Hi Mary,

My guy and girl friends say I have such beautiful skin and features, but sometimes they tease me that my hair needs a major makeover. They say they are going to try to put me on one of those reality TV shows. I don’t need, like, a celebrity ‘do – but am tired of being seen as the girl with the lame hair. What's a girl to do?

- Nikki

Hi Nikki,

Everyone, young and old, wants beautiful, shiny, healthy hair. Unfortunately, maintaining healthy hair isn’t always easy. For teenagers, caring for your hair can be even trickier because of the many physical changes that your body is going through. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to have healthy, great-looking hair, no matter your hair type.

Caring for Oily Hair
Like so many other changes that occur during the teenage years, the hormones associated with maturing physically can cause teens to have oily hair. This is because the sebaceous glands that produce the sebum, which naturally moisturize the hair and keep it shiny and looking healthy, can become overactive. However, this is generally a temporary state that will end after puberty.

When combating oily hair, wash your hair daily with a mild shampoo. Those with oily hair do not need to use a conditioner, but if you choose to, you can simply put conditioner on the ends of the hair, rather than applying conditioner to all of your hair. Try to avoid combing or brushing your hair often during the day (ideally, brush it only when you are getting read for the day and perhaps before going to bed), as this action can stimulate the sebaceous glands, thereby causing your hair to become more oily. Likewise, touching or playing with your hair can also cause it to be more oily, so refrain.

Caring for Dry Hair
If, on the other hand, you are plagued by dry hair, use a good shampoo and conditioner (you may want to try our Hair Plus Combo as it works well with a variety of hair types!), and consider washing your hair less frequently. You could try washing it every other day or every few days—whatever works best for your hair. Avoid blow-drying your hair whenever possible, and use a low heat when you must blow-dry it.

Caring for Dandruff
Dandruff can be pretty embarrassing at any age, but particularly for teenagers. Dandruff is made up of flakes of dead skin cells that are produced at the scalp. As is the case for other hair types, many shampoos are made specifically for treating hair with dandruff. You can experiment to find one that works best for you. When you shampoo your hair, scrub it vigorously for several minutes to loosen the flakes. Then rinse your hair thoroughly. If your dandruff does not noticeably improve after treating it for several weeks, you may want to see a doctor.

Your hair can be your crowning feature, but you need to take care of it in order for it to really shine. Keep your hair type in mind, and care for it accordingly. Most important, take the time to adequately clean and style your hair, and your hard work will soon pay off!

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!