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Despite the improvements in the ingredients of shampoo over the years, the fundamental purpose of shampoos have not changed, which is to clean the hair and scalp of dirt, debris, and oil. Some shampoos have gone even further and remove scalp fungus as well. These are the brands that come under the umbrella of antidandruff shampoos. Unfortunately, because of the basic use and method of action, all shampoos are detergents. This means that no matter what kind of shampoo you use, your hair will be dry within minutes of washing with a shampoo. This is the very reason why you need to follow up your shampoo regimen with a conditioner. This is the key agent that reverses the damage caused by shampoos.
Conditioners have been around for a long time and come in many various combinations to serve distinct purposes. From the simple types that just add back the oil to your hair to conditioners that even form an artificial skin of keratin over each hair strand to protect it from everyday damage. In your case, you probably just need a conditioner that contains essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids comprise a large part of the natural oily secretion from the skin called sebum. Sebum is chemically composed of triglycerides, essential fatty acids, and wax monoesters. When you shampoo, all the accumulated oil is lost but is replaced within a few hours by the sebaceous glands under the skin. However, the journey for sebum from the scalp to the tips of the hair tends to take longer and is greatly affected by the amount of curls in your hair, as curly hair inhibits the capillary action of fluid sebum along the hair shaft. This is where a conditioner with essential fatty acids comes in to save the day.
The modes of application of shampoo and conditioner are different. Shampoo application not discerning and the objective is to clean the scalp and hair completely of any substance or secretion. However, conditioners have to be applied in a slightly different manner. Remember that the scalp will re-secrete lost oil; therefore, you should focus application of the condition just to the hair. To do this, rub conditioner in your palm and over your fingers, make a combing action with your fingers through your hair, and ensure that your reach the tips of hair. You could also dampen your fingers with almond oil and perform the same action after a bath as well but this might be messier than working with a conditioner.
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