http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/7/16/lifeliving/4205932&sec=lifeliving
Thursday July 16, 2009
Goodbye, grey
By SHEELA CHANDRAN
Shiseido Laboratories’ latest scalp treatment claims to be able to slow down the greying process.
HOLLYWOOD actress Jennifer Aniston is said to have freaked out after finding her first strand of grey hair while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton covers hers up with a soft honey blonde hue for a touch of glamorous maturity.
Like it or not, we’re all going grey, sooner or later. For some, it happens earlier in life (Americal Idol winner Taylor Hicks starting greying at age 18) while for most people, it happens in their mid-30s or early-40s. Some don’t attempt to hide their grey hair – George Clooney, Robert De Niro and Dame Helen Mirren, to name a few – but many others view it as something that should be hidden with colour treatment.
Those who prefer covering up their grey could try Shiseido Laboratories’ Re:Nu:Age Defy, a hair serum that apparently helps to slow down the greying process. It is claimed that consistent usage over a five-month period will result in 50% less grey hair growth.
Keep grey at bay: Dr Rushi Tasker with the Re:Nu: Age Defy, a hair serum that helps slow hair’s greying process.
“With ageing comes distinct changes such as hair losing its density, manageability and an increase of grey hair. Age Defy helps reduce signs of ageing hair and prevents further follicular erosion,” said Zotos International Inc vice-president of research and development, Dr Rushi Tasker. (Zotos is Shiseido’s US-based salon subsidiary.)
Tasker, who was in Kuala Lumpur for the launch of Re:Nu hair care products recently, said Age Defy’s technology improves the texture of ageing hair and reduces the amount of new grey growth. He added that it is supposed to help restore hair’s natural colour by encouraging pigment growth.
“Hair obtains its colour from a substance called melanin, which is produced by cells called melanocytes within each hair follicle. Each hair follicle has a finite ability to produce melanin. When that production stops, you get grey hair, which is actually colourless hair,” he said. He added that the loss of natural colour was often accompanied by a change in hair’s texture. It becomes finer (or coarser), brittle and more resistant to colouring.
Developed in co-operation with hair company Joico and Shiseido, the serum is said to rejuvenate, reactivate melanin production and inhibit the growth of new grey hair.
With initial use (twice a day), clients can expect stronger, healthier hair in two to six weeks, and fewer new grey hairs in two to four months. An actual reduction in grey hair and a gradual restoration of natural hair colour is said to occur after six months.
The method, said Tasker, is to use the product upon noticing the first signs of grey hair.
“When you notice the first signs, it means melanocytes are still present in hair. If the serum is applied at this stage, you can help stem cells produce melanocytes to produce hair pigments. If you wait too long (like a person with a head full of grey hair), the serum cannot revive melanocytes production.”
According to him, the hair growth phase for women lasts about six years while for men, it takes three years. If grey hair appears during the first cycle and a person uses the serum, it could help produce hair pigments.
“If the serum is used in time, when the white hairs fall out, the new hair will grow with pigment. However, the longer you have been grey, the harder it is to see the effects. The effect would stop if one stops using the product,” he explained.
Key ingredients in Age Defy include Japanese sansho pepper which increases the production of melanin and inhibits the development of grey growth; panax ginseng extract to encourage healthy growth and strength while hops extract keeps colour and texture vital and supple.
“These ingredients work to protect hair from ultra-violet rays, environmental and free-radical damage. With built-in protectors, hair not only retains its youthful appearance, but has the renewed ability to stay that way,” he said.
Re:Nu Age Defy serum is available at Re:Nu distributors nationwide. For more information, call 03-7726 8733 or e-mail info@nekderx.com.my.