What are residues?

 

Residues are the what is left on your scalp and in your dreads when you wash them in a soap or shampoo that's not residue free!

 

Common residues range from conditioners and fragrances to moisturizers and UV Brighteners which can actually be seen under a black light. Still other residues are left behind when traditional soaps, like Castile soaps,  are converted into free fatty acids by metal ions in your water. The residues left behind are less soluble in water and build up over time. These are some of the thickest and quickest building residues. These residues form the familiar soap rings in bath tubs. Laundry detergents leave residues too. Did you know that your clothes actually weigh more after sever washing in Tide or Cheer because of the residues they leave behind?

Have you ever noticed how changing shampoo's every two weeks seems to make your hair feel cleaner? Many people have several shampoos and alternate them to for this very reason. Let me tell you why this seems to work...

The first shampoo leaves it's particular residue again and again and it builds up over time. Eventually the hair doesn't even feel clean and it starts to loose luster. The second shampoo is used. Because the second shampoo washes away some of the residue of the first shampoo the hair feels cleaner. Unfortunately it's already leaving behind some of it's own yummy residues. It seems to get the hair clean for a while but then the residues of the second shampoo begin to build up and its time to switch again. People who don't switch shampoo often notice this when they go to a salon and get their hair washed. It feels so clean right? That's because it's removing some of the residues that your shampoo has been leaving.

The problem is furthered by great marketing convincing people they want everything from oat meal to tea tree oil in there hair. While some of these natural residues can benefit your hair or scalp they do not need to be left every time you wash. If they are, the eventually build up as well, and they can cause irritation and even slow hair growth, like any other residue.

Unfortunately in dreads, because the hair is packed so tightly, these residues are bigger problem. Simply changing shampoo has little effect. Residues sit inside the dreads preventing them from drying properly which can cause mildew to grow - otherwise known as "Dread Rot". The residues also coat the hair like a lubricant allowing tight knots to slip apart instead of getting tighter. This slows down the dreading process making it almost impossible to to form clean tight dreads.

Residues are also a major cause of thinning hair and hair loss.

A major cause of hair loss is the mixture of micro-pollutants, hair care product residues, and Sebum clogging your hair follicle entrance. Sebum is an oily substance produced by your skin. Sebum actually plays an important role in the health of your scalp, but overproduction of Sebum caused by stress (this is a major cause of hair loss in women) and a diet high in animal fat creates excess Sebum secretion. When the sebum leaves your underlying scalp layer, it reaches the surface of your scalp, and mixes with the dirt and hair care product residues.

Because the sebum is now on your scalp and exposed to air, it hardens (oxidation) and creates a thick, black, tar like substance. This hardened substance is now clogging your hair follicle entrance. The bacteria in this substance damages the follicle and is one of the major causes of hair loss. (For those of you who do not know, the hair follicles are the millions of little canals in your scalp in which your hair grows from.) After years of this occurring (your whole life), the tar like material makes its way back down into the follicle and becomes impacted. The result is blockage of nutrient absorption of the follicle, thus impeding hair growth.

It doesn't stop there either. Your body naturally produces testosterone (both men and women) and when the testosterone mixes with the sebum/residue that is impacted in your hair follicle, it creates a powerful substance called DHT. DHT is the real enemy of hair growth and retention. When formed, DHT causes the follicle to begin shutting down, and basically, the follicle dies a slow death. What makes this worse is that your bodies immune system senses the follicle is dying, and as part of its defense system tries further to shut it down and get rid of it (as it would a cold or flu).

The solution? Residue free soap!

You want to leave the hair and scalp as clean as possible. Nothing to build up, nothing to clog and impact follicles, and nothing to lubricate your hairs, preventing your dreads from tightening. Residue free soaps are designed to do exactly that. They rinse away completely and leave nothing behind. They were created for those that have eczema and other chemical sensitivity conditions.

Not only will you not have to worry about itches but it will help your hair stay thick and healthy. After using a residue free shampoo such as ours for only 4 or 5 months you will notice your dreads growing thicker and fuller.

Now you can sport the phat dread and have a healthy scalp! Residue Free baby!!