Short Hair Care

Many people love the ease and convenience of short hair. Short hair is often easy to style and tends to look healthy, as it is cut on a regular basis.

Caring for short hair is often easier than caring for long hair. However, just because caring for short hair is relatively simple doesn't mean that it isn't important. Properly caring for short hair can keep it looking stylish and healthy.

Popular Short Hair Styles and Haircuts

Short hair care begins with choosing the right short hairstyle for your face, personality and hair type. There are a number of short hair styles. If you're looking for a change, consider one of these popular short hair styles:

• The Bob: The bob is a hairstyle in which the hair is cut short all the way around the head. In general, a short bob hits just below the chin.
• The Buzz Cut: In the buzz cut, clippers are used to cut the hair very close to the scalp. Once popular only with men, today women also sport buzz cuts.
• The Pixie: The pixie cut is very short, often no more than a few inches, and highlights your facial features. The pixie cut often has different layers to add texture and movement to the hair.

If you're having trouble deciding on a short hair style, pick up a hair magazine at your local bookstore or talk to your stylist about styles that would work best for you.

Tips on Caring for Short Hair

To keep your short hair looking its best, follow these simple steps:

• Avoid the Blow Dryer: Short hair dries quickly and often won't need a blow dryer. Air-drying is always the best for any hair style, including short hair.
  
  If, however, you need to dry your hair quickly, gently blot it with a towel after washing to remove excess moisture. If you must use a blow dryer, blow dry hair only 80 percent and then allow it to finish drying naturally.
  
  
• Choose the Correct Products: How your short hair looks will depend greatly on the products you use on your hair. You'll need to pick products that are appropriate for your hair type. For instance, if your hair is damaged or dry, you'll want to pick moisture-boosting products.
  
  
• Get Frequent Cuts: To help short hair maintain its shape and to prevent split ends, you'll need to get your hair cut frequently. Schedule an appointment with your stylist at least once every six weeks. If your hair is extremely short, you might need to get a cut at least every four weeks.
  
  
• Use Styling Products: To get your short hair cut to look its best, you might need to use styling products, such as hair gels, hair wax or volumizing sprays. Ask your stylist what products you'll need to properly style your hair at home.
  
  
• Wash and Condition Daily: Since the ends of short hair aren't very far from its roots, it won't take long for oil to travel down your hair shaft. To keep short hair from looking oily, wash it on a daily basis.
  
  However, to keep your hair from drying out, you'll need to use a conditioner after shampooing unless your hair is excessively oily. To prevent over-conditioning, use only a small amount of conditioner. To keep hair from getting too oily, apply the conditioner only to the ends of your hair.

With the proper care, your short hair can be stylish, sexy and fun!

Resources

HairStylingGuide.com (2007). Styling Short Hair. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from the HairStylingGuide.com Web site: http://hairstylingguide.com/short.htm.