HAIR! Some may say its not a huge part of us……but other identify so strongly with it that we grieve it when we receive diagnosis that threaten it. Why? Is it because we have had it for so long we cant see ourselves without it? Is it because it is a huge and deeply rooted part of where our confidence stems? Is it because we are not sure why it is happening or how much hair we will lose? ALL OF THE ABOVE! When I first began losing my hair, I began to panic and scrambled to hold on to the hair and control I had left.
As I began to take control of the situation and rebuild by using natural/quality products and looking at both the inner and outer reasons that may be affecting my hair and body, my brand was born. I realized that there are many people in the world that were experiencing the same loss that I was and I wanted to not only provide hope but also provide products that yielded results. As everyone’s process loss differently I realized that in my processing my hair loss, I no longer sought a specific answer as to “why” it was happening to me but looked at both the internal and external situations that I could be contributing to that may have manifested negatively affecting my hair.
While my CCCA Alopecia was the official diagnosis and determined reason for my hair loss, I noticed that there were other factors that impacted my hair loss as well. The factors ranged from stress (in both my professional and personal life), medications, changes in my hormones, nutritional deficiencies, hair regiments using quality products, and improper diagnosis care.
Stress is a huge factor and impacts everyone so differently that you don’t know how it can negatively affect the processes of the body. While stress can manifest out of mental and emotional hardship, as hard to believe as it is when we experience an experience that is overly intense or traumatic it can affect not only our mental and emotional health but can manifest in the thinning or loss of hair. Stress and anxiety can both cause large clumps of hair to weaken and fall out, which can eventually lead to bald spots.
Surprisingly, the very thing prescribed to help one situation can inadvertently create issues in other areas. Medicationcan inadvertently be the side effect of medications. There are a wide range of prescription as well as over the counter medication such as: antidepressants, beta-blockers, mood stabilizers, antibiotics, blood pressure medications, immunosuppressants, antifungals, and cholesterol-lowering drugs are all associated with hair loss.
**If you’re on any prescriptions, it’s worth checking into whether hair loss is one of the side effects.
Hormonal changed from menopause, certain medical conditions involving the thyroid, pregnancy, and even menstruation can cause changes in hair. During pregnancy women don’t the experience shedding but post childbirth when their hormones are stabilizing/leveling out they can experience “postpartum hair loss.” During the fluctuation of hormones an increased amount of shedding can be seen which may seem excessive but can be addressed and balance restored. During menopause changes in hair can be seen as the drop in estrogen can be seen.
While our body’s operate like well oiled machines when given the vitamins and nutrients needed to efficiently function, but without adequate vitamins and nutrients a breakdown can occur. Many individuals who have been identified with anemia, deficiency in iron levels, often experience hair loss as iron is necessary in hair growth. Other vitamins that are crucial in the hair growth process are Zinc, Biotin, and Vitamin-B as low levels of these vitamins can result in thinning and loss of hair. Eating a healthy diet that is sufficient in both calories and protein would prove beneficial, maintaining a healthy weight is also important as its been seen that a sudden loss in weight can result in hair loss. Diets are very important when looking at hair loss as too much of certain nutrients can cause hair loss, such as highly glycemic foods, foods high in processed sugar, and too many carbs can cause hormonal changes that can cause increased inflammation resulting in hair loss.
How we treat our hair and the type of products we use on our hair can help or hinders its growth as a hair regimentthat include quality products encourages hair growth. Hair regiments that include hair dye, bleaching, and even chemicals can weaken and damage the hair causing hair breakage and loss. Using excessive or regular heat, pulling/tension, and constant use of protective styles without allowing your hair to breathe can also contribute to thinning and loss.
Medical Conditions should never be overlooked when looking at hair thinning and loss. Issues with your thyroid, autoimmune system, skin conditions, PCOS, lupus or diabetes all can attribute to hair issues and can be diagnosed by professional.
In using my products, we have seen that all hair loss/thinning is not permanent. Looking at our role in hair loss forces us to make changes that create a healthy foundation for healthy hair but also allows us to look at the reasoning for our hair loss. With our products we provide quality ingredients in our hair products, hair regiments that yield hair growth results, supplements to bridge the gap in nutritional deficits, and address dietary changes that focuses on anti-inflammatory foods but challenge you to identify other areas that you can make positive changes that will promote a healthy foundation for healthy hair to thrive.
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