Kyle Weatherman [00:00:04]:
I know this is easier said than done, but I’ve done it is just go and just do it. Whether it is just going in for the consultation at first, having them meet with you and seeing, you know, just what it’s about, what it’s like, going and meeting with them and you understanding how they’re there for you and they’re going to take care of you and they want you to make you feel good. That’s what it’s all about.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:38]:
Welcome to Hairpod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Ralston, and each week I get to interview people from different walks of life whose lives have been touched by hair loss in some form or fashion. Many of our guests have experienced hair loss themselves and found a way to get their confidence and their hair back. Today on hairpod, we’re excited to welcome Kyle Weatherman, a rising star on the NASCAR circuit. His career has taken him from the high speed straightaways of the track to the twists and turns of a stock car drivers world, attending formal sponsored dinners, being photographed by the press, and living as an athlete who is often in the public eye. A few years ago, Kyle noticed his hairline starting to recede. And those of us who have genetic hair loss know that even if you can see it coming like Kyle, it doesnt necessarily make the emotions of losing your hair any easier. Luckily, he had competitors in the NASCAR community who were open about their hair loss and their chosen solutions.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:40]:
We already spoke to Joey Logano and Frankie Muniz about their hair journeys, and if youd like to check out what they had to say on the subject, were going to link you to their episodes in the show notes. For now, though, let’s dive into Kyle’s transition to using a hair system, his experiences on and off the track, and the care routine that keeps him looking and feeling his best.

Kyle Weatherman [00:02:06]:
I just turned 27 this past week, but it started probably 23 24. That’s whenever I really kind of started noticing it and just did something about it, you know, basically a year and a half ago. So, yeah, just, it started early. It started really early for me. And I think racing had a big part of that, wearing the helmet and stuff like that all the time, and then, you know, had the sponsor hat on and just always wearing a hat and genetics, right. I feel like just didn’t get, didn’t get the good gene for hair, right?

Kevin Rolston [00:02:37]:
Yeah, I had that awareness as well. I had a maternal grandfather, and I’d always heard that that was where it was going to come from, and there was a photo of him in my hall growing up. And so I always kind of looked at that and I thought, oh, man, I think that’s probably going to be me one day. So I was on it. It sounds like you did what I did. You jumped on your hair loss issues pretty quick. What did you do and how long did it take and what were the first remedies that you went for?

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:01]:
Gosh, it’s been so good. So there’s been actually a couple of drivers in the community that have jumped on hair club and just love it. The confidence that it brings back. First off, you know, you don’t have to go to the racetrack with a hat on anymore. These sponsor meetings and sponsor dinners that you go to, you know, you’re not.

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:18]:
You don’t wear a hat. So then, you know, you used to be embarrassed to show up and kind.

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:21]:
Of have such a receding hairline. So, yeah, I wasn’t terrible, but it was getting bad right, where it was receding back and, you know, just decided to do something about it, right. And I felt like, really, in anything in life, the faster you can, you.

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:37]:
Know, figure out that you might have.

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:39]:
A problem, something that you’re not confident with or just anything in life, the faster you jump on it and don’t dwell on it, the more confident you’re going to feel in every single area. And the more confident you are, just the better you’re going to be in life and strive to do something better every single day.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:55]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:03:55]:
So, yeah, I am so thankful that.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:58]:
There is and I’m blessed that there.

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:00]:
Is something like this that can provide something like this for someone like me that’s 28 or someone that’s 50, 60, whatever, it doesn’t matter the age group. I mean, you can even get younger than where I’m at if that’s something that, that you’re battling in. And honestly, I wish I’d done it earlier, you know?

Kevin Rolston [00:04:16]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:17]:
There’s that span of three, four, five years, you know, where I was, you know, getting in the shower and dreading it.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:24]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:24]:
Because, you know, when you’re washing your hair, you’re just gonna look at your hands and be depressed.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:30]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:30]:
You know, there’s. There’s that span of years that, heck, I wish I had just jumped on it earlier and took that leap of faith and did it earlier, but I’m glad I did it now.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:39]:
What was step one for you? Did you start with a Google search? Did you talk to somebody that you knew had gone through hair loss issues.

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:46]:
So I saw there was two drivers that did it before me, Frankie Muniz and Joey Logano. I saw that they kind of took that leap and saw that it looked.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:55]:
Great on both of them. I’m like, so why can’t I do that, right?

Kyle Weatherman [00:04:59]:
And just reached out and got with.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:02]:
The good group over here at hair.

Kyle Weatherman [00:05:03]:
Club and they took care of me. I’ve got my own personal stylist that I go to whenever I need it. Go up there in Winston Salem and her name’s Courtney, she takes care of me. She’s just amazing, right? And just brought the confidence back. And like I said, now I can go to these sponsor dinners, go to the racetrack, go on a date with my wife and feel confident and not have to worry about throwing on the 17 million hats that I have. I threw all those away.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:33]:
For Kyle, finding the right hair solution was a game changer. So much so that he felt like he didnt need to hide under a hat anymore. This might leave you wondering how much work is a hair system compared to the ease of just throwing on a hat before you leave the house or after, say, taking off your helmet after hours in a hot car. And I think thats such an important question. Nowadays. We are all short on time and no matter how badly you want to hear a solution like Kyle’s or otherwise, it may not seem feasible if it’s going to take up a lot of your time. I asked Kyle, a relatively new user of hair club, to give us all the details on his daily, weekly and monthly routines.

Kyle Weatherman [00:06:18]:
It hasn’t really changed. Besides that, I have hair, you know, in all honesty.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:24]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:06:24]:
So the routine is very similar to if you had real hair, right. You get in the shower, wash your hair, you know, you put shampoo in twice and just get it clean, lather it up with conditioner and that’s about it really. I mean, there’s different products that they recommend you do, you know, once or twice a month that kind of just strips everything, gets it clean, and then you can kind of just restart again. But other than that, the routine for me is super easy, you know, and yeah, the routine that it is going to appointments, I’ve got a whole list, I’ve actually got it on my fridge right here.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:59]:
A list of appointments that are already.

Kyle Weatherman [00:07:01]:
Set up with hairline. So they’ll peel the piece back, they’ll fix the hairline, that is once a month and then, no, that’s twice a month. And then at the end of every month, I’ll go and get it all the way taken off, you know, refresh it up underneath and then put back on. And it’s just. It’s incredible, right. You know, the piece itself is amazing, right? There’s very, very little lifting throughout the whole month span that it’s on for that full month. You’ll get it here and there. And like I said, I’m a little bit different as well because I’m in race cars that are, you know, 100, 3140 degrees inside those things with a helmet strapped on and sweating to death.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:39]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:07:39]:
So I’m not, I guess, a normal person in that state.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:43]:
Right?

Kyle Weatherman [00:07:43]:
And the product that I have and the piece that I have, you know, stands and with that type of duration.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:50]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:07:51]:
So it’s just incredible.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:52]:
And you have high confidence when you’re wearing it. You’re never worried about your system coming off in your helmet or anything along those lines.

Kyle Weatherman [00:07:59]:
I was initially.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:00]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:01]:
And as anyone would be, but, you know, just over time, I mean, it’s so reliable.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:06]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:06]:
And, yeah, no, I don’t have any.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:09]:
Doubt in my mind, right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:10]:
That when I’m taking the helmet off that it’s not going to not be there, you know? So I do have. And that’s the other thing, right? They set you up with this, like, little kit, right?

Kevin Rolston [00:08:19]:
And if something does start to lift or whatever, right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:22]:
And you’ll get areas towards the end.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:24]:
Of that month or whatever, it looks.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:26]:
Like they’ll set you up, this kid, and you’ve got the exact materials that you’ll need to apply to that area that’ll make it go back down.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:33]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:33]:
So my wife’s got that with me.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:35]:
In her purse just in case something.

Kyle Weatherman [00:08:36]:
Were to happen, right. Whether it’s before the race, you know, we could fix it in the lounge or if it’s after the race or whatever, right. I’ve been a member for, I think, gosh, I don’t even know, probably. It’s almost close to a year now, and I honestly haven’t even. I haven’t even opened the kit.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:56]:
Having been with hair club for over a year, Kyle’s experience shows just how reliable and low maintenance a good hair system can be, even with a lifestyle as intense as his. But beyond reliability, choosing the right option can make all the difference in everyday comfort. The breathable lace base that he uses ensures that even in the heat of the moment, his hair system stays comfortable and natural looking. It’s all about finding the solution that works for your unique needs. And for Kyle, that’s exactly what he found.

Kyle Weatherman [00:09:33]:
The skin system, it can get a little bit hotter underneath. But the lace system that I have here. Incredible, right? You know, it lets the sweat through. It breathes. The skin system.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:43]:
Yes.

Kyle Weatherman [00:09:43]:
Is a little bit hotter.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:44]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:09:45]:
But it just. The hairline that it provides with the skin system is insane. But honestly, with the lace system here as well, that hair club provides, it’s. It is. It is right there with. With the skin system as well, in my opinion.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:57]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:09:57]:
So for me, I sweat a lot, and then obviously, what I do on the weekends.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:01]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:10:01]:
The lace system is definitely the way.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:04]:
To go for me.

Kyle Weatherman [00:10:05]:
Now, if I were to go do a photo shoot with you guys or any type of photo shoot that I would have towards the beginning of the year with sponsors and stuff like that, I would go with a skin system just for, you know, just an amazing hairline.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:17]:
Wow.

Kyle Weatherman [00:10:18]:
Okay. But this lace system here, you know, it provides, you know, very similar aspects and in a lot of areas. But to answer a few more of your questions, yeah, there’s. There’s no problem with. With heat or anything like that. There is a product that I apply, you know, once a week that’ll get rid of any type of itchiness sensation that you may have over a month span if you let it build up. But if you just take care of it weekly and just, uh, it’s called alive that they provide, it knocks it right out and you don’t even have to worry about it.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:47]:
Absolutely. No, it’s great. Yeah. So, I mean, that’s the thing to me, the options that are out there. And I’m, you know, curious how many roads you went down, because even with the hair systems that are offered, there’s varieties in that which I find to be absolutely amazing depending upon where you are, with what your needs are, what your budgets are, and the ability that hair club and various places have to work with you. Was there ever anything that you did before the hair system, or did you go right in and were you worth your hair loss to say, okay, it’s time to go right to a hair system?

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:17]:
Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:17]:
Hair system wise?

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:18]:
No, this is the first step that I took. I spent stupid money on other, like, whether it was pills or product that I could put in it to make it grow back. And you saw all these, you know, commercials that’s like, oh, your hair can come back.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:31]:
Right?

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:31]:
Yeah, it just didn’t work for me.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:33]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:33]:
And I. And I spent way too much money trying to do that. And once again, I wish I’d have just three or four years ago before where I took the leap here. I wish I’d just done it back then and I’d have saved money, not wasted my time there, and just got it fixed initially.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:46]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:46]:
And, you know, it. It was obviously. Yeah. Just. Just fighting for it.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:51]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:11:51]:
And trying to keep it there, but it just. It just wasn’t. Wasn’t in the genetics, wasn’t in the genes. And, you know, we did something about it, though.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:58]:
That’s the toughest thing that I hear. And I was right in your boat. I went a much longer time between, you know, finding the hair system and when I started having the hair loss. So I’ve been down that path and can speak to every possible solution that is out there. And, you know, look, I think they all have different levels of success for different people, and it also, too, depends upon where you go. The thing that I’m comfortable with, with hair club is not only is it just one call, one solution, and they can get you right in there and find what is best for you, but I. To me, it’s also having the confidence of a company that has been around for over four decades, that has had experience, that has every product that you would ever possibly want. And I’ve just talked to so many people now, I don’t know if you ever spend any time on Instagram or some social medias, but they’re always hitting you with different kinds of places that have hair loss remedies.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:44]:
And these are startups, a lot of them, and places that haven’t been around for that long. And so, to me, to have a place that you trust to know that you’re going in there and the money that you have is going to be well spent to an actual solution, rather than a hopeful promise that gets you back to nowhere. I imagine that’s probably frustrating for you when you spend a lot of money on something and you realize that it didn’t work at all.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:05]:
Oh, for sure. And you’re exactly right. I mean, it’s just time wasted in a sense.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:10]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:10]:
And confidence lost and, you know, anxiety and depression that might arise when you’re.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:16]:
Dealing with those problems.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:18]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:18]:
And obviously, you want it fixed, and there’s an easy fix. And you actually said it right. I mean, this isn’t a startup company.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:25]:
That might have a solution or might.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:27]:
Be able to get it fixed.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:28]:
You come in and they get it fixed, it’s a done deal.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:31]:
And they’ve already worked through all the bugs and all the problems that might.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:35]:
Arise, and they have a solution for.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:37]:
Anything that might occur.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:39]:
And every person is different.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:41]:
And here’s the coolest part.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:43]:
And it took about two months for.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:45]:
Them to figure out exactly what type.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:46]:
Of adhesive that they could use for.

Kyle Weatherman [00:13:48]:
My skin and my breakdown and stuff like that, you know, but even, even to that, right, with what’s what it is, it is adhesive or whatever that word is stuck to your head with. You know, they’ve got so many different type of materials that they work with for different people, and it just, they’ve got a solution for anybody that has that problem and they can get it handled.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:14]:
Hair club understands that everyone’s needs are different, whether its finding the right base material, matching a specific hair texture, or selecting an adhesive thats just right for each individual. Their stylists are true experts, trained to navigate these nuances and create a personalized experience for every client. For Kyle, having the same stylist every month means a consistent, reliable experience. But what if hes on the road? Hairclubs network allows him to drop into any location, ensuring he’s always covered, even while traveling. It’s that kind of flexibility and tailored care that keeps Kyle confident no matter where his journey takes him.

Kyle Weatherman [00:14:58]:
I’ve got a great routine set up, you know? So like I said, I go to Courtney in Winston Salem. She’s amazing. Trust her with everything. Right.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:06]:
That’s great. Okay.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:07]:
The best part is, is I do travel a lot. Right. There’s places we can go anywhere, and all it takes is one phone call.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:16]:
If it’s an emergency, they can fit you in.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:18]:
And they’ve said that so many times at so many different areas and locations have not had to use that just because I’m set up on a really good plan and feel confident with where I’m at.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:27]:
But to know that that’s there.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:28]:
If I go to Sonoma, California, or whatever, it just got everywhere. Phoenix, Arizona. It doesn’t matter where you’re at that.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:37]:
They’Ve got a solution there if there’s a problem.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:39]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:39]:
And, you know, so just the confidence on, on my work where it’s, it does involve traveling and the heat that I deal with and the sweat that I produce.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:49]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:49]:
They’ve got a problem for, they’ve got a fix for all the problems that.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:53]:
That might occur and.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:54]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:15:54]:
It’s like you said, they’ve been in it for a while and just got it all figured out.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:58]:
Another massive advantage. Absolutely. Yeah. That’s really cool. So tell me a little bit about for you, the confidence that it gives. You talked about how before you’re wearing a lot of caps and you’re doing a lot of publicity. You’re always on camera. And I kind of had that as well with a camera that kind of pointed out we had a dome camera in our studios and the show that I do, and it was always showing the bald spot.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:22]:
And that was what really propelled me to do it. Was there that kind of moment of insecurity, was there something that you always saw a reflection or just whatever you’re doing that really kind of propelled you to first make that call?

Kyle Weatherman [00:16:34]:
Oh, for sure. I hated the way that I looked, in a sense of my receding hairline and hair loss that I was dealing with.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:41]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:16:41]:
So any type of pictures that I got, you know, I would do anything I can to get the perfect angle or, yeah, just wear a hat or.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:50]:
Whatever that looks like.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:51]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:16:52]:
And there’s multiple times where there’s situations.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:54]:
Where I can’t wear a hat. Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:16:55]:
Whether it’s going to, you know, a fancy sponsored dinner or, you know, whatever.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:59]:
That may look like.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:00]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:01]:
I guess the biggest, another big thing.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:03]:
For us as drivers when we’re doing.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:04]:
You know, prayer and the national anthem, you know, they always go around with, with tv cameras and stuff like that. And, you know, you’re praying your head’s down, so bam, you got that right there.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:14]:
You know, you’re, the hat has to come off and you have to show the crown of your head, the hat’s off.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:21]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:21]:
Yeah. You’re there, you’re praying and. Or national anthem.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:25]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:25]:
And they’ll get right in there on your face and you see the nice receding hairline. It’s just, yeah, it’s, it was, it was embarrassing and just loss of confidence very quickly. And look, any guy that, that says that they don’t lose confidence with a receding hairline unless you have an amazing.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:43]:
Bald head, which I don’t.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:44]:
That wasn’t a decision that I was going to do either, is I don’t have a good bald head.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:49]:
I know, I know. I wish I could. On the same way I look terrible with a shaved head.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:53]:
Yeah. Some people pull it off.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:54]:
I’m not that guy.

Kyle Weatherman [00:17:55]:
So other than, other than those guys, if you have a receding hairline and you’re trying to keep your hair and you say that you’re not losing confidence or don’t feel great about yourself in certain ways and aspects, then, you know, they’re probably not telling you the truth.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:09]:
You’re right. Yeah. It sounds like your wife is very supportive of you doing the hair system.

Kyle Weatherman [00:18:14]:
Yeah, she is. She is. From day one.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:16]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:18:16]:
And we actually both deal with similar aspects.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:20]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:18:20]:
She actually goes to hair club as well. She battles with trickle tilamania, you know, so it’s a genetic disorder that she deals with that causes her to pull her hair. And, you know, hair club has helped her as well. So we’re both in this together. I think this is so cool. We’re, we’re a great couple and in so many different areas and she’s my big support system. Yeah, she was all about it and at that time she had a different solution that she was using to help with what she had going on. But Hairclub stepped up as well and.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:47]:
Our help of both of us. And I know that she’s getting on.

Kyle Weatherman [00:18:50]:
Here pretty soon with the podcast with you guys as well. And I’m excited to see that and just see both sides.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:56]:
Yeah, absolutely. Got her coming up and you know, that’s one thing I think a lot of people don’t realize is that so many women and for various reasons are dealing with their own issues with hair loss. And, you know, too often it just seems like hair club is something or whatever your solution might be, is a problem that only men seem to have. And that’s definitely not true at all. So as your wife will tell us coming up here in another episode.

Kyle Weatherman [00:19:16]:
So, yeah, I mean, the biggest thing I would say is, and I get it, scary looking at it from the outside, looking in and what this would look like and what this would potentially do, I know this is easier said than done, but I’ve done it, is just go and just do it.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:31]:
Whether it is just going in for.

Kyle Weatherman [00:19:32]:
The consultation at first, having them meet with you and seeing, you know, just what it’s about, what it’s like going and meeting with them and you understanding how they’re there for you and they’re going to take care of you and they want you to make you feel good. That’s what it’s all about.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:45]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:19:45]:
And that would be the biggest thing that I would say is just take.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:48]:
The leap of faith at least to.

Kyle Weatherman [00:19:49]:
Go in and have the consultation, at least meet with them and understand how nice every single, you know, person there is and literally just wanting to help you.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:59]:
Right.

Kyle Weatherman [00:19:59]:
And that’s what I would say is, and I know it’s easier said than done, but coming for me, I’ve done it. Just, just go do it. Just go in there and see them.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:06]:
That’s right. Well, Kyle, I can’t wait to watch for you during the prayer and the national anthem. And I’m going to check out that amazing head of hair that you have and the pride that you got doing it.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:15]:
Yes, sir.

Kyle Weatherman [00:20:15]:
Yes, sir. No, I appreciate it. And it’s can’t thank everything that hair club has done for me and my wife as well. And, you know, it’ll be in the family. I’m sure our kids down the future will unfortunately have the amazing blessed jeans that I’m going to transfer over to them. So once that happens, they’re going straight to hair club as well.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:39]:
For Kyle, embracing hair loss wasnt just about finding a solution for himself. It was about feeling like himself. Kyles story is a testament to what is possible if the people in your life are open about their issue with hair loss and supportive of others on their own journeys. Kyle found support in other NASCAR drivers and his wife, who is also a proudhair club client. With their guidance, he found his way to a hair system that fits his needs within a couple of years after his hair started thinning. Deciding to do something about your hair loss is a deeply personal decision. And as Kyle suggests, sometimes it just takes that first step, a leap of faith, to explore what’s possible. As his story shows, there’s a solution out there for everyone.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:25]:
As his story shows, there’s a solution out there for everyone. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who have been through hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. And thank you for listening to another episode of Hairpod. Check us out at Hair Club on Instagram or search Hairpod on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you would share it with them. If youre enjoying the show, consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcast dot hairclub.com.

Kevin Rolston [00:22:05]:
we’re here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone. And when you share, review and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time.

Ariel Rawlings [00:00:04]:
It is genetic. So I had to have the genetic trait from both of my parents. And then since it’s autoimmune, you have to have an environmental trigger as well. The genetic from both my parents is weird because I had never heard of alopecia before in my life. Until my hair started falling out. I didn’t even know what it was. Nobody in my family has it, so it’s just like silently been passed down. Genetically, genetics are weird, but somehow both my parents had the alopecia trait, and I got both of that from them.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:45]:
Welcome to Hairpod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Ralston. And each week I get to interview people from different walks of life whose lives have been touched by hair loss in some form or fashion. Many of our guests have experienced hair loss themselves and found a way to get their confidence and their hair back. This week, were talking to Ariel Rawlings, who came on the show to share her experience living with alopecia universalis. For those who may not already know, alopecia universalis is a rare and severe form of alopecia areata that causes complete hair loss across the entire scalp and body, including eyebrows, eyelashes, and all other body hair. According to the National Institute of Health, this hair loss is caused by an autoimmune response where the immune system attacks hair follicles. While alopecia affects around 2% of people worldwide at some point in their lives, alopecia universalis is even less common.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:48]:
Ariel’s story is not just about the experience of losing the hair itself, but of finding a way to live that makes her feel comfortable and confident. And in doing so, finding a new life path, helping other women do the same, were starting back at the beginning when Ariel first noticed her hair loss. Like many women, she suffered from postpartum hair loss after her children were born. But after her second baby, something was different. Her hair wasnt growing back.

Ariel Rawlings [00:02:20]:
A lot of women experience hair loss after pregnancy, and I had that with my first, and it, you know, just postpartum hair loss with my second. It just, it started as what I thought was postpartum hair loss. And, you know, there was some thyroid issues going on that I thought corrected the hair loss. But it really, you know, a matter of months after I started the thyroid medication, it just all fell out, everything. And I think it was directly related to, you know, hormones are crazy after pregnancy. And then our baby was just one of those kids that cried all the time and never slept. So with autoimmune if you’re high stress like that can trigger it. So that was my trigger, I think, was just the stress of this little baby that never slept.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:12]:
Wow, that’s so tough because I know in those instances you may not be paying too much to yourself because you’ve got this new life that you’re giving all of your attention and focus to. So what was that like? Tell me about the thought process that went through it and how extreme did it get? Because im sure at first you might notice a little bit and think, okay, my body has gone through a lot here giving birth, and so this is just part of the process. When did the alarm bells start going off? How bad did it get?

Ariel Rawlings [00:03:40]:
Yeah, so like I said, at first I thought it was just postpartum hair loss because that happened with the previous child that I had. And, you know, it was a little bit worse than that. So I was able to get in and see my doctor, and she diagnosed me with low thyroid or whatever and then went about my way, like a couple months, you know, after that it started falling out again and we would find, like, wads of hair in the laundry or, you know, every time I took a shower, like, I’m like scraping all this hair out of my hands and, like, just, you know, vacuuming hair up all the time. Like, the vacuum was full of hair. Like, you would not believe how much hair you have until it starts falling out.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:23]:
Right.

Ariel Rawlings [00:04:23]:
And a lot of those, you know, alarming things started happening. And I am very much a person that’s like, just brush it off and, you know, it’ll get better. Don’t worry about it. But it’s kind of, like, hard to ignore when you can see my scalp and there’s spots of total hair loss. And so I also really had to advocate for myself with my physician because, you know, I was like, I think I need to come back in. I think it’s getting worse. It’s not getting better. And there was no urgency from my physician.

Ariel Rawlings [00:05:00]:
And then when I finally got in to see her, she was like, oh, you weren’t kidding.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:04]:
Wow.

Ariel Rawlings [00:05:05]:
No, I wasn’t kidding about that. And even to get an alopecia diagnosis, in my experience, I really did have to like, and, you know, the doctors just didn’t care as much as I cared about it. It felt like. So I really had to advocate for myself to get that diagnosis and get them to pay attention to what was going on. So I pretty much diagnosed myself before I finally got into the doctor and got a diagnosis. But the timeline really was, yeah, the timeline was, you know, about four months postpartum, I started experiencing postpartum hair loss, what I thought was postpartum hair loss. And, you know, it was really extreme. So maybe a couple months after that, I went in to see the physician, and they prescribed me with low thyroid.

Ariel Rawlings [00:05:47]:
I had blood, a ton of blood drawn through this whole experience.

Inquisitive Co-host [00:05:51]:
That sounds like fun.

Ariel Rawlings [00:05:52]:
Yeah. I got on, like, a thyroid supplement medication that, you know, at the time, which is funny looking back on, but that, like, being told that I needed to take this thyroid medication for the rest of my life was devastating because I do not take medication. Like, I pride myself in that. And there was maybe a little bit of, you know, obviously some pride in that, like, feeling like the world was ending a little bit there. But looking back, that was not a big deal at all. But, you know, in the moment, what my experience. But, you know, I started taking that thyroid medication, and the hair loss pretty much stopped, like, for a month or two after taking that, and then it just, like, rapidly fell out after that. So I don’t know if, like, so it.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:38]:
I don’t know why it stopped.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:40]:
And then all of a sudden, it picks up. But it’s more intense than it was before.

Ariel Rawlings [00:06:44]:
Yes, exactly. So it was, like, quite an emotional roller coaster.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:48]:
Oh, yeah. Like, wow, great.

Ariel Rawlings [00:06:50]:
You know, this is the answer. Everything’s gonna be fine. My hair is growing back. And then a few months later, like, this is all. So I had my baby in August, and then, so this is all happening around the holidays, too. And so, like, I. Thanksgiving to Christmas. Like, I went from, you know, being able to go out and people wouldn’t really notice.

Ariel Rawlings [00:07:12]:
It was more just me noticing it to having, like, hardly any hair at all. Whoa. So, yeah, it took, like, a month or so, and, like, all the hair on my head fell out, and then the month after that, like, eyebrows, eyelashes, like, everything. So.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:27]:
No, everywhere. Oh, my goodness.

Ariel Rawlings [00:07:30]:
Yeah. Yeah. Like, no arm hair?

Kevin Rolston [00:07:33]:
No. Wow.

Ariel Rawlings [00:07:36]:
Yeah. And then, so after I got the thyroid diagnosis, it took me until February to get an alopecia diagnosis.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:48]:
Ariel was going through so much, as if the stress of parenting both a child and a newborn while dealing with sudden, aggressive hair loss wasn’t enough, Ariel had to tirelessly advocate for herself while seeking a diagnosis with her physician. And its important that she did. Unlike a broken leg or a life threatening illness, hair loss is seen as an aesthetic or cosmetic issue. So it isnt always prioritized by doctors. But as anyone who has experienced hair loss knows, it can be so much more than that. Hair loss can sometimes indicate other health concerns, like hormonal issues or lack of nutrition. But even if someone who is experiencing hair loss is otherwise healthy, the emotional toll caused by hair loss in many cases shouldn’t be ignored. For many people, hair is an important part of how we see ourselves.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:38]:
It can even be a part of how we envision the future. Like it was for Ariel.

Ariel Rawlings [00:08:48]:
As a female, my hair was part of my identity, and, like, I didn’t realize it, but, like, I had pictured my future, like, with my daughter, like, playing with my hair or, like, giving eyelash kisses, you know, like, with my little kids.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:04]:
Like, you want to take photos, right? And part of taking a photo with your kid is you want your kid to look cute, but you also want to look good yourself in those photos.

Ariel Rawlings [00:09:13]:
Yeah. And my kids played a vital role in, like, my emotional state through it because I wanted to be a good example to my daughter. Washington two. And I had my baby boy, and so I wanted to show her that, you know, I am still me. You know, there’s more to me than my hair. So I challenged myself a lot, and I was lucky to have a supportive husband and supportive family around me, which was huge. But it didn’t take me too long to, like, embrace it in a way, which is. It’s a constant struggle to embrace it.

Ariel Rawlings [00:09:48]:
But I feel like I was able to adapt quickly. You know, I challenged myself to go out without hair. You know, I hadn’t really gotten into the world of wigs yet. You know, at the beginning, I had a wig that my mom bought me that was terrible.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:02]:
Thanks, mom.

Ariel Rawlings [00:10:02]:
I just didn’t know what options were out there. Yeah, thanks, mom. Really. But we just didn’t know. But, yeah, there was definitely a lot of tears. I think the hardest emotional thing, hurdle for me was my relationship with my husband.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:17]:
Yeah.

Ariel Rawlings [00:10:18]:
Because I felt like, in a way, I was letting him down. Like, we got married and, like, you know, we’ve been married for 13 years now, but I just, like, you married me, and I looked a certain way, and I know that I’m not going to look that way forever, but I just never pictured, like, being so drastically different than the woman that you married. And, like, over the years, just his reassurance has, you know, strengthened our relationship and shown me, like, goes both ways. Like, it’s not about, you know, it’s about who you are. Like, he always tells me, I have the same smile, I have the same eyes. Like, I’m still me. So there was a lot of tears, particularly to him. And, like, just, like, him convincing me that he was still.

Ariel Rawlings [00:10:58]:
Still loved me and was thought I was beautiful with or without hair. So that was the huge emotional hurdle. And, like, even today, I sometimes just wish I had hair. It would make things easier. So there’s still emotional days. I think that’s just the way it goes.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:13]:
But you are so fortunate that you had a great support team and something that really supported you. And I know you can’t take yourself to a place where you didn’t. But tell me a little bit about your self talk, because the way that we talk to ourselves is very important. And you’re going through this, and there’s somebody right now that’s listening that wishes they had the wonderful husband that you have, and they’re trying to figure out how to talk to themselves about how they feel about their hair loss. What would you say to them? Because what were the struggles you went with? And it sounds like you turned a corner at some point, but I imagine it took a little bit of time. How did you change your self talk to get to that point?

Ariel Rawlings [00:11:50]:
I think one of the biggest things that helped me just realize that I can still live a full life without hair was finding a community and getting to know other women that have gone through this. So, for me, this was right before COVID times. So Instagram was a big thing. There was a lot of people sharing their stories on Instagram at that time. I feel like. I don’t know if it’s still the same, but I was able to find a lot of a few women on Instagram that were sharing their alopecia stories, and that gave me strength just to see them, like, living their life without hair. And it’s fine, and, like, you know, I can still have joy in life without hair. Life goes on.

Ariel Rawlings [00:12:37]:
As far as self talk, I think I’m just a naturally positive person, and I think that helped a lot for my timeline of, you know, working through it and not constantly feeling devastated, but I think it just took time. I think I have learned, too, like, our process of dealing with alopecia, each individual person that goes through this, it’s a little bit different, and you shouldn’t compare your story to anyone else’s.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:04]:
Mm hmm.

Ariel Rawlings [00:13:05]:
I thought that I really needed to, like, to fully embrace who I was. I needed to, like, go out bald all the time and, like, just be unapologetically, like, you know, I thought that.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:15]:
Was, like, you had to own it. You wanted to be authentic in your authentic, true self.

Ariel Rawlings [00:13:19]:
Yeah. But I’ve learned over the years that if I’m more comfortable in a wig. That’s okay.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:24]:
Yeah, right?

Ariel Rawlings [00:13:25]:
Just wear the wig. It’s like, for me, it’s an accessory. Like, I have no problem telling people I wear wigs and I wear different styles and colors all the time. But, yeah, I, you know, other people stick to the same style. They don’t want people to know. And that doesn’t mean, like, I’m any farther along on this acceptance journey than you are. It just means we deal with it differently. And so I think that was a good thing to realize.

Ariel Rawlings [00:13:45]:
You know, I see these women just embracing it fully out and about bald, like, on social media, and I’m like, I need to be that, but I don’t.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:58]:
I loved hearing that Ariel’s support team, her family, her husband, and online community were supportive forces throughout this process. Finding people that will treat you with love and compassion while youre struggling to navigate the emotions of losing your hair can make the process so much easier. And to Ariels point, she was able to find her own unique path through her hair loss. There are many healthy ways to cope, and its up to each person to decide what theirs will be. And socially speaking, our culture is becoming more accepting and stigmatizing hair loss less. But it’s hard to say how things are changing in the medical field.

Ariel Rawlings [00:14:39]:
As far as, like, the medical world being more understanding of it. I think in general, our generation is more accepting of, like, the emotional toll of many things in life, you know, like anxiety and depression. And, you know, it’s a lot more talked about, like, going to counseling and therapy and, and I think we’re taking notice more of the emotional toll of whatever your life experiences are. But it’s hard to say, like, because I’m not talking to the medical field a lot about my alopecia anymore, because I’ve sort of decided to stop seeking medical help for it. I will say, I will speak to it a little bit, too. I’ve have, since I’ve lost my hair, I’ve had the opportunity to open a wig shop here in Round Rock, and I get to see women who are experiencing hair loss. And so it’s so rewarding because so many of them come in and they say, I’ve been to hairstylists, I’ve been to other places, I’ve been to even medical professionals asking for help with this. And nobody understands the emotional toll that it takes.

Ariel Rawlings [00:15:47]:
Like, I’ve had women and their husbands, like, give me hugs and, like, cry, because just having someone that knows the emotional toll that it takes is something they haven’t experienced before. So there’s, you know, it’s not perfect, the medical side of things. I think there’s still room for understanding, and maybe that’s why I share my story, is because maybe they just aren’t going to find that support and empathy from medical professionals. But it’s, there. There’s a great community of support for those dealing with struggling with hair loss. There’s Facebook pages that I’m a part of, some that are more local, some that are just people from all over the world. You can find them out there for sure. I find a lot on Instagram, too, just like, even on my Instagram account.

Ariel Rawlings [00:16:37]:
Like, I have women that message me and just for advice or support or, like, whatever. And I’m always happy to talk to people about it and my experience and how I’ve been able to get through it.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:53]:
I think one of the most inspiring, inspiring parts of Ariel’s story is knowing that she now uses her platform and her career to support others who are going through hair loss. She’s come so far since day one from realizing that something wasn’t quite right and her hair wasn’t quite growing back to now being able to speak openly about her hair journey and help others through theirs. I asked her if she could see growth over the course of her journey.

Ariel Rawlings [00:17:24]:
Yeah. I mean, mentally for sure, emotionally for sure. Even, like, just knowing how to put my eyebrows on and to do eyelashes, you know, like, I look at pictures and I’m like, just. I can just like.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:39]:
So it’s still everything you still have?

Ariel Rawlings [00:17:42]:
Yeah. I mean, nothing. Yeah. Alopecia universalis is the most extreme type of alopecia, and it rare for it to grow back. It can for some people. And when I first got alopecia, I dove deep into the inflammation and, like, autoimmune stuff, and I totally changed my diet and went vegan. And what caused all these natural things?

Kevin Rolston [00:18:05]:
What happened with pregnancy, too, that it was so different? Did they have a. Is it anything the doctors don’t really know?

Ariel Rawlings [00:18:12]:
Okay, well, it is genetic, so I had to have the genetic trait from both of my parents. And then since it’s autoimmune, you have to have an environmental trigger as well.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:22]:
Okay.

Ariel Rawlings [00:18:23]:
The genetic from both my parents is weird because I had never heard of alopecia before in my life. Until my hair started falling out. I didn’t even know what it was. Nobody in my family has it, so it’s just, like, silently been passed down genetically. Genetics are weird, but somehow both my parents had the alopecia trait and I got both of that from them.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:42]:
Oh, wow.

Ariel Rawlings [00:18:43]:
And then if I had an identical twin, she wouldn’t necessarily experience alopecia. You have to have an environmental trigger and the genetic traits from both parents in order to get alopecia.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:56]:
Was giving birth that environmental trigger, or was there something else?

Ariel Rawlings [00:18:59]:
I think it was the stress of postpartum, like not sleeping. This poor little boy cried all the time.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:07]:
Oh, boy.

Ariel Rawlings [00:19:10]:
Yeah, it’s hard when you’re not sleeping. And I had a lot of. I had pretty bad postpartum anxiety, probably from not sleeping. That just makes everything worse. So it was. And then I had a two year old at the same time. It was a very hard time in my life. Very stressful.

Ariel Rawlings [00:19:26]:
So that stress is a big trigger for autoimmune. And they say, like, if you can, you know, eliminate the stress and, like, clean your diet, like, you can kind of reverse it. I’ve tried. It didn’t work for me, and maybe some people are better luck with it, but.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:44]:
Right.

Ariel Rawlings [00:19:44]:
There’s also, like, the FDA’s approved recently a couple of drugs that treat it that actually work. There’s just weird side effects that you have to take into account. You know, you have to balance the value versus the risk. So it’s not a perfect answer.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:59]:
I thought I knew about everything when it came to hair loss. Ariel, talking to you today, I learned so much more. You were very educational and inspiring at the same time. And high five your husband for me because he is an awesome dude. And I’m so happy that you have that ingrown support team to be there with you and help you through this. Thank you so much for taking the time today.

Ariel Rawlings [00:20:21]:
Yes, thank you so much for having me. I love sharing my story because there’s hope after hair loss, and I want everybody to know that. I want people that are in the place that I was, where I was crying every night and didn’t know who I was when I looked in the mirror. Like, there’s life beyond that, and there’s joy and hope, and you can live your life to its fullest still.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:48]:
We want to thank Ariel for joining us today and sharing her story of hope. The experiences she shared are a powerful reminder that something as challenging as hair loss can be a catalyst for growth, community, and self discovery. To everyone out there who is dealing with any form of alopecia, we hope Ariel’s story has inspired you to advocate for yourself, to seek out the resources and support that you need, and to remember that you are not alone. Finding a strong support system, whether it’s friends, family or community of others who understand can make all the difference. No matter where you are in your journey, remember that there is always hope and there are people who care and want to help. Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpot. If you’re looking for a community to connect with, you can always check us out at Hair Club on Instagram or search Hairpot on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you would share it with them.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:47]:
If you’re enjoying the show, consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcast hairclub. We’re here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone. And when you share, review and subscribe it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time.