With each month that passed in 2020, Samantha Hill’s role seemed to expand. The increasingly bald strip of skin was a representation of what she calls the “four-part terrible game” in her life. Hill, a 29-year-old freelance photographer, had barely adjusted to her new normal after her father’s death in January pandemic beat and enlivened her life.
After a friend died in June when she hair She seemed to be getting even thinner and created a folder on her phone called Hairgate that contained every selfie she’d taken over the past four years.
“I was trying to figure out where it all went wrong,” said Hill, who lives in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn.
It’s a dilemma that many people, especially women, have been tormenting about over the past few months as their brushes and shower drains began to fill with strands of hair. Google searches for Hair loss According to data science firm Spate, the topic has grown 8% in the past 12 months, with the topic being searched an average of more than 829,000 times per month in the US.
The phenomenon isn’t everything on our minds, according to experts, but it’s another frustrating by-product of both immense ones stress and postviral inflammation from COVID-19. Known in the medical world as telogen effluvium, temporary hair loss results from fever, illness, and severe stress, forcing more hair than normal into the hair loss phase of the hair growth life cycle.
Although hair loss tends to be associated with men due to the prevalence of baldness in men, telogen effluvium is more common in women, who often experience it after childbirth.
“Any type of severe stress can trigger it, whether it is exposure to your body from illness or emotional stress such as the death of a loved one,” said Dr. Abigail Cline, New York Medical College dermatologist who conducted research on pandemic-related hair loss. “Even if not everyone is infected with COVID-19, we all live with it.”
ThinkStock photos
What is Definitely Not Good for Hair Growth? Constant panic.
Dealing with hair loss holistically
For those who have had the virus, hair loss has become a common symptom of the recovery process that usually occurs three to four months after the illness but sometimes occurs earlier. Dr. Jerry Shapiro, a dermatologist at NYU Langone Health who specializes in hair loss, said that a healthy head of hair usually contains 90% antigen or growing hair and 10% telogen or resting hair, but this ratio can shift up to 50-50 after high fever or flulike illness.
For Misty Gant, a 35-year-old wellness coach who lives on the Lower East Side of New York, the switch was quick. After Gant was infected in March, she lost a handful of her long red hair in the shower and noticed a bald patch on her temples a few weeks after her recovery.
“It was really heavy because my hair is important to me – it’s part of my identity,” she said, noting that it was her most complimented feature before it got thinner.
Gant, who regularly delves into health and wellness research for clients, soon ended up on forums full of people who had similar hair loss after COVID-19. After doctors confirmed her suspicion of a post-viral inflammatory reaction, she prepared an arsenal of holistic remedies to try to correct it.
Her first point of attack was an anti-inflammatory diet that cut out sugar, gluten, dairy products, and alcohol, and incorporated colorful fruits and vegetables, oily fish, and healthy fats like avocados and nuts. She started a new nutritional supplement routine containing omega 3-6-9, turmeric with fenugreek, evening primrose oil, and two tablespoons of aloe juice a day, a combination she believes is anti-inflammatory and lubricating for the skin and hair.
She started giving herself daily scalp massages with Bumble and Bumble Tonic Primer, which contain rosemary oil, an ingredient that according to some studies, promotes hair growth. Two days a week, she doused her hair with a mixture of coconut oil and pure rosemary oil and left it on for 24 hours. While this wasn’t a quick fix, it seemed to be paying off: she now has tufts of hair on her temples.
“I try to do everything naturally, and as a wellness practitioner, I know things take time,” said Gant.
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Hair loss is usually associated with men because of the incidence of hair loss in men.
A less intense approach
Although it can still take months before a significant difference is noticed, many people have had similar results with a combination of diet supplements, thickening shampoos, and illusionary haircuts.
After her husband noticed some bald spots on the back of his head at the beginning of the pandemic, Martyna Szabadi, a 34-year-old business consultant who didn’t have COVID-19, experimented with products designed to promote hair growth, including various scalp scrubs, a hair serum out of the ordinary and a daily drink made from flaxseed water. Nothing worked until she started using RevitaLash Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner and took four capsules of Nutrafol Core Supplement for Women.
“After half a year of this combination, I finally have the hair problem under control,” said Szabadi.
Nutrafol supplements also appeared to be helping Hill get her hair back in order after starting taking it in July. She had a leaner part and new hair growth around the crown. According to Giorgos Tsetis, the company’s managing director and founder, it was a booming year for the company, with sales increasing 60% in 2020 compared to 2019.
According to Tsetis, 80% of the company’s increase in sales came from two core formulas for women: Nutrafol Women and Women’s Balance. These include ingredients like vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and biotin, the last of which has come to be known as a hair restorer, although dermatologists disagree on its effectiveness.
“Nobody could really prove it helped hair in a randomized controlled trial, and they had a long time to prove it,” Shapiro said.
But since wellness rules the day, Nutrafol’s chemical-free virtue from the earth has made it a popular option. Nutrafol is a “natural, holistic” alternative to old-school drugs like Rogaine or Minoxidil, a topical solution to improve blood circulation and stimulate hair growth.
Another treatment option is platelet-rich plasma therapy, PRP, which involves injecting a patient’s own blood into the scalp to stimulate hair growth. PRP costs between $ 500 and $ 1,800 and isn’t for everyone. It works best with other treatments, according to Shapiro, who believes it is better for people with baldness in women or men who have a genetic cause.
Getty Images
It’s best to avoid tight styling that could pull out more hair.
The faster solution
If waiting three months for a shampoo or supplement doesn’t excite you, consider a haircut that will make your hair look healthier than it is. Justine Marjan, a hairdresser whose clients include Kardashians and model Ashley Graham, recommends a shorter, blunt cut to create an illusion of thickness.
“It’s best to avoid long looks as the hair on the ends can look weak and fragile,” said Marjan. If your hair loss is most noticeable on your hairline or part of your hair, she recommends using an eye shadow or a root touch-up spray that matches your hair color to create depth and fullness. Another popular trick is to use headband style extensions that are easy to put on and take off without damaging your hair.
Most importantly, be gentle and strategic with your hair. Marjan recommends drying fragile hair with a soft microfiber towel and using a tool like the Tangle Teezer to avoid breakage. It is also believed that sleeping on a silk pillowcase minimizes breakage. And while many people resort to ponytails when their hair is limp, it’s best to avoid tight styling that could pull more hair out.
What is Definitely Not Good for Hair Growth? Constant panic.
“Stressing this will only cause more hair loss,” said Cline, noting that a deep six-month breath is a better recipe. “I assure patients with telogen effluvium that their hair will grow back, but it will take time.”
Washing is not enough: 6 expert-recommended tips for a healthy hair detox
For shiny locks
From ANI
Malnutrition, pollution, hormonal imbalance, and a stressful lifestyle – all of these factors lead to hair loss, lackluster curls, and even hair loss. Additionally, the chemical laden hair styling products like soaps, shampoos, hair masks, etc. clog our pores, resulting in dead, dull, greasy and lifeless hair.
Beauty expert Shahnaz Husain explains: “We spend so much time and energy protecting our skin. However, not many people do enough to maintain their hair health and shine. “
“Washing your hair regularly is not enough to keep it clean. Shampooing alone doesn’t cleanse your scalp deep enough to remove pollutants and dirt. Thoroughly cleansing your scalp with natural ingredients can revive your beautiful, shiny hair and restore your health and shine, ”she adds.
Since damaged hair implies it’s time for a detox, here are some tips from Husain.
(Image: Getty)
Say no to hairbrushes
First, interrupt the procedures that are causing damage. Damaged hair is in a fragile condition. So handle it carefully. Avoid brushing and use a wide tooth comb with smooth edges.
Chop off the split ends
First, remove your split ends. Then start the warm oil therapy. Mix one part castor oil with two parts coconut oil. Heat and apply to hair. Remember to apply on the ends too. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze the water out and wrap the hot towel around your head like a turban. Leave on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This will help the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Avoid vigorous massaging and rubbing when applying oil.
Massage time
You can also use baking soda for hair detox. Sodium bicarbonate is an exceptional cleanser and exfoliator that gently removes product buildup. Mix half a cup of baking soda in 3 cups of hot water and massage and rinse your scalp with the mixture for a few minutes. It removes oil buildup on the scalp and fights dandruff. You can use it once a week.
An Apple Cider Detox
The apple cider vinegar helps remove product residue and oil while adding shine. Mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a mug of water. Shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would, then pour the diluted apple cider vinegar on your hair and don’t rinse it off. This is the easiest way to detoxify your hair.
