Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-01-24

The Way to Avoid 1t Is to Have the
Barber Singe Your Hair.

Barber SINCE Your Hair
Did you ever have your hair singed?
If not you are behind the times. The
practice involves a new fad in vogue
with BARRIERS well up in their business.
A rep ,rter was having his hair trimmed
in a prominent shop, in one of our
large cities when the barber engaged
at the job remarked:
"Your hair is harsh and dry. You
ought to have it singed."
The reporter wanted to know the
why and wherefore, and the barber
continued:
"lt is very beneficial to the hair 1t
invigorates and softens it, and gives it
new life and growth"
The customer concluded he would
undergo the treatment, but wanted
full explanation, and the barber pro-
ceeded with the operation, impartng
additional information as he continued
the work. He had finished trimming
his customers hair, and he now armed
himself with a wax taper about six
inches long, which he lighted. Run
ming the comb under the hair, as he
would in trimming, he applied the
light to the ends, moving comb and
taper gradually over the customers
hair. Soon tie shop was filled with the
Odor of burning hair, and the oc-
cupants in the other chairs began to
sniff and inquire what was afire.
Smoke arose from the reporters head,
and the heat made him nervous, for he
was becoming suspicious that the barber
was playing a practical joke. The lat
ter reassured him, however, AMI con
tinued his philosophical explanation.
"You see, he said, "the hairs of the
head are hollow tubes, as you can dis
cover with a strong magnifying glass
after they are cut The act of cutting
tie hair causes it to bleed, just as driv-
ing an axe into tree will have a SIM
liar effect This fluid, which ooze5
from the hair when the ends are taken
off, is about the color of the hair itself,
whatever that color may be, and while
it can not be seen with the naked eye.
the aid of strong glass makes it plainly
discernible The constant cutting Of
the hair and its consequent bleeding
hardens it, causes it to lose its strength,
and finally kills it. This causes bald
ness among nine-tenths of men.
"The hair does not fall out, under
stand" continued the barber. "1hat is
a mistaken idea. 1t simply dies and
breaks off at the scalp, leaving the dead
roots in the head, just as the dead roots
of a tree are leftimbedded in the ground
long after the trunk is removed. OF
course these dead roots furnish no new
~ oc /, l,,
broken hair all over the scalp.
"But all this does not explain how
your process prevents the loss of hair, "
suggested the interested listener.
"Singeing the hair closes the tubes
or pores and stops the bleeding, " was
the reply. This prevents the conse-
quent exhaustion of the supply of
strength and vigor and induces new
growth AS proof of the correctness of
my theory l will remind you that a
man bald on the back of his head to-
ward his neck is very rarely seen. This
is because that portion of his head is
not covered by his hat, and contact
with the wind and dust soon closes the
pores of the hair there and consequently
saves it. The top of his hair however,
is covered, and the resultant humidity
keeps the pores open and the bleeding
eventually causes badness on top.
Again, bald headed women are unusual
simply because they rarely have their
hair cut. Yes, sir, it is trimming the
hair that causes such widespread bald
ness among men, and while singing
can't restore lost hair, it is the best pre-
server that can be employed "
He had finished the job, and the man
who was "neXt" took the chair.