Q I love straight, long hair but after two years of rebonding, I'm shedding a lot of hair and also have a lot of split ends and a bald patch above my fringe. Should I go to a good salon for another rebonding session? Is it a matter of the chemicals used or the person that is doing the rebonding that matters?
A You do sound like you are in dire straits. For sound advice, I consulted hair guru Shunji Matsuo, international director of Shunji Matsuo Hair Studio The addresses of the various branches are at www.shunjimatsuo.com.sg.
Rebonding should not be done more than twice a year, he says.
His advice to you: 'Given your current hair condition, you might want to consider giving your hair a rest and not go for rebonding any time soon.'
To rescue your hair, trim off the split ends, then work on putting moisture back into those traumatised strands.
Matsuo recommends the Inner-Reset Treatment at his salons, which starts from $100 and which contains essential nutrients to help strengthen and smoothen hair.
You can also try products from the L'Oreal Professional Paris Expert Serie Liss Ultime range. The shampoo ($42), conditioner ($36) and smoothing night treatment ($42) will help restore softness and shine to hair.
Remember to keep your scalp clean, particularly around the bald patch, where you may want to try applying hair tonics to stimulate growth.
Matsuo advises: 'If there is still no improvement, I would suggest that you seek medical advice as it could be due to a more serious scalp disease.'
A doctor could also help you ascertain whether you are allergic to the chemicals used in rebonding.
If you persist in rebonding your hair, then do be aware that both the skills of the technician and the use of the right hair chemicals are equally important. Your hairstylist can determine the right chemicals for you by doing a strand test.
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on Sep 5, 2008.
