Detoxify your scalp and see the right way to wash and moisturize your hair –

If a few years ago the straight hair fever took millions of women to salons, now it’s the turn of this legion to go in search of treatment. The relationship is logical: consecutive straightening (sometimes poorly done or using formaldehyde), added to coloring, brushing and flat iron, caused damage proportional to the mania: dryness, breakage (lots of breakage!) and hair loss, in that order of severity. The solution came with a new beauty salon concept. It’s the hair spas. In practice, this means that “hair therapists” make use of cocktails that purify the scalp (and therefore allow the hair to grow healthy) and treatments to hydrate and rebuild without weighing or stiffening the hair. They also guide you on the right way to take care of your hair at home and monitor the evolution of the process in the long term (yes, recovery always takes longer than damage). Thousands of people interested (have you got your password yet?) can check out the news of this new wave below. We count everything!

Treatment starts at home

Follow the mantra of hair therapists to revive your hair with simple (and inexpensive) measures

1. Choose the right shampoo

They occupy 95% of supermarket and perfumery shelves and have a tempting appeal: repair, recover, rebuild, revitalize… But shampoo and conditioner for damaged hair do not always meet the needs of your hair type. “I often notice that some clients’ hair ends up heavy, without balance and with oily roots. Despite having chemistry, they do not damage the hair so much and, therefore, they could bet on a shampoo that is only moisturizing, based on vitamins and essential oils”, says Cris Dios, hairdresser and cosmetologist at the Salon Laces and Hair, in São Paulo, a one of the first hair spas in the country.

2. Is switching worth it?

Well, if your case is really serious – rough, opaque, rigid hair that breaks just by looking at it – cosmetics rich in keratin and amino acids are fundamental, as they will strengthen the innermost structure of the hair fiber. The secret is to use them alternately with neutral shampoos or shampoos for oily hair. They contain less conditioning agents and therefore lessen residue build-up. Do it like this: use the shampoo for damaged hair for two weeks and the other for a week. Wait three months, evaluate the result and, if it is not working, change the products for another brand.

3. Diluted is more effective

That’s what Renata Souza believes, hairdresser at Dios, in São Paulo, a salon specializing in hair care and sought after by stars like Angélica, Isabella Fiorentino and Cleo Pires. “Diluting the shampoo in a little water before applying it on the head prevents the cosmetic from accumulating in just one area, mainly on the top of the head, and does not clean the hair effectively”, she says. Take a disposable coffee cup to the shower and mix right away (do not dilute the whole bottle) the amount of shampoo you use with the same proportion of water. Make back and forth movements with your fingertips to remove impurities from the scalp, but without taking away the region’s natural protection.

4. Preserve the conditioner root

When it’s time to apply the conditioner, the good old rule of applying it only to the lengths and ends is golden. “This care is essential to not leave the scalp greasy and avoid the appearance of dandruff, a problem that, in the long term, weakens the hair”, says Sandro Cassolari,

hairdresser in Sao Paulo. And be careful: it’s a myth that leaving a little bit of conditioner on your hair helps control the volume of the hair after it’s dry. Rinsing thoroughly is the washing trick of most top-of-the-line professionals and prevents hair from feeling heavy and dull.

5. Finish only with what is necessary

If you are a fan of finishers – combing cream, mousse, spray, modeling ointment -, don’t overdo the dose. “Most of these cosmetics are silicone-based and leave residues on the scalp that are difficult to dissolve. These particles obstruct the drainage of natural sebum from the root to the ends, which causes dryness, and, worse, can cause flaking and even aggravate the loss of threads”, warns Inaê Cavalcanti Marcondes Machado, dermatologist from São Paulo and member of the International Association of Trichology. A pea-sized amount of wax or pomade is enough to add texture to your locks. For the leave-in cream, do not apply more than the proportion of two coins of 1 real (if your hair is long). Anyway, if you can’t live without an anti-frizz, thermo-activated spray or repairing ends, use an anti-residue shampoo every 15 days. Specially formulated to deeply clean the threads, it removes the remains of pollution and cosmetics and prepares the fiber to receive hydrating and reconstructive products.

6. Enrich the mask

The trend in salon treatments is to add a booster to the hair mask. It is an ingredient, usually an oil, which enhances the cosmetic’s action, boosting the result. And you can do the same at home. Heat a teaspoon of argan treatment oil in the microwave for 10 seconds, mix it with the amount you are going to use in the mask and apply to the hair. Do this ritual once a week if your hair is asking for help or every 15 days if the root is very oily.

At the dermatologist’s office

Cosmetics and salon treatments work, but in some cases, consulting a doctor is imperative. “Excess hairs on the pillow in the morning, little volume at the roots or flaws in the scalp are signs that there is serious damage to hair production”, warns dermatologist Inaê Machado. “It is necessary to assess whether there is anemia, thyroid dysfunction or deficiency of vitamins and mineral salts”, explains dermatologist Cláudia Magalhães, from Recife. After the diagnosis, it is worth looking for these methods that help in the battle against hair loss.

Nutricosmetics: oral supplements, rich in amino acids, zinc, omega 3, cysteine ​​and biotin, help to recover the hair’s vitality and are supporting medicines and aesthetic treatments. The ideal is to ask for a prescription from the dermatologist.

Microinjections of growth factors: these substances are synthetic proteins that stimulate the natural ability of the cells in the hair follicles to return to producing good quality hair – strong and healthy.

Application of platelet-rich plasma: concentrations of the person’s own cellular material, rich in natural growth factors, are applied to the scalp to stimulate the hair bulb. It is necessary to collect the blood, which will undergo a platelet separation process. They will be reused on the scalp in a topical or injectable solution (depends on each case).

cold laser: less intense energy beams than most lasers, which burn the skin, stimulate the cellular metabolism of the follicles and the blood microcirculation in the scalp.