{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"categoryState":{"relatedCategories":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2023-01-26T08:01:09+00:00"},"categoryId":34095,"data":{"title":"Physical Health & Well-Being","slug":"physical-health-well-being","image":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095}],"parentCategory":{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","slug":"body-mind-spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"}},"childCategories":[{"categoryId":34096,"title":"Aging","slug":"aging","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34096"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":90,"bookCount":5},{"categoryId":34097,"title":"Alternative Medicine","slug":"alternative-medicine","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34097"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":86,"bookCount":6},{"categoryId":34098,"title":"Personal Care & Style","slug":"personal-care-style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":18,"bookCount":2},{"categoryId":34102,"title":"Diet & Nutrition","slug":"diet-nutrition","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34102"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":1197,"bookCount":34},{"categoryId":34139,"title":"Diseases","slug":"diseases","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34139"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":545,"bookCount":28},{"categoryId":34166,"title":"Exercise & Movement","slug":"exercise-movement","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34166"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":439,"bookCount":20},{"categoryId":34176,"title":"Menopause","slug":"menopause","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34176"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":6,"bookCount":1},{"categoryId":34177,"title":"Pregnancy","slug":"pregnancy","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34177"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":262,"bookCount":8},{"categoryId":34181,"title":"Common Ailments","slug":"common-ailments","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34181"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":123,"bookCount":6},{"categoryId":34185,"title":"Massage","slug":"massage","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34185"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":6,"bookCount":1},{"categoryId":34188,"title":"General Physical Health & Well-Being","slug":"general-physical-health-well-being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34188"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-2.fabfbd5c.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":10,"bookCount":4},{"categoryId":34367,"title":"Surgery","slug":"surgery","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34367"},"image":{"src":"/img/background-image-1.daf74cf0.png","width":0,"height":0},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":44,"bookCount":2}],"description":"Disease and diet. Pregnancy and menopause. Aging and exercise. We've got expert advice to help you keep on truckin' through all stages of life.","relatedArticles":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles?category=34095&offset=0&size=5"},"hasArticle":true,"hasBook":true,"articleCount":2829,"bookCount":117},"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"}},"relatedCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{"count":10,"total":2832,"items":[{"headers":{"creationTime":"2023-01-25T18:26:21+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-01-25T18:27:27+00:00","timestamp":"2023-01-25T21:01:02+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095}],"title":"Bluetooth and Other Technology to Use with Hearing Aids","strippedTitle":"bluetooth and other technology to use with hearing aids","slug":"how-to-use-bluetooth-and-other-technology-with-hearing-aids","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about several devices that can be used with hearing aids to help you hear better in a crowd, group setting, or when watching TV.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Bluetooth technology and the wide array of smartphone apps make customizing strategies to aid in improving day-to-day functions with hearing loss a whole lot easier.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Working with Bluetooth and hearing aids</h2>\r\nBluetooth is amazing wireless connection technology. It is a short-range wireless connection platform that allows data transfer or connections between two or more electronic devices over ultra-high frequency radio waves that don’t interfere with other signals.\r\n\r\nThousands of companies across the globe, including hearing aid manufacturers, have agreed on Bluetooth as the standard in wireless connection and have teamed up to form a special interest group that manages the technology, fosters Bluetooth tech advances, and maintains high security standards.\r\n\r\nBluetooth allows hearing aids to directly connect to other devices, including smartphones and tablets, to stream clear audio such as music or phone calls. Many hearing aid companies now offer smartphone apps that connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth and allow the user to control hearing aid settings such as volume and programs or check on the hearing aid battery life.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Most hearing aids connect to smartphones by making sure Bluetooth is activated on the smartphone and then turning the hearing aid off and back on. This prompts the two devices to pair. After the first connection, the devices will remember one another and automatically pair. Consult your hearing aid user manual, contact a tech savvy friend, or ask your hearing care professional when in doubt.</p>\r\nSome hearing aids require a streamer (see “Streaming all your devices\" below) to connect to other devices via Bluetooth. This is usually worn around the neck or kept in a pocket. But this is becoming increasingly rare as modern technology allows for a direct connection. Check product labels or speak with a hearing professional for how hearing aids connect to Bluetooth if you want to avoid using an extra device.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Navigating smartphone apps</h2>\r\nYou can find many, many smartphone apps for hearing loss — some free, some not — and it can be difficult to distinguish the good from the not-so-good. There are two main categories specific to enhancing your hearing:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Apps to amplify sounds in your environment just like a handheld amplifier</li>\r\n \t<li>Apps to customize sound you listen to through your smartphone, such as when you take calls or stream music, so that it is tailored to your hearing</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBut how do you know whether an app is going to be reliable? Here are some tips:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Look for apps that are popular and have lots of downloads.</li>\r\n \t<li>Read reviews and comments by users.</li>\r\n \t<li>Download apps only from official app stores.</li>\r\n \t<li>Look at apps that have a history of regularly updating.</li>\r\n \t<li>Pay attention to permissions the app asks for on your phone; predatory apps may ask for permission to access unnecessary information (like an app to amplify sound requesting access to your photos or contacts).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Hearing aid accessories</h2>\r\nHearing aid accessories can be the difference between doing okay and thriving with hearing aids. Many companies offer a lineup of complementary accessories that can boost your experience with hearing aids and improve listening in certain situations.\r\n\r\nEvery company has a different specific name for these products, but there are four common types: a remote control, a remote microphone, a TV connector, and a streamer.\r\n<h3>Using a remote control</h3>\r\nA remote control acts as a handheld operations center for your hearing aids. It allows you to discretely control your hearing aids without needing to locate and press any buttons on the hearing aids themselves. This can be especially useful for adults with stiff, numb, or arthritic fingers. With a remote control you can:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Adjust the volume or mute the hearing aids.</li>\r\n \t<li>Change the programs to match the situation you’re in.</li>\r\n \t<li>Manage connections to other streaming devices.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Trying out a remote microphone</h3>\r\nA remote microphone is a stand-alone or portable microphone that transmits a direct signal to hearing aids from a distance. Remote microphones excel in helping with hearing in difficult listening environments from noise or overcoming distance issues.\r\n\r\nHearing aids can mute or dampen any other sounds around you while focusing only on the remote microphone to substantially improve clarity.\r\n\r\nRemote microphones are one of our favorite accessories and something we recommend to almost every hearing aid user who has trouble with hearing aids in noisy situations. We compare the remote microphone for those with extra trouble with speech in noise to using snow tires for driving in cold weather areas: It’s a must-have accessory!\r\n\r\nThere are two main styles of remote microphone: one-on-one remote mic and group setting remote mic.\r\n<h3>One-on-one remote mic</h3>\r\nThe most common style is a portable personal microphone for focused conversation when you’re only interested in hearing one specific person speak at a time. The person speaking can hold it, wear it around their neck, or clip it to their shirt or jacket lapel. The sound from the microphone is channeled directly into your hearing aid.\r\n\r\nLet’s go through some examples of when the remote microphone comes in handy:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If you are at a noisy restaurant for dinner, you can have the person you’re dining with wear the remote microphone so that you receive a more direct signal of their voice with less background noise.</li>\r\n \t<li>In some social settings with lots of noise, like a large gathering or at a bar, we tend to move from conversation to conversation. You can bring the one-on-one remote microphone and either hold it yourself near the person (see the figure below) or ask the person you’re speaking with to hold to it for a boosted signal.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296916\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296916\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-aid-with-portable-remote.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a portable remote microphone with a hearing aid at a party.\" width=\"630\" height=\"406\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A portable remote microphone being held while at a party[/caption]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Lectures can be difficult if you’re forced to sit far away from the speaker. Even if the venue has a sound system, it can still be difficult to understand the speaker depending on the acoustics as well as the quality and placement of the speakers. You can either place the remote microphone on the podium or request the speaker wear it to give you a direct signal (see the figure below). The range on remote microphones varies from roughly 30 to 90 feet depending on the manufacturer.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296920\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296920\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/using-hearing-aid-with-remote-mic.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a one-on-one remote microphone with a hearing aid during a lecture.\" width=\"630\" height=\"417\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A one-on-one remote microphone in action during a lecture.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you’re in a small group setting with the one-on-one remote mic, like a noisy restaurant with a group of three, you can try placing the microphone on the table between your dining companions or ask them to pass it back and forth as needed. It’s an extra step but will make for a smoother and more enjoyable conversation for everyone.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Group setting remote mic</h3>\r\nA newer version of the remote microphone is a table remote microphone that is specially designed for group conversations. This product sits on a table and uses a combination of advanced signal processing and special microphones called <em>beamformers</em> to identify and focus on anyone speaking at the table and transmit that signal directly to your hearing aids.\r\n\r\nThe table remote microphone is a great option when in a restaurant or at home with multiple people or for use at work meetings around a conference table (see the figure below).\r\n\r\nAt the publication of this book, this is a newer product and is only available through a few hearing aid manufacturers, but the initial popularity among patients suggests it’s going to quickly become a widely offered product.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296918\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296918\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-aid-with-table-remote-mic.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a table remote microphone with a hearing aid during a meeting.\" width=\"630\" height=\"510\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A table remote microphone during a meeting[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Connecting to the TV</h2>\r\nThe TV connector serves a very specific role of transmitting the audio signal from any home audio device, namely TVs and stereos, directly to your hearing aids (see the figure below). Simply plug the TV connector into the audio port on your TV or stereo to connect to your hearing aids.\r\n\r\nThis can make listening to TV much more enjoyable with a direct and sometimes clearer signal compared to using your hearing aids alone. Many companies now offer the capability for the TV connector to stream to multiple sets of hearing aids if you are watching TV with a friend or family member!\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Streaming all your devices</h2>\r\nTechnology is rapidly evolving, and some hearing aids can directly connect to smartphones and other accessories mentioned in this section. However, some hearing aids will require a streamer (see the figure below) to act as an intermediary transmitter to allow hearing aids to connect to other products.\r\n\r\nThe streamer is usually worn on a lanyard around a hearing aid user’s neck or kept in their pocket. For some hearing aid manufacturers, the streamer and remote control are combined into a single product to make your life easier. Make sure you do a little research first to find out if your hearing aids require a streamer to connect to accessories and your smartphone.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">When purchasing hearing aid accessories, make sure they are compatible with your hearing aids. At the time of this book, most hearing aids are only compatible with accessories made by the same manufacturer.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Even within a single manufacturer, new generation technology does not always work with older technology. You can always ask your hearing care professional to help you navigate the accessories market.</p>","description":"Bluetooth technology and the wide array of smartphone apps make customizing strategies to aid in improving day-to-day functions with hearing loss a whole lot easier.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Working with Bluetooth and hearing aids</h2>\r\nBluetooth is amazing wireless connection technology. It is a short-range wireless connection platform that allows data transfer or connections between two or more electronic devices over ultra-high frequency radio waves that don’t interfere with other signals.\r\n\r\nThousands of companies across the globe, including hearing aid manufacturers, have agreed on Bluetooth as the standard in wireless connection and have teamed up to form a special interest group that manages the technology, fosters Bluetooth tech advances, and maintains high security standards.\r\n\r\nBluetooth allows hearing aids to directly connect to other devices, including smartphones and tablets, to stream clear audio such as music or phone calls. Many hearing aid companies now offer smartphone apps that connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth and allow the user to control hearing aid settings such as volume and programs or check on the hearing aid battery life.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Most hearing aids connect to smartphones by making sure Bluetooth is activated on the smartphone and then turning the hearing aid off and back on. This prompts the two devices to pair. After the first connection, the devices will remember one another and automatically pair. Consult your hearing aid user manual, contact a tech savvy friend, or ask your hearing care professional when in doubt.</p>\r\nSome hearing aids require a streamer (see “Streaming all your devices\" below) to connect to other devices via Bluetooth. This is usually worn around the neck or kept in a pocket. But this is becoming increasingly rare as modern technology allows for a direct connection. Check product labels or speak with a hearing professional for how hearing aids connect to Bluetooth if you want to avoid using an extra device.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Navigating smartphone apps</h2>\r\nYou can find many, many smartphone apps for hearing loss — some free, some not — and it can be difficult to distinguish the good from the not-so-good. There are two main categories specific to enhancing your hearing:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Apps to amplify sounds in your environment just like a handheld amplifier</li>\r\n \t<li>Apps to customize sound you listen to through your smartphone, such as when you take calls or stream music, so that it is tailored to your hearing</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nBut how do you know whether an app is going to be reliable? Here are some tips:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Look for apps that are popular and have lots of downloads.</li>\r\n \t<li>Read reviews and comments by users.</li>\r\n \t<li>Download apps only from official app stores.</li>\r\n \t<li>Look at apps that have a history of regularly updating.</li>\r\n \t<li>Pay attention to permissions the app asks for on your phone; predatory apps may ask for permission to access unnecessary information (like an app to amplify sound requesting access to your photos or contacts).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Hearing aid accessories</h2>\r\nHearing aid accessories can be the difference between doing okay and thriving with hearing aids. Many companies offer a lineup of complementary accessories that can boost your experience with hearing aids and improve listening in certain situations.\r\n\r\nEvery company has a different specific name for these products, but there are four common types: a remote control, a remote microphone, a TV connector, and a streamer.\r\n<h3>Using a remote control</h3>\r\nA remote control acts as a handheld operations center for your hearing aids. It allows you to discretely control your hearing aids without needing to locate and press any buttons on the hearing aids themselves. This can be especially useful for adults with stiff, numb, or arthritic fingers. With a remote control you can:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Adjust the volume or mute the hearing aids.</li>\r\n \t<li>Change the programs to match the situation you’re in.</li>\r\n \t<li>Manage connections to other streaming devices.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h3>Trying out a remote microphone</h3>\r\nA remote microphone is a stand-alone or portable microphone that transmits a direct signal to hearing aids from a distance. Remote microphones excel in helping with hearing in difficult listening environments from noise or overcoming distance issues.\r\n\r\nHearing aids can mute or dampen any other sounds around you while focusing only on the remote microphone to substantially improve clarity.\r\n\r\nRemote microphones are one of our favorite accessories and something we recommend to almost every hearing aid user who has trouble with hearing aids in noisy situations. We compare the remote microphone for those with extra trouble with speech in noise to using snow tires for driving in cold weather areas: It’s a must-have accessory!\r\n\r\nThere are two main styles of remote microphone: one-on-one remote mic and group setting remote mic.\r\n<h3>One-on-one remote mic</h3>\r\nThe most common style is a portable personal microphone for focused conversation when you’re only interested in hearing one specific person speak at a time. The person speaking can hold it, wear it around their neck, or clip it to their shirt or jacket lapel. The sound from the microphone is channeled directly into your hearing aid.\r\n\r\nLet’s go through some examples of when the remote microphone comes in handy:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>If you are at a noisy restaurant for dinner, you can have the person you’re dining with wear the remote microphone so that you receive a more direct signal of their voice with less background noise.</li>\r\n \t<li>In some social settings with lots of noise, like a large gathering or at a bar, we tend to move from conversation to conversation. You can bring the one-on-one remote microphone and either hold it yourself near the person (see the figure below) or ask the person you’re speaking with to hold to it for a boosted signal.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296916\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296916\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-aid-with-portable-remote.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a portable remote microphone with a hearing aid at a party.\" width=\"630\" height=\"406\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A portable remote microphone being held while at a party[/caption]\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Lectures can be difficult if you’re forced to sit far away from the speaker. Even if the venue has a sound system, it can still be difficult to understand the speaker depending on the acoustics as well as the quality and placement of the speakers. You can either place the remote microphone on the podium or request the speaker wear it to give you a direct signal (see the figure below). The range on remote microphones varies from roughly 30 to 90 feet depending on the manufacturer.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296920\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296920\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/using-hearing-aid-with-remote-mic.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a one-on-one remote microphone with a hearing aid during a lecture.\" width=\"630\" height=\"417\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A one-on-one remote microphone in action during a lecture.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you’re in a small group setting with the one-on-one remote mic, like a noisy restaurant with a group of three, you can try placing the microphone on the table between your dining companions or ask them to pass it back and forth as needed. It’s an extra step but will make for a smoother and more enjoyable conversation for everyone.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Group setting remote mic</h3>\r\nA newer version of the remote microphone is a table remote microphone that is specially designed for group conversations. This product sits on a table and uses a combination of advanced signal processing and special microphones called <em>beamformers</em> to identify and focus on anyone speaking at the table and transmit that signal directly to your hearing aids.\r\n\r\nThe table remote microphone is a great option when in a restaurant or at home with multiple people or for use at work meetings around a conference table (see the figure below).\r\n\r\nAt the publication of this book, this is a newer product and is only available through a few hearing aid manufacturers, but the initial popularity among patients suggests it’s going to quickly become a widely offered product.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296918\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296918\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-aid-with-table-remote-mic.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing a person using a table remote microphone with a hearing aid during a meeting.\" width=\"630\" height=\"510\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />A table remote microphone during a meeting[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Connecting to the TV</h2>\r\nThe TV connector serves a very specific role of transmitting the audio signal from any home audio device, namely TVs and stereos, directly to your hearing aids (see the figure below). Simply plug the TV connector into the audio port on your TV or stereo to connect to your hearing aids.\r\n\r\nThis can make listening to TV much more enjoyable with a direct and sometimes clearer signal compared to using your hearing aids alone. Many companies now offer the capability for the TV connector to stream to multiple sets of hearing aids if you are watching TV with a friend or family member!\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Streaming all your devices</h2>\r\nTechnology is rapidly evolving, and some hearing aids can directly connect to smartphones and other accessories mentioned in this section. However, some hearing aids will require a streamer (see the figure below) to act as an intermediary transmitter to allow hearing aids to connect to other products.\r\n\r\nThe streamer is usually worn on a lanyard around a hearing aid user’s neck or kept in their pocket. For some hearing aid manufacturers, the streamer and remote control are combined into a single product to make your life easier. Make sure you do a little research first to find out if your hearing aids require a streamer to connect to accessories and your smartphone.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">When purchasing hearing aid accessories, make sure they are compatible with your hearing aids. At the time of this book, most hearing aids are only compatible with accessories made by the same manufacturer.</p>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Even within a single manufacturer, new generation technology does not always work with older technology. You can always ask your hearing care professional to help you navigate the accessories market.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35179,"name":"Frank Lin","slug":"frank-lin","description":"Frank R. Lin, M.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health and professor of otolaryngology, medicine, mental health, and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. As an otologic surgeon and epidemiologist, Lin has translated his clinical experiences caring for patients with hearing loss into foundational public health research and federal policy in the U.S. His epidemiological research from 2010-2014 established the association of hearing loss with cognitive decline &amp; dementia, and his research served as the direct basis for the 2017 and 2020 Lancet Commission on Dementia conclusion that hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35179"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35173"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34095,"title":"Physical Health & Well-Being","slug":"physical-health-well-being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Working with Bluetooth and hearing aids","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Navigating smartphone apps","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Hearing aid accessories","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Connecting to the TV","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"Streaming all your devices","target":"#tab5"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":296840,"title":"Different Types of Hearing Aids","slug":"different-types-of-hearing-aids","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/296840"}},{"articleId":296824,"title":"How to Know If You Have Hearing Loss","slug":"how-to-know-if-you-have-hearing-loss","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/296824"}},{"articleId":294697,"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/294697"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":294697,"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/294697"}},{"articleId":206647,"title":"How to Do Chair Dips","slug":"how-to-do-chair-dips","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/206647"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":294550,"slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119880578","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119880572-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-loss-for-dummies-cover-9781119880578-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"","authors":[{"authorId":34784,"name":"","slug":"","description":" <p><b>The Experts at Dummies</b> are smart, friendly people who make learning easy by taking a not-so-serious approach to serious stuff.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34784"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35173"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119880578&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63d1988e94793\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119880578&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63d1988e950f8\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Solve","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2023-01-25T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":296914},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2023-01-23T16:49:31+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-01-24T14:24:29+00:00","timestamp":"2023-01-24T15:01:02+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"General Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34188"},"slug":"general-physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34188}],"title":"Different Types of Hearing Aids","strippedTitle":"different types of hearing aids","slug":"different-types-of-hearing-aids","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"This article gives an overview of the different types of hearing aids available, including the styles of behind- and in-the-ear hearing aids.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Modern hearing aids are sleek, and many styles are nearly invisible. This is a far cry from early hearing aids that required body-worn accessories (to visualize that, imagine something like the old Discman CD player worn on your belt with wires attached to headphones).\r\n\r\nIt’s also a far cry from the mental image many people have when they picture hearing aids as large and bulky pieces of plastic that stick out from behind the ear connected to huge earpieces sitting in your ear canal.\r\n\r\nHearing aids come in several different shapes and sizes to customize the fit to the wearer. This article covers the broad-style categories but always remember that other variants exist and different manufacturers use different names. Generally, there are two main styles of hearing aids: behind-the-ear and in-the-ear. Each has some subtypes.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">A good hearing aid fit is important to prevent that buzzing sound that is known as feedback. This happens when the amplified sound coming out of the hearing aid speaker is picked up again by the hearing aid microphone and reamplified.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Behind-the-ear hearing aids</h2>\r\nBehind-the-ear hearing aids, often known as BTEs, are the most common style of hearing aid. It sits behind the ear — hence, the name — while a tube runs to the front of the ear where it connects to either an earmold or dome in the wearer’s ear canal, as shown in the figure below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296867\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296867\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earmold-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing earmold hearing aids versus dome style\" width=\"630\" height=\"357\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Earmold versus dome hearing aids[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhile earmolds are custom made to fit a wearer’s ear, domes are premade mushroom-shaped silicone pieces that come variety of sizes and designs to find the best fit for the wearer’s ear canal. BTEs have evolved into several subtypes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Earmolds require a custom impression of your ear canal. There are at-home, do-it-yourself earmold impression kits, but we recommend you use these with caution. Improper use can leave silicone material in the ear which requires a professional to remove. When in doubt, see a hearing care professional to make your earmold impressions.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Traditional BTEs</h3>\r\nThe <em>traditional</em> BTE (see the figure below) houses all the components of the hearing aid (the microphone, amplifier, processor, and speaker) in a single space that sits behind the ear. It is connected to a custom earmold using flexible, medical-grade plastic tubing.\r\n\r\nThe BTE is a fairly rugged product that provides ample space for more powerful hardware, which can accommodate the needs of any degree of hearing loss. There are even “power” models for profound hearing loss.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296872\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296872\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/traditional-bte-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a traditional behind-the-ear hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"411\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Traditional behind the ear (BTE) hearing aid. Note: All components (microphone, speaker, amplifier, and processer) are encased within the body of the hearing aid that sits behind the ear. Amplified sound travels from the hearing aid through the tubing and earmold to the ear canal.[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhile the traditional BTE is the most versatile of hearing aid design, it has not always been perceived as the most discrete, so engineers have come up with newer versions of the BTE: slim tube and receiver-in-the-canal BTEs.\r\n<h3>Slim tube style BTEs</h3>\r\nLike the traditional BTE, the <em>slim tube</em> BTE (see the figure below) also houses all the components of the hearing aid behind the ear, but it uses much smaller tubing for a more discrete look.\r\n\r\nRather than using a larger custom earmold that fills up the ear, slim tube BTEs use a dome or smaller custom earmold that sits deeper in the ear canal. The smaller size limits the slim tube style to mild to moderate hearing losses. In some cases, the slim tube style can work for severe hearing loss, but it is pushing the boundaries of this style’s capabilities.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296875\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296875\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/slim-tube-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a slim tube hearing aid style\" width=\"630\" height=\"432\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Slim tube hearing aid. Note: Like the traditional BTE, all components are encased within the body of the hearing aid; amplified sound travels through the slim tubing to the ear canal.[/caption]\r\n<h3>Receiver-in-the-canal style BTEs</h3>\r\nWith a newer <em>receiver-in-the-canal</em> (RIC) BTE (see the figure below), the receiver or speaker sits in the dome or small earmold in the wearer’s ear canal and is connected to the body of the hearing aid behind the ear via a wire. This means that the signal output is being delivered right into the wearer’s ear rather than having to travel through tubing from the hearing aid body sitting behind the ear.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296877\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296877\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/receiver-in-canal-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a receiver-in-canal style hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"374\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Receiver-in-the-canal hearing aid. Note: In this model, the speaker is now in the dome so amplified sound does not travel through any tubing but rather is delivered directly into the wearer’s ear canal.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis style may result in a clearer, crisper signal and can reduce feedback. Its design is smaller and more discrete. The major drawback to this style is that the receiver and wire are delicate and require regular maintenance and a gentle touch to avoid becoming damaged easily.\r\n<h3>Open and closed styles</h3>\r\nSlim tube and RIC styles often use domes rather than custom earmolds for the part that sits in the ear canal. These domes can be open or closed fit, which refers to whether the domes have holes in them (open fit) or not (closed fit).\r\n\r\nPeople with milder, high-frequency hearing losses can use open fit domes, which allow for more natural sound to enter the ear canal and allow for the ear canal to breathe. Conversely, closed fit domes are used for more moderate or severe hearing loss as they block outside sound and amplify low-frequency sounds.\r\n\r\nOpen domes help prevent the <em>occlusion effect</em> — that is, when your ears feel plugged up and your voice sounds louder to you with an echo-like quality. You might also refer to this sound quality as “hollow” or “booming.” This happens because when we move our jaw to speak or chew, we create vibrations in the ear canal. When the ear canal is completely blocked with a hearing aid or earmold, those vibrations can’t escape and result in the occlusion effect.\r\n\r\nPeople who have better low-frequency hearing and use closed domes, earmolds, or ITE-style hearing aids are more likely to report experiencing the occlusion effect. Should you run into this issue, check with your hearing professional. Fun fact: You can simulate the occlusion effect by repeating words and sentences aloud with and without your fingers plugging up your ear canal (alright, maybe not that fun).\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >In-the-ear hearing aids</h2>\r\nWith in-the-ear hearing aids, also known as ITEs, the entire device sits in the wearer’s ear (see the figure below). These devices are custom made and require an earmold impression to be sent to a manufacturer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296879\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296879\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/in-the-ear-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing an in-the-ear hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"408\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />In-the-ear hearing aid. Note: The amplifier and processor are encased within the body of the hearing aid just behind the microphone.[/caption]\r\n\r\nPopular smaller variants of the ITE are referred to as completely-in-the-canal (CIC; see the figure below). These styles are even smaller and, as the name implies, sit deeper in the ear canal. In fact, the CIC is essentially invisible and so small it requires an attached removal handle to get it in and out of the ear canal.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296880\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296880\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/completely-in-canal-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"391\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Completely-in-the-canal hearing aid. Note: The amplifier and processor are encased within the body of the hearing aid just behind the microphone.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe primary purpose of the CIC is cosmetic. A major drawback is that the small size comes at the expense of power. These small hearing aids are intended for mild hearing loss and cannot address the needs of more moderate or severe loss.\r\n\r\nThe size of the CIC also limits the features available; CICs often can’t use advanced technology features like directionality. Some users who choose these styles become disappointed in their hearing aids and believe them to be ineffective when, in reality, these people have been fit with a hearing aid that is inappropriate for their level of hearing loss or hearing needs.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">ITEs are a great option when the user has problems inserting and manipulating behind-the-ear–style hearing aids due to numbness in their fingers or arthritis. The custom shape of the ITE makes it somewhat easier to slip into the ear.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Pros and cons of hearing aid styles</h2>\r\nPicking the right hearing aid for you requires checking out the pros and cons of each style of hearing aid. Take a look at the table below to see which style may be the one for you.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Hearing Aid Styles Pros and Cons</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Type</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Used For</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Pros</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Cons</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Traditional behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>All degrees of hearing loss from mild to profound</td>\r\n<td>Extremely versatile device with widest range of available features</td>\r\n<td>Relatively larger in size and most visible to the eye</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Slim tube behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to moderate hearing loss with some flexibility to fit severe hearing loss depending on the specific device</td>\r\n<td>Less visible than traditional BTE and can use open domes for more natural sound</td>\r\n<td>Requires enough dexterity to manipulate smaller size than traditional BTE and doesn’t meet the needs of most severe and profound hearing losses</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Receiver in the canal behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to moderate hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Smallest BTE, clear sound from placement of speaker in the ear</td>\r\n<td>Most fragile BTE</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>In-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to severe hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Custom fit that is easiest to use when wearer has limited dexterity</td>\r\n<td>Smaller size may limit a few features</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Completely in-the-canal</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Nearly invisible</td>\r\n<td>Small size limits power and features like directionality</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n ","description":"Modern hearing aids are sleek, and many styles are nearly invisible. This is a far cry from early hearing aids that required body-worn accessories (to visualize that, imagine something like the old Discman CD player worn on your belt with wires attached to headphones).\r\n\r\nIt’s also a far cry from the mental image many people have when they picture hearing aids as large and bulky pieces of plastic that stick out from behind the ear connected to huge earpieces sitting in your ear canal.\r\n\r\nHearing aids come in several different shapes and sizes to customize the fit to the wearer. This article covers the broad-style categories but always remember that other variants exist and different manufacturers use different names. Generally, there are two main styles of hearing aids: behind-the-ear and in-the-ear. Each has some subtypes.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">A good hearing aid fit is important to prevent that buzzing sound that is known as feedback. This happens when the amplified sound coming out of the hearing aid speaker is picked up again by the hearing aid microphone and reamplified.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Behind-the-ear hearing aids</h2>\r\nBehind-the-ear hearing aids, often known as BTEs, are the most common style of hearing aid. It sits behind the ear — hence, the name — while a tube runs to the front of the ear where it connects to either an earmold or dome in the wearer’s ear canal, as shown in the figure below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296867\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296867\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/earmold-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration showing earmold hearing aids versus dome style\" width=\"630\" height=\"357\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Earmold versus dome hearing aids[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhile earmolds are custom made to fit a wearer’s ear, domes are premade mushroom-shaped silicone pieces that come variety of sizes and designs to find the best fit for the wearer’s ear canal. BTEs have evolved into several subtypes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Earmolds require a custom impression of your ear canal. There are at-home, do-it-yourself earmold impression kits, but we recommend you use these with caution. Improper use can leave silicone material in the ear which requires a professional to remove. When in doubt, see a hearing care professional to make your earmold impressions.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3>Traditional BTEs</h3>\r\nThe <em>traditional</em> BTE (see the figure below) houses all the components of the hearing aid (the microphone, amplifier, processor, and speaker) in a single space that sits behind the ear. It is connected to a custom earmold using flexible, medical-grade plastic tubing.\r\n\r\nThe BTE is a fairly rugged product that provides ample space for more powerful hardware, which can accommodate the needs of any degree of hearing loss. There are even “power” models for profound hearing loss.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296872\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296872\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/traditional-bte-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a traditional behind-the-ear hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"411\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Traditional behind the ear (BTE) hearing aid. Note: All components (microphone, speaker, amplifier, and processer) are encased within the body of the hearing aid that sits behind the ear. Amplified sound travels from the hearing aid through the tubing and earmold to the ear canal.[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhile the traditional BTE is the most versatile of hearing aid design, it has not always been perceived as the most discrete, so engineers have come up with newer versions of the BTE: slim tube and receiver-in-the-canal BTEs.\r\n<h3>Slim tube style BTEs</h3>\r\nLike the traditional BTE, the <em>slim tube</em> BTE (see the figure below) also houses all the components of the hearing aid behind the ear, but it uses much smaller tubing for a more discrete look.\r\n\r\nRather than using a larger custom earmold that fills up the ear, slim tube BTEs use a dome or smaller custom earmold that sits deeper in the ear canal. The smaller size limits the slim tube style to mild to moderate hearing losses. In some cases, the slim tube style can work for severe hearing loss, but it is pushing the boundaries of this style’s capabilities.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296875\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296875\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/slim-tube-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a slim tube hearing aid style\" width=\"630\" height=\"432\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Slim tube hearing aid. Note: Like the traditional BTE, all components are encased within the body of the hearing aid; amplified sound travels through the slim tubing to the ear canal.[/caption]\r\n<h3>Receiver-in-the-canal style BTEs</h3>\r\nWith a newer <em>receiver-in-the-canal</em> (RIC) BTE (see the figure below), the receiver or speaker sits in the dome or small earmold in the wearer’s ear canal and is connected to the body of the hearing aid behind the ear via a wire. This means that the signal output is being delivered right into the wearer’s ear rather than having to travel through tubing from the hearing aid body sitting behind the ear.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296877\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296877\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/receiver-in-canal-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a receiver-in-canal style hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"374\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Receiver-in-the-canal hearing aid. Note: In this model, the speaker is now in the dome so amplified sound does not travel through any tubing but rather is delivered directly into the wearer’s ear canal.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis style may result in a clearer, crisper signal and can reduce feedback. Its design is smaller and more discrete. The major drawback to this style is that the receiver and wire are delicate and require regular maintenance and a gentle touch to avoid becoming damaged easily.\r\n<h3>Open and closed styles</h3>\r\nSlim tube and RIC styles often use domes rather than custom earmolds for the part that sits in the ear canal. These domes can be open or closed fit, which refers to whether the domes have holes in them (open fit) or not (closed fit).\r\n\r\nPeople with milder, high-frequency hearing losses can use open fit domes, which allow for more natural sound to enter the ear canal and allow for the ear canal to breathe. Conversely, closed fit domes are used for more moderate or severe hearing loss as they block outside sound and amplify low-frequency sounds.\r\n\r\nOpen domes help prevent the <em>occlusion effect</em> — that is, when your ears feel plugged up and your voice sounds louder to you with an echo-like quality. You might also refer to this sound quality as “hollow” or “booming.” This happens because when we move our jaw to speak or chew, we create vibrations in the ear canal. When the ear canal is completely blocked with a hearing aid or earmold, those vibrations can’t escape and result in the occlusion effect.\r\n\r\nPeople who have better low-frequency hearing and use closed domes, earmolds, or ITE-style hearing aids are more likely to report experiencing the occlusion effect. Should you run into this issue, check with your hearing professional. Fun fact: You can simulate the occlusion effect by repeating words and sentences aloud with and without your fingers plugging up your ear canal (alright, maybe not that fun).\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >In-the-ear hearing aids</h2>\r\nWith in-the-ear hearing aids, also known as ITEs, the entire device sits in the wearer’s ear (see the figure below). These devices are custom made and require an earmold impression to be sent to a manufacturer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296879\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296879\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/in-the-ear-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing an in-the-ear hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"408\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />In-the-ear hearing aid. Note: The amplifier and processor are encased within the body of the hearing aid just behind the microphone.[/caption]\r\n\r\nPopular smaller variants of the ITE are referred to as completely-in-the-canal (CIC; see the figure below). These styles are even smaller and, as the name implies, sit deeper in the ear canal. In fact, the CIC is essentially invisible and so small it requires an attached removal handle to get it in and out of the ear canal.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296880\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296880\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/completely-in-canal-hearing-aid.jpg\" alt=\"Figure showing a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid\" width=\"630\" height=\"391\" /> ©John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<br />Completely-in-the-canal hearing aid. Note: The amplifier and processor are encased within the body of the hearing aid just behind the microphone.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe primary purpose of the CIC is cosmetic. A major drawback is that the small size comes at the expense of power. These small hearing aids are intended for mild hearing loss and cannot address the needs of more moderate or severe loss.\r\n\r\nThe size of the CIC also limits the features available; CICs often can’t use advanced technology features like directionality. Some users who choose these styles become disappointed in their hearing aids and believe them to be ineffective when, in reality, these people have been fit with a hearing aid that is inappropriate for their level of hearing loss or hearing needs.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">ITEs are a great option when the user has problems inserting and manipulating behind-the-ear–style hearing aids due to numbness in their fingers or arthritis. The custom shape of the ITE makes it somewhat easier to slip into the ear.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Pros and cons of hearing aid styles</h2>\r\nPicking the right hearing aid for you requires checking out the pros and cons of each style of hearing aid. Take a look at the table below to see which style may be the one for you.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Hearing Aid Styles Pros and Cons</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<table>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Type</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Used For</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Pros</strong></td>\r\n<td><strong>Cons</strong></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Traditional behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>All degrees of hearing loss from mild to profound</td>\r\n<td>Extremely versatile device with widest range of available features</td>\r\n<td>Relatively larger in size and most visible to the eye</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Slim tube behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to moderate hearing loss with some flexibility to fit severe hearing loss depending on the specific device</td>\r\n<td>Less visible than traditional BTE and can use open domes for more natural sound</td>\r\n<td>Requires enough dexterity to manipulate smaller size than traditional BTE and doesn’t meet the needs of most severe and profound hearing losses</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Receiver in the canal behind-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to moderate hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Smallest BTE, clear sound from placement of speaker in the ear</td>\r\n<td>Most fragile BTE</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>In-the-ear</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild to severe hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Custom fit that is easiest to use when wearer has limited dexterity</td>\r\n<td>Smaller size may limit a few features</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Completely in-the-canal</strong></td>\r\n<td>Mild hearing loss</td>\r\n<td>Nearly invisible</td>\r\n<td>Small size limits power and features like directionality</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n ","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35179,"name":"Frank Lin","slug":"frank-lin","description":"Frank R. Lin, M.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health and professor of otolaryngology, medicine, mental health, and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. As an otologic surgeon and epidemiologist, Lin has translated his clinical experiences caring for patients with hearing loss into foundational public health research and federal policy in the U.S. His epidemiological research from 2010-2014 established the association of hearing loss with cognitive decline &amp; dementia, and his research served as the direct basis for the 2017 and 2020 Lancet Commission on Dementia conclusion that hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35179"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35173"}},{"authorId":11356,"name":"AARP","slug":"aarp","description":"AARP is the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the United States dedicated to empowering people as they age. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11356"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34188,"title":"General Physical Health & Well-Being","slug":"general-physical-health-well-being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34188"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Behind-the-ear hearing aids","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"In-the-ear hearing aids","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Pros and cons of hearing aid styles","target":"#tab3"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":296824,"title":"How to Know If You Have Hearing Loss","slug":"how-to-know-if-you-have-hearing-loss","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/296824"}},{"articleId":294697,"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/294697"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":296824,"title":"How to Know If You Have Hearing Loss","slug":"how-to-know-if-you-have-hearing-loss","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/296824"}},{"articleId":291575,"title":"Self-Care All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"self-care-all-in-one-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291575"}},{"articleId":240061,"title":"How to Get Rid of Lice Naturally","slug":"get-rid-lice-naturally","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240061"}},{"articleId":200495,"title":"Determining Your Body Type","slug":"determining-your-body-type","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200495"}},{"articleId":193896,"title":"How to Enroll in a Clinical Trial","slug":"how-to-enroll-in-a-clinical-trial","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193896"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":294550,"slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119880578","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119880572-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-loss-for-dummies-cover-9781119880578-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"","authors":[{"authorId":34784,"name":"","slug":"","description":" <p><b>The Experts at Dummies</b> are smart, friendly people who make learning easy by taking a not-so-serious approach to serious stuff.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34784"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35173"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;general-physical-health-well-being&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119880578&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63cff2aec33b3\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;general-physical-health-well-being&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119880578&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63cff2aec4424\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Solve","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2023-01-20T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":296840},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2023-01-19T22:02:38+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-01-20T22:55:33+00:00","timestamp":"2023-01-21T00:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"General Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34188"},"slug":"general-physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34188}],"title":"How to Know If You Have Hearing Loss","strippedTitle":"how to know if you have hearing loss","slug":"how-to-know-if-you-have-hearing-loss","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn the signs of hearing loss and how you can detect whether your hearing might be declining. Also learn about hearing testing.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Hearing loss is about clarity not volume. Most people think of hearing loss as simply turning down the volume on a TV, which makes all sounds quieter. But hearing loss is more like turning down the volume on only specific frequencies or pitches of sound so while some sounds are quieter others are just as loud.\r\n\r\nMany people aren’t a very good judge of their own hearing. In fact, most people tend to believe their hearing is better than it actually is, according to research from our own team at Johns Hopkins University. Why are we such bad judges of our own ability to hear?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296832\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296832\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-illustration-adobestock_515466252.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> ©New Africa / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Barely noticeable changes</h2>\r\nOne answer is that hearing loss happens gradually and slowly over time. The snail-like pace at which our hearing declines may make it difficult to notice any changes. Early signs of hearing loss may be situational.\r\n\r\nWe might miss a word here and there over dinner in a noisy restaurant or have trouble following a conversation with someone soft-spoken. It is easy to shrug off the seemingly isolated early incidents.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Everyone else is mumbling!</h2>\r\nFor most people, hearing loss affects their ability to hear high frequencies (whistling or birds chirping) while leaving the ability to hear low frequencies (animal grunts or thunder) relatively untouched.\r\n\r\nBut not all sounds fit neatly into low or high frequencies. Speech has sounds from several frequencies. In fact, a single word can represent multiple frequencies. For example, the word “show” includes “sh” (high-frequency) and “ow” (low-frequency). With the most common types of hearing loss, the “sh” would be difficult to hear while “ow” would be perfectly audible.\r\n\r\nThis results in a phenomenon where you would hear someone talking, but what they’re saying isn’t clear. This is why a common phrase among those with hearing loss is “I can hear you but you’re mumbling!”\r\n\r\nHearing some sounds but not others affects clarity, which isn’t always something people think of when they think of hearing loss. Hence, sometimes it’s hard to make that leap to suspecting hearing loss.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Compensating until you can’t</h2>\r\nOur brain plays a big role in making it tough to recognize hearing loss, especially when it first starts. Generally, our brains are great at their job of processing incoming information and can often still make sense of unclear speech.\r\n\r\nThe brain does this by using contextual information like the general topic of conversation to fill in the blanks. This means that as we develop hearing loss, our brains initially do a pretty good job of making up for any hearing loss.\r\n\r\nBut compensating for hearing loss requires a lot of extra energy and effort from our brains. Over time, our hearing tends to worsen and our brain’s ability to compensate lessens until it actually starts to slow down as well from the fatigue of keeping up with all the unclear sound.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Don’t know what you’re missing</h2>\r\nOur brains are good at noticing new auditory information and ignoring common and mundane sound. Think about being in your own home versus visiting a place for the first time. In our own homes, we tend to ignore familiar sounds — the humming of appliances, creaking floorboards, or squeaking doors.\r\n\r\nBut in a new place, our brains are on high alert, and we notice every single new sound. The same concept goes for common environmental sounds when we aren’t specifically listening for them: traffic noise from other cars while driving or chirping birds while walking through the park.\r\n\r\nWhen we aren’t specifically listening for a sound, it often becomes forgotten background noise. This makes it difficult to realize what we miss when we have hearing loss.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Has your hearing declined?</h2>\r\nGiven how difficult it is for us to judge our own hearing ability, consider having a conversation with those close to you to help you identify any hearing loss. Your hearing loss can impact them, too.\r\n\r\nIn many situations, it is a spouse, child, companion, or other frequent communication partner who first detects signs of hearing loss — from little things like noticing you turn the TV up louder to feeling isolated from you because conversation has become more difficult. The perceptions of those around you is a great way to gauge your own hearing.\r\n\r\nIt is also often helpful to look for clues in how hearing may be affecting your day-to-day life. Consider, for example, any changes in your social activity, communication patterns, and regular activities to help identify any hearing loss. You may be subconsciously avoiding situations or even altering the way you engage with people because of difficulty hearing.\r\n\r\nTake a minute to ask yourself some of the following questions to get a better feel for whether you may have some hearing loss:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Are you asking others to repeat things more often? In follow-up, do you find others saying things like “Never mind, I’ll tell you later” when you ask them to repeat something? This may be a sign that others have begun to notice your hearing difficulties.</li>\r\n \t<li>Are you having trouble following conversations in meetings?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself believing many other people mumble too much?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you have difficulty hearing people when you aren’t looking directly at them when they speak or when they turn away from you during conversation?</li>\r\n \t<li>Have you felt embarrassed to contribute to conversations because you’re unsure of the topic?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you feel excluded at dinner or other group conversations or unable to keep up?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you have any difficulty hearing small children? (People with hearing loss often find children’s voices, which are higher pitched, difficult to understand.)</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you turn up the volume on electronics such as the television?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you avoid talking on the telephone because it’s fatiguing and hard to make out what the other person says?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do others around you complain that the TV is too loud?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself avoiding restaurants or social gatherings more than you used to because they’re too noisy?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself more tired than usual when engaging in conversation?</li>\r\n \t<li>Are you avoiding activities you used to regularly participate in, such as attending concerts, plays, meetings, or religious services?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s a good idea to get your hearing tested. Read on to find out more.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >When to get your hearing tested</h2>\r\nHearing loss is very common and more than half of all adults over the age of 60 experience hearing loss. It may be a good idea to schedule a hearing test when you turn 60 if you notice any of the signs of hearing loss mentioned above, whichever comes first.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab7\" >Screening, testing, and diagnostics</h2>\r\nYou may see the terms <em>hearing screening</em> or <em>hearing testing</em> thrown around and sometimes you’ll see the term <em>diagnostic hearing test</em> versus <em>self-guided hearing test</em>. Here’s what these mean:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hearing screening</strong> refers to any assessment or task that helps identify whether or not you likely have some hearing loss but offers little details. Hearing screenings vary in how they’re performed and could be anything from whether you can hear someone whisper in your ear to a task where you have to identify numbers spoken in the presence of background noise.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hearing testing</strong> refers to pure-tone audiometry tests (see Chapter 7) that provides sufficient detail to describe your hearing in each ear using either the hearing number or categories like mild, moderate, severe, or profound.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Self-guided hearing testing</strong> refers to hearing testing that is performed by you without the help of a professional, such as on a smartphone.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Diagnostic hearing testing</strong> refers to a full battery of tests performed by a hearing professional, usually an audiologist, for the purpose of diagnosing hearing loss.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab8\" >Establishing a baseline</h2>\r\nA baseline hearing test simply refers to your first diagnostic hearing test, the results of which become the baseline or reference point for future hearing tests to keep track of any changes in hearing.\r\n\r\nThe baseline test also helps hearing professionals create a custom plan for you based on patterns in changes in your hearing over time. We recommend establishing a baseline as soon as you suspect hearing loss or at least by the time you turn 60, even if you’re not particularly concerned with your hearing at the moment.\r\n<h3>Making the appointment</h3>\r\nHere are the details you need to know to make an appointment:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Insurance, including Medicare, usually covers at least one diagnostic hearing test a year when ordered by a physician (check with your provider when in doubt).</li>\r\n \t<li>An audiologist will usually perform the diagnostic hearing test.</li>\r\n \t<li>Request a referral from your primary care provider (if required by your insurance company).</li>\r\n \t<li>Search online for a local audiologist near you that accepts your insurance or use websites like <a href=\"http://www.HearingTracker.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HearingTracker.com</a>, which maintains a directory of audiologists from across the country with patient reviews.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Curious about testing your own hearing? Try one of numerous smartphone- or web-based hearing tests and screeners such as <a href=\"https://mimi.health/hearing-test-apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mimi Hearing</a> or <a href=\"https://www.soniccloud.com/the-hearing-assessment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SonicCloud</a>, which are free and can be found in your smartphone app store. You could also try the AARP at-home hearing screener found at <a href=\"http://www.nationalhearingtest.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nationalhearingtest.org</a> (free for AARP members!).</p>","description":"Hearing loss is about clarity not volume. Most people think of hearing loss as simply turning down the volume on a TV, which makes all sounds quieter. But hearing loss is more like turning down the volume on only specific frequencies or pitches of sound so while some sounds are quieter others are just as loud.\r\n\r\nMany people aren’t a very good judge of their own hearing. In fact, most people tend to believe their hearing is better than it actually is, according to research from our own team at Johns Hopkins University. Why are we such bad judges of our own ability to hear?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_296832\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-296832\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-illustration-adobestock_515466252.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> ©New Africa / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Barely noticeable changes</h2>\r\nOne answer is that hearing loss happens gradually and slowly over time. The snail-like pace at which our hearing declines may make it difficult to notice any changes. Early signs of hearing loss may be situational.\r\n\r\nWe might miss a word here and there over dinner in a noisy restaurant or have trouble following a conversation with someone soft-spoken. It is easy to shrug off the seemingly isolated early incidents.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Everyone else is mumbling!</h2>\r\nFor most people, hearing loss affects their ability to hear high frequencies (whistling or birds chirping) while leaving the ability to hear low frequencies (animal grunts or thunder) relatively untouched.\r\n\r\nBut not all sounds fit neatly into low or high frequencies. Speech has sounds from several frequencies. In fact, a single word can represent multiple frequencies. For example, the word “show” includes “sh” (high-frequency) and “ow” (low-frequency). With the most common types of hearing loss, the “sh” would be difficult to hear while “ow” would be perfectly audible.\r\n\r\nThis results in a phenomenon where you would hear someone talking, but what they’re saying isn’t clear. This is why a common phrase among those with hearing loss is “I can hear you but you’re mumbling!”\r\n\r\nHearing some sounds but not others affects clarity, which isn’t always something people think of when they think of hearing loss. Hence, sometimes it’s hard to make that leap to suspecting hearing loss.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Compensating until you can’t</h2>\r\nOur brain plays a big role in making it tough to recognize hearing loss, especially when it first starts. Generally, our brains are great at their job of processing incoming information and can often still make sense of unclear speech.\r\n\r\nThe brain does this by using contextual information like the general topic of conversation to fill in the blanks. This means that as we develop hearing loss, our brains initially do a pretty good job of making up for any hearing loss.\r\n\r\nBut compensating for hearing loss requires a lot of extra energy and effort from our brains. Over time, our hearing tends to worsen and our brain’s ability to compensate lessens until it actually starts to slow down as well from the fatigue of keeping up with all the unclear sound.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab4\" >Don’t know what you’re missing</h2>\r\nOur brains are good at noticing new auditory information and ignoring common and mundane sound. Think about being in your own home versus visiting a place for the first time. In our own homes, we tend to ignore familiar sounds — the humming of appliances, creaking floorboards, or squeaking doors.\r\n\r\nBut in a new place, our brains are on high alert, and we notice every single new sound. The same concept goes for common environmental sounds when we aren’t specifically listening for them: traffic noise from other cars while driving or chirping birds while walking through the park.\r\n\r\nWhen we aren’t specifically listening for a sound, it often becomes forgotten background noise. This makes it difficult to realize what we miss when we have hearing loss.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab5\" >Has your hearing declined?</h2>\r\nGiven how difficult it is for us to judge our own hearing ability, consider having a conversation with those close to you to help you identify any hearing loss. Your hearing loss can impact them, too.\r\n\r\nIn many situations, it is a spouse, child, companion, or other frequent communication partner who first detects signs of hearing loss — from little things like noticing you turn the TV up louder to feeling isolated from you because conversation has become more difficult. The perceptions of those around you is a great way to gauge your own hearing.\r\n\r\nIt is also often helpful to look for clues in how hearing may be affecting your day-to-day life. Consider, for example, any changes in your social activity, communication patterns, and regular activities to help identify any hearing loss. You may be subconsciously avoiding situations or even altering the way you engage with people because of difficulty hearing.\r\n\r\nTake a minute to ask yourself some of the following questions to get a better feel for whether you may have some hearing loss:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Are you asking others to repeat things more often? In follow-up, do you find others saying things like “Never mind, I’ll tell you later” when you ask them to repeat something? This may be a sign that others have begun to notice your hearing difficulties.</li>\r\n \t<li>Are you having trouble following conversations in meetings?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself believing many other people mumble too much?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you have difficulty hearing people when you aren’t looking directly at them when they speak or when they turn away from you during conversation?</li>\r\n \t<li>Have you felt embarrassed to contribute to conversations because you’re unsure of the topic?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you feel excluded at dinner or other group conversations or unable to keep up?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you have any difficulty hearing small children? (People with hearing loss often find children’s voices, which are higher pitched, difficult to understand.)</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you turn up the volume on electronics such as the television?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you avoid talking on the telephone because it’s fatiguing and hard to make out what the other person says?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do others around you complain that the TV is too loud?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself avoiding restaurants or social gatherings more than you used to because they’re too noisy?</li>\r\n \t<li>Do you find yourself more tired than usual when engaging in conversation?</li>\r\n \t<li>Are you avoiding activities you used to regularly participate in, such as attending concerts, plays, meetings, or religious services?</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s a good idea to get your hearing tested. Read on to find out more.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab6\" >When to get your hearing tested</h2>\r\nHearing loss is very common and more than half of all adults over the age of 60 experience hearing loss. It may be a good idea to schedule a hearing test when you turn 60 if you notice any of the signs of hearing loss mentioned above, whichever comes first.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab7\" >Screening, testing, and diagnostics</h2>\r\nYou may see the terms <em>hearing screening</em> or <em>hearing testing</em> thrown around and sometimes you’ll see the term <em>diagnostic hearing test</em> versus <em>self-guided hearing test</em>. Here’s what these mean:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hearing screening</strong> refers to any assessment or task that helps identify whether or not you likely have some hearing loss but offers little details. Hearing screenings vary in how they’re performed and could be anything from whether you can hear someone whisper in your ear to a task where you have to identify numbers spoken in the presence of background noise.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Hearing testing</strong> refers to pure-tone audiometry tests (see Chapter 7) that provides sufficient detail to describe your hearing in each ear using either the hearing number or categories like mild, moderate, severe, or profound.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Self-guided hearing testing</strong> refers to hearing testing that is performed by you without the help of a professional, such as on a smartphone.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Diagnostic hearing testing</strong> refers to a full battery of tests performed by a hearing professional, usually an audiologist, for the purpose of diagnosing hearing loss.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab8\" >Establishing a baseline</h2>\r\nA baseline hearing test simply refers to your first diagnostic hearing test, the results of which become the baseline or reference point for future hearing tests to keep track of any changes in hearing.\r\n\r\nThe baseline test also helps hearing professionals create a custom plan for you based on patterns in changes in your hearing over time. We recommend establishing a baseline as soon as you suspect hearing loss or at least by the time you turn 60, even if you’re not particularly concerned with your hearing at the moment.\r\n<h3>Making the appointment</h3>\r\nHere are the details you need to know to make an appointment:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Insurance, including Medicare, usually covers at least one diagnostic hearing test a year when ordered by a physician (check with your provider when in doubt).</li>\r\n \t<li>An audiologist will usually perform the diagnostic hearing test.</li>\r\n \t<li>Request a referral from your primary care provider (if required by your insurance company).</li>\r\n \t<li>Search online for a local audiologist near you that accepts your insurance or use websites like <a href=\"http://www.HearingTracker.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HearingTracker.com</a>, which maintains a directory of audiologists from across the country with patient reviews.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Curious about testing your own hearing? Try one of numerous smartphone- or web-based hearing tests and screeners such as <a href=\"https://mimi.health/hearing-test-apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mimi Hearing</a> or <a href=\"https://www.soniccloud.com/the-hearing-assessment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SonicCloud</a>, which are free and can be found in your smartphone app store. You could also try the AARP at-home hearing screener found at <a href=\"http://www.nationalhearingtest.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">nationalhearingtest.org</a> (free for AARP members!).</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35179,"name":"Frank Lin","slug":"frank-lin","description":"Frank R. Lin, M.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health and professor of otolaryngology, medicine, mental health, and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. As an otologic surgeon and epidemiologist, Lin has translated his clinical experiences caring for patients with hearing loss into foundational public health research and federal policy in the U.S. His epidemiological research from 2010-2014 established the association of hearing loss with cognitive decline &amp; dementia, and his research served as the direct basis for the 2017 and 2020 Lancet Commission on Dementia conclusion that hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35179"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35173"}},{"authorId":11356,"name":"AARP","slug":"aarp","description":"AARP is the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in the United States dedicated to empowering people as they age. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/11356"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34188,"title":"General Physical Health & Well-Being","slug":"general-physical-health-well-being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34188"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Barely noticeable changes","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Everyone else is mumbling!","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Compensating until you can’t","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Don’t know what you’re missing","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"Has your hearing declined?","target":"#tab5"},{"label":"When to get your hearing tested","target":"#tab6"},{"label":"Screening, testing, and diagnostics","target":"#tab7"},{"label":"Establishing a baseline","target":"#tab8"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":294697,"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/294697"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":291575,"title":"Self-Care All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"self-care-all-in-one-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/291575"}},{"articleId":240061,"title":"How to Get Rid of Lice Naturally","slug":"get-rid-lice-naturally","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240061"}},{"articleId":200495,"title":"Determining Your Body Type","slug":"determining-your-body-type","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200495"}},{"articleId":193896,"title":"How to Enroll in a Clinical Trial","slug":"how-to-enroll-in-a-clinical-trial","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193896"}},{"articleId":193826,"title":"How Do I Prepare for a Colonoscopy?","slug":"how-do-i-prepare-for-a-colonoscopy","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193826"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":294550,"slug":"hearing-loss-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119880578","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","general-physical-health-well-being"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119880572-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119880572/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hearing-loss-for-dummies-cover-9781119880578-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Hearing Loss For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":34784,"name":"","slug":"","description":"","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/34784"}},{"authorId":35173,"name":"Nicholas Reed","slug":"nicholas-reed","description":" <p><b>Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD,</b> is the Director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health.</p> <p><b>Nicholas S. Reed, AuD,</b> is a clinical audiologist and an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University. 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The Pilates method works to strengthen the center, lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and increase body awareness and flexibility. This Cheat Sheet summarizes what you need to get started in Pilates and includes lists of exercises, from fundamental to advanced.","description":"Pilates has become one of the most popular fitness systems in the world. The Pilates method works to strengthen the center, lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and increase body awareness and flexibility. This Cheat Sheet summarizes what you need to get started in Pilates and includes lists of exercises, from fundamental to advanced.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9979,"name":"Ellie Herman","slug":"ellie-herman","description":" Ellie Herman runs two Pilates studios, where she teaches hundreds of students and certifies Pilates teachers. She studied under two of Joseph Pilates' original students.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9979"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34170,"title":"Pilates","slug":"pilates","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34170"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":210282,"title":"How to Do Pilates Upper-Abdominal Curls","slug":"how-to-do-pilates-upper-abdominal-curls-2","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210282"}},{"articleId":210280,"title":"How to Do a Basic Pilates Cat","slug":"how-to-do-a-basic-pilates-cat","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210280"}},{"articleId":210281,"title":"How to Do a Basic Pilates Bridge","slug":"how-to-do-a-basic-pilates-bridge","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210281"}},{"articleId":206640,"title":"How to Do the Pilates Stacking the Spine Position","slug":"how-to-do-the-pilates-stacking-the-spine-position","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/206640"}},{"articleId":206637,"title":"How to Do the Pilates Basic Cat Exercise","slug":"how-to-do-the-pilates-basic-cat-exercise","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/206637"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":210282,"title":"How to Do Pilates Upper-Abdominal Curls","slug":"how-to-do-pilates-upper-abdominal-curls-2","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210282"}},{"articleId":210281,"title":"How to Do a Basic Pilates Bridge","slug":"how-to-do-a-basic-pilates-bridge","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210281"}},{"articleId":210280,"title":"How to Do a Basic Pilates Cat","slug":"how-to-do-a-basic-pilates-cat","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/210280"}},{"articleId":206640,"title":"How to Do the Pilates Stacking the Spine Position","slug":"how-to-do-the-pilates-stacking-the-spine-position","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/206640"}},{"articleId":206637,"title":"How to Do the Pilates Basic Cat Exercise","slug":"how-to-do-the-pilates-basic-cat-exercise","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/206637"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282474,"slug":"pilates-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119907381","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","pilates"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119907381/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119907381/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119907381-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119907381/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119907381/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/pilates-for-dummies-2nd-edition-cover-9781119907381-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Pilates For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b data-author-id=\"9979\">Ellie Herman</b> runs two Pilates studios, where she teaches hundreds of students and certifies Pilates teachers. She studied under two of Joseph Pilates' original students.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9979,"name":"Ellie Herman","slug":"ellie-herman","description":" Ellie Herman runs two Pilates studios, where she teaches hundreds of students and certifies Pilates teachers. She studied under two of Joseph Pilates' original students.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9979"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;exercise-movement&quot;,&quot;pilates&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119907381&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63a0d10e857a5\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;exercise-movement&quot;,&quot;pilates&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119907381&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63a0d10e861c5\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":0,"title":"","slug":null,"categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/"}}],"content":[{"title":"What you need to get started in Pilates","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Here are the basics for getting started in Pilates:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A firm mat. </strong>The mat only needs to be as long as your spine and as wide as your body. This mat should be firm enough to support your back when rolling on the floor. You will hurt your vertebrae if you use only a towel or a yoga mat. I like to use either a gymnastic mat or a fold up foam mat.</li>\n<li><strong>Comfy clothes. </strong>Wear what you would wear to a yoga class, dance class, or stretch class. Nothing should bind you — no buttons or tight waist­bands. Wearing something formfitting is nice because it lets you see if your belly is pooching out or not.</li>\n<li><strong>Bare feet. </strong>Socks tend to slip on the floor, so I recommend bare feet.</li>\n<li><strong>A small ball is great, although it’s not necessary.</strong> A small ball is a great cheap tool to have, especially when you’re first starting out.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Pilates alphabet","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li>Neutral Spine</li>\n<li>Abdominal Scoop</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-a-basic-pilates-bridge-210281/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bridge</a></li>\n<li>C Curve: Lumbar, Thoracic, and Cervical</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-the-pilates-hip-up-position-198428/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hip-Up</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-the-pilates-levitation-position-198563/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Levitation</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-the-pilates-balance-point-position-198406/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Balance Point</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-the-pilates-stacking-the-spine-position-206640/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stacking the Spine</a></li>\n<li>Pilates Abdominal Position</li>\n<li>Pilates First Position</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Fundamental series (pre-Pilates)","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li>Breathing in Neutral Spine</li>\n<li>Shoulder Shrugs</li>\n<li>Shoulder Slaps</li>\n<li>Arm Reaches/Arm Circles</li>\n<li>Coccyx Curls</li>\n<li>Tiny Steps</li>\n<li>Upper Abdominal Curls</li>\n<li>Hip-Up</li>\n<li>C Curve Roll Down Prep</li>\n<li>Balance Point/Teaser Prep</li>\n<li>Rolling Like a Ball, Modified</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Beginning series","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li>Coccyx Curls</li>\n<li><a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/exercise-movement/pilates/how-to-do-pilates-upper-abdominal-curls-2-210282/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Upper Abdominal Curls</a></li>\n<li>Hundred, Beginning Level</li>\n<li>Balance Point</li>\n<li>Hip-Up</li>\n<li>Rolling Like a Ball</li>\n<li>Single Leg Stretch</li>\n<li>Rising Swan</li>\n<li>Roll Down</li>\n<li>Bridge</li>\n<li>Spine Stretch Forward</li>\n<li>Side Kicks</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Intermediate series","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li>Hundred, Intermediate Level</li>\n<li>Roll Up</li>\n<li>Rolling Like a Ball</li>\n<li>Single Leg Stretch</li>\n<li>Double Leg Stretch</li>\n<li>Crisscross</li>\n<li>Scissors</li>\n<li>Open Leg Rocker</li>\n<li>Single Leg Kick</li>\n<li>Double Leg Kick</li>\n<li>Side Kicks</li>\n<li>Teaser, Modified</li>\n<li>The Seal</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Advanced series","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<ul>\n<li>Hundred, Advanced Version</li>\n<li>Roll Up</li>\n<li>Rollover</li>\n<li>Rolling Like a Ball</li>\n<li>Single Leg Stretch</li>\n<li>Double Leg Stretch</li>\n<li>Crisscross</li>\n<li>Scissors</li>\n<li>Spine Stretch Forward</li>\n<li>Open Leg Rocker</li>\n<li>Rising Swan</li>\n<li>The Saw</li>\n<li>Single Leg Kick</li>\n<li>Double Leg Kick</li>\n<li>Neck Pull</li>\n<li>Shoulder Bridge</li>\n<li>Spine Twist</li>\n<li>The Jackknife</li>\n<li>Side Kicks</li>\n<li>Teaser, Advanced Version</li>\n<li>Hip Flexor Stretch</li>\n<li>Hip Circles</li>\n<li>Swimming</li>\n<li>Control Front</li>\n<li>Kneeling Side Kicks</li>\n<li>Side Bend/Advanced Mermaid</li>\n<li>The Seal</li>\n<li>Pilates Push-Up</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-10-25T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":295416},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:57:01+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-12-01T16:58:23+00:00","timestamp":"2022-12-01T18:01:02+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Personal Care & Style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"},"slug":"personal-care-style","categoryId":34098},{"name":"Hair & Skin Care","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34101"},"slug":"hair-skin-care","categoryId":34101}],"title":"Haircutting For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"haircutting for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"haircutting-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Check out these useful tips for mastering any haircut style, extending the style of a haircut, and getting kids ready for a haircut.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/haircutting-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/haircutting-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\nIf you want to cut hair, you'll need a few tools to get started. Once you feel comfortable with haircutting, these tips will help you gain the trust of children, your family and friends; give touch-ups to prolong the life of a style; and approach new styles with confidence.","description":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/haircutting-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/haircutting-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\nIf you want to cut hair, you'll need a few tools to get started. Once you feel comfortable with haircutting, these tips will help you gain the trust of children, your family and friends; give touch-ups to prolong the life of a style; and approach new styles with confidence.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":10467,"name":"J. Elaine Spear","slug":"j-elaine-spear","description":"J. Elaine Spear, also known as Jeryl, has been the executive editor of Beauty Launchpad, editor-in-chief of Hot Beauty Magazine, and content editor for Cengage's Milady cosmetology and barbering textbooks. Spear has more than 1 million social media followers. She owned and operated a multimillion-dollar salon and day spa for 15 years.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10467"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34101,"title":"Hair & Skin Care","slug":"hair-skin-care","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34101"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":201639,"title":"Striving for a Headful of Healthy Hair","slug":"striving-for-a-headful-of-healthy-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/201639"}},{"articleId":200696,"title":"Choosing the Right Brush for Your Hair","slug":"choosing-the-right-brush-for-your-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200696"}},{"articleId":200618,"title":"Controlling the Volume of Your Hair","slug":"controlling-the-volume-of-your-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200618"}},{"articleId":200570,"title":"Cutting Hair with Lightning Speed","slug":"cutting-hair-with-lightning-speed","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200570"}},{"articleId":193566,"title":"Tips for Mastering Any Haircut","slug":"tips-for-mastering-any-haircut","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193566"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":240057,"title":"How to Get Rid of Lice","slug":"get-rid-lice","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/240057"}},{"articleId":201639,"title":"Striving for a Headful of Healthy Hair","slug":"striving-for-a-headful-of-healthy-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/201639"}},{"articleId":200696,"title":"Choosing the Right Brush for Your Hair","slug":"choosing-the-right-brush-for-your-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200696"}},{"articleId":200618,"title":"Controlling the Volume of Your Hair","slug":"controlling-the-volume-of-your-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200618"}},{"articleId":200570,"title":"Cutting Hair with Lightning Speed","slug":"cutting-hair-with-lightning-speed","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/200570"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282263,"slug":"haircutting-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119790495","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119790492/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119790492/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119790492-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119790492/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119790492/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/haircutting-for-dummies-2nd-edition-cover-9781119790495-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Haircutting For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b><b data-author-id=\"35026\">Jeryl E. Spear</b></b> is the former Executive Editor of Beauty Launchpad and Editor-in-Chief of <i>HOT Beauty magazine</i>. She is currently a beauty and marketing consultant for prominent beauty corporations, and she is the Content Editor for Cengage- Milady Cosmetology. Jeryl owned and operated a multimillion-dollar full-service salon for 15 years. Follow her Instagram beauty inspiration page @hotonbeauty. </p>","authors":[{"authorId":35026,"name":"Jeryl E. Spear","slug":"jeryl-e-spear","description":" <p><b>Jeryl E. Spear</b> is the former Executive Editor of Beauty Launchpad and Editor-in-Chief of <i>HOT Beauty magazine</i>. She is currently a beauty and marketing consultant for prominent beauty corporations, and she is the Content Editor for Cengage- Milady Cosmetology. Jeryl owned and operated a multimillion-dollar full-service salon for 15 years. Follow her Instagram beauty inspiration page @hotonbeauty. </p> ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35026"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;,&quot;hair-skin-care&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119790495&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6388ebdee78ad\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;,&quot;hair-skin-care&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119790495&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6388ebdee813b\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":193561,"title":"How to Prepare Kids for a Haircut","slug":"how-to-prepare-kids-for-a-haircut","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193561"}},{"articleId":193557,"title":"Extending the Style of Your Haircut","slug":"extending-the-style-of-your-haircut","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193557"}},{"articleId":193566,"title":"Tips for Mastering Any Haircut","slug":"tips-for-mastering-any-haircut","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193566"}},{"articleId":193562,"title":"Gaining Your Friend’s and Family’s Trust as a Hair Stylist","slug":"gaining-your-friends-and-familys-trust-as-a-hair-stylist","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style","hair-skin-care"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/193562"}}],"content":[{"title":"How to prepare kids for a haircut","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>When it comes to children’s haircuts, you might have to pull out every trick in the book to keep kids happy in the styling chair. Try to provide a fun and fast experience for children by using these haircutting tips:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Pick their best time. Children have a way of derailing your haircutting mission when they are tired and cranky.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Plan your haircut designs in advance to speed up the haircutting process.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Make sure your combs and brushes are kid friendly by being smooth, soft, and well-rounded on the tips.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Plan their haircuts around their favorite television programs or rent a popular video.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Bribe them with whatever you have — a cheap toy, a lapful of their favorite cookies, whatever!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Extending the style of your haircut","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>On average, hair grows about 1/2 inch per month. By doing your own light haircutting touch-ups, you can keep your style between salon visits and save yourself time and money.</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">If you receive a haircut every six weeks, touch up your haircut at the three-week point. If you receive a haircut every eight weeks, four weeks is the ideal time to freshen your haircut.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Pick a good moment when you have plenty of time to concentrate on the task at hand. If you don’t take your time, you may end up running to the salon for an emergency fix-up.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Only cut the parts you can easily reach. When stretching your haircutting appointments, concentrate on the very top, the bangs and the sides of your hair.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Never cut more than 1/4-inch, or you’ll skew your haircut by creating dips and separations between what you’ve trimmed and what you have left for your hairdresser to deal with.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Tips for mastering any haircut","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Be cautious if you’re trying out a new style of haircut on yourself or someone else. Practice, start slowly and then let your stylish wings take flight. Keep these things in mind when cutting a style for the first time:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Get a mannequin head to practice your first cut of a new style. These mannequins are available at beauty stores and can be purchased for as little as $20.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Cut lightly the first time you do any haircut. If you want to shorten the hair 1/2 inch, cut it 1/4 inch the first time around to ensure that you’re on the right track with your new design. After you’re satisfied with your handiwork, re-cut the hair to the desired length.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Use a traveling guide.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Keep the hair pinned up as directed, so you never lose your way. Pinning helps you concentrate on one small section at a time instead of trying to fight your way through a jungle of hair.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Gaining your friends' and family’s trust as a hair stylist","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If you’re brand new at cutting hair at home, you may find your friends and family hesitant to let you work on their locks. Try winning them over one haircut at a time, and keep these things in mind:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Start small, but think big when it comes to cutting your family’s hair. In the beginning, do small things like bang trims, end trims, and crisping up the haircutting lines of the men in your life.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Extend the time between salon appointments by shortening their haircuts 1/4-inch midway between their scheduled trims.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Keep your word. If you say that you’re only going to trim this much, or leave the bangs a certain way, build your family’s trust by delivering as promised.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Ask for haircutting tools and supplies for your birthday. If this request doesn’t show sincerity about doing a good job, who knows what will!</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Two years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-02-23T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":209189},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-10-17T15:55:16+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-11-15T16:14:19+00:00","timestamp":"2022-11-15T18:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Personal Care & Style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"},"slug":"personal-care-style","categoryId":34098}],"title":"Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair","strippedTitle":"smashing the stigma around natural and curly hair","slug":"smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about the negative forces people with textured hair face and to embrace natural hair in all its glory, for yourself and others.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are so many reasons we can feel negatively about our hair. People with natural, curly hair have not been seen as a thing of beauty for so long. Black women, especially, have been conditioned and treated like they are unattractive for having natural hair, and some women have internalized this hatred and adjusted their hair accordingly.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295301\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295301\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-curly-hair-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"473\" /> ©Eye for Ebony / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\nA client of mine recently pointed out how she and her close friends often feel great pressure to process and straighten their hair due to their experience with men and dating and other negative influences within the community.\r\n\r\nSo many men have been conditioned to want and be attracted to a particular representation of beauty because of the relentless standards set by the media. We have seen straight hair put out as the normal, acceptable standard for so long that it’s shaped entire generations. This, too, is trauma.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Time to heal and embrace your natural beauty</h2>\r\nUnhealthy beauty standards have been ingrained in Western culture by systems underpinned by totally toxic ideas. But the time has come to heal. You need to reclaim your power and your beauty, and move beyond self-hatred. Refuse to buy into the toxicity. Refuse the negativity and trauma.\r\n\r\nI encourage you to be honest about who you are and only surround yourself with people who see you, support you, and celebrate you. This is your moment. This is the natural and curly haired community’s moment to step into the spotlight.\r\n\r\nOkay, look — I don’t want to spend time and energy on what the natural and curly hair community has or doesn’t have. I’m here to focus on building our community up, to help lift us up. That’s how we celebrate ourselves.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Stigma against curly hair</h2>\r\nBut the truth is the truth. Those of us who have natural hair already know it. But maybe you’re someone who doesn’t have textured hair and you’re reading this to understand a loved one.\r\n\r\nIf you don’t already know, people who have natural and curly hair regularly face discrimination, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about their hair, all based in centuries-old racism that plays out in media, workplaces, and schools, among other institutions.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, you can find so many examples of the systemic discrimination that Black and Afro-Latinidad people who have natural hair face.\r\n\r\nOne national news story that absolutely enraged me when I saw it back in 2019 still stays with me today. Before his wrestling match, a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey was told by officials that his hair covering didn’t meet “regulation standards.” They presented him with an ultimatum: cut his dreads or forfeit the match. Without so much as a word from his coach, the athletic director, or any other staff member from his school, he faced the decision alone.\r\n\r\nAnd there, in front of a whole gymnasium of his peers and members of the community, an official cut off his dreadlocks. He went on to win the wrestling match that day, but the humiliation of having his hair carelessly cut off due to policies that do not represent everyone equally may never fade.\r\n\r\nThis student’s natural state of being was deemed unacceptable and deserving of immediate destruction. And this scenario, in some form or another, plays out in schools and workplaces across the country, literally every day.\r\n\r\nHow dare they perpetuate this level of hatred and trauma on children — and adults!\r\n\r\nThe natural and curly hair community faces unfair treatment and downright stupidity from some people and systems. Because these prejudices are so deeply ingrained, society, as a whole, can find even recognizing them difficult, let alone combating them.\r\n\r\nBut I’m not going to stop trying. I’m here to do my part to stop the stigma, by building the natural and curly hair community up; by saying enough to the discrimination from others and the way we internalize it ourselves.\r\n\r\nIt’s time to stop. And it’s time to heal. And that means everyone.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Parents and guardians of kids with textured hair</h2>\r\nIf you’re a parent of a textured-haired child, you need to know the reality of prejudices and racism, and then smash this stigma for your child (or other loved one). Natural and curly hair is beautiful and glorious.\r\n\r\nFrom the moment your child who has textured hair is born (or the moment you become their guardian), celebrate their beautiful hair at every turn.\r\n\r\nAnd if you have natural hair — or you want to wear your hair in its natural state but are fighting against these negative forces — then I’m here to tell you something: They might be powerful, but you are more powerful!","description":"<figure style=\"margin: 0;\"><figcaption style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\">Listen to the article:</figcaption><audio src=\"/wp-content/uploads/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair.mp3\" controls=\"controls\"><a href=\"/wp-content/uploads/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair.mp3\">Download audio</a></audio></figure>\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are so many reasons we can feel negatively about our hair. People with natural, curly hair have not been seen as a thing of beauty for so long. Black women, especially, have been conditioned and treated like they are unattractive for having natural hair, and some women have internalized this hatred and adjusted their hair accordingly.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295301\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295301\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-curly-hair-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"473\" /> ©Eye for Ebony / Unsplash.com[/caption]\r\n\r\nA client of mine recently pointed out how she and her close friends often feel great pressure to process and straighten their hair due to their experience with men and dating and other negative influences within the community.\r\n\r\nSo many men have been conditioned to want and be attracted to a particular representation of beauty because of the relentless standards set by the media. We have seen straight hair put out as the normal, acceptable standard for so long that it’s shaped entire generations. This, too, is trauma.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Time to heal and embrace your natural beauty</h2>\r\nUnhealthy beauty standards have been ingrained in Western culture by systems underpinned by totally toxic ideas. But the time has come to heal. You need to reclaim your power and your beauty, and move beyond self-hatred. Refuse to buy into the toxicity. Refuse the negativity and trauma.\r\n\r\nI encourage you to be honest about who you are and only surround yourself with people who see you, support you, and celebrate you. This is your moment. This is the natural and curly haired community’s moment to step into the spotlight.\r\n\r\nOkay, look — I don’t want to spend time and energy on what the natural and curly hair community has or doesn’t have. I’m here to focus on building our community up, to help lift us up. That’s how we celebrate ourselves.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Stigma against curly hair</h2>\r\nBut the truth is the truth. Those of us who have natural hair already know it. But maybe you’re someone who doesn’t have textured hair and you’re reading this to understand a loved one.\r\n\r\nIf you don’t already know, people who have natural and curly hair regularly face discrimination, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about their hair, all based in centuries-old racism that plays out in media, workplaces, and schools, among other institutions.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, you can find so many examples of the systemic discrimination that Black and Afro-Latinidad people who have natural hair face.\r\n\r\nOne national news story that absolutely enraged me when I saw it back in 2019 still stays with me today. Before his wrestling match, a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey was told by officials that his hair covering didn’t meet “regulation standards.” They presented him with an ultimatum: cut his dreads or forfeit the match. Without so much as a word from his coach, the athletic director, or any other staff member from his school, he faced the decision alone.\r\n\r\nAnd there, in front of a whole gymnasium of his peers and members of the community, an official cut off his dreadlocks. He went on to win the wrestling match that day, but the humiliation of having his hair carelessly cut off due to policies that do not represent everyone equally may never fade.\r\n\r\nThis student’s natural state of being was deemed unacceptable and deserving of immediate destruction. And this scenario, in some form or another, plays out in schools and workplaces across the country, literally every day.\r\n\r\nHow dare they perpetuate this level of hatred and trauma on children — and adults!\r\n\r\nThe natural and curly hair community faces unfair treatment and downright stupidity from some people and systems. Because these prejudices are so deeply ingrained, society, as a whole, can find even recognizing them difficult, let alone combating them.\r\n\r\nBut I’m not going to stop trying. I’m here to do my part to stop the stigma, by building the natural and curly hair community up; by saying enough to the discrimination from others and the way we internalize it ourselves.\r\n\r\nIt’s time to stop. And it’s time to heal. And that means everyone.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Parents and guardians of kids with textured hair</h2>\r\nIf you’re a parent of a textured-haired child, you need to know the reality of prejudices and racism, and then smash this stigma for your child (or other loved one). Natural and curly hair is beautiful and glorious.\r\n\r\nFrom the moment your child who has textured hair is born (or the moment you become their guardian), celebrate their beautiful hair at every turn.\r\n\r\nAnd if you have natural hair — or you want to wear your hair in its natural state but are fighting against these negative forces — then I’m here to tell you something: They might be powerful, but you are more powerful!","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34098,"title":"Personal Care & Style","slug":"personal-care-style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Time to heal and embrace your natural beauty","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Stigma against curly hair","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Parents and guardians of kids with textured hair","target":"#tab3"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":295409,"title":"Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair","slug":"setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295409"}},{"articleId":295391,"title":"How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair","slug":"how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295391"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":295409,"title":"Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair","slug":"setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295409"}},{"articleId":295391,"title":"How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair","slug":"how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295391"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}},{"articleId":192896,"title":"What Is Bad Breath and How Do You Get Halitosis?","slug":"what-is-bad-breath-and-how-do-you-get-halitosis","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/192896"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":295289,"slug":"natural-curly-hair-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119843382","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119843383-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-and-curly-hair-for-dummies-cover-9781119843382-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Natural & Curly Hair For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b><b data-author-id=\"35205\">Johnny Wright</b> </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6373d3df0b179\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6373d3df0b9fc\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-10-17T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":295299},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-10-25T20:12:46+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-11-08T19:01:51+00:00","timestamp":"2022-11-08T21:01:04+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Personal Care & Style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"},"slug":"personal-care-style","categoryId":34098}],"title":"Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair","strippedTitle":"setting a wash schedule for your natural curly hair","slug":"setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn how often to wash your curly hair, and the best methods for detangling, co-washing, shampooing, conditioning, and more.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"The most basic way to take care of your <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair-295299/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">curly and textured hair</a> is to wash it, but you need to know a lot about how to handle your hair when it’s wet and, quite frankly, the most vulnerable.\r\n\r\nIf you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your beautiful kinks, coils, and curls: especially on wash day. Each week, you procrastinate as much as possible by co-washing or using your favorite style-refresher products to go as long as you can between washes. Am I right?\r\n\r\nI know it’s not that you don’t want clean hair. It’s all the sectioning, detangling, pre-washing (if needed), shampooing and conditioning, setting, drying, and finally styling. It’s exhausting. Trust me, I get it.\r\n\r\nHere’s the trick, though: Creating a routine and sticking to it can make wash day less of a chore and more of a delightful experience. Wash days should be experimental and fun — and hopefully something to look forward to.\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost the joy in your wash day (or never had it), I’m here to help. In this article, I go over how often to wash your hair, how and when to detangle, the joys of co-washing, and (most importantly) how to properly shampoo and condition, along with other tips you can use for wash day.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Set your wash day</h2>\r\nOf course, your wash-day schedule all depends on your <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair-295391/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">specific hair type and texture</a>, but as a professional, I generally recommend that folks wash their hair at least once per week. You can go longer between washes, but don’t go any longer than two weeks. If you have finer hair or extra buildup, you can try washing your hair twice a week.\r\n\r\nChoose whatever schedule works best for your needs. Just keep in mind that to have a successful wash day, you need to do all the steps I outline in this article — and do them in order!\r\n\r\nMake sure you have time for detangling, shampooing, conditioning, and any drying or additional styling at the end. So, choose a day in which you have at least a couple of free hours. You can’t rush good hair care!\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you have especially coarse, dry, or damaged hair, you can use another technique called <em>co-washing,</em> where you use conditioner in place of shampoo.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Ow! Detangling your hair</h2>\r\nThe first step of any wash day is detangling. For some people, detangling their hair can be the most tedious and time-consuming process of a wash day. But fear not! I’ve got you covered from root to tip.\r\n\r\nThe detangling process is different from person to person, but here’s some guidance that can help you minimize excessive snagging and breakage.\r\n\r\nFirst and foremost, set aside enough time. Detangling can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. I know, I know. You might be tempted to skip this step, but don’t. If you wash your hair without thoroughly combing and detangling your hair first, you can make your tangles worse by matting them when you add shampoo and excessive water during the wash step.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">I don’t recommend detangling dry hair because it’s less flexible than wet, and you can end up damaging your hair’s cuticle. However, if you choose to detangle your hair dry, do not rush! Go very slowly! It’s important to be extra gentle to avoid snapping strands or damaging that cuticle. And if you have extra thick or coarse hair, you’re going to have to dig deep and be extra patient.</p>\r\nWhen you’re preparing to detangle your hair, you can make the process go more smoothly if you have the right tools on hand. Get yourself:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A rat tail comb</li>\r\n \t<li>A wide-tooth comb</li>\r\n \t<li>Your favorite detangling product to add some <em>slip</em> (lubrication that reduces friction, making it easier to move combs or fingers through your hair) to your hair strands</li>\r\n \t<li>A few clips or ties</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNow that you have the right tools at the ready, follow these steps to detangle your hair:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a rat tail comb to section your hair into at least four to eight sections, depending on how thick and dense your hair is. </strong>You can use hair clips, hair ties, or loose <em>plaits</em> (braids) to keep the sections separate. Working in small sections makes your hair more manageable and ensures that you’re thoroughly removing all the knots. Pre-sectioning can help give you more control over your mane and set you up to properly detangle. I’ve been a professional hairstylist for over 20 years, and still to this day, one of my most useful styling practices is pre-sectioning.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Add a softening agent to your hair, such as a detangling or leave-in conditioner. </strong>Keeping your curls hydrated while detangling creates important slippage.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>If your hair is extra tangled, try finger detangling first. </strong>After sectioning and moistening your hair, start at the ends of one section. Slowly separate the hair in that section with your hands, removing shed hair, tangles, and knots while you go. Take your time. If you rush and try to yank or pull, you could damage or break your hair further.Also, if your hair isn’t very tangled at all, you may be able to get away with just finger detangling and don’t need to continue on to the rest of these steps!</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Comb the hair out with a wide-tooth comb</strong><strong> or a detangling brush, one section at a time. </strong>Start at the ends and work out any knots while you travel up to the roots. This process prevents unnecessary tugging and pulling at the roots, which causes more damage. Use a plastic cap to cover the sections that you haven’t detangled yet. This cap helps stop your hair from drying up.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWith curly hair, you need to create as little friction as possible, so detangle your hair only on wash day, as long as you can keep it in good condition between washes. In other words, detangle only once every one or two weeks.\r\n\r\nYou may find the need to finger detangle a little more often between wash days if you’re styling has interrupted your curls, or you forgot to sleep in your bonnet, or something like that.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Sleeping in a silk or satin head covering or on silk or satin pillowcases can help minimize friction and maintain your curls between wash days.</p>","description":"The most basic way to take care of your <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair-295299/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">curly and textured hair</a> is to wash it, but you need to know a lot about how to handle your hair when it’s wet and, quite frankly, the most vulnerable.\r\n\r\nIf you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your beautiful kinks, coils, and curls: especially on wash day. Each week, you procrastinate as much as possible by co-washing or using your favorite style-refresher products to go as long as you can between washes. Am I right?\r\n\r\nI know it’s not that you don’t want clean hair. It’s all the sectioning, detangling, pre-washing (if needed), shampooing and conditioning, setting, drying, and finally styling. It’s exhausting. Trust me, I get it.\r\n\r\nHere’s the trick, though: Creating a routine and sticking to it can make wash day less of a chore and more of a delightful experience. Wash days should be experimental and fun — and hopefully something to look forward to.\r\n\r\nIf you’ve lost the joy in your wash day (or never had it), I’m here to help. In this article, I go over how often to wash your hair, how and when to detangle, the joys of co-washing, and (most importantly) how to properly shampoo and condition, along with other tips you can use for wash day.\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Set your wash day</h2>\r\nOf course, your wash-day schedule all depends on your <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair-295391/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">specific hair type and texture</a>, but as a professional, I generally recommend that folks wash their hair at least once per week. You can go longer between washes, but don’t go any longer than two weeks. If you have finer hair or extra buildup, you can try washing your hair twice a week.\r\n\r\nChoose whatever schedule works best for your needs. Just keep in mind that to have a successful wash day, you need to do all the steps I outline in this article — and do them in order!\r\n\r\nMake sure you have time for detangling, shampooing, conditioning, and any drying or additional styling at the end. So, choose a day in which you have at least a couple of free hours. You can’t rush good hair care!\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">If you have especially coarse, dry, or damaged hair, you can use another technique called <em>co-washing,</em> where you use conditioner in place of shampoo.</p>\r\n\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Ow! Detangling your hair</h2>\r\nThe first step of any wash day is detangling. For some people, detangling their hair can be the most tedious and time-consuming process of a wash day. But fear not! I’ve got you covered from root to tip.\r\n\r\nThe detangling process is different from person to person, but here’s some guidance that can help you minimize excessive snagging and breakage.\r\n\r\nFirst and foremost, set aside enough time. Detangling can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. I know, I know. You might be tempted to skip this step, but don’t. If you wash your hair without thoroughly combing and detangling your hair first, you can make your tangles worse by matting them when you add shampoo and excessive water during the wash step.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">I don’t recommend detangling dry hair because it’s less flexible than wet, and you can end up damaging your hair’s cuticle. However, if you choose to detangle your hair dry, do not rush! Go very slowly! It’s important to be extra gentle to avoid snapping strands or damaging that cuticle. And if you have extra thick or coarse hair, you’re going to have to dig deep and be extra patient.</p>\r\nWhen you’re preparing to detangle your hair, you can make the process go more smoothly if you have the right tools on hand. Get yourself:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>A rat tail comb</li>\r\n \t<li>A wide-tooth comb</li>\r\n \t<li>Your favorite detangling product to add some <em>slip</em> (lubrication that reduces friction, making it easier to move combs or fingers through your hair) to your hair strands</li>\r\n \t<li>A few clips or ties</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNow that you have the right tools at the ready, follow these steps to detangle your hair:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a rat tail comb to section your hair into at least four to eight sections, depending on how thick and dense your hair is. </strong>You can use hair clips, hair ties, or loose <em>plaits</em> (braids) to keep the sections separate. Working in small sections makes your hair more manageable and ensures that you’re thoroughly removing all the knots. Pre-sectioning can help give you more control over your mane and set you up to properly detangle. I’ve been a professional hairstylist for over 20 years, and still to this day, one of my most useful styling practices is pre-sectioning.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Add a softening agent to your hair, such as a detangling or leave-in conditioner. </strong>Keeping your curls hydrated while detangling creates important slippage.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>If your hair is extra tangled, try finger detangling first. </strong>After sectioning and moistening your hair, start at the ends of one section. Slowly separate the hair in that section with your hands, removing shed hair, tangles, and knots while you go. Take your time. If you rush and try to yank or pull, you could damage or break your hair further.Also, if your hair isn’t very tangled at all, you may be able to get away with just finger detangling and don’t need to continue on to the rest of these steps!</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Comb the hair out with a wide-tooth comb</strong><strong> or a detangling brush, one section at a time. </strong>Start at the ends and work out any knots while you travel up to the roots. This process prevents unnecessary tugging and pulling at the roots, which causes more damage. Use a plastic cap to cover the sections that you haven’t detangled yet. This cap helps stop your hair from drying up.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nWith curly hair, you need to create as little friction as possible, so detangle your hair only on wash day, as long as you can keep it in good condition between washes. In other words, detangle only once every one or two weeks.\r\n\r\nYou may find the need to finger detangle a little more often between wash days if you’re styling has interrupted your curls, or you forgot to sleep in your bonnet, or something like that.\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Sleeping in a silk or satin head covering or on silk or satin pillowcases can help minimize friction and maintain your curls between wash days.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34098,"title":"Personal Care & Style","slug":"personal-care-style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Set your wash day","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Ow! Detangling your hair","target":"#tab2"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":295391,"title":"How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair","slug":"how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295391"}},{"articleId":295299,"title":"Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair","slug":"smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295299"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":295391,"title":"How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair","slug":"how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295391"}},{"articleId":295299,"title":"Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair","slug":"smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295299"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}},{"articleId":192896,"title":"What Is Bad Breath and How Do You Get Halitosis?","slug":"what-is-bad-breath-and-how-do-you-get-halitosis","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/192896"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":295289,"slug":"natural-curly-hair-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119843382","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119843383-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-and-curly-hair-for-dummies-cover-9781119843382-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Natural & Curly Hair For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b><b data-author-id=\"35205\">Johnny Wright</b> </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-636ac390eb0f1\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-636ac390eb8a7\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-10-25T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":295409},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-10-25T18:18:19+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-11-08T18:56:22+00:00","timestamp":"2022-11-08T21:01:04+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Personal Care & Style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"},"slug":"personal-care-style","categoryId":34098}],"title":"How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair","strippedTitle":"how to care for different types of curly hair","slug":"how-to-care-for-different-types-of-textured-hair","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Learn about the different types of curly hair, Types 2 through 4, and A, B, and C, and the best ways to keep each type looking fantastic.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Hair types are separated into four categories, and then into three subcategories: Types 1 through 4, and then A, B, or C for each number. For each type (and subtype), I describe the characteristics so that you can pick the type that seems most like yours. I’m focusing on hair types 2c to 4c, which are shown in the chart below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295396\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295396\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hair-types-chart.png\" alt=\"Chart showing different types of hair thickness and texture\" width=\"630\" height=\"356\" /> ©Rashell Smith / John Wiley & Sons, Inc.[/caption]\r\n\r\nCurls come in all shapes and sizes, and you might even have more than one hair type on your head, so don’t be surprised if you <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair-295299/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recognize yourself</a> in more than one description. However, most people typically have a dominant hair type, so if your multitextured hair is confusing to you, just focus on the most dominant one (the one you have the most of).\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Type 2</h2>\r\nType 2 falls somewhere between straight and curly hair. It’s normally flat at the root of the hair follicle. Most people think of Type 2 hair as wavy, and it ranges from gently tousled textures to S-shape defined waves. You can have fine to coarse Type 2 hair, but it’s typically fine. Here are the three kinds of Type 2 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>2a:</strong> Loose, stretched S-shaped waves</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>2b:</strong> More distinct S-shaped waves</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>2c:</strong> The most defined S-shaped waves that can form loose ringlets and spirals (see the image below)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295404\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295404\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-2c-hair.png\" alt=\"Close-up of brown type 2 hair with loose curls\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> ©KnappyHair Extensions[/caption]\r\n\r\nOf the three Type 2 subcategories, 2c is the closest to curly hair types, so I want to give you a detailed description of 2c.\r\n\r\nType 2c hair can require a lot of maintenance. Here are a few good habits to help keep your tresses happy and healthy:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a clarifying and volumizing shampoo on <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair-295409/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wash day</a>.</strong> Depending on how oily and weighed down your hair gets, you might want to shampoo twice a week.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a lightweight conditioner, and focus your application of it towards the ends of your hair.</strong> Heavy conditioners can cause your hair to fall flat and limp. Alternatively, you can go with a light leave-in conditioner.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try products that add moisture and volume/thickness.</strong> Volumizing and thickening products help thicken your fine hair without weighing it down.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Air-dry your hair until it’s about 75 percent dry before you style it.</strong> Wet hair is very fragile and can easily break while you pull and stretch it. If you use a diffuser, be sure to dry your hair with your head upside down to create volume at the roots.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular hair trims.</strong> Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Because fine hair is so fragile, it tends to split more often. Regular trims prevent your split ends from traveling up the hair shaft.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try to limit heat styling.</strong> Fine hair is vulnerable to breakage. Because heat styling can accelerate breakage, I don’t advise it.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Don’t overuse your styling product.</strong> Apply your favorite products sparingly. With fine hair, a little goes a long way.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Choose mid- to shoulder-length hair cuts that use textured layers.</strong> Long, fine hair can stretch your curls out, causing your hair to appear much thinner than it actually is. The ends are the oldest part of your strands, so when you leave them on, they are less full. Keeping a shorter hair cut keeps it looking fuller because the hair closest to the root is the newest and thickest.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Apply protein treatments monthly.</strong> Most hair types can benefit from protein treatments. It makes the hair stronger and adds a layer of protection for fragile hair.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Type 3</h2>\r\nType 3 hair is S-shaped curly hair that ranges from springy, tight corkscrew curls to loose, bouncy curls with more volume at the roots (see the image below).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295400\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1400\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295400\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-3-hair-plus-closeup.png\" alt=\"two photos showing woman with type 3 hair and a close-up of the hair\" width=\"1400\" height=\"559\" /> ©Wardell Malloy / crowdMGMT[/caption]\r\n\r\nType 3 hair has some shine, but if you don’t give it enough hydration, these curls can have issues with frizz and <em>curl definition</em> (which is how well and clearly you can see the shape and pattern of each curl individually). Type 3 hair can be fine to coarse, but it’s typically medium-textured. Here are the three kinds of Type 3 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>3a:</strong> Big, loose, well-defined spiral curls</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>3b:</strong> Bouncy, tighter ringlets and spiral-shaped curls that have a lot of volume</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>3c:</strong> Even tighter, corkscrew curls on the verge of Type 4 curls</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nType 3c hair can experience <em>shrinkage,</em> where your hair strands appear shorter when they’re wet.\r\n\r\nType 3 hair is less fragile than Type 2, but you still need to nurture it properly. Here are some good habits to keep them curls poppin’:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Detangle every wash day.</strong> Type 3 hair can be prone to matting if you don’t detangle it before shampooing. Need me to walk you through that process?</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use traditional shampoos and conditioners once a week.</strong> Type 3 hair tends to need more styling products than Type 2, so shampooing weekly prevents buildup. Also, your curls yearn for moisture. Conditioning weekly keeps your moisture balance consistent.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular hair trims.</strong> Get a trim every six to nine weeks.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Switch to deep conditioners or a hair mask every other wash day.</strong> You can apply these products in addition to or instead of your traditional conditioner. Deep conditioners and hair masks penetrate deeper into your hair’s cuticle and help prevent frizz, enhance curl definition, hydrate the hair, and restore your curls.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Add slip with leave-in conditioners.</strong> Leave-in conditioners give your curls <em>slip</em> (that means they reduce friction and allow curls to move freely). They also add moisture, making your hair more manageable and easier to detangle.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use oils or oil-based styling products.</strong> When it comes to moisturizing natural hair, water is the holy grail. Oils and oil-based products help seal and trap moisture in your hair.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Type 4</h2>\r\nType 4 hair has S-shaped or zigzag curls that are very tightly coiled (see the images below). These curls are normally described as coily and kinky. Type 4c hair can shrink more than 50 percent of its actual length when wet.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295402\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295402\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-4-hair-closeup.png\" alt=\"photo showing woman with type 4 hair and close-up of hair\" width=\"630\" height=\"899\" /> ©digitalskillet 1 / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n\r\nBecause we’re all uniquely made, 4c hair can have fine to coarse texture. But the most common 4c texture is coarse and may have noticeable curls with less definition. Here are the three kinds of Type 4 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>4a:</strong> Tightly coiled S-shaped curls that begin at the scalp and continue throughout the shaft to the ends</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>4b:</strong> More tightly curled than 4a hair, with more of a zigzag curl pattern</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>4c:</strong> Super tight zigzag curl patterns with less curl definition</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nGood habits for Type 4 hair are similar to the habits for Type 3 hair, but Type 4 comes with a few tweaks and extra tips:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Detangle first,</strong> as always. Detangling is important for all wash day routines. Make sure you detangle your hair to keep it healthy and unmatted.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Weekly, first detangling your hair, then use a moisturizing shampoo or shampoos formulated for coarse hair.</strong> Some shampoos for coarse hair may be listed as sulfate-free.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Every wash day, use a deep conditioner or hair mask.</strong> You can use this deep conditioner either with or instead of your regular conditioner.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Incorporate steam treatments biweekly with your conditioner, deep conditioner, or hair mask.</strong> Steam treatments can moisturize and hydrate all types, but it really helps coarse hair get the extra hydration that it needs.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Limit using alcohol-based products.</strong> Although these products help tame your hair, they can strip hair of moisture. Instead of alcohol-based products, use oils and creams that help seal moisturize and hydrate.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a detangling brush while your hair is wet.</strong> Detangling brushes help remove knots, which keeps your hair from breaking and becoming damaged.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular trims.</strong> Coarse hair can be prone to split ends because of its tendency to be dry. I recommend getting regular trims every eight to ten weeks.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try co-washing biweekly.</strong> Co-washing may or may not work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a try.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Sleep with a silk or satin head covering or pillowcase, which protect all hair types. These fabrics reduce friction, frizz, flyaways, and breakage, so you can more easily maintain your curls.</p>","description":"Hair types are separated into four categories, and then into three subcategories: Types 1 through 4, and then A, B, or C for each number. For each type (and subtype), I describe the characteristics so that you can pick the type that seems most like yours. I’m focusing on hair types 2c to 4c, which are shown in the chart below.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295396\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295396\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/hair-types-chart.png\" alt=\"Chart showing different types of hair thickness and texture\" width=\"630\" height=\"356\" /> ©Rashell Smith / John Wiley & Sons, Inc.[/caption]\r\n\r\nCurls come in all shapes and sizes, and you might even have more than one hair type on your head, so don’t be surprised if you <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair-295299/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recognize yourself</a> in more than one description. However, most people typically have a dominant hair type, so if your multitextured hair is confusing to you, just focus on the most dominant one (the one you have the most of).\r\n<h2 id=\"tab1\" >Type 2</h2>\r\nType 2 falls somewhere between straight and curly hair. It’s normally flat at the root of the hair follicle. Most people think of Type 2 hair as wavy, and it ranges from gently tousled textures to S-shape defined waves. You can have fine to coarse Type 2 hair, but it’s typically fine. Here are the three kinds of Type 2 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>2a:</strong> Loose, stretched S-shaped waves</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>2b:</strong> More distinct S-shaped waves</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>2c:</strong> The most defined S-shaped waves that can form loose ringlets and spirals (see the image below)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295404\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295404\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-2c-hair.png\" alt=\"Close-up of brown type 2 hair with loose curls\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" /> ©KnappyHair Extensions[/caption]\r\n\r\nOf the three Type 2 subcategories, 2c is the closest to curly hair types, so I want to give you a detailed description of 2c.\r\n\r\nType 2c hair can require a lot of maintenance. Here are a few good habits to help keep your tresses happy and healthy:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a clarifying and volumizing shampoo on <a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/article/body-mind-spirit/physical-health-well-being/personal-care-style/setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair-295409/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wash day</a>.</strong> Depending on how oily and weighed down your hair gets, you might want to shampoo twice a week.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a lightweight conditioner, and focus your application of it towards the ends of your hair.</strong> Heavy conditioners can cause your hair to fall flat and limp. Alternatively, you can go with a light leave-in conditioner.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try products that add moisture and volume/thickness.</strong> Volumizing and thickening products help thicken your fine hair without weighing it down.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Air-dry your hair until it’s about 75 percent dry before you style it.</strong> Wet hair is very fragile and can easily break while you pull and stretch it. If you use a diffuser, be sure to dry your hair with your head upside down to create volume at the roots.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular hair trims.</strong> Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Because fine hair is so fragile, it tends to split more often. Regular trims prevent your split ends from traveling up the hair shaft.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try to limit heat styling.</strong> Fine hair is vulnerable to breakage. Because heat styling can accelerate breakage, I don’t advise it.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Don’t overuse your styling product.</strong> Apply your favorite products sparingly. With fine hair, a little goes a long way.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Choose mid- to shoulder-length hair cuts that use textured layers.</strong> Long, fine hair can stretch your curls out, causing your hair to appear much thinner than it actually is. The ends are the oldest part of your strands, so when you leave them on, they are less full. Keeping a shorter hair cut keeps it looking fuller because the hair closest to the root is the newest and thickest.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Apply protein treatments monthly.</strong> Most hair types can benefit from protein treatments. It makes the hair stronger and adds a layer of protection for fragile hair.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab2\" >Type 3</h2>\r\nType 3 hair is S-shaped curly hair that ranges from springy, tight corkscrew curls to loose, bouncy curls with more volume at the roots (see the image below).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295400\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1400\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295400\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-3-hair-plus-closeup.png\" alt=\"two photos showing woman with type 3 hair and a close-up of the hair\" width=\"1400\" height=\"559\" /> ©Wardell Malloy / crowdMGMT[/caption]\r\n\r\nType 3 hair has some shine, but if you don’t give it enough hydration, these curls can have issues with frizz and <em>curl definition</em> (which is how well and clearly you can see the shape and pattern of each curl individually). Type 3 hair can be fine to coarse, but it’s typically medium-textured. Here are the three kinds of Type 3 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>3a:</strong> Big, loose, well-defined spiral curls</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>3b:</strong> Bouncy, tighter ringlets and spiral-shaped curls that have a lot of volume</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>3c:</strong> Even tighter, corkscrew curls on the verge of Type 4 curls</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nType 3c hair can experience <em>shrinkage,</em> where your hair strands appear shorter when they’re wet.\r\n\r\nType 3 hair is less fragile than Type 2, but you still need to nurture it properly. Here are some good habits to keep them curls poppin’:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Detangle every wash day.</strong> Type 3 hair can be prone to matting if you don’t detangle it before shampooing. Need me to walk you through that process?</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use traditional shampoos and conditioners once a week.</strong> Type 3 hair tends to need more styling products than Type 2, so shampooing weekly prevents buildup. Also, your curls yearn for moisture. Conditioning weekly keeps your moisture balance consistent.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular hair trims.</strong> Get a trim every six to nine weeks.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Switch to deep conditioners or a hair mask every other wash day.</strong> You can apply these products in addition to or instead of your traditional conditioner. Deep conditioners and hair masks penetrate deeper into your hair’s cuticle and help prevent frizz, enhance curl definition, hydrate the hair, and restore your curls.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Add slip with leave-in conditioners.</strong> Leave-in conditioners give your curls <em>slip</em> (that means they reduce friction and allow curls to move freely). They also add moisture, making your hair more manageable and easier to detangle.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use oils or oil-based styling products.</strong> When it comes to moisturizing natural hair, water is the holy grail. Oils and oil-based products help seal and trap moisture in your hair.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<h2 id=\"tab3\" >Type 4</h2>\r\nType 4 hair has S-shaped or zigzag curls that are very tightly coiled (see the images below). These curls are normally described as coily and kinky. Type 4c hair can shrink more than 50 percent of its actual length when wet.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_295402\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-295402\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/type-4-hair-closeup.png\" alt=\"photo showing woman with type 4 hair and close-up of hair\" width=\"630\" height=\"899\" /> ©digitalskillet 1 / Adobe Stock[/caption]\r\n\r\nBecause we’re all uniquely made, 4c hair can have fine to coarse texture. But the most common 4c texture is coarse and may have noticeable curls with less definition. Here are the three kinds of Type 4 hair:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>4a:</strong> Tightly coiled S-shaped curls that begin at the scalp and continue throughout the shaft to the ends</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>4b:</strong> More tightly curled than 4a hair, with more of a zigzag curl pattern</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>4c:</strong> Super tight zigzag curl patterns with less curl definition</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nGood habits for Type 4 hair are similar to the habits for Type 3 hair, but Type 4 comes with a few tweaks and extra tips:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong>Detangle first,</strong> as always. Detangling is important for all wash day routines. Make sure you detangle your hair to keep it healthy and unmatted.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Weekly, first detangling your hair, then use a moisturizing shampoo or shampoos formulated for coarse hair.</strong> Some shampoos for coarse hair may be listed as sulfate-free.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Every wash day, use a deep conditioner or hair mask.</strong> You can use this deep conditioner either with or instead of your regular conditioner.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Incorporate steam treatments biweekly with your conditioner, deep conditioner, or hair mask.</strong> Steam treatments can moisturize and hydrate all types, but it really helps coarse hair get the extra hydration that it needs.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Limit using alcohol-based products.</strong> Although these products help tame your hair, they can strip hair of moisture. Instead of alcohol-based products, use oils and creams that help seal moisturize and hydrate.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Use a detangling brush while your hair is wet.</strong> Detangling brushes help remove knots, which keeps your hair from breaking and becoming damaged.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Schedule regular trims.</strong> Coarse hair can be prone to split ends because of its tendency to be dry. I recommend getting regular trims every eight to ten weeks.</li>\r\n \t<li><strong>Try co-washing biweekly.</strong> Co-washing may or may not work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a try.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"article-tips tip\">Sleep with a silk or satin head covering or pillowcase, which protect all hair types. These fabrics reduce friction, frizz, flyaways, and breakage, so you can more easily maintain your curls.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34098,"title":"Personal Care & Style","slug":"personal-care-style","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34098"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Type 2","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Type 3","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Type 4","target":"#tab3"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":295409,"title":"Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair","slug":"setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295409"}},{"articleId":295299,"title":"Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair","slug":"smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295299"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":295409,"title":"Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair","slug":"setting-a-wash-schedule-for-your-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295409"}},{"articleId":295299,"title":"Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair","slug":"smashing-the-stigma-around-natural-and-curly-hair","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295299"}},{"articleId":295296,"title":"Natural and Curly For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"natural-and-curly-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/295296"}},{"articleId":192896,"title":"What Is Bad Breath and How Do You Get Halitosis?","slug":"what-is-bad-breath-and-how-do-you-get-halitosis","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/192896"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":295289,"slug":"natural-curly-hair-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119843382","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","personal-care-style"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119843383-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119843383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/natural-and-curly-hair-for-dummies-cover-9781119843382-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Natural & Curly Hair For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b><b data-author-id=\"35205\">Johnny Wright</b> </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":35205,"name":"Johnny Wright","slug":"johnny-wright","description":" <p><b>Johnny Wright </b>is a celebrity hairstylist with over 30 years of experience in the industry. He was personal stylist to Michelle Obama during the Obama administration. Since 2016, he is a personal stylist to Tamron Hall, and says he owes his success to the early memory of watching his grandmother curl hair on their front porch. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35205"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-636ac390a5dc0\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;personal-care-style&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119843382&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-636ac390a6544\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-10-25T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":295391},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-27T16:58:03+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-10-26T12:46:32+00:00","timestamp":"2022-10-26T15:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Diet & Nutrition","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34102"},"slug":"diet-nutrition","categoryId":34102},{"name":"Vegetarianism","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34134"},"slug":"vegetarianism","categoryId":34134}],"title":"Living Vegetarian For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"living vegetarian for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"living-vegetarian-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"It's much more than not eating meat. Being a vegetarian helps your health, animals, and the environment. Learn how to start this lifestyle.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Switching to a vegetarian lifestyle offers benefits to your health, animals, and the environment. Ensure success by easing into a meat-free way of life, planning your vegetarian diet, and making tasty meatless meals at home.","description":"Switching to a vegetarian lifestyle offers benefits to your health, animals, and the environment. Ensure success by easing into a meat-free way of life, planning your vegetarian diet, and making tasty meatless meals at home.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":35206,"name":"Suzanne M. Babich","slug":"suzanne-m-babich","description":" <p><b>Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD,</b> a vegetarian for more than 30 years, is a registered and licensed dietitian, an editorial board member for <i>Vegetarian Times</i> magazine, and a nationally recognized author on issues relating to food, nutrition, and health policy. She is also a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina&#39;s Gillings School of Global Public Health. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35206"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34134,"title":"Vegetarianism","slug":"vegetarianism","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34134"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":194950,"title":"Easing the Transition to a Vegetarian Lifestyle","slug":"easing-the-transition-to-a-vegetarian-lifestyle","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194950"}},{"articleId":194938,"title":"Quick and Easy Meatless Meals","slug":"quick-and-easy-meatless-meals","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194938"}},{"articleId":194934,"title":"Tips for Planning Vegetarian Diets","slug":"tips-for-planning-vegetarian-diets","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194934"}},{"articleId":194935,"title":"Simple Recipe Substitutions for Vegetarians","slug":"simple-recipe-substitutions-for-vegetarians","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194935"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":201776,"title":"Vegetarians' Need to Combine Proteins: Myth or Fact?","slug":"vegetarians-need-to-combine-proteins-myth-or-fact","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/201776"}},{"articleId":201601,"title":"The Different Kinds of Vegetarians","slug":"the-different-kinds-of-vegetarians","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/201601"}},{"articleId":194950,"title":"Easing the Transition to a Vegetarian Lifestyle","slug":"easing-the-transition-to-a-vegetarian-lifestyle","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194950"}},{"articleId":194938,"title":"Quick and Easy Meatless Meals","slug":"quick-and-easy-meatless-meals","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194938"}},{"articleId":194934,"title":"Tips for Planning Vegetarian Diets","slug":"tips-for-planning-vegetarian-diets","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194934"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282359,"slug":"living-vegetarian-for-dummies-2nd-edition","isbn":"9781119903116","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119903114/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119903114/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119903114-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119903114/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119903114/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"title":"Living Vegetarian For Dummies, 2nd Edition","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><p><b>Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD,</b> a vegetarian for more than 30 years, is a registered and licensed dietitian, an editorial board member for <i>Vegetarian Times</i> magazine, and a nationally recognized author on issues relating to food, nutrition, and health policy. She is also a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina&#39;s Gillings School of Global Public Health.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":35206,"name":"Suzanne M. Babich","slug":"suzanne-m-babich","description":" <p><b>Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD,</b> a vegetarian for more than 30 years, is a registered and licensed dietitian, an editorial board member for <i>Vegetarian Times</i> magazine, and a nationally recognized author on issues relating to food, nutrition, and health policy. She is also a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina&#39;s Gillings School of Global Public Health. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35206"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;diet-nutrition&quot;,&quot;vegetarianism&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119903116&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63594baf0c7cc\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;diet-nutrition&quot;,&quot;vegetarianism&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119903116&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-63594baf0cd01\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":194934,"title":"Tips for Planning Vegetarian Diets","slug":"tips-for-planning-vegetarian-diets","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194934"}},{"articleId":194938,"title":"Quick and Easy Meatless Meals","slug":"quick-and-easy-meatless-meals","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194938"}},{"articleId":194935,"title":"Simple Recipe Substitutions for Vegetarians","slug":"simple-recipe-substitutions-for-vegetarians","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194935"}},{"articleId":194950,"title":"Easing the Transition to a Vegetarian Lifestyle","slug":"easing-the-transition-to-a-vegetarian-lifestyle","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","diet-nutrition","vegetarianism"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/194950"}}],"content":[{"title":"Tips for planning vegetarian diets","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If you’re considering a vegetarian lifestyle, get individualized advice from a registered dietitian who’s knowledgeable about vegetarian diets. And whether vegetarianism is new to you or you’ve been meat-free for years, keep these general guidelines in mind:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Eat a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, and nuts, and get enough calories to meet your energy needs.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Eat plenty of calcium-rich foods, such as broccoli, collards, kale, fortified orange juice, nonfat cow’s milk or fortified soy or rice milk, almond butter, or sesame tahini.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Include daily servings of omega-3 fats, such as flaxseed, soybean or canola oils, walnuts, or ground flaxseeds.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Get enough vitamin D through sun exposure, eating fortified foods, or taking a supplement.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Include daily servings of vitamin B12 from such sources as Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast, fortified plant milk or plant-based yogurt, nonfat cow’s milk or yogurt, fortified breakfast cereals, or a B12 supplement.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Limit sweets and alcohol to ensure that you have enough room in your diet for foods containing essential nutrients.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Quick and easy meatless meals","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Great-tasting, health-supporting vegetarian meals can be simple to make. Some favorite dishes have always been meatless, but you can omit the meat from even the most carnivore-friendly meals to come up with new vegetarian classics. Try some of these:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Bean burrito with steamed broccoli and fresh fruit salad</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Black bean soup topped with minced onions, French bread rounds with pesto, chopped green salad, and a slice of cantaloupe</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Cheese quesadilla, steamed mixed vegetables, brown rice, and apple slices</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Cooked oatmeal with almonds and cinnamon, orange wedges, and black coffee</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Hummus with toasted pita points, tomato and basil salad, and rice pudding topped with chopped walnuts</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Lentil soup, carrot sticks, and a small green salad</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Roasted vegetable pizza, home fries, and vinaigrette slaw</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Vegetarian chili, cornbread, spinach salad, and a baked apple</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Whole-wheat rotini pasta with marinara sauce, sautéed spinach, and a garlic roll</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Simple recipe substitutions for vegetarians","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If you’re a vegetarian, you probably know exactly how to eliminate meat from your diet. But if you want to cut back on other animal products — like eggs and dairy — you may be at a loss when it comes to appropriate recipe substitutions. Try these clever tricks for replacing animal products in your favorite recipes:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Use half of a mashed, ripe banana to replace one whole egg in recipes for pancakes, muffins, and quick breads.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Replace cow’s milk with equal amounts of soymilk or rice milk in puddings, smoothies, and cream soups.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Instead of beef broth or chicken broth, use vegetable broth in soups, casseroles, and pilafs.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Use plant-based or veggie crumbles in place of ground beef in taco and burrito fillings and spaghetti sauce.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Mash a block of tofu and mix it with a few teaspoons of lemon juice. Use this mixture in place of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese in lasagna, stuffed shells, and manicotti.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\">Replace hard-boiled eggs with diced tofu when you make your favorite egg salad sandwich filling.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Easing the transition to a vegetarian lifestyle","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Switching to a meatless diet can be difficult if you’ve been raised with typical Western eating habits. Becoming a vegetarian is rewarding, so hang in there! As you strive for the vegetarian ideal, gradually cut meat out of your life, and use these tips to ease the transition:</p>\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Get educated.</b> Read books, attend lectures and cooking demonstrations, and talk with experienced vegetarians for tips on making the switch.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Set realistic expectations.</b> Mastering new skills and changing long-standing habits take time. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you experience setbacks now and then.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Keep meals simple.</b> The best recipes use short lists of familiar, easy-to-find ingredients and require no more than basic cooking skills.</p>\n</li>\n<li>\n<p class=\"first-para\"><b>Be low-key about your choice to go vegetarian.</b> Explain your rationale to adults and older children who ask, but let others decide for themselves what they will and won’t eat.</p>\n</li>\n</ul>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-03-21T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":209371},{"headers":{"creationTime":"2022-08-15T15:36:27+00:00","modifiedTime":"2022-10-21T15:53:00+00:00","timestamp":"2022-10-21T18:01:03+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34038"},"slug":"body-mind-spirit","categoryId":34038},{"name":"Physical Health & Well-Being","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095"},"slug":"physical-health-well-being","categoryId":34095},{"name":"Exercise & Movement","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34166"},"slug":"exercise-movement","categoryId":34166},{"name":"Yoga","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34175"},"slug":"yoga","categoryId":34175}],"title":"Chair Yoga For Dummies Cheat Sheet","strippedTitle":"chair yoga for dummies cheat sheet","slug":"chair-yoga-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Chair yoga can benefit anyone, from seniors to people on a long flight. Learn the benefits and some exercises to get your started.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Most people think of yoga as something you do exclusively on a mat. But using chairs as props has been part of yoga for many years. You can experience so much of what yoga has to offer right from your chair without any other equipment.","description":"Most people think of yoga as something you do exclusively on a mat. But using chairs as props has been part of yoga for many years. You can experience so much of what yoga has to offer right from your chair without any other equipment.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9246,"name":"Larry Payne","slug":"larry-payne","description":" <p><b> Larry Payne, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b>Don Henry</b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p> ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9246"}},{"authorId":35176,"name":"Don Henry","slug":"don-henry","description":" <p><b> Larry Payne, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b>Don Henry</b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p> ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35176"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34175,"title":"Yoga","slug":"yoga","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34175"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":271190,"title":"10 Tips for Your Yoga Practice: Off the Mat","slug":"10-tips-for-your-yoga-practice-off-the-mat","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/271190"}},{"articleId":271187,"title":"10 Tips for Your Yoga Practice: On the Mat","slug":"10-tips-for-your-yoga-practice-on-the-mat","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/271187"}},{"articleId":271184,"title":"Alignment and Balancing Yoga Poses","slug":"alignment-and-balancing-yoga-poses","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/271184"}},{"articleId":271181,"title":"15-Minute Yoga After 50 Routine for Home","slug":"15-minute-yoga-after-50-routine-for-home","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/271181"}},{"articleId":271177,"title":"Yoga Sleep","slug":"yoga-sleep","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/271177"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":294672,"slug":"chair-yoga-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119889533","categoryList":["body-mind-spirit","physical-health-well-being","exercise-movement","yoga"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119889537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119889537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119889537-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119889537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119889537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/chair-yoga-for-dummies-cover-9781119889533-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Chair Yoga For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b> <b data-author-id=\"9246\">Larry Payne</b>, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b>Don Henry</b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p> <p><b> Larry Payne, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b><b data-author-id=\"35176\">Don Henry</b></b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9246,"name":"Larry Payne","slug":"larry-payne","description":" <p><b> Larry Payne, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b>Don Henry</b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p> ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9246"}},{"authorId":35176,"name":"Don Henry","slug":"don-henry","description":" <p><b> Larry Payne, PhD,</b> is the president of The International Association of Yoga Therapists. He founded Samata International Yoga and Health Center and is the author of <i>Yoga After 50 For Dummies</i>. <b>Don Henry</b> is a Yoga therapist who has been teaching Yoga for more than a decade. He is a member of the Writer&#8217;s Guild of America.</p> ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35176"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;exercise-movement&quot;,&quot;yoga&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119889533&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6352de5f6af28\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;cat&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;body-mind-spirit&quot;,&quot;physical-health-well-being&quot;,&quot;exercise-movement&quot;,&quot;yoga&quot;]},{&quot;key&quot;:&quot;isbn&quot;,&quot;values&quot;:[&quot;9781119889533&quot;]}]\" id=\"du-slot-6352de5f6b76a\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Cheat Sheet","articleList":[{"articleId":0,"title":"","slug":null,"categoryList":[],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/"}}],"content":[{"title":"Benefits of a chair yoga practice","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Chair yoga lets you reap yoga’s most significant benefits:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Better flexibility</li>\n<li>More overall strength</li>\n<li>Greater sense of balance</li>\n<li>Improved cardiovascular health</li>\n<li>Reduced stress and pain</li>\n<li>Better sleep</li>\n<li>Increased willpower</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Even though yoga originated as an Eastern discipline, doctors and scientists in both the East and the West acknowledge the physical and mental health effects that adding yoga as one of your regular self-care routines can bring.</p>\n"},{"title":"Who is chair yoga for?","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>By incorporating chair yoga, you can keep practicing yoga for a lifetime regardless of your age, physical condition, or lifestyle and schedule. Chair yoga is all about accessibility. And it may also be about choosing a style of yoga that most benefits you as a person at any point in time. Although chair yoga is really for anyone who wants to try it, here are a few groups who may find it particularly useful:</p>\n<p><strong>Seniors:</strong> The human body changes over time, but you can adapt chair yoga to exactly what your body needs, no matter your age.</p>\n<p><strong>Office workers:</strong> Being stuck at a desk often means you’re immobile for long periods. Chair yoga offers a potential solution without your having to leave, well, your chair.</p>\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">Always check with your doctor before you start a fitness routine, even Chair Yoga, to see whether you should avoid any postures or movements.</p>\n<p><strong>Travelers:</strong> Staying in place on a long trip can wreak havoc on your body and mind. Consider simple chair yoga moves you can do right from your seat.</p>\n<p><strong>Expecting moms:</strong> Of course, your doctor should be your guide on what kind of fitness program is appropriate for your situation. Still, because chair yoga is so adaptable, it may be a perfect option.</p>\n<p><strong>People with limited mobility: </strong>If you have mobility issues (temporary or more permanent), you may well be able to adapt chair yoga to your needs.</p>\n<p>The bottom line is that you don’t have to abandon Yoga just because you can’t or don’t want to get up and down off a mat. Chair Yoga is one way you can start to figure out how to make Yoga work for your particular needs and your particular body.</p>\n"},{"title":"Choosing a chair for chair yoga","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>Unlike so many other activities, you only need a basic chair to do chair yoga. Still, it’s worth putting a little thought into your choice because your chair is going to be your greatest source of support. Following are some fundamental things to keep in mind when selecting your chair yoga chair:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>No arms:</strong> Even doing yoga while sitting in a chair is going to require that you move around a lot. When you’re lifting your own arms up and down and around, you don’t want the arms of your chair to get in the way and restrict your movement.</li>\n<li><strong>No wheels:</strong> It’s not uncommon for certain types of chairs to be on wheels.  For example, it can be very helpful to move around your desk or office in rolling chair.  With chair yoga, however, wheels can be problematic. Sometimes, getting your body into certain positions or performing certain movements can be challenging enough without the added mission of making sure your chair doesn’t involuntarily roll around the room. Chances are you will want the chair to remain stationary, and sitting on wheels will only make that harder (and potentially unsafe).</li>\n<li><strong>No swivel or rocking:</strong> The convenience of a swivel or the soothing quality of a rocking chair does have an important place in your life, just not in chair yoga. For all of the reasons discussed above, choose a chair that doesn’t move when you sit in it.</li>\n<li><strong>The perfect height:</strong> For the sake of your back, choose a chair that will allow you to put both feet evenly on the floor. Because chairs, as well as people, vary in height, one particular chair isn’t necessarily right for everybody. It’s worth taking the time to make sure you’ve made the best possible choice. Of course, sitting up against the back of the chair may create some issues and you may need to slide forward in the seat. If that still doesn’t allow you to put your feet flat on the ground, consider putting something underneath them, like yoga blocks or even some books.</li>\n<li><strong>Don’t forget about comfort! </strong>Even if a chair meets all the previously mentioned requirements, it still may be uncomfortable. You don’t want to be distracted by an unpleasant seat during your chair yoga practice.  If your chair is going to be a true partner, definitely try to find something that’s comfy and perhaps even padded.</li>\n</ul>\n"},{"title":"Chair yoga will travel","thumb":null,"image":null,"content":"<p>If immobility is detrimental to good health, then being stuck in a seat on a long trip may do some real damage by the time you finally reach your destination. Tight muscles are prime targets to be over-stretched and may easily fall victim to dragging your luggage from an overhead bin or from a moving carousel.</p>\n<p>Luckily, chair yoga is ideal for tight spaces. And doing some simple chair yoga movements during your journey might be just what your body and your mind need. Of course, if you’re stuck in something like an airplane seat, you probably want to let your nearby fellow passengers know you’re about to do some stretches so that they don’t call for the flight attendant in a panic. They may even decide to join you!</p>\n<p>Try the following exercises the next time you find yourself on a long ride or flight.</p>\n<h3>Forward bends for tight spaces</h3>\n<p>While doing a simple forward bend can help to reduce stress, it’s also a great way to stretch out your back, shoulders, and neck. Here&#8217;s how to do it:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>Inhale and sit tall in your seat with your feet on the floor.</li>\n<li>As you exhale, hinging from the hips, bend forward while at the same time raising your heels up, leaving your toes on the ground (see photo below).\n<p><div class=\"figure-container\"><figure id=\"attachment_294678\" aria-labelledby=\"figcaption_attachment_294678\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 640px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-294678\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/chair-yoga-bend.jpg\" alt=\"man sitting in chair bending forward to touch toes\" width=\"630\" height=\"945\" /><figcaption id=\"figcaption_attachment_294678\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A forward bend in chair yoga helps to stretch the back, shoulders, and neck, and reduce stress.</figcaption></figure></div><div class=\"clearfix\"></div></li>\n<li>On your inhale, lower your heels back down as you sit up (hinging from the hips and returning to your starting position).</li>\n<li>Repeat this up and down sequence ten times, moving with your breath.</li>\n</ol>\n<p class=\"article-tips warning\">While allowing your head to drop is an effective way to relieve tension in your neck, it could also be bad for other types of conditions (like high blood pressure or retinopathy). Make sure that allowing your head to fall forward is a smart choice for you (you may need to consult your doctor if you have any concerns).</p>\n<h3>Knee to elbow</h3>\n<p>This stretch that you can do right in your seat brings some length and flexibility to your entire core, including your abdominals, back, and side waist.</p>\n<ol>\n<li>Inhale and sit tall in your chair with your hands behind your neck, as shown in the following photo.\n<p><div class=\"figure-container\"><figure id=\"attachment_294681\" aria-labelledby=\"figcaption_attachment_294681\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 640px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-294681\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/chair-yoga-knee-to-elbow-first-step.jpg\" alt=\"man sitting in chair with hands behind head\" width=\"630\" height=\"945\" /><figcaption id=\"figcaption_attachment_294681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The first step of the knee-to-elbow exercise in chair yoga</figcaption></figure></div><div class=\"clearfix\"></div></li>\n<li>On an exhale, lean forward, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee (see the following photo).\n<p><div class=\"figure-container\"><figure id=\"attachment_294682\" aria-labelledby=\"figcaption_attachment_294682\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"width: 640px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-294682\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/chair-yoga-knee-to-elbow-second-step.jpg\" alt=\"man sitting in chair twisting to one side\" width=\"630\" height=\"945\" /><figcaption id=\"figcaption_attachment_294682\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The second step of the knee-to-elbow exercise in chair yoga</figcaption></figure></div><div class=\"clearfix\"></div></li>\n<li>As you inhale, sit back up (into starting position).</li>\n<li>On an exhale, lean forward, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.</li>\n<li>As you inhale, sit back up.</li>\n<li>Repeat Steps 2 through 5 five more times on each side, moving with your breath.</li>\n</ol>\n"}],"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Explore","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2022-08-15T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":294676}],"_links":{"self":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095/categoryArticles?sortField=time&sortOrder=1&size=10&offset=0"},"next":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095/categoryArticles?sortField=time&sortOrder=1&size=10&offset=10"},"last":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34095/categoryArticles?sortField=time&sortOrder=1&size=10&offset=2822"}}},"objectTitle":"","status":"success","pageType":"article-category","objectId":"34095","page":1,"sortField":"time","sortOrder":1,"categoriesIds":[],"articleTypes":[],"filterData":{"categoriesFilter":[{"itemId":0,"itemName":"All Categories","count":2829},{"itemId":34096,"itemName":"Aging","count":90},{"itemId":34097,"itemName":"Alternative Medicine","count":86},{"itemId":34181,"itemName":"Common 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Physical Health & Well-Being Bluetooth and Other Technology to Use with Hearing Aids

Article / Updated 01-25-2023

Bluetooth technology and the wide array of smartphone apps make customizing strategies to aid in improving day-to-day functions with hearing loss a whole lot easier. Working with Bluetooth and hearing aids Bluetooth is amazing wireless connection technology. It is a short-range wireless connection platform that allows data transfer or connections between two or more electronic devices over ultra-high frequency radio waves that don’t interfere with other signals. Thousands of companies across the globe, including hearing aid manufacturers, have agreed on Bluetooth as the standard in wireless connection and have teamed up to form a special interest group that manages the technology, fosters Bluetooth tech advances, and maintains high security standards. Bluetooth allows hearing aids to directly connect to other devices, including smartphones and tablets, to stream clear audio such as music or phone calls. Many hearing aid companies now offer smartphone apps that connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth and allow the user to control hearing aid settings such as volume and programs or check on the hearing aid battery life. Most hearing aids connect to smartphones by making sure Bluetooth is activated on the smartphone and then turning the hearing aid off and back on. This prompts the two devices to pair. After the first connection, the devices will remember one another and automatically pair. Consult your hearing aid user manual, contact a tech savvy friend, or ask your hearing care professional when in doubt. Some hearing aids require a streamer (see “Streaming all your devices" below) to connect to other devices via Bluetooth. This is usually worn around the neck or kept in a pocket. But this is becoming increasingly rare as modern technology allows for a direct connection. Check product labels or speak with a hearing professional for how hearing aids connect to Bluetooth if you want to avoid using an extra device. Navigating smartphone apps You can find many, many smartphone apps for hearing loss — some free, some not — and it can be difficult to distinguish the good from the not-so-good. There are two main categories specific to enhancing your hearing: Apps to amplify sounds in your environment just like a handheld amplifier Apps to customize sound you listen to through your smartphone, such as when you take calls or stream music, so that it is tailored to your hearing But how do you know whether an app is going to be reliable? Here are some tips: Look for apps that are popular and have lots of downloads. Read reviews and comments by users. Download apps only from official app stores. Look at apps that have a history of regularly updating. Pay attention to permissions the app asks for on your phone; predatory apps may ask for permission to access unnecessary information (like an app to amplify sound requesting access to your photos or contacts). Hearing aid accessories Hearing aid accessories can be the difference between doing okay and thriving with hearing aids. Many companies offer a lineup of complementary accessories that can boost your experience with hearing aids and improve listening in certain situations. Every company has a different specific name for these products, but there are four common types: a remote control, a remote microphone, a TV connector, and a streamer. Using a remote control A remote control acts as a handheld operations center for your hearing aids. It allows you to discretely control your hearing aids without needing to locate and press any buttons on the hearing aids themselves. This can be especially useful for adults with stiff, numb, or arthritic fingers. With a remote control you can: Adjust the volume or mute the hearing aids. Change the programs to match the situation you’re in. Manage connections to other streaming devices. Trying out a remote microphone A remote microphone is a stand-alone or portable microphone that transmits a direct signal to hearing aids from a distance. Remote microphones excel in helping with hearing in difficult listening environments from noise or overcoming distance issues. Hearing aids can mute or dampen any other sounds around you while focusing only on the remote microphone to substantially improve clarity. Remote microphones are one of our favorite accessories and something we recommend to almost every hearing aid user who has trouble with hearing aids in noisy situations. We compare the remote microphone for those with extra trouble with speech in noise to using snow tires for driving in cold weather areas: It’s a must-have accessory! There are two main styles of remote microphone: one-on-one remote mic and group setting remote mic. One-on-one remote mic The most common style is a portable personal microphone for focused conversation when you’re only interested in hearing one specific person speak at a time. The person speaking can hold it, wear it around their neck, or clip it to their shirt or jacket lapel. The sound from the microphone is channeled directly into your hearing aid. Let’s go through some examples of when the remote microphone comes in handy: If you are at a noisy restaurant for dinner, you can have the person you’re dining with wear the remote microphone so that you receive a more direct signal of their voice with less background noise. In some social settings with lots of noise, like a large gathering or at a bar, we tend to move from conversation to conversation. You can bring the one-on-one remote microphone and either hold it yourself near the person (see the figure below) or ask the person you’re speaking with to hold to it for a boosted signal. Lectures can be difficult if you’re forced to sit far away from the speaker. Even if the venue has a sound system, it can still be difficult to understand the speaker depending on the acoustics as well as the quality and placement of the speakers. You can either place the remote microphone on the podium or request the speaker wear it to give you a direct signal (see the figure below). The range on remote microphones varies from roughly 30 to 90 feet depending on the manufacturer. If you’re in a small group setting with the one-on-one remote mic, like a noisy restaurant with a group of three, you can try placing the microphone on the table between your dining companions or ask them to pass it back and forth as needed. It’s an extra step but will make for a smoother and more enjoyable conversation for everyone. Group setting remote mic A newer version of the remote microphone is a table remote microphone that is specially designed for group conversations. This product sits on a table and uses a combination of advanced signal processing and special microphones called beamformers to identify and focus on anyone speaking at the table and transmit that signal directly to your hearing aids. The table remote microphone is a great option when in a restaurant or at home with multiple people or for use at work meetings around a conference table (see the figure below). At the publication of this book, this is a newer product and is only available through a few hearing aid manufacturers, but the initial popularity among patients suggests it’s going to quickly become a widely offered product. Connecting to the TV The TV connector serves a very specific role of transmitting the audio signal from any home audio device, namely TVs and stereos, directly to your hearing aids (see the figure below). Simply plug the TV connector into the audio port on your TV or stereo to connect to your hearing aids. This can make listening to TV much more enjoyable with a direct and sometimes clearer signal compared to using your hearing aids alone. Many companies now offer the capability for the TV connector to stream to multiple sets of hearing aids if you are watching TV with a friend or family member! Streaming all your devices Technology is rapidly evolving, and some hearing aids can directly connect to smartphones and other accessories mentioned in this section. However, some hearing aids will require a streamer (see the figure below) to act as an intermediary transmitter to allow hearing aids to connect to other products. The streamer is usually worn on a lanyard around a hearing aid user’s neck or kept in their pocket. For some hearing aid manufacturers, the streamer and remote control are combined into a single product to make your life easier. Make sure you do a little research first to find out if your hearing aids require a streamer to connect to accessories and your smartphone. When purchasing hearing aid accessories, make sure they are compatible with your hearing aids. At the time of this book, most hearing aids are only compatible with accessories made by the same manufacturer. Even within a single manufacturer, new generation technology does not always work with older technology. You can always ask your hearing care professional to help you navigate the accessories market.

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General Physical Health & Well-Being Different Types of Hearing Aids

Article / Updated 01-24-2023

Modern hearing aids are sleek, and many styles are nearly invisible. This is a far cry from early hearing aids that required body-worn accessories (to visualize that, imagine something like the old Discman CD player worn on your belt with wires attached to headphones). It’s also a far cry from the mental image many people have when they picture hearing aids as large and bulky pieces of plastic that stick out from behind the ear connected to huge earpieces sitting in your ear canal. Hearing aids come in several different shapes and sizes to customize the fit to the wearer. This article covers the broad-style categories but always remember that other variants exist and different manufacturers use different names. Generally, there are two main styles of hearing aids: behind-the-ear and in-the-ear. Each has some subtypes. A good hearing aid fit is important to prevent that buzzing sound that is known as feedback. This happens when the amplified sound coming out of the hearing aid speaker is picked up again by the hearing aid microphone and reamplified. Behind-the-ear hearing aids Behind-the-ear hearing aids, often known as BTEs, are the most common style of hearing aid. It sits behind the ear — hence, the name — while a tube runs to the front of the ear where it connects to either an earmold or dome in the wearer’s ear canal, as shown in the figure below. While earmolds are custom made to fit a wearer’s ear, domes are premade mushroom-shaped silicone pieces that come variety of sizes and designs to find the best fit for the wearer’s ear canal. BTEs have evolved into several subtypes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Earmolds require a custom impression of your ear canal. There are at-home, do-it-yourself earmold impression kits, but we recommend you use these with caution. Improper use can leave silicone material in the ear which requires a professional to remove. When in doubt, see a hearing care professional to make your earmold impressions. Traditional BTEs The traditional BTE (see the figure below) houses all the components of the hearing aid (the microphone, amplifier, processor, and speaker) in a single space that sits behind the ear. It is connected to a custom earmold using flexible, medical-grade plastic tubing. The BTE is a fairly rugged product that provides ample space for more powerful hardware, which can accommodate the needs of any degree of hearing loss. There are even “power” models for profound hearing loss. While the traditional BTE is the most versatile of hearing aid design, it has not always been perceived as the most discrete, so engineers have come up with newer versions of the BTE: slim tube and receiver-in-the-canal BTEs. Slim tube style BTEs Like the traditional BTE, the slim tube BTE (see the figure below) also houses all the components of the hearing aid behind the ear, but it uses much smaller tubing for a more discrete look. Rather than using a larger custom earmold that fills up the ear, slim tube BTEs use a dome or smaller custom earmold that sits deeper in the ear canal. The smaller size limits the slim tube style to mild to moderate hearing losses. In some cases, the slim tube style can work for severe hearing loss, but it is pushing the boundaries of this style’s capabilities. Receiver-in-the-canal style BTEs With a newer receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) BTE (see the figure below), the receiver or speaker sits in the dome or small earmold in the wearer’s ear canal and is connected to the body of the hearing aid behind the ear via a wire. This means that the signal output is being delivered right into the wearer’s ear rather than having to travel through tubing from the hearing aid body sitting behind the ear. This style may result in a clearer, crisper signal and can reduce feedback. Its design is smaller and more discrete. The major drawback to this style is that the receiver and wire are delicate and require regular maintenance and a gentle touch to avoid becoming damaged easily. Open and closed styles Slim tube and RIC styles often use domes rather than custom earmolds for the part that sits in the ear canal. These domes can be open or closed fit, which refers to whether the domes have holes in them (open fit) or not (closed fit). People with milder, high-frequency hearing losses can use open fit domes, which allow for more natural sound to enter the ear canal and allow for the ear canal to breathe. Conversely, closed fit domes are used for more moderate or severe hearing loss as they block outside sound and amplify low-frequency sounds. Open domes help prevent the occlusion effect — that is, when your ears feel plugged up and your voice sounds louder to you with an echo-like quality. You might also refer to this sound quality as “hollow” or “booming.” This happens because when we move our jaw to speak or chew, we create vibrations in the ear canal. When the ear canal is completely blocked with a hearing aid or earmold, those vibrations can’t escape and result in the occlusion effect. People who have better low-frequency hearing and use closed domes, earmolds, or ITE-style hearing aids are more likely to report experiencing the occlusion effect. Should you run into this issue, check with your hearing professional. Fun fact: You can simulate the occlusion effect by repeating words and sentences aloud with and without your fingers plugging up your ear canal (alright, maybe not that fun). In-the-ear hearing aids With in-the-ear hearing aids, also known as ITEs, the entire device sits in the wearer’s ear (see the figure below). These devices are custom made and require an earmold impression to be sent to a manufacturer. Popular smaller variants of the ITE are referred to as completely-in-the-canal (CIC; see the figure below). These styles are even smaller and, as the name implies, sit deeper in the ear canal. In fact, the CIC is essentially invisible and so small it requires an attached removal handle to get it in and out of the ear canal. The primary purpose of the CIC is cosmetic. A major drawback is that the small size comes at the expense of power. These small hearing aids are intended for mild hearing loss and cannot address the needs of more moderate or severe loss. The size of the CIC also limits the features available; CICs often can’t use advanced technology features like directionality. Some users who choose these styles become disappointed in their hearing aids and believe them to be ineffective when, in reality, these people have been fit with a hearing aid that is inappropriate for their level of hearing loss or hearing needs. ITEs are a great option when the user has problems inserting and manipulating behind-the-ear–style hearing aids due to numbness in their fingers or arthritis. The custom shape of the ITE makes it somewhat easier to slip into the ear. Pros and cons of hearing aid styles Picking the right hearing aid for you requires checking out the pros and cons of each style of hearing aid. Take a look at the table below to see which style may be the one for you. Hearing Aid Styles Pros and Cons Type Used For Pros Cons Traditional behind-the-ear All degrees of hearing loss from mild to profound Extremely versatile device with widest range of available features Relatively larger in size and most visible to the eye Slim tube behind-the-ear Mild to moderate hearing loss with some flexibility to fit severe hearing loss depending on the specific device Less visible than traditional BTE and can use open domes for more natural sound Requires enough dexterity to manipulate smaller size than traditional BTE and doesn’t meet the needs of most severe and profound hearing losses Receiver in the canal behind-the-ear Mild to moderate hearing loss Smallest BTE, clear sound from placement of speaker in the ear Most fragile BTE In-the-ear Mild to severe hearing loss Custom fit that is easiest to use when wearer has limited dexterity Smaller size may limit a few features Completely in-the-canal Mild hearing loss Nearly invisible Small size limits power and features like directionality

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General Physical Health & Well-Being How to Know If You Have Hearing Loss

Article / Updated 01-20-2023

Hearing loss is about clarity not volume. Most people think of hearing loss as simply turning down the volume on a TV, which makes all sounds quieter. But hearing loss is more like turning down the volume on only specific frequencies or pitches of sound so while some sounds are quieter others are just as loud. Many people aren’t a very good judge of their own hearing. In fact, most people tend to believe their hearing is better than it actually is, according to research from our own team at Johns Hopkins University. Why are we such bad judges of our own ability to hear? Barely noticeable changes One answer is that hearing loss happens gradually and slowly over time. The snail-like pace at which our hearing declines may make it difficult to notice any changes. Early signs of hearing loss may be situational. We might miss a word here and there over dinner in a noisy restaurant or have trouble following a conversation with someone soft-spoken. It is easy to shrug off the seemingly isolated early incidents. Everyone else is mumbling! For most people, hearing loss affects their ability to hear high frequencies (whistling or birds chirping) while leaving the ability to hear low frequencies (animal grunts or thunder) relatively untouched. But not all sounds fit neatly into low or high frequencies. Speech has sounds from several frequencies. In fact, a single word can represent multiple frequencies. For example, the word “show” includes “sh” (high-frequency) and “ow” (low-frequency). With the most common types of hearing loss, the “sh” would be difficult to hear while “ow” would be perfectly audible. This results in a phenomenon where you would hear someone talking, but what they’re saying isn’t clear. This is why a common phrase among those with hearing loss is “I can hear you but you’re mumbling!” Hearing some sounds but not others affects clarity, which isn’t always something people think of when they think of hearing loss. Hence, sometimes it’s hard to make that leap to suspecting hearing loss. Compensating until you can’t Our brain plays a big role in making it tough to recognize hearing loss, especially when it first starts. Generally, our brains are great at their job of processing incoming information and can often still make sense of unclear speech. The brain does this by using contextual information like the general topic of conversation to fill in the blanks. This means that as we develop hearing loss, our brains initially do a pretty good job of making up for any hearing loss. But compensating for hearing loss requires a lot of extra energy and effort from our brains. Over time, our hearing tends to worsen and our brain’s ability to compensate lessens until it actually starts to slow down as well from the fatigue of keeping up with all the unclear sound. Don’t know what you’re missing Our brains are good at noticing new auditory information and ignoring common and mundane sound. Think about being in your own home versus visiting a place for the first time. In our own homes, we tend to ignore familiar sounds — the humming of appliances, creaking floorboards, or squeaking doors. But in a new place, our brains are on high alert, and we notice every single new sound. The same concept goes for common environmental sounds when we aren’t specifically listening for them: traffic noise from other cars while driving or chirping birds while walking through the park. When we aren’t specifically listening for a sound, it often becomes forgotten background noise. This makes it difficult to realize what we miss when we have hearing loss. Has your hearing declined? Given how difficult it is for us to judge our own hearing ability, consider having a conversation with those close to you to help you identify any hearing loss. Your hearing loss can impact them, too. In many situations, it is a spouse, child, companion, or other frequent communication partner who first detects signs of hearing loss — from little things like noticing you turn the TV up louder to feeling isolated from you because conversation has become more difficult. The perceptions of those around you is a great way to gauge your own hearing. It is also often helpful to look for clues in how hearing may be affecting your day-to-day life. Consider, for example, any changes in your social activity, communication patterns, and regular activities to help identify any hearing loss. You may be subconsciously avoiding situations or even altering the way you engage with people because of difficulty hearing. Take a minute to ask yourself some of the following questions to get a better feel for whether you may have some hearing loss: Are you asking others to repeat things more often? In follow-up, do you find others saying things like “Never mind, I’ll tell you later” when you ask them to repeat something? This may be a sign that others have begun to notice your hearing difficulties. Are you having trouble following conversations in meetings? Do you find yourself believing many other people mumble too much? Do you have difficulty hearing people when you aren’t looking directly at them when they speak or when they turn away from you during conversation? Have you felt embarrassed to contribute to conversations because you’re unsure of the topic? Do you feel excluded at dinner or other group conversations or unable to keep up? Do you have any difficulty hearing small children? (People with hearing loss often find children’s voices, which are higher pitched, difficult to understand.) Do you turn up the volume on electronics such as the television? Do you avoid talking on the telephone because it’s fatiguing and hard to make out what the other person says? Do others around you complain that the TV is too loud? Do you find yourself avoiding restaurants or social gatherings more than you used to because they’re too noisy? Do you find yourself more tired than usual when engaging in conversation? Are you avoiding activities you used to regularly participate in, such as attending concerts, plays, meetings, or religious services? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s a good idea to get your hearing tested. Read on to find out more. When to get your hearing tested Hearing loss is very common and more than half of all adults over the age of 60 experience hearing loss. It may be a good idea to schedule a hearing test when you turn 60 if you notice any of the signs of hearing loss mentioned above, whichever comes first. Screening, testing, and diagnostics You may see the terms hearing screening or hearing testing thrown around and sometimes you’ll see the term diagnostic hearing test versus self-guided hearing test. Here’s what these mean: Hearing screening refers to any assessment or task that helps identify whether or not you likely have some hearing loss but offers little details. Hearing screenings vary in how they’re performed and could be anything from whether you can hear someone whisper in your ear to a task where you have to identify numbers spoken in the presence of background noise. Hearing testing refers to pure-tone audiometry tests (see Chapter 7) that provides sufficient detail to describe your hearing in each ear using either the hearing number or categories like mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Self-guided hearing testing refers to hearing testing that is performed by you without the help of a professional, such as on a smartphone. Diagnostic hearing testing refers to a full battery of tests performed by a hearing professional, usually an audiologist, for the purpose of diagnosing hearing loss. Establishing a baseline A baseline hearing test simply refers to your first diagnostic hearing test, the results of which become the baseline or reference point for future hearing tests to keep track of any changes in hearing. The baseline test also helps hearing professionals create a custom plan for you based on patterns in changes in your hearing over time. We recommend establishing a baseline as soon as you suspect hearing loss or at least by the time you turn 60, even if you’re not particularly concerned with your hearing at the moment. Making the appointment Here are the details you need to know to make an appointment: Insurance, including Medicare, usually covers at least one diagnostic hearing test a year when ordered by a physician (check with your provider when in doubt). An audiologist will usually perform the diagnostic hearing test. Request a referral from your primary care provider (if required by your insurance company). Search online for a local audiologist near you that accepts your insurance or use websites like HearingTracker.com, which maintains a directory of audiologists from across the country with patient reviews. Curious about testing your own hearing? Try one of numerous smartphone- or web-based hearing tests and screeners such as Mimi Hearing or SonicCloud, which are free and can be found in your smartphone app store. You could also try the AARP at-home hearing screener found at nationalhearingtest.org (free for AARP members!).

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Pilates Pilates For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-19-2022

Pilates has become one of the most popular fitness systems in the world. The Pilates method works to strengthen the center, lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and increase body awareness and flexibility. This Cheat Sheet summarizes what you need to get started in Pilates and includes lists of exercises, from fundamental to advanced.

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Hair & Skin Care Haircutting For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-01-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If you want to cut hair, you'll need a few tools to get started. Once you feel comfortable with haircutting, these tips will help you gain the trust of children, your family and friends; give touch-ups to prolong the life of a style; and approach new styles with confidence.

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Personal Care & Style Smashing the Stigma Around Natural and Curly Hair

Article / Updated 11-15-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio There are so many reasons we can feel negatively about our hair. People with natural, curly hair have not been seen as a thing of beauty for so long. Black women, especially, have been conditioned and treated like they are unattractive for having natural hair, and some women have internalized this hatred and adjusted their hair accordingly. A client of mine recently pointed out how she and her close friends often feel great pressure to process and straighten their hair due to their experience with men and dating and other negative influences within the community. So many men have been conditioned to want and be attracted to a particular representation of beauty because of the relentless standards set by the media. We have seen straight hair put out as the normal, acceptable standard for so long that it’s shaped entire generations. This, too, is trauma. Time to heal and embrace your natural beauty Unhealthy beauty standards have been ingrained in Western culture by systems underpinned by totally toxic ideas. But the time has come to heal. You need to reclaim your power and your beauty, and move beyond self-hatred. Refuse to buy into the toxicity. Refuse the negativity and trauma. I encourage you to be honest about who you are and only surround yourself with people who see you, support you, and celebrate you. This is your moment. This is the natural and curly haired community’s moment to step into the spotlight. Okay, look — I don’t want to spend time and energy on what the natural and curly hair community has or doesn’t have. I’m here to focus on building our community up, to help lift us up. That’s how we celebrate ourselves. Stigma against curly hair But the truth is the truth. Those of us who have natural hair already know it. But maybe you’re someone who doesn’t have textured hair and you’re reading this to understand a loved one. If you don’t already know, people who have natural and curly hair regularly face discrimination, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about their hair, all based in centuries-old racism that plays out in media, workplaces, and schools, among other institutions. Unfortunately, you can find so many examples of the systemic discrimination that Black and Afro-Latinidad people who have natural hair face. One national news story that absolutely enraged me when I saw it back in 2019 still stays with me today. Before his wrestling match, a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey was told by officials that his hair covering didn’t meet “regulation standards.” They presented him with an ultimatum: cut his dreads or forfeit the match. Without so much as a word from his coach, the athletic director, or any other staff member from his school, he faced the decision alone. And there, in front of a whole gymnasium of his peers and members of the community, an official cut off his dreadlocks. He went on to win the wrestling match that day, but the humiliation of having his hair carelessly cut off due to policies that do not represent everyone equally may never fade. This student’s natural state of being was deemed unacceptable and deserving of immediate destruction. And this scenario, in some form or another, plays out in schools and workplaces across the country, literally every day. How dare they perpetuate this level of hatred and trauma on children — and adults! The natural and curly hair community faces unfair treatment and downright stupidity from some people and systems. Because these prejudices are so deeply ingrained, society, as a whole, can find even recognizing them difficult, let alone combating them. But I’m not going to stop trying. I’m here to do my part to stop the stigma, by building the natural and curly hair community up; by saying enough to the discrimination from others and the way we internalize it ourselves. It’s time to stop. And it’s time to heal. And that means everyone. Parents and guardians of kids with textured hair If you’re a parent of a textured-haired child, you need to know the reality of prejudices and racism, and then smash this stigma for your child (or other loved one). Natural and curly hair is beautiful and glorious. From the moment your child who has textured hair is born (or the moment you become their guardian), celebrate their beautiful hair at every turn. And if you have natural hair — or you want to wear your hair in its natural state but are fighting against these negative forces — then I’m here to tell you something: They might be powerful, but you are more powerful!

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Personal Care & Style Setting a Wash Schedule for Your Natural Curly Hair

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

The most basic way to take care of your curly and textured hair is to wash it, but you need to know a lot about how to handle your hair when it’s wet and, quite frankly, the most vulnerable. If you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your beautiful kinks, coils, and curls: especially on wash day. Each week, you procrastinate as much as possible by co-washing or using your favorite style-refresher products to go as long as you can between washes. Am I right? I know it’s not that you don’t want clean hair. It’s all the sectioning, detangling, pre-washing (if needed), shampooing and conditioning, setting, drying, and finally styling. It’s exhausting. Trust me, I get it. Here’s the trick, though: Creating a routine and sticking to it can make wash day less of a chore and more of a delightful experience. Wash days should be experimental and fun — and hopefully something to look forward to. If you’ve lost the joy in your wash day (or never had it), I’m here to help. In this article, I go over how often to wash your hair, how and when to detangle, the joys of co-washing, and (most importantly) how to properly shampoo and condition, along with other tips you can use for wash day. Set your wash day Of course, your wash-day schedule all depends on your specific hair type and texture, but as a professional, I generally recommend that folks wash their hair at least once per week. You can go longer between washes, but don’t go any longer than two weeks. If you have finer hair or extra buildup, you can try washing your hair twice a week. Choose whatever schedule works best for your needs. Just keep in mind that to have a successful wash day, you need to do all the steps I outline in this article — and do them in order! Make sure you have time for detangling, shampooing, conditioning, and any drying or additional styling at the end. So, choose a day in which you have at least a couple of free hours. You can’t rush good hair care! If you have especially coarse, dry, or damaged hair, you can use another technique called co-washing, where you use conditioner in place of shampoo. Ow! Detangling your hair The first step of any wash day is detangling. For some people, detangling their hair can be the most tedious and time-consuming process of a wash day. But fear not! I’ve got you covered from root to tip. The detangling process is different from person to person, but here’s some guidance that can help you minimize excessive snagging and breakage. First and foremost, set aside enough time. Detangling can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. I know, I know. You might be tempted to skip this step, but don’t. If you wash your hair without thoroughly combing and detangling your hair first, you can make your tangles worse by matting them when you add shampoo and excessive water during the wash step. I don’t recommend detangling dry hair because it’s less flexible than wet, and you can end up damaging your hair’s cuticle. However, if you choose to detangle your hair dry, do not rush! Go very slowly! It’s important to be extra gentle to avoid snapping strands or damaging that cuticle. And if you have extra thick or coarse hair, you’re going to have to dig deep and be extra patient. When you’re preparing to detangle your hair, you can make the process go more smoothly if you have the right tools on hand. Get yourself: A rat tail comb A wide-tooth comb Your favorite detangling product to add some slip (lubrication that reduces friction, making it easier to move combs or fingers through your hair) to your hair strands A few clips or ties Now that you have the right tools at the ready, follow these steps to detangle your hair: Use a rat tail comb to section your hair into at least four to eight sections, depending on how thick and dense your hair is. You can use hair clips, hair ties, or loose plaits (braids) to keep the sections separate. Working in small sections makes your hair more manageable and ensures that you’re thoroughly removing all the knots. Pre-sectioning can help give you more control over your mane and set you up to properly detangle. I’ve been a professional hairstylist for over 20 years, and still to this day, one of my most useful styling practices is pre-sectioning. Add a softening agent to your hair, such as a detangling or leave-in conditioner. Keeping your curls hydrated while detangling creates important slippage. If your hair is extra tangled, try finger detangling first. After sectioning and moistening your hair, start at the ends of one section. Slowly separate the hair in that section with your hands, removing shed hair, tangles, and knots while you go. Take your time. If you rush and try to yank or pull, you could damage or break your hair further.Also, if your hair isn’t very tangled at all, you may be able to get away with just finger detangling and don’t need to continue on to the rest of these steps! Comb the hair out with a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush, one section at a time. Start at the ends and work out any knots while you travel up to the roots. This process prevents unnecessary tugging and pulling at the roots, which causes more damage. Use a plastic cap to cover the sections that you haven’t detangled yet. This cap helps stop your hair from drying up. With curly hair, you need to create as little friction as possible, so detangle your hair only on wash day, as long as you can keep it in good condition between washes. In other words, detangle only once every one or two weeks. You may find the need to finger detangle a little more often between wash days if you’re styling has interrupted your curls, or you forgot to sleep in your bonnet, or something like that. Sleeping in a silk or satin head covering or on silk or satin pillowcases can help minimize friction and maintain your curls between wash days.

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Personal Care & Style How to Care for Different Types of Curly Hair

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

Hair types are separated into four categories, and then into three subcategories: Types 1 through 4, and then A, B, or C for each number. For each type (and subtype), I describe the characteristics so that you can pick the type that seems most like yours. I’m focusing on hair types 2c to 4c, which are shown in the chart below. Curls come in all shapes and sizes, and you might even have more than one hair type on your head, so don’t be surprised if you recognize yourself in more than one description. However, most people typically have a dominant hair type, so if your multitextured hair is confusing to you, just focus on the most dominant one (the one you have the most of). Type 2 Type 2 falls somewhere between straight and curly hair. It’s normally flat at the root of the hair follicle. Most people think of Type 2 hair as wavy, and it ranges from gently tousled textures to S-shape defined waves. You can have fine to coarse Type 2 hair, but it’s typically fine. Here are the three kinds of Type 2 hair: 2a: Loose, stretched S-shaped waves 2b: More distinct S-shaped waves 2c: The most defined S-shaped waves that can form loose ringlets and spirals (see the image below) Of the three Type 2 subcategories, 2c is the closest to curly hair types, so I want to give you a detailed description of 2c. Type 2c hair can require a lot of maintenance. Here are a few good habits to help keep your tresses happy and healthy: Use a clarifying and volumizing shampoo on wash day. Depending on how oily and weighed down your hair gets, you might want to shampoo twice a week. Use a lightweight conditioner, and focus your application of it towards the ends of your hair. Heavy conditioners can cause your hair to fall flat and limp. Alternatively, you can go with a light leave-in conditioner. Try products that add moisture and volume/thickness. Volumizing and thickening products help thicken your fine hair without weighing it down. Air-dry your hair until it’s about 75 percent dry before you style it. Wet hair is very fragile and can easily break while you pull and stretch it. If you use a diffuser, be sure to dry your hair with your head upside down to create volume at the roots. Schedule regular hair trims. Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Because fine hair is so fragile, it tends to split more often. Regular trims prevent your split ends from traveling up the hair shaft. Try to limit heat styling. Fine hair is vulnerable to breakage. Because heat styling can accelerate breakage, I don’t advise it. Don’t overuse your styling product. Apply your favorite products sparingly. With fine hair, a little goes a long way. Choose mid- to shoulder-length hair cuts that use textured layers. Long, fine hair can stretch your curls out, causing your hair to appear much thinner than it actually is. The ends are the oldest part of your strands, so when you leave them on, they are less full. Keeping a shorter hair cut keeps it looking fuller because the hair closest to the root is the newest and thickest. Apply protein treatments monthly. Most hair types can benefit from protein treatments. It makes the hair stronger and adds a layer of protection for fragile hair. Type 3 Type 3 hair is S-shaped curly hair that ranges from springy, tight corkscrew curls to loose, bouncy curls with more volume at the roots (see the image below). Type 3 hair has some shine, but if you don’t give it enough hydration, these curls can have issues with frizz and curl definition (which is how well and clearly you can see the shape and pattern of each curl individually). Type 3 hair can be fine to coarse, but it’s typically medium-textured. Here are the three kinds of Type 3 hair: 3a: Big, loose, well-defined spiral curls 3b: Bouncy, tighter ringlets and spiral-shaped curls that have a lot of volume 3c: Even tighter, corkscrew curls on the verge of Type 4 curls Type 3c hair can experience shrinkage, where your hair strands appear shorter when they’re wet. Type 3 hair is less fragile than Type 2, but you still need to nurture it properly. Here are some good habits to keep them curls poppin’: Detangle every wash day. Type 3 hair can be prone to matting if you don’t detangle it before shampooing. Need me to walk you through that process? Use traditional shampoos and conditioners once a week. Type 3 hair tends to need more styling products than Type 2, so shampooing weekly prevents buildup. Also, your curls yearn for moisture. Conditioning weekly keeps your moisture balance consistent. Schedule regular hair trims. Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Switch to deep conditioners or a hair mask every other wash day. You can apply these products in addition to or instead of your traditional conditioner. Deep conditioners and hair masks penetrate deeper into your hair’s cuticle and help prevent frizz, enhance curl definition, hydrate the hair, and restore your curls. Add slip with leave-in conditioners. Leave-in conditioners give your curls slip (that means they reduce friction and allow curls to move freely). They also add moisture, making your hair more manageable and easier to detangle. Use oils or oil-based styling products. When it comes to moisturizing natural hair, water is the holy grail. Oils and oil-based products help seal and trap moisture in your hair. Type 4 Type 4 hair has S-shaped or zigzag curls that are very tightly coiled (see the images below). These curls are normally described as coily and kinky. Type 4c hair can shrink more than 50 percent of its actual length when wet. Because we’re all uniquely made, 4c hair can have fine to coarse texture. But the most common 4c texture is coarse and may have noticeable curls with less definition. Here are the three kinds of Type 4 hair: 4a: Tightly coiled S-shaped curls that begin at the scalp and continue throughout the shaft to the ends 4b: More tightly curled than 4a hair, with more of a zigzag curl pattern 4c: Super tight zigzag curl patterns with less curl definition Good habits for Type 4 hair are similar to the habits for Type 3 hair, but Type 4 comes with a few tweaks and extra tips: Detangle first, as always. Detangling is important for all wash day routines. Make sure you detangle your hair to keep it healthy and unmatted. Weekly, first detangling your hair, then use a moisturizing shampoo or shampoos formulated for coarse hair. Some shampoos for coarse hair may be listed as sulfate-free. Every wash day, use a deep conditioner or hair mask. You can use this deep conditioner either with or instead of your regular conditioner. Incorporate steam treatments biweekly with your conditioner, deep conditioner, or hair mask. Steam treatments can moisturize and hydrate all types, but it really helps coarse hair get the extra hydration that it needs. Limit using alcohol-based products. Although these products help tame your hair, they can strip hair of moisture. Instead of alcohol-based products, use oils and creams that help seal moisturize and hydrate. Use a detangling brush while your hair is wet. Detangling brushes help remove knots, which keeps your hair from breaking and becoming damaged. Schedule regular trims. Coarse hair can be prone to split ends because of its tendency to be dry. I recommend getting regular trims every eight to ten weeks. Try co-washing biweekly. Co-washing may or may not work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a try. Sleep with a silk or satin head covering or pillowcase, which protect all hair types. These fabrics reduce friction, frizz, flyaways, and breakage, so you can more easily maintain your curls.

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Vegetarianism Living Vegetarian For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-26-2022

Switching to a vegetarian lifestyle offers benefits to your health, animals, and the environment. Ensure success by easing into a meat-free way of life, planning your vegetarian diet, and making tasty meatless meals at home.

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Yoga Chair Yoga For Dummies Cheat Sheet

Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-21-2022

Most people think of yoga as something you do exclusively on a mat. But using chairs as props has been part of yoga for many years. You can experience so much of what yoga has to offer right from your chair without any other equipment.

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