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ASK SHAHNAZ

Beautician Shahnaz Hussain will offer beauty tips and answer queries. You can send your queries to shahnaz_press@yahoo.co.in

I would like to know whether hair conditioners will cause hair to fall? What is the right way to apply henna on hair? Should I oil my hair before applying henna as I usually do? After washing off the henna, I use shampoo and then a conditioner. Is it ok to do that? — Riya Jose

Applying a conditioner should not cause hair loss, unless you have a dandruff problem. Conditioners need not be applied if the hair is oily. After henna, you need not wash with shampoo, since henna itself is an excellent cleanser and conditioner. There is no need to oil your hair before applying henna. Instead, you can add two teaspoons of oil to the henna paste. To the henna powder add four teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, two raw eggs, two teaspoons of hair oil and enough curd to make a thick paste. If you do not wish to add eggs, add more curd. The paste should be of toothpaste consistency. Divide the hair into sections and apply the henna on both sides of a section, so that it is totally covered with henna. Wrap it around the head. Repeat this with each section, till the hair is totally covered with the paste. Keep it on for at least one hour and then wash it off.

I am 27 and been living in the U.S. for the past six years and due to the hard water here I have lost almost 70 per cent of my hair. At this rate I am scared I will be bald by 30. There is no history of baldness in my family. Is there a way to convert the hard water into soft water so that I can use that water to wash my hair? I am ready to convert just two buckets of water for my hair alone. Or how can I avoid this problem? — Venkat Raghav

The hard water may be disrupting the normal acid-alkaline balance of the scalp. You can enquire about water softening kits available for home use. Even a water filter may help. In fact, in the U.S., you should be able to get water softeners. Use a mild herbal shampoo. After washing the hair, add two teaspoons vinegar to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse. In other words, do not rinse the hair after the vinegar rinse. This should help restore the acid-alkaline balance. Applying a herbal hair tonic daily on the scalp would also help. Once or twice a week, heat pure coconut oil or olive or til oil and apply on the scalp at night using cotton wool. Wash hair the next morning. Eat a small bowl of sprouts daily and ask your doctor to prescribe Vitamins B-Complex and C.

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