Ethnic hair can become dry, brittle, and fractured when exposed to harsh solvents, heat, and repeat chemical treatments. To combat these issues, consider discussing the use of dry shampoo with your patients.
Dry shampoo is a powdered substance used to absorb oil in hair when traditional shampoo is not available, or for use with hair that dries out after repeat washings.
The ingredients in dry shampoo are called "absorbing agents," which soak up excess oil and dirt on the scalp. The most common absorbing agents are Oryza sativa starch, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, zea mays starch, and silica.
There are two types of dry shampoo: those that come in a loose powder form and those that come in an aerosol form.
Powder dry shampoo can be applied directly to the scalp from the bottle and either brushed through or massaged in. Dry shampoo aerosol can be sprayed directly onto the scalp from a few inches away.
Recent advances in dry shampoos have instituted different coloring agents to help match the hair, as well as fragrances to mask any odor.
Many of these products can be found on www.dryshampoo.com.
- Lily Talakoub, M.D.
Do you have questions about treating patients with darker skin? If so, send them to sknews@elsevier.com.