By: Nadine Visscher

Your hair needs lipids to stay beautiful, healthy, and strong. Lipids are defined as fats, oils, and waxes that are insoluble in water. Some lipids in your hair form a necessary part of your hair shaft, while other lipids come from the nearby sebaceous glands.

Oils From Within

The oils within your hair shaft account for 3% of it. They are made within your bair bulb and are part of the "intercellular cement" in the cortex (the place where you hair produces its color) and the cuticle (the outside of your hair shaft that acts like a coat of armour). These oils are a protective coating for your hair to prevent it from absorbing too much water and they help "cement" the components of your hair together. Therefore you can see how the oil within your hair is very useful.

Oils From Without

Then there is the oil on the outside of your hair that is produced by the sebaceous glands. These sit right next to the hair follicle and form a film on the surface of your skin and they lubricate your hair. This allows your hair to be flexible (to bend) and to shine.

Hormones

The amount of lipids that you produce is determined by your hormones. If your hormones tell your hair bulbs and sebaceous glands to kick into high gear, your hair will become greasy faster - and there isn't a thing you can do about it. The grease in your hair will attract impurities from the surrounding air and make your hair dirty. On the other hand, if your hormones decide to produce only a samll amount of lipids, your hair will become damaged, dry, and dull.

You need the pilids (oils) in your hair for protection, flexibility, and shine. Even though it may be a pain to have to wash your hair as often as you do, the oils in your hair are a blessing in disguise. Imagine if you didn't have it - your hair would be a real mess.

Nadine Visscher has been cutting hair for over 20 years. She is the author of haircutting ebooks and has a great selection of both haircut videos and haircutting scissors.