How I use a Blowdryer and Diffuser on my Wash and Go

During the winter months I tend to shy away from wearing the wash and go style.  This is because I don't want to walk around with wet hair while it's cold outside.  Recently I discovered that, if I carefully wrap my hair at night, I can rock the curly look without re-wetting my hair in the morning.  So as of late, I have been doing the style at night and then blowdrying my hair before going to bed.  That's where my diffuser comes in.

The point of using a diffuser is to dry your hair without causing frizz.  Mine is an attachment for my blowdryer that I picked up at Sally's Beauty Supply for about 10 bucks.  Unfortunately, the attachment broke recently after years of use which I'll be replacing soon.  Nowadays you can find a blowdryer that comes with its own diffuser attachment included.

How I use my Diffuser

Using a diffuser attachement to
blowdry without frizz

Stretching my hair for more hang time

After I finish applying my leave-ins and gel to set my style, I like to let my hair air dry for about an hour.  At this point my ends will start to harden which lets me know that I can manipulate my hair without ruining the style.

 I like to use the diffuser all over but mostly in back where it takes the longest to dry.  Then I'll remove the diffuser attachment and just point the blowdryer at my roots until completely dry.  Sometimes I'll hold the ends of my hair and stretch it while blowing warm air on the section.  This helps give me a little more length in areas that really shrink up.

Using my blowdryer in this way makes it possible for me to continue wearing my curls even when it's cold out.  I can usually keep the look going by just wrapping my hair with a large satin scarf at night.  In the morning I just shake my hair out and fluff.

In Review: Shea Moisture's Purification Masque

This morning I posted a video on my Youtube channel showing my first impression after using the Purification Masque by Shea Moisture.  The product claims to relieve itching from dry scalp caused by conditions like dandruff, eczema and psoriasis.  I suffer from scalp psoriasis which thankfully is a lot better after taking my vitamin supplements and eating healthy.  I still have a little bit of an itchy scalp so I thought I would try this product to see if it would help.  Check out the video to see what I thought!

MY REVIEW ON SHEA MOISTURE'S PURIFICATION MASQUE

Also, be sure to take a look at my recent posts on how I deal with my psoriasis.  It is an autoimmune disease that tends to flare up during the fall and winter.  I talk about how I cleanse my scalp without causing too much stress on my hair and also how diet and supplements help me to get my skin back
to normal.  

How I Clear Up My Psoriasis with Diet and Supplements

Psoriasis is a dry skin condition that can result in flaking skin on the body and scalp.  I have suffered from the auto immune disease for nearly 10 years now.   In my last post I described my current routine for cleansing my hair and scalp.  In my case, the psoriasis also shows up on my skin in little flaky patches that can leave unsightly scars.  Each year, I do my best to keep the dry patches to a minimum by changing my diet and taking supplements.  I am finally discussing it here on the blog in hopes that my experience may help others.

Initially I sought treatment from a dermatologist who prescribed steroid creams for my skin and scalp.  They only made my condition worse.  After prolonged use, the flaky dry skin, known as psoriasis plaques, spread out over about eighty percent of my body.  It was very embarrassing and disheartening.  I also got headaches every time I used the prescription scalp ointment.  This made me question the drug based treatments and I decided to search for a more natural approach.  I picked up a book at my local library called, The Psoriasis Cure, by Lisa LeVan.  In it, I found information on my condition as well as a long list of vitamins and supplements.  It also suggested that I follow a healthy diet and a regular exercise & sleep routine.  I had gone the medical route for long enough and thought it was worth a try.  I followed the routine outlined in the book and was surprised to see signs of my psoriasis clearing up after only three weeks.  I still follow this method somewhat but have made some changes over the years.  Here are some things that work for me.

Healthy Digestion

Since Psoriasis is an auto immune disease I find that a healthy digestive system is the key to my success.  The digestive tract makes up around 70% of the immune system.  When this area of the body is working properly it shows through our hair, skin and nails.  I use probiotics, increased hydration and foods rich in fiber to help in this area.  My current choice for a probiotic boost is a fruit juice called, Good Belly.  Otherwise, yogurt or probiotic capsules work as well.  For fiber I reach for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Whole Body Cleanse

This step is prescribed in the book so initially I purchased a cleanse kit that wound up being too harsh for my system.  Since then, I have used healthy green juices to detox my body.  Drinking juice from green vegetables helps to cleanse the body of toxins while also delivering much needed vitamins.  Green juices work best when consumed on an empty stomach because then the body can quickly absorb all of that green goodness.

Vitamin Supplementation

It turns out I was not getting enough vitamin D and Omega 3's. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to bouts with psoriasis.  Vitamin D is something that the body produces through sun exposure which can be harder to come by during the fall and winter months.  That is why my psoriasis shows up around this time of year because my body is not making enough vitamin D on its own.  Also, people with darker skin or who use sunscreen are potentially not getting enough of this important vitamin.  I take around 4000 IU with food each day and have noticed much improvement in my skin and scalp.  Omega 3 vitamins promote healthy hair, skin and nails.  I take fish oil capsules to supplement for this.  I also take a vegetable based multi-vitamin for women for all of the other vitamins I need.  

Lower Sugar Intake

Psoriasis is inflammation of the skin.  Through my own research I found that sugar is highly inflammatory.   In my case, cutting back on sugar made a difference in my skin.  I'm not just talking sweets though.  Other foods that convert quickly into sugar like wheat based products (i.e. bread, pasta etc.) are also culprits.  Once I went wheat free for six weeks and noticed my skin was much clearer.  That's a hard one for me though so I try to at least limit my sugar intake by making healthy substitutions (wheat bread instead of white or no bread at all) and eating more clean foods like fruits and vegetables.  

Sleep and Exercise

I can't forget this important part.  Some of what my body is going through is just that I sometimes don't get enough sleep and exercise.  The more you exercise, the more restful sleep so the two work together. This can also help with stress relief.

Disclaimer:  I am not a physician and do not have a medical background.  The aim of this post is to share my experience.  Please seek advice from your physician before taking any supplements or making changes to your physical health routine and/or diet.

Scalp Psoriasis and Natural Hair

The fall and winter tends to be the time of year when we hear more about protective styling.  With the colder temperatures and drop in humidity, a lot of naturals will do this in order to protect their tresses.  I admire all of the different styles from braids to twists and pretty up dos.  However, this is usually the time when I really just want to hide my hair from view.  That is because I suffer from scalp psoriasis which tends to last over a long period, beginning in the fall and lasting into the winter.

There is plenty of information online regarding psoriasis.  In my case it shows up on my scalp and skin in small spots that spread out over time.  Years ago, I sought treatment and advice from medical professionals who unfortunately did not help me to understand the condition.  They prescribed steroid creams which led to my worst spell with psoriasis ever.  Later, I found out that psoriasis is an auto immune disease which means the immune system is out of whack somehow.  Since the digestive tract makes up about 70 percent of the immune system, I tend to focus my efforts there.  I do this by eating a diet rich in clean foods and focus on staying hydrated.  I'll explain more on my diet and supplements in another post.

The tricky thing about having scalp psoriasis while having thick, curly, natural hair is that the flaking that develops can be hard to get rid of.  Using oils can reduce the appearance of flakes but can also increase the production of them.  This means I end up cleansing my hair and scalp more often.

I try to stay away from harsh shampoos during this time because the frequent washing is already a lot of manipulation on my hair.  Sulfate based shampoo leaves my hair feeling stripped and can lead to tangling.  When I cleanse my scalp with a sulfate shampoo I try to follow it up with a pH balanced shampoo or an apple cider vinegar rinse.  I'll do this once a week and then use a sulfate free shampoo on other days.  I end up cleansing my hair and scalp up to three times per week in total.

As far as protective styling goes I've found that wearing hats and wigs are the most comfortable for me right now.  I don't have to worry about flakes being visible when I'm out which is a boost for my confidence.  Other times, a wash and go style is my go-to because it is quick and easy.  I also don't worry as much about the frequent washing because I usually refresh the style every two or three days.

Read Here for  How I Clear Up My Psoriasis with Diet and Supplements