All posts by miriam

If you have suffered or are suffering with hair loss, it is likely that’ll you have looked far and wide for a way to disguise your problem. Hats and head scarves are an ineffective short-term fix, and not every hair loss condition is severe enough to consider human hair wigs.

This is why hair replacement treatments have become so popular, as they improve the appearance of natural hair in a more permanent way. The most effective solutions include:

• Medi Connections – These are a lightweight, more specialist version of hair extensions, designed to boost the volume of hair whilst still maintaining a natural appearance.

• The Intralace System – This pioneering treatment consists of ultra-fine mesh panels containing human hair being integrated into your existing hair. A natural-looking parting can also be added. This method disguises hair loss and still allows you to wash and style your hair and live your life as normal.

Concerns

A lot of women considering either of the aforementioned treatments are worried about one key issue – will the natural hair be able to grow under the hair replacement method? Such fears are unnecessary, as the treatments have been specially designed to allow natural hair regrowth. If your hair grows enough, you will be able to get the Intralace System or Medi Connections extensions removed.

Losing your hair can knock you for six, shattering your confidence and changing your perception of yourself and your place in the world. Some people will take the view ‘it’s only hair’, but it isn’t only hair; it’s an integral part of your self-esteem.

From being a young child to an adult woman, we are conditioned by the media, entertainment and fashion industries to believe that shiny, healthy hair is a symbol of beauty, youth, femininity and sexuality. This is why losing it can be so devastating, as we feel that all of these ‘attractive’ qualities are robbed from us, often without warning.

Confidence-boosting tips

The key to regaining your self-esteem and confidence when interacting with the world is acceptance. Once the initial panic of losing your hair has passed, you can accept what has happened and start to look for solutions.

Here are some confidence-boosting solutions for:

Temporary hair loss (caused by hormonal changes such as pregnancy)

Whilst you are waiting for your hair to fully grow back; human hair wigs are a great idea. Some of the latest wigs are extremely realistic, so you never need to feel self-conscious about your appearance.

Permanent hair loss (caused by alopecia, female pattern baldness)

Hair replacement treatment has improved rapidly in the last few years, with solutions such as the Intralace system offering you a way of disguising hair loss even if you cannot cure it.

Stress can cause all sorts of changes in the body, both mental and physical. The stress of a messy divorce –or other difficult emotional times such as a death in the family – can cause everything from weight loss and insomnia to hair loss.

This is what happened to former model Elin Nordegren, who this week officially finalised her divorced from famous golfing husband Tiger Woods. Speaking to People Magazine in her one and only interview, Nordegren spoke of the emotional turmoil caused by the revelations of Woods’ nineteen suspected affairs, and of the stresses of the divorce proceedings.

Speaking of her experiences, Nordegren said:

“It’s hard to think you have this life, and then all of a sudden — was it a lie? You’re struggling because it wasn’t real. But I survived. It was hard, but it didn’t kill me.”

In the days before the divorce was finalised, however, Nordegren says that her trademark long, blonde hair began to fall out due to the stress of it all. Not only was her marriage shattered, but her self-esteem and confidence in her appearance was under threat as well.

For women, the loss of hair can be a devastating experience. It undermines confidence, self-esteem and can interfere with the way you live your life. There are solutions available though – such as hair replacement treatment or human hair wigs – so that you don’t have to live under the shadow of hair loss.

Sadly, there is no miracle cure for female hair loss, nor is there one particular type of food you can eat to either prevent hair loss or cause hair to grow back. The best way to find a solution to your problem is to consult your GP or a hair loss specialist.

However, there is a link between some aspects of female hair loss and the sufferer’s nutritional intake. Whilst permanent hair loss is usually caused by genetic disposition, temporary loss or thinning of hair can be affected by nutritional deficiencies.

The following is a brief outline of the vitamins involved in hair growth and loss:

• Vitamin A – You need a sufficient intake of Vitamin A to promote the growth of healthy hair and scalp tissues. A prolonged deficiency can cause cellular debris to accumulate in the hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.

• Zinc – A mineral which promotes cell reproduction, tissue growth and repair, Zinc deficiency has often been associated with dandruff and hair loss.

• Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid – These B Vitamins are essential for ensuring that your scalp receives enough blood and oxygen to keep it healthy and strong. A deficiency could cause shedding or thinning hair, as well as slow regrowth.

Other vitamins and minerals associated with hair growth and loss include: iron, Vitamin C, copper, and protein.

Many women notice changes to their body after pregnancy, one of the most upsetting being hair loss. But what causes this to happen, and what solutions are available to treat your hair loss problem?

Causes of post-pregnancy hair loss

At any one time, around 90 per cent of your hair is in the ‘growing’ phase whilst 10 per cent is in the ‘resting’ phase. This ‘resting’ hair falls out every few months, allowing new hair to grow in its place.

The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can disrupt this cycle, causing more hair than normal to simultaneously enter the ‘resting’ phase. This is called telogen effluvium, and it usually occurs a few months after giving birth in around 40-50 per cent of women.

Solutions

Like many other changes that take place during pregnancy, this type of female hair loss is generally temporary. Although you may notice thinning or light shedding, the condition of your hair should improve approximately 3-5 months after giving birth as the hormone levels start to return to normal.

However, this condition can be extremely distressing for women, especially if you have the stress of being a new mother to contend with as well. This is why hair loss specialists have developed a number of interim, such as human hair wigs.

Although nothing can be quite as devastating as cancer, some of the side effects of cancer treatment can be fairly traumatic. For women, this means hair loss.

Chemotherapy treatment attacks all rapidly-dividing cells, regardless of whether they are healthy or not. As hair follicles grow so fast, these are amongst the first to be depleted. This results in rapid shedding of the hair, at a rate that can be alarming and upsetting to the patient.

Losing all your hair at once can be a frightening and debilitating experience, especially for women living in a world that sees thick, healthy hair as a sign of youth and beauty. Breast cancer charity founder and radiation oncologist Marisa Weiss elaborates on this, saying:

“There are studies that show that for many women, losing their hair is worse than losing a breast. That’s because you can conceal the loss of a breast, but hair loss is so obvious and apparent,”

Preparing for hair loss caused by chemotherapy

The best defence against the rapid hair loss caused by chemotherapy is to prepare for it ahead of time. It generally happens to everyone who undergoes the aggressive treatment, but you needn’t let it come as a shock.

But what are your options? Some women choose to take back control of the situation and shave their heads before their hair can fall out, whilst others prepare to use headscarves and other head coverings. One of the best options, however, is human hair wigs, which can now be made to look as realistic as your original hair. Consult a hair loss clinic or human hair wig specialist to find out more.