Evening star., 1900-12-15
WOMANSCROWNING GLORY
STEAM HEAT OFTEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR LOSS OF HAIR.

Written for The Evening Star.
Steam heat is responsible for your loss
of hair said Madame Restorer to a young
woman whose head was undergoing pre-
liminary examination in the white tiied and
nickel-plated shampooing room Of pros
porous beauty parlor. There are 8 alps
that can and do triumphantly endure the
greatest amount of dry heat, but they are
not many Here she enveloped her pa
tron in a big white waterproof cape and.
tipping her head over the edge Of marble
basin, poured on liquid suds while she
talked.
What the steam heat does is to take
out of the atmosphere just what most
scalps need, that is, of course, the mois-
ture. Then. too, in winter, natures nor
NAL impulse is to send us a thick growth
of hair as a protection, just as she gives it
to ANIMALS; but the torrid temperature of
our houses checks this tendency which We
inherited from our monkey forebears. Year
after year the young shoots creep out IN
the autumn, asking for moisture and a
cool, invigoratng temperature to entour-
age their growth, but these two most es-
sential conditions are denied them and by
and by the roots die in their cells and only
the long halr remains to DO DUTY. If you
could just go over your scalp with mag
nifying glass you would quickly see what,
comparatively speaking, are barren wastes
on your head. These are the places where
the rejuvenating crop of young hair should
come from every year, but instead only
few weak spears spring up, grow about an
inch long and then, for lack of nutrition,
dwinde and fall out at a touch of the
brush or when your head Is washed
'Inere is On.y De otner conui ion that
produces similar unfortunate results. BY
that / mean gout or excessive lnd-gestlon
The acid created in the system and form
ing gouty deposit in the joints rarely or
never fails to pay havoc with the hair,
and just soon as l lay my hands on the
head of gouty patient can recognize the
trouble by the feel Of the hair. 1t is In
variably harsh, stff and lusterless, and In
nine times in ten very gray. Gout is on the
increase, l can tell, because girls of nine
teen, who come to me to have their heads
treated. often show all the ugly symptoms,
and / have been washing, rubbing and
studying hair for some fifteen years now
l can say with a great deal of confidence
that women'S hair is not what it used to be.
1T fades and falls at earlier age with
each succeeding generation, and though l
hope ] am not stupid alarmist, do be-
lieve the time will come when total bald
ness will have to he esteemed beauty,
and hair on a woman's head mortifying
beard on her chin Meantma there are
lots Of things We hairdressers do to delay the
fatal period when d billiard bail crown Will
be regarded a charming feature For in
stance. we wash the hair ever SO gently,
and instead of tearing out the precious
strands with a rough toweling, followed by
a brushing, We lift up the sopping tresses,
when they free from dust and soap,
and put the length Of them through a pat
ent roller that softly presses out the water;
then the patient lies back In an easy chair,
her hair is spread behind her on a towel
and sweet, warm air is b.oWn the damp
locks in such a fashion that the currents
of air straighten out nearly all the tangles.
FINALLY the dried hair is creased and
always with cocoanut Oil. mixed with
little sulphur and bit of extract Of fresh
IA In al col p1
That is the best tonic and brilliantine dis
covered yet, and In Paris, when a very
sensitive scalp is under treatment, the ONT
ment Is reduced to liquid state and ap-
piled as a spray to the roots of the hair.
Everything is done to prevent unnecessary
rubbing and handling and pulling at the
weakened growth, with the result very
often that the original tone and produc-
tivity is entirely restored to the scalp
mo. there is no unguent for the scalp
superior to cocoanut oil, and as a proof
of It's efficacy l should like you to see the
native men of the Island of Ceylon. Few
men in that spicy isle but boast suits of
hair that would set an American girl daft
with envy. Their great names fall often
clear to their feet. the quality Of the hair
Is curly and silken and the color Is a pure
black, as glittering as 1t is rich and deep
in tone. Even the guides, who take you
about sightseeing, feel the tenderest pride
and pleasure in their magnificent tresses.
which all day they wear twisted in a
mighty coil at the back Of the head. with
never a hairpin to hold the heavy loops
in place By twist Of the wrist the end
of the long hair is tucked in to support
the rest, and on inquiry 1 find that the
daily toilet of the humbest Cingalese be-
gins with a shampoo. No soap or comb Is
used. but in a tub of clean water the hair
is dipped. wrung out. Strengthened with the
fingers, and rubbed and shaken until quite
dry. and then teaspoonful OF perfectly
fresh cocoanut oil Is rubbed in and
through 1t ALL
"If every American woman could afford
to battle her head seven times week, use
absolutely fresh oil and abjure hats and
hairpins the effect would be nothing short
of marvellous, because 1t is for want Of
moisture, fresh air and freedom that our
women are in imminent danger of losing
permanently their natural crowns of curls
and braids and shining band Of beautiful
hair"