A Haircut as an anti-ageing facelift and research from BBC

A FRIEND who is a mechanic told me how much his industry had changed in just the past few years.

There was a time, he said, when a car broke down, he’d grab his tool kit and could usually fix the vehicle by the side of the road.

Now, he needs to carry the sort of hi-tech equipment that looks more at home at Cape Canaveral where NASA launches the Space Shuttle.

Modern cars are run by computers and if his computer can’t talk with the vehicle’s computer, then the car is towed to the garage where some guy in a white coat rather than oil stained overalls, sets to work.

The hair businesses has also undergone a major change since yours truly did his first haircut. And yet, in many ways, the core values remain very much the same. Great service and designing a bespoke haircut and colour that brings out the best in you, have never gone out of fashion.

If you watched a recent Horizon documentary on BBC 2  February 2017 about hair care and the hair industry. They began by sharing some research of the impact of different hairstyles on your perceived age.

They then investigated products such as shampoos and conditioners and spoke in great depth on the effect heat and straighteners have on human hair.

Scientists in white coats (I thought they’d gone out of fashion) went into great detail about hair and how it functions.

First the Hair bit!

Natures most effective facelift…..With a little help from a skilled hairdresser and colourist.

In 2015 I wrote the following in my blog about our colour service Contouring to complement your haircut cut and face and body shape

At Combers we understand it is  important to remember that placement of colour is just as crucial as what colour to use. Placement of colour can make a fringe look longer or thicker depending on its placement. It can personalise a haircut and give it the essential tailoring fit. It can bring out eyes, cheek bones and eliminate the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles. In essence the perfect non surgical facelift. Combers stylists will use contouring to help give the style more structure and with colour we have the potential to achieve the illusion of volume, length, width, height the list is endless.

I see in the (click) ‘Daily mail article ‘Haircuts as anti-ageing facelift‘ dated February 24th 2017 that others hairdressers have discovered the same   They did not mention Combers hair salon (sadly) but helpfully included pictures that perfectly illustrate the benefits.  Phone Combers on 01823 334331 and ask for a consultation with Beckie Lyons. 

 As if we did not know; the right haircut and colour has an impact on how young or old you look! So these researchers on the BBC documentary decided to put it to a test. They took groups of mothers and daughters and with the use of wigs swapped hairstyles, so the Mum’s had the daughters hairstyle and vice versa. They took pictures and did a survey asking the public what ages they thought they were. It was universally agreed that the Mothers looked younger and the daughters older by just swapping the hairstyles. So if you are 20 and fed up with being id’d in pubs and clubs; the answer is clear…Ask your stylist to cut your hair in the same style as your Mothers…AhhG!

The science bit!

Watching the second part of the Horizon programme, you might now to expect to find your stylist, like the new car service technicians  to be wearing white coats. Perhaps with Bunsen burners chugging away at the reception desk on the next visit to your local salon.

So, without the aid of a white coat and or gazing down at my notes through half-cut spectacles, let Professor Willetts answer some of the questions which arose from the programme.

Are expensive shampoos just as good as a cheap one?

Prof. Laura Waters from Huddersfield University who appeared on the show, gave the right answer to that question. She said: “If you just want clean hair, then price doesn’t matter. However, if you are after more from your shampoo, then buy the best you can afford.” The Horizon scientists explained that a £1 bottle of shampoo carried all the dirt away as much as a £40 bottle. However, the cheaper one the hair surface static so that it picked up more dust and grime from the atmosphere. What they forgot to mention is that in a modern society our motivation to wash is not necessarily dirt!

Does shampoo make hair shine?

It depends on your individual hair strands. If they lie parallel, the hair will seem flatter. However, if hair strands are separate from each other, you’ll appear to have more volume and get the impression that your hair is actually thicker. Do products make hair thicker? Products tend to be layered on the hair surface to give it more bulk rather than within as some products claim.

Can products miraculously cure split ends?

No. The only solution is to cut them off.

How often should hair be washed?

The difference between what we need and what we want is getting wider it seems, so how often out hair needs washing seems irrelevant. We all shower every day, and our scalp is no different to the rest of our body when it comes to the motivation to cleanse and feel good there of. Our hairstyle needs a revamp long before it needs a cleanse, but cleansing is the easiest way to begin, so that is what we do…Use a better cleanser than you use on your body as your hair will suffer, hence the expensive shampoo option, which I would advise on.

Is going grey inevitable?

I knew a man whose hair remained a lovely curly brown well into his 80s. Sadly, he is in a minority of people who retain their natural colour, or even most of it. Some people go grey in their early 20, but by our mid-30s, most of us will succumb to the grey gene. Certainly, stress can hasten the process and some studies claim smoking also increases the amount of grey hairs. Blondes also turn grey quicker and people with black hair it is obviously more noticeable than a red head.

Can baldness be stopped?

No, but it can be slowed down. Ask your stylist for a hair and scalp diagnosis. We have specialist treatments and products for many hair and scalp remedies.

Will blowdrying damage my hair?

It depends on how often you blow dry ,the temperature you use and the type of hair dryer you use; The same rules apply to hair straighteners. Don’t exceed a temperature of 180 degrees as you risk permanently damaging your hair without thermal protection products, especially if your hair has a colour treatment. If in doubt, consult your Combers stylist.