'Hair under hijab' Treatment

Do you remember the 'Sunsilk' shampoo commercial break on Indonesian TV about few years ago, showing Indonesian hijabi model and film star, Inneke Koesherawati?

The shampoo in the commercial break was Sunsilk 'clean and fresh'. The ad was interesting because it promoted a shampoo without showing off the hair.

As it claimed, this shampoo is great for veiled women or a hijabi because it is riched by Vitamin Citrus Complex. So, eventhough hijabis' hairs are covered, their hair still can reach a clean and fresh condition, not oily and flat because of the using of headscarf.

I like to shampoo my hair once every two days, and I love the feeling when I touch them after being shampoo-ed and moisturized by hair conditioner. Smooth and fresh.. 

As a hijabi, we also have to take a good care of our hair, right? Your hijab is not an excuse from being lazy of handling your hair since you cover all your hair while you go.

So, why did I write about this hair issue? It's because the Sunsilk Indonesia promo I saw recently. Right now Sunsilk is holding a contest called Sunsilk Fabulous 10 (it's about showing off your healthy hair to the public and the winner will be going to Paris attending Paris Fashion Week accompanied by ELLE Indonesia..wow! But the competition is obviously not for us, a hijabi, eventhough we use the shampoo).
 
All of this promotion remind me on that 'old' shampoo ad above.
 
Hijab is about protection.. and it gives us an ease feeling and comfort (because we believe in it).

According to © A Abdullah on Suite101, who writes the article Facts about Hair-Loss:

"Hijab is a great protection for your hair as it never gets exposed to outside elements such as the sun, wind, air, rain, smog and other forms of pollution. In addition, women who wear hijab are much less likely to use excessive amounts of hairspray or to curl their hair regularly, both of which damage the hair and may cause it to break and fall out."

He also said that

many women who wear hijab claim they experience hair loss after adopting hijab. Their normal reaction is to assume that hijab is the cause of this difficult condition.

It is most likely a coincidence if you start loosing your hair after you wear hijab. There are many health conditions which can contribute to hair-loss in women, like: breastfeeding, anemia, thyroid disorders, and stress. Or, for older women in particular, it's a natural part of aging process. 

And mostly when a woman wore hijab, she started to care-less about her hair. Do you take care of your hair as much as you did before you wear hijab?

So, here are few things we can do to take a good care of our hair and handle the hair-loss from wearing hijab:

1. Keep your bonnet/inner/underscarf loose. This would give some air circulation on your head scalp. And it's better to use inner from natural fibres, such as cotton.

2. Switch your hijab style. Try the loose ones. There are many loose hijab styles you can try.

And if you think it's necessary, you don't have to wear an inner/underscarf. Just make sure your hijab is not transparent. If your hijab is slight transparent, styling your hijab by wrapping it twice around your head, so it will more opaque.

3. Keep your ponytail or bun loose. If you braid or tie your hair into a ponytail/bun under your headscarf, keep it loose, so it won't draw your hair. 

4. Do not braid or ponytail your hair, or put on your headscarf, when your hair is still wet. Allow your hair to air dry after shampooing. The humidity on your head scalp could grow dandruff or microorganisms that can trigger a hair-loss.

5. Stop dye or chemically process your hair, like coloring, or use a curling or straightening iron or hot curlers for the time being.

6. Giving your hair some cream or hair oil (if your hair is dry), rich vitamin, and soft message to help your hair grow better. You can go to Salon/Hair Spa, or just do it yourself at home.

7. Let your hair breath. Whenever you get a chance to take the hijab off, just do it. For example: during your visit at your friend's house where there's only women and children around; during lunch/pray time (if you are a working woman), you can go to the bathroom to open the headscarf for a while and brush your hair; and also as soon as you get home, open your headscarf!

8. Get your hair being shampoo-ed 3 to 4 times a week (almost all of us must be have done this..^^) And don't forget to moisten your hair using  hair conditioner. Find shampoo and conditioner that most suitable to your hair.

So, do you have any other tips to take care of hair under hijab? 
Share with us here.. :)