Is hair gel good for your hair?

[Mr Rayon]

My hair dries easily and looks better when it's sleek and wet.

 

I don't usually put hair gel in my hair but should I start doing so?

 

However, if there are any, what are some of the negative results of using excessive hair gel in your hair?

 

Am I better off in the long-run if I don't use hair gel?

[John Cuthber]

Your hair is dead.

It's past the point where something can be "good" for it.

If you think the gel makes it look better or whatever- go for it.

[CharonY]

The bigger issue is probably skin reactions. Depends a lot on sensitivity of the skin (including allergies) and composition of the product.

[ajb]

However, if there are any, what are some of the negative results of using excessive hair gel in your hair?

Too much and the jocks might think you are greaser and beat you up; thus are the harsh realities of American subcultures.

[Dekan]

Why do you want to put gel, or oil, on your hair?

It seems very unnatural. Human hair evolved, for a reason. Surely this reason shouldn't be cut back by chemical "gels".

 

I mean, consider what happened in the past. Like in the Stone Age. Back then, men didn't shave their hair. Not only because shaving with a flint razor, plus the lack of soap, made it very uncomfortable. But also because they felt an instinctive need, and desire to grow their hair. Because It's a sign of masculinity

 

So primitive men grew beards and big mustaches. This is confirmed by Latin authors of the Classical Period. The Romans were always very disconcerted by the Germans. And never beat them across the Rhine.

 

Was it partly because the primitive Germans were unshaven. Thus shocking the civilised, clean-shaven Romans?

Edited December 15, 2014 by Dekan

[Phi for All]

Why do you want to put gel, or oil, on your hair?

It seems very unnatural. Human hair evolved, for a reason. Surely this reason shouldn't be cut back by chemical "gels".

 

I mean, consider what happened in the past. Like in the Stone Age. Back then, men didn't shave their hair. Not only because shaving with a flint razor, plus the lack of soap, made it very uncomfortable. But also because they felt an instinctive need, and desire to grow their hair. Because It's a sign of masculinity

 

So primitive men grew beards and big mustaches. This is confirmed by Latin authors of the Classical Period. The Romans were always very disconcerted by the Germans. And never beat them across the Rhine.

 

Was it partly because the primitive Germans were unshaven. Thus shocking the civilised, clean-shaven Romans?

 

As far as sexual selection goes, according to a recent study, beards and mustaches are only considered attractive when they're rare. If all the guys have beards, it's not as much a factor.

[Dekan]

Thanks Phi, for the link. I looked at it. But couldn't understand it. It seemed like gibberish.

[Phi for All]

Thanks Phi, for the link. I looked at it. But couldn't understand it. It seemed like gibberish.

 

Basically, the study is saying that women (and men, actually) find facial hair (or the lack of it) attractive only when it's uncommon. They like the guy with the beard or the clean-shaven face only when he's different than everyone else. In terms of evolution, it's a negative frequency-dependent selection.

[Strange]

Why do you want to put gel, or oil, on your hair?

It seems very unnatural.

 

There is another thread asking why people think that things that human animals do are unnatural, while things that other animals do are natural.

 

By this argument, we should still be going around naked, living as hunter-gatherers. Because anything else is "unnatural".

 

Human hair evolved, for a reason. Surely this reason shouldn't be cut back by chemical "gels".

 

But you don't know what that reason was. Therefore you don't know if that reason is still relevant in the modern world. You also don't know if hair gel is relevant to that reason, and if it is whether it has a positive or negative effect.

 

If, for example, long hair was a result of sexual selection, then dressing or styling that hair is just a natural extension of its evolved function.

 

For as far back as we have evidence, people have dressed their hair, decorated their bodies, and worn jewellery, etc. So there is nothing modern or unnatural about any of this.

 

I mean, consider what happened in the past. Like in the Stone Age. Back then, men didn't shave their hair.

 

How do you know that?

 

Not only because shaving with a flint razor, plus the lack of soap, made it very uncomfortable.

 

They could easily make blades sharp enough to shave with from, e.g. obsidian and other materials. Also, there are other things that can be used as an emollient to ease shaving (vegetable oils, for example).

 

But also because they felt an instinctive need, and desire to grow their hair. Because It's a sign of masculinity

 

And you really don't know that.

 

So primitive men grew beards and big mustaches. This is confirmed by Latin authors of the Classical Period. The Romans were always very disconcerted by the Germans. And never beat them across the Rhine.

 

I think those Germans would be very offended to be described as "primitive", they were modern humans. (As, of course, were your stone-age shavers.)

 

Was it partly because the primitive Germans were unshaven.

 

Probably not.

[davidivad]

My hair dries easily and looks better when it's sleek and wet.

 

I don't usually put hair gel in my hair but should I start doing so?

 

However, if there are any, what are some of the negative results of using excessive hair gel in your hair?

 

Am I better off in the long-run if I don't use hair gel?

 

according to female members (and polished males, lol), go ahead.

the result is breakage and build up.

instead of relying on shampoo to keep my hair manageable, i use hot oil once it starts to frizz up and always keep the hair trimmed on a schedule even if they are only cutting the tips off (this is where it starts splitting).

i instead use the gel to give it the right texture as that is what it is for.

when not using gel, i start with damp hair and apply spray sparingly at first.

i apply it and form it as best as i can, then i do the process again until i have the hair the way i want it.

WARNING!

you can stab unbeknownst people and animals who come into contact with your head...lol

 

... but you will do so in style.

Edited December 15, 2014 by davidivad