Tim Carr 6/20/16 Tim Carr 6/20/16

Unwanted Hair

As many of you know, Monday is the only day off, and even though I work in west LA I live out in Woodland Hills. Right now it's 110 degrees here, so I figured it would be a great time to stay inside and write another blog post.

For many men, myself include as we advance in age more and more unwanted hair keeps sprouting up. It can come in the form of back hair, ear hair, nose hair, and many guy's eyebrows can become bushy. Keeping this hair at bay can make a big difference in your overall appearance. Many men who visit me in the salon have me trim their eyebrows and ear hair, for some guys it's much easier for me to do it than to try it themselves at home. If your eyebrows are really bushy, I like to use a clipper over comb technique that will cut all of the long hairs and last until the next time you visit the salon. If you only have a couple wild hairs I use my comb and scissors to accurately cut only the few needed. Neither of these techniques will change the shape of your eyebrows or make you look effeminate. For men who have a unibrow, or starting to get one, I can wax the hair in the middle. If you're starting to get a unibrow, do not shave it! Not because of the old wives tale that shaving makes it grow back faster and thicker, but it just looks bad as the stubble starts to grow back in. I know I don't have any waxing on my service menu, but that's mainly because I don't do any eyebrow shaping. If you just want the hair in the middle removed, let me know a little in advance of your appointment so I get get the wax heated up, and we can do it at the shampoo bowl while the conditioner is on. I only charge $5 for this (mostly to cover the product costs) because it doesn't really add any time to what's already been allotted for your haircut. For ear hair, I generally clean that up as I'm finishing your haircut, most men just need a few cut off the lobes and the edge of the ear with the trimmers. I have a few hairs that come in on my ears, and I wax it off at home. This isn't a service I provide in the salon, but is't easy to do at home. You will need a wax pot, some hard wax, and some small applicator sticks. I buy all of this on Amazon, but make sure you get hard wax, the soft requires paper strips to get it off. If you're unsure which to get, you can email me and I'll send you a link. All you have to do is heat the wax up in the warmer, apply it to the hair with one of the sticks (go with the grain when you apply), wait for it to dry, and pull it off against the grain of the hair once dry. You'll have to work up a little corner with your fingernail to grip in order to pull it off. The reason I think this is best instead of just trimming the hair off is that when you rip a hair out over and over, eventually the follice will die and hair won't grow their anymore. I've been waxing my unibrow for long enough now, that even if I forget to keep up on it, mostly peach fuzz grows there now. If I hadn't been doing that for years and forgot about it, I would have something growing that would rival Anthony Davis. If you're a person that gets a lot of ingrown hairs, waxing may not me for you--also if you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to ask me the next time you're in the salon.

Tim Carr 6/16/16 Tim Carr 6/16/16

Finding the Right Haircut for You

There are a few things men need to consider when choosing a hairstyle. Hair texture, thickness, your face shape, and what you do for a living can make a big difference in finding something that looks good on you. The same haircut on a guy with curly hair is going to look a lot different on a man with straight hair, or even one with a little wave in his hair. I wouldn't give the same haircut to a teenager that I would to a older man who's hair is thinning. It's not just a matter of the thicker hair being thinned out by adding texture, a hairstyle that looks good on a guy with really thick hair may make the guy with thinner hair just look like he's trying to hard to hide his hair loss or to cover something up. Today I'm going to talk more about face shapes and which hair styles I think look best for each particular shape. These aren't written in stone-hard fast rules, even stylists have some disagreement on which styles look best for each face shape.

For men, the ideal face shape is square. When a man has less of a square face, the idea is to get a cut that creates more of an illusion of a square. This doesn't necessarily mean every guy who sits in my chair gets a square haircut, but there are little tricks I can do to create the illusion of a square face. I'll get into that as I talk about each face shape individually.

If you are one of the lucky guys who already have a square face shape, pretty much any haircut from longer to short will look good, but neat and clean haircuts are going to look the best. The only thing that you have to worry about if you're a guy with a square face shape is that the shorter you go, the more it will look like a military hairstyle.

If you have a rectangle face shape (long and narrow) what you really don't want is a big contrast between the top and sides--this will create the illusion that your face is even longer. A beard will do the same thing. A cut where the top and sides are proportionate and some hair falls over the forehead looks best on a guy with a rectangle shaped face.

On a man with a round face shape, I like to do the opposite that I would on a guy with a rectangle face shape. You want that contrast between the top and the sides. On a guy with a round face shape it helps great the illusion of having a strong jaw line. A well groomed beard can help with this as well.

Less men have diamond shaped faces than the ones listed above--but if you're a guy with one, you want something with softer lines, not too short (that will make your ears look bigger), and a side part. If you have a heart shaped face similar haircuts will work for you too.

For a triangle shape faced man, longer lengths are usually better. This adds volume to help offset the narrow forehead and wide jawline. I think beards don't look the best on guys with a triangle face shape because they're already so wide at the jawline and the beard makes it look even wider.

Below are some examples of the different face shapes on men.

When you do have an idea for a new hairstyle, or even if you don't have an idea, it's best to find pictures on the internet to show your barber/stylist. Even having multiple pictures is good if you only like part of one and a different part of another. I go on Reddit Male Hair Advice and I see so many posts with a picture asking, "What is this haircut called?" There will always be a lot of responses saying, "It's called take the picture into your barber." and then other comments with people debating on what the haircut is actually called. This is why I think bringing pictures in is best, the same haircuts are called different things regionally, or just from person to person. Where I moved from "the combover" when when an old guy brought all of his hair from one side across his bald head to try to cover up the fact that he's bald. A lot of people here call it a combover when a guy with plenty of hair parts it to one side. I had only heard that called a side part until I moved here.

Thanks for reading, I hope this blog has been helpful in helping you find a new hairstyle that will look best on you.

Tim Carr 5/5/16 Tim Carr 5/5/16

Dealing With Hair Loss

In my last blog about products I touched on hair loss/thinning when talking about my hair care regiment. Some of this will be repeat of what I mentioned in that blog along with some new information. Unless asked, I really don't like to mention how thin someone's hair is getting if they haven't brought it up in the conversation. About a year ago, I had a client who I had been seeing for years talk about how he was losing his hair. I didn't know he was talking about his slightly receding hairline and thought he was talking about how he was getting pretty thin in the crown. When we figured we were both talking about different areas, he said, "Wait a minute.... I'm thinning in the back too?". I showed him the spot I was talking about with a hand mirror, he told me I had ruined his day, and I never saw him again. I didn't show him that he was thinning in that area to be like, "Ha ha, you're going bald.", I showed him because I wanted to let him know how he could slow the thinning down and possibly grow some hair back. It would have been the perfect time to try to fight the thinning, it hadn't gotten that bad yet, and once it's all the way gone, it's too late.

When you first notice thinning, there's a couple things you can do right off the bat that are easy and have no cost to you. Don't wash your hair in hot water, and you don't want to traumatize your hair, so when you get out of the shower, just dab it dry. Since growth hormone levels shoot up at night, try to get at least seven hours of sleep a night.

For shampoo and styling products, only use professional products that don't have any silicone or petroleum in them. Both of these ingredients can clog the follicle and eventually suffocate the hair. Some of the drugs store shampoos create a waxy build up which can make the hair look more shiny, but the same build up occurs on your scalp which can hinder hair growth. Right now I am using the Eufora Complete Shampoo and Revitalizing Treatment for my shampoo and conditioner. Nioxin has a good system too, but after the shampoo and conditioner there is a third step where you put a product on your scalp and I'm afraid that will interfere with the Rogaine I use so I go with Eufora instead.

As for Rogaine, it is only FDA approved to say it works on the crown (that back circle where you see guys get a bald spot), some people have told me they've seen results using it all over, but it's kind of a greasy mousse type product that I don't want to have all over my entire head if I'm not going to see a benefit. It's not bad having it in that circle in the back, especially with how long I have my hair now. The active ingredient in Rogaine is minoxidil, if you can find a generic version with the same percentage of minoxidil it will work the same. I buy Target's brand, and it costs me about $25 for a three month supply. When you first start using the product there will be some shedding, if that happens, don't worry--it just means it's working. If you don't see growth right away, don't get discouraged, it takes a while to work. I think it took about six months for me. I was about ready to give up on it when a friend caught a glimpse of the back of my head and made a comment about how my hair had really grew back, and that he noticed how bald I was getting back there and didn't want to say anything because he didn't think there was anything I could do about it. Before I started taking it, whenever I could go to a bar or club I would make sure I wasn't sitting directly under a light because if I was people would be able to see through my hair in the back.

If you're thinning in other places besides the crown, Propecia may be for you. Propecia does require a prescription, and as with Rogaine, there are some generic versions that will save you some money. Propecia inhibits dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is responsible for miniaturising hair follicles, eventually leading to them falling out. You take one pill every day, and your hair loss should stall, then you may eventually see some new growth. There is also shedding with Propecia, I had so much that the girl who cuts my hair commented on it, and I was ready to quit until a client told me that he didn't get the shedding and it didn't regrow any hair either, but his friend who had shedding kept taking it and it "changed his life". There are side effects with Propecia for a very small percentage of the men who take it, I won't go into the numbers here, but at the bottom I'll link the post of a Redditor who did a lot of research about it before he started taking it.

There are some natural products that people claim slow down hair loss like flax seed and saw palmetto. There hasn't been a lot of research on saw palmetto, but what they have done seems promising. Saw palmetto extract may block 5 alpha-reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. Not only does DHT cause hair loss, but it's bad for your prostate, so some of these drugs and natural remedies for hair loss help maintain a healthy prostate as well

If you're in the advanced stages of thinning, a hair transplant may be the best option for you. This is where a doctor extracts hair from the back of your head and places it where you are thinning on the top. Granted, this depends on the level of thinning, but to get a decent look, they need to transplant around 25,000 hairs. They can only do around 8,000 in a sessions, so expect a few visits. Transplanted hairs aren't subject to male pattern baldness, so they're there to stay, but your old ones that are there naturally still can, so you'll need to continue or start some type of regiment to keep them as long as possible. There are also several different brands of hair building fibers that can make your hair appear thicker and fuller that it really is. I haven't used them myself, but have seen clients who use them, and it does make the hair appear thicker. You do have to have some hair to work with though, you can't just shake them on a bald head.

Right now my hair loss regiment is Eufora Complete Shampoo and Revitalizing Treatment in the shower, Rogaine on my thin spot in the back right out of the shower, I take a generic form of Propecia at night, and put Rogaine on the crown again before I go to bed. I've found this is what works for me, what your hair responds to may be different, but there are many options to slow down or stop your hair loss on the market today. I've had people ask me if I really want to do all that for the rest of my life, but the way I look at, I'm just doing it to hang on to my hair until they come out with something better or a full on cure, and it seems like they're getting closer to that everyday.

Here is the link to the Reddit post I mentioned above.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AdviceAnimals/comments/1u2x7q/as_a_guy_with_thin_hair/cee3c20?context=3

Best of luck!

Tim Carr 4/8/16 Tim Carr 4/8/16

Best Hair Products for Men's Hair (in my opinion)

You may not know it from spending time in my chair, but I'm a big product guy. I've just never been a big product pusher while doing hair. If someone has questions or asks for a recommendation I've always been happy to help, but I never wanted to feel like a salesman in the salon. I did telemarketing for MCI for a while in college and was so bad at it that I would wake up in the middle of the night with MCI nightmares. My supervisor liked me but he didn't like my numbers, so he transferred me to a team to call and "sell" MCI to people who had already wrote in and said they wanted it. I do know a lot more about hair than I do about MCI's "5 cent Sundays", so I thought I would talk about some of my favorite products right now.

For my shampoo I am using Eufora's complete shampoo. It's made from quality ingredients (so I'm told), but the only reason I'm using it is for the Eufora Pro Amino Peptide Complex that creates the optimal scalp enviroment for hair growth and inhibits alpha-5 reductase, the hormone responsible for premature hair growth. I use the Eufora Revitilizing Treatment as my conditioner for the same reason. It has the Pro Amino Peptite Complex as well along with menthol and campthor to stimulate and revitilize the scalp, improving blood circulation. There was a time where my hair was getting a little see through on top and I am fighting bad genetics. That is the reason that anytime something comes out that claims to promote hair growth, or slow down hair loss, I do a little research and try it.

My hair is fairly easy to style with the length it is at now. I'm still trying to get it longer and because of that I have a couple different products I rotate to style it, both don't have much hold, one adds moisture, the other adds protein. For anyone planning on growing out their hair for an extended period of time I would recommend them because a lack or moisture or protein can cause split ends, which can travel up the hair shaft resulting in breakage, hindering hair growth. For moisture I use Eufora's Nourish Leave-In Hydration Treatment. I use it right out of the shower, putting about a nickel size amount in my hands and working it into my hair. Then I brush it through for even coverage. With my length of hair I end up looking like ESPN's Barry Melrose for the next few hours until my curl comes back. For protein I use Eufora's Leave-In Repair Treatment from their Beautifying Elixers line. It's applied different since it isn't as thick as the leave in conditioner and it comes in a spray bottle. I just spray it all over my hair and then style the same way, brushing it all back, again resulting in the Barry Melrose look until it drys.

When I had shorter hair I liked to use a few different types of pomades. My two go to are Aveda's Grooming Clay, and Eufora's Traction. Both are great products, easy to use, are made out of quality ingredients, and have a medium hold. The big difference between them is the smell. The Grooming Clay has a strong musky smell while Traction is more of a light, somewhat citrus-like smell. Both are really concentrated, so it only takes about a dime-sized amount of each and can be used with or without a blow dryer in wet or dry hair. I also like Aveda's Control Paste for shorter hair. It is used the same as the Grooming Clay and Traction and has a little more shine. The consistency of the product feels like the Grooming Clay or Traction crossed with a wax. I really like Eufora's Texture Putty as well. It's a little drier than the Grooming Clay and Traction and has a very matte finish. It's really good for guys who want a lot of hold, but don't want it to look like they have anything in their hair. One thing all of these products have in common is that there's no petroleum in them. Some of the cheaper products use petroleum as a filler because it can lubricate and seal moisture within the hair shaft. It also adds softness to the hair. And it's cheap. The downsides to petroleum based products (and the reason I stay away from them) is that it can lead to scalp problems like dandruff, sluggish hair growth, and even hairloss over time.

For most guys I wouldn't recommend hairspray alone, but if you're finding you don't get enough hold, layering your products may be a good technique for you. To layer is to put a product on top of another product. For instance, when I needed a lot of hold, I would put a liquid gel in my hair right out of the shower, blow dry it into the shape I wanted, use a pomade to piece it out/mess it up a little, and then use a little hairspray, giving me three layers of product. Most guys can probably get away with two layers. Just do your normal routine with pomade or whatever styling product you like to use, and then hit it with a little hairspray. The layering also looks more natural than if you were to use a handful of pomade or half a can of hairspray to get a similar hold.

Have fun, experiment, and find out what's best for you!