Hair Loss & Growth.
The Hair growth supplement and treatment market is a billion-dollar industry that is raking it in. But let me tell you what a scam it is. They are selling hope in a bottle and praying for people that are just trying to feel whole again by feeling beautiful. I just want to give you a little perspective from my point of view.
My daughter was diagnosed with Alopecia Universalis a few years ago so I am very passionate about this topic. Alopecia Universalis is where you have no hair anywhere on your body at all. It is an autoimmune disease with no cure. You can have spontaneous regrowth at any point but never guaranteed.
There are several different types of alopecia:
- Alopecia areata: patchy hair loss (where you lose patches of hair)
- Alopecia totalis: complete hair loss of the scalp
- Traction Alopecia: when continuous stress is placed on the follicle, resulting in damage.
- Scarring Alopecia: where you injure the scalp and have a scar and no hair can grow out of that area again.
The most common ones I see in my clients at the salon is pattern hair loss/baldness, a hereditary phenomenon or triggered by age. The pattern hair loss is tricky because a lot of the times, it cannot be corrected. You may be able to achieve some growth with thyroid correction or talking to your dr. Another is Telogen effluvium which is when hair loss is triggered by a stressful event such as childbirth, surgery, divorce, or death of someone close to you. This one usually regrows once your body’s cortisol has corrected and the body is no longer in that stressful state. There are so many types of scalp issues and hair loss reasons that I just can’t get through all of them in this blog. I just wanted to cover the main ones that I tend to see or talk about with my clients.
It is important to know the 4 stages of hair growth to understand your hair and body:
Anagen phase (active growth phase)
Catagen phase: transition phase
Telogen phase: resting phase
Exogen phase: shedding phase
Each phase has it own amount of days that stage occurs then it starts all over again. As humans we lose on average 40-100 hairs a day. So when you see the little clump of hair in your shower, don’t freak out because some of that is normal.
What I have noticed is that vitamins and hair regrowth supplements can help the hair that is already on your head grow faster. However, not necessarily grow you more hair. I guess in theory, if you want to give your hair the best shot at regenerating hair then speeding up the growth cycle may give your hair its best chance to produce more hair from more follicles? I personally just have not seen that happen in my experience with my clients over the years. I mean it’s always a good idea to take some sort-of multivitamin. Incase you have gaps in your diet but don’t expect miracles in the hair department.
Here is a list of vitamins that may aid in speeding up the hair growth cycle (again not to gain more hair but just speed up the existing hair regrowth) most of these vitamins are great for hair, skin and nails:
Vitamin A: cell devision & regrowth
All of the B’s: metabolism & red blood cells and helps production of keratin which is found in the hair.
Vitamin D: stimulation of hair follicle
Collagen: important for hair, skin, nails & tissues.
Omega 3: skin and hair health, blood health and much more.
The last treatment I am going to touch on is minoxidil 5% (Rogaine for men.) most doctors in my case have referred my daughter to Rogain for men. The reason they told me to get the one for men is because it has a higher amount of the active ingredient Minoxidil. Which is the 5% and it is applied topically to the scalp once or twice a day. This is something you have to be very consistent about to actually see any results. Some may not see any results with this, it’s all in how your body responds. I recommend taking a before picture and use it for 6 months-1 year everyday, once or twice daily and then refer back to the before picture of your hair. If you do not see any results then discontinue use. The key is consistency on this one.
***I am not a doctor. I just have my own experience and the experience of others around me. Please consult a dr. Before adjusting any of this into your diet. Have your dr. Do a blood panel to check your thyroid and other hormones to see where you may be need help. See a dermatologist or endocrinologist if you think your hair loss is severe. Let them give you treatments and remedies.
I want to assure you that when there is something out there that actually works for hair regeneration, don’t worry, WE WILL ALL KNOW ABOUT IT! Just like ozempic and the semi-glutide weight loss craze. Once there is something out there that actually works for creating thick lustrous hair, we will all know. So don’t go spending a bunch of your hard earned money on hair regenerating supplements. For now, just sit tight, be thankful for what you have and lean in to your own authentic beauty.
