Hair moisturizing process and apparatus

Abstract

A method for sealing moisture into hair, by cooling the hair. The method may be after a shower and/or during styling. The hair may be cooled by applying a gas or a plate cooled to below room temperature. The air may be cooled by reducing the pressure of a pressurized gas. The air may be cooled by heat transfer with a cooled fluid. The plate may be cooled by heat transfer with a cooled fluid. Also disclosed is an apparatus for moisturizing hair, which includes a cooling medium and a heat transfer unit for cooling the cooling medium to a temperature lower than room temperature.

1 . A method of sealing moisture into hair, comprising the steps of applying a moisturizing hair care product to the hair and reducing hair temperature by application of a cooled medium to the hair.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reduced hair temperature is less than a temperature of surrounding air.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cooled medium comprises a cooled gas.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the gas does not include a hair care product.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises cooling the gas.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the gas is cooled to below a temperature of air surrounding the hair.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of cooling the gas comprises reducing the pressure of a pressurized gas.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , further including the step of cooling the pressurized gas before reducing the pressure of the pressurized gas.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of cooling the gas includes heat exchange with a cooled fluid.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of cooling the gas includes heat exchange with a Peltier junction.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of cooling the hair comprises applying a cooled apparatus to the hair.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus comprises a plate.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cooled apparatus has a temperature of less than a temperature of air surrounding the hair.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for moisturizing hair, comprising: 
 a medium for reducing a temperature of a hair; and    a heat transfer unit for reducing the temperature of the medium.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the medium comprises a gas.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a pump for expelling the gas from the apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a directing apparatus for directing the expelled gas toward the hair.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the heat transfer unit comprises a pressure-reducing valve.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a pressurized gas chamber which includes a gas with a pressure greater than that of atmospheric pressure, and a valve for selectively allowing the gas to escape through the pressure-reducing valve.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the medium comprises a plate.