Tress SOS: expert advice for solving your biggest hair problems: we can style our hair in every way imaginable, from curly to stick straight, from licorice-colored to golden blond, from relaxed to locked. But this flexibility often comes at a price. Chemicals, styling techniques and poor maintenance can damage our hair. So we asked a few of our favorite specialists to share some of their solutions

PROBLEM

HAIR LOSS

"Hair loss is the number one concern with my Black-female patients," says Susan Taylor, M.D., director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. "I believe it's because of our styling practices."

SOLUTIONS

* If you're going to wear braids, they shouldn't be tight. Get them done more often: It's better for your hair.

* Don't pull the hair in one direction for long periods of time. If you see small bumps on the scalp, the style is too tight.

* If you wear a weave, remember that glue is a no-no. It can take some of your hair out and can damage the scalp.

* If you want to use add-on hair to cover hair loss, see a dermatologist first. "You don't want to make the situation worse by adding tension, traction or even glue to an already troubled condition," Taylor says. One alternative is hair transplants, which have come a long way from those unsightly hair plugs of the past.

PROBLEM

DRYNESS

Dryness is inevitable if you perspire a lot or use chemicals or heat often.

SOLUTIONS

* Seek a professional's advice on the right products and tools to use. The wrong products can add to the problem.

* Ruth Sanchez, a stylist and hair-care specialist at El Yunque Oba Salon in New York City, reminds us that salt from perspiration is especially drying. If you sweat a lot, you should at least rinse your hair after a workout, although it's better to shampoo.

* Hot-oil treatments can improve the way your hair feels. One to try: Alberto VO5 Moisturizing Hot Oil Treatment With Vitamin E.

* "I'm a big fan of overnight hot-oil treatments," says Taylor. "I cover my hair with a plastic cap, sleep in it and wash it in the morning."

PROBLEM

DEHYDRATED SCALP

A dehydrated scalp (one that may have excessive shedding, itching, tightness and dryness) can cause your hair to shed, thin and even reject a chemical process.

SOLUTIONS

* "We need a healthy amount of water, achieved through diet and nourishing oils, to sustain proper hydration," says trichologist Erkkie Harris-Wells of Costa Mesa, California. She recommends using products that are water-soluble. You'll know they are if water is one of the top five ingredients listed.

* Avoid the scalp area when using styling aids with ingredients like petroleum, glycerin, beeswax and synthetic polymers, "which clog the scalp," Harris-Wells adds. A professional with experience in caring for Black hair should be able to recommend the right products. Some of Harris-Wells's favorite lines: Joico, Rene Furterer, j.f. lazartigue and Aveda.

PROBLEM

SPLIT ENDS

Simply put, if you don't trim your ends, they will continue to split.

SOLUTIONS

* Ruth Sanchez is a believer in regular haircuts. "Don't think long, think healthy," she says. "Not everyone was born to have hair down their back. You have to be realistic about genetics."

* "Clip your split ends every six to eight weeks, depending on your hair's growth cycle," Sanchez adds.

* To curtail breakage in the first place, keep your hair moisturized. "Get a protein conditioner every time you relax--it strengthens your hair's bonds--and use a moisturizing conditioner regularly," says celeb stylist Oscar James. Check out Soft Sheen-Carson Breakthru Anti-Breakage System for conditioners. To keep hair moisturized between shampoos, we like Praises Cleopatra's Delight Body and Hair Oil and Organic Root Stimulator Carrot Oil or Olive Oil.

PROBLEM

PRODUCT AND STYLING ABUSE

"What we don't know really hurts us," says Olive Benson of Olive's in Boston. "And many licensed beauticians don't know how to analyze the hair and scalp."

SOLUTIONS

* Ask friends or professional beauty organizations to recommend knowledgeable stylists. "An accurate analysis will determine what chemicals your hair can take, how much tension it can stand and which everyday products and practices work best for you," Benson says.

* Look for ways to cut down on chemical processing, like shifting from eight touchups a year to six, says Susan Taylor. And if you color your hair, do it only twice a year. If you must color more often, use a rinse instead of permanent color.

* For those who use at-home relaxers for touch-ups, Oscar James recommends coating the chemically processed portion of your dry hair evenly with a moisturizing conditioner and allowing it to penetrate for 15 minutes before applying the relaxer to the virgin hair. The conditioner will guard the relaxed hair from chemical overlapping.

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