Is Conditioner Necessary?
Is Conditioner Necessary? Is conditioner necessary? Can you actually improve your hair quality by using it or is it just an added hassle? Find out the importance of conditioning in this video.
Expert: Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center
Transcript
Chances are, your hair’s not going to fall out without conditioner, so why bother? It’s not ESSENTIAL, but conditioner WILL make hair stronger, healthier, and more manageable.
Conditioners turn dull hair into VIBRANT hair. Additives like cetyl and stearyl alcohol as well as B Vitamins and amino acids work to lock-in moisture and improve hair’s elasticity. Other ingredients like poly quaternium, keratin amino acids, and hydrolyzed protein leave your hair looking and feeling smooth by reducing friction and strengthening damaged areas. Emollients such as mineral oil and glycerin also ward off damage.
Conditioners are crafted by SCIENCE. Because hair has a negative charge and conditioner ingredients have a positive charge, they are attracted to any damaged areas along the hair shaft. The result is less static electricity, making hair easier to brush or comb.
Conditioners help undo the mini-traumas we put our hair through every day – like brushing, blow-drying, being out in the sun – all of which can wear down the outer layer of your hair, the CUTICLE.
For those of you with NORMAL HAIR, daily conditioning IS recommended for hair repair. If you have curly, coarse, or damaged hair, ALWAYS condition after shampooing. Curly hair is drier, because the natural oils don’t travel easily down the hair shaft.
For fine or thinning hair, avoid any LEAVE-IN conditioners. These will only weigh DOWN your hair. Just work conditioner into the ENDS of your hair, not the scalp, for best results. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair, which means they’ve been the most damaged over time.
If your hair is OILY, either skip conditioner all together, or try using it every other time you shower, so you don’t end up with a greasy look.
For more secrets to keeping your hair thick and healthy, check out the rest of the videos in this series.
Last Modified: 2012-11-17
