My hair was falling out like a teenage boy takes showers…something needed to change! Every day clumps in the shower, in my hair brush, on my clothes. It was only a matter of time before I was going to be straight up bald. Hair loss vs my sanity … the hair loss was winning 10-1.
I read every article there was about the main causes of hair loss. Nothing seemed to help. After I turned 35 it seemed to get worse. I took advice from my hair dresser, my girlfriends, health care professionals. While none of their suggestions were wrong, they weren’t the right ones for me!
Common Causes for Everyone Except ME:
1. Hormones – OMG hormones, they are the absolute devil. I mean what do they not cause? Acne, Mood Swings, Facial Hair, Weight Gain, Hot Flashes, Hair Loss and so much more! Nature’s little practical joke on you and everyone around you. Too much or too little and the world around us implodes.
I had just had my 5th baby when my hair loss had become significantly more noticeable. In fact it had gotten a little worse with each one, bless their sweet little hearts. Motherhood is the only job that makes total destruction of your body (head to toe) totally worth it, and you actually feel blessed when it is done.
2. Anesthesia – Because why wouldn’t hair loss be your reward for treating yourself to a Mommy Makeover after having your 5th child. Saggy boobs, gone. Loose skin, that hangs like a deflated balloon, gone. Stretch marks, gone, or at the least significantly improved. You are one step closer to that pre-baby bod (MILF status here you come) ……because your current look you were was NOT how God designed you in the first place and why shouldn’t you get to have your body back? As a reward, you will now lose most your hair, because apparently anesthesia causes hair loss (say what?). You will never look as pretty on the outside as you do on the inside…but you were so close, because ladies our hair is one thing, npo matter our age, we are all somewhat shallow about. It matters!
3. Hair Color, Heat From Hair Dryer, Flat Iron, Curling Iron – Guilty of all. I stopped blow drying my hair, it was so thin from the hair loss it was probably close to dry in about 15 minutes. I attempted to gel it and wear it curly …. since parts of it are naturally wavy (or frizzy depending on who you ask). I went dark and quit putting any blonde in it to reduce exposure to harsh chemicals or bleach (getting used to yourself as a dark brunette when you’ve always been blonde…..that’s HARD y’all.) I finally got smart and washed my hair at night, slept with it wet (this adds TONS of volume btw), and touched it up the next morning with a curling iron on low heat.
4. Iron Deficiency/Vitamin Deficiency – Anytime I complained about hair loss or asked for advice, that’s what I heard. You’re probably anemic. You should take biotin. I know a friend of a friend, she took a multivitamin with iron and biotin, her hair now looks fabulous. Fine. I’ll try it. Even though I was never anemic during my pregnancy and I had no other symptoms. I was desperate. I was not about losing any more hair. #notaboutthatlife
The worst part after trying ALL these different measures was Nothing Changed. My hair loss didn’t even slow down. My hair was brittle and falling out by the handfuls.
Now I’m not disagreeing that all these things can affect your hair….because they can. The list of causes of hair loss is never ending! I am happy to share, however, what products really did fix my hair!
How I Beat Hair Loss:
There are 3 main causes of hair loss: Lack of Protein, Thyroid, and Vitamin D. These are no joke y’all. Every. Single. One. I am listing them in order of impact on my hair!
1. Lack of Protein
I should clarify this statement with right type of protein. Sure you may eat a high protein diet (Paleo, Keto, Atkins), but you still lack the nutrition your desperate hair needs. This product saved my life: Collagen Peptide Protein Powder
Y’all there are not words to describe the depths at which this product helped my dry, brittle, dwindling hair. It was sad. Depressing. I am proud to say I am no longer contemplating wearing a wig. Proud mama. Order it NOW. It is tasteless and you will see results within the first month. I put a scoop in my coffee every morning and have for the past year. My hair has remained in the best shape it has been in throughout my adult life …. have I mentioned I am about to be 40?
2. Hypothyroidism
There is a big difference in normal values and optimal values. Just because your levels are “normal” does not mean you are not symptomatic. News Flash: we are not all a textbook!
Most common symptoms of low thyroid: Hair loss, fatigue, dry skin, feeling cold when everyone else is hot, abnormal menstruation, constipation. What is that you say? That sounds just like you? Your labs were normal?
The TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) triggers the thyroid gland to produce 2 hormones: T3 and T4. The thyroid is like the control center that affects every other system in your body. Most healthcare providers only check the TSH. Just because your TSH is “normal” does not mean the thyroid is making enough T3 and T4 …. hence the need for thyroid replacement and vanquishing of all the above symptoms! Yeah you!! Speak up, talk to you provider, and don’t be scared to get a second opinion if ya’ll don’t agree on the symptoms! Back before antidepressants and the sort, a low dose of thyroid medicine was actually used to treat depression. Guess what? People were started on these medications without having to have supporting lab work that fell out of the “normal” range. Are any of us really “normal” any ways?
3. Vitamin D Deficiency
OMG I’m so tired of hearing about all these vitamins and how they will help me (insert eye roll). I have tried them…multivitamins, iron, biotin, etc. This one y’all, this one is different. I promise. This one is in very few food products, and other than supplementation is only received when sunlight strikes the skin. Over the past several years, Vitamin D Deficiency has gained a lot of attention regarding health benefits.
Symptoms of Low Vitamin D include weakness, fatigue, constipation, confusion, hair loss, painful calcium deposits. Sound familiar?
Health Benefits:
- Prevention of osteoporosis
- Reduction in cancers, including but not limited to breast, colon, pancreatic
- Associated with various autoimmune disorders including diabetes, MS, lupus, RA, thyroid/parathyroid disease
- Improvement in mood and energy levels
- Aids in weight loss
- Reduction in overall mortality
Recommended dosing is 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, with optimal lab values being greater than 60. For more information click here.
ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional
Do yourself a favor, give these 3 products a chance for one month and see not only how much better your hair looks, but how much better you feel!
Love,
2 sisters