What is hair polishing and how is it done

What it is?

With the advent of hair dryers, curling irons and straightening irons, styling curls and creating hairstyles has become much easier. However, the availability and ease of use of electrical appliances entailed a serious problem - the section of the ends and the general fragility of the hair.

Until recently, the only way out of this situation was a haircut, but with the advent of new means and technologies, it became possible to eliminate the effects of thermal effects on the hair structure with the help of polishing.

The process consists in removing the split ends along the entire length. It is done with a hair clipper, scissors or straight razor. The method of mechanical action turned out to be much more effective than using cosmetic products, which is why it quickly became popular.

The procedure is performed both in the salon and at home and does not take much time.

Even heavy, thick strands will take no more than 40-120 minutes, and even light hair of medium length will take even less.

The essence of polishing is based on a classic remedy for combating split ends - a haircut. However, unlike traditional hair shortening, polishing does not imply a decrease in its length and volume change, keeping the hairstyle exactly the same as it was before polishing.

This became possible thanks to a special technology, in which only stratified hair sections are removed, while their length remains the same.

The cost of the procedure depends on the length of the hair and the degree of damage and varies from 500 to 2,000 rubles.

Who is hair polishing for?

It is necessary to use the procedure in one of the following cases:

• 4-5 days a week using a hairdryer, iron or curling iron;
• they are colored or discolored;
• perm was performed;
• the type of curls is dry; fragility occurs;
• curls grow slowly.

If the hair is thin, then the polishing procedure is not carried out. Curly or curly ones should also not be exposed to such an effect, since a noticeable effect cannot be achieved.

Important! After going through the polishing steps, you must follow the rules of care. There are special procedures that allow you to consolidate the achieved result and strengthen the hair.

Products should be made on the basis of natural ingredients, while it is better to avoid chemicals in the composition. Shampoos, conditioners, rinses with parabens, dyes or sulfates are completely excluded. They damage the curls inside, so the polishing effect disappears quickly.

How often can you polish

Many women are interested not only in how hair is polished, but also how often it is needed. It is recommended to carry out the procedure once every 3–6 months. An exception is severely damaged or weakened hair.

In this case, you need to repeat the work to get rid of split ends 1 time in 6-8 months. In between, the curls need to be restored and nourished.

Pros and cons of polishing

Before deciding on a salon or home polish, you need to understand if this procedure is suitable for a particular hair type. Polishing can be done on strands of any length, it is especially recommended for owners of straight hair, stratified not only at the ends, but also in the middle.

The indication for the procedure will be the presence of visible white nodules and creases in the hair. Among the main advantages of polishing:

• Instant result. Hair gets a well-groomed look immediately after the procedure.
• Durability. The effect lasts for 2-4 months, then the procedure can be repeated.
• Processing speed. Professional polishing will take 30-40 minutes, at home the process will take no more than 1 hour.
• Effectiveness. After processing, at least 90% of exfoliated hair is removed.
• Safety. The design of the blades allows you to cut only split sections without damaging healthy hair.

Owners of any haircuts can polish: straight, multi-level, asymmetric. The procedure does not change the main length of the hairstyle. The machine cuts off only a few millimeters, in especially difficult cases it will remove 1 cm. After processing, the naughty strands become more obedient, do not get confused, and fit into the hair more easily.

The strands acquire shine and softness, they perceive care products better, look great on photos and videos.

Polishing is best done on medium to long hair. On a short haircut, the effect of the procedure is almost invisible.

Despite the many advantages, the procedure also has disadvantages. These include:

• high price of salon procedures;
• the need for thorough care after polishing;
• too frequent and intensive treatment will deprive the hairstyle of volume.

Polishing is not suitable for owners of too thin, weak, prone to hair loss. It is not recommended for girls with very curly curls either.

Devices

Hair polishing can be done with scissors, a straight razor and a hair clipper attachment. When choosing a typewriter for the home, you can limit yourself to a household option. Such devices differ in budgetary cost and have a small resource. However, with individual use, this will be quite enough and the tool will be able to serve for more than one year.

The purchase of a professional typewriter for personal use is impractical, due to its high cost, which is unlikely to pay off at home.

Usually these models are equipped with high quality carbide knives and are designed for intensive work in a hairdressing salon.

Along with a special machine for home use, a sanding trimmer comb is ideal. The device effectively removes split ends along the entire length and makes hair perfectly smooth. Such a device is often used not only by home craftsmen, but also by novice hairdressers.

A good option would be to purchase a Split Ender hairbrush. The appliance is very easy to use and comes with a comb, clamp and cleaning brush.

As for the polishing attachments, their choice is very large. On sale there are both simple plastic models for independent use, and serious metal samples equipped with good professional blades.

The main thing when buying is not to be mistaken with the size and purchase a nozzle that exactly matches the width of the machine.

Whatever instruments the procedure is carried out, they must be clean and disinfected, especially for salon devices. At home, cutting surfaces can be held over hot steam or treated with disinfectants. The quality of the knives' material also plays a decisive role.

Experienced craftsmen recommend using blades made from high quality alloy steel and not using cheap soft stainless steel knives.

You should also monitor the condition of the cutting edge.It must be well sharpened and free from nicks and other metal defects. Dull blades will rip the hair, further aggravating the situation.

How is the procedure carried out in the salon

Salon sanding takes about 40 minutes. First, the hair is washed and treated with balm. Then, thermal protection is applied to the strands and treated with an iron with ceramic plates. If the hair is not straightened, the machine will cut off the excess length, the hairstyle will become less voluminous.

1. Processing begins from the back of the head, the master pinches the rest of the hair with clamps.
2. Narrow strands are tucked in turn into the machine, which neatly cuts off several millimeters of split ends. Processing begins from the ends, gradually the master rises higher and higher until he grinds all the strands.
3. After polishing, the hairstyle is given its final shape, the hair is trimmed with scissors. A nourishing mask is applied to the curls, restoring softness and shine.

Home resurfacing: options for experienced and beginners

At home, polishing is carried out using attachments that are worn on a clipper or an inexpensive device designed exclusively for grinding. It is advisable to buy a machine with self-sharpening blades that do not require frequent dressing.

It is not difficult to do home resurfacing. Clean, carefully combed hair is treated with a thermal spray and an iron. Keep the strands perfectly straight to make sanding at home easier.

If there is no iron, you can pull out the strands with a hairdryer and a round brush.

Narrow curls are separated from the total mass of hair and alternately processed with a machine. If the strands are cut evenly, it is led up, with a step or cascade haircut - down. The movements should be smooth and slow, on each strand the attachment is carried out 3-4 times. After the end of the polishing, a nourishing mask is applied to the hair. Styling your hair with a hairdryer is not recommended.

Some girls do the polishing with scissors. This technique is suitable for a small amount of split hair. The hair is divided into parts and pinned with hairdressing clips. Having separated a small strand, it is twisted into a tourniquet, slightly fluffing it with your fingers so that the tips stick out.

The split ends are cut with sharpened scissors, then the strand is smoothed out and the procedure is repeated. Thus, it is convenient to polish evenly cut hair of any length. In conclusion, you can make a mask or apply a healing serum to the strands.

Hair care after polishing

After treatment, the hair needs careful daily care. You need to wash your hair no more than 2 times a week, using very mild sulfate-free shampoos from the professional series. Leading brands produce specialty products for brittle hair prone to splitting.

After washing, the strands are treated with a moisturizing conditioner or nourishing balm from the same series.

At least once every 2 weeks, the balms are replaced with nourishing masks enriched with valuable oils, vitamins, plant ceramides, which restore the hair structure. Masks can also be made from familiar products: gelatin, egg yolks, yogurt, kefir, vegetable oil.

A properly composed menu will help to improve the condition of the hair and prevent delamination. It needs to be enriched with foods containing vitamins C, E and B, selenium, iodine, calcium, magnesium. The daily diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, natural vegetable oils, dairy products, sea fish and seafood.

Vitamin supplements are also helpful, such as balanced complexes specifically designed to restore damaged hair.

It is necessary to reduce the number of hot styling, use a hairdryer or an electric curling iron as little as possible. Instead of alcohol-based sprays and mousses, light gels, medicated serums and primers are used for styling.

Bio-lamination will help prolong the effect of sanding.During the procedure, a special composition will be applied to the strands and fixed with an iron. After lamination, the strands will acquire a dazzling shine, become elastic, elastic and very pleasant to the touch.

The composition will additionally protect hair from the harmful effects of sunlight and chlorinated water.

How to avoid negative effects: top 5 best hair masks

To reduce the negative consequences after the procedure, a variety of masks are used. They are created from natural ingredients with the addition of vitamin formulations.

Dairy

You need to know how to make the simplest of the masks so that the process of recovery and care is faster. For cooking, you need 100 ml of sour milk (not kefir). The liquid should be applied to the hair along its entire length.

Next steps:

1. Warm your head (with a plastic cap or towel).
2. Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Rinse off milk with warm running water without using shampoo.

From colorless henna

To make it you will need:

1. henna that does not stain and does not change the shade - 40 g;
2. birch broth - 150 ml.

Leave the resulting mask on the hair for 30 minutes, rinse.

Olive

Only olive oil is needed for cooking. It should be applied, retreating from the roots by 5 cm. Insulate the head, hold for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water.

With lemon juice

Citrus juice and water are mixed in equal proportions. After that, the liquid must be applied to the hair. After that, the head should be insulated, kept for 40 minutes, and then washed off using shampoo.

Rinse aids

You need to know how to make rinse masks at home. They are based on herbal decoctions and infusions (nettle, celandine), lemon juice is also used. It is recommended to use 1 liter of water and 20 g of herb to prepare the liquid.

It is not necessary to withstand such masks, they are applied after the main hygienic procedure.

Alternative methods

To get rid of split ends, it's not just a hair polisher that is used. Alternative methods include are present:

• thermal haircut (with hot scissors);
• lamination;
• Brazilian alignment;
• shielding.

Before making a choice, you need to find out the pros and cons of each of them.

The condition of the hair determines the temperature to which the scissors will need to be heated (90–160 ° C). For the procedure, the strands are twisted into a tourniquet and the damaged ends are cut off.

Advantage: the ends are sealed, as a result moisture and useful components are retained in the hair, which gets rid of the section for a long time.

Lamination

The procedure helps to eliminate damaged curls and split ends. An additional effect is the restoration of the structure from the inside. For the procedure, professional compositions are required.

Reviews of those who used the service indicate a long-term positive effect, since keratin saturation occurs. Hair becomes soft and supple.

Brazilian alignment

Before choosing this method, you need to know what the procedure is. It appeared in 2010.

Effect - the hair becomes soft and shiny. The technique is suitable for owners of curly hair.

It is based on keratin, which has a mild effect on the hair structure. It also provides the necessary nutrition. Before giving preference to Brazilian alignment, it is recommended to figure out what kind of procedure it is, and see the photo before and after it.

Polishing or shielding: which is better

Shielding is a therapeutic measure aimed at nutrition and restoration of curls. The procedure is the application of oils to the strands, which have a caring effect. Polishing is the process of removing the damaged part of the hair using special tools.

Which of the procedures is better is decided by the person who has problems with the health of the hair.It is necessary to take into account that the shielding allows you to achieve additional styling volume.

Features of the procedure for curly hair and split ends

Hair in this case may become shorter, since in order to achieve a visible positive effect, it will be necessary to cut off not only the ends, but also part of the curl. It is better to choose the hot cutting method, since ordinary scissors or a machine do not provide an opportunity to change the state of the hair.

The choice of the method and technique of polishing depends on the type and structure of the hair. Given the features, you can achieve positive changes and restore health and strength to the curls.

Reviews

Reviews of hair polishing are quite controversial and depend on the result obtained. Most of the people who have shared their opinions on the Internet are generally very happy with the procedure. However, it should be noted that most of the visitors to beauty salons and hairdressing salons are satisfied with the result.

Professional processing rarely evokes negative emotions, and in general customers are very satisfied with the quality.

Many people note that with the recommended hair care, the effect of polishing remains the entire declared period. Especially positive are people with very slow hair growth, who counts literally every centimeter. Polishing allows them to refresh their hairstyle every time without reducing the length of the hair.

However, there are also a lot of negative reviews, and they refer mainly to mechanical methods of polishing. There is a too short-term effect, which is enough for a couple of weeks. There are situations when, when leaving the salon, the hair was beautiful and smooth, and after the very first wash, it took an unkempt look and began to split even more.

According to professional masters, many factors influence the final result, including the structure and type of hair, the nature of the damage, the age of the client and even the season.

Because of this, it can be quite difficult to predict how the hair will behave after polishing, so everyone decides on a way to deal with split ends for themselves.

Procedure myths

There are many rumors around hair polishing that have not been confirmed by experts. The most common is that the strands become glued together and look like icicles. The volume really suffers a little, but after the first wash, the hair regains its shape.

Additional statements:

• Polishing technology contributes to the deterioration of the hair condition. This is not possible, since only the protruding dry parts are cut off.
• After manipulation, the ends split more often. It is also an incorrect statement, since the procedure does not damage the scales and does not contribute to delamination.
• The haircut may become uneven. This statement is illogical, because the machine has a special attachment that cannot significantly shorten the hair.

After the polishing procedure, the hair becomes more lively, soft and does not change color.

Prolongation of the positive effect

Coming out of the salon with a chic head of hair, I want it to always remain that way. The effect of improving the appearance of hair from this procedure can be extended up to six months. To do this, you need to know simple conditions and follow them:

1. Introduce proper nutrition into your daily diet and do not forget about taking vitamins.
2. To strengthen hair, apply balms, masks and other care products.
3. Try to heat-treat the curls as little as possible.
4. Protect hair from exposure to frost and sun, excessive moisture and dryness.
5. The polishing procedure should be applied 2-3 times a year. But, in order to objectively assert whether it is worth doing it or not, whether it is good or bad, polishing must be tried.

Conclusion

Polishing is a procedure that allows you to improve the appearance of your hair without the use of harmful chemicals. After manipulation, the strands do not need to be styled. To achieve the best result, it is recommended to carry out the procedure in a beauty salon.

With the right care, your hair will stay shiny and healthy for a long time.