HAIR. Syn. Capillus, Pilus, L. The hair of the human head has continually formed a subject for the chisel of the sculptor, the pencil of the artist, and the lay of the poet. Nor is this surprising, since all the features of the face, as well as the head it covers, derive from it additional finish and unequalled grace. The hair is, indeed, one of the greatest auxiliaries of personal beauty, and imparts to it some of its principal charms. All nations, in all ages of the world, have been unanimous in their admiration of luxuriant and flowing or gracefully arranged hair.
Of all organic substances, hair is the one least liable to suffer spontaneous change. It is also less affected by aqueous liquids than most other substances. Hence its value in various branches of the useful arts.
The preservation of the hair of the head, independently of its connection with personal beauty, is a matter of the utmost importance in relation to hygiene. In other parts of this work, we have referred to its management under various conditions, but a few observations may be added here.
When the hair is in a weakly state, and either falls off or grows feebly, frequently cutting it will be found of the greatest service. “In the arrangement of the hairs, on the surface of the body, it might be inferred that little existed to excite attention; but this is not the fact, if we are to judge by the careful investigations to which the subject has given rise. The hair-tubes are not placed perpendicularly, but obliquely, in the skin; hence the direction of the hairs, after their escape from the tubes, is in the same sense inclined towards the surface; and the ‘set’ of the hair, from the root to the point, is governed by a law as precise as that which regulates any other of the secondary vital functions. Thus, on the head, the hair radiates from a single point, the crown, to every part of the circumference, making a gentle sweep, behind towards the left and in front to the right. The direction of this sweep is naturally indicated on the heads of children, and is that in which the hair is turned,” (Eras. Wilson.) The same occurs on the face and other parts of the body. In making our toilet, this natural arrangement of the hair should be interfered with as little as possible. Combing it or banding it in an opposite direction to that which it naturally assumes, is highly prejudicial to its healthy growth, and if long persevered in, leads to its premature and rapid decay. The practice now common among ladies, of throwing the hair from the forehead towards the back of the head, is of this reprehensible character.
In addition to our remarks elsewhere, we may here observe, that all the various systems proposed for strengthening or restoring the hair depend for their efficacy upon simple excitation or stimulation of the skin. Friction with the hair-brush, and the use of the ordinary hair-oils, pomades, and washes, are of this kind. The various advertised nostrums for reproducing or restoring the hair are either stimulants or rubefacients of more or less activity, or are emollients, which are directed to be applied by friction, in such a manner as to set up a considerable amount of irritation. When the affection depends on the languid circulation of blood in the part, this treatment often succeeds; but when the hair-bulbs are withered or decayed, or the scalp much attenuated, the restoration of the hair is an impossibility. See Baldness.
HAIR COSMETICS. Under this head are included all preparations which are used for beautifying, preserving, or restoring the hair. These are fully described in different parts of this work, and we shall here merely name the principal heads under which they will be found. The hard pomatums used for keeping the hair, moustache, and whiskers, in form, and sometimes to colour them at the same time, are noticed under Cosmetique; the mucillaginous preparations for stiffening the hair, under Fixature; the compounds for removing superfluous hairs, under Depilatory; the applications for the cure and prevention of baldness, under Pomades and Washes; and those employed to cleanse or beautify the hair under the last two heads, and under Hair Dyes and Oils.
HAIR DYES. Syn. Tinctura cappillorum, L. The practice of dyeing the hair is of great antiquity; and though not so common as formerly, it is still far from infrequent at the present day. The numerous preparations vended for this purpose have generally a basis of lead or silver. Bismuth, pyrogallic acid, and certain astringent vegetable juices, are also occasionally thus employed. The following list embraces all those of any value:
Prep. 1. Litharge, 1 part; fresh-slaked lime and starch, of each 2 parts; all in fine powder, and perfectly dry; mix, and keep the compound in well-corked bottles. This powder is to be made into a thin paste or cream with water (for black), or milk (for brown), and applied to the hair (previously freed from grease with soap and water, and dried), by
means of a sponge or brush, or the fingers; observing to rub it well into the roots, and to pass a comb for some time through it, to ensure its coming in contact with every part. The whole must be then covered with a moist leaf of cotton wadding, or some brown paper several times doubled and well damped with hot water, and allowed to remain so for 3 or 4 hours, or even longer; or an oil-silk cap, or a bladder, may be worn, the object being simply to prevent the evaporation of the moisture. After a sufficient time has elapsed, the powder may be removed by rubbing it off with the fingers, and afterwards washing it out with warm soap-and-water. A little pomatum or hair-oil will restore the usual gloss to the hair. Another method of operating is to apply the cream or paste as before, and then to keep rubbing it about the hair with a brush as long as may be required, occasionally adding a few drops of hot water to preserve the whole moist. In this way the action of the dye is facilitated, and the process concluded in a much shorter time.
2. Lime (slaked in the air), 2 parts; carbonate of lead (pure white lead), 1 part; mixed and applied as the last.