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ASK SHAHNAZ

Beautician Shahnaz Hussain offers tips and answers queries. You can send your queries to shahnaz_press@yahoo.co.in

My hair used to be strong, but now it has become weak and I am losing a lot of it because of dandruff. The problem is so severe that if I use any anti-dandruff shampoo, I develop itching. Please suggest a natural solution. — Prasanth

You should use a mild herbal shampoo. Perhaps, the anti-dandruff shampoo is too harsh. Wash your hair daily, but use very little shampoo. Dilute it in a little water before applying it to the hair. Rinse the hair well with water. Half an hour before shampooing, apply one tablespoon of vinegar and massage it lightly into the scalp. You can also apply a herbal hair tonic. Perhaps, a chemist or a cosmetic store can suggest one. Once a week, heat pure coconut oil and apply it on the scalp at bedtime, leaving it on overnight. Apply vinegar or the juice of a lemon on the scalp and wash the hair after half an hour. Wash your pillow cover, towel and comb daily in warm soapy water, after adding one teaspoon of any antiseptic solution like Dettol or Savlon.

Whenever I wash my hair or give it an oil massage, several strands of hair, barely one cm-long, come off in my hand. This is causing balding and my parting has become wide. I use a mild herbal shampoo or amla, shikakai and reetha. I feel my hair is brittle and breaks easily. What kind of hair care do I need? I follow a healthy diet, including sprouts. If I have to consult a doctor, which specialist should I go to? — Bianca

Avoid massaging your head. If there is hair loss and the roots are weak, massage will only lead to further hair loss. You can heat oil and apply it once a week using cotton wool. Use your fingertips all over the scalp with small circular movements. Avoid vigorous rubbing. Leave the oil on overnight. Use a wide toothed comb. Since you are having sprouts daily, it should help check hair loss, as sprouts contain amino acids, which are beneficial for the hair. Consult a general physician and ask him if you need a thyroid imbalance test, as thyroid imbalances can cause hair loss. Also ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements.

I am 19 and my problem is pimples. A big one comes once in two months on my nose, which looks ugly and troubles me for nearly 15 days. How can I get rid of it? I have tried many lotions and creams without result. — Rizwan

When there are no pimples, you can try deep cleansing. Wash your face only twice a day with a medicated soap. You can buy an astringent and wipe the pimple-prone areas with it twice a day, using cotton wool. Mix rice powder with curd and apply it on the pimple-prone areas. Rub gently on the skin using circular movements. Leave it on for five minutes and wash it off with water. This keeps the pores free of oil. Do not rub this mixture on pimples. Apply curd on the entire face once daily and wash it off after 20 minutes.

I am a regular reader of your column. I am 23 and have oily skin. Please tell when and how to follow the three steps of cleansing, toning and moisturising. — Madhu

First of all, you need to use products that are suited to your skin type. For oily skin, wash the face in the morning with a medicated soap and rinse well with water. Mix one part of rose water with two parts of astringent and wipe your face with it, using cotton wool. This would both cleanse and tone the skin, since rose water is a toner and astringent helps reduce oiliness. You can mix the two and keep it in a glass bottle with a tightly fitted cover in the fridge. This way it will be chilled and help close the pores and also refresh the skin. Two or three times a week, do deep pore cleansing after this procedure. Use a facial scrub using circular movements and wash it off with water. For oily skin, you should not use a moisturising lotion. You can apply honey on the face and wash it off with water after 20 minutes. If you can find an all-purpose cream for oily skin, you can apply it and leave it on during the day. At night, wash your face again with soap and wipe with the astringent-rose water lotion.

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