Hair Care This section covers hair colour and hair treatments. Hair Colour Hair colour is a signature category for Terry White Chemists. The category is valuable in dollar terms and is important to our customers because of our strong beauty positioning. Pharmacy has a 24% share of this category (grocery has 51% and variety/department stores have 25%). Within TWC, the hair colour category is growing at 4 times the rate of pharmacy in general. Permanent hair colour dominates this category, but semi-permanents are still important because these are the products that customers first try before they gain confidence and move onto permanent colours. This section of the CD will give you a brief introduction to your hair colour customer, safety, semipermanent, tone-on-tone, permanent and men's colours, and blonding. Hair Treatments Customers may be embarrassed to ask for advice about treating scalp conditions; particularly dandruff and head lice. Pharmacy staff have an important role to play in reassuring customers that itchy and dry scalps, head lice and dandruff are common conditions that respond well to the correct treatments.
Hair Colour Hair colour is a signature category for Terry White Chemists. The category is valuable in dollar terms and is important to our customers because of our strong beauty positioning. Pharmacy has a 24% share of this category (grocery has 51% and variety/department stores have 25%). Within TWC, the hair colour category is growing at 4 times the rate of pharmacy in general. Permanent hair colour dominates this category, but semi-permanents are still important because these are the products that customers first try before they gain confidence and move onto permanent colours. This section of the CD will give you a brief introduction to your hair colour customer, safety, semipermanent, tone-on-tone, permanent and men's colours, and blonding. Keep in mind that this information is simply an introduction: your major hair colour suppliers provide more detailed training that will give you the tools you need to understand the nitty-gritty of hair colouring and to get the most out of this important category. Your Hair Colour Customer Colouring hair is the single fastest way that women and men can change their overall look and give themselves an instant boost. 45% of women colour their hair an average of 2.3 times a year. Increasing numbers of men are also colouring their hair at home. Customers are looking for new and innovative products that allow them to achieve multifaceted colour with exceptional condition and shine. Like so many of the beauty areas in pharmacy, the service and advice that you offer customers is the key reason why they shop at a Terry White Chemist. Supermarkets cannot offer any hair colouring advice. It is your interest, knowledge and service that will keep your customers coming back to your store for their next colour. Safety First A small percentage of people are sensitive to certain ingredients in hair colour, and so it's essential for everyone to do a simple patch test 48 hours each time before they colour. People who have coloured their hair before (and even if they've been colouring their hair for years) still need to test every time they colour, as hair colouring ingredients and sensitivities may change over time. Your customer should use a cotton bud to apply a small patch of the hair colour mixture to the inside of their elbow and leave it for 48 hours. If they notice any redness or irritation during this time, they shouldn't use the colour. All hair colour packaging includes detailed instructions for performing a patch test. Eyebrows and eyelashes should never be treated with hair colour, as it can irritate or seriously injure eyes. Semi-Permanent Semi-permanent colours give an instant boost, glossy shine and a great fashion look. These colours gradually wash out (rather than grow out). Semi-permanent colour is ideal for your customers who want to: Use hair colour for the first time or are unsure about colouring their hair (it's commitment-free!). Use a colour within 24 hours of perming. Brighten up their look between permanent colours.
Semi-permanent colours can't lighten hair, but will naturally add colour in the same tone, add reflects, or slightly darken hair. If your customer wants to lighten their hair, they'll need to use a permanent colour. With so many different types of semi-permanents available, your customer can choose one that will last the length of time that suits them. Ask your customer how long they want their colour to last and help them find a suitable product. These range from: Temporary colour that comes out with the next wash (great for an instant update before a party). Regular semi-permanents that last 6 8 washes. Long lasting semi-permanents that keep their vibrant colour for 20 30 washes. Semi-permanents are great for blending away early signs of grey hair. Regular semi-permanents will give about 30% grey coverage, while long-lasting semis will blend away around 40%. Temporary colour doesn't provide any grey coverage. Tone-on-Tone Tone-on-tone is an ammonia-free colour that blends a complementary tone with natural hair colour. This type of colour is designed for people who want to enhance their natural tones (rather than dramatically lighten or darken their hair). Tone-on-tone combines the gentleness of a semi-permanent and the long-lasting results of permanent. The result is shimmering colour and brilliant shine that looks great for up to 20 shampoos. Tone-on-tone will blend away up to 50% grey hair or can be used to simply brighten grey hair with translucent colour. There's no regrowth, so no need for retouching. Because it's ammonia-free, tone-on-tone colour may be used the same day as perming. For customers who have had their hair straightened or relaxed, these hair colours may be used 48 hours later (as long as their hair's in good condition). Permanent Permanent hair colours are the most popular and make up 71% of the hair colour market. These colours are ideal for customers who want: Up to 100% coverage of grey hair. A colour that grows out, rather than washes out. Deep shine, colour and condition. A permanent colour can lighten natural hair colour by 1 2 shades. If your customer wants to go lighter than this (or if they have already died their hair a darker colour), they will first need to pre-lighten their hair by using a bleaching product. Permanent colour will also allow your customer to go up to 2 shades darker. To keep hair looking great for the life of their colour, your customer should use a very gentle shampoo and conditioner specially developed for coloured hair. These shampoos and conditioners usually contain UV filters that will help prevent colour from fading. It's best to apply permanent colour after a perm. Advise your customer to wait about 15 days first. Hair grows from the roots by about 1 cm each month. Doing a touch-up around every 5 weeks therefore seems to suit most people and will keep roots the same colour as the rest of their hair. If your customer wants to recolour all of their hair at the same time as touching up regrowth, they can massage the remaining colour through the lengths and ends of their hair, leaving it on
for less time than the roots. This will prevent their hair from absorbing too much colour and from making it look too dark (a common problem). Once mixed, hair colour can't be kept, so advise your customer to throw way any mixture that's left after retouching. Blonding There is a wide range of blonding products available that will lighten hair by up to 6 shades in 1 step. Customers who are starting off with a darker colour (either natural or died) or who want to be the palest of blondes, may need to use a 2-step process called double-processing. This involves applying a lightener to prepare hair and then using a separate blonding product to get the exact shade they want. Highlights (also called streaks or frosting) are a great way to add colour and dimension to hair, and can be as subtle or bold as your customer wants. They can be used on hair that's been permed or straightened. Highlights are an especially good option for your customer who: Wants a permanent colour that grows out, but doesn't want to bother with re-touching roots. Has less than 25% grey hair. Wants the look of being a blonde, without the commitment and maintenance. Has naturally dark hair and cannot reach the shade of blonde they prefer or find dark roots a problem. Men s Colour More men than ever are colouring their hair, and suppliers are making colour that's especially suited to men's natural hair colour and texture. Colouring hair is a simple way to take control of greying and to add volume to thinning hair. Men can also colour their hair to create fashion looks. Help your customer to choose a shade that is as close as possible to their natural hair colour if they simply want to cover greys and add volume. Hair colour should be applied to most resistant hair first: this includes the beard, moustache and sideburns. Remind your customer that they must never risk colouring eyebrows or eyelashes. The next step is to colour hair that has the thickest areas of grey. This is usually around the temples. Finally, apply colour to the remaining hair, following the detailed instructions on the pack.
Hair Treatments Fast Facts Customers may be embarrassed to ask for advice about treating scalp conditions; particularly dandruff and head lice. Pharmacy staff have an important role to play in reassuring customers that itchy and dry scalps, head lice and dandruff are common conditions that respond well to the correct treatments. Refer your customer to the pharmacist if they have: Sores or blisters on their scalp, or any other scalp irritation. Symptoms in areas other than the scalp such as eyebrows, eyelashes, beards or genital regions. Patches of hair loss associated with their scalp condition. Redness, itchiness, bleeding or burning of the scalp. Sensitive skin. Symptoms that continue despite treatment, or symptoms that worsen or return. Also refer your customer to the pharmacist if they answer yes to any of the questions on the Hair Treatments Checklist. This topic covers the following types of hair treatments: Antilice (essential oils, herbal extracts, hair conditioners, permethrin, maldison, pyrethrins or bioallethrin with piperonyl butoxide). Antifungals (ketoconazole, miconazole, pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide). Products that affect the way skin is shed (tar, sulfur, salicylic acid). Hair Treatments Checklist Before recommending any hair treatment, you need to ask your customer these questions: Is the hair treatment for a child under 2 years or an older person? Is the hair treatment for a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding? Have you already tried any treatment for this problem? Have you had any other recent hair treatments, e.g. dyes, perms or bleaches? Do you have any other symptoms? Do you have asthma? Do you have any allergies or skin conditions? Do you have any other medical conditions? Is the person taking any other prescription, over-the-counter or natural medicines (including medicines that you buy from your supermarket or health food store)? If the customer answers yes to any of these questions refer them to the pharmacist, as it will affect which type of hair treatment they can use. Head Lice Head lice are tiny, brown wingless insects about 2 3 mm long. Lice can't jump or fly, but they'll take any opportunity to crawl across from one head to another. The female lice lay their eggs (often called nits ) which glue themselves to the base of the hair, usually within a few millimeters of the scalp. The eggs are a dark sandy colour and about the size of a grain of salt.
Dead eggs look like tiny white dots stuck to the hair shaft. Any eggs that are more than 1 cm away from the scalp are either dead or hatched. Only lice can be transferred from one person to another. It's not possible to transfer eggs. Head lice can only continue their life cycle on hair found on human heads (and necks). After 1 week the eggs hatch and the young lice normally stay attached to the hair. Within 10 days, the lice are mature enough to lay eggs. Outbreaks of head lice occur most frequently where people have close personal contact with each other (especially children). Head lice are not associated with a lack of cleanliness. How to Spot Head Lice Head lice are commonly found behind the ears and at the back of the neck. Your customer may see dark sandy coloured eggs stuck to the base of the hair that don't fall out when they shake their head. They may also see the brown lice on the scalp or hair. However, because head lice themselves are difficult to see, the first clue that your customer gets may be an itchy scalp or neck. As the head lice feed on human blood, they spill saliva on to the scalp and this is what makes the scalp itchy (although itching isn't always there). If your customer has not confirmed that head lice are present, get them to talk with the pharmacist. The pharmacist will be able check the scalp for live lice and eggs. The conditioner and comb technique can be used at home to check for live lice and eggs. Apply hair conditioner to dry, untangled (brushed) hair. Comb the conditioner through to the ends of the hair using an ordinary comb. Then use a fine tooth lice comb to comb through hair one section at a time. After each stroke, wipe the comb onto a tissue. Inspect the tissue for lice and eggs then remove all eggs and lice from the comb. Repeat until every part of the head has been checked and then thoroughly rinse hair. In addition to the general recommendations, you should refer your customer to the pharmacist if they have: Head lice that won't go away despite two treatments with head lice products. Signs of infection such as fever or swollen glands. Head Lice - Self-Help Ideas Head lice products should not be used to try and prevent head lice. This only exposes people to unnecessary chemicals and increases the chance of head lice becoming resistant to treatments. Check all close contacts for head lice. Head lice products should only be used if live lice or eggs are found. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, treating the whole family is not necessary only treat those members of the family with confirmed head lice. When your customer has confirmed that there are live lice present, correctly using a suitable product can help make treatment more successful. Your customer shouldn't worry about washing all the bedding and clothes lice won t survive for long away from human blood. There are only a few of a family member's items that are probably worth washing in hot water (pillowcases, towels and hairbrushes or combs). If head lice are confirmed on children it is responsible and helpful for their parents to contact everyone the child has been in close contact with. This includes family and friends, and the child's child care centre, kindy or school.
Health department guidelines about when a child with head lice may return to school vary slightly from one state and territory to another. Your customer should check this with their school or health department. Use the conditioner and comb method to check for head lice each week when there's an active infestation of lice. Helpful Products Products used to help manage head lice include herbal extracts, essential oils, electronic combs and chemically-based treatments. The use of non-chemical methods of treating head lice are becoming more popular. This is because there is increasing evidence that head lice are becoming resistant to chemically-based treatments and many parents and carer s prefer to limit the amount of chemicals to which they expose their children. Herbal extracts and essential oils are natural alternatives for killing head lice. We don't know exactly how herbal ingredients work, but it is suggested that essential oils work by suffocating the head lice and making the hair shaft slippery so they are easy to remove. Herbal products contain a combination of tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil or rosemary oil. They may also include other oils such as geranium, thyme, citronella, lemon, lemongrass, clove leaf and anise. Electronic combs are chemical-free alternatives for the management of head lice. They work by electronically detecting and electrocuting the head lice. Lice that have become resistant to chemical treatments can still be successfully zapped with electronic combs. Traditional chemically-based head lice ingredients include permethrin, maldison and pyrethrins or bioallethrin with piperonyl butoxide. They are insecticides that work by killing and paralysing head lice and eggs. Hair conditioners have also been suggested as a helpful way to remove lice and eggs. Evidence for this treatment is lacking, but it may be an alternative for those people who are not able to use other head lice treatments. Hair conditioners work by temporarily stunning the lice making them unable to move for about 20 minutes. In this time, the conditioner and comb method is used to manually remove any lice and eggs. This method needs to be repeated every 2 days until lice are not found for at least 10 days straight. Nit combs can be recommended to remove live eggs. Eggs that are further than 1 1.5cm from the scalp are very likely to be hatched or dead. Your customer can remove these if they want to, but it can be very hard, slow work! Head Lice -Using Head Lice Products This information applies to herbal and chemical products for head lice. Your customer should consult the manufacturer's information for instructions on how to use electronic combs. Rubber gloves should be worn when applying head lice treatments. Your customer should make sure that they use enough products to thoroughly wet the scalp, including the back of the neck and behind the ears (unless otherwise directed). Depending on the ingredient in the product, the amount of time your customer needs to leave the product on the hair is different. Always check each pack for exact recommendations. The length of time is important, so always make sure your customer follows the directions closely.
Remind your customer that they should dry their hair with a towel after using head lice products. The heat from hair driers will break down some head lice products and make them ineffective. Some head lice products also contain alcohol which is flammable. The hair should be checked after applying head lice products. If lice are not killed after the specified time, your customer should speak with the pharmacist as soon as possible to confirm correct application and discuss an alternate product with a different active ingredient. All head lice treatments need to be repeated after 7 10 days to help remove lice that have hatched from eggs remaining after the first treatment. You should advise your customer that the itching of head lice may continue for 1 week after the head lice have cleared up. After repeating the treatment at 7 10 days, they should not treat again unless they spot live lice or eggs. If they need to treat again, they should speak with the pharmacist about recommending a different head lice product. Precautions Use head lice products in a well-ventilated room. Keep head lice products away from the eyes, nose and mouth. Head lice products should not be applied to inflamed, broken or infected skin. If skin irritation or a rash occurs, your customer should stop using the head lice treatments. Some head lice treatments are highly flammable so they should not be used near heaters, open fires or if smoking. Head lice treatments may be used with most medicines, but there are some that interact so you must always check with the pharmacist. Electronic combs are not recommended for use by people with epilepsy, heart disease, a pacemaker or other type of neurostimulator. Refer your customer to the pharmacist if they have any other health conditions or medical aids. Dandruff - Fast Facts Everybody sheds dead skin cells from the scalp, normally in tiny clusters. Dandruff is a skin condition caused by too much shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp. The skin cells clump together to form large, visible flakes that fall on collars and shoulders of clothes. The most common symptoms of dandruff are itching and skin flakes over the entire scalp and in the hair. The flakes may be small, round and whitish-grey in colour or large, greasy and yellow in colour. When the head is shaken or hair disrupted the flakes fall off. We don't know the exact cause of dandruff, but it is thought to be linked with the overgrowth of a fungus on the scalp called Pityrosporum ovale. Another possible cause may be overactive or blocked oil glands on the scalp. Overactive oil glands may cause an increase of the natural skin shedding process. Blocked oil glands may cause over-drying and flaking of the skin. Other factors that may influence dandruff include weather, hormonal changes, poor hygiene, excessive perspiration, illness, excessive use of hair products, long-term stress, anxiety and tension, and allergic reactions. Helpful Products Dandruff cannot be cured, but regular use of an anti-dandruff shampoo may help prevent and control outbreaks.
Shampooing every day with a mild, non-medicated shampoo may be helpful. Encourage your customer to massage their scalp gently to loosen any skin flakes and rinse their scalp thoroughly. Recommend an appropriate conditioner. Leave-in conditioners may be particularly helpful if your customer has a dry scalp because they act as a moisturizer. Anti-dandruff products often contain a combination of antifungal ingredients and ingredients that slow down or change the way in which skin cells are shed. Anti-dandruff products that contain anti-fungal ingredients may be helpful. These ingredients work by reducing the amount of fungus on the scalp. Examples of antifungal ingredients include pyrithione zinc, selenium sulfide, miconazole and ketoconazole. Tar is an example of an ingredient that slows down the production of skin cells without necessarily acting directly against the fungus. Tar may help to relieve symptoms but does not remove the cause of dandruff. Keratolytic ingredients such as sulfur and salicylic acid work by breaking down bonds that hold the skin cells together. This means that when the skin cells are shed, they are separated rather than in clumps. Sulfur and salicylic acid may help relieve symptoms but do nothing to remove the cause. Some anti-dandruff products are mild enough to use every day, while others should only be used once or twice a week. As the condition improves, your customer can use the product less often. Individual products vary, so always check each pack for exact recommendations. Precautions Keep anti-dandruff products away from the eyes, nose and mouth. Anti-dandruff products may cause skin irritation and rashes. If these adverse effects occur your customer should stop using the product and see their doctor. Customers using products that contain coal tar should be warned that their scalp may be more susceptible to sunburn. They should cover up with a wide-brimmed hat or avoid sunlight altogether. Products that contain coal tar and selenium sulfide may stain, so remind your customer to rinse thoroughly after use and to avoid drying their hair with a white or light coloured towel. Products that contain ketoconazole should not be used for more than 4 weeks without a break. Anti-dandruff products may be used with most medicines, but there are some that interact (such as cortisone), so you must always check with the pharmacist. Dry Scalp Dry scalp is a very common problem and is often confused with dandruff. Dry scalp results from a loss of moisture on the scalp. The symptoms of dry scalp include an itchy scalp and skin flakes that are dry and often confined to the top of the head, hairline or nape of the neck. The flakes are often tiny and white, similar to dust. A dry scalp can be caused by dry weather, hot showers and incomplete rinsing of shampoo. Self-Help Ideas Recommend a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for dry scalps. Remind your customer to always rinse the hair thoroughly after shampooing and before conditioning. Avoid excessive use of hair products and dyes.
Avoid really hot showers. Encourage your customer to massage their conditioner well into their scalp. A good quality conditioner or a leave-in conditioner will act as a moisturizer. A dry scalp may benefit from a warm oil treatment used once a week. Massage olive oil, castor oil or linseed oil into the scalp and keep head warm in a hot towel for at least 10 minutes (preferably for a few hours) before washing. Scalp Psoriasis Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes thickened red areas, often with a silvery, scaly appearance. The thick areas are caused by an increase in the number of skin cells. Scalp psoriasis commonly occurs behind the ears, on the forehead and the nape of the neck. It is usually accompanied by psoriasis sores in other areas of the body such as the elbows and knees. The flakes associated with scalp psoriasis are usually powdery with a silvery sheen. Whereas dandruff tends to involve almost all the scalp, psoriasis often occurs in small patches of redness. Psoriasis often occurs in families and may be triggered by physical and emotional stress, cold weather, infections, soap and overuse of shampoo. Because scalp psoriasis will often require the application of medicines or other medical therapy as well as the use of medicated shampoos, it is best that the pharmacist speak with any customer requesting treatment for scalp psoriasis. Self-Help Ideas Encourage your customer to avoid picking or scratching their sores. When using medicated shampoos, make sure your customer rubs them into the scalp and not just the hair. Medicated shampoos that contain salicylic acid or tar may be helpful (unless contraindicated). Scalp Psoriasis - Helpful Products Salicylic acid works by loosening and removing the flakes from the scalp sores. Tar may help to slow the growth of skin cells. Some products are mild enough to use every day, while others should only be used once or twice a week. Individual products vary, so always check each pack for exact recommendations. Precautions Keep products that contain salicylic acid and/or tar away from the eyes, nose and mouth. Products that contain salicylic acid and/or tar may cause skin irritation and rashes. If these adverse effects occur your customer should stop using the product and see their doctor. Customers using products that contain coal tar should be warned that their scalp may be more susceptible to sunburn. They should cover up with a wide-brimmed hat or avoid sunlight altogether. Products that contain coal tar may stain, so remind your customer to rinse thoroughly after use and to avoid drying their hair with a white or light coloured towel. Salicylic acid or tar products should generally not be used with other forms of psoriasis therapy such as ultraviolet radiation or prescription medicines. Refer your customer to the pharmacist if they are using any other medicines or treatments for their psoriasis.