Good Looks.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4, 27 January 1906, Page 14

Good Looks.

By ELEANOR ROGERS, M.D. THE CARE OF THE HAIR. Is there any special cause for the hair seeming not to be very deeply rooted, and can anything be done about it? I have lost a considerable amount of hair, in fact all of my long hair, ‘and the short ones show no tendency to grow to any considerable length.—ll.G.G. This letter shows a typical condition that generally exists in thin, fine, soft, hair, which falls readily. Each hair has a little follicle from which it grows. If this follicle is not kept in good conditio i the hair will soon show it. In the first place' the circulation which supplies the scalp must be perfect; if not, th? scalp shrinks and strangles the multitude of hair follicles with which it is thickly studded. The hair then falls, and the hair is thinned to a greater or less degree, according to the condition of the scalp. The blood supply becomes less and less and the follicles constricted more and more until, finally, all the hair drops and baldness is the result. If you look at a bald head the little fine points of the withered follicles can be seen. No tonics or effort to restore the hair will prove successful unless the cireula-

tion ean be restored. In order to do tM« substances containing irritating proper-iios-whi.-h will redden the scalp are applied. The best of all of them is tincture of eantliarides. This should be ap-> plied thoroughly to the roots by means of a piece of cotton. Dab it on thoroughly. Ordinarily it will be too strong unless diluted with water — a fourth, third, or a half, according to the sensitiveness of the scalp, which varies greatly in different individuals. I have seen a case where the scalp was blistered anil in a frightful condition when eantbarides had been applied to it pure. Il have also seen another ease in which! only the pure eantliarides bad any effect whatever. One must then experiment and find the right strength, beginning always with the weakest solution and increasing the strength. The frequency ofi application should also depend upon the effect. Apply it as often as is necessary to keep the scalp well reddened. The hair follicles can lie strengthened and revived by applications of faradie electricity. This should only be applied by a specialist. My correspondent says her hair falls out if she rubs or massages it. Jf the follicles are so weak as that, the rubbing should either be avoided or done with care, rubbing the sealp and moving it up and'down on the skull with the finger-tips and not rubbing the hair itself. 1 do not recommend brushing, for the reason that the brush drags ami pulls at the hair and weakens it, dragging it from the roots. As I have often said, “The benefit from brushing arises from the stimulation of the sealp-by the action of the bristles upon it; but the eir-’ culation of the scalp ean be more easily, reached by the finger-tips.” Every time* the hair is taken down the finger-tips should seek out the roots and give them a.good rubbing. Vaseline or some other' form of grease should be applied to the. roots. With the present fashion of dry, and fluffy hair, the hair is apt to ba robbed of the natural oil. ... . Too much shampooing deprives the' hair of its natural oil. and causes it to fall out, but it is worse yet to leave the hair unwashed when it is dirty, not only, because it feels untidy when the hair is not clean, but because the hair follicles become choked up.' A dry shampoo is sometimes used. It is made of Indian meal with some powdered magnesia, two-thirds of one to one-third of the other, with, enough powdered Florentine orris to perfume. This is put into the hair as thickly as possible. The hair is then tied up in a thin handkerchief and left for the night, The powder is shaken and blushed out in the morning. It is claimed that the sealp is cleansed by this means, and that a peculiar lustre and brightness as well as softness is given to light hair. It certainly succeeded very well with one friend who made a practice of doing it. She was a professional singer and used to catch cold when she indulged in a wet shampoo, but as.she was a blonde it was necessary that her hair should be fluffy. Hair tonics with some, ammonia amithose which havc.uuinine often agree well with such hair. The. constitution should be built up. We are not surprised when animals are run down that their eoat becomes thin and poor. With them it is one of the first indications of poor health. So it is with the hair. If it is getting thin, losing gloss and 1 colour, and getting withered, with split ends, and falls out easily, it is probable that the system is in a run-down condition, and that one needs tonics, especially iron, and a general building up of the system.