We have just seen that the accumulations of debris and other material at the roots of the hair are prejudicial to its growth.  It must not be inferred from this, however, that incessant washing of the scalp, by removing these collections, is a good thing.  Now, it is advised by some that the hair should be wetted daily at the same time the bath is taken.  But as a general rule this is a mistake; only those who have a superabundance of natural oil can afford to carry out such a practice.  With the great majority of people it is absolutely detrimental to the growth of the hair to wash it oftener than once a week.  After washing the head, the hair should be thoroughly dried.  Many attacks of neuralgia, especially in the fair sex, are due to the effect of getting into a draught while the hair is still wet.

There are several points to be borne in mind in connection with the growth and preservation of the hair.  With many persons the scalp is very tender and will not tolerate vigorous brushing.  In such instances the brush should always be a soft one; indeed, a hard brush cannot be recommended under any circumstances.  The teeth of the comb, also, should never be so sharp as to irritate the scalp, nor should they be set too closely together.  A certain amount of brushing is necessary to keep the scalp and hair in healthy action, but it must never be carried to excess.  Singeing the hair is greatly believed in by a number of people, and in some cases it appears to be of benefit.  Many believe that singeing seals up the cut ends of the hair, which they affirm bleed when cut.  This has no foundation in fact, however, for, as it has already been explained, the hair is not a tube.  A hard, unyielding covering for the head is not at all suitable; the lighter and more ventilated the head-gear the better.  But, the truth is, a sensible and suitable head-covering for Australian use has yet to be devised.  Thinning of the hair, and even actual baldness, are not unfrequently started by the hard rim of the hat employed.  This mechanically interferes with the supply of blood to the scalp, and thus it is that the crown suffers most in this respect, since it is the more starved of blood.

As I have previously shown, the hair often suffers from want of natural oil.  The investigations of Liebreich have shown that this is closely allied to lanolin, which is the purified fat of sheep’s wool.  Moreover, it has been found that this lanolin is the very best substitute for the former.  It is, however, too sticky to be used alone as a pomade.  Accordingly, Dr. Allan Jamieson, of Edinburgh, a very high authority on diseases of the skin and hair, advises that it should be mixed with oil of sesame in the following proportions: 

Oil of sesame....1 drachm.

Lanolin..........2 ounces.

This may be conveniently perfumed with a few drops of oil of bergamot, oil of orange blossom, or oil of rosemary.  For the preservation of the hair, therefore, it should be trimmed short; the scalp kept clean, but not overwashed; and the hair, if naturally dry, lubricated by the foregoing pomade.  These must be supplemented, also, by taking care that the head-covering is not too heating, that the rim of the hat is not too hard, and that irritation of the scalp by hard brushes and fine combs is strictly avoided.