ASK TASHA

Tasha answers your hair questions to help you look your best!

Send your questions to Hair@TashasTechniques.com

Q. Help! My daughter cut her bangs 3 inches above her eyebrows! What can I do?????

A. Don’t worry...HAIR grows back. We have all done this and it almost seems like a child cutting her own hair is some sort of toddler right-of-passage.

Just simply take an extra section from the top behind the bangs, comb the hair forward and cut this section as bangs and use a clip to hold them there. Clips are stylish this year. Or you can clip the hair to the side with a beret. Good luck and this is a good reminder to keep those scissors away from your child's reach!

Q: Help! I went swimming and my hair turned green!!! What should I do???

A: The problem here is too much swimming without clarifying your hair.

Listen, the reason your hair turned green is because your hair is porous. Porous hair sucks in the base color of chlorine which is GREEN. The best way to prevent this is to wash your hair ASAP after you are done swimming for the day with a clarifying shampoo such as suave.

But, if you are green then this is the home remedy that works for me:

Get some white vinegar and comb it in your washed, damp hair. Wrap with plastic and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash out again and condition as needed. Repeat everyday if needed.

There is a shampoo called Malibu 2000 Just for Swimmers' Kit that can be purchased from any hair salon. Good luck with it and remember prevention is key to swimmers hair.

Q: My hair has an orangey-red cast to it. I have tried everything to get it out. Can you tell me what this is and if there is anything I can do to GET IT OUT???!!!

A: This is typical from someone who has well water. Your hair is porous and will suck up the base color, which in this case, are minerals like copper and zinc. (Their base color is reddish orange.) You will continue to have this problem until you get a water softener or you move! :)

But daily use of the Malibu 2000 Just for Swimmers' will help this, but first you must get rid of the minerals.

Here is a home remedy:

Wash your hair, then saturate it with white vinegar. Put a table spoon of baking soda in your hand with some clarifying shampoo, add a little water and shampoo as you normally would. (There will be some bubbling sounds. That just means it is working.) Continue to lather for at least 5 minutes. Rinse out and repeat if needed. Condition your hair and rinse in cool water to close the cuticle of the hair so it won’t happen again.

Use the Malibu shampoo every day. But remember, the problem is in the water so it may never go away until you treat the source in your home. Go see what Home Depot can do for you.

Q. I had to have surgery on my head and they shaved one half of my head. Some of the hair has grown back but I’m tired of wearing scarves and hats. Do you have advice for me?

A. Here are a few, simple options for you:

1. Cut the other hair into a short edgy style and grow out from there.

2. Get a quick weave on that side of your head. This is hair glued onto your hair with hair glue. It is a fast, easy and inexpensive option. Call anyone that does hair weaving.

Q: I just found out that I have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation due to breast cancer. One of the side effects is hair loss. What do you recommend I do with my hair to make this less traumatic?

A. I've heard that the ordeal of watching your hair fall out can be very traumatic for chemo patients. Many cancer support organizations recommend that you shave your hair off before your first treatment, and I agree. I say cut it off, get the girls together and go shopping for the perfect wig. There are so many GREAT looking wigs out there these days and they look so real!

I also recommend visiting The Perfect Fit Boutique, located in The Regional Cancer Center of Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare. The boutique specializes in products for women who undergo treatment for breast cancer. The Perfect Fit Boutique is a lovely shop in a private setting. Call (315) 624-5764 for an appointment or for more information.

Also, I will shave your hair for free. If you are more comfortable doing this when the shop is not busy, please let us know when you make your appointment. We can even donate the healthy hair to Locks of Love, as long as it's 10 inches or longer. It's a great way to give back and give you something to feel good about in the process.

My prayers are with you. :)

Q: My eyebrows are very bushy and I’m thinking of waxing them, but I’m worried that they will grow back even thicker. How does that work? Is this fact or fiction?

A. This is my favorite question. :)

It is a myth that waxing will cause your hair to grow back thicker. In fact, the opposite is true.

You see, when you wax the hair it is pulled out by the roots leaving the hair to start its growth over again. In reality, it will be lighter and softer. Now, if you were to shave your eyebrows, then yes, it will appear thicker because the softer part of the hair is shaven off leaving the thicker part of the hair to grow in and making it appear thicker and darker. Get it??? I hope so!

So please, stop by our hair studio and get a wax in our nice, comfortable waxing chair! It is a big, fast, beauty fix. I also recommend that if you have hair on your lip, WAX IT OFF!!!!!!! The sooner you do so the better . It will slow down as you get older and eventually you won’t have to do it anymore.

Q: I have a 3-year-old little boy with beautiful, naturally curly hair. I love his curls and don’t want to cut them off but everyone is bugging me to cut it. If I cut it, will the curls come back??

A. OK here’s what I say to that….. He is a boy: CUT HIS HAIR!! LOL! If you want a girl, have another child!

But to answer your question: Look at the hair in the root area. Is it more straight or curly? If it is more straight, then no, the curls will not come back. It is baby hair that needs to be cut off for the hair to strengthen and grow thicker. If the roots are curly then yes it will come back curly. So please get it trimmed so it will be healthy hair.

The baby hair has to go! Make an appointment with us, and we'll be sure to make it a special time. Our hairstylists will save the curls in an envelope for you to put into his baby book.

Q: My problem is that my hair is very dry from mid-shaft to end. It's straight, but I use a flat iron everyday to get it really flat and shinny. I know this isn't good for my hair but I’m addicted to the flat iron. Is there anything I can do to fix or repair my dead ends?

A. This is a good question.

Let’s start with the first problem, which is that you know that flat iron isn't good for your hair but you do it anyway. Oh boy!

There are products out there to spray on your hair that are made for flat ironing. Please get one that you like and use it to protect from any thermal heat tool, such as a flat iron.

Now let’s talk about repairing split ends. NO product can repair split ends! If they are indeed split then they need to be CUT OFF. Conditioners will not repair your hair, but they can help it feel better. An intense leave in conditioner, such as Bed Head Ego Boost®, will keep the hair well moisturized.

After the hair has been straightened, use Super Skinny® from Paul Mitchell. It will smooth, condition and seal hair with added shine. (We sell both products.)

Remember, your hair needs a great shampoo and condition every day. I recommend ISO Hydra Cleanse and ISO Hydra Condition. (We carry these products also!)

With a hair tonic of Bed Head® and Super Skinny® you will be looking great in no time.

I have all of these products and more at the shop at low prices!

Q: I am a man with a high-end hair style. I've noticed other men with a great holding gel and it seems to last all day and it give them that separated look i want. My gel leaves white flakes and doesn't seem to hold it up very well. Do you have any suggestions on what gel I can use?

A. Yes! Two words: SPIKER ICE. I have it at the shop and use it on all my male cliental. They love it and it lasts a long time. Come on down and we'll hook you up!

Q: I am a 55-year-old woman with a lot of grey hair. My husband has asked me to think about coloring it and I have to agree... after watching "What Not to Wear" on TV, I would like to look younger. I’m scared as to what color I should do. Can you help me with that?

A. OH YES I CAN! That is my specialty and I've been told I'm one of the best!

Of course, I would have to see you and your skin tone in person to suggest a color. But generally, at age 55, and with a lot of grey, we should keep your colors warm. It is a good idea to go a little lighter than your natural (pre-grey) hair. A nice place to start may be a warm, golden-light brown and throw a few special effects highlights in on the top to add drama.

We have many colored hair swatches of many shades at our shop that we can place next to your face to see how they look.

Then just sit back and watch me work my magic! A new hair color may be a good time for a new hair style! And why stop there! As soon as you hop out of my chair, you may want to hop right into Billy's chair for some makeup tip and tricks on what shades of foundation, blush, and eye shadow to match your new hair color!

Please be sure to call ahead for an appointment. I look forward to helping you. Oh hell, I WANT TO! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!!! CALL ME!!!