How to Groom Your Body

Good grooming is the cleanliness of the body from head to toe. It is the art of looking your best on all occasions.

Good grooming requires cleanliness of every part of the body – hair, eyes, skin, teeth, nose, ears and legs.

The care of the body is very important and should never be neglected. The body needs great care and attention. It must be kept clean always.

1. THE HAIR

Hair is found over the whole surface of the human body except the palms and the soles of the feet. The hair is one of our greatest natural assets. Healthy and well-groomed hair helps to improve our personal appearance.

We have dry hairs, oily hairs, soft hairs, tough hairs, long and short hairs. The colour, shape and texture of the hair depends on one’s race and sometimes diet.

Hair is prominent on the head.

FUNCTIONS OF THE HAIR

1. It acts as a protective covering
2. It helps to conserve heat
3. It enhances stimuli (irritability)
4. It aids beauty and shape to the body/head

CARE OF THE HAIR

1. Wash your hair regularly
2. Choose a good quality comb and brush
3. Eat balance diet
4. Have quality rest and sleep
5. Regular trimming will help your hair look good
6. Long hairs should be kept in good condition
7. Wash short hairs frequently and cut when due
8. Avoid the use of very hot comb, as it can burn the hair and make the hair brittle and break off.

CLEANING OF HAIR COMBS AND BRUSHES

Wash all combs and brushes in warm soapy water with the use of a sponge.

In washing the hair brushes:

1. Remove the fluffy, using the comb
2. Beat the brush gently in warm soapy water until all the dirt is removed
3. Rinse in cold water with the addition of sat
4. Shake to remove as much water as possible and dry in a clean place.

N.B:

– Good combs and brushes are very necessary so as to have lovely and healthy hair.

– Buy a good comb and treat it carefully. Combs are made of materials like bones, nylon, plastic, metal and wood.

– Hair brushes are to be carefully chosen

– Combs and brushes are to be washed as often as possible.

CHOICE OF DIFFERENT HAIR OILS

The type of oils, cream or pomade used depends on the type of hair. Choose the right one for your hair.

1. Give the scalp of the hair regularly oil treatment, it makes it soft, healthy and shinning.
2. Apply the cream or pomade into the scalp with the tip of the fingers for blood flow.
3. Brushing and combing of the hair regularly is a simple way of conditioning it.
4. The use of caustic soda solution is very dangerous to the hair.

HAIR INFECTIONS

1. DANDRUFF

This is an accumulation of dead skinny soap and dust between the roots of the hair. It appears as scales on the scalp.

CAUSES OF DANDRUFF

1. Poor nutrition
2. Poor state of health
3. Contact with an affected person
4. Frequent changing of hair cream
5. Dryness of the scalp.

CONTROL AND TREATMENT

1. Wash the hair frequently and put oil on the scalp
2. Plait your hair every week or oil it regularly
3. Cut your hair when due and avoid over growth
4. Those with oily hair should avoid too much oil
5. Take diets low in fat, sweets, starches and hot drinks
6. Maintain good health habits
7. Remove as much of the scales as possible using a small comb or brush
8. When the hair is completely dry, oil the scalp lightly
9. In severe cases, see a doctor.
10. RINGWORM

This appears first as small round reddish scaly spots with blisters. The spots enlarge rapidly becoming greyish in colour.

CAUSES OF RINGWORM

1. It spreads through fungi e.g. puppies
2. Wearing an infected person’s head gear, scarf or cap
3. Using an infected person’s combs, brushes etc.
4. Resting the head against upholstery seats in public places.
5. Contact with an infected person or contaminated article in a hair salon shop.

TREATMENT

Shave the hair and see the Doctor.

PREVENTION

1. Always keep the hair clean
2. Do not use other peoples comb, brushes etc.
3. Do not give your combs and brushes for others to use
4. Keep all tools used for the hair clean.

• HAIR LICE

These are tiny animals which infest the hair. They live on the hair and suck blood from the scalp. Their bite causes itching. The tiny eggs called nits attach themselves to the hair shot. They can easily be spread from one person to another.

CAUSES OF HAIR LICE

1. Lice thrives in very dirty and un-kept hair
2. They spread from one person to another through contact.

TREATMENT

1. Shave the hair off completely. The shavings should be destroyed by burning
2. Apply anti-louse treatment as prescribed by a Doctor.

PREVENTION

1. Avoid exchange/usage of other people’s hat, scarf, comb, brushes etc.
2. Use special shampoo if you discover that you have any tiny white louse eggs on your hair.
3. Maintain balanced diet regularly
4. Use a good hair cream on your hair.