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A Helping Hand

for Hair Loss, Real People, Real Stories

15 Sep

Lessons Learned

category News Tips

Tell us about your experience with thinning hair and how you first notice the thinning?

It’s a necessity to wash my hair everyday, as it goes flat and dirty by the time the day is over so it’s normal for me.  I would usually see hair in the shower drain, when brushing and when blow drying.  After a while I felt my  hair seemed to feel thinner each day and saw my crown looking sparse – where you can see one’s scalp.  A ponytail could barely fit into a regular elastic band.

What kind of physical and emotional effects did it have on you?

It saddened and worried me, because I was afraid of going bald and/or having to cut my hair short to compensate for the loss.  I have always had long hair and I wasn’t ready to give it up yet.

 
What types of products/ solutions have you tried? What types of results did you see for each product?

I have tried Rogaine, thickening and volumizing shampoos, sprays, mousse, and even taking prenatal vitamins to get the extra nutrients.  I also ate eggs, seaweed, avocadoes, and any other food item that might help.  I always believed it best to nourish from the inside.  The only thing I hadn’t tried was the FDA approved laser comb/brush that they said also worked – I couldn’t justify investing on one for the price (I think $300 or $600), but if I had no other options I probably would have eventually.

Any additional thoughts/comments on the subject matter of thinning hair and the importance of looking and feeling good about appearance?

That it is frustrating when you've tried everything possible and nothing works, you lose hope and waste money on so many products.  It’s hard to watch so many enticing commercials and it seems to be backed up by research but when you try it, it isn’t as effective as you expected. Even so, you  want to try them because you are in desperate need of a solution.

Do you have any advice for others that are also experiencing the same issue of hair loss?

Yes, try Viviscal.  It worked for me so I stopped looking at other products!

What are the most important factors in selecting a hair loss solution?

Ease of use, ingredients that are as natural as possible, effectiveness and affordability.  For the value I get with a 3-month supply, I am willing to make that investment for healthy hair.   I am pretty patient so even if the change is gradual at first, I welcome it.  It doesn’t have to offer immediate results, and it’s healthier that way as well.

What type of research have you done on the subject of hair loss and what resources do you find most beneficial?

I actually had heard of Viviscal years ago and tried it, but over time I think I stopped because my hair loss stopped too.  I didn’t think it was around anymore after all those years, and when I saw it again in a health magazine and being endorsed by Finola Hughes, my belief was re-confirmed again.  If she was willing to attest that it worked for her, then it should still work for me.   I also look for blogs and reviews on the web and Viviscal had returned many positive comments.

For those struggling with cancer, and possibly chemotherapy, hair loss should be the last thing they are concerned about. But for 45 year-old Cathy Fisher, losing her hair "was devastating and marked the lowest point in her illness."

"I woke up one morning feeling like death and I looked at the pillow and there was my hair. It was devastating."

Fisher recalls not being able to wear a scarf or wig when it was too hot out and how people would stare at her.

Cathy now volunteers at Breast Cancer Care's Headstrong service, a program in the UK, which provides support from other cancer patients who lost their hair during treatment.

"Yes, you will learn how to tie a scarf and be shown how to look after your scalp, but the biggest thing is the understanding and being able to talk to someone who's been there and knows how it feels," says Fisher. "As soon as I was told what Headstrong offers, I was immediately interested because it would have made a real difference to me."


Read the entire story at Wales Online: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2010/08/30/losing-my-hair-was-devastating-says-breast-cancer-survivor-91466-27164140/