alim Hakim, hairstylist to the stars, dropped in at the rediff.com office to answer your questions about hair styles and hair problems.
Here's what he had to say...
Aalim Hakim: Hi all, this is Aalim Hakim. I am ready to take your questions now. Shoot!
senthil: Hi Aalim. I have grey hair and suffer from frequent hair loss. How can I have the stylish hair I once had?
Aalim Hakim: You can colour grey hair. You don't need to go for black, you can try chestnut (which is more on the natural side).
For hair loss, meet a dermatologist. Determine why you have hair loss. Is it stress? Hormonal problems?
You need to go to a good hairstylist who can make your hair look fuller in the crown area. Try and keep it short in the back and sides. Maybe some blond streaks might work with your hair because that makes your hair look fuller.
reena1: Hi Aalim. I have waist-length, thick straight hair and an oval face. I want to change my look. What should I do? Length is not a problem.
Aalim Hakim: Hi Reena. The oval face is the best face in the world! You are lucky! Your face can carry off a lot of styles.
Try out softer haircuts with asymmetric fringes and a lot of graduated layers starting from your cheeks and going to the last length.
Keep your length below the shoulder if you are short (in height). If you are tall, try and keep more length.
Junior: Hi Aalim. I have started losing hair in the front; it's not receding, but thinning. Any advice?
Aalim Hakim: Hi Junior. Advice from a Senior! Go to a dermatologist for your thinning hair.
You can also go to a reputed salon and ask for treatment. There are shots like Aminexel, by L'Oreal, which is a 40-day course.
You will have to do it twice a year, in summer and winter. It will cost you around Rs Rs 4,000 for a course. Use shampoos specially designed to stop hair fall, like Phytobiogion by Schwarzkopf or a thickening shampoo by TIGI.
soni: Hi! One question for myself. When I shampoo, my hair become dry. After 3/4 days, they become oily even if I do not apply any oil. What should I do for good hair?
Aalim Hakim: Hi Soni. Maybe what happens when you shampoo your hair is that it takes away the excessive oil your scalp produces. This is called sebaecious oil.
Try and use an intense conditioner on your hair that will keep your hair moist. Use a shampoo for oily hair.
Keep changing the brand of your shampoo every four-five months. Using the same shampoo could leave a chemical residue. It's like using the same medicine for a long time -- your body stops reacting to it after a while. So keep changing your brand. You can always go back to it later!
seenu: Hi Aalim. I have less hair and also less density. My hair is 'M' type. Please suggest a suitable hairstyle.
Aalim Hakim: Hi Seenu. Keep your hair short on the sides and the back, as compared to the crown.
Try and keep more of a texturised effect on the crown so you can manipulate your hair in a different manner all the time.
Keep working with your facial hair by having a goatee or a French beard which will make your face interesting all the time.
Roks: Hi Aalim... Can you suggest a good hairstyle for one who has curly hair?
Aalim Hakim: You can go to a proper, technically educated salon.
Opt for a treatment like rebonding, or relaxing, which will help your hairstyle, because your bonds will become straighter.
If you want to maintain curly hair, use leave-in conditioners. Curly hair tends to look dry because the bonds are not straight.
sandhya: How can I use mehendi on my hair? I don't want to go for colouring. I like the colour that henna gives the hair. What should I mix in the henna to get maximum colour of henna in my hair?
Aalim Hakim: Hi Sandhya. I would not advise you to go in for mehendi. It leads to a lot of technical problems for a long time. Once you apply mehendi, you can never go for perming, straightening or any chemical procedure for a long time. And mehendi might make your hair dry.
Applying mehendi to your hair is an ancient concept. When there were no conditioners, people thought it was the right thing. It isn't now!
c_kumar: Is it good to change one's hairstyle frequently? Will it lead to hair loss?
Aalim Hakim: Yes, it is good to change your hairstyle and no, it won't lead to hair loss!
Keep changing your hairstyle to look fresh all the time and to surprise your friends.
There's so much of saturation because of looking at the same person in the same style for a long time!
mannu: I have grey hair. I want to have shine on my hair. What should I do? Also, my hair is thinning. Any suggestions?
Aalim Hakim: Hi Mannu. There are special shampoos for grey hair in the market; Silver by L'Oreal is pretty good. And Gray, by American Crew, which removes the yellowness from white hair (white hair tends to yellow because of dirt). These add shine to grey hair.
Tomorrow: More advice from Aalim Hakim
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