QUESTION: I've been putting a lot of gel in my hair every morning for many years, so much that I can't get my fingers through it anymore. Now my girlfriend says it's really bad for my hair. Is that so?
ANSWER: “The daily use of a styling gel on normal hair is no problem, as long as you wash it regularly. Check whether the gel contains alcohol. Alcohol dries out your hair.
In addition, very powerful styling gels ("ultrastrong" "megahold") can make thin hair brittle. A styling gel in fine hair can sometimes unintentionally make the scalp more visible. A third disadvantage is that a lot of gel leaves white flakes after application.
All these drawbacks can be overcome by using styling products such as a pomade, wax, styling cream or paste. These are much more flexible products that keep the hair supple, making it less likely to break. In addition, a styling cream or paste also gives volume to the hair. For example, a styling paste increases the diameter of the hairs, so that the hair appears fuller and thicker.
In short:styling gels are not bad for the hair, but you may get a better result with a product with a different texture.”
Olivier Schmitt, American Crew Benelux and Switzerland, www.americancrew.nl
