Is there a way to fix thinning hair? Almost 4 in 10 women experience hair loss - here's what you can do about it.
Your journal team sets out to find out if there's anything that can fix hair loss.
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Celebrity hairstylist reveals the worst mistakes you make with your hair
SOME PRODUCTS
Assistant beauty editor Alice Robertson, 33, is testing a volume booster
I have always had beautiful hair. Soft and shiny, yes, but not by much. It didn't bother me until a friend laughed at how little I had and it hurt me deeply.
I've tried volumizing shampoos, tried supplements, and tried TikTok tips. Nothing makes a big difference.
And it looks like I'm not alone. According to a recent survey of over 2,000 women by hair regrowth brand Nioxin, although hair loss is primarily seen as a men's problem, 4 out of 10 of us suffer from it.
The drop in estrogen during and after menopause slows growth and the follicles produce finer fibers.
Meanwhile, according to a study in the journal Nature Medicine, people with COVID-19 are four times more likely to experience hair loss than those without the disease. According to a recent survey of 2,000 women by hair regrowth brand Nioxin (stock image), although hair loss is primarily seen as a men's problem, 4 out of 10 of us people have this disease.
My thinning hair problem came after a heartbreak that prevented me from eating. The stress response means that four months later, my hair is even thinner, more brittle and I have lost spots on my eyebrows and eyelashes.
I went to Anabel Kingsley, brand president and consultant trichologist at Philip Kingsley, who explained to me the different types of hair loss a person can experience and how to treat it.
Hair loss occurs when their growth cycle is interrupted. This could be due to a hormonal or metabolic imbalance, illness, or poor eating habits. And Kingsley points out that, when it comes to a bad diet, your hair is the first thing to go because it's not needed.
After making sure I was back to my usual healthy intake (high in protein and veggies), Kingsley advised me to start taking a Philip Kingsley density amino acid fortified supplement (from £32, Philip Kingsley. co. UK).
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that your body uses to make cells and since about 85% of hair is made up of a protein called keratin the change it has made in my hair has been amazing. surprised. Stronger, brighter, healthier – but also more than that.
However, if a healthy diet is helpful, and the density stays the same, what else can be done? Some may see noticeable growth with minoxidil treatment.
It's not available on the NHS, but depending on strength you can get a prescription from a private clinic or buy it online and without a prescription from pharmacies across the country, from around £25.
For me, the new Living Proof Full range – Thick Drying Cream, Lifting and Lifting Spray, and Textured Mousse (£27 each, Livingproof.co.uk) – is a life-changing product. play.
Whether you're styling your hair straight, preferring waves, or just letting your hair dry naturally, these add volume to my hair as I've never tried. The line was launched on Friday but I've been testing it for three months. While most styling products that promise to make a difference in thickness leave hair coarse, rough, and matte, this product makes hair thicker and smoother.
These products focus less on mass and more on the body:
think red carpet instead of Mötley Crüe. The brand claims that its secret lies in a patented thickening molecule.
The woman in the chair next to me said she started injecting hair fillers during menopause when her hair started thinning on the sides. “They boosted my confidence a lot,” she said.
"But I warn you, they're addictive." The worry is that they start at £150 but can go up to £3,000, depending on what you've done. Mine costs £375 and should last three to four months.
Yates sources his hair from Great Longs, a certified B Corp company that guarantees the hair is legally sourced. It comes from India, is donated in religious ceremonies, then bought at temples, and the money is presented to the local community.
I felt relieved to hear that because I found the idea of walking around with a mysterious man's mane stuck to me a bit confusing.
After the consultation a week earlier, Jack ordered three different colored hair extensions to match my new highlights, which had the same texture as my hair.
After my hair was washed and dried, he started tying it back. At this point in the process, they're kicking ass, so for a surreal brief moment, I'm Rapunzel. He applies 30 hair extensions into beautiful buns; ten on each side and ten on the back.
I'm Rapunzel. He applies 30 hair extensions into beautiful buns; ten on each side and ten on the back. (On the picture:
Kerry after receiving the extension)
Each is attached to a section of my hair the same width as the extension, using a small heated wand to melt the keratin resin bond will hold everything in place. He assured me that I would not notice the participation. And there's no risk of my hair being damaged as can happen with previous heavier extensions because they are so light. You can also redo them without a break.
Jack cut my own extensions and haircuts, mixing them up perfectly before styling.
It looks fantastic – although hair always looks good when done by a professional, so it is difficult to immediately determine the impact of individual hair extensions.
I will go home to discover the important thing, the "ta-da!" mine for a moment. Reader, no one noticed. It's not my husband, children, or mother who usually have my eagle eyes.
A friend who is a hairstylist only gets my hair extensions when I force her to guess what I did.
At first, I felt a bit down on this, but then I realized that you don't really want anyone to realize that you have extra extensions.
One colleague noted: "It's the hair equivalent of a retouch." “It's like Botox injections. You don't want people to say, "I see you got Botox," you want them to say, "You look good." And my hair is beautiful:
£375 is good.
I was told that it was only when I washed and dried myself that I really appreciated the extensions and that turned out to be true.
It only takes a few minutes of brushing to achieve previously unimaginable volumes.
I don't need to do a lot of washing as it retains its style. I play sports a lot, so most of the time my hair is in a ponytail - now it's more of a jolly pony performing than an old Shetland pony.
It is also a children's game to maintain.
At first, it seemed strange to me to have a small cluster of pimples on my head where the keratin bonds were, but I quickly got used to it and they didn't stick to my comb.
I can use the hair dryer as a regular styling clip while taking care not to transfer heat directly to the hair.
Since there are many different types of hair loss, it can be challenging to determine which one affects you.
TrichoTest involves taking samples from the inside of your nose and cheeks so that hair loss can be analyzed using your DNA (along with questions about your diet). The goal is to let you know which actions are likely to be most effective.
The test wasn't cheap at £350, but it was like a drop in the ocean compared to the money I spent on the treatment.
Two weeks later, when the results came out, they informed me that not only did I have hereditary hair loss, related to premature graying of hair, but treatments like minoxidil would never work for me because I have a genetic disease. Knowing that my hair wasn't damaged from the abuse meant I could finally let go of the guilt I'd carried around for years.
Not to mention the amount of money I can now stop wasting. The trial also told me that PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma, a treatment in which plasma from your own blood is concentrated and injected back into the scalp to stimulate growth and is the only treatment) that I haven't tried) has a 70% rate. . hundreds of opportunities to work with me.
But if not, at least I finally got an answer and acceptance.
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Is there a way to fix thinning hair? Almost 4 in 10 women experience hair loss - here's what you can do about it