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WHAT I LEARNT AFTER A YEAR OF TRYING TO STOP HAIR LOSS.

26 February 2017 19 comments

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Any longer term reader of my blog will know the daily hair struggle I've been dealing with for the last god only knows how long, ever since my diagnosis of Telogen Effluvium - or hair loss due to stress. I've been trying out every last method, trick, and aid, from the popular to the wive's tale in search of what really works and I think after an entire year of testing, it's finally apt for me to share with you all what I've learnt, what worked for me and what just didn't. So keep reading to hear more and I hope that if you're suffering too, that you might find this post helpful. 




SLEEPING ON SILK REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE

I was always dubious as to how much of an effect a silk pillowcase could really have on my hair. Having slept on one for a while now, it's evident that that effect is actually pretty significant! My hair's always been one to tangle itself up into knots, inevitably resulting in breakages when I'm less than patient in removing them. My silk pillowcase helps to retain hair moisture and I've experienced fewer tangles, not to mention it's gets oily less quickly now.


SCALP MASSAGES

Of all of the techniques and products I've diligently tested over the last year (a lot), scalp massaging is by far my favourite, and one that's worked for me. Just ten minutes, preferably with my head flipped over, I definitely feel has staved off the additional loss of many hairs. I've found that using some kind of growth elixir, whether homemade or purchased, doubles the benefits and I love Grow Gorgeous' Back Into The Roots - their haircare is really impressing me, exponentially! The scalp masque contains menthol which I find really stimulating, you can feel it's pleasant tingle as you massage, and rosemary, biotin and caffeine, all of which are superb for hair, and ingredients I like to include in any homemade remedies I brew.

LOSS VS BREAKAGE

Hair loss and breakage often go hand in hand, as hair's resilience gets knocked from the same cause as the loss - a horrible dual-effect situation. A fair amount of my loss ended up being breakage, as I didn't appreciate my hair becoming a lot more delicate. With some TLC and a lot of patience, I've managed to really lessen my breakage, namely with consistent use of detanglers. Apple cider vinegar (with The Mother) is my absolute favourite, just a quick rinse after every wash manages to tame, smooth, detangle and create shine - it's a true miracle worker! I otherwise enjoy both of the Know Knott and Philip B detangling mist if you're looking for a spray, or Hair Xpertise's Argan Oil serum if you're after a serum. I'll layer as few or many as I need, it's inevitably the latter though as my hair drinks up moisture.

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM

A lot of hair loss is reversible, and diagnosing an accurate cause is the first and most important step in doing so. Getting your bloodwork done is a good starting point, to rule out medicinal causes like thyroid or ferrous levels, or a vitamin deficiency. If you're the unlucky soul like me whose demon is stress (I've Telogen Effluvium) then both diagnosis and cure are a little more challenging. I've been trying to adopt many more wellness and wellbeing techniques, many of which I've documented on my blog (digital detoxing, getting over the winter blues, how to have a better day, are but a few to mention), all of which I feel are definitely having a positive effect on my hair as well as my peace of mind. I've been taking these B vit complex tablets recently too, which I'll certainly update you with.

Hair loss tips // how to

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ALL NATURAL ISN'T ALWAYS BEST

I did the all natural thing. Going as natural as possible with shampoos (I've even tried the no-poo method), using only silicone-free conditioners and forgoing all styling products. But realistically, the benefits of using so few chemicals were outweighed with my hair not being as clean, and suffering more breakages. The moral of the story here is that there's definitely a happy medium. Now I use the Christoper Robin Regenerating shampoo and Keracare Co-wash and Shu Uemura sleek and Macadamia masks (both of which are on offer now yay!) in the shower, and a number of detanglers and smoothing creams/oils such as Oribe's delightful shine cream (such a beauty) - the perfect balance.

WHATEVER YOU DO, GO HEAT FREE

When we moved house last year, I left my hairdryer at my family home so I wouldn't be tempted to use it. And yes the first few months of going heat free were often grueling and it seemed that more than anything I just wanted my smooth, sleek, blow dried hair back. But I stuck with it, and not only is my hair in better condition now, it's texture has changed a lot, to the point now that it's very similar whether I blow dry it or let it dry naturally. You can have a read in detail of my heat free tips and tricks here if you fancy. You may be thinking you could never get there, but my hair was dry and frizzy and completely unmanageable when I first started my journey, so I have faith in you, you can make it!

SUPPLEMENTS WERE A WASTE OF MONEY

There's no denying that hair growth, or 'hair, skin & nails' supplements provide a boost to those who have a 'normal' hair situation and the ones I've tried in the past have certainly made my hair grow faster, but they haven't really helped in the slightest when it comes to hair loss. Not to mention they don't have nearly enough of the active ingredients should you actually be seriously deficient. You're much better off upping your protein and fruit and veg and taking a good quality biotin supplement like this one for example. Food for thought isn't it?

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Looking back on this before snap, when it was probably at it's worst, isn't the easiest thing for me (it's gross seeing bare scalp on myself!) but I thought it important to give hope to anyone else suffering from hair loss, and let you know that there are things you can do! Whilst my hair certainly isn't restored to what it once was (I lost about 2/3 - 3/4 overall), and I still have to be careful taking care of it, I'm in a much happier place with it now, 

I hope that if you're suffering from hair loss too that this post has been somewhat helpful, and let me know your experiences or favourite tips below, I'd love to hear your thoughts :)



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