follicle recovers and begins a new Anagen Phase as it begins to grow new hair. This phase can take 3 – 5 months. It is during this phase that follicles have the most risk of going dormant as various factors (discussed below) inhibit the recovery from the Catagen (regression) phase [1].

Some of the most common causes of female pattern baldness is caused by hormones (9%), medications (26%), and poor scalp conditions (65%). Understanding the cause of female baldness doesn’t always help us in treating it. However, the more insight hairdressers have into the cause, the better they can guide their clients on minimizing their risk for continued hair loss in the future.

An imbalance in hormone levels, sometimes caused by contraception or aging, can facilitate heightened levels of testosterone which produces a hormone known as DHT. DHT is responsible for miniaturization (shrinking) and gradual disappearance of affected hair follicles. There are several organic approaches that will protect the hair follicle against fluctuations in hormone balances. Ultimately, clients should seek the counsel of their health care provider to ensure that they are maintaining healthy hormone levels which do not put the client at risk of exposing their hair follicles to DHT.

Their are a shockingly large number of medications that cause a condition known as “telogen effluvium” where hair is prematurely shifted into a resting stage where hair shedding will occur. Common categories of medications that will cause female pattern baldness includes diet pills, contraceptives, thyroid medications, mood altering drugs (Prozac, Xanax), anti-inflammatories, cholesterol control, blood thinners, seizure medications, and “street drugs” such as cocaine and marijuana [2].

Some other medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, causes a premature shift into the anagen phase, but one where there is no cell division to produce hair cells. In this phase, no available hair loss treatments will be effective because traditional approaches address the hair growth phases and not cell division itself. Because chemotherapy and radiotherapy are a type of therapy that ceases cell division in the human body, or “mitotic inhibitors”, attempting to treat hair loss during these types of treatments is counterproductive and will not be successful.

The condition of the scalp is also essential to healthy hair growth. In 65% of all women experiencing thinning hair, simply clarifying the scalp ceased and even reversed the thinning. This is by far the most overlooked problem of female hair thinning today. To be clear, follicles are easily invaded by bacteria, fungi or viruses (usually associated with styling products or heavy conditioners) and when they become infected causing inflammation. When inflammation occurs, it will cause the hair to fall out. When infection or inflammation persists, the hair follicle can be damaged and become permanently dormant.

O’Right Hair Tonic for Her is fortified by organic goji berry. Goji berry is an amazing hair loss supplement because of it’s ability to regulate hormonal effects, clarify the follicle of impurities, and its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects. While most people are aware of the benefits of goji berry in fighting thinning hair in women, many aren’t aware of the other powerful ingredients in O’Right’s hair tonic and how they fight female hair loss.

1. Organic Ginseng Root Extract: Ginseng root extract induces an earlier telogen to anagen conversion. With the hair follicle being dormant for a much shorter period of time, the risk of the hair follicle not recovering from the Catagen (regression) phase is greatly minimized. Further, the application of Ginseng Root Extract on the scalp is shown to cause an increased depth and size of the hair follicle as well as a heightened level of growth factor gene of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) in the hair follicle [3]. For these reasons, and others, ginseng root extract is known for eliminating thinning in hair and produce thicker, healthier, more dense hair.

Ginseng Root Extract also provides hair with energy and nourishment. It increases blood flow and stimulates microcirculation. It nourishes hair and scalp and acts effectively against dandruff. It provides hair with elasticity and silkiness [4].

2. Organic Trimethylglycine: Trimethylglycine is a natural probiotic enzyme, derived from organic sugar beets, that has been proven to be an incredibly powerful anti-inflammatory for hair follicles. This ingredient will quickly and effectively relieve infected, polluted, or otherwise inflamed hair follicles preventing inflammatory damage [5], restoring hair growth, and avoiding permanently damaged hair follicles. Trimethylglycine also strengthens the hydrogen bonding of the new hair that is grown from the follicle. This stronger hydrogen bond will protect the hair’s protein structure making the new hair considerably less susceptible to damage caused by chemical treatments, heat treatments, or agressive styling [6].

3. Organic Woldberry Fruit Extrac (Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract): Wolfberry extract contains large amount of amino acids and phytoprotein, which significantly promotes protein metabolism to form hair protein in the hair follicle. The large quantity of antioxidants from wolfberry also provides an aggressive cleanser of to clarify the hair follicle and rid them of free radicals that can pose a threat to follicle health, especially during the telogen phase. Finally, wolfberry extracts also contains essential Omega3 fatty acids, taurine, and other nutrients that promote strong hair growth [7].

4. Ornithine: Ornithine is naturally occurring amino acide enzyme that is present in the hair follicle that regulates the transition of the hair follicle from the anagen phase to the telogen phase. When Ornithine is no longer present in the anagen (growth) phase, the hair follicle is signaled to begin to move to the catagen (regression) phase [8]. So long as O’Right Hair Tonic, which contains Ornithine is used on a daily basis, hair follicles are persistently kept in the anagen face. Thereby, all hair loss is stopped.

5. Citrulline: Citrulline is a crystalline amino acid found in all hair follicles. Citrulline is critical in generating strong hair protein and the levels of Citrulline have been shown to be effected by human stress, heat treatments, and chemical treatments (especially relaxers and perms). Citrulline has proven to be highly effective at protecting the developing hair cells during the mitotic (cell division) process from the effects of adverse medications. When there is a lower level of Citrulline in the hair follicle, the resulting hair that grows tends to be much thinner, weaker, and contains much less pigment. O’Right Hair Tonic contains a healthy concentration of citrulline which ensure growth of healthy hair[9].

6. Arginine: Arginine is an amino acid, essential to human life as building blocks of protein. What makes arginine a uniquely effective supplement for hair growth is its power to increase the level of nitric oxide in the hair follicle as the hair papilla’s mitotic (cell division) process coverts arginine into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide increases blood flow to the hair follicle and relaxes blood vessels which plays a role in stimulating hair growth [10]. Arginine is a extraordinarily powerful ingredient for creating a healthy scalp that facilitates hair growth, but also facilitates protein synthesizes in the hair root. Just as arginine is an important supplement for treating pre-term infants and recovering burn victims, it also aids in the building of human hair protein.

7. Apigenin: Apigenin is a plant extract that is an excellent antioxidant for clarifying the follicle, a powerful anti-inflammatory to address infected follicles, and is excellent at promoting new hair cell growth through protecting hair follicles from the dangerous effects of hormonal imbalances [11].

8. Organic Burdock (Arctium majus) root extract: arctium majus root extract improves blood circulation, decelerates hair loss, strengthens hair follicles and encourages healthy hair growth. It also regulates sebaceous glands activity and has a normalizing and soothing effect on the scalp [11]. Since the burdock oil is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids, it is also improves hair strength, shine, and body by helping maintain a healthy scalp and promote hair growth. It combines an immediate relieving effect with nutritional support for normal functions of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles [12].

9. Biotin: Biotin, also known as vitamin H or coenzyme R, is an important component of the human metabolic systems and biotin has proven to be effective at protecting the hair follicle against both physical and psychological stress [13]. Biton deficiency is one of the most nutritional factors influencing hair thinning in women [14] and providing this supplement directly to the hair follicle can produce rapid results in hair recovery.

 
1. http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/hair-loss/women/causes/
2. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1073488-overview#a0104
3. https://data.epo.org/publication-server/rest/v1.0/publication-dates/20101201/patents/EP2255782NWA1/document.html
4. http://www.kord.gr/default.asp?pid=78&la=2
5. http://www.personalcaremagazine.com/Story.aspx?Story=7496
6. http://www.betapowerbetaine.com/
7. http://www.ccba.bc.ca/discuss1/_disc1/0000115a.htm
8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10473133
9. http://dslaboratories.com/revita.cor/nutritional_compounds.php
10. http://www.ehow.com/about_5617225_arginine-hair-growth.html
11. http://www.kord.gr/default.asp?pid=78&la=2
12. http://www.naturalnews.com/031524_burdock_root_herbal_remedy.html
13. http://www.naturalnews.com/028198_hair_loss_biotin.html
14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotin