The Better Blog

Have you ever wondered why even when you use the same products, in the same exact way, you get different results when you’re traveling or away from home? 

The water quality at your hotel or relative’s house probably isn’t the first thought that comes to mind. However, just as the condition of your hair can easily vary depending on the climate or season, your hair and the products you use will also react differently when you wash it in hard water vs. soft water.

Does your hair feel dull, brittle or frizzy no matter what you seem to do? Do you feel like you have to cleanse your hair multiple times and apply copious amounts of shampoo to see any sort of suds? When you step out of the shower, does your scalp feel dry to the point of itching? 

If any of this sounds familiar, you might be dealing with hard water. The “hardness” or “softness” of water is determined based on the concentration of minerals it contains, namely calcium and magnesium. But that’s not all. Did you know the pH of your water is important to the health of your hair as well? 

Keep reading to learn about all the sneaky little qualities present in your water, what they do to your hair, and what exactly you can do about them.

Because of your hair’s growth cycle, it can take two to three months between a stressful event and the first signs of mass shedding. Doctors have reported seeing an influx of patients detailing with temporary hair-loss symptoms several weeks after their COVID-19 symptoms resolve. 

The condition, telogen effluvium, is not considered a coronavirus symptom, but it is a result of the infection. Though this hair loss temporarily lasts six to nine weeks, it can feel like an eternity while you wait for it to grow back. Thankfully, you can manage it in the meantime with a COVID hair-loss treatment.

Many people make the connection between washing their hair and losing their hair. After all, most of us have witnessed the clumps gathered in the shower drain after shampooing. But, if washing with a specific frequency can cause us to shed our hair, what happens when we do the opposite?

Factors like activity level, texture, age and hair type determine how often we should be washing our hair. If you don’t go too long between shampoos, you likely won’t experience much hair loss beyond regular shedding. Using dry shampoo on off days supports scalp health and hydration.

Are you finally done with chemotherapy and ready to take on the world, but don’t know what to do with your new post-chemo hair as it grows in? We’ve got you covered.

It’s perfectly normal for your new hair to regrow in a different texture or color than before. Your baby hairs will likely grow in as soft and fluffy as a newborn kitten. These changes are usually temporary—but even if they’re not, we’ll be here every step of the way. 

Need some inspiration on how to rock your new locks? Try searching #chemohair, #chemocurls, and #hairgrowth on Instagram, Pinterest and other social media sites to see how other women are styling their post-chemo hair.

Your new hair may be thinner, thicker or even a different color than it was before treatment. You might even be able to finally live your dream of having naturally curly hair, as the altered follicles that grow after treatment may have a different structure than before. This change in wavelength could be temporary or permanent. Post-chemo hair is different for everyone!

Hair masks have the same primary purpose as your everyday conditioner—to deliver moisture and improve your strands' condition. Knowing how, and how often, to use them is essential for achieving the greatest benefits.

Generally, your hair mask should be used once or twice per week in place of your regular conditioner. The ideal frequency will depend on the current condition and type of your tresses. If they're dry or damaged, you will likely need this deep-conditioning treatment more often. Healthy or oily hair can get by with less frequent applications.

As those of us with aging scalps can attest, using the wrong shampoo can make an already challenging condition much worse.

One of the main advantages of using quality sulfate-free shampoos is that they are much gentler on sensitive scalps when used properly. They won’t exacerbate the dryness or itching you may already be experiencing. 

Sulfate-free shampoos are less likely to dry out your hair than sulfate shampoos. This is especially true when you use sulfate-free shampoos designed to treat the underlying causes of dryness.

Moms are the pillars of society—they raise the next generation, keep the household together, and they do it all in style. They shoulder an amazing amount of responsibility.

Which is why moms, especially the new ones, might be surprised by the number of myths circulating out there about what society thinks they should and shouldn’t do with their bodies, particulary when it comes to their hair. The amount of information and misinformation can be dizzying. But as always, Better Not Younger is here to clear up a few of the most common mom hair myths out there.