Hair loss?
With respect to your hair loss problem, I understand your concern. However, with the exception of very serious cases of hereditary hair loss, which requires medical attention, the fact that you are losing hair does not mean there's something wrong with you.
As our hair constantly regenerates, it's normal for between thirty-five and sixty hairs to fall out every day, however frightening it may look. Good hygiene, regular washing and a healthy, balanced diet is what you need. Smoking and drinking (alcohol, of course) are determinant factors.

My advice is to take good care of yourself, but without going over the top. Use only top quality products, formulated to strengthen the hair and stimulate growth, designed to strengthen the hair fiber, revitalise the hair and give it volume, while also nourishing the scalp. Recommended: gentle massage, making a circular movement with the fingers. Vitamin A and E have been found effective with such problems.
Remember that for the treatment of your choice to work properly, to obtain the best results, it must be used regularly.

Dry, split, damaged, ragged ends....
In answer to your question about split ends, I would recommend, after washing, you use a small amount of a conditioner for dyed or permed hair (highly recommended for such problems). Massage thoroughly, paying special attention to the ends, and leave to work for a fairly long time. The longer the better, in fact.

You could also use a dedicated treatment for damaged, fragile or delicate ends. You'll find such products at specialised outlets. If there are none near you, then you use a good quality vegetable oil or egg yolk, apply it to the hair and leave to act for a few minutes before rinsing out.

Greasy roots - Dry ends (combined problem)
In answer to your question about whether or not to use shampoo for dry or greasy hair, first I would like to say that, despite yours being a fairly common problem, it's only logical that many of the people who suffer from it don't know which way to turn.

So, given that there are no dedicated products on the market for such problems, I tend to recommend a neutral shampoo, which won't help one problem to the detriment of the other. You should use a mask, on the ends only - it should never touch the scalp - once a week, and leave it to act for at least 15 minutes before rinsing.

Dandruff?
Dandruff is a problem in which many different factors are involved: hereditary, diet, hormones, etc... Likewise sebaceous secretion, sweat and pollution all favour microbial infections, which lead to the flaking of the scalp.

The answer is to wash your hair frequently (every three or four days) with a special dandruff shampoo, carefully massaging and rubbing the scalp over a long period of time. Your dandruff should clear up in a few weeks, unless some kind of skin condition is involved, in which case a visit to a good dermatologist would be on the cards, especially if the dandruff is greasy and sticks to the skin.

Dry hair?
First of all, dry hair is caused by an imbalance of the sebaceous glands, which then don't produce enough sebum to adequately protect and lubricate either the scalp or the hair. Dry hair characteristically is rough to the touch and dull. As it is fragile, porous and delicate, it lacks sheen, tends to get knotted and to have split ends.

The most common cause of dry hair tends to be treatments such as perms, soft perms and dyes, over-drying, overexposure to the sun or a vitamin deficit.
Then you should use a conditioner for dyed hair. It’s very important to let your hair dry on its own. Avoid using a drier. It would also be a good idea to apply a mask at least once a week. Lastly, it's vital for you to increase your intake of Vitamin A and E if what you want is healthy, attractive hair.

How do I keep my hair healthy and looking good?
With respect to your question about how to keep your hair healthy and looking good, there's lots of advice for me to give you.
Holding your head downwards, you should brush your hair through thoroughly every night to remove dust and activate the micro-circulation of the scalp.

You should use the right kind of shampoo for your hair type, to maintain its natural balance. And don't worry, you can wash your hair as often as you want with the way shampoos are formulated today.

When you wash your hair, give the scalp a rub, massaging the shampoo into the wet hair until you work up a good head of foam. Rinse thoroughly, even if you are going to shampoo again. If you can, finishing by rinsing with cold water, to seal the keratin flakes and keep the hair's natural gloss.

Untangle your hair with a wide-toothed, round tipped comb, starting at the tips and working up to the roots.

Before using a drier, towel dry the hair to avoid overheating soaked hair. Allow hair to dry naturally or use a drier on low heat. Once a week apply a treatment to help repair the hair and keep its vitality. A healthy, balanced diet is also important. Lastly, you should remember that the condition of your hair will always depend on how its treated. So, if you want a perm, your hair relaxing, etc., make sure that you go to a good professional. Your hair will appreciate it!

Straight hair (when not wanted!)
If what you want is to enjoy a head of hair with some shape to it and, without being radical, wear something different to your normal straight locks, I'd suggest dropping in to your usual salon and having a gentle or soft perm. It'll offer your hair greater movement.

If you do, then I recommend that afterwards you use a hair conditioner to stop it from becoming dry, and some sort of repair product to nourish and strengthen the hair.

Greasy roots or scalp?
Hair which is normally lank, oily and matted, won't hold a style for more than a day and is greasier at the root.
Several factors are known to cause greasy hair: it may be hereditary, caused by some sort of hormone or psychical disorder, a diet overly rich in carbohydrates and fats, medicamentous intoxication, and even, at times, the use of oral contraceptives. The best way to deal with it is by eating a healthy, complete diet, but low in fats. It's especially important to choose a good product to care for your hair, like a shampoo for normal hair, which should be gently massaged into the hair, without rubbing too much, and then rinsed out straight away in water which is not too hot, somewhere in fact between tepid and cold.

I want to relax my curl or eliminate the wave!
With regard to your wish to have your hair straightened, the best thing to do in such cases is to have your curl properly relaxed - a highly technical process only performed in the best salons.
At all events, you must remember that to keep the hair as straight as possible the process has to be repeated three months later, using products special designed to protect the hair, and not dry it out.
Not with standing, relaxed hair has the same dry feel to it as the original curl, and always needs to be carefully dried to obtain a proper, straight shape. I would never recommend allowing the hair to dry naturally, as very often it frizzes - due to the hair's natural curl.

In short, relaxing the hair means that when dried straight the hair will stay like that longer, but naturally curly hair can never ever be completely straightened. Nonetheless, it's worth having it relaxed, and I recommend you give it a try.

Questions about products: lacquer, gel, mousse, shampoo...
In answer to your question about mousse, lacquer, gel, etc., what these products do is to coat the hair with a layer of resin, which is what helps us to shape it. Moreover, the resin is rinsed out simply when you wash the hair, and doesn't damage the hair at all, unless one uses a particular product in excess.

What can I do with very long hair? (Which I don't want to cut)
If your hair is long and curly, we suggest you ask your stylist to taper the top of the head, leaving it shorter, while respecting the original length of the hair. That way you'll still be left with a long mane, but with greater movement. Or, ask them to texturise it all, breaking away from the "ball" or "Menina" effect of a classical curly mane. If you want to see styles, go to the Gallery button on our website.

If, on the other hand, your hair is straight and thick, have your hair layered, while maintaining the mane. It'll take you a well beyond that classical "blanket of hair" effect. If you are prepared to make a change, a broad curl could offer you more options.

Teenage Styles
First of all, thank you for trusting in me. Initially I'd say you should surf around our Gallery, where you'll find over 200 pictures with hundreds of ideas for you to show your usual stylist. At all events, if you've got pluck, are modern, and don't necessarily want to do the same as everyone else your age, I suggest you go for a fun, somewhat more outlandish fringe. And, if you're stylish, and like taking risks, have your hair cut really short. You can be sure it'll enhance the attractiveness and expressiveness of your face.

Men's Styles
As far as your question is concerned, I suggest that first you take a look at Gallery pages, where you can quickly, individually view pictures of different men's' styles, for both long and short hair.

First option: go to your usual salon and ask for a very short, square cut, then have your hair bleached a platinum blonde.
Second option: not quite so radical. Have them leave the odd long mesh, or ask for an extension to personalise your look and lastly, the third option. If what your looking for is a complete change of look for a special occasion, use coloring gel (which just washes out afterwards).

Removing colour from ends?
This is a very special, difficult case. The safest thing is to let your hair grow out for a few months and, as it does, slowly snip out the ends. Gradually your natural colour will reappear. It's the best way to be sure that your hair doesn't suffer.

If you don't want to wait, and want to loose that colour in a hurry, the best option is to have your hair bleached. If that's what you decide on, you most definitely should place yourself in the hands of a truly excellent colour specialist - they are the experts in colour in our salons - to ensure your hair suffers as little as possible.

Remember that the first option of all is the safest and, if you go for a short, fun cut, the waiting time can be drastically reduced. If you want to look at any kind of style idea, surf to our Gallery web pages, where you can view an infinity of pictures of different styles.

How can I make my hair thicker?
In answer to your question about mousse, lacquer, gel, etc., what these products do is to coat the hair with a layer of resin, which is what helps us to shape it. Moreover, the resin is rinsed out simply when you wash the hair, and doesn't damage the hair at all, unless one uses a particular product in excess.

How do you fix a ponytail or bun properly?
If your hair is long and curly, we suggest you ask your stylist to taper the top of the head, leaving it shorter, while respecting the original length of the hair. That way you'll still be left with a long mane, but with greater movement. Or, ask them to texturise it all, breaking away from the "ball" or "Menina" effect of a classical curly mane.

If, on the other hand, your hair is straight and thick, have your hair layered, while maintaining the mane. It'll take you a well beyond that classical "blanket of hair" effect. If you are prepared to make a change, a broad curl could offer you more options.

Solutions to those ugly hairlines: widow's peaks, etc.
First of all I'd like to thank you for trusting in me, for telling me about your problem. But, let me tell you - it's nothing to worry about. A so-called widow's peak is no more than a kind of "hairline" that grows out in the middle of the forehead.

The simplest solution, that we use at Llongueras with the client, actors, actresses and TV hosts, is to have the hair removed by the expert hands of the beautician. After all, it's only a dozen or so hairs that have to go. Any method is valid: tweezers, cold wax, laser, but always in expert hands. Never try to do it yourself.

How do I transform my style?
Many jobs "oblige" us to wear a more or less conventional hairstyle. However, in our own time, outside of our professional lives, we want to sport a freer style. To be able to do so you need what we at Llongueras call one of our "Transformer" styles. Cuts and Colours so designed as to enable the client to create more than just one look. A good, stylish cut is needed, one that covers the outline of the face in such a way as to, if you want to dress the hair, offer a flattering look.

How should I do my make-up?
First of all let me say that the person to best advise you here is a beautician, because every face is different and, according to the shape of your eyes, mouth, brow, etc., in short, the shape of your face (round, square, triangular...), and your features, the kind of make-up you need will differ.

Bleaching
Bleaching is a highly technical chemical process, one not recommended without the appropriate professional experience. I would most definitely advise you to go down to your regular salon, or any other which has an expert colour specialist, and get them to do it for you.