Combined Androgynous Hygiene Guide

Part I. Body Hair

Body hair is a common colloquial term for the terminal hair on the human body developing during and after puberty in contrast to the head hair and the less visible vellus hair. A medical term for it is androgenic hair since its growth depends primarily on the level of androgens (male hormones) containing within the individual human organism. Due to a normally higher level of androgens men tend to have visibly more androgenic hair than women so that this type of hair can be seen as a sign for sexual dimorphism and therefore a secondary sex characteristic.

Growth and Development

The appearance of androgenic hair is caused by the rising level of androgens due to puberty that causes a transformation process of vellus hair into terminal hair on several parts of the human body. The hair follicles respond to androgens, primarily testosterone and its derivatives. The rate of hair growth and the weight of the hairs increase. Different areas respond with different sensitivities. As testosterone levels increase, the sequence of appearance of androgenic hair reflects the gradations of androgen sensitivity. The pubic area is most sensitive, and heavier hair usually grows there first in response to androgens.

Areas on the human body that develop terminal hair growth due to rising androgens in both sexes, men and women, are the axillary hair (underarm) and the pubic hair. In contrast to that, normally only men grow androgenic hair in other areas. There is a sexual dimorphism in the amount and distribution of androgenic hair, with males having more terminal hair (particularly facial hair, chest hair, abdominal hair and leg and arm hair) and females having more vellus hair, which is less visible. The genetic disposition determines the sex-dependent and individual rising of androgens and therefore the development of androgenic hair.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgenic_hair"

Hair Removal
Hair removal  describes any method of removing hair, especially from the human body, and generally fall into two categories:

Depilation is a generic term for hair removal which affects the part of the hair above the surface of the skin. The most common form of depilation is shaving. Another popular option is the use of chemical depilatories, which work by breaking the disulfide bonds that link the protein chains that give hair its strength, making the hair disintegrate.

Epilation is removal of the entire hair, including the part below the skin. Some individuals may use waxing, sugaring, epilation devices, lasers, intense pulsed light or electrolysis. Hair is also sometimes removed by plucking.

Body Waxing-Men. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,576.0.html

For more information on Hair Removal Methods see Susan's Wiki at http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Depilation

Shaving
Shaving is the practice of removing body hair using a razor.

Shaving is a common method of depilation, and is most commonly used by men to remove their facial hair and sometimes chest hair, and by women to remove their leg hair, underarm hair, pubic hair, or other bodily hair. Women and men may also shave the hair off of the top of their heads, or at least parts of it. Shaved heads can be considered as a form of haircut.

Shaving Methods
Shaving can now be done with an electric razor or a manual razor. If a non-electric razor is used, some lathering agent such as soap or a special shaving cream, gel, or foam is normally applied to the area to be shaved first, to avoid a painful razor burn. Lathering agents lubricate the area to be shaved, moisturize the skin, and lift the hairs.

Manual razors are available in many different styles: disposable, disposable cartridge, straight razor, and safety. Some forms of women's razors have no blade at all, and use chemicals to break down and remove the hairs.

Shaving without the aid of shaving gel, soap, or cream is known as dry shaving. Electric razors are typically used without external shaving aids, and were originally called dry shavers, however modern electric razors now lubricate the skin slightly.

The removal of a full beard often requires the use of an electric (or beard) trimmer to reduce the mass of hair, and simplify the process.

For More information on How-to and about Shaving see Susan's Wiki at http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Shaving
Also for much information from Transsexual: Hair Removal section (some of the posts bellow come from here) see http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/board,81.0.html

Melissa's Hiding Facial Hair. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,5478.0.html
Cindi's Experience. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,6907.0.html
Face gets irritated when shaving. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8077.0.html
Getting red rashes on my legs when shaving. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,9222.0.html
Developing red bumps. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,262.0.html
Ways to lessen arm hair? http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8746.0.html
Permanent facial hair removal. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8608.0.html
HRT affect on facial hair growth (decrease). http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,9169.0.html
Dee's Body hair removal. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8526.0.html
If Shaving isnt working best. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,980.0.html
Susan Member's Recommendations: Electric Shavers. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,7935.0.html
Quatro titanium vs Mach 3. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,6414.0.html
Epilator. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,674.0.html
Susan's Wiki: Epilation Devices. http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Epilation_device
Arms, chest, and rear hair removal. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,812.0.html
Problems with Veet. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,498.0.html
News article on Razor Light. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,9238.0.html
Poll: Do you shave your legs? http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8533.0.html


Plucking Hair. Probably the single best method to take care of small numbers of stray facial hairs is by plucking them with a pair of tweezers. It is a great method of maintaining your eyebrows, plucking the odd hair that grows in between the brows, and those hairs that grow between the brow and the eye lid. See Susan's Wikipedia for more on Plucking http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Hair_plucking

Step-by-step Eyebrow shaping. (this article has ok pictures and instructions) http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?PAGETYPE=ART&REFER=MAKEUP&ID=44
How to have perfectly shaped brows. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2986.0.html

Help...I have thick eyebrows. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,7867.0.html
Eyebrow Concealing. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,1696.0.html

Cosmetic and Permanent Eyebrows
I need thicker eyebrows, they are too thin. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,6522.0.html
Using Eye area makeup, such as eyebrow pencil (scroll down to Eyebrow area for a few more bits of info, and to see the big picture with other makeup).http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Cosmetics
Permanent Makeup: Eyebrows (Gallery). http://www.permanentmakeupbyceles.com/eyebrows/ and http://www.apermanentcosmeticcenter.com/index.html#gallery

Facial Hair: (This is copy pasted from various sites. 2 links at bottom link to two posts I found in FTM)
The extent to which some women are obsessed with the hair on their heads is nothing when compared to the level of obsession some men have with their facial hair. While generally speaking, most women prefer a clean-shaven man, many women (and many more men) find facial hair to be very attractive. And the up-and-coming generation of young men (those in their late teens and early twenties) seem to have founded a renewed interest growing and grooming unique facial hair designs.

Male pogonotrophy (the growing of facial hair; beardedness) is often culturally associated with wisdom and virility. Many men style their facial hair into beards, moustaches, goatees or sideburns. However, many others completely shave their facial hair. A man's facial hair, especially short hairs that were missed in shaving, is often referred to as whiskers, although only certain nonhuman mammals have true sensory whiskers.

Styles come and go, of course, but with facial hair the same looks have remained popular, albeit with some slight adjustments. It seems that actual hairstyles are serving as the real centerpiece of a person's look, but that can change depending on how much effort you put into changing your facial hair.

A few days' growth:
This is the classic, no-nonsense facial hair style. If you prefer having a more rugged look and are tired of walking around clean-shaven, then try growing out your facial hair for a few days. If you feel like your hair is getting too out of control and would rather clean up your look, you can use a trimmer or clipper to tame the region by establishing the contours around the cheekbones, mouth and chin.

The Depp detour:
You might get annoyed with Johnny Depp's bohemian look and method acting technique, but you have to admit that he boasts his own style -- and that's pretty admirable. In addition to his shaggy hair and mismatched clothing, Depp's quasi-goatee has become part of his trademark. Although simple goatees are out, a thin mustache along with a small patch of hair underneath the bottom lip and another patch of hair on the chin (none of which are attached) can help add some edge to your style. This can work with or without a handlebar-like mustache.
(these two styles reposted from http://www.askmen.com/fashion/trends_100/139_fashion_men.html)

au naturel:
Having a clean-shaven face never goes out of style. This is the cleanest looking style of facial hair you can have -- no facial hair. While it may be annoying to always maintain your clean shave, this style makes for a preppy, classy, fresh look. Not only does it take a few years off of a man's perceived age (which may not be the preferred style for those who look young to begin with), but his girlfriend will love the fact that she can cuddle up with him and kiss him without feeling like she's cuddling up to a porcupine.

boldly bearded:
 Here's the facial hairstyle at the extreme opposite of the clean shave: the full beard. Many men can pull this one off, but don't misunderstand me; I'm not suggesting that you keep a beard that would make you the envy of Biblical characters. Keep your beard trimmed and neat by using clippers or an electric razor. Just because you don't have the daily task of maintaining a cleanly shaven face, it does not mean you can neglect caring and tending for your beard. You can have fun with a beard by donning a thin beard with a goatee and a thin moustache, by shaving off the top part of the beard and leaving only the bottom part.

Goatee:
Now for the chin whiskers: the goatee. This is another facial hairstyle that must be maintained, and may be one of the more high maintenance styles. Make sure that the goatee remains neat and trimmed, and avoid imitating the father of all goatees -- the goat himself. The style may be named after the farm animal, but that doesn't mean you should also don a triangular shaped goatee on your chin -- a definite fashion faux pas.
(Last 3 styles reposted from http://www.askmen.com/fashion/trends/16_fashion_men.html/)

The Chin Curtain:
This is a style of facial hair that is often seen in the media whenever video footage of America's Amish community is shown. The style is marked by facial hair grown only along the lower portion of the face at the chin and following the jaw line. While many Amish men still wear traditional chin curtains, modern variants are seen that are trimmed into ultra thin lines and even patterns along the jaw.

The Soul Patch (or Small Beard):
The Soul Patch is most readily identified as a style popular among the beatniks and jazz artists of the 50s and 60s. In earlier periods, the soul patch was called a 'small beard' for obvious reasons. It is characterized by its confinement to the area just below the lower lip. It has been seen trimmed short, or grown long and groomed into varied shapes. Modern versions are often trimmed short and narrow.
 
The Handlebar Moustache:
This is one of only two moustache styles chosen to include here. Moustaches as a whole are simply variations on a theme, styled and trimmed full or thin. The handlebar moustache is characterized by the fact that it must be worn long enough to curl the ends of the moustache upward. This is usually achieved and maintained through the use of specialized styling wax. Modern moustache styles tend to be close-trimmed and worn thin.
(last 3 styles are reposted from http://www.hairfinder.com/hairstyling/mensfacialhair.htm)

FTMs with Facial Hair at Susan's. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,6281.0.html
How much does facial hair matter. http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,3816.0.html

for more information on Beards here is some further resources:
** Great Site** Hudson's FTM: facial hair grooming guide (lots of pics and info). http://www.ftmguide.org/facialhair.html#beard
All about Beards. http://www.beards.org/
The Beard Community. http://beardcommunity.com/

This posts is a start I will modify it more the next few days.

Part II. Androgynous Clothing style
This is a daunting topic to cover in one post. Rather than just coming out and telling you a formula X+Y=androgyne style, I will instead show some general ideas sometimes showing ends of spectrums and examples to wear you can sort of figure out what combinations can lead to a unique androgynous type style that can become a part of your gender expression.

From http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,9739.0.html

GENDER EXPRESSION
(communication of gender)

masculine ------------------------------ androgynous ----------------------------- feminine
                                     Interdressing & Neutral dressing (also Bigender)

Gender expression is everything we do that communicates our sex/gender to others: clothing, hair styles, mannerisms, way of speaking, roles we take in interactions, etc. This communication may be purposeful or accidental. It could also be called social gender because it relates to interactions between people. Trappings of one gender or the other may be forced on us as children or by dress codes at school or work. Gender expression is a continuum, with feminine at one end and masculine at the other. In between are gender expressions that are androgynous interdressing and neutral dressing. Interdressing mixing elements of both gender. Neutral dressing neither masculine nor feminine. Gender expression can vary for an individual from day to day or in different situations, but most people can identify a range on the scale where they feel the most comfortable. Some people are comfortable with a wider range of gender expression than others.








Historically Men's Clothing

If you were to judge some historical clothing by today's standards one might think them to be a mixture of masculine and feminine. Such as these.














Social Androgynous Trends
With groups coming into and out of style, why not use them as a chance to express the androgynous part of the androgyne in you. Instead of rejecting them, support and promote them. After all, many none androgynes will be expressing both femininity and masculinity, which is good for transgenders as well.

Social Groups accepting cross gender appearance
Emo
Metrosexual
Gothic
Japanese- Manga, Anime, Cossplay, Crossplay, Visual Kei http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,6637.0.html
Hippie
Punk
Glam Rock
80s Androgynous Pop Stars http://www.eightyeightynine.com/musicvideo/transgender.html
Some Techno Sounds









Some changes you can try

General Clothing transformations
Feminization

• Choose more feminine friendly colors (see colors feminine: below): Pinks, light blues, light greens, turquoise, purples, lavender. Colors are soft, light, pastel, clear and rich. Ex. Wear something like the pink polo shirt.
  
• Wear buttons on the left. Women's clothing have buttons predominantly on the left. http://www.marquise.de/en/themes/linksrechts.shtml. Ex Wear the women's polo or dress shirts
• Try Clothing with more feminine fabrics (see fabrics section below): crisp cottons, fine woolens, linens, silks, satins, lace, and finer weaves. Angora, satin, velvet, and organdie are extremely feminine. Ex. Silk or satin dress shirt.
  
• Buy female clothing in masculine colors. Wear them so that you have feminine cuts (see various pic examples of men's vs women's clothing of the same kind but with various differences below). Ex. wear women's jeans.

Masculinization

• Choose more masculine friendly colors (see colors masculine: below): dark blues, dark greens, black, dark browns
• Wear buttons on the right. Men's clothing have buttons predominantly on the right. http://www.marquise.de/en/themes/linksrechts.shtml. Ex Wear the men's polo or dress shirts
• Try Clothing with more masculine fabrics (see fabrics section below): heavier fabrics like tweeds, suit fabrics, herringbone, and denim are all masculine. Ex. Suit coat or flannel shirt.
• Buy men's clothing in feminine colors. Wear them so that you have masculine cuts (see various pic examples of men's vs women's clothing of the same kind but with various differences below). Ex. wear men's jeans.

Fabrics and Colors
I'd like some art introduced into men's clothing. maybe some design or ink work into men's jeans or something. [Men's cloth with artistic designs and such]
men's styled clothes in women's fabrics and/or colors. A soft satiny men's dress shirt. [Men's styled clothes women's fabric & Colors]

Guy stuff, almost by definition now, is pretty much androgyne.  I just would like to accentuate that a little more without going totally overboard to the "metrosexual" type of image.  A mixture of feminine and masculine would be good.      [between guy and metrosexual]

http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9709/18/gigli/

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/02/07/ny.fashion.week/index.html

Fabrics

Masculine preferred fabrics: heavier fabrics like tweeds, suit fabrics, herringbone, and denim.

Tweed Herringbone
Denim

Feminine fabrics: crisp cottons, fine woolens, linens, silks, satins, lace, and finer weaves. Angora, satin, velvet, and organdie are extremely feminine.


Satin
Silk









Colors [Starting to build a section on Colors, starting with quotes of information to work off of]

Poll of Favorite Colors by gender http://desktoppub.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=desktoppub&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fjoehallock.com%2Fedu%2FCOM498%2Fpreferences.

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/choosingcolors/f/mencolors.htm?terms=your+favorite

Feminine colors are soft, light, pastel, clear and rich.

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/choosingcolors/f/womencolors.htm

http://desktoppub.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=desktoppub&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.colormatters.com%2Fkhouw.html

The Meaning of Colors http://desktoppub.about.com/od/choosingcolors/p/color_meanings.htm






Types of Clothing
Shirts
silk shirts                                                                                                               [silk shirts]
male or female shirts/blouses, I tend to like wearing things loose and flowing                       [Loose flowing male female shirts blouses]

First shirt that may come to mind is the T-shirt. Of course this depends on cut, style, print, and color. Essentially, the T-shirt in it's raw form is unisex.
Long sleeved
Feminine Cut T-shirt. Men's T-shirts have evolved into collared shirts

Turtleneck

The Indian Kurta Looks good on men, women, and androgynes.

Vest



Tunic



Pantsa rugged look in a more feminine cut.

Masculine Cut Feminine Cut

Baggy pants- Want more of a skirt/dress feel yet still keep the pants look?
The workout lookCarpenter Pants
Cargo Pants

Skirts
Bravehearts in Kilts Against Trouser Tyranny


http://members.aol.com/brvhearts/index.htm
men wearing skirts                                                                                                    [skirts for men]
I'd also like to see skirts for guys make it into at least a subculture.                                   [Men's skirts]

Gothic inspired



Sometimes even the Matrix like Long Coat can act and sorta bring a dress silhouette to a person.


Drawstring and sweatpants
Many styles and cuts can be unisex. Can be worn for casual wear.


Traditional Business Wear


Put a little pink into your business men's clothing

Or some pink into your semi casual wear

Shoes
Androgynous Shoes from http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,8866.0.html

Accessories
From Purse topic http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,9418.0.html






Occasions
Casual wear - Shorts, jeans, shirts that could be taken for male or female. Levi's 501 jeans with a little better fit spandex-denim mix
shirts "butch"...a rugged look in a more feminine cut.                          [Casual Jeans & Butch Shirts mix Men's with women's fabric]

Business Casual - Pants/slacks and dress shirts that those of us who are not out at work can wear, that will not look too femme, but still have enough of a touch that it leaves a little question.  As much as I like the idea of the satiny dress shirt, not sure I would risk that at work...the long nails raise enough questions.                                      [Satiny or silk dress shirt + Pants and such]

Dress clothes - something for a night on the town ("fancy style") or to church or weddings.  It would be great if it looked good enough to wear for a job interview.                                                                       [fancy]

Swimwear.  Lots of luck here...I can't imagine much except a crop-top t-shirt and running shorts.    [Swimwear?]



Price vs Quality and Thrift options
best bang for my bucks, which I have very few of.                                                        [quality vs affordability]
And cheap, too.  Poverty is the wrong word for it, but there's never quite enough money to make it.      [Price tag conscious]
I buy most of my clothes at thrift stores, and have a number androgynous silk shirts that cost under $5   [Affordable thift shopping]

Updated a few more tidbits.

Again added some more. I still want to add to the guide a feminization / masculinization to casual, semi casual, and business attire if I can in the future.

Part III. Androgynous Hair

Hair: Definition
Hair is found in mammals as a filamentous outgrowth of dead cells from the skin. Other life forms, especially insects, show filamentous outgrowths, but are not considered "hair".



Keratin is the primary component of hair. Keratins are proteins, long chains (polymers) of amino acids. Keratins are a principle part of the cells in the epidermis, hair, nails, feathers, hooves, horny tissues and the enamel of teeth. 91% of hair is protein.

The hair's outermost layer is the cuticle. The cuticle is a transparent scalelike layer and is the primary defense against damage. It protects the cortex. The cortex is the middle layer of the hair. It is full of protein elongated cells and also constains melanin (pigment).

Scalp hair grows at a rate of about half an inch per month, on average, and shampoos or vitamins have not been shown to noticeably change this rate. Hair growth rate also depends upon what phase in the cycle of hair growth one is actually in.

Hair care is an overall term for parts of hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair on the human head.

Care of the hair and the scalp skin are sometimes considered separate, but are often together because hair grows from underneath the skin. The hair follicle is the living part of hair. Hair itself is not alive. Much can be done to protect, strengthen, and nurish the hair and roots.

When scalp skin disorder arise, it is often necessary to visit not only a qualified physician, but sometimes a dermatologist. Conditions that require this type of professional help include forms of alopecia, hair pulling/picking, hair that sticks straight out, black dots on the hair, and rashes or burns resulting from chemical processes.

Hair Types
The first thing to look at in hair care is one's hair type. Different hair will require different care. All hair is not the same.

Hair texture- Coarse, medium, or fine
Hair density- number of hair strands in a given area on your head. Low, medium, and high (or thin hair, medium hair, and thick hair)
Hair elasticity- Ability of hair to stretch and return to original shape without breaking. Low (breaks easy), normal can stretch up to 50% of size and return back.
Hair porosity- Ability of hair to absorb moisture. Condition of cuticle layer. You can slide fingers along a hair to feel if it feels smooth or rougher.

Dry hair & scalp= flaky scalp, dull, dry , lifeless hair -> Use moisturizers (hydrate skin) and emollients (soften skin). Use weaker soaps, less frequent washing, and avoid alcohol products.

Oily hair & scalp= greasy buildup, oily hair -> Use clarifying and normalizing shampoo on a regular basis, good diet, and exercise,.

Hair Nutrition                      

Keratin =primary component of hair.
Protein =building block of Keratin.
Amino Acids  =building blocks of Proteins.

Proteins are the essential ingredients of hair. Other nutrition however is needed to promote the processes of making hair, keeping hair, and strengthening hair.

1.) Eating Proteins is the first step to growing stronger, longer, faster growing hair, skin, and nails. Too low of proteins, and hair will thin, and slow down growth.

Amino Acids are the building blocks of Proteins. Animal meats have all amino acids. Plants sometimes have only a few amino acids, though Soy has all of the amino acids. Soy is the essential meat/dairy substitute for vegatarians and people with lactose intolerance..

Meats (Lower fat fish, chicken, eggs are great), nuts, beans (soy/tofu has been found to grow better hair), whole grains (wheat and wheat germ), seeds, gelatin, yogurt,  all are great foods that contain protein. Of the proteins, wheat germ, soy, and gelatin are found as the source in many hair growing products.

Vitamins
Vitamin Bs are the main vitamin hair needs to improve. Vitamin B complex - Regulates the secretion of oil, keeps hair healthy & moisturized. Of the Bs Biotin (B-7) and B-6 (Pyridoxine and Pyridoxamine) is most important, though another 3 Bs (B-5 (Pantothenic Acid), B-12 (Cyanocobalamin), and B-9 (Folic Acid)) are needed to work with Biotin.

2.) One should take a daily Multi-Vitamin for overall nutrition or eat a very healthy real rounded (Vitamin packed meals). In addition, take a B-complex to add additional B vitamins to help the hair. Check with your doctor before taking any vitamins supplements. I list the natural foods that contain the vitamins also.

Vitamin B comes from a number of natural sources, including potatoes, bananas, cereal, lentils, liver, turkey, and tuna. Brewer's yeast is an especially good source of Vitamin B.

Vitamin A is needed for healthy scalp. Vitamin C, Vitamin E (repairs skin and damage) and a few minerals such as iron and sulphur also help hair, which taking a multi-vitamin daily should cover.

Vitamin A is found naturally in many foods. dark green, orange & yellow fruits & vegetables contain Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes (yams), Carrots, Pumpkin, Spinach, Sweet peppers, Winter squash, Apricots, Cantaloupe melon, Mango, Liver (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey), Eggs

Growth Blockers

Stress, lack of sleep or rest, chemical stimulants (caffeine, smoking, carbonated soda stunt hair growth), heat/hot water weakens hair scales, too much sugar and fats are all bad on hair.

3.) Relax, sleep, rest, dont smoke or take caffeine, use cold to lukewarm water on hair if possible, avoid hair dryers, limit sweets and high fats.

4.) Massage scalp at least once a week to stimulate hair folicles.

Detangling (Brush and Comb)
The main reason for detangling is to straighten hair in the same direction, take out knots, snarles and tangles, and to remove any loose hairs that have fallen out naturally.
1. Use your fingers to take out knots. Using a tools (brush or comb) can make it worse. Fingers can gently pry the hairs apart then work gently to loosen by drawing hairs upward and out to the side yet away from the knot.

2. Use a brush or comb to straighten hair, starting from the outside longest parts of the hair and working inside and up. This helps keep the root and hair protected more from stresses.

3. Don't try to detangle wet hair wet hair is already fully stretched. If you have to do it while wet, wait till it is just damp instead of fully dried. If you absolutely have to do it wet, use a wide tooth comb and do it while your hair is drenched in conditioner.

Hair Washing (Shampoo and Conditioner)
Hair care also includes hair washing. Bacteria can damage the hair and skin, if the hair is not properly cleansed. However, not all scalp disorders are a result of bacterial infections. Hair washing refers to not only the cleaning of the hair, but also the cleaning of the scalp skin. The primary tool used in cleaning of the hair is specialized soaps called shampoo. Conditioner is recommended after rinsing out shampoo to replace removed moisture in the hair as well as to strengthen and help in detangling. In dry to medium hair, conditioners are especially beneficial. Its best to get shampoo and conditioner made for your hair type.

You dont have to wash your hair daily because it will remove the skin of essential natural oils (sebum), which help protect the hair. How often you wash will depend greatly on the style and products used, your age/hormones, amount of physical activity, and any issues with the health of the scalp skin. Allowing a day or so to pass and then washing is often helpful to the maintenance of the acid mantle as well as the hair since overwashing can also result in drier hair fiber.

1. First step in any washing is to prepare the hair by detangling. Also this will help remove dirt, dead skin, hairs that have fallen out, and stimulate scalp somwhat.

2. Then apply shampoo (that is good for your hair type, there are shampoos for every type of hair and scalp) in the palm of the hands, approximately the size of a quarter at maximum for most hair lengths, and not directly to the hair and scalp. Lather in the hands and thoroughly wet the hair.

3. Then wash the hair without using excessive force or scrubbing motion, as this causes tangles, overly bends,  and stresses the cuticle. For any length, simply squeeze the shampoo down the length of the hair. It will become sufficiently clean.

4. If you wash your hair daily, only one lathering is needed. If you wait between days then a second washing may be needed. Once to break it up, and a second to remove any buildup or dirt.

5. Do not use fingernails to scrape the scalp. You can use gentle use of a fine tooth comb to loosen up any wax, dirt, dead skin, or loose hairs. When using your fingers use the pads of your fingers to massage and clean the scalp. Rinse the shampoo out completely.

6. Condition the hair for at least 3 minutes after using warm water. Warm water keeps the cuticles opened. Rinse with cold water to close the cuticle to remove the conditioner.

7. Towel dry hair by blotting instead of rubbing. Rubbing the hair and skin removes essential oils. Blotting keeps more good oils on the hair and scalp. A good absorbant towel is a must.

Haircuts includes five basic elements of style; shape, form, space, line, color, and wave pattern. Shaven heads are also a hair cut, and require skin care. Hair cutting is also an expression of art. Various cultural aspects of a person may affect what types and limits a hair cut may include. Hair cutting often involves considerations of body proportions, hair density and hair type, face and head shape from all views (profile, 3/4 and 360 degree, from above and from below), overall bone structure, age, and pattern of how hair lies or falls.

For a list of some haircuts or hairdos see Susan's wiki http://wiki.susans.org/index.php/Hair_styling.

Which types of cuts can be styled both masculine and feminine and/or androgynous?


Short hair - ways to add more masculinity, neutrality, or femininity to your style.
1. Perm 2. Bob Style 3. Tease crown, tuck hair behind ears except one piece to fram face 4. Layer hair longer on top 5. Longer Bangs 6. Pixie haircut

Examples, not in order of list above




Medium to Long hair

1. Long straight all over 2. Mullet 3. Pageboy 4. Super long bangs 5. Ponytail

Examples not in order of list above




What style(s) work best for various facial structures?  Age appropriate styles. 
Oval Face-Almost any hairstyle depending on your hair volume.
Round Face-Pick styles that add volume to top, and are very close to the sides (to prevent emphasizing the width). Keep medium to short if neck is short. Off center part, left or right above the eye helps to break up the face. Dont use very short styles nor center parts.
Square Face-Put curves around temples and jaw to soften the harsh angles. Add volume to ear area to create a  bit of width. Add height to crown. Keep cut medium to short if neck is short. Avoid solid straight bangs.
Pear Shape (Triangle)-Pick a style that has volume at the temples, has some height on top, and can curve a bit narrow to chin area (soft fringe) such as slightly curled out. Carefull not to add much volume to chin area. Hair should be straight near bottom or curved in.
Heart Shape (Inverted Triangle)-Keep the hair near the head on top with no volume. Fringe is good, especial if it comes in on the temple area hiding the wide forhead. Increase the volume of the hair slightly in the mid area around the ears. Go widest at the jaw and neck areas. Avoid short hair. Keep length chin to shoulder length or longer.
Diamond Face-Most volume in jawline and forehead. Bangs add to fullness. Avoid exposing hairline and ears. Hair near ears is close to head with no volume. Play most caution around this ear area. Avoid long haircuts because they will elongate your face.
Oblong Face (Rectangular)-Keep hair closely to top of head (as to not add anymore height). Add volume to the  sides to create an illusion of width. Chin length hair is the max, since anymore would add to the elongated shape. A round shaped haircut is great. Avoid straight and pulled back hair, or exposed hairline.


2.  Wigs.  Styling tips, care, how do I make it feel like my real hair?

Hair Extensions can be added to thinning hair to add volume and length. Synthetic or natural human hair is fastened onto existing hair.

Hair Additions can add volume to thinning hair in the top and crown areas. Synthetic or numan hair.

Hair Pieces can be fastened onto the head in several ways.
Adhesives: Double-sided tape is used to attach the hairpiece and makes for easy fastening and removal. The downfall to adhesives, however, is that they tend to leave a sticky residue on the scalp and on the underside of the hairpiece. The tape can also become unglued if you perspire heavily or go swimming.

Clips: Metal clips attach to the underside of the hairpiece and fasten to your natural hair. The clips are secure and easy to remove. However, many people worry about the hairpiece falling out of place when engaged in any sort of rigorous activity.

Snaps: Snaps differ from clips because they are tied or sewn to your natural hair. They cannot be removed any time you wish and you will require the expertise of a technician to help you take off the wig. Snaps may cause an inconvenience because they must be relocated as your hair grows. Another downside to snaps is that they do not allow daily cleansing of your scalp.



3/4 wig or hairpiece - lengthens hair instantly. Can use your natural bangs and blend with your hair. Must pick exactly as natural hair.




Male pattern baldness
Male pattern baldness is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as "receding hairline" or "receding brow." An additional bald patch may develop on top (vertex). The trigger for this type of baldness (called androgenetic alopecia) is DHT, a powerful sex hormone that adversely affects the hair and prostate.

The mechanism by which DHT accomplishes this is not yet understood. In genetically-prone scalps, DHT initiates a process of [follicular miniaturization]. Through the process of follicular miniaturization, hair shaft width is progressively decreased until scalp hair resembles fragile vellus hair or "peach fuzz" or else becomes non-existent.

1.  For those of us with balding heads (but not a complete reverse mohawk yet) maybe some styling secrets to hide bald spots in the back and receding hairlines in the front.

Blond color hair is normally thinner than darker hair, so dying hair blonde or blonder can help somewhat in some thinned hair.

The comb over or parting to the side was the original thin hair hairstyle and now it has changed to the short buzz cut for men. a shorter hairstyle like a crew cut or a layered "caesar" cut will give the illusion of thicker hair. Long strands will only draw attention to hair's sparseness closer to the scalp, so if long one can help by either doing a ponytail or styling product that controls hair closer to the head.

For slight hair loss at the the front hairline, some use of styling the bangs can be used unless hairloss becomes more noticable. If major front hairline is a problem then wigs (hairpiece attachments, or full length wigs), rogaine, and hair transplants become the main solutions if one considers hidding the lost areas.

For women, a chin-length bob gives hair more body and "swing" at the ends if overall thin hair is a problem. Face-framing bangs help give the style more fullness and height. Anything longer than shoulder-length will make thinning hair look straggly. For women's crown loss, they typically pull their hair back. Small attachable hair fillers can be also purchased to cover crown thinned hair. If loss is slight, some products may be able to save further hair loss , or recover hair that was lost.

3.  Transplants.  If I am considering other "cosmetic" enhancements, how about hair transplants?  Which types are best?  Which look most normal?  How much can I expect to spend?

Hair transplantation is the only permanent method of restoring hair. Healthy hair follicles on the back and sides of the head which genetically do not shed, are moved to the balding areas.

Quote

The 2-4 mm "plugs" leads to a doll's head like appearance where the clumps of hairs can be seen.

"micrografting", "minigrafting" and what is now called "Follicular Unit Transplantation." With microscopic dissection of donor pieces from a resected portion of scalp, individual follicular units containing but 1-3 hairs could be prepared, and individually relocated into needle punctures in the recipient areas. With current techniques, upwards of 50 grafts per square centimeter should be the standard. The development of the 'lateral slit technique' in the 1990s allowed transplant surgeons to determines which direction the hair would grow in ( hair on different parts of the scalp tends to grow in different directions) resulting in a far more natural appearance.

At an initial consultation, the surgeon analyzes the patient's scalp, discusses his preferences and expectations, and advises him/her on the best approach (e.g.,single vs. multiple sessions) and what results might reasonably be expected.

For several days prior to surgery the patient refrains from using any medicines, or alcohol, which might result in intraoperative bleeding and resultant poor "take" of the grafts. Pre-operative antibiotics are commonly prescribed to prevent wound or graft infections.

Transplant operations are performed on an outpatient basis, with mild sedation (optional) and injected topical anesthesia, and typically last about four hours. The scalp is shampooed and then treated with an antibacterial chemical prior to the donor scalp being harvested.

In the usual follicular unit procedure, the surgeon harvests a strip of skin from the posterior scalp, in an area of good hair growth. The excised strip is about 1-1.5 x 15-30 cm in size. While he is closing the resulting wound, assistants begin to dissect individual follicular unit grafts from the strip. Working with binocular microscopes, they take great care to remove excess fibrous and fatty tissue without damaging the vital follicular cells that will produce the patients' first crop of new hair.

The surgeon then uses a fine needle to puncture the sites for receiving the grafts, placing them in a predetermined density and pattern, and angling the wounds in a consistent fashion to promote a realistic hair pattern. The assistants generally do the final part of the