Ways to Cope: Trichotillomania and Anxiety

Ways to Cope: Trichotillomania and Anxiety

Episode 50

Ways to Cope: Trichotillomania and Anxiety

Ways To Cope: Trichotillomania and Anxiety
This week on HairPod, I spoke with Meg Weatherman about living with trichotillomania, a mental health disorder that caused her to start pulling out her own hair in the second grade. Listen in to hear how she manages this condition and how she has found hope through support and self-care.

Understanding Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a mental health condition classified under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. For Meg, it started as what seemed like a harmless habit—tugging at her eyelashes. However, as the behavior escalated, she began pulling her hair more frequently. Neither Meg nor her parents initially understood the condition, making it difficult to find effective interventions. Many people with trichotillomania struggle with self-blame, but research indicates that TTM is rooted in mental health, often linked to underlying conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder.

The Emotional Toll of Hair Loss

Hair loss, regardless of the cause, can be an emotionally challenging experience. It often leads to feelings of isolation and confusion, particularly for individuals who develop trichotillomania at a young age. Meg began experiencing noticeable hair loss at just eight years old, leading to additional struggles at school. The lack of awareness about trichotillomania contributed to bullying and name-calling from classmates, further increasing her anxiety and worsening her symptoms. This cycle continued until she sought help from mental health professionals. Meg encourages parents and educators to foster empathy among children, as people struggling with hair loss—especially due to mental health disorders—often face silent battles.

Solutions for Hair Loss: Trichotillomania

Finding the right hair loss solution for trichotillomania is a highly personal process, requiring trial and error. Meg experimented with various solutions before discovering what made her feel most confident. She prefers **hair toppers**, which provide the coverage she desires while allowing her to remove them as needed to care for her scalp. Beyond external solutions, self-care plays a crucial role in her journey. Prioritizing wellness, mental health support, and self-confidence-building activities have helped her manage her condition more effectively. While no single solution works for everyone, a combination of personalized hair restoration options and mental health treatment can make a significant difference.

Meg’s story sheds light on the challenges of living with trichotillomania and highlights the importance of awareness, support, and self-acceptance. With the right approach, individuals struggling with TTM can regain confidence and take meaningful steps toward healing.

Empowering Resources

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Episode.50 Transcript

Meg Weatherman [00:00:02]:

You are beautifully made. God has a plan for your life. I know it’s tough. I know what you’re going through is so hard. But you are going to come out on the other side. You are going to be used for a purpose, and you are going to be okay because he has a plan and you are going to be great. And whether you’re a Christian or not, I think encouraging, you are going to be okay. You are going to get through this.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:00:25]:

You, you are building character. We are going to help. We are here for you. All those things as well. That’s more of what I would have filled myself with.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:00:47]:

Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Rolston, 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 on HairPod, we’re going to be hearing from Meg Weatherman. Meg has lived with trichotillomania, or TTM, since the second grade. For those who may not know, trichotillomania is a mental health condition characterized by a compulsive urge to pull out one’s own hair. This can sometimes lead to bald patches on the scalp, eyelashes, or eyebrows, which can have a big impact on a person’s confidence and self esteem. Trichotillomania is often misunderstood and underdiagnosed due to the social stigma that surrounds both the mental health and hair loss aspects of the condition.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:01:45]:

In today’s conversation, Meg will share her own personal journey, her challenges growing up with TTM, and advice she has for people going through this experience and those who love them.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:02:00]:

Trichotillomania is an OCD generalized anxiety disorder that results in you pulling your hair out. It is a form of release. And at the time, you know, second grade, I started on my eyelashes and I just figured, oh, it’s just a habit. And I used to tell my mom, it feels good. I don’t know why, but it feels good. And over the years, it moved to my eyebrows. And then it moved. Eventually, as life got more chaotic, it moved to my hair on my head.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:02:32]:

And, yeah, and being so young, you don’t know what it is. And I think at that time, a lot of people didn’t know what it was either. It was very, you know, even now, I think only 14% of people have it. It’s very rare. It’s not a well Known, well studied disorder. So being so young and having professionals not even really know what it is or how to treat it, it was very challenging at that time.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:01]:

Now, my question, you don’t have to get. I’m not asking you about exactly what was going on, but I am trying to find, did you have a childhood trauma? Did you have something else that was triggering this, or was it just that? Do you know what was causing the OCD and why it got to the point where you were pulling your own hair out?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:03:16]:

Well, in the second grade, no, you know, I think second to about fifth grade, I think. I don’t know how other kids would deal with just stress of school and maybe, you know, making friends and all that, but I think maybe that’s how my personal way of dealing with just stress of nervousness was 6th grade, my parents did get a divorce. That was kind of nasty. So all that kind of amped it all up and that’s when it kind of moved to my head and all that and the hair on my head and everything. So I can see that progression. But as from second grade to about fifth grade, I think it was just. I got nervous. I was just a nervous child with certain situations, and I think that’s how it came about.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:04:00]:

If you will tell me a little.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:04:02]:

Bit about how your parents handled it when they saw that something was going on. Because here you are, you’re doing this in an era where it’s. It’s not really heard of. And you’re probably wondering, why is. Why is my daughter doing this? Why is she. Did you start to get noticeable signs of it? Were you getting little bald spots? And sometimes what happens with trichotillomania.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:04:19]:

So from second to fifth grade, when we didn’t know what it was, I would pull my eyelashes. So I was having like, I had one eye and I focused on this one. I don’t know why, but that has zero eyelashes. And at the time, my mom was like. And my dad, they were like, why are you doing this? And I would say, well, it feels good. I don’t know why I’m doing it. And they’re like, well, we don’t do it. You know, we’re not going to do that.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:04:40]:

And them thinking it was just a nervous habit, you know, it was more of a, okay, well if you do this, we’re going to have to punish you or we’re going to take something away. And like, and I’m not blaming them for that. I think they were doing the best they could, was trying to help me. You Know, get to stop. Because they didn’t know how to handle it. They didn’t understand that it’s an actual chemical imbalance in the brain. You know, no one did.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:05:02]:

Yeah.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:05:02]:

So up until that point of the divorce, when they saw, okay, this is progressing into something bigger, like, she’s going to need to get some help, therapy, counseling. And they started hearing from professionals. She’s not doing this for attention. She’s not doing this just to do it. Like, she actually has a chemical imbalance in her brain. And it became more of a. Okay, well, how can I help relieve some of this stress? Why don’t we, you know, do something? Let’s try. Let’s go out, let’s talk, let’s see a therapist.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:05:31]:

Let’s do. Let’s try to train your brain in another way so you don’t do this as much. Let’s try to find, identify triggers, that kind of thing. So it was a growing process and a learning process for both of us. Right.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:05:44]:

So how long did this take to get to that point? Because I imagine you had to go through trial and error. You had to talk to a lot of specialists, and you had to get to the point where you got a diagnosis so you could try to pinpoint, to come up with a remedy for it. What was that journey like, and how long did it take?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:05:59]:

Oh, it took years. I’m still on the journey, honestly. Yeah.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:06:02]:

Really? Wow.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:06:03]:

I mean, I’m still. I still have tendencies to want to pull my hair out and I’ll still catch myself. Oh, yeah. And it’s. I think it’s just as I’ve gotten older, I’ve identified, you know, the triggers and things like that. And sometimes it is habitual. You really. You’ve done it for so long at this point.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:06:21]:

But back then I would say, oh, gosh, it took years because, like I said, even the professionals weren’t really sure about what it was. Or they would say, okay, well, she’s going through family’s going through divorce. Let’s focus on that in turn. Maybe that’ll help heal some of this that she’s dealing with as well. So it was definitely trial and error. And I actually didn’t get a real sense of help until I went to a doctor. She was just a family doctor. And she said, this is your anxiety.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:06:53]:

And I had never heard, you know, this is anxiety. This is your anxiety, and it is manifesting physically. That was something because you couldn’t see it. It was very foreign. Right. And I got on antidepressants, small dose and we began to see a really big help. And I’m not one that’s, you know, you should or shouldn’t. I think whatever works for you, you should do so.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:07:16]:

Over the years, it’s been, okay, you know, I’m in a really stressful section of, like, portion of my life. I’m going to be on these antidepressants, or I’m going to up my dose or, okay, you know what, things are kind of mellowing out. I’m going to, under doctor supervision, go down in my dosage. And that has helped me, along with, you know, physical activity, working out, eating right, those kind of things. But it has been over the course of 10, 15 years, trial and error and learning, as everybody else learns as well.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:07:49]:

Listening to Meg’s journey is a powerful reminder that dealing with a condition you don’t completely understand and that the people around you don’t understand can feel really isolating. It’s one thing to grapple with your own confusion and emotions, but it’s an entirely different challenge when others around you don’t understand it either. For many kids with trichotillomania, school becomes a tough environment, not just because of the condition itself, but because of how peers react to it. Unfortunately, Meg wasn’t immune to the cruelty of childhood bullies. In this next clip, she shares what it was like to deal with that and how it shaped her early experiences.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:08:33]:

Kids are so not all kids, but a lot of kids are mean, you know, and you see something that’s different. And I think as parents, we really have to. We like, I’m a kid, a parent. I’m not a parent. I have dogs, okay? I have dogs. Those are my kids.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:08:48]:

Wise choice.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:08:50]:

But, you know, I think for my past experience, I remember I would have bald spots and people would call me Patches. I would try to cover things up with makeup. And I did not know what I was doing. You know, I’m like 10 years old, and I’m like, okay, let’s draw on eyebrows today. Oh, they look like lines, right? And then I started wearing wigs and hair toppers and all these things. And I didn’t. But I didn’t have high quality things. But kids were very mean.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:09:19]:

And in turn, I was anxious about being out in public. So then that anxiety manifests and I do it more. So it was a lose, lose situation. But I definitely, for me, I feel like, in a way, I’m thankful for it because it’s given me. You don’t like a view. You don’t know what everybody’s going through. So no matter what someone looks like or what they are, how they are acting, it gives you the opportunity to show grace to them and to maybe be there for them in a way that nobody else is. But, you know, as parents, I think they have a responsibility to.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:09:51]:

If they see their kids maybe talking about somebody who at school is going through something similar or anything different at all to say, hey, you know, like, we don’t know what they’re going through. Why don’t you try being kind to them? Maybe you should try talking to them. And, you know, easier said than done, but it can make a really big impact, 100%.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:09]:

So you had noticeable signs of trichotillomania when you were second, fifth, sixth grade? How long did that manifest itself? How long did you have those? And then what was it like afterwards? Because, you know, we’re. We’re kind of doing this like we’re talking about. Adults are nice, too, but there are adult bullies, you know, and you’ll have somebody that’s a. That should be all grown and should know a lot better that still is going to make a very unchoiced comment about your appearance that can still cut just like it did when you were a kid. So what was that journey like? And how did you start getting on top of your symptoms and the way you looked with the trichotillomania? And what was it like as you got older?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:10:46]:

I think because it hurt so bad, you know, As I was younger, I would carry those insecurities into my relationships as I got older. When I started dating, I was so nervous because I was like, oh, he’s not gonna like the way I look. He’s not gonna like me if, you know, he knows about this. I even had one guy look at me one time, literally look at my head and say, what is this? And your heart sinks because you’re like, oh, my. You know, and it’s like, it breaks your heart because you’re like. It’s actually my biggest insecurity. But thank you for pointing that out.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:19]:

Do you remember about what age you were when that happened?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:11:22]:

I was 20 when that happened.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:24]:

Oh, no.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:11:25]:

Yeah. And I also didn’t have the best choice in men back then, so.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:30]:

Well, that’s what you do at 20, right?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:11:32]:

You know, it’s okay. Thank God for Kyle.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:36]:

That’s right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:11:37]:

But, you know, very much. Gosh, it carried over so much. And even still, you know, I’ll think, man, I wish I could look like this. I wish I could wear my hair like this. But I Feel like I’ve gotten to a place, and a lot of the. And I don’t mean to be preachy, but my faith plays a big part of this. I’m a Christian, so a lot of it plays into, God, please help me. Please fix this.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:11:57]:

You know, when I was little, I would pray, God, please let me wake up and have all my eyelashes. Right, Right. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to where I’m like, okay, well, if we’re not gonna take it away, help me use it for good. And I’ve gotten to a place where I accept it, and I’ve realized we all have stuff. We all have things we wish we could change, and we all have things that we struggle with.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:18]:

Right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:12:19]:

Just because mine looks different than yours, it’s all relative. Right? So I found a lot of strength. I found a lot of strength in being open and honest with it and talking about it openly, because I’m like, if this can help people, why would I not? Right?

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:34]:

Right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:12:35]:

So that’s the way I’ve learned to view it.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:42]:

Bullying is an experience no child should have to face. But for those dealing with visible conditions like trichotillomania or other forms of hair loss, it’s an unfortunate reality. What’s truly inspiring, though, is how Meg has found strength in her story and the courage to open up about her struggles. It’s a reminder that speaking out, even when it’s hard, can create space for understanding and change. It’s a reminder that speaking out, even when it’s hard, can create space for understanding and change. Her journey also sheds light on an important topic. The important role parents play in supporting kids dealing with hair loss. Whether it’s due to trichotillomania, alopecia, medical treatments, or other causes, the emotional toll of hair loss can be difficult for anyone to handle.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:13:30]:

And especially for children trying to navigate school, friendships and self confidence, it’s normal for parents watching their kids struggle with this to find, feel helpless or unsure of what to do.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:13:46]:

I would say, as a parent, I would be reassuring and comforting, as in, it is, okay, you can try again. We’re gonna try again tomorrow. Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself. Those kind of things, that kind of encouragement, being encouraging, that is so simple, so big, because your child is already frustrated and disappointed in themselves for their own reasons. They don’t need to feel like, my parent is now disappointed and frustrated with me as well, because nine times out of 10, your child is already disappointed in themselves and they’re beating themselves up because of it. So I would say encouraging your child, taking them to get help, talking to their primary care physician about it, about the different things that they believe, doing your own research, being your child’s advocate, but never being angry at your child over something they physically cannot control. You know, I feel like those things combined really, really make for a lot of hope. And honestly, I say I’ll be there for your kid, but really be there for your kid.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:14:54]:

Talk to them, see what’s going on. Say, do you get, you know, ask the questions. Don’t just say, what’s wrong? Really think about the questions that you’re asking. Like, are you nervous about going to school today? Are you nervous people are going to make fun of you? Make detailed questions, not just a generalized question. Because a lot of times, at least for me, I could not pinpoint specifically what I was nervous about or what I was anxious about until somebody said, do you get nervous about this? Do you get anxious about this? How do you feel when you walk into a room and people start looking at you? Things like that?

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:28]:

Right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:15:29]:

It really is helpful. And then in turn, when they respond, you encourage them. And I feel like, for me personally, that’s what helped me.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:36]:

So that’s a little bit of the mental side of it. Now tell me a little bit about the physical side, because you had mentioned some things that you had done.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:15:43]:

Yes.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:43]:

So if we’re talking about the physical, what are some of the best ways to cover some of the signs of someone who has trichotillomania?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:15:50]:

So it was trial and error, let me tell you, so bad. I have some photos that I think we need to lock away forever. But I pull them out and I’m like, oh, my word. I left the house looking like that. Lord have mercy. But, you know, they have specialists now, like hair club, that can custom make pieces for your hair. I did wigs. I did.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:16:17]:

I had a comb over at one point because I had a lot of bending right here. I was like, right, rocking it. And I was like, those are the photos we don’t need to pull out after a kid.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:28]:

Right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:16:29]:

But a wig. I used a wig. I wouldn’t recommend a wig unless you absolutely had to. I did get to a point where I was fed up and I just shaved my head and threw on a wig and was like, okay, we’re starting over. I was over it. I was about 18 when that happened, because I was just fed up. I was like, I look crazy. Let’s just.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:16:50]:

Blank canvas. Let’s start over. And I did.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:52]:

And how long did you do that for. Did that get you where you.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:16:55]:

It actually helped.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:56]:

Were you confident in your look?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:16:57]:

It helped a lot because, I mean, I didn’t like the wigs. The wigs were for me, it was not my preference, but it got me to where I could really get a hold of the pulling and my mental state. And your hair is shaved down. You can’t really pull it out. So it was really. I had to learn how to cope in a different way. So that helped me. But I don’t know that I would recommend that for everybody.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:17:21]:

But definitely a hair topper has been my go to. I’ve got this one from Hair Club. It’s great. You just snap it on. They custom match everything. You can take it off at night. And I would also invest in a lot of self care. I love doing things that I know are going to encourage hair growth.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:17:39]:

Scalp treatments, oils, all those kind of things. Because I feel like I’m being proactive with trying to help and encourage hair growth. So all those things have helped me over the course of this whole journey.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:17:52]:

How tied in is the physical to the mental? Because it sounds like as physically you started to feel more confident that mentally your trichotillomania subsided a bit.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:18:03]:

Oh, 100%.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:18:05]:

So there’s a definite connection between those two things.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:18:07]:

Oh yeah. Because you feel like, and I don’t, I don’t mean this in like a vain way, but you feel like, I don’t want to mess up. You know, I feel so good. I feel like I look decent now. I don’t, you know, people aren’t pointing, people aren’t looking and you know, saying things, it makes you feel like, okay, you know, I, I have, I want to have more self control. I think when you’re in a place where you’re just so not where you want to be physically, you feel like what’s the point? At some right points and you’re.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:18:35]:

And building your confidence is a big part of this whole process.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:18:38]:

Oh yeah, 100%. 100%.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:18:41]:

And then having the hair toppers or whatever you used is one of the ways that you got there.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:18:46]:

Oh yeah, 100%. My hair topper has been my saving grace because it’s great. It’s not like you have to wear it all the time. You can take it off, you’re able to see your hair growth, you’re able to cover if you mess up. But it’s not something that’s smothering your head like a wig might be, which I’m not against wigs, but at the same time, you don’t need one or you don’t really want one, you have another option which is really great.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:19:12]:

No matter what type of hair loss you’re experiencing, finding the right solution is usually a journey of trial and error, just like it was for Meg. It can be frustrating and it takes patience and resilience to keep searching until you find what works for you. Like any learning experience, it can be really challenging. And sometimes the greatest healing comes when you find ways to help others with the knowledge you’ve gained.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:19:43]:

So if you had to go back and talk to yourself when you were a third or a fourth grader and you have the signs of the trichotillomania and you’re confused and you’re being bullied and you don’t know how to get yourself looking good and maybe your parents don’t even understand you, somebody’s been through it. What do you say to them?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:20:00]:

Oh, my gosh, you’re gonna make me cry. Oh, my word. I would just. Well, first I would say, and again, I, this is me. So I’m, I’m a Christian. This is just what I would say. I would, you know, you are beautifully made. God has a plan for your life.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:20:18]:

I know it’s tough. I know what you’re going through is so hard. But you are going to come out on the other side. You are going to be used for a purpose and you are going to be okay because he has a plan and you are going to be great. And whether you’re a Christian or not, I think encouraging, you are going to be okay. You are going to get through this. You are building character. We are going to help.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:20:41]:

We are here for you. All those things as well. That’s more of what I would have filled myself with.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:49]:

Yeah.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:20:49]:

Back that age.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:50]:

And I think, you know, faith based or not, I think that people need to realize that sometimes you go through valleys. You don’t understand why you’re there, but sometimes when you come out on the other side, you don’t realize who is waiting in line that needs to hear from you and they need to understand your struggle. And you don’t have that same kind of impact if you haven’t been through it. I’m not going to listen to somebody that doesn’t relate to my own problems and how I feel. And now you’ve got girls out there that are going through Chicktown mania that it would be confusing. I mean, why am I pulling in my hair? Why am I having these issues? Why am I getting bullied worse than I was. And, you know, I think it’s amazing and I appreciate you coming on to talk to those people out there. And I’m hoping that we can connect with some, you know, little girls or boys that are going through this.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:21:35]:

They can realize that, hey, there’s a, there’s hope.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:21:37]:

And I, I even, you know, I lost my mom this past year to breast cancer. But this whole, her whole fight has been like a six year thing. And when she was first diagnosed, she looked at me and like, one of the first things she said because she’s, you know, fashionista, big blonde hair, all this stuff was, you gotta help me find a wig. So being able to go and do that and have fun while doing it, and the knowledge that I feel like I’ve acquired over time with hair pieces and lace fronts and toppers and all this stuff, I can see how that too was used for good during that season of our life as well. So it’s definitely, definitely been used for good.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:22:16]:

You were able to bond and what a great way to spend the time that you had left with your mom.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:22:21]:

100%.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:22:22]:

One thing I do want to touch on, Meg, is your relationship with your husband Kyle. And what I think would be interesting is dating and having these insecurities and vulnerabilities that you both, in a sense, you know, you had hair needs. And this is interesting that you have a couple that both has their own hair issues. How did you reveal that to one another? And then, because that’s one thing that you’re probably like, you want to put your best foot forward. At what point in your relationship did that come up? And what were those discussions like? And are you helping each other through your hair journeys now?

 

Meg Weatherman [00:22:58]:

I’m so excited to talk about this because I was so nervous about it, but as we dated and dated some more, I did think, I’m like, how am I going to tell this guy, you know, oh, snap, I really like him. How am I going to say, hey, by the way, your girl here is struggling with some things. And one day we were talking and he was like, I think he was looking in the mirror or something. And he was, you know, huffing and puffing. And I’m like, what? He said, my hair is thinning. And I just look at this. Like, I just hate this. And I was like, this is my moment, you know, oh, that’s great.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:23:29]:

I got one even better. I said, well, you don’t say. And then I told him and he was like, what? You know, And I’m like, yeah, yeah, you know, he was a guy, so I guess he. He is a guy. Not was a guy. He is a guy. And he just wasn’t paying that much attention. He’s like, I never would have known.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:23:49]:

And I’m like, yeah, so maybe we are meant to be.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:23:53]:

That’s so cool.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:23:54]:

That is so now he, like, we laughed about it, and we, you know, we would go. We’d go to. We went to Disney World, and he would say. I’d say, make sure my hair doesn’t blow off, you know, and make jokes about it.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:24:05]:

Right? Yeah.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:24:06]:

But at the same time, he would look at me and say, before he invested in a hairpiece from Hair Club, he would look at me and say, okay, if my. Like, we’d be on a boat or something. And he’d say, if my hair looks bad, like, fix it. Or after he would race, before he got his hairpiece, he would say, make sure you’re at my car with my hat, like always. Like, hey, but it was so nice to feel like you have somebody who has your back.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:24:29]:

Right.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:24:30]:

And is looking out for you. Because he would tell me, he’s like, please make sure my hair looks decent. I don’t want to be interviewed with it looking crazy or something.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:24:38]:

Yeah.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:24:38]:

And I’m thinking the same thing about me. Like, I don’t want to be out in public with it looking crazy. And it was just really great to have that person also.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:24:46]:

That’s so cool. That’s so cool. And I think it speaks to people. Don’t realize how many people are suffering from some form of hair loss or another. Whether it’s male pattern baldness or trichotillomania. This is just something that is out there for a lot of people. And you always feel like you’re alone in these journeys, and it’s so not the case. And that’s why it’s so great to talk to you, because you got a journey.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:25:08]:

It’s different than your husband, but together, you guys have this power and synergy together that is fantastic. You both have a great story.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:25:15]:

Yeah. And I feel like it might be different scenarios, but it’s the same insecurities, Right?

 

Kevin Rolston [00:25:20]:

It is. It is.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:25:21]:

So being able to encourage each other, but also be like, I’m making sure you don’t look how you don’t want to look, and you’re helping me out, and it’s just. It’s really, really great.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:25:31]:

That’s how you know it’s meant to be. I love it.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:25:32]:

I know. I’m like, we both don’t have hair. This is a match made in heaven.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:25:38]:

Well, you both look fantastic. I’ve talked to your husband. I love his hair journey as well. It’s radically different than yours. But what you said today, Meg, it’s just going to be so powerful. I’m excited to get all the comments that we get from people when they have a response to this show. And thank you for taking the time to come, come on and tell your story and be so vulnerable today.

 

Meg Weatherman [00:25:57]:

Yeah, thank you so much too, for speaking out about it. It means a lot.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:26:06]:

We want to thank Meg again for coming on the show and talking to us about her experience with trichotillomania. And we want to thank you for listening today. Meg’s courage, honesty and resilience remind us that no matter what challenges we face, whether it’s trichotillomania or other forms of hair loss or any personal struggles, the most important thing we can do is to support and learn from each other. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom about hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks 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 you’re enjoying the show, consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:26:59]:

We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcasts.hairclub.com 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, subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you until next time.

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The Truth About Topical Hair Loss Treatments

The Truth About Topical Hair Loss Treatments

Episode 49

The Truth About Topical Hair Loss Treatments

The Truth About Topical Hair Loss Treatments
Topical hair loss treatments are one of the first options many people turn to, but it’s not easy to separate effective solutions from marketing hype. Hair restoration surgeon Dr. Ross Kopelman joined me on HairPod to discuss the effectiveness of topical solutions and how to determine if they’re the right fit for you.

Do Topical Hair Loss Treatments Work for Everyone?

Topical hair loss solutions, including serums and leave-in treatments, can benefit both men and women experiencing mild hair thinning or loss. These treatments, however, require consistency and long-term commitment due to the natural hair growth cycle. Dr. Ross Kopelman often recommends topical minoxidil as an effective option for many clients. Still, he cautions that individuals with aggressive or advanced hair loss may need a combination of treatments, as topical solutions alone might not deliver the desired results.

The Role of Natural Topical Solutions for Hair Loss

Natural remedies for hair loss are gaining popularity, with rosemary oil being a standout option. Dr. Kopelman highlighted research comparing rosemary oil to 2% minoxidil, showing promising outcomes, particularly for those unable to use stronger medications, such as pregnant or breastfeeding individuals. While natural solutions can support hair health, they do not directly combat dihydrotestosterone (DHT), one of the primary causes of hair loss. A balanced approach combining natural remedies and proven treatments may offer better results for many.

Treating Hair Loss Holistically

While topical treatments and natural solutions can help manage hair loss, addressing the underlying cause is critical for long-term success. Dr. Kopelman discussed advanced options like oral finasteride and dutasteride, which block DHT, and oral minoxidil, which extends the hair growth phase. Although finasteride and minoxidil are currently the only FDA-approved hair loss treatments, they may carry side effects. Dr. Kopelman emphasized the importance of working with a hair restoration professional to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that minimizes risks and maximizes results.

Can Hair Loss Be Cured?

The idea of a permanent hair loss cure is highly appealing, but Dr. Kopelman clarified that no definitive cure exists at this time. Future advances in genetic modification and cloning could revolutionize the field, but current options like minoxidil and finasteride remain the most effective tools. Success requires patience, professional guidance, and a customized approach tailored to individual needs.

Dr. Kopelman’s insights highlight that while hair loss treatments have evolved significantly, finding the right solution involves understanding the cause, committing to a regimen, and seeking expert support. This holistic approach ensures the best possible outcomes for managing and minimizing hair loss.

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Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.49 Transcript

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:00:02]:

Look, at the end of the day, this is about eating a balanced diet, you know, having all the right nutrients, protein, minerals in your diet. And I think if you’re eating a balanced diet, you don’t necessarily need to seek out an intake of other multivitamins. One of the things that I stress to all of my patients is that having a blood test is essential because we want to make sure your levels are sufficient. If your levels are abnormal, then that’s when we want to do replacement.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:00:41]:

Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Rolston, 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 on HairPod, we’re going to be talking about a topic that you’ve almost certainly crossed paths with if you’re looking for a way to remedy your own hair loss. If you’re searching for solutions that are non invasive or even natural, you’re not alone. There are so many options out there, it’s tough to know where to start. We brought in hair restoration expert Dr. Ross Kopelman to break down this topic and give us some insights into what works, what doesn’t, and why.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:01:33]:

I think one of the challenges with hair loss in general is that you really have to have a commitment to using anything that you’re, you’re using on your hair for a long period of time because, you know, our hair goes through hair cycles. Okay. Expect immediate results. So when I read an article and it says patient applied X shampoo to their hair and the next week they stopped shedding or they started to have new hair growth, I’m very skeptical because we have to wait four to six months to really see the results with whatever you’re applying to your scalp.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:02:07]:

Oh, wow. Okay. And what should it look like? If you have something that is effective, what are the things that you start to notice to say, okay, I’m heading in the right direction.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:02:16]:

So, you know, there’s an objective way to look at this and there’s a subjective way. The objective way is that if you were seeing a dermatologist or a hair surgeon, we would do a trichoscopy test. We’d be able to look at with like a fine microscope at the scalp and we would see new hairs popping up. We would see those little baby vellus hairs turning to thicker hair follicles okay. But if you don’t have that flexibility to see a dermatologist or a hair surgeon, it’s really subjective. You might feel that there’s more density to your scalp, there’s less see through. And the other way that you could do it in a more kind of, I guess, objective way is you could take photos. So you take photos when you start and every couple of weeks.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:02:56]:

I want to do it every single day, but I would do it every couple of weeks. I would take progressive photos. And then that’s another way to kind of measure the success that you’re having.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:03]:

And just how much can it correct. Now, what kind of hair loss would you have to have? Because there’s so many different, you know, scales of how much you’ve lost. And so who would be a good candidate for somebody who wanted to go with something that might be topical? Because I would imagine that your hair loss wouldn’t be severe for this to be the right option for you. Am I correct in that?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:03:26]:

So topical hair loss solutions can really be used for most any patients. The question is, how effective are they going to be? That’s really what this boils down to. If you have mild hair loss, I would say that they’re probably going to have a bigger role to play. But if your hair loss is pretty significant, it’s going to be minuscule in relation to taking an oral medication to address your hair loss.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:49]:

So we already are talking to a limited number of people that are suffering from hair loss and the people who really don’t have a massive case of hair loss in the first place, correct?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:03:58]:

Correct, that’s true.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:04:00]:

So tell me about the different varieties for the people that are out there. When you talk about a topical serum, I assume that’s something that you just kind of put on your scalp, but you know, you have leave in conditioners, you have things like hair masks and other things that are out there. What is your thoughts on the topical serums? Are they effective and if so, which ones?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:04:19]:

Okay, so at the top of the list would be using 5% Rogaine foam. Foam specifically because the liquid form is more irritating to the scalp and because you have to use Rogaine on a daily basis. Now, on the bottle, it’s interesting. I wish I had the bottle in front of me, but on the bottle it says apply twice a day, which you don’t need to do because the half life of this medication is 18 hours. So once a day is more than adequate. Second thing that’s interesting is that we recommend that both men and women use 5% as a concentration when you’re using foam, because the 2% we don’t think is as effective. And even though the bottle says men’s Rogaine, and actually in the back of the bottle of the men’s Rogaine, it says not for women, it’s absolutely safe for women. Okay, so that’s where I would say to start your hair loss journey.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:05:09]:

Why would they do that? Any reason why the company would do that? If it is okay for women, why would they put that?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:05:14]:

Absolutely. That’s a great question. So it’s likely because the Rogaine was originally approved for treating male androgenetic alopecia. They didn’t go through an FDA trial specifically to address female balding. And I also think there’s a marketing play. Yeah. Because they have created a female 2% bottle and now they have a female 5% bottle. But it’s a pink tax.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:05:38]:

It’s the exact same ingredients are in the men’s Rogaine as. As the female Rogaine 5%. So I would say to any female patients, buy the male bottle because it’s cheaper and it’s exactly the same bottle.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:05:50]:

You are hitting really on what I think the nerve of this conversation is, Dr. Kopelman and I feel like a lot of things are marketing hype out there when it comes to hair loss. And even looking at the effective serums, you see right away that these are the kind of things that if you don’t have a full understanding of what you’re getting yourself into, you can really find a pitfall of spending more money than you need or finding something that is not going to be effective at all in the first place.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:06:17]:

Absolutely. Look, this is a huge market. Hair loss impacts millions of men and women, you know, just in the United States alone. And everyone wants to provide some sort of band aid solution. But not everything works.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:06:34]:

Dr. Kopelman’s insight into minoxidil, the generic form of Rogaine, underscores why it’s one of the most well known treatments for hair loss. With millions of users globally, it’s clear that the market for hair loss solutions is massive, driven by a strong demand for effective and accessible options. But minoxidil is just one piece of the puzzle. While it’s backed by years of research, not everyone is ready to commit to products with active chemicals or medications. And that’s where natural solutions enter the conversation, offering an alternative approach for those looking to promote healthier hair without synthetic ingredients.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:07:16]:

So one of the challenges with all these natural hair loss solutions is there haven’t been really an adequate number of studies really looking at these natural solutions to derive really, truly determine how effective they are. With that said, there are some studies that have looked at, for instance, rosemary oil. And what they did was they looked at rosemary oil with a concentration of. What they did was they. They compared rosemary oil topically to 2% minoxidil, okay. And they found that rosemary oil was as effective as applying a 2% solution of minoxidil, which is promising for a lot of people who don’t want to use any medical solutions to address their hair loss. But one of the things that I’m very hesitant about, which I alluded to earlier, is that we really find that 5% minoxidil, and that’s Rogaine is the commercial name. Minoxidil is, is the medicinal name.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:08:09]:

We find that 5% is really what female patients and male patients need to be on. And the 2% is not going to be as effective. It’s not going to give you the bang for the buck that you want in terms of the effectiveness for your hair. But I am in the camp that 2% rosemary oil is as effective as. Not 2% rosemary oil is as Effective as a 2% solution of minoxidil. And I do recommend it to patients who, for instance, like, let’s say you’re breastfeeding or you’re pregnant or you’re thinking about getting pregnant. You know, there’s a lot of medications you can’t be on. So natural solutions like rosemary oil are absolutely something that I’m supportive of.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:08:47]:

And you can do this in conjunction with using other hair loss medications as well. So that’s rosemary oil. Then we have saw palmetto, which is a pill that you can take. And what’s nice about saw palmetto, and I would actually put saw palmetto up at the top of the list as, as a kind of a natural solution. And the reason is that there’s some evidence that, that saw palmetto acts as a DHT blocker. Okay, now, dht. I’m sorry, Kevin, if I’m going too quickly, but interrupt me at any point.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:09:16]:

I love all this stuff. This is great. You’re on fire right now. Keep it going, baby.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:09:20]:

So DHT is dihydrotestosterone. It’s the major, major contributor for androgenetic alopecia. And so there’s evidence to show that it decreases this floating DHT in our bloodstream, which could have a positive impact on preventing hair loss. Because at the end of the Day. That’s, that’s really what we want to do with the rosemary oil. Rosemary oil is not blocking dht. Okay. And either is minoxidil.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:09:47]:

Both of those work in very similar ways, which is improving blood circulation to the scalp. Okay. And prolonging the growth phase of the hair follicle.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:09:57]:

Very different.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:09:58]:

If I had to categorize DHT and just what it does, in a sense that chokes off the hair follicle. Is that correct? Is that really what DHT kind of does when it gets in there?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:10:07]:

Yeah, I would say that’s the number one killer in terms of miniaturizing the hair follicle and eventually leading to complete hair loss.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:14]:

Okay.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:10:15]:

But there’s other components. Remember, hair loss is multifactorial. There’s, there’s hormonal issues going on.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:20]:

Yeah.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:10:21]:

There’s, there’s sometimes underlying medical issues that need to be addressed.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:24]:

Yeah.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:10:25]:

And yeah. So we, we have to look at hair loss from multiple lenses.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:29]:

Okay. So one will be good at kind of minimizing the DHT and then the other is more just about blood flow and kind of creating a healthy scalp in a sense having a good garden with great dirt to grow hair in.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:10:40]:

Absolutely.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:42]:

One real quick sidebar, as we were just talking about the hormonal part of it, kind of the double edged sword here is I know a lot of middle aged men who are dealing with, or women too, or dealing with hair loss. They sometimes look into their hormones. And what’s very popular now is these clinics where you can balance your hormones and you can get testosterone and things like that that, you know, give you a little bit more vigor and umph. And are supposed to balance you out. So my question is, if you were doing something like that and you were doing synthetic testosterone, is that going to in any way increase DHT or be a negative effect on you losing your hair?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:11:21]:

Yeah. So if you’re a female, you’re postmenopausal and you’re looking for hormonal replacement. Well, one of the things I first want to emphasize is that before you went into menopause, your estrogen was very high. And estrogen is protective to prevent hair loss. When you’re in menopause, your estrogen goes for a nose dive and your androgens actually increase. And as they increase, that has an impact on hair loss. And one of the components is, yes, you get an uptick in dht. So if you’re going and you’re getting exogenous testosterone or any increase in those androgens.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:11:56]:

Yeah. That can definitely be a contributing factor for why a female would have progressive hair loss. So it’s something to be cautious about. But at the end of the day, you got to weigh the reasons why you’re getting hormonal replacement. And at the end of the day, our hair is our hair. But there’s probably a different reason why you need those that hormonal replacement.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:16]:

Okay. I just want to know if there’s any kind of cause and effect that was going on there. Now, we’ve talked about some of the natural stuff. One thing that I’m hearing is being hailed as some miracle ingredient for hair growth is biotin. Can you tell me exactly what that is, and is it living up to the hype that I’m hearing?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:12:34]:

So biotin is an important component that helps build the keratin structure of our hair follicle. Okay. So don’t think it’s not important. But one of the things that I spent a lot of time talking about is that we normally have sufficient levels of biotin. It is very, very rare to have a biotin deficiency.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:56]:

Okay.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:12:56]:

One of the problems is that if you are. If you’re taking in too much biotin into your body, one of the risks is that you can have a misleading lab test. Your thyroid levels could be off, your cardiac levels could be off. Doesn’t mean you have a cardiac problem. It just means that, okay, if you were to have blood tests, the blood test might signal that there’s something going on in your body that’s actually not happening. So I always urge patients, don’t seek out exogenous biotin pills. Avoid vitamins that have biotin in them. I think a small amount is okay to ingest, but don’t go for a biotin specific vitamin.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:13:38]:

And then if your shampoos have biotin incorporated into the shampoo, that’s okay. But again, it’s not something you absolutely need because everyone, for the most part, has sufficient levels of biotin in their bloodstream.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:13:57]:

Dr. Kupelman’s perspective on biotin is a good reminder that more isn’t always better when it comes to supplements. While it’s a popular ingredient in hair health products, he makes it clear that taking high doses isn’t necessary and could even be counterproductive. Instead, he highlights the importance of balance and moderation, especially when it comes to what we put in our bodies. This naturally leads to the bigger picture, how our overall nutrition plays a key role in hair health. Let’s dive into Dr. Koppelman’s insights on how what we eat can Impact the strength and vitality of our hair.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:14:39]:

Look, at the end of the day, this is about eating a balanced diet. Okay? So, you know, having all the right nutrients, protein, minerals in your diet. And I think if you’re eating a balanced diet, you don’t necessarily need to seek out an intake of other multivitamins. One of the things that I stress to all of my patients is that having a blood test is essential because we want to make sure your levels are sufficient. If your levels are abnormal, then that’s when we want to do replacement.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:07]:

Okay.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:15:08]:

If you don’t have abnormal levels, there’s no reason to add additional supplements, vitamins, minerals into your diet because those can cause more harm than good and you can get complications from overdosing on certain vitamins and minerals.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:22]:

Oh, wow. Okay. Well then what kind of foods would you recommend? If I want better hair health, are there a couple things you can lay it on the table that are going to help me out?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:15:30]:

Again, it comes back to eating protein, eating your vegetables, eating your fruits. All right, as long as you’re eating a balanced diet, I think you’re in good hands. But I really think at the end of the day, what’s important is for everyone to seek out a blood test and just make sure those levels are normal.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:15:50]:

Dr. Koppelman’s advice about getting a blood test before starting any treatment is a crucial step that often gets overlooked. Understanding your body’s unique needs and potential deficiencies can help guide you toward the most efficient and safe solutions. Once that foundation is set, the next step is exploring proven treatments. When it comes to hair loss, There are only two FDA approved options on the market. Finasteride and Minoxidil. Here’s Dr. Kopelman explaining why these treatments have stood the test of rigorous clinical trials and what makes them the gold standard in hair restoration.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:16:31]:

There are only two medications that are approved by the FDA for hair loss, and that’s finasteride and minoxidil. Off label, we use dutasteride. Now, dutasteride and finasteride are DHT blockers. As we discussed earlier, DHT is a major contributor for hair loss for both men and for women. Finasteride blocks the ability for the DHT to to build up by about 65%. And Dutasteride does it by about 90%. Now it’s off label. There’s not a lot of doctors in the United States that feel comfortable prescribing dutasteride because it’s not FDA approved.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:17:11]:

But as a physician, we can prescribe medications that are off label. And in fact, I put most of my patients on dutasteride and I find it to be most effective. Now with, when we talk about DHT blockers, we can only prescribe these medications to certain populations of patients because you can’t give a DHT blocker to a premenopausal woman who has not been pregnant before because of the teratogenic risk to a fetus. So there’s a limit in terms of what we can prescribe to women. For men, we can prescribe DHT blockers at any age when they’re in their 20s, their 30s and whatnot. The only time we encourage a male to stop finasteride or dutasteride is before they’re trying to get pregnant, because there is some evidence that sperm count decreases. And the last thing that you want to do as a physician is have any contributing factor. You don’t want to contribute at all to why they might not be able to have children.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:18:11]:

But at the same time, there’s no evidence in the literature that that’s ever been the case. But if you want to take the highest level of precaution, I advise patients, to male patients, to stop these DHT blockers. Now, females can take finasteride and dutasteride. When they’re absolutely done having kids, it’s safe for them to do that, and it’s very effective. The next medication we have is oral minoxidil. Now, we talked about Rogaine and we talked about that as a topical solution. Oral minoxidil is also a great medication to do, join in combination with one of these DHT blockers, it’s safe to give oral minoxidil to premenopausal women. And again, when you take an oral pill, it’s very effective at helping prolong the growth phase, thicken the hair follicle.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:18:55]:

So very effective. Now, the third drug I’ll talk about, because we prescribe this commonly to women, is spironolactone. Spironolactone is a drug that’s been used by millions of people to treat acne. But what we find is if we use a small dose for men, it’s very effective for preventing. Now, the finasteride and dutasteride block the ability for more DHT to be made. Spironolactone blocks the ability for the DHT to bind to the androgen receptor. So when we combine a small dose of spironolactone, we can prevent the DHC from binding to the receptor. And so for Women, we give a higher dose.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:19:40]:

For men, we give a smaller dose. And those are really the three main. The four main drugs that are at. Are in our arsenal. And then underneath that, then we go to topical solutions, and we talk about Rogaine, we talk about rosemary oil, we talk about saw palmetto. And there’s. Then, obviously, we keep going down and down and down on the list, and there’s more and more treatments, but the most effective treatments are always going to be oral solutions.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:06]:

Really. Okay, over the topical?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:20:08]:

Over the topical, yes.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:10]:

So to hedge your bets, if you are concerned about losing your hair, should you get on everything that you just talked about?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:20:18]:

So it really depends upon how severe your hair loss is and what age you’re at.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:23]:

Okay.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:20:24]:

You really want to throw the kitchen sink at your hair. Now, at the same time, we want to be very cautious because we don’t want complications, we don’t want side effects. So sometimes with some of my patients, we go incrementally. We start where they feel comfortable. But, yes, I’m in the camp that the more aggressive we are at addressing your hair loss, the better. But sometimes it’s better to go slow because you put in one drug, you see how effective it is. You put in another drug, you see how much. What that incremental increase is, and then you can moderate based upon what you think is what’s working and what’s not working.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:59]:

Okay. Now, we talk about a lot of oral medications here that you say are very effective, and they’re getting you there, but it’s still not the ultimate cure for baldness. And my question, in your expert opinion. I’ve seen studies that are even done. There’s one about a sugar gel that was made from sugars that occur naturally in the human body. They tested on mice, and it seemed to help them grow new hair follicles. Almost like a miracle cure for balding that you take a pill and guess what? You got. Hair again.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:21:29]:

Are we close to the absolute cure for hair loss in humans?

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:21:35]:

Well, I don’t. I don’t think that’s an. That’s not targeting the root cause of why we have hair loss. I think that study looked at dexoribose sugars in a similar way. They discovered that when you rub this sugar in the area where you’re experiencing hair loss, what it’s doing is it’s stimulating blood circulation and blood flow to the hair follicle, which is important for bringing nutrients and oxygen. Very similar to what we would do if you used a topical minoxidil, a rosemary oil, anything that you’re applying to your scalp to improve circulation. So they’re suggesting that maybe it’s in that camp in terms of being effective to stimulate the growth phase. But what it’s not doing is it’s not targeting that DHT which is contributing to hair loss.

 

Dr. Ross Kopelman [00:22:18]:

And at the end of the day we’re really, Kevin, at the, I think the, the early stages of really being able to target why we have hair loss and genetically do modifications. But that’s, I believe that’s not going to be for a while and a lot of that’s going to come down to CRISPR technology, genetic modifications. I think we have a long time until that happens. I will still be doing hair transplants for a while.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:22:47]:

While the technology and treatments we have today can’t completely cure hair loss, the scientific community is making progress in understanding and targeting its root causes. From the science behind FDA approved treatments to the role of nutrition and natural solutions, Dr. Koppelman provided many valuable insights to help demystify the options that are out there. We want to thank Dr. Koppelman for sharing his expertise and shedding light on the thoughtful on the science backed approach we can take toward better hair health. His practical advice is a great reminder that while the journey may not be easy, the tools to take the first step are within reach.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:23:26]:

If you want to take the first.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:23:28]:

Step, check out our show Notes for a link to a free consultation to determine the extent of your hair loss and to start the process of getting yourself back to a healthy, full head of hair. 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. Thanks 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’d share it with them. 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.com we’re here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:24:21]:

And when you share, review and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you until next time.

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Hair Loss & Hashimoto’s Disease

Hair Loss & Hashimoto’s Disease

Episode 48

Hair Loss & Hashimoto’s Disease

Hair Loss & Hashimoto's Disease | Emily Kiberd
Is thyroid dysfunction causing your hair loss? In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Emily Kiberd, an expert in thyroid health. She talked about this little organ’s role in all the processes in our bodies, symptoms of thyroid dysfunction, and practical steps you can take today to improve your thyroid’s health.

Thyroid Function and Hair Health

The thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped organ, plays a critical role in regulating every metabolic process in the body by secreting essential hormones. Symptoms of thyroid dysfunction can include fatigue, difficulty losing weight, brain fog, feeling cold, and hair loss. According to Dr. Kiberd, many women experience these symptoms for up to ten years before receiving proper treatment. The connection between thyroid health and hair loss is often overlooked, making early detection and management essential.

Is a Thyroid Disorder Causing Your Hair Loss?

Diagnosing thyroid-related hair loss begins with simple blood tests to detect hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. However, recognizing the symptoms as thyroid-related may require a specialist. Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune thyroid disorder, is responsible for 90% of hypothyroidism cases. Stress, hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors can trigger thyroid issues in genetically predisposed individuals. Reducing stressors on the body is key to alleviating symptoms like hair thinning and restoring hormonal balance.

Improve Your Thyroid and Hair Health

Dr. Kiberd emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to thyroid health. Start with dietary adjustments that include nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins and vegetables, ensure adequate sleep, manage stress effectively, and avoid overtraining. Identifying environmental stressors and adopting healthy lifestyle habits can significantly improve thyroid function. While self-care is a great starting point, working with a healthcare professional is essential for accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment plans. This approach not only supports thyroid health but can also promote faster hair regrowth if thyroid dysfunction is the underlying cause of your hair loss.

Empowering Resources

Book a Complimentary HairClub Consultation Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.48 Transcript

Emily Kiberd [00:00:02]:

Well, I would say that the majority of women who have Hashimoto’s have had symptoms 10 years before they actually got diagnosed. Some of the symptoms would be fatigue, difficulty losing weight, brain fog, feeling cold all the time. So feeling like maybe they need to wrap themselves up in a scarf, but it’s not that cold outside, constipation, feeling like food kind of sits in your stomach, moving slow through your stomach. And so most women, it takes about 10 years before they get to their

 

Emily Kiberd [00:00:28]:

diagnosis, even though they had symptoms early,

 

Emily Kiberd [00:00:31]:

and maybe their symptoms were brushed off.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:00:46]:

Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Rolston, 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, we’re going to be talking about one small organ in the human body and its profound impact on every metabolic process, including digestion, brain function, and, yes, even hair growth. When this system gets out of whack, for some reason or another, both men and women can experience hair thinning. If you haven’t guessed already, we’re going to get educated on the thyroid, how it works, symptoms of thyroid disorders, and most importantly, what you can do right now to start taking care of your thyroid. And there’s nobody better to help us out with this than Dr. Emily Kiberd.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:01:42]:

After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, he she modified her lifestyle to support her physical health, and now she helps others do the exact same. So whether you’re already concerned about your thyroid health or you’re not even sure what the thyroid does, you are in the right place.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:01]:

So the thyroid gland is a little butterfly shaped gland in the front of our neck, and it secretes hormones that are responsible for every single metabolic process in our body. Every single cell needs thyroid hormones.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:02:16]:

Every single cell, everything that your body.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:02:19]:

Is regulated by the thyroid?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:22]:

Yeah. So every metabolic process, your heart beating, digestion, hair growth, the nutrition of your skin, brain function, every single thing, every.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:33]:

Metabolic process in the body needs thyroid hormones.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:36]:

So when there is dysfunction of our.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:38]:

Thyroid, it shows up in every single organ system of the body.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:02:43]:

So I’ve heard of people that have a thyroid condition. I assume it starts with symptoms, but then how do you get to the point where you can actually diagnose and say you have a thyroid condition? What points the finger exactly to the thyroid?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:58]:

Yeah.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:02:58]:

So typically it’s a blood draw where we’re looking at different thyroid markers. Not only how much thyroid hormone is your thyroid secreting, but also the signal from the brain to the thyroid to say, hey, squirt some thyroid hormones. And then also your ability to convert the thyroid hormone from the inactive to.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:22]:

The active form so that it can get pushed into the cell and actually used.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:27]:

Okay.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:28]:

And then there’s also tests to see.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:30]:

If you have antibodies attacking your thyroid.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:33]:

Hormones, not only from the thyroid gland, but but also thyroid hormones circulating in the blood. So it’s a blood test.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:40]:

Okay.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:40]:

And you usually put symptoms and match.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:44]:

It with the blood test.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:45]:

When you have a problem with your.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:03:46]:

Thyroid, what typically triggers that problem? What makes it an issue?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:03:50]:

Yeah, so typically there is some stressor. Sometimes it’s transition through hormonal phases of life, so pregnancy or postpartum moving into perimenopause or menopause. It can also be stressors from nutrition or some sort of exposure to something. Food sensitivities, environmental load.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:12]:

Can even be emotional stressors affecting the thyroid gland.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:15]:

Like going through a divorce or, you.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:18]:

Know, losing a loved one. Yeah.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:04:20]:

So it sounds to me like when you have a thyroid condition, you may be able to diagnose that you have a thyroid condition, but then figuring out what has triggered the issues with the thyroid, that could be more complicated.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:32]:

Yeah.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:33]:

So typically, people are starting to feel tired, and not just tired after they.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:39]:

Exert themselves, but they wake up tired, and they’re tired all day. Typically, they have trouble losing weight.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:44]:

So what used to work, like move more, eat less isn’t working anymore, and.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:49]:

They’Re putting on weight, and they’re holding.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:51]:

Onto it, and they don’t know why.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:53]:

Their brain starts to get foggy.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:55]:

They’re like, oh, I.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:56]:

Where’s my keys?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:04:57]:

How it. Like, they try to end their sentence and they forgot what they were saying or where they were going, and digestion slows. This is specifically for hypothyroidism.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:06]:

So an underactive thyroid.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:08]:

You can also have hyperthyroidism, where you.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:10]:

Have an overactive thyroid.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:11]:

And the symptoms would be the opposite of what I’m saying. But right now, specifically, I’m talking about hypothyroidism.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:17]:

So your digestion slows constipation. And then one of the other things that shows up is hair loss.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:05:22]:

So people showering and, like, clumps, chunks of hair coming out or the outer third of your eyebrow starting to disappear. You know, women having to be like, oh, I got to. Got to pencil that in.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:05:38]:

If you’re experiencing Hair thinning, along with other symptoms like fatigue and weight changes. Learning about hypothyroidism is a great first step, but for many people, it’s not the whole story. Hypothyroidism, also known as an underactive thyroid, happens when the body isn’t producing enough thyroid hormone. But that can have an underlying cause, an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s disease. Hashimoto’s is one of the most common causes of hypothyroidism, yet is often overlooked or even misunderstood. Unlike hypothyroidism that may develop for other reasons. Hashimoto’s involves your immune system attacking your thyroid, creating a cycle of inflammation and hormonal imbalance that can wreak havoc on your body and, yes, your hair.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:06:29]:

So Hashimoto’s is. It’s an autoimmune condition. So basically your body is attacking itself. And the components of Hashimoto’s are an underactive thyroid. So a thyroid that is slowing down.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:06:41]:

So all those symptoms I just shared.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:06:43]:

Hair loss, weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, feeling cold all the time, like you can’t regulate your metabolism or your heat generation. And 90% of people who are hypothyroid.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:06:55]:

So have an underactive thyroid, have the autoimmune piece. So 90% of people who have an.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:01]:

Underactive thyroid, the cause of it is from an autoimmune reaction.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:06]:

Right.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:06]:

And that’s where we start to look at stress, underlying root causes, gut health, environmental load. Usually there’s inflammation involved because the antibodies are getting driven up.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:18]:

So the difference between Hashimoto’s is that.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:21]:

There’S the presence of thyroid antibodies versus.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:25]:

Hypothyroidism is just your thyroid hormones are.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:28]:

Looking sluggish, but there’s not a presence of antibodies.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:32]:

So that’s the difference.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:33]:

But if you have a slow thyroid, the chance of having the autoimmune piece, 90%.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:07:40]:

Okay. So you see things like hair loss, you talk about some of the symptoms that happen with this. And when you start looking at somebody and they, they seem to have these kind of things, how do you start to reverse the processes of Hashimoto’s and how difficult is it?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:07:58]:

Yeah, so we take a look at.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:00]:

Things that are foundational.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:02]:

So how are you eating? There’s a lot of research showing that gluten sensitivity can drive up your thyroid antibodies. So maybe one of the recommendations would be going gluten free, seeing if that changes your labs and your symptoms. Another piece would be, you know, working out sometimes over training can be a stressor and can Drive up antibodies. Right.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:26]:

Another piece would be sleep, and then.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:28]:

Another piece that I always look at.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:30]:

Is just nervous system regulation and stress.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:33]:

So I had a client who, after her second kid, she was really tired.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:38]:

And she kept going to the doctor.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:40]:

And the doctor’s like, mm, I think it’s just your postpartum, your new mom.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:43]:

And then she went to her hairdresser, and her hairdresser’s like, you have chunks of hair, like you have bald spots in the back of your head.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:49]:

And she’s like, it was actually the hairdresser that said, I think you need.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:54]:

To go to an endocrinologist and get your thyroid checked.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:08:57]:

It was the hairdresser.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:08:59]:

That’s crazy. And only then did she then go to the endocrinologist, like, really push for it because it is a specialist. And get a full breadth of labs, because sometimes doctors who maybe aren’t trained.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:15]:

In endocrinology or thyroid hormones only look.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:18]:

At, like, you know, a certain number of labs versus there actually are more labs to look at to really see this conversion happening.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:25]:

Are there presence of antibodies?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:27]:

And so, you know, then she got on thyroid medication, and she started to.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:31]:

Clean up her diet because she did have antibodies.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:33]:

She started to change how she was working out.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:09:35]:

Okay.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:35]:

And her hair grew back. She worked on some gut health H.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:39]:

Pylori and Sibo that came up some.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:41]:

Gut infections that were just adding stress.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:44]:

And load to her system.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:45]:

You know, people often talk about think of your body as like a cup.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:48]:

So all the little stressors.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:09:50]:

Right. So if you have, like, an underlying gut infection, you have some food sensitivities, you know, you’re having a hard time at work, like, all of this fills your cup until it overflows.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:00]:

Typically, there’s a genetic component to having.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:03]:

An autoimmune condition, and these stressors are just adding to the genetics of it that then kind of trip your genetic.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:11]:

Predisposition to turn on the gene of.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:13]:

Having an autoimmune condition.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:15]:

How do you know if you have that predisposition? Is it because you always see it in your parents or your relatives or how would you know?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:23]:

Yeah, I mean, sometimes it’s parents, sisters.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:27]:

You know, siblings, sometimes it’s grandparents. So.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:31]:

Yeah.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:10:31]:

And what do you look for? How would you know that they have had a thyroid condition?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:35]:

Probably very similar symptoms.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:38]:

So difficulty losing weight, always tired. Hair loss, for example. Like, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s after.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:45]:

The birth of my first kiddo back.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:46]:

In 2016, and my mother has thyroid issues. I always kind of like, brushed it Off.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:51]:

And then my sister has thyroid issues. So definitely a genetic piece.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:10:56]:

My mother had ablation, basically, you know, radiation over thyroid, and now is on thyroid meds.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:03]:

I chose to go more of a.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:05]:

Holistic approach of like, okay, I’m gonna.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:07]:

Change how I eat and how I.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:08]:

Work out, and I’m gonna look at gut and look at environmental load like mold and parasite exposure. And I put mine into remission.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:16]:

So I don’t have the symptoms.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:11:17]:

My labs look good, but I still, I know I still have the genetics. So two very different ways of kind of approaching it and addressing it with two very different outco foreign.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:31]:

So we have unpacked Hashimoto’s and its impact on your thyroid and your hair. But here’s the thing. Hair loss has many possible causes, from stress and genetics to nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances. It can be tough to pinpoint the exact reason your hair might be thinning. So how do you know if your thyroid is the root cause?

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:51]:

Well, this is where it gets tricky.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:11:53]:

Thyroid related hair loss typically overlaps with other symptoms, but they can be subtle, especially if the changes have been happening slowly over time. It’s important to listen to your body and if you have significant concerns, to seek a professional diagnosis from a physician.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:13]:

Well, I would say that the majority of women who have Hashimoto’s have had symptoms 10 years before they actually got diagnosed.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:21]:

Okay, what would they be looking for? What would some of the symptoms be?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:24]:

Some of the symptoms would be fatigue, difficulty. Some of the symptoms mentioned before.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:28]:

Difficulty losing weight. Brain fog.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:31]:

Yeah.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:31]:

Feeling cold all the time.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:33]:

Okay.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:33]:

So feeling like maybe they need to like wrap themselves up in a scarf. But it’s not that cold outside. Constipation, feeling like food kind of sits.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:41]:

In your stomach, moving slow through your stomach.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:12:44]:

Okay.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:45]:

And so most women, it takes about.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:47]:

10 years before they get to their.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:48]:

Diagnosis, even though they had symptoms early.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:50]:

And maybe their symptoms were brushed off. To get diagnosed is actually not that.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:55]:

Hard and it’s not that expensive, you.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:12:57]:

Know, but it’s just that I think many potentially trained professionals aren’t always looking for it. So, like, when someone comes to me anytime they have fatigue, I’m thinking, okay, just rule, like, let’s test, not guess. Let’s rule out any sort of, any sort of thyroid symptoms or thyroid as a root cause.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:13:18]:

So as we talk about Hashimoto’s, we talk about the thyroid and how it affects hair loss. How do you start to zero in on the diagnosis that your hair loss is being caused by either one of these things. Is there a way to figure that that is the cause of your hair loss?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:13:36]:

Yeah, I think it would go back to if someone was losing hair as part of. If you were going to make a list.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:13:44]:

So in the medical world, we call this a differential diagnosis. All the potential difference, like potential causes.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:13:50]:

Of hair loss, and then testing to see if those are coming up positive. So, you know, as it relates to.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:13:58]:

Hair, the thyroid hormones are very crucial for the growth and the maintenance of your hair follicles. So when you’re hypothyroid, you have an underactive thyroid. You don’t have enough of these optimal levels of hormones. It now disrupts the normal hair growth cycle.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:15]:

And hair follicles, when you’re hypothyroid can sit in this, like, kind of resting phase, which can lead to hair loss, can lead to hair thinning. So it’s like your body is showing you the sign, and then you just.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:30]:

Need someone to be like, hey, let’s just see if your thyroid is causing.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:34]:

That, or is there something else causing it? Right.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:37]:

So a really good practitioner would make.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:39]:

A differential diagnosis test.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:41]:

Okay, is it your thyroid? Is it this? Is it this? Get to the root cause and then.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:14:45]:

Address it so that ideally, hair growth could happen again.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:14:49]:

Right now, if somebody’s listening to this.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:14:52]:

And it’s speaking to them and they’re thinking that you might be talking to them about what they might have when they go to their doctor, what do they need to ask? Do they ask specifically for a thyroid test? Or what is the request that you make to your doctor?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:05]:

Yeah, I mean, you could ask, like, hey, can you check my thyroid?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:08]:

Could you do a full thyroid panel.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:10]:

And make sure you check thyroid antibodies? I think a really good practitioner, it’s not the client coming asking the questions.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:18]:

It’s the practitioner guiding the way and.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:20]:

Asking the right questions to get to the root cause, which doesn’t always happen. Right. But I think as an empowered individual, and I’m very much that way, too. Like, I want to go to the.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:28]:

Doctor and be empowered with the right questions.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:30]:

So if I was losing hair, I would want a thyroid test. I would want to check a full iron panel, because iron can affect hair growth. I would want to check vitamin D, because vitamin D helps regulate the cycle of the hair follicles and probably B vitamins. Right. So folate, B12, biotin, methylmalonic acid. I’d want them to check for zinc from a mineral perspective. Not like most primary cares might.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:58]:

Probably won’t do that.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:15:59]:

They’re like, we’ll check your thyroid, vitamin D and iron, but definitely because certain.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:03]:

Nutrient deficiencies can lead to hair loss.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:07]:

So I would want those checked as well.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:09]:

Even if you don’t get the diagnosis, you’ve talked a bit about what nutrition and out exterior factors play in thyroid health.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:18]:

Yeah.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:19]:

If I just want to change the game today, what are the foods I need to avoid? What are the things I should be putting in my body if I feel like I have some of these symptoms that immediately would start giving me the good gut health. That would help possibly with the thyroid issue. What do I eat? How do I sleep? What do I do? So I can start correcting it even before I get to the doctor.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:40]:

Yeah. So I think eating protein and veg, I think hitting your optimal protein amount per day, 30 grams minimum per meal.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:49]:

You could shoot for one gram per.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:51]:

Pound of ideal body weight.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:16:53]:

Okay, that’s a good factor.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:54]:

Yeah.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:55]:

Nutrient dense foods, protein, veg, which for.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:58]:

A lot of people might be like.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:16:59]:

Whoa, that feels really extreme.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:01]:

But you know, I think if you want the most bang for your buck, protein is very nutrient dense, so you’re going to get the most nutrients out of it for not a lot of calories, for example. So in terms of sleep, you want, I would say eight hours of sleep, but not only that, you want one.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:20]:

And a half to two hours of deep sleep. So if anyone actually tracks their sleep.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:24]:

And you know, a device like an.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:25]:

Aura or whoop, you want to see 1 1/2 to 2 hours of deep sleep. If you’re not getting that deep sleep.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:30]:

That restorative, restful sleep, you’re going to have brain fog and fatigue and probably have a hard time losing weight and that, you know, your body needs to clear out old dead cells and restore itself. So that would be a piece of sleep.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:46]:

I think a lot of us probably.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:48]:

Get unnecessary blue light at night if we are have the TV on before.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:17:53]:

We go to bed or if we’re looking at our screens. So how can we minimize that blue light? Because that’s going to disrupt your melatonin.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:00]:

That hormone that puts you to bed. So you could either not get on your phone three hours before bed, which.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:05]:

I would say majority of people have.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:07]:

A hard time doing. Or not that I’ve lost faith in humanity whatsoever.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:12]:

I have not.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:13]:

But like, you know, just to get honest here.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:18:15]:

Yeah.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:16]:

Or you could wear blue blocker glasses.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:19]:

Which are filtering out the blue light. Right.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:20]:

And I tell you, when I put on my blue blocker glasses, I immediately am like, whoo. Like really go to Bed early. Like, I feel like, hey, like my melatonin is kicking in, right? Go to bed earlier, get better quality sleep. So in terms of sleep, that would be something, I think, in terms of exposure. So when we think about an autoimmune condition, there’s three factors. There’s genetics, there’s stress, and then there’s gut health. Stress could be in the form of.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:47]:

Emotional stress, environmental stress.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:18:49]:

And so it’s not if we get exposed to things like pesticides, herbicides, mold exposure, it’s when it’s kind of inevitable. Right. A lot of that stuff is in our food, in our air.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:01]:

So how can we just minimize exposure?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:04]:

Getting a high quality water filter, an air filter. You know, I take supplements to help just support detox pathways to whatever I.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:13]:

Do get exposed to, to move it.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:14]:

Through the body and, you know, like, what was it two summers ago, maybe even last summer?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:21]:

Like tons of forest fire, right.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:23]:

Like New York City turned brow for two days straight. Like there are environmental factors that can.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:29]:

Affect inflammation in the body, can affect environmental load in the body.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:34]:

And so it’s kind of inevitable.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:36]:

So what can we do to really.

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:37]:

Minimize and mitigate the exposure that we’re getting?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:19:40]:

Some of those things I mentioned.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:19:42]:

Now, my question, you talked about a.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:19:44]:

Lot of things that even aside from Hashimoto’s or a thyroid issue, you’re just talking about good general wellness, the things that you’re giving me dietarily and what you need to do with sleep and trying to avoid stress and those kind of factors. So let’s say that I am experiencing hair loss or some of the symptoms you’re talking about. Is this something I just can correct on my own and maybe I give this a trial run of listening to your advice and I don’t need to go get a diagnosis for thyroid or Hashimoto’s and I’ll be okay. Or do I need to get under a doctor’s career to properly deal with the thyroid issue or Hashimoto’s?

 

Emily Kiberd [00:20:23]:

Yeah. I would say that if you want quicker results and you want to feel better quicker, I think working with someone will speed that process.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:20:39]:

We’ve explored how the thyroid, particularly in conditions like Hashimoto’s disease, can have a profound impact on your health and your hair. If there’s one takeaway from today, it’s this. Hair loss can be complex. And the sooner you consult a professional about potential underlying causes like thyroid function, the sooner you can take meaningful steps towards solutions that work for you. A big thank you to Dr. Kaiburn for sharing her insights and expertise on thyroid health. This was an enlightening look at how your hair loss, thyroid, hormones and general wellness all are linked together. We’re definitely going to be having her back on the show to tell us a little bit more, so be sure to subscribe if you’d like to hear more on the thyroid and hair loss.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:21:21]:

Thanks 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 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.com 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.

 

Kevin Rolston [00:21:56]:

Until next time.

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Dealing With Hair Loss During The Holidays

Dealing With Hair Loss During The Holidays

Episode 44

Dealing With Hair Loss During The Holidays

Holiday Hair Loss with Dr. Phipps

In this episode of HairPod, we brought Dr. Phipps back in to share her knowledge with us once again! She came on the podcast to tell us how the holiday season can impact our hair, and what we can start doing now to improve our hair and scalp health.

Reducing Stress-Related Hair Loss

Hair loss during the holidays has a few culprits, but one of the main ones is stress. Sure, the holidays bring us a lot of joy, but the impacts of travel, hosting friends or family, attending social events, and gift-giving all add up. Dr. Phipps emphasizes that it is the prolonged stress we experience during the winter season that causes hair loss and not the typical day-to-day stress we all experience. Stress may not cause hair loss in everyone, but people who are prone to male- or female-pattern hair loss may see an increase in their hair loss during stressful periods.

Other Causes of Hair Loss in Winter

Winter-related health concerns can have an impact on our overall hair health. Many people experience more dryness during the winter (this, of course, will depend on your climate), and this can lead to dry and flaky scalps. If dead skin builds up on the scalp, it can become difficult for hair follicles to work in a healthy, normal way, so cleansing the scalp and even moisturizing it can help with scalp and hair health. Dr. Phipps also touches on how diet affects hair health – she says they don’t see many negative impacts from people eating a more rich or sugary diet during the holidays, but diet drugs after the holidays can increase hair loss in some people.

What to Do About Winter Hair Loss

If you want to make sure your hair looks healthy and full in all of your holiday pictures this year, but you’re concerned about hair loss, Dr. Phipps said it’s good to start treating your hair loss issues early. Of course, it can take a few months with certain treatments to start seeing results. To get you through the holiday season, Dr. Phipps recommends HairClub’s Xtrands, a process that weaves fibers into your existing hair to increase density and volume. The consultation to assess if Xtrands will work for your unique situation is free.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.44 Transcript

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:00:02]:

Well, if you’re struggling with hair health, you need to limit the amount of heat and chemicals that you put on your hair. And a lot of those Dyson hair dryers, they’re very high in heat and their wattage, especially the flat irons and the crimpers and all of the new barreling wands and stuff. So to tell them not to use those tools is an act of futility because we’re going to fix our hair and then to put on a heat protectant before you use those heat tools to give some protection to the hair shafts, you are going to use those.


Kevin Rolston [00:00:46]:

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, we’re excited to welcome Dr. Angie Phipps back to the Hair Pod. Her episode about male and female pattern hair loss was so mind blowing, we had to get her back on the hair pod to talk about how the holidays can impact our hair loss and what we can do about it. As the holiday season approaches, we can look forward to spending quality time with our loved ones and maybe even partaking in the festivities with our families and friends. Whether you love extravagant holiday parties or prefer quiet gatherings at home, this is a time to create memories and cherish the people you hold dear.


Kevin Rolston [00:01:44]:

Let’s be honest, as much fun as the holidays can be, they can come.


Kevin Rolston [00:01:48]:

With their share of stress.


Kevin Rolston [00:01:50]:

From long days of travel and juggling family commitments to the pressures of gift giving and hosting events, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. And while we often think about how stress affects our mood or levels, there are those of us who deal with hair loss and we think about how it impacts our hair.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:02:12]:

So when you’re under stress, your body produces a certain hormone called cortisol. And when that cortisol level rises, because your stress level is rising, your hair follicles are very smart little organs, and they recognize that change in that hormone level, and they’re afraid that that cortisol is going to attack them. And so to protect themselves, they will shut down. The cells will shut down and transition into the dormant phase of their life cycle and cause sometimes mass exit of shedding of the hair shafts because all the roots are shutting down trying to protect themselves from that rise in the cortisol level. So that’s bad news, but there’s good news in that that doesn’t cause permanent hair loss. Once the stress levels go down, the cortisol levels lower. Your body recognizes that the hormone levels are back in equilibrium. And then they have to finish out that dormant phase, though that which can last for three to five months.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:03:04]:

Before that, they will, you know, resume back into the growth phase and start to make the new hair shaft again. So the stress during the holidays or stress during any time will come back, but it’s delayed. So you want to kind of minimize the stress as much as you can because you’re going to have to wait for that new hair follicle to grow the hair shaft after it’s had to stay in that dormant phase that it got kicked in. And so it can take three to five months post holidays before the hair starts to grow back.


Kevin Rolston [00:03:29]:

Oh, that’s brutal. For five, five months you can set your hair health back just from the holidays?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:03:35]:

Just from the holidays.


Kevin Rolston [00:03:36]:

It may not be the most wonderful time of year for your hair then. That is rough. Now tell me about what you see. Do you notice this in clients that come in in the new year and.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:03:48]:

Absolutely. January is one of my busiest months. Really, They’ve already, you know, people start stressing. I mean, I’m in my stores right now, it’s only October 1st, and for two weeks I’ve seen Christmas decorations. I’m like, yeah. Now it’s not only are we not celebrating Thanksgiving anymore and jumping to Christmas, now, they’re almost bypassing Halloween.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:06]:

It’s crazy.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:04:07]:

So the stress levels are starting even faster.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:10]:

Yeah.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:04:10]:

So by the time the holidays roll around in the new year, I mean, everybody’s just mentally and physically exhausted and so are your hair follicles. And so January is one of my busiest months for people coming in who just been exhausted and have noticed the decline in their hair health, as well as sometimes their physical and emotional health.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:27]:

Something else is stressful. Not only the holidays, but you have birthdays and things like that. Is this something that you see a pattern throughout the course of the year? Where do you see seasonal hair loss because of the events that, you know, we all seem to be going through?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:04:42]:

Usually not birthdays. That’s not a big stressor. It’s usually Christmas time is the major one because people start preparing for it months in advance. And that stress level starts months in advance. And so it’s prolonged stress, typically, that will cause that reaction. Not just a little bit of daily stress. Because if little bits of daily stress, you know, made your Hair fall out, I’d be bald.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:04]:

Right.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:05]:

I hear you.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:07]:

So we know that stress can cause the hair loss. What about other factors happen during the holidays? For instance, a lot of times our diets go out of whack. Is that something that could affect hair loss?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:05:16]:

Yeah. Okay, so, okay, October, people were thinking, okay, I got two to three months to get these last ten pounds off before the Christmas pictures. And you’ll go on crash diets or start using new medications and trying anything and everything to lose that weight. And it puts your body into a state of catabolism or breaking down. And your body recognizes the change in the homeostasis. And their hair follicles do not like to be in disequilibrium and they think that these changes are going to affect them, so they shut down and you can have shedding. So yeah, your hair follicles are very in tune to everything that’s going on in your body emotionally, physically, hormonally, weight wise, nutrition wise. And so you really got to, you know, keep yourself in check.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:05:59]:

Or you can have hair issues. And then if you’ve got the genetics for male or female pattern hair loss in your system and you compound that with stress, the hair loss can be exponentially even worse because you’re, you’re hitting it by two different mechanisms.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:17]:

Stress impacts all of our physical processes. This is a great reminder of how important it is to stop amidst all the chaos and enjoy the moment. It’s okay to recharge. Your battery, however, feels right for you, whether that’s your daily self care. Doing a favorite activity like journaling or reading, or even keeping up with your fitness routine. After all, self care isn’t just about managing stress. It also includes nourishing our bodies properly with festive meals and delicious treats all around. Some people choose to indulge, while others may become even more mindful of their diets and might even consider weight loss options.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:56]:

This led me to my next question. How do weight loss drugs and our dietary choices affect hair health?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:07:08]:

There is a correlation between the GLP1 medications in certain people. Just like some women undergo hair loss during after childbirth and have a lot of shedding and some women don’t. Some people’s bodies will respond to these weight loss medications in a negative way and it will affect their hair. Now, does it happen to everybody? No, but it definitely can to some people. And you won’t know it till you try it. But just be aware that what you’re doing is. You could be sacrificing some hair health while you’re losing the weight.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:39]:

Wow. Okay, so lose weight.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:07:41]:

Lose hair and weight. So I don’t know what kind of trade off that is for a lot of people, right?


Kevin Rolston [00:07:45]:

I don’t know either.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:46]:

Now tell me about people who might.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:47]:

Be going the other direction. Maybe there’s some people that they’re like, hey, during the holidays, I don’t think about it. I pack on the weight, I don’t take it off. But you might be talking about foods that are sugary, are fatty, you might be having more alcohol. Is that going to have any kind of effect on hair loss?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:08:03]:

Not typically, no. You know, unless you have other metabolic issues that are going on, like if you’re diabetic and your blood sugar is being randomly, you know, raising and raising and raising with these bad foods that you’re eating and not exercising, then that’s making your internal metabolism change and deteriorate. And your hair follicles then will respond to those changes with a stress reaction.


Kevin Rolston [00:08:25]:

Now, have you noticed any kind of correlation when it comes to climate and what might happen? Because as it starts getting cooler in most places of America, does that have any kind of effect on hair loss?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:08:36]:

Climate change does not. Whether you live in the north or south, you know, especially if you’re talking about the genetic component, you either have the genetic sensitivity to the hair in the hair follicle cells for the hormonal changes or you don’t. Because if that were the case, no one would live up north because they’d be bald and everyone would be living in Florida and Texas. We’d only have two states in the country.


Kevin Rolston [00:08:56]:

Yeah, true.


Kevin Rolston [00:08:57]:

Yeah. For me, in the winter where I am, it just means it gets drier and.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:09:03]:

Yes.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:03]:

So my skin dries out.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:09:05]:

Yes. The people in the north do have to be aware of your scalp health because if the scalp gets drier, it can start to form a buildup of skin cells that can then kind of suffocate or smother the hair shafts and the ability for it to produce oil that your hair and scalp needs. And then that could. The same is true if you live in a really, really hot climate where you’re excessively sweating and you have a lot of oil production. So it’s all about maintaining balance, just as everything else is in life as well, with your hair and your scalp, keeping it at the, at a neutral zone so that it’s not too oily, it’s not too dry, just maintaining a neutral balance of scalp and hair health.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:47]:

There you have it, straight from the doctor’s mouth. Balance is the key to our scalp and hair health and balancing out our stress and our hair care regimen can help us hang on to the hair that we have throughout the holidays. But there are some of us who understand what it feels like to go into these family gatherings or holiday party situations and not feel confident because we don’t feel like we look our best. And for some of us, hair loss is that big looming insecurity. So I asked Dr. Phipps what people in that situation can do if they’re looking for a quick fix to help them get through the holiday pictures. Looking and feeling great.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:10:31]:

I got the perfect solution. And it’s hair clubs X strands. So they’re little micro hair extensions that are done almost follicle by follicle and they bond that to the base of the existing hair follicle with non weighted or damaging adhesive. And you can add hundreds of hair follicles to your existing hair to give you that instant volume, instant density, instant color that will make your holiday pictures incredible.


Kevin Rolston [00:11:03]:

Okay, there you go. The secrets to beauty right here and there. A simple quick fix for you. Now let’s talk to people that might be planning a little bit more ahead. Let’s say we’re talking about the new year. And I think it’s probably what you said to start things off was kind of an o yikes moment, hearing about how stress can help you lose your hair and how you see more clients in January. So what could somebody start looking towards right now? Because you got to be thinking about a couple things. What can I be doing on my own for hair health? And then when I try to repair? Because a lot of people look about their body, look about their looks and everything else, it’s a new year, it’s a new you kind of thing.


Kevin Rolston [00:11:42]:

What should they be preparing for for January if they’re not going to have the time or the money to focus on their hair now, how can they start thinking ahead? How would they save money, get themselves financially ready? Or what should they be doing with their diet or routines to make themselves at a better place when it comes January?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:11:59]:

Yeah. So you want to definitely start taking care of your body in a slow but steady pace. None of the crash dieting, none of them, you know, and the medications, while they do work to lose weight, you lose it so rapidly that you sometimes lose muscle mass with that. And it just puts your body into a state of disequilibrium really, really quickly, which does cause a lot of fat dissolving and weight loss rapidly. But that’s not the Most healthy way long term to lose weight because of the negative impact that it can have on your other body systems. So you want to be prepared and try to think about just eating a well balanced diet, trying to get some cardiovascular exercise in two or three times a week and try and get in some weight training two or three times a week to try and increase your, you know, your lean muscle mass so that your hair follicles aren’t being affected by anything that you’re doing to your body by eating poorly or not working out. And then you want to make sure that you’re paying attention to what your weather is and giving yourself the time to do self care and make sure that you’re using a good shampoo, a conditioner, if you’re in dry climates, a leave in conditioner. Because you want your hair shafts and your scalp health to be as good as possible.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:13:13]:

And it takes time for those products to actually have an effect on the scalp and the hair. It’s not a magic wand. So you, you want to start several months in advance and just slowly do it and not expect immediate results. The key to anything being successful is having the right expectations and making sure that you’re giving yourself the time to see the results and not just wanting a, an immediate result. And then when you don’t get it, you jump to something else and you could be doing something more harm than it is good.


Kevin Rolston [00:13:40]:

Now let’s say you have somebody in your life, they are open about their hair loss, they understand it, they want a solution. And let’s say you’re a loving partner of somebody who is going through hair loss or just even hair care. What would be the top products that you would recommend to give as a holiday gift? Anything from a stocking stuffer to this is a little bit more of a big ticket item. What would be some things across the range of prices and sizes that you would recommend when it comes to hair care that you would give for gifts during the holiday season?


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:14:11]:

Yeah. So my number one gift from Santa Claus is a low level light therapy device. It’s a hat, it’s like a baseball hat and it has laser lights in it that you wear for as little as eight minutes a day. And that light will penetrate your scalp skin and photobiochemically stimulate the hair follicle cells to be as strong as possible. So that makes them live longer, it makes them produce thicker hair shafts, and it also helps the health of the scalp because it increases blood flow to the area. So that is a wonderful, wonderful Christmas gift to people who have either thinning hair from genetics or even just naturally have fine thin hair that you don’t might not necessarily have hair loss, but you want to just try and make it more voluminous and the best hair health possible. Now, it has a little bit of a price tag to it, but it’s well worth your money because it does what it’s supposed to do and it’s very, it’s not invasive and it doesn’t take very long to do. It takes eight minutes a day.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:15:10]:

You’re going to do something for eight minutes a day. You know, you’re going to watch a TV show, you’re going to scroll on TikTok, you’re going to do something and just put that hat on. And it’s a wonderful way to increase the health of your scalp and strengthen the hair shafts. And then if you’re having male and female pattern hair loss, a really great stocking stuffer would be Minoxidil. It’s a very inexpensive medical treatment that you can get from hair club that you could put into someone’s stocking to say, hey, I know you’re concerned about your hair health and you know, I want to help you. If you don’t know where how to get started. This is something that’s very inexpensive that you can do at home that doesn’t cost very much.


Kevin Rolston [00:15:50]:

Now, if you’ve been puzzling over gift ideas for that family member who has everything and you know that they’ve been looking for a hair loss solution to try, it’s worth researching these options and seeing if they’re right for you or your loved ones. This made me curious to know if there are any gifts Dr. Phipps would not recommend for people struggling with their hair health.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:16:15]:

Well, if you’re struggling with hair health, you need to limit the amount of heat and chemicals that you put on your hair. And a lot of those Dyson hair dryers, they’re very high in heat and their wattage, especially the flat irons and the crimpers and the all of the new barreling wands and stuff. So, you know, women aren’t not going to fix their hair. So to tell them not to use those tools is an act of futility because we’re going to fix our hair, right? So what you want to do is you want to make sure that you’re nourishing and conditioning your hair, leaving a leave in conditioner, possibly doing a hair mask, and then to put on a heat protectant before you use those heat tools to give some protection to the hair Shafts. If you are going to use those.


Kevin Rolston [00:16:57]:

Is there an alternative instead of giving something that might be damaging to hair that would do about the same thing that you have seen on the market or are you just danged if you do danged if you don’t kind of thing when it comes to Dyson and some of those big brand names that are big for the holidays.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:17:12]:

Yeah. I mean in order to curl hair you have to add heat to it. In order to straighten hair, you have to add heat to it. So there’s no tool out there that’s better than the other one. Other than here’s one tip you could do is a lot of those tools come with different heat settings.


Kevin Rolston [00:17:28]:

Okay.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:17:28]:

You can crank it all the way up to like 420 degrees. That’s just murder on your hair.


Kevin Rolston [00:17:34]:

Wow.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:17:35]:

You’re the layers of your hair shaft, but the hotter it is, the quicker it curls. So you can dial down that heat temperature to the lowest possible and then just take a longer amount of time to curl the hair or straighten the hair so that you it takes a longer time but you’re using less heat, it’s going to be less damaging to the hair. So just allow yourself more time to get ready so that you’re not damaging the hair as much with as much with the tools that you are using.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:01]:

Well, there you go. Everything you need to know about the holidays, the stress that causes the hair loss, how to look good in photos and the gifts to give. I think we’ve touched on basically everything you need to know about hair on the holidays. Always great Talking to you, Dr. Phipps.


Dr. Angela Phipps [00:18:15]:

You too. Thanks for having me back. Can’t wait to talk to you again.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:22]:

I hope our conversation with Dr. Angie Phipps has given you valuable insights into the impacts of diet and stress on our hair health and what you can do starting right now to improve your hair health. I personally am going to try to remember to breathe and slow down this holiday season so I don’t let the stress get to me. And I hope you can find some time to do the exact same thing. And if you know someone who can benefit from what Dr. Phipps share with us in this episode, please go ahead and share with them. You never know how much it could help. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who have been through hair loss or professionals like Dr.


Kevin Rolston [00:19:01]:

Phipps.


Kevin Rolston [00:19:02]:

Make sure to subscribe to the show.


Kevin Rolston [00:19:04]:

On your favorite podcast app. Thanks 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 somebody who could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you would share it with them. 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 podcasts hairclub.com we’re here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone.


Kevin Rolston [00:19:39]:

And when you share, review and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time.

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Come on the Show!

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Holiday Hair Hacks

Holiday Hair Hacks

Episode 43

Holiday Hair Hacks

Holiday Hair Hacks with Kevin Rolston

Ready or not, we are now officially entering the holiday season! In this episode, you’re going to hear some hair hacks to help you get through the holiday season. Attend holiday parties, work events, and all of those evenings with the in-laws with your head held high, even if you’re going through hair loss!

Hair Health – Cleanse and Moisturize

Hair care routines should be adjusted seasonally, so if you haven’t started your winter routine, let this be your sign. Many people struggle with maintaining enough moisture in their skin and hair during the winter, so adding a moisturizing shampoo to your regimen might be the answer for you. Keeping your scalp clean is an essential part of hair health and hair growth, so if you’re worried about thinning hair, find a shampoo that sets your hair follicles up for success. And don’t forget to stay hydrated! 

Add Volume and Texture to Your Hair

Thinning hair can be disguised in the short term by boosting the volume of the hair you do have – to an extent! Of course, it’s best to figure out why your hair is thinning and address the root cause of the issue, but if you have a party to get to tonight, calling your dermatologist or trichologist is probably off the table. In the meantime, using a texturizing spray or powder at the root of your hair can help create lift and give your hair a full appearance, even if it’s not as thick as it used to be. 

Styling Your Hair for Hair Loss

Your hairstyle can significantly impact how thick or full your hair appears to be. If you haven’t seen a professional stylist who works with clients with hair loss, it’s worth reaching out and at least having a consultation with them. They can help you choose a style that makes the most of the hair you have, and they can teach you what to do at home to achieve the look you want. Just remember, even if they teach you methods that use heat tools, always use them on a low setting and use heat protectant, as heat is the enemy of hydrated hair!

Minimize Continued Hair Loss

Hair loss generally doesn’t just stop all on its own, so you may have to take steps to hold on to the hair you do have. In Episode 034, we talked about using treatments to stop losing hair loss caused by male pattern baldness, so if you haven’t heard that episode, check it out!

 If you’re still in the process of figuring out what’s causing your hair loss and you want to minimize it in the meantime, many people have had success with using silk and satin pillowcases or hair bonnets (for longer hair) overnight to reduce friction, which ultimately reduces breakage and can help you keep your hair looking full.

Choose a Hair Loss Solution that Suits Your Needs

Hair loss solutions are not a one-size-fits-all thing. First, you need to understand why you are losing your hair. Then you can do your research and consult with professionals that can help you determine what solution is right for you. No matter what the cause, there are options for you that can help you look and feel amazing. If you’d like to talk to someone about what hair loss options are right for you, book a consultation free of charge.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.43 Transcript
Kevin Rolston [00:00:02]:
Make a plan for a more permanent solution. Now, there are options like powder concealers and hair fibers, which can actually help tide you over during the holiday season. But ultimately, winter is a great time to research regrowth options so that once the holiday craziness is over, you know what you want. So many people spend January and February trying to get their bodies in shape. Maybe for you, it's getting your hair in shape. 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 we talk about all things hair loss. And this week it's just you and me, baby.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:53]:
And I'm going to take you through five hair hacks that are going to help you get through the holiday season. If you're a person that is experiencing hair loss, the holidays really can be traumatizing, challenging, stressful. Think about the parties you have, the new people you might meet, all those photos. And if you're sensitive about your hair, they always seem to capture the worst part of it. That bald spot just is so pronounced or somebody looking, laughing, pointing. You just feel so self conscious. Going to events sometimes means that you can't wear a hat, which is what a lot of us do to try to cover it up. So what I got for you is how you can go hat free during the holidays and not sweat.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:32]:
They're just quick tips all about getting you through the worst of the holidays and helping you look and feel your best in all those family photos and those awkward encounters with the in laws that you probably don't like too much. Hack number one, hair health cleansing and moisturizing your hair. Now for me, my whole hair scalp, it changes because during the winter everything gets all dry and I already have dry and sensitive skin. So typically this is a time where if you're experiencing less humidity like I am, depending upon where you are, you probably find your scalp getting dehydrated. It gets flaky, it's very sensitive. The easy hack on this is trying a moisturizing shampoo probably every other day. You don't have to over wash your hair. That's not good for it either because you can strip out all the natural oils and then your hair is going to be thin or flat.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:24]:
But that moisturizing shampoo will do a world of wonders for your scalp. Now, if you do have an oily scalp and you're worried about adding moisture, shampoos containing only like aloe vera may help you get the moisture that you need without causing more oil to Build up on your scalp. You can also clean and moisturize your scalp. Doing that is very important for the health of your hair follicles and hair growth in general. So you do want to make sure that you are regularly cleaning and moisturizing your scalp. Hack number two, styling and adding volume and texture. Now, we want to make sure that the hair that you have looks beautiful, healthy and full. There are good ways to do it and not such good ways to do it.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:11]:
You want to avoid heavy gels. That's going to weigh your hair down. And it doesn't look good often either. What you want to look into is some of the texturizing powders or sprays that they have today. Very effective. It gives you the volume and the lift that you want without making your hair feel all kinds of heavy. You can actually hold your head up high and look fantastic. Hack number three, switch it up with a new look.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:36]:
You know, there are certain styles that can actually make your hair appear more voluminous. If you part your hair, for instance, maybe just try parting it on the other side can actually make a world of difference. And also too, it kind of gives your hair a little bit of a break and a breather trying something new. You can also even try blow drying your hair with a round brush or maybe even going upside down. Just don't do that too long. Just remember though that you got to keep the heat as low as possible and use a heat protectant on your hair if you do, because heat can make your hair more brittle. Heat is the enemy to healthy hair. You also might want to consider going to a hairstylist and getting a haircut from a professional who specializes in working with clients who have hair loss.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:20]:
You always hear about smoke and mirrors. Well, the same is true when it comes to your hair. You can use smoke and mirrors and there's so many different tactics where you can hide your balding and look absolutely fantastic. And if you don't have time right now for a long term treatment and the holidays are right here, this is the best way to do it. So going to a Tru Hair professional, they can give you the right products and they can show you how to style it the right way. Wet. I go to hair club and they're experienced in all this kind of stuff. So if you have one near you, that's where I would tell you to go.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:56]:
Hack number four, you want to hold on to the hair that you have. So many people are worried about replenishing the hair, but still you're going to continue losing It So half the battle is making sure you keep the hair that you have. Now. Maybe you've heard of some of these end sear medical products like Finasteride or Minoxidil. Now, their products aimed at stopping hair loss in men. In fact, if you go to episode 34 of the Hair Pod, it's an episode with Dr. Phipps and she dropped a bomb on me because I was a finasteride client for 10 years and it really did slow down my hair loss. But then eventually it just caught up and I got to the point where I needed another move.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:40]:
But I didn't realize that I was part of the 10% of people that actually need the extra power of Dutasteride, which is another product that you can get. It's kind of a step up from the finasteride. 90% of you fine with finasteride. People like me, you need the Dutasteride. And if I would have gotten to Dr. Phipps years ago, I wouldn't have had to go down the path I did and it would have saved me. Unfortunately for me, it might be a little too late. That's why I love for you to find out about it right now.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:09]:
Get more information on episode 34 with Dr. Phipps and really pay attention to Dutasteride. If the finasteride is not working for you. Another name for Finasteride, by the way, is Propecia. That is more the name brand. I started with Propecia and went to Finasteride when I found out it was the generic version and it was about half the price for me. Now, other little ways to hold onto the hair that you have, you can actually use satin or silk. Believe it or not, this material is better for your hair because it helps reduce friction.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:42]:
Now, a couple of ways you might do it, you might want to get a satin or a silk pillowcase. Everybody sleeps with a pillow, I assume. And for ladies, this might work for you. Or if you have longer hair, they actually have satin or silk bonnets that can keep your hair from getting all tangled. And if you find yourself always working through tangles and brushing hard, typically what you're doing is you are ripping that hair out and the hair is going to come back probably not as thick. And so that's going to be a thing that's damaging your hair. The silk and the satin products can really help out. And doing both of these methods will help limit breakage.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:18]:
They're not like the cure for hair loss, but when it comes to a short term solution, they can definitely help and hack number five, make a plan for a more permanent solution. Now, there are options like powder concealers and hair fibers, which can actually help tide you over during the holiday season. But ultimately, winter is a great time to research regrowth options so that once the holiday craziness is over, you know what you want. So many people spend January and February trying to get their bodies in shape. Maybe for you, it's getting your hair in shape. And if you end up using a regrowth option like laser therapy or finasteride, the results only show up as quickly as your hair grows. So start early and you're going to be ready for next year's holiday pictures. Imagine that.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:12]:
No hats needed. Now, if regrowth isn't an option for you, or you prefer a little bit more instant gratification, you might want to try a hair system, which is what I have. You can walk into your salon that does a hair system, and you will walk out with the full head of gorgeous hair that you've always wanted. It is transformational, and for me, it knocked easily 15 to 20 years off of my look. Now, if you want to really pop, that's amazing. But you may be saying, okay, well, I can't just walk into the family for the holidays and I've got brand new hair. Everyone's going to know. But, you know, there are things that you can do if you go to a place like Hair Club, because the stylists there are used to dealing with these kind of situations, and they may find ways for you disguise the new hair that you have.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:02]:
Things like growing facial hair. If you're a man, you're a woman, I guess you could do that, too. They'll definitely pay attention to that more than they will the hair on your head. You can actually even try glasses, things like that. That just lets people know that there's something different about you. But they may not pinpoint that it's brand new hair. But I love the hair system and would recommend it for anybody that is to that level. But the important thing to know is that there are options for everybody that is out there.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:27]:
No matter what stage you're at, they have an option. No matter what your budget is, they can work for you. So those are five easy hair hacks. Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpod. Check us out at Hair Club on Instagram or search Hairpot on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know somebody who could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you would share with them. If you're enjoying the show. Consider leaving us a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:01]:
We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcast.hairclub.com 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.

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Laser Hair Therapy Benefits

Laser Hair Therapy Benefits

Episode 42

Laser Hair Therapy Benefits

Laser Hair Therapy Dr. Phipps

Laser therapy for hair loss isn’t new. In this episode, I meet with Dr. Phipps to talk about the science behind laser or low-level light therapy (LLLT) and what makes a great candidate for it. We also discussed whether there have been any adverse health effects noticed in people who have used laser therapy for years.

Low-Level Light Therapy for Hair Loss

What is laser therapy for hair loss, and how does it work? Laser therapy, also known as low-level light therapy (LLLT), uses a specific wavelength of light to stimulate the cells of hair follicles. Different delivery methods are available, including caps, helmets, and combs. The light therapy doesn’t cause any discomfort or sensation, which causes some users to think the light isn’t working. Dr. Phipps gives the example of the sun; the sun’s UV rays are able to penetrate the skin and stimulate cells to cause a tan because of the wavelength of those rays. Similarly, a laser device must use specific wavelengths of light to stimulate the skin cells. Typically, cheaper versions of these devices are sold online, so finding a reputable supplier is critical.

How to Use Laser Therapy for Hair Loss

Is laser therapy right for you? Laser therapy works by gently stimulating hair follicle cells, so in situations of relatively recent hair loss or thinning, laser therapy can keep the follicles healthy to produce strong, healthy strands. Each treatment is approximately 8 minutes per day, and much like the sun in the example above, it must be done every day, or the effects will wane (just as your tan will wane if you stop going out in the sun). Stopping laser therapy will cause hair loss to resume at the rate it was happening before LLLT was started.

Are You a Candidate for Laser Therapy?

Hair follicles can die, and once they have died, laser therapy will not bring them back or create new follicles. That’s why it’s important to consult with a hair loss professional to determine if laser therapy will be effective for your type of hair loss or thinning. As mentioned before, it also requires consistent use, so take that into consideration as you weigh your options. Laser therapy devices can be purchased for home use, as they are safe, durable, and easy to apply. Quality laser therapy devices can last a long time – Dr. Phipps shares that her father has been using the same laser cap for ten years.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance.
Book a free consultation with HairClub Today! Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.42 Transcript

Dr. Angie Phipps [00:00:02]:

I would recommend if you have a family history of hair loss, and you know this may be coming down the pike, go ahead and get on it. Anybody over the age of 40 is gonna have age-related hair shaft diameter thinning that I would recommend stimulating those cells with the light, but it’s gonna be most beneficial from a cosmetic standpoint for individuals who are in the early phases of hair loss who have generalized diffuse thinning, because if you’ve already developed a bald spot, the bald spot is not gonna go away with light therapy.


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 Rolston, 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 we’re gonna be diving into a topic that may have come across while scrolling social media or maybe you’ve just seen it when searching for effective ways of getting your hair back. This week we’re gonna be talking about laser hair therapy for hair loss, also known as low-level light therapy. It’s been making waves in the hair restoration world for years, and today we’re gonna get into the science behind it to learn whether it works, why it works, and who it works best on.


Picture this, a device that looks like a high-tech cap or a sleek handheld comb, emitting gentle red light that penetrates your scalp. There’s no pain, no heat, just light. This cutting-edge technology uses safe, low-intensity lasers to stimulate hair follicles, which can improve your hair health and growth.


You may be wondering, does it really work? Or is this just another flashy trend? And who better to help us answer those questions than hair transplant surgeon and star of TLC’s Bad Hair Day, Dr. Angie Phipps. She’s back on HairPod today to help us break all of this down.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:02:17]: I’m glad to be talking about this topic because it’s in the forefront of all things TikTok, Instagram, and all that. So we need to educate people about it.


Kevin Rolston [00:02:28]:

I see so many posts on social media about these things, and of course they make them look absolutely amazing. And having been through it myself, when I don’t share the same experiences that you see on Instagram and TikTok, it really makes me skeptical. Now my question for people that don’t know and maybe haven’t seen the ads that are on Instagram and TikTok and the social media sites, what exactly is a laser therapy and how does it work at a scientific level?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:02:56]: So it’s actually what I like to call low-level light therapy. So light wavelengths can penetrate different depths of tissues. And so they use blue light for certain skin conditions, there’s green light, there’s purple lights, and the red light that we use in the either LED or in what they call laser therapy is a particular wavelength that will penetrate the skin to reach the level of where the hair follicle root or cells are located.


And what it does is that photobiochemically stimulates those hair follicle cells to function at a higher energy capacity. And if your hair follicle cells are functioning at a higher energy capacity, number one, they live longer, which we want to fight the effects of aging. So I highly recommend it for anybody over the age of 40 really just to help prevent the hair follicle width or diameter from shrinking at the current aging rate that it is.


And then number two, it helps to allow the cells to produce a hair shaft that can be as thick as possible. And a thicker hair shaft covers more scalp surface area than a skinny hair shaft. Now this light therapy is not magic.


It’s not going to regrow a new hair follicle that you don’t have. So a lot of times on these social media websites or on the internet or on TV, they make people think or consumers think that they’re going to buy this magic helmet, hat, comb device, and it’s going to grow back all their hair. And that’s misleading because what it does is it can only stimulate the hair follicle cells that are currently in your head.


Now, where they can get away with saying it can stimulate or generate regrowth is sometimes you have hair follicle cells that are in follicles that are alive. They’re just so weak that they can’t make a hair that is actually strong enough to exit the skin of the scalp. So with this photo biomodulation with the light therapy, it can maybe strengthen those cells so that the hair that is still capable of producing can actually exit the scalp so that you can now see it.


So you do see regrowth of hair shafts, but it’s not growing a brand new hair follicle. And if that hair follicle is dead and gone and the cells are dead, you can’t re-alive it with light therapy or with any therapy actually.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:14]: So when it’s gone, it’s gone.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:05:16]:

When it’s gone, it’s gone. And a lot of people think light therapy is hocus pocus because when you apply these devices to your scalp, it’s not hot, it’s not cold, it doesn’t jiggle, it doesn’t wiggle, it’s not, doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t feel good. And you just think I’m just sitting here with this light on my head and it’s not doing anything.


But that’s not true. It is doing something. If it’s at the right wavelength, it is penetrating the skin and stimulating the cells.


And I explain it to my patients like this. If you go out into the sun, the wavelength of the UV rays of the sun will penetrate your skin and stimulate melanocytes or pigment producing cells in the skin and you’ll get a tan or it produce color. Did you feel it?


No. Did it happen? Yes.


And then if you want to keep that stimulation to continue to produce the pigment, you go back out into the sun every day to re-stimulate those pigment producing cells with the UV rays of the sun and you keep your tan. If you stop going back out into the sun, the pigment producing cells stop producing the pigment and the tan goes away. So the same thing with a low level light therapy.


This needs to be used on a daily basis to keep the hair follicle cells stimulated, to keep them at the energy capacity that allows them to have their longest life and produce the thickest hairs possible. So it is a daily therapy and it does do what it’s supposed to do, but it’s not going to be something that’s going to grow a full head of hair, but it is going to be part of a maintenance therapy that will in the long run help your hair follicle cells immensely.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:38]:

How long would you need to do this every single day?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:06:40]: Usually eight minutes a day. And you’re going to do something for eight minutes a day. My family members, you know, before we go to bed, we watch a TV show.


So, you know, when ESPN comes on, the hat goes on. Or when Real Housewives from Beverly Hills comes on, my hat goes on. Or if you’re going to scroll through TikTok or Instagram or Facebook or whatever, just put your hat on and be done with it.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:06] Dr. Phipps shared some great insights into the science behind laser therapy and the importance of consistency. Doing it every day really does make a difference. The steady commitment is the key to achieving visible results over time.


When you know how it works, it can help you set the right kinds of expectations if this is a treatment that you’re interested in pursuing. Yes, laser therapy can help regrow your hair. But if you’re hoping for dramatic results after one or two treatments, you’re probably going to feel disappointed.


The key to laser therapy is consistency. It’s got me wondering what kinds of tools are out there for laser therapy and whether they’re all created equal.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:07:50]:

There’s different devices that use different forms of it. So it can be a baseball helmet hat, you know, that you wear. It’s real comfortable.


It’s just like a baseball hat. There are some combs that you can use to comb your hair with the light. There are some bands that you can wear.


There are some massage devices that have rotating heads on them and you can actually massage the scalp while the light’s there to stimulate blood flow and just feels good on your scalp. So there’s different vehicles to emit the light. But as long as it’s the right wavelength.


Now, that’s the key, because if you don’t get the device that has the right wavelength, it’s no more beneficial than you sitting underneath your, you know, your the lamp that’s on your bedside table, because that’s not the right wavelength of light that has the capacity to penetrate the skin and reach the hair follicle cells. So it needs to be in the wavelength, you know, pretty much between six and 700 nanometers of wavelength or six to 900 nanometers. So when you’re buying these things off of, you know, if you’re getting them off of Timu or some of those Aliexpress or Alibaba or some of those cheap discount websites, you have to make sure that in the description of the device, it actually tells you what the nanometer wavelength of light is, because if you’re not getting it in the right wavelength, it’s not going to do anything.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:08]:

Oh, wow.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:09:09] And so usually when you buy your devices from a reputable medical company that specializes in hair loss, they’re going to make sure that the devices that they’re selling are the right nanometer wavelength that it’s going to actually do what it’s supposed to do.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:21]:

Are there a lot of places that are not legitimate that are trying to sell these that you’ve heard of?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:09:26]: Devices, not places. So if you’re going to a place, a med spa, a doctor’s office, a hair loss clinic, usually those are reputable places that have the right wavelengths. Now, it’s the ones that you get on Amazon or TikTok shop or Facebook or, you know, marketplace or someplace that, you know, they may not disclose what the nanometer wavelength of light is.


And if that’s the case, then don’t buy it because you can’t guarantee that it’s going to have any effectiveness.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:53]: I don’t know if you’ve seen some of the ads. Some of the ones I’ve seen, the hair improvement is quite dramatic. Is that accurate?


Or have you seen some of these ads and you yourself can see and kind of spot the B.S. meter going off saying there’s no way about it?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:10:07]: It’s the big B.S. meter. Those results, if you go from having no hair or extremely thin hair to having no scalp visibility, that is magic. And that’s not what the device can do.


Anything that looks too good to be true is usually too good to be true. And so as long as you know and have appropriate expectations for what this device can do, it can help stimulate the cells, make them as strong as possible, allowing them to make the thickest hair shaft that you can genetically make, which is going to be different from one person to the next and help your hair follicle cells live longer and maybe stimulate follicles that aren’t producing hairs that are exiting the skin of the scalp to now be able to produce hair strong enough to do that. You do get visual improvement, but not the wow, dramatic things that you see on the computer or internet.


Those are either internet generated, what do they call it? Photos?


Kevin Rolston [00:10:57]:

Yeah, or AI.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:10:59]: Or they’ve used hair makeup or other things to help conceal the scalp in combination with the light therapy.


Kevin Rolston [00:11:10]:

Thank goodness for Dr. Phipps helping to deliver some nuance back into the conversation. So yes, low level light therapy does work in that it helps improve the health of your hair follicles. And if you’ve listened to the show before, you know how important scalp health is for hair growth.


So if your goal is to support your natural hair growth and see improvement, laser therapy might be a great option for you. But as with any hair loss solution, there are people who it works for and others who should pursue different options. So I asked Dr. Phipps who the best candidates for laser therapy are.


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:11:51]:

Ideally, I would start light therapy before you notice you’re losing your hair, because by the time you physically notice that you’re losing your hair and you see thinning, 50% of your hair density is already gone and there ain’t no getting it back. So I would recommend if you have a family history of hair loss and you know, this may be coming down the pike, go ahead and get on it. Anybody over the age of 40 is going to have age related hair shaft diameter thinning that I would recommend stimulating those cells with the light, but it’s going to be most beneficial from a cosmetic standpoint for individuals who are in the early phases of hair loss, who have generalized diffuse thinning, because if you’ve already developed a bald spot, the bald spot is not going to go away with light therapy.


Kevin Rolston [00:12:34]: Oh, wow. Okay. All right.


Now, where would you rank the laser therapy comparing it to other forms of hair loss treatments?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:12:42]: I would put it second or third, you know? I mean, yeah, I consider the oral medical therapy number one. Number two, I like the minoxidil topical therapy, but I’m equally liking the light therapy in the same realm of my minoxidil users.


So I like combining the minoxidil and the light therapy together to give that cellular stimulation and increased blood flow because they work by two different mechanisms of action. So you put them together, you get a compound and synergistic effect because it’s not the same as just using one or the other and you get the same effect.


Kevin Rolston [00:13:20]: Now, is it possible that that could be what your lifelong treatment is? Just laser therapy and maybe some minoxidil?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:13:25]:

Not if you have androgenetic hair loss, because neither one of those two therapies though block the DHT hormone that is the genetic cause of why people have male or female pattern hair loss because it’s hormone related. So none of those, either of those two devices affect the hormones. So the number one therapy is some sort of hormonal medication to help block the hormones that are affecting the cells.


And then the number two therapy in my opinion is then targeting the cells themselves to make them stronger. And that’s with minoxidil and low level light therapy.


Kevin Rolston [00:13:56]:

How do you know if you have that kind of hair loss? Is there a DNA marker test that you can take that will show that it’s in your system?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:14:03]: You can look at your family history. Number one, if your family history is there, cause it’s an inherited condition where you inherit hair follicle cells that have the genetic sensitivity to hormones that the male and female body produces. And then there’s no specific test that you can go and find out if you have it.


But if you think you’re having hair loss and you might, and you want to find out for sure what the cause is, cause there are other medical causes of hair loss other than just genetics, you need to see, you know, your physician or a specifically a hair loss physician specialist to let them evaluate your scalp, take a look at the pattern of loss that you’re having. What does the skin look like and make sure that you’re having the classic symptoms of androgenetic hair loss versus something else that might require a biopsy to prove and then other medical therapies to treat.


Kevin Rolston [00:14:49]: Right. Are there any kind of side effects, any downsides of using the laser therapy for hair loss?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:14:55]:

There is no downside or side effects that I have seen in my personal use, the use of my family members or my patients for using the low level light therapy. It’s not going to cause brain cancer. It’s not going to penetrate to the level of the brain.


It’s not going to hurt your brain. It’s not going to hurt your memory. And people have a lot of hesitation sometimes putting something on their head that’s so close to their either their eyes or their brain to think they’re going to cause long-term damage.


This is not a microwave. There’s going to be no radioactive signals that are going to be penetrating your brain or causing any damage. The wavelength of light only penetrates to the level that it can penetrate.


And the wavelength of light from the laser therapy or LED light therapy devices only penetrate to the level in the skin where the hair follicle is located and does not go any deeper.


Kevin Rolston [00:15:40]:

Now, are there going to be improvements in laser therapy that you’ve seen, or is it just when it first came out, it is what it is. And it always will be what it is. Or is this a technology that is improving and advancing?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:15:52]: I think it’s been where it’s been for a long, long time. But I think, you know, with technology of any sort, you know, they’re going to find maybe be able to hone in on even smaller degrees of wavelength light that might be more beneficial for certain cells. So I’m not ruling out the possibility that it could get better, but where we’ve been right now is the same place we’ve been for a long time.


So I wouldn’t be holding out on waiting to get a light therapy device over the next one or two years, thinking that, you know, I don’t want to spend a whole bunch of money on this device. And then in two years, it’s going to be obsolete. You know, my father’s been using his same light therapy device, you know, for over 10 years that he’s been using.


So, and the technology really hasn’t changed.


Kevin Rolston [00:16:36]:

And what are you looking at for a cost? You mentioned different devices too. So if I want to go cheapest to the Cadillacs, what kind of stuff am I looking at spending to get into laser hair therapy?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:16:46]: You know, for the cheapest you’re spending in the 700s potentially. And then for the most expensive that has the most amount of light diodes in the devices up to 3000 potentially. So it is an investment, but it’s an investment that you only have to purchase one time.


And then it lasts as long as the device will mechanically last and it’s worth the money. Now, here’s what I tell my patients. I don’t ever let you spend your money on devices that I haven’t already spent my own money on.


And I purchased two of these. So if I’m going to spend my money on it, I know it works because I’m the hair doctor. And if I’m going to spend my money on it, I’m going to let you spend your money on it because I know it works.


As long as your understanding of what work means, is it going to regrow all your hair and make you have invisibility of your scalp? No. Is it going to stimulate your hair follicle cells, making them stronger, making the hairs that are being produced thicker, letting the cells live longer so that from an anti-aging standpoint, it’s going to do all those things.


It’s going to increase blood flow to the scalp. It’s going to help the cells of the skin of the scalp be healthy. And there’s no downside to it other than your pocketbook.


Kevin Rolston [00:17:51]:

Okay. And you said that your dad’s lasted for 10 years?


Dr. Angie Phipps [00:17:54]: Yeah. So as long as the mechanical components of the equipment last, that’s how long it’ll last. So it’s a, it’s a good investment.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:06]:

Thank you to the incredible Dr. Phipps for sharing this in-depth knowledge with us and taking us through everything somebody would need to know before deciding if low light therapy is for them. From the science behind it to setting the right kinds of expectations. I’m glad we could share all of this with you so that you can make your own informed decisions about what hair restoration technology you’d like to invest in.


If you’re really interested in this kind of therapy, but you’re not sure if your hair loss is compatible with laser therapy, or if you’d like to pursue laser therapy in tandem with other treatments so you can achieve a healthier scalp and get the look you really want. We always recommend talking to a professional to see what your options are. If you’re interested in a free consultation with a company that offers laser therapy and many other options, check out the link in our show notes to talk to a specialist at HairClub.


And if you know someone who might be interested in laser therapy, we hope that you’ll share this episode with them. For more educational deep dives into all things hair loss with trusted experts, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening to another episode of HairPod.


Check us out at HairClub on Instagram or search HairPod on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this episode, we’d love it if you’d share it with them. 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.com. 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.

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Which Hair Solutions Work Best?

Which Hair Solutions Work Best?

Episode 41

Which Hair Solutions Work Best?

Which Hair Solutions Work Best? Dan Medeiros

Hair loss solutions come in many shapes and sizes. The good news is, there’s something out there for everyone. But how do you figure out what’s going to work best for you? In this week’s episode of HairPod, I sit down with friend-of-the-pod Dan Medeiros to hear how he uses two hair loss solutions in tandem to improve his scalp health, encourage hair growth, and get the look he wants in the meantime.

Psoriasis and Hair Loss

Hair loss began for Dan in his late teens and early twenties. He was diagnosed with a rare form of psoriasis that flared up when he was under stress and caused significant hair loss on his scalp. His high-stress job caused him to go from a full head of hair to significant thinning in a short time, leaving him feeling gutted. One of the keys to his hair regrowth was healing his scalp, and he was able to do that using HairClub’s EXT program.

EXT for Scalp Health and Hair Regrowth

Regrowing hair after hair loss is possible, depending on the circumstances. Programs like EXT help regrow hair by taking a holistic, multifaceted approach to regrowth. For Dan, this started with scalp health. Through regular cleansing treatments, he was able to get his scalp health back on track to support the hair follicles. The next part of the EXT treatment helps the hair grow back strong and thick with a topical minoxidil treatment. Dan stuck to the regimen very consistently and found that it didn’t add much extra time to his typical personal care routine.

Diet Changes for Hair Regrowth

Dietary issues cause hair loss when we aren’t getting proper nutrition. When Dan was under stress due to his high-intensity work life, he fell into a habit of eating fast food and drinking a lot of energy drinks. When he began prioritizing his health, sleep, and nutrition, he noticed his hair starting to come back. It’s important to keep in mind that a holistic approach to regrowth is ideal.

Hair Systems as a Hair Solution

Dan uses XTrands+ to cover parts of his head that have not regrown hair yet. He has been on the show to talk about when he first got his system on for the first time, and how he styles his system in a variety of ways. This time, Dan discussed why he uses his hair system along with EXT. The EXT helps regrow his natural hair by healing the scalp and supporting overall wellness, while the hair system gives him the look he wants in the meantime.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance.
Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.41 Transcript

Dan Medeiros [00:00:03]:
Whatever options are out there for you to help regrow, clean your scalp, you should really jump on it. You know, it’s the minoxidil, finasteride, the laser comb, taking the vitamins, whatever you can get your hands on to help boost that, go for it. Honestly, it’s only gonna help.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:35]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I’m your host, Kevin Rolston, 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.

There are many different reasons why people experience hair loss, and we’ve covered quite a few of them in depth on this show. From male or female pattern hair loss to trichotillomania, the causes of hair loss can be incredibly diverse, and different solutions work for each unique scenario. Today’s guest found a combination of things that has gotten his hair back to show how he wants it.

Today’s guest has found a combination of things that has gotten his hair back to how he wants it, no compromises. If you’re a regular listener, you probably have already heard him come on the show to talk about his experience. It’s time for another episode with Dan Medeiros for you.

Today, we’re gonna talk about the magic combo that has worked out with specialists over at HairClub, and we’re gonna start all the way back at the beginning when Dan first started to notice his hair loss.

Dan Medeiros [00:01:51]
It started off gradually. After high school, going into college, I have a sort of a rare form of psoriasis on my scalp, and my stress is what causes a lot of things to come out physically on me, which primarily on my scalp. So as the stress of life got worse and I started getting older, it started rearing its ugly head, and quite literally, no pun intended, but it devastated me really badly.

And then I got into working a very high-stress job, a working logistics, transportation dispatch, a job where I saw many coworkers break down crying in the office and go away on stress leave for like six months. So it did its damage to me very physically on my head. I lost hair very fast.

I went from a full head of hair to almost half that, and it looked like a war zone on my head. So it hit really hard, really fast in my early 20s, and from there, it was just suddenly trying to figure out, okay, what do I do, where can I go? Try different solutions, everything and anything you can think of, and then made my way to HairClub.

And with HairClub, they got me on track with the EXT program. EXT, it wasn’t just to bring my hair back, but to fix my scalp, and that was the first thing, getting on the regimen, making sure I stuck to the plan, and I had my routine, and I stuck to the routine, cleaning my scalp and making it healthy again. And it eventually, it started to clear up, and as it started to clear up, I started regrowing hair again.

My hair started getting thicker, stronger, and where some people would get clusters of maybe one, two, maybe three strands coming out of a single spot on their head, I started getting six or seven. And so I became a very good EXT client right off the bat, and it was between your shampoos, a scalp cleanser, and then conditioners, and then using minoxidil, and then taking the vitamins to help boost that. So a mix of everything helped a lot.

Changing my diet was a huge part of that too. Honestly, diet is literally half, I’d say half, at the very least, of what is going to help regrow your hair and just make it stronger and healthier. Diet is everything, it really is.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:20]:
I believe in that. Now Dan, I got a couple questions here. One, tell me, what was the severity of the hair loss?

If we’re talking about 100% of the scalp area where you would have hair growing, how much, what percentage would you say that you saw hair loss, and to what level was it? Was it patchy, was it thinning, or was it complete baldness? What did you experience?

Dan Medeiros [00:04:42]:
It was a lot of, it was thinning. Incredibly thinning, especially around the front.

I went from thick, luscious hair in the front to all of a sudden it was just so thin that you could see right through to the scalp. God forbid I was under any sort of lights or anything like that, and I loved having my hair up and messy and spiked up, and I couldn’t do that anymore. Because it started getting noticed, and comments were made, and then I couldn’t look in the mirror anymore, and then from there it just proceeded, and it just got worse and worse, and then it was a matter of trying to find ways to cover that up, changing my hairstyle, all sorts of things.

It was just, thinking back on it, it’s crazy, it’s just crazy how bad it can change.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:30]:
The first thing you talked about too was scalp health. Now, is that considered to be EXT? Is that what EXT is, is caring for the scalp and trying to get it so that it can, the way I’m thinking of it is almost like a farmer would have a field that has great dirt, and they take care of it and make sure that it’s fertile and put fertilizer in it so that it can grow something.

Is that almost the same thing of what you’re talking about?

Dan Medeiros [00:05:55]:
That is probably one of the best ways to kind of describe that. It really is, in order to grow the hair, you need to have a scalp that is healthy, that is energized, it needs to produce the healthy oils, and it needs, and there’s, DHT is the main factor that causes your hair to lose. When you’re starting to produce a lot of DHT, it’ll, it’ll take, it’ll.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:21]
The hormone, right? The hormone that kind of just chokes off the follicle and squeezes out the hair and makes you start going bald?

Dan Medeiros [00:06:30]
Yeah, and that’s when you start seeing, instead of seeing all those spots on your head where you’d see hair growth out of it, it’s the best that you see that smooth, that smooth baldness because there’s no follicle anymore. It’s essentially, the skin’s grown over and nothing happens, it’s just barren land.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:45]
And DHT’s done that, basically.

Dan Medeiros [00:06:46]:
Yeah, and I started producing a lot of it, and I said, my scalp was a nightmare. It looked like a war zone. It was like a minefield that went off.

Imagine your head, it’s feeling like your scalp’s on fire and not being able to touch it or scratch it. Like, you wanna scratch it so bad, but it’s only gonna make it worse. It was, I tried going to doctors, dermatologists, and no one could really do much of anything for it.

It was finally going to HairClub, getting on a proper regimen. The shampoos, the stuff you do in the shower every night, that is what cleans the scalp, and it starts to re, you’re almost retraining your scalp to do the normal things again. And it, as I said, once you’ve gotten the scalp clean and healthy, then it starts producing the proper things it needs to actually regrow hair.

Then your scalp can actually properly do it. So that’s when I started seeing that, and like I said, instead of growing thin hairs that would just fall out, I was growing thick hairs that would stay and continue to grow. So all of a sudden, I was, and then the minoxidil, you throw that in, and that’s what helps the actual growth.

So you clean it, and then you grow. You clean it, you grow. And with that pattern and sticking to that and changing my diet, getting active again, I started playing hockey, I was running, I was being active and sweating out all those bad chemicals.

And then I was able to actually start growing my hair long again. I was actually starting to go out again, and it was, it’s, yeah, it’s just crazy. The whole journey, it’s amazing.

I think back on it now, and I’m going on 15 years with HairClub, and I just, I think back on everything, and it’s still such a trip to see where I’m at right now.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:29]:
Now my question about EXT, is it a package that puts minoxidil and the shampoos and everything together basically in one box that you get? So if you go to HairClub and you ask for EXT, that’s what you get. It’s getting the field ready to grow the hair.

Is that what EXT is?

Dan Medeiros [00:08:47]:
Exactly, yeah, it’s the whole process, the program. So there’s your shampoo, your scalp cleaner, which you use before you put on your conditioner, and then you put on the conditioner, you wash it all out, and then afterwards, while your pores are open, after the shower, then you put in the minoxidil, and then it gets right in there. You let it sit, you stay, especially it’s perfect overnight.

You shower before you go to bed, and then I would wake up in the morning, if I showered, I’d put it on again and have it sitting throughout the day. I get very OCD, so when I get on a regimen, a pattern, I stick with it, and I’m very, very detail-oriented when it comes to that, because I so badly want that to work. And missing a day and not having that consistency, that breaks up the consistency of your growth, of your scalp health, so that’s why I’m so very adamant I’m reminding people, you have to stick to the plan.

If you kind of jump on it, and then you step away from it, jump on it, step away, you’re not, it’s not gonna work the way you want it to, and then you’ll get frustrated.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:52]:
And I feel that’s- How hard is this plan? That’s my question. How much time are you talking?

It sounds like you’re very disciplined, and what if you’re a not-disciplined person? How much time am I taking in the morning, at night, to do EXT?

Dan Medeiros [00:10:04]:
And that’s the thing, it’s not. It’s so, it’s just part of your regular day, your regular routine. You know, you just, it was honestly, just like nothing but a second thought.

I start my day, I shower, I do my shampoo, conditioner, and then I put Minoxidil in. Minoxidil was essentially almost like the only other step I had to add into my day, and it was something I did after my showers, so.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:26]:
What is that like, when you put in Minoxidil? It’s been years since I, I think it was Rogaine, way back in the day. Oh gosh.

You know, I was doing it. But I remember it was, it was wet, and you know, it would mess with the consistency, so how does that work? Do you have to let it dry when you put it in?

Does it mess with the hair if you’re trying to style it? What is it like putting in Minoxidil?

Dan Medeiros [00:10:49]:
You know, with the longer, I’d say, the longer hair, yeah, it’s, you know, it, it can, if your consistency of the hair, like it can almost kinda add a bit of an oiliness to it, so that’s why I said my favorite, it was using it at the end of the, you know, at night. So I get home, you know, I’m done for the night, I shower, I put it in, and then you just, you massage it into the scalp. You know, you don’t just put it on, let it sit, or else it’ll just look like you have a scalp full of, you know, oil.

You really have to massage it in until you’re not feeling that oiliness anymore. And that’s what helps it really get into the pores and really get into your scalp. And then, you know, it sits, it dries, you know, you can do your thing, you can style your hair, and you’re perfectly good to go.

There’s just, yeah, you know, I went through all of the doing things wrong, doing things right, because it’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s honestly, it’s very easy, very easy. And that’s why we do things like this. We help educate people, and we help them understand the process.

And that’s why I love doing, again, that’s why I love doing this.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:52]:
Dan’s experience shows that even though starting something new can be a little bit daunting, it’s important to just try it and see how it goes. Being committed to the process and changes to his life and routine helped Dan reach his hair goals. Using EXT played a major role in healing his scalp so that his hair could grow in healthy and strong, and the treatments rolled naturally into his own personal care regimen.

But that’s not all he mentioned. Dan’s diet also played a significant role in his hair loss, and changing things up helped him get his hair back.

Dan Medeiros [00:12:30]:
With the stress, which leads, you know, stress, depression, and all that stuff, I fell into the void of fast food and energy drinks. It was awful, so I gained a lot of weight. And with that, you know, the hair loss continued with it, you know, trying to cope with the depression of everything, of losing my hair and everything, and all the stress in life.

I found a crutch with fast food and energy drinks. And that was, oh God, it was devastating. I think back on it now, I’m like, I can’t believe I did that to myself.

But it’s not hard to fall into. And it took me a while to finally snap my way out of it. I was over, I gained, oh gosh, I was over 260 pounds, 265 pounds, when I finally realized, oh my gosh, what am I doing to myself?

Kevin Rolston [00:13:19]:
And- What was that moment? How did you, because we usually have that one wake-up call. What was it for you?

Do you remember that moment where you just said, what am I doing? I gotta stop this routine that I’m on.

Dan Medeiros [00:13:29]:
You know, I saw a picture of myself from high school, and I looked at myself, and I’m like, man, I was skinny back then. And then I remembered what my weight was back then. I’m like, man, I was like 170, 175 pounds at that point.

And I’m like, oh my gosh, I’m like almost 265. Like that, for some reason, that never, like I would see my weight and I’d go that, you know, that’s, there’s nothing wrong with that. Two I am, right, two I am.

And then it just, I realized, wow, that is not good. And it was a complete just, a change. I immediately just went full force into completely turning everything over, stopping the energy drinks, no more fast food.

I was, you know, my diet changed when I would eat dinner and what I was eating. You know, I had a rule, no, trying to eat dinner no less than four hours before I went to bed. You know, you don’t wanna go to sleep with food in your stomach because it’ll still be there in the morning.

And then, you know, my biggest meal, my best meal of the day was breakfast, first thing after I woke up, and jumping on water, you know, eating good meals, going for walks every day, starting to play hockey. And it’s, everything changed along with that. My hair changed along with it, my attitude.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:39]:
Yeah, your hair ties into the overall picture of wellness that you have.

Dan Medeiros [00:14:43]:
Yeah, your body, your entire body is a machine and you need the proper, you know, your machine can only run if you put the proper things in it to make it run. You know, as you start throwing things that don’t work properly, then obviously your machine’s not gonna work properly. So it’s, it made a huge difference.

And I can’t, again, that’s why I can’t stress that enough. And it’s such a hard thing to do. It’s all, but once you find it, once you stick to it, it will work so well, everything will change.

Your attitude, your outlook. I found myself again. I was able to start looking in the mirror again.

I was able to smile again. I was able to look at people in the eyes. You know, instead of looking down, it changed everything.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:32]:
It really does. The one thing I would guess too, you’re talking about the energy drinks and people may not consider when it comes to hair health, sleep, and when you have energy drinks, it messes up your circadian rhythms, the way you sleep and getting a good night of sleep. Again, like you’re saying, it’s all tied together.

So if you’re depriving yourself of sleep, you’re going to jeopardize your hair health.

Dan Medeiros [00:15:46]:
Yeah, I mean, when you sleep, that’s when your body recharges. You know, that’s when all the repairs start happening. So if you don’t give your body, your scalp, your head, everything that time to recharge and repair, you know, you’re just, you’re running on fumes.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:00]:
Right, yeah. Dan, tell me a little bit about Xtrands+. We have now unpacked.

I’ve got a great understanding of what EXT is. What does Xtrands+ do and how’s that contribute now to the great head of hair that you have?

Dan Medeiros [00:16:13]:
Well, I mean, as you can see, this is what I’m wearing. I mean, you can quite literally see right through. The hair looks like it’s all coming right out of my scalp.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:24]:
Yeah, that’s the thing that is really perplexing to me because I’m trying to figure out where any kind of treatment is beginning. What is the real you and what is the assistance? Because there’s nothing that you can notice.

With an extreme closeup, you’ve got hair coming out of your scalp. And so I’m really confused as to what this is and what it’s contributing to this look I’m seeing.

Dan Medeiros [00:16:45]:
Yeah, so like when I’m not, like when I’m not, you know, wearing the hair, I have everything buzzed down. So it’s actually, for me, it’s easier to, you know, when I have it all off, I can actually massage the minoxidil into the scalp. I use a laser hair comb as well.

That’s another huge boost. Between the minoxidil and the laser hair comb, it’s almost like a one-two punch. I would highly recommend getting one of those or they also have the caps.

They have all different forms of the laser hair combs, but, you know, it really helps get to the scalp, gets to the roots. I mean, you can grow it longer, you can do the same thing. I just find it easier this way.

Plus, I mean, I love this style. It’s quite easy to just throw it all over to one side and I can get up in the morning and go about my day. But yeah, like I actually just put my hair on today.

My wonderful wife helped me, which is fantastic because it’s not always the easiest on my own. But yeah, so we put it on quick and got it all. And it’s just, I’m able to go about my day.

I can go on stage and perform. I can go to work. I can go hang out with people.

I went and played hockey earlier today as well. So, you know, I was able to play hockey, put a helmet on, shower afterwards, and it’s unaffected. And then when- No concerns, yeah.

Yeah, no concerns. It doesn’t lift when I’m ready to take it off. And I take it off and then I do my work underneath.

And then when I want to put it back on again, I can put it back on again.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:16]:
So not only does Dan use EXT to care for his scalp and maintain his natural hair, he’s also using a hair system in tandem with it. Between the two solutions he has, you would never know that Dan has any sort of hair assistance. The blending of the hair system into his own natural hair looks so seamless that it’s impossible to tell the difference between what’s growing out of his scalp and the system itself.

So I want to know specifically how he brings the two of those things together to get that completely flawless look.

Dan Medeiros [00:18:53]:
I usually, I’ll have my hair on, you know, for a good, almost kind of like an extended long weekend. So I’ll usually, I go in for my appointments usually on Fridays or Thursdays, and then I’ll wear it till about Tuesday. Then I’ll take it off and I’ll spend those days in between when I have it off, just working on my scalp and then really focusing on using the Minoxidil on top of where I usually have my hair on.

So it’s all just on the top, all the sides and the back. That’s all natural.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:21]:
Yeah, you have one, the left side of your head is shaved up to the hairline and then the hair flips over. People aren’t able to visualize this right now, but it’s long, it’s thick, there’s no indication of any kind of hair issues whatsoever.

Dan Medeiros [00:19:34]:
No, and that’s the thing, and it’s just so simple and it’s such an easy process. Like I was able to get my hair on today completely, you know, all done within no more than half an hour. It was so quick, so easy.

And then I said in between that, I do all the EXT stuff. And even while I’m wearing my hair, I mean, I still have access to the sides and the back. And I mean, so I still massage the Minoxidil into the scalp here because when I just started wearing the hair and I wasn’t using EXT, you know, all of this was on the sides and the back.

It was thinning out as well, it wasn’t as thick anymore. So what if I started to grow it out, you know, you can still see through to the scalp. Now I do, I work with a group in Iowa called the Iowa League of Heroes.

We dress up as superheroes, we go visit the kids in the sick kids’ hospitals, we do all sorts of events. And I dress up as Superman and, you know, so I grow it out, you know, and it can’t, Superman can’t have patchy, thin hair. So I started noticing it was getting thin, so I’m like, I really need to get back on the EXT again.

So I got back on the EXT program and all of a sudden I started growing, it started growing all thick again. So I was able to grow it out and then it was like, oh my gosh, you know, now it’s, I can actually have this longer and it’s consistent from the top to the sides. I don’t wanna have thick hair up top here and then thin hair here on the back.

I don’t wanna have my system to continue, you know, to have my system be made longer and, you know, I don’t wanna be wearing hair that completely takes all of my scalp. I want my own hair as well. Wearing this helps take care of what I can’t fully grow out yet.

And then the EXT is helping to rebuild what I have underneath here as well as the sides and the back. So being able to grow my own hair out and also get the thick, luscious hair that is me, which this is me, this is, I’m able to have both. So I don’t want to, I don’t want my system, my X-Strands to, you know, again, to go from just this to all of this as well.

I don’t wanna wear a whole head system. That’s, and so the EXT helps mitigate that and it helps me actually regrow my hair. And with today’s technologies, and it’s getting even better, I mean, there’s Finasteride and all these other new combinations with Minoxidil, which HairClub’s gonna be jumping into very, very, very shortly.

Finasteride is almost like that second piece of the puzzle that Minoxidil needs to really, to almost double if not triple the growth and the speed at which you see growth.

Kevin Rolston [00:22:07]:
Yeah, Finasteride is an amazing product and really what that does is, you know, you were talking earlier about the DHT and how that hormone chokes off the hair follicle and Finasteride, it really just blocks that so you don’t have that issue. And if you’re intense, 10% of people still need something else and there’s Dutasteride. Dutasteride, and that’s another one too.

Right, that I’ve learned that is, you know, look, Finasteride’s not effective and that’s what happened to me where I, you have a different approach than me because I’m an Xtrands+ or the hair system kind of person and I love the fact that you are still pursuing really good scalp health and the fact that you’re using EXT and I’ve given up on the Finasteride because I thought, well, you know what, I’m gonna be Xtrands+, that’s just gonna be it. But now that I found out about Dutasteride, I know about EXT, I myself am considering saying, okay, well let’s just see if I can’t maybe kickstart the old scalp health and go back at it.

So by doing this HairPod, I’ve learned a lot about my own hair health and where I might go. So you’re kind of an inspiration to me and I would assume for you, the goal would be to try to work on your own scalp health and use the EXT and things like Finasteride, Dutasteride, and maybe who knows, that one day you would be able to go without a hair system or Xtrands+ and just have great scalp health because of HairClub.

Dan Medeiros [00:23:32]:
Exactly, exactly, you know, I would love to have that eventually and rediscovering my own scalp and my own hair is huge and as with time, the technologies are only gonna get better, the advancements and everything. So as I get older, I would love to eventually not have to wear hair and just be sporting my own. That is the end goal but in the meantime, I mean, I get to see myself every day, I get to present myself properly every single day while at the same time, I’m working on me and with my scalp issue that I do have, I mean, that’s for life.

Unfortunately, it’s for life so I have to keep up with that. As I get stressed out, you know, it starts to rear its, again, rears its ugly head again. So I have to continue to work on that, I have to continue to work on my diet and yeah, I just, I feel like, you know, it wasn’t, just wearing hair wasn’t enough and we started doing it at my center and then as more clients started to see the results, my results, all of a sudden they were like, oh my gosh, and just like yourself, you’re like, this is amazing, I should do this too, I would love to see what I can do as well and we’ve got so many clients now at my center who are on it, there’s clients all across, you know, the US that are jumping on this too, more centers are jumping on the doing both and I think it, I hope it continues to grow, I hope more and more people start to understand this, I hope this podcast helps a lot people realize, you know, you can do both, you can find success in both and this is what I’m trying to promote, so, you know, whatever options are out there for you to help regrow, clean your scalp, you should really jump on it, you know, it’s the Minoxidil, Finasteride, the laser comb, you know, taking the vitamins, whatever you can get your hands on to help boost that, go for it, honestly, it’s only gonna help.

Kevin Rolston [00:25:59]:
Talking to Dan is always inspiring, his overall focus is on his wellness, his scalp health, maintaining a great diet and keeping his stress levels down to combat his psoriasis and I think it’s great that Dan is sharing his story so that more people know that they can take their hair and scalp health seriously while still having the look that they want in the meantime, like Dan does with his own hair system.

He’s the first guest we’ve talked to on this show to use both EXT and Xtrands+ and maybe that’s because most people wouldn’t even know that it’s possible to use both of them at the same time. We wanna thank Dan as always for being an incredible guest and sharing his journey with the world so that more people can get the help and the hair that they want. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who’ve been through hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app.

Thanks for listening to another episode of HairPod. Check us out at HairClub on Instagram or search HairPod on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone that could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you’d share it with them.

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. Just check it out by going to podcast.hairclub.com.

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.

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Thankful for Effective Hair Loss Solutions

Thankful for Effective Hair Loss Solutions

Episode 40

Thankful for Effective Hair Loss Solutions

Thankful for Effective Hair Loss Solutions With Kevin Rolston

In this episode of HairPod, we’re celebrating the season of gratitude with five inspiring stories about hair loss. Hair loss can happen for many reasons, but the important thing to remember is that there is always a way forward—that’s right, there’s a solution out there for everyone. 

Trying a Hair Loss Solution

Hair systems are a widespread solution for hair loss, but not everyone knows exactly how they work. Tyler was one guest who wasn’t sure a hair system was right for him until his mom gave him a gentle nudge to give it a shot. After all, what did he have to lose? After receiving his system and wearing it home for the first time, Tyler knew this was his path forward. It’s worth noting, however, that not all systems are created equal! Tyler got his system from HairClub, where he worked with an experienced stylist to get a style and material that looked and felt great and worked with his active lifestyle. To hear more of Tyler’s story, check out his full episode!

Childhood Hair Loss 

Hair loss isn’t easy for anyone, least of all children. Abby’s rare condition created a large scar on her scalp, and a large percentage of her hair never grew in. Growing up without hair wasn’t easy; Abby’s parents tried hats and wigs, but they didn’t allow Abby to live a normal life and fit in with the other kids. When Abby’s mom discovered HairClub, the team worked with Abby’s unique situation to help her find the perfect solution that allowed Abby to play, swim, and dance, just like any other girl. Now that Abby is 24 years old, she is a 20-year client of HairClub and exudes nothing but confidence. She shares her story openly and hopes she can help kids and parents who are going through a similar situation. For more from Abby, check out her full episode!

New Technologies for Hair Loss

Technology for hair loss solutions have come a long way in the last few decades. Christopher came on the show to share his experience losing his hair starting in his 20s. He tried multiple solutions but wasn’t getting the results he was after, and part of the problem was he wasn’t aware of all of the options available to him (at first). Christopher is an expert in the beauty industry, and he shares how men aren’t encouraged by society to make changes to their appearance, even if they want to. But, according to him, that is starting to change. The younger generations are more comfortable seeking out different hair loss solutions, and it doesn’t hurt that the technology has improved, too. For more insights from Christopher, check out his full episode!

Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

After recovering from her cancer, Carol had a new challenge to face – the hair loss caused by her chemotherapy treatments. Hair loss made Carol, an extrovert, want to hide from others. All she wanted was to return to her normal life, but her loss of confidence kept that from happening. Carol tells the story of the first day that she wore her new hair from HairClub. This was the moment when she finally felt like herself again and her life resumed. To hear more of Carol’s inspiring story, check out her full episode!

How Getting Your Hair Loss Helps Confidence

Our last story came from Jeff ElZenny. He began losing his hair in high school, and that meant feeling awkward in his prom pictures and at graduation. He felt like he looked so much older than he actually was, and he became a recluse. When he finally got his hair back, he felt like his outgoing, fun-loving personality came back with it. This confidence boost allowed him to enjoy his 20s to the fullest, never worrying about his appearance. To hear more of Jeff’s journey from HairClub client to part of the team, listen to his full episode!

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance.
Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.40 Transcript
Christopher Erstner [00:00:02]:
So, like, I think that's part of the issues that men have is, like, I want to be attractive, and I want people attracted to me. And then, you know, we make the world go round, right? But in terms of, like, society changing their ideas about that, it really hasn't changed, because at least from my perspective, men were just. They kind of have the world on a string, right? I'd like to look a certain way. The world completely changed in a different way, and people are just like, you know what? I'm just gonna live life the way I want to live. And if that means that I have to admit to one or two things, I am going to seek help for hair loss. Or I'm not. It's one or the other. I gotta be me.

Tyler Morehead [00:00:56]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Rolston, 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, we are feeling the holiday spirit for those of us in the United States. Hopefully, we are all taking the time to think about gratitude for the things in life that bring us joy. I'm very happy for my hair, my family, my kids, football, you know, the things that really matter. And I'm thankful that I get to host the HairPod. Not only do I feel like I get to help people out who are looking for hair solutions like I have always been my entire life, but I'm learning a lot about hair loss myself, and I'm starting to apply some of the things I've learned right here on the HairPod.

Tyler Morehead [00:01:52]:
And I'm thankful that you're listening. Thank you so much. As we enter into the season of gratitude, we want to revisit some of our most inspiring conversations with guests who have shared their stories with us, from the challenges they experienced to the joy that they felt when they finally got their hair back. If you've been watching your hair get thinner and you're feeling a little bit down about it, we hope these amazing guests can show you that there are options out there. And, hey, maybe someday you're going to be sharing your own hair journey with others and helping them out too. Our first clip is from Tyler Morehead. Yeah, great name for a guy losing your hair. Tyler is a filmmaker and an outdoor enthusiast.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:34]:
He came on the show to share his story with us. Starting all the way Back when he first began to notice a little extra hair coming out in the shower.

Tyler Morehead [00:02:46]:
I think I kind of started noticing somewhere around, it was early 20s, say maybe somewhere around 23, 24. I was living in New York at the time, in New York City, and I just started noticing hair on the bottom of the shower when I got done, you know, showering. And at first I didn't really think that much of it, but it seemed like it was just getting more and more. So it took a little while for me to physically notice that was happening. But yeah, it just kind of crept in one night and that's, that's what it was.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:14]:
What age were you when you finally tried to do something about it? What were the first steps you took?

Tyler Morehead [00:03:20]:
Let's see, what would I have been about 30? I was in my mid-30s at that point and you know, I lived in, worked in, in la. I was. Filmmaking is really was what I wanted to do. And so I'd go on these sets and I had hair and makeup artists that would always say, oh, you should try this stuff. And there's all kinds of little things you can put in your hair to make it look a little thicker. And I was doing them all, you know, I was trying them all. But I think by the time I hit my mid-30s, I kind of started getting tired of doing that and it just seemed to be getting a little bit harder and harder to do that too. And you know, I have to credit my mom on that one.

Tyler Morehead [00:03:53]:
One day she said, hey, you know, why don't you check out no hair club?

Kevin Rolston [00:04:00]:
Like many people, Tyler had reservations about trying a new hair loss solution. He wasn't sure what to expect. And even when he went in for his consultation, he wasn't sure which direction to go. He didn't want to pursue a surgical option and he wasn't sure how the non surgical options would look. Thankfully, his biggest cheerleader, his mom, convinced him to give it a try. After all, if he wasn't happy with the result, after all, if he wasn't happy with the result, he could always go back to the way things were. So he had really nothing to lose. After Tyler tried a hair system for the very first time, his decision was made.

Tyler Morehead [00:04:42]:
You know, I, it sounds so cliche, but I really remember that, that moment vividly actually, because initially, you know, they, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I saved the picture. They took a picture of me before and one right after. But I'll never forget, they didn't let me look in the mirror until it was done. They said, don't do it. Just let us do what we need to do. You look at it when you're done, and if you want to keep it, you're good. Well, when they wheeled me around in the chair, they swung it around, and I saw myself in the mirror. I made the joke to myself, and this is a farm kid thing.

Tyler Morehead [00:05:15]:
Like, we don't speak up too much about much. But I remember thinking to myself, oh, there's that guy. I haven't seen him in forever. And it was just a really great feeling. And when I left there, I'll never forget, too, I had a big dog at the time. I had an Akita. She had been in the house all day long. So I.

Tyler Morehead [00:05:33]:
When I got done at Hair Club that day, I went home to walk her, to let her out and let her do her thing. And I remember walking her, you know, around the area where I live, and it just felt great. I didn't have to wear a hat. I didn't have to worry about all the hair junk in my hair. I mean, it was just one of the most amazing things. I just. To this day, I still remember how it feels.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:53]:
You used to do some modeling too, is that right?

Tyler Morehead [00:05:55]:
I did. That was back in my younger years when I still had my good looks or whatever looks I did have.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:02]:
So when you see yourself, you're in an industry where, you know, everything is your image and your appearance. Did you feel a little bit of that same kind of confidence you used to have as the younger model, Tyler?

Tyler Morehead [00:06:15]:
Honestly, yeah, I had it all. I mean, I had all that confidence back. I mean, it was pretty wild, you know, and at the same time, there was always a little bit of trepidation, too, because I knew what I had done, and I always wondered how many other people knew. And, you know, I think going back to what you said earlier, fewer people, I think, have recognized it or seen it or even asked me about it.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:36]:
Yeah.

Tyler Morehead [00:06:36]:
Than I thought would.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:42]:
Tyler's experience is a great reminder that the first and most important thing you need to consider when choosing a hair loss solution is to focus on how it makes you feel. Tyler felt his confidence come back, and he saw that guy in the mirror that he hadn't seen in a while. And this is the experience of so many guests that we talk to here on the HairPod. Hair loss can be an emotional thing. It can cause a lot of discomfort or anxiety. For many people, hair is tied to their sense of self identity and maybe most importantly, their confidence. And Tyler was no exception. Our next guest story is unique in that she was born with a rare condition that caused her hair loss at birth.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:23]:
Abby Jensen was diagnosed with amniotic band syndrome. This condition caused scarring on her scalp, and a lot of her hair never came in. Things could have gone very differently for her if her mother hadn't found Hair Club for Kids when Abby was just 4 years old.

Abby Jensen [00:07:47]:
I was 4 years old when I started a hair club. So my mom was very on the ball of, like, I don't want her to go to school without hair. So we started with. I forget the organization, but there was one that wouldn't help me because I didn't have cancer. And then my mom found Hair Club for Men, because back then it was just called For Men. There was really nothing else. And I would have to ask my mom who the directors or the people in charge were, but she found them, and they kind of were like, okay, let's meet with her. Let's see what we can do.

Abby Jensen [00:08:16]:
So they met with me and my parents, and I've been a client now for 20 years, and they.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:20]:
Wow.

Abby Jensen [00:08:21]:
Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:22]:
20 years.

Abby Jensen [00:08:23]:
20 years.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:25]:
That is crazy.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:26]:
Tell me a little bit about your journey.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:28]:
You started when you were four with Hair. You talked about, you know, the different.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:32]:
Wigs that they have, and they have an amazing. I mean, the. The technology and the advancement of wigs. And you can speak to this more than I can. Have you seen just the technology and how it's changed from when you were four until what you can see now?

Abby Jensen [00:08:45]:
Oh, yeah. So I remember my first wig was one I could put on and take off. So my parents had, like, a little head that we would put my hair on. We would go out in public, and then I'd go home and they would take it off and I'd be without it. And then my mom slowly realized that this was not sustainable for, I mean, a kid, like, running around, like, swimming and dancing and stuff. So we got into. They came up. Well, I'm.

Abby Jensen [00:09:07]:
I'm sure I was not the first person to do this, but they had me start using a hair piece that I could glue onto my head. So they used, like, a poly fuse kind of solution in the back of my head because it's less sensitive. So I tape in the front and glue in the back for a long time. And they. I was able to swim, I could dance, I could run, I could shower, I could straighten it if I wanted to, like, add heat products and stuff. So that was, I mean, huge. It allowed me to be normal, like my Friends and, like, my parents and everyone else I knew. So that was.

Abby Jensen [00:09:38]:
I mean, just huge in itself to be able to have the hairpiece. I mean, it just. It saved me, honestly. Like, I can be normal. I can look normal. And you wouldn't know that I wear a wig unless you asked. And I used to be so hidden about it.

Christopher Erstner [00:09:52]:
I.

Abby Jensen [00:09:52]:
Like, if people would tell me, oh, like, I heard this, I. Whatever. And I was just like, no, like, that's not true. Like, my hair is real. I used to hide it. Actually, I'm 24 now, so I've gotten to the point where I can share it. I tell my friends. I mean, I've only just recently started taking my hair off every so often, so I can kind of get used to washing my head on my own, because that was something I could never do to be able to share with my friends and family.

Abby Jensen [00:10:15]:
It was a. I mean, a big thing for. I even come to work now with a scarf on, and that's pretty big, too.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:20]:
So what are the reactions you get?

Kevin Rolston [00:10:21]:
What do people say?

Abby Jensen [00:10:23]:
And, well, now they love it. I mean, yeah, I tell people now and they're like, wow, Like, I can't believe. Like, I mean, you go through that. I can't believe you deal with this. I can't believe you can talk about it so freely. I mean, that's. It's huge to be able to say to people like, oh, this is what I deal with. This is what I have.

Abby Jensen [00:10:39]:
And to show people. I think it's. When I was younger, I wanted someone to look up to, and I didn't have that. I didn't have somebody that looked like me or that, like, had something similar to me. So it was. It was hard. I mean, honestly, it was very tough. But now I can be like, this is who I am.

Abby Jensen [00:10:54]:
It's not going anywhere. I can't change it. I can just embrace it. And I think that's kind of where I'm at is too. I can show my friends, I can show my family. I can be open to strangers about, like, my hair situation and everything. So I think it's a big growth mindset, but also just like an acceptance factor is it's okay to be different. It's okay to have something different than other people.

Abby Jensen [00:11:16]:
And that's the biggest lesson I've learned.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:22]:
Thanks to the efforts of her mom when she was little, Abby got to have a normal childhood and do everything she wanted to do without feeling singled out. Her incredible confidence and openness have brought her to the point where she now can be a role model to kids who are going through what she went through as a kid, and that is a testament to her growth and strength. She's not the only one who's experienced some growth when it comes to being open about their hair loss. Our society as a whole is starting to change and treat hair loss differently. Part of HairPod's mission is to talk openly about hair loss journeys of all kinds, and to share the challenges and the triumphs that touch everybody's life at some point or another. One of our most popular episodes of all time featured an interview with Christopher Erstner, a beauty expert and the founder of a cosmetics brand. We talked about his experience with hair loss and the changes he sees in society when it comes to men and the options that we have for changing our appearance.

Christopher Erstner [00:12:28]:
I think the first thing I did was, like, I didn't want to be that guy that was like, bozo, honestly, where it was just like, hair, and then so I just shaved it off. And then I got really comfortable with wearing hats. Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:40]:
Okay, so you had. You went with no hair at all, then you decided to take the whole thing off?

Christopher Erstner [00:12:45]:
Yeah, absolutely. I figured that if I wasn't going to be able to do it right or look right, I was just going to get rid of it. And so I own probably every single coach hat that they've ever made. And I just kind of went along with that. Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:59]:
How do you think that made you feel? Because I was almost there. That was the last step before I walked into hair club and got my system was I thought I was going to shave the whole thing, but then I started to realize, to me, I look 15 to 20 years older when I don't have hair. How do you feel like you looked without hair?

Christopher Erstner [00:13:17]:
Same. I mean, of course, you keep it together with the hat. Right. So you want to try to keep it cool and fun with the hat, but there's only so much you could do. Like my sister's wedding. I'm not going to wear a hat walking her down the aisle. But I'm not going to lie. I would have totally done so if she would have let me, I sincerely would have done it.

Christopher Erstner [00:13:36]:
She wasn't, you know, she wasn't about that life. But, you know, you do what you got to do, you know? And enough about men do not have that space in the beauty world to have the ability to say, I don't like this, and I'd like to change it without having some type of, like, Joan Rivers complex, like, you know, with, like, the plastic Surgery. Well, maybe she went a little too far, but that's what she did for herself. We should let people alone. Men are just. And even she gets let off the hook and let you know, you got Kenny Rogers situation where it's like, oh my God, it's a little too much. And then you get talked about forever. And your legacy is to be an amp, you know what I mean? So you kind of have to be cognizant of that.

Christopher Erstner [00:14:17]:
But I think that it's getting better, obviously, social media, and there's so many forms of social media now that you really can't get away from the algorithm. And so at some point you're going to come across it if it's something that you're looking for.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:32]:
I think, yeah, tell me a little bit about. Because, you know, I think that is a big hang up for a lot of guys. It seems like in our society it's much more acceptable, or at least it was, that women would go out and seek beauty type treatments. But men, we take whatever life gives us and we don't really do that kind of stuff. And you talk about your own struggles with that because I think it is. You have to come to a place where you get comfortable. And now I have no problem talking about anything that I've done with hair Club. Very open about it, but it probably was something that either happened in society or my age.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:07]:
What do you think it was for you? Is it something that you get more comfortable with as you get older? Or do you think that societal perceptions about men and hair loss and the treatments that they have are different?

Christopher Erstner [00:15:17]:
I don't think that the society has changed on hair loss in regards to like the sexual capability or compatibility really of what men are to women. Right. So like, I think that's part of the issues that men have is like, I want to be, you know, attractive and I want people attracted to me. And then, you know, we make the world go round. Right. But in terms of like society changing their ideas about that, it really hasn't changed because at least from my perspective, you have, you know, our parents and then their parents, men were just, they kind of have the world on a string, right? And women were meant, were supposed to be like very well kept and you gotta wait for your husband to come home. So you have that very chauvinistic kind of attitude that they didn't realize was chauvinistic until years later. But.

Christopher Erstner [00:16:08]:
And those things have changed since, you know, the women's movement in the 70s and then the 80s were just like, you Know, one big party and then, you know, the 90s is, I think, what people started understanding. Like, I'd like to look a certain way and given the room to do so. And then you got to 2000s where things are just not the same anymore. And then pre Covid or post Covid now I think that the world completely changed in a different way, and people are just like, you know what? I'm just going to live life the way I want to live. And if that means that I have to admit to one or two things, I am going to seek help for hair loss. Or I'm not. It's one or the other. I gotta be me.

Christopher Erstner [00:16:47]:
And I think that more younger men are certainly happier with the options than I think that we were when we were kids, for sure.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:59]:
It's amazing how as our society changes and technology improves, there are happy endings in sight for more and more people who are looking to get their hair back. Nowadays, no matter why you lost your hair, there is an option out there that will work for you and give you the results that you want. The hard part could be finding the perfect match for you. Our next guest, Carol, found her perfect match after her cancer diagnosis and intense rounds of chemotherapy that took her hair from her. Thankfully, her cancer went into remission, and she was able to return to her life and career with a clean bill of health. But she still had to deal with the fact that her hair didn't come back in and she didn't feel like herself without him. She lost her extroverted personality and she began turning down opportunities at work. That was before a woman at a survivor support group told her about hair.

Carol Combs [00:17:57]:
I'll never forget the day. It was May 25, 1995, and I had a big retirement party that I had put on for somebody who had worked for the company for 40, and there were going to be over 300 people there, so. And I went with. With my new hair, and I was like my old self. I just. Nobody looked at me differently. People were like, oh, did you get a perm? Your hair looks so great. And I mean, in that moment, I just was so much joy.

Carol Combs [00:18:29]:
I mean, I thought, wow.

Abby Jensen [00:18:32]:
Look what.

Carol Combs [00:18:33]:
Hair club has done for me.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:36]:
It's. It's life changing. That's amazing to feel like that, to.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:39]:
Feel like yourself again. Did you feel like this was kind of the moment where you felt the victory over cancer? You felt like the old Carol was back and that you had nothing but life to live?

Carol Combs [00:18:50]:
Absolutely. I mean, I was done with treatments at that point and wasn't real sure, you know, how was it going to navigate back into my social life and all that and meeting that girl and going to hair club, seeing that it's all now possible, that was huge.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:13]:
Journeys like Carol's show, the incredible power of investing in yourself and doing whatever it it takes to get your life back. And I think the beautiful thing about these stories, as diverse as they are, they all come down to that. It's about listening to yourself and looking for the solution that is right for you. I was a person who realized at the age of 25 that I was starting to lose my hair. And looking back at the genetics of my family through my dad, my maternal grandfather, I knew I was probably doomed to have the same hairline that they did, which was pretty much non existent except for the sides. So at that age, I sought out help and treatment and I did some things that really slowed down my hair loss. But 15 to 20 years later, those measures just weren't as effective as they had been. And I knew I had to take a different step.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:04]:
I was getting to the point where it looked like I was really faking it. I'm getting like comb over guy kind of syndrome or just patchy baldness. It looked like I had some form of mange. It just wasn't how I wanted to look. I knew I had to do something. So I had two options. I thought, either you can go on ahead and just shave it all off, or you can go with a place like Hair Club. But like a lot of people that had seen the TV commercials, I was skeptical.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:27]:
Plus, for me, there was a stigma that I just kind of grew up with as a child. In the 80s, we're getting a different kind of hair, a toupee, whatever you want to call it, just really wasn't trendy and it's not where I wanted to go. But a problem for me, unlike a lot of guys, I do not look good without hair. So I set up an appointment to go to the Hair Club. And you know what, I didn't go. I thought, you know, no, no, no, this is not for me. Then I took another look in the mirror. I got off the clippers and I got close.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:55]:
But I said, you know what, just go sit down with Hair Club and see what they have to say. What they told me about a hair system blew my mind. I was going to have real human hair on my head. It was going to look natural. Strangers could run their hair through it and they wouldn't know that I had anything but my own natural hair. I Could be active in it. I could go swimming, bungee jumping, canoeing, whatever, and I was going to be okay. So I took the leap, and the results were absolutely amazing.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:24]:
And now, for over seven years now, I have been a member of the hair club. And let me tell you, it has changed my life dramatically. I look 15 years younger. I look a lot more attractive than I would without hair. I know, and my wife loves it, and that's really what matters. Plus, being in the public eye like I am, I was able to maintain my confidence. And for anybody, even if you're not in the media, it's a pretty big deal. That's why I want people to know about hair cloth, because I want you to have the same kind of great feelings that I do.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:54]:
Okay, we got one last clip for you today, and it comes from Jeff Elzeni. He's been working for Hair Club for many years now, and he truly believes in the product, not just because he knows it can make a difference, but because he uses it himself. Jeff's story, like the others that you've heard today, is one of triumph. Finding your confidence in living the life that you really want to live.

Jeff ElZenny [00:22:21]:
So I started losing my hair when I was a junior in high school. And, you know, the problem with that was I looked so much older than I was, you know, 17 years old. Looked like I was going on 30 at that point. It was crazy. By the time I graduated high school, I looked like I was in my late 30s, almost 40, you know, so it was a major, major hit to the ego. You know, you know me as this outgoing guy, and, you know, I'm always out and talkative and, you know, really just kind of living my best life. Right. When I went through that, I became a recluse.

Jeff ElZenny [00:22:51]:
I didn't want the attention. I didn't want people to call me out on it. So I figured it would just be easier for me to not be in those environments, so I stayed away from it. That's really where the story started. At 21 years old, I was dating a hairdresser, and we had a conversation, and she said, hey, there's this guy that comes into my place, and he's a member, and he looks really good, and maybe you should look into that. So at that point, I did ended up becoming a member not too long after, you know, and getting my hair back. And, man, you know, like I said earlier, it was a life changer. Not only did it make me look younger, feel better, it gave me me back.

Jeff ElZenny [00:23:26]:
It gave me my life back. You know.

Kevin Rolston [00:23:28]:
Yeah.

Jeff ElZenny [00:23:29]:
So, you know, all of that stuff, and then in the future, obviously, you know, she wasn't the one. So dating and being out there again and being single and living, you know, living that life, it was a game changer because you have your confidence. I wasn't worried about, you know, I looked older than I felt and all that stuff. I felt younger. You know, I had a cool hairstyle. I able to, you know, working out and all that stuff. So it was. It was a big change, you know, and then for me, about a year and a half into it, you know, I became an employee.

Jeff ElZenny [00:23:55]:
So I started working with a company, and really meeting with people was a. It was a mission of mine to be able to help people make the changes that I made. But that was really important to me. And, you know, I won't take anything away from what I did in my prior years, but a lot of people, you know, whenever I'm, I'm told to, like, say, tell me something that nobody knows about you. Well, I'm a licensed electrician, so that's what I went to school to be. Yeah, that's what I did before I got involved in. Yeah, man. So, you know, one of the jokes that I tell my friends that are like, why do you do what you do? It's, you know, it's just a crazy field to be in.

Jeff ElZenny [00:24:25]:
Well, my joke is nobody remembers who put the light switch in your house. Right. But everybody remembers who helped them get their hair back and who helped them change their life. Right. So it's. To me, it was more of a meaningful move because I know what it did for me personally, and I wanted to be able to help other people go through that themselves.

Kevin Rolston [00:24:46]:
We want to thank all of our incredible guests for coming on the show and opening up about their hair loss. If you're going through hair loss right now, you might know how hard it is to do. And if you're someone who is currently supporting a friend or family member who is losing their hair, you probably see it, too. HairPod would not be possible without people who are willing to share their stories in hopes that their experiences can help others. And we want to thank you for listening to this. You are helping us break the stigma surrounding hair loss by educating yourself and sharing with others one story at a time. 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. Thanks for listening to another episode of hairpod.

Kevin Rolston [00:25:33]:
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 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 podcasts.hairclub.com 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.

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Is Stress Causing Your Hair Loss?

Is Stress Causing Your Hair Loss?

Episode 39

Is Stress Causing Your Hair Loss?

Is Stress Causing Your Hair Loss? with Dr. Phipps

If your hair is thinning but you’re not sure why, it’s time to take a look at your stress levels. It’s important to understand the relationship between stress and hair loss if you want any hope of stopping the thinning or even growing your hair back. In this episode of HairPod, I sat down with Dr. Angie Phipps, a renowned hair transplant surgeon and expert in hair loss, to explore the external factors that contribute to hair thinning and loss.

Stress-related Hair Loss and Cortisol Levels

Stress-induced hair loss is more common than you might think. Dr. Phipps explains that elevated cortisol levels, the hormone produced during stress, can cause hair follicles to shut down. “Your hair follicle cells are so sensitive to changes in hormones,” she says. This condition, known as telogen effluvium, leads to increased shedding but is usually temporary. If you can manage your stress levels, your hair will often grow back unless the stress itself is kickstarting someone’s natural male or female pattern hair loss.

Illness and Hair Loss: The Hidden Connection

The impact of illness on hair loss often goes unnoticed. Serious illnesses, especially those causing chronic inflammation like autoimmune disorders, can lead to significant hair shedding. Dr. Phipps notes, “Your hair follicle cells don’t like your body having inflammation; it scares them.” Even viral infections like COVID-19 have been linked to hair loss due to prolonged internal inflammation affecting hair follicle health.

Diet, Nutrient Deficiencies, and Hair Thinning

Diet plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy hair. Nutrient deficiencies can weaken hair follicles, making them more susceptible to shedding. Rapid weight loss from crash diets or medications like Ozempic can cause metabolic stress, leading to hair thinning. Ensuring you get the recommended daily allowances of vitamins and minerals is key to preventing diet-related hair loss.

Exploring Hair Restoration Options

When it comes to hair restoration, one size doesn’t fit all. Dr. Phipps discusses how treatments vary based on individual needs.  Alternatives like Hair Club’s Xtrands and Xtrands+ offer non-surgical solutions for anyone who is looking to make their hair appear more voluminous and full. Consulting with a hair loss specialist can help determine the best course of action tailored to your specific condition.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance.

Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Check out Episode 034: Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss with Dr. Phipps

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.39 Transcript
Dr. Angela Phipps [00:00:02]:
The trichotillomania does cause chronic hair loss and chronic inflammation, but it doesn't cause a scarring form of hair loss. Once you get them under control and they're no longer pulling, then the inflammation will go away from that chronic pulling and everything will settle down and the environment of the scalp will return to normal and healthy. And you can transplant into those patients as long as they're under psychological behavioral treatment to make sure, because you don't want them to start pulling out the transplanted hairs as well.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:44]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Rolston, 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. In this episode of HairPod, I'm going to be talking with one of our favorite guests of all time, Dr. Angie Phipps. Dr. Phipps is a hair transplant surgeon who is an expert in all things hair loss. Last time we had her on the show, we had an in depth conversation about male and female pattern thinning and how our hormones and genetics interact to determine whether that's something you'll experience.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:29]:
It was an enlightening conversation, and if you want to check it out, we linked to episode 34 in our show notes. So we all know we can't change our genetics as far as hair loss is concerned. But I wanted to go into more depth with Dr. Phipps about what kinds of things we can control when it comes to hair loss and what those external factors are.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:01:53]:
The biggest one is stress. It's funny though, because stress comes back to producing a hormone. So when you're under stress, you produce a hormone called cortisol. So cortisol is another hormone and it rises. And your hair follicle cells are so sensitive to changes in hormones, they detect that changing cortisol level systemically through your body when you're under stress. And it scares them that these cortisol levels are high. So they think they need to protect themselves from this bad hormone, cortisol, and it will cause the cells to shut down and go and prematurely go in or jump into the dormant or resting phase of the hair follicle life cycle. And when that happens, then the hair that's growing will then stop growing and fall out.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:02:39]:
So stress can cause hair loss. Now, what I tell patients, though, is that stress does not cause permanent hair loss, meaning that the Cortisol hormone does not kill the hair follicle like the testosterone DHT hormone does. So it just causes it to shock and shut down and the hair loss falls out. But the stress has to get back to a normal level where the cortisol levels are normal so that the hair follicle cells don't recognize them anymore so that they can recover from their resting phase and go back into their growth phase and produce the hair again. So you got to get the stress under control. But if you're under constant stress, you're going to have constant hair loss and shedding. But it's not necessarily permanent unless that stress is a activator or kind of like a kick in the pants. For the male pattern hair loss, it accelerates it, it's an accelerant.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:03:34]:
So the stress can be an accelerant for male pattern hair loss. And so then it can accelerate the male pattern hair loss and you can eventually see permanent hair loss from stress because it was the accelerant or the inducer for the male pattern hair loss to kind of take off and pick up or female hair loss at a faster rate than it would if the stress wasn't there. Because I tell patients, look, if stress caused permanent hair loss, I would be bald. Every mother in America would be bald. Right? And we're not. And so it can cause hair loss. It's not permanent hair loss, but it takes six to nine months for your hair follicle cells to recover from stress hair loss because it's got to go through the dormant phase of the resting phase before it can go back into the active phase. But it can be a trigger or an accelerant for male pattern hair loss.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:20]:
Now do you have any idea? Because we all have stress. If you have a job, if you have kids, if you have in laws, you know, you have stress. If you're married in a relationship, there are going to be stressors. But then there are things that are more extreme stress. I've heard about, for instance, going through a divorce and that is a high stress level and the effects that that has on the body. Have you noticed through studies that different forms of stress like divorce or things like that rank higher than somebody who just has a challenging job or challenging children?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:04:50]:
Yes. It's not just everyday stress that causes that type of hair loss. It's major traumatic events like a divorce, a death in the family, undergoing, you know, a major surgical procedure, undergoing bariatric surgery. That's a huge stress on the body where hormones and all kinds of things are being manipulated. You lose a lot of weight, all kinds of things are shifting. So it's the major metabolic stressors to the body and major psychological stressors to the body that cause that hair loss, just not your day in and day out stress. So when patients come in and they're, they're talking about their hair loss and you know, usually when patients say, you know, I've lost this hair gradually over the last five to 10 years, that's pretty typical for the story of male or female pattern thinning. When they say the past, you know, I've lost all this hair over the last six months.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:05:44]:
A year ago my hair was fine. And I say, okay, let's backtrack six months. What's going on? Or like, nothing. I'm like, six months ago, what happened? And they're like, oh, I had, you know, my favorite aunt died, or I broke up with my boyfriend, or, you know, if you trace the story back six months to nine months or so, you can almost always identify some sort of major stressor potentially that then happened and then the hair loss ensued over the, over the, quickly over the next several months. That's an indicator of the stress. Hair loss. It's called stress telogen, effluvium. So the, the medical term for that hair loss is called telogen because that's the resting phase of the hair follicle.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:06:23]:
Effluvium means shedding out.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:26]:
Okay, now, when you have stressful situations too, sometimes you may not be eating or doing things like that. So how much do periods in your life where you're just so stressed you can't eat, or you're so sad you can't eat and you're not getting the nutrients in your body that you need. How much of an effect would that also have to play with the stress in you shedding the hair?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:06:49]:
Yeah, your diet is a huge component to healthy hair, just like your diet's a huge component to having healthy skin and, you know, just healthy organs and healthy everything. Your hair, you know, recognizes whenever it's in a vitamin or mineral or protein deficiency and will react accordingly by being scared and shut down and fall out. You see lots of pictures with, you know, young girls who have eating disorders and their hair is usually always very thin, brittle, easily damaged. And it's because they're not getting the nutrients to maintain strong hair follicle cells to produce strong hair shafts. So in crash dieting, women are just prone to wanting to be thinner sometimes and will do drastic measures to try and lose weight quickly for a reunion or for a Holiday. And that is not good for the body and it's definitely not good for the hair.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:41]:
Have you noticed any kind of correlation or connection with women or men either way, who are on any of these newer diet drugs that are out there? The Ozempics, semaglutides and hair loss, are those connected in any way?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:07:53]:
I have seen Ozempic. We're calling it Ozempic hair loss and they call it Ozempic face or Ozempic tush. You know, seeing Ozempic hair because they're losing weight so quickly that there's a shift in your metabolics. And the GLP1 medications are changing the metabolism, which is good for fat know, loss. But when you do it that quickly and not over a steady state, the hair follicle cells respond to that drama, the drastic change, and they start to shut down and have shedding.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:26]:
Wow. Okay. Yeah, that's. Well, what, what an experience where you're losing the weight, but you're also losing the hair.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:08:32]:
Yeah. And we have, you know, when Covid was so rampant, I mean, I saw hundreds of patients with COVID hair loss because they were having that major viral load in their body that was wreaking havoc and it was, you know, causing internal inflammation. And your hair follicle cells recognize internal metabolic changes and inflammation and they respond accordingly by going into protective mode. And that means shutting down, going dormant, and that causes the shedding of the hair shaft.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:06]:
Stress comes in a variety of forms, and they're not always immediately recognizable as something that could cause hair loss. Whether it's a major event like the loss of a loved one or rapid weight loss, these things can cause strain on the body, and it's important to be aware of that. Hair health can be almost like an indicator for what your body might be going through. So it's important to pay attention to those thinning patches, especially if you've gone through any major life changes. This got me thinking about how illness can affect the body and whether something like the flu or Covid could cause hair loss.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:09:46]:
Usually the flu is so short lived that it doesn't necessarily cause that, but, you know, because what we found with the COVID is that is, even though the symptoms may have only lasted a particular length of time, the inflammation that was caused from that virus was staying in the system a lot longer and causing persistent internal effects on the lungs and other organs that you wasn't necessarily manifesting outside physical symptoms anymore. Like, you know, but internally it was still having a chronic effect. But yeah, chronic medical conditions can cause hair Loss and people who are had chronic, especially chronic inflammatory illnesses like lupus and autoimmune disorders because the autoimmune disorders produce inflammation and your hair follicle cells don't like your body having inflammation, it scares them and so they shut down and have shedding. So a lot of times people, patients who have chronic medical conditions, even if it's not an inflammatory medical condition, though they're taking medications. And chronic use of certain medications has even been shown in studies to potentially have a deleterious effect to the hair follicles because of the chronic medication use by the mechanism of action that the medications are having on the body.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:04]:
Well, talking about how important nutrients are to your body, what foods have you noticed that either add to hair loss or can help prevent hair loss? Are there certain foods? How should your diet look if this is the goal that you have to slow down your hair loss?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:11:18]:
Yeah. So you don't need. No specific food's going to make your hair grow or I'd be eating it every day. But you need a well balanced diet. You need, you know, the recommended daily allowances of all your vitamins and your minerals and your, you know, your nutrients. You need to be eating your fruits, you need to be eating your vegetables. And so just eating a well balanced diet, you don't want to be too high in protein or too low in protein or no carbs and no sugar. You know, it's all about balance and making sure that you're.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:11:49]:
Because your hair follicles need the nutrition just like your body does. And in order for your body to stay in homeostasis or balance, you need a well balanced meal.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:59]:
Have you noticed any correlation with over processed, overly processed foods or maybe some of the sodas that we consume? Has there ever been any kind of correlation to that with hair thinning or hair loss?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:12:10]:
Nothing documented study wise that I can recall. Again, it's just a, you know, a balance of limiting your, you know, processed foods. Absolutely. Because it has a high salt and that's just not good for, you know, you know, good for your heart, good for your body, good for anything.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:24]:
Right.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:12:24]:
Okay. And just watching the, you know, the diet sodas because of the aspartame and the end of, you know, the different sweeteners that they use is just not good. But as far as being having a direct correlation to any hair loss. No.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:35]:
Now there might be other things that are not necessarily due to what you're doing with your body and the food you're consuming. Maybe something that would be a hormonal Imbalance, like a hypothyroidism or something like that. How do you know if maybe that's what is causing it? How do you get something like that diagnosed?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:12:52]:
Yeah, so when patients come in, I go through a full medical history, you know, asking them about all the body systems and the endocrine system is, you know, one of the major ones that can be off kilter that can have a contributory effect to hair loss. Thyroid is one of the hormones that, when it's off your hair follicle cells, you know, respond to. And so I'll ask my female patients and my male patients, you know, have you been to the doctor in the last year and had a metabolic workup to see if your thyroid is functioning normally or to make sure you're not anemic? So. And there can be medical causes of hair loss other than the genetics of the male or female pattern. And the two most common medical conditions that cause hair loss are thyroid abnormalities and anemia. So those are usually the two blood tests that I recommend patients to go have checked at their family practice doctor if they haven't had anything done to do a workup for their hair loss, because they may have male or female pattern hair loss, but they may also have thyroid or anemia that's compounding the male or female pattern hair loss. So you want to get rid of any medical cause of hair loss that you can and get that treated, and then we can, you know, work on the, you know, the genetic component.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:03]:
So are there different types of these autoimmune diseases? I assume, you know, you could look into something like Hashimoto's disease or something along those lines, and an expert would be able to identify that pretty quickly what you have.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:14:15]:
So when you go to the doctor, they'll test your, you know, your thyroid, and based upon what those hormone levels are, it'll. It'll direct them into a way of whether you have low thyroid or high thyroid and, you know, can get you on the proper medications. The other autoimmune, you know, disorders that produce chronic inflammation are more along the lines of like lupus, sarcoid and some of those inflammatory conditions like that. But those are, you know, two things that can cause hair loss. Those are common, but not real common. The real common medical causes are, you know, usually thyroid anemia and poor diet.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:53]:
What would you say is the hardest thing to treat when it comes to it? You got anything from just your standard genetic hair loss. You've got your stresses, you've got your autoimmune diseases. What do you find to be the most threatening to a good head of hair.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:15:07]:
Yeah. So the autoimmune, or what we call scarring, forms of hair loss are the most hard because what's happening is underneath the surface of the scalp skin, your body is producing inflammation chronically. But it's what we call subclinical inflammation, meaning that you don't feel it and you don't see it, even so you don't know that it's there. So it's there for years, just ruminating underneath the surface of the skin. And that inflammation is causing pressure on the roots of the hair follicles over time and just pressing and pressing and pressing, and eventually it'll kill the hair follicle cell from just being there for so long. So it's super important for both men and women to get an appropriate specialty evaluation by a hair loss physician in the early times of hair loss, so that if it looks suspicious or the history of it just doesn't seem like male or female pattern hair loss, that we can get you to potentially a dermatologist and get a biopsy of that scalp skin to find out what's going on at the cellular level underneath the surface of the skin, so that we can treat the pathological condition that's causing the hair loss, so that it we can either hopefully restore those hair follicle cells back to functioning capability and regrow hair, or at least get rid of the inflammation or tame or control the inflammation so that the hair loss doesn't get worse. Because once it's gone. In scarring forms of hair loss, you can't even transplant into those areas, because if you take a transplanted hair and put it into that area, the cause of the reason of why the hair fell out the first time will cause the transplanted hair to fall out.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:16:46]:
So you need to detect early detection for those scarring forms of hair loss so that it doesn't get to the point of there actually being a bald spot. Because sometimes then we can't even do anything from a surgical standpoint. However, the saving grace of that is we have hair club who can use their expertise to be able to give hair to those patients.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:09]:
This is an absolute masterclass and just how our bodies respond to stress in so many different forms. Dr. Phipps gave so many good reminders of medical conditions and viruses that can cause hair loss. Hopefully, if you're sitting at home and wondering why your hair is falling out, maybe this is a sign to check in with your doctor to see whether or not your hormone levels a nutrient Deficiency or even a chronic illness could be the reason. The human body is incredibly complex and it's critical to have professional help. In a lot of these cases, not only could it reverse or reduce your hair loss, that could just be the tip of the iceberg as far as your healing is concerned. But physical health issues aren't the only cause of hair loss. Mental health disorders like trichotillomania can cause a person to compulsively pull their own hair out.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:00]:
I was curious as to whether or not this could cause scarring like some of the inflammatory illnesses we were talking about.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:18:13]:
The trichotillomania does cause, you know, chronic hair loss and chronic inflammation, but it doesn't cause a scarring form of hair loss. And on the TV show Bad Hair Day, I actually did two transplants on two patients that had trichotillomania. Once you get them under control and they're no longer pulling, then the scalp will, the inflammation will go away from that chronic pulling and everything will settle down and the environment of the scalp will return to normal and healthy. And you can transplant into those patients as long as they're under psychological, behavioral treatment to make sure, because you don't want them to start pulling out the transplanted hairs as well. So they have to be under medical care for the trichotillomania. I did a scalp transplant on a female who had trichotillomania, and we did two surgeries on her, very successful. And I did an eyebrow transplant on a patient who pulled out all her eyebrows. And we just did one, you know, one treatment to her and it was successful.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:08]:
Now, you working with Bosley, understanding what hair club does, how do you determine when somebody is best with a surgical procedure or whether best going to a hair club and getting a hair system or something along those lines. Can you look and how do you determine who you send where for something like that?

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:19:27]:
Yeah, so you have to, number one, you got to talk to the patient and find out what are your goals, what are you looking to achieve, you know, and then you have to look at supply and demand. If a patient comes in and they're totally bald on top, and they've only got that 2 or 3 inch rim of hair around the back of the head, and they want a full head of hair, that's never going to be accomplished with a transplant. And so that's going to be a patient who, if they want a full head of hair or even want, you know, a little bit of hair, sometimes a transplant isn't an option. And that's the you know, that's definitely a patient that I'm referring to Hair Club. And so you have to have the donor hair to be able to move into the area of hair loss, to be able to accomplish the result of having, you know, less scalp visibility. And there is a limit to how thick a transplant can look because there has to be a little bit of spacing in between the hair grafts because they're living little organs that require a blood supply. And so the density that can be achieved safely, surgically in one procedure is usually not the result of being able to take somebody and give them a full head of hair with no scalp visibility in one procedure. And if that's the patient's goal and that's the budget that they have, and they can't potentially do what's necessary to get that result from a hair transplant, we'll send those patients to Hair Club.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:20:42]:
And women are very difficult from a transplant standpoint because sometimes the donor hair, which is the hair in the back of the head that is typically not affected by the hormones and doesn't thin, can sometimes be affected in women the way it is is not in men. And they are not even a transplant candidate. And so for them, I send them to Hair Club to look at the product called X strands, which can give a really voluminous look of hair, or the X strands plus, which can give them, you know, a complete hair. You know, system just depends upon what their goals are. And a lot of times I see patients that come in and they don't have female pattern hair loss. They've just got really fine, thin hair. And they think, if I get a transplant, it's going to give me a full head of hair again. And that's not what a transplant can accomplish.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:21:32]:
And so patients who come in with fine, thin hair, I absolutely refer them to Hair Club for the X strands because they're going to be able to provide them with the hair strands attached to their existing hair that's just going to give them a huge voluminous amount of hair that's going to give them the result that they're looking for that they thought a transplant would give, but it can't. So again, it's about seeing, you know, a specialist who can tell you what treatments will work, what treatments won't work, and whether you're a good candidate. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it unless you're a good candidate for something. And so I really pride myself on patient, you know, on my ethics and morals of when a Patient comes in. There's lots of patients I could do transplants on that. I don't because I know what their overall goal is going to be. I know what the result from a surgical transplant that I'm going to be able to give them. And when I know that's not going to match, I don't let them go through with the procedure.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:22:22]:
I say, look, hair club is the option for you that's going to give you what you want. I know you thought you wanted a transplant, but this isn't something that I can accomplish through these means. I'm going to send you to Hair Club. I'm taking money out of my own, my own pocket. But I'm going to, you know, I'm doing it because I'm your advocate. I tell patients I want your money, but I don't need your money. I need you to be happy. I need you to get what you are paying for.

Dr. Angela Phipps [00:22:44]:
And if I'm not the answer to that, I gladly send them to somebody who is. And that's always haircut.

Kevin Rolston [00:22:54]:
As we wrap up today's insightful discussion with Dr. Phipps, it's clear that stress and illness can profoundly affect not just our minds, but our bodies as well, even leading to hair loss. But remember, understanding these connections is a powerful first step towards healing. There is hope and help available, and you're not alone in this journey. By acknowledging the impact of stress and seeking support, we can all take meaningful steps towards better health and well being. Thanks 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 share it with them.

Kevin Rolston [00:23:37]:
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.com 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. This.

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Hair Loss, Confidence & Racing With Frankie Muniz

Hair Loss, Confidence & Racing With Frankie Muniz

Episode 38

Hair Loss, Confidence & Racing with Frankie Muniz

Hair Loss, Confidence, and Racing with Frankie Muniz

This week on HairPod, we welcomed one of our favorite guests back to the show, Frankie Muniz. We talked about his experience as an actor dealing with hair loss, and how things have changed since he got his hair back. Listen in to hear how finding his confidence again is impacting his career as a NASCAR driver.

Hair Loss in the Public Eye

As an actor and race car driver, Frankie Muniz understands the impact of hair loss on public perception and personal confidence. In the entertainment industry, most “leading men” have a full head of hair, and in his early 20’s, Frankie found his hair thinning. Frankie recounts how this affected his acting opportunities, making him appear older than he truly was. His decision to use a hair system has led to a more youthful appearance and a positive change in his overall presence. 

Hair Systems and Confidence

Frankie Muniz shares his transformative experience with hair systems at HairClub, highlighting how regaining his hair significantly boosted his confidence. For Frankie, visiting HairClub is more than a regular errand; it’s his “me time” where he enjoys a head massage and a fresh haircut. Frankie ensures his look remains fresh and natural-looking with trips to a HairClub center every two weeks. Not only does he experience a boost to his self-esteem with his hair system, he also compares it to the self-care that many women get from going to a spa.

HairClub: Tailored Solutions for Every Lifestyle

While hair systems are growing in popularity, many people still don’t know much about how they work or where to get a high-quality one. Frankie wasn’t sure what to expect when he first looked into getting his hair system, and he wondered if it would be able to withstand his active, fast-paced career. He was pleasantly surprised to learn that HairClub caters to individuals of all ages and lifestyles, including active professionals like himself. 

Maintaining a Hair System 

Hair systems, in Frankie’s experience, require similar maintenance to having natural hair. He uses shampoo and conditioner to keep it clean just like he would with his natural hair and goes into a HairClub Center every two weeks for a professional touch-up. This ease of maintenance allows Frankie to focus on his demanding career as a NASCAR driver without worrying about his hair and knowing it will look great every time he takes off his helmet post-race.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.38 Transcript
Frankie Muniz [00:00:02]:
When I go to Hair Club, it's like a very relaxing, like, me time. You know what I mean? That hour that I'm in the chair, get my head massage, I get my hair cut, it feels good. So, like, I go once every two weeks to the center, and I probably get a new system once every two months. But, you know, obviously I want it to be as fresh as it can be, so they take really good care of me there, and that would be the only additional time.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:44]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Rolston, 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, we're thrilled to have a guest whose story highlights the importance of confidence both in front of the camera and behind the wheel. Last time he came on the show, he talked about his hair loss journey and the various solutions he tried before going with the hair system, which finally gave him the results he was after. This week, we're going to be digging a little bit deeper into how his hair loss impacted him as an actor and whether having a full head of hair really makes a difference on the racetrack. That's right. We've got another interview with Frankie Muniz.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:40]:
We recorded this episode a while ago, but its message is timeless. No matter what you do, confidence is key. We started the interview by talking about hair loss affected Frankie as an actor, not just in the terms of the kinds of roles that he would get, but also how he thought of himself as well.

Frankie Muniz [00:02:01]:
As a actor, as a, let's call it a leading man. If you think about it, there's not many lead actors in films or TV that are, like, balding, unless they're the awkward, funny, balding friend. You know what I mean? So I know that there were things that I had been up for they were really highly considering me for. And I ended up meeting with the producers, and I remember specifically one saying that they just thought that I looked a lot older than they thought I was going to. And I think it was because my hair was just really, really thin. It's one of those things as well. Like, I knew it was thinning, but when you live your life every day, like, you don't see it, like, go from having full hair to zero. Right? It's a gradual thing, and I think you really notice it now.

Frankie Muniz [00:02:49]:
Like, if I See any picture, Any. Even a film. Like, I was watching something the other day and one of my movies came on from something I filmed in maybe 2011, 2012. And I couldn't believe how bad my hair looked. And I say that because, like, I remember thinking when we filmed it that they did a really good job of filling it in and making it look good. I remember thinking, like, wow, they did so good on that movie. And I watched it and I was like, wow, I'm shocked. So you really notice it.

Frankie Muniz [00:03:20]:
I think now, because I'm used to this. I'm used to seeing a full head of hair. I'm used to having the confidence and all that. But as far as. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say that it didn't hurt me. I don't have specific examples, but I know how I feel if I'm filming something now or I'm on camera now. Compared to how I did those years where I was in that. In between, trying to figure out kind of a solution other than wearing a hat, you know?

Kevin Rolston [00:03:46]:
Yeah, right.

Frankie Muniz [00:03:47]:
Didn't work very good.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:49]:
What really surprised me about our last conversation was. And I've seen so many actors in Hollywood, John Travolta has clearly been doing some things when it comes to this, that I figured something like a hair club or hair systems would be prevalent throughout the industry. Because to your point, you don't really see leading men with any kind of hair issues whatsoever. It's like there's just a magical thing when it comes to Hollywood that there's no hair. So I thought it probably was something that was prevalent and everybody referred everybody else and you all knew about hair systems and we were the last to find out. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

Frankie Muniz [00:04:22]:
Here's the crazy thing. I went through all those other options or attempts at solutions because I didn't know that a hair system was an option. I really had no idea about it. And then even Hair Club, again, I'd heard of Hair Club, but I didn't really know what maybe Hair Club did. Like, I. I also maybe thought it was. Even though I was balding and thinning and all that, Like, I thought it was for older people. I didn't realize that they worked with people of all ages, kids, women, you know, just everyone they have solutions for.

Frankie Muniz [00:04:56]:
I didn't know that. So it really took me going in. And maybe that's my fault for not kind of looking into Hair Club a little more. Initially. I would kind of. I would talk to whoever I talked to, and they were like, oh, here's a solution. Oh, try this. Or I did this.

Frankie Muniz [00:05:09]:
Or I had a friend who had a hair transplant. He said, go to this doctor. They were so. And I just kind of was like, sure. I didn't really. I was maybe so desperate that I didn't do the research that I needed to do. And yeah, it was interesting.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:26]:
Frankie brings up an interesting notion here. The idea that you can be desperate for a solution but feel overwhelmed in the face of all the options that are out there. When we interviewed him before on episode 26, he talked about all the things he tried to get his hair back. So definitely check out our show notes for a link to that episode if you want to hear more of the specifics. When it came to hair systems, Frankie didn't know much about him before he started with Hair Club.

Frankie Muniz [00:05:59]:
I had seen some of these social media posts of systems being put on, but even that, I remember having so many questions of being like, well, a, where do they do that? How do they do that? How long does it last? Is it uncomfortable? Like, you know, a bunch of things I was like, I don't know, like, I live a very active lifestyle, especially with the racing now, right. I've got a helmet on, I'm sweating, it's 170 degrees in the car. I'm working out, you know, two, three hours a day. Like, I'm very, very hard on my hair. And I wasn't sure that if a system could keep up with me, if that makes sense. And absolutely one of the most eye opening things or, you know, I think I'm the perfect test subject or whatever you want to call it that. Like, it doesn't matter what you do for a living or how, you know, hard you are on your hair. Like I was in the ocean the whole last week on vacation and swimming.

Frankie Muniz [00:06:53]:
And you, like, you can literally do anything and everything with your hair system. And I think that was a question I have a lot of people actually ask me, like in person and they go, like, what can you not do with it? Like, how do you take care of it? And really, it's my hair. Like, I just do the same thing I normally would have done, right? I wash it the same way, I condition it the same way. I, I do whatever I wanted I want to do and I don't let it hold me back at all. And it doesn't hold me back at all.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:20]:
You come out of the ocean, do you towel dry it? How do you dry it when it's been wet and you've been active? What do you do for that?

Frankie Muniz [00:07:26]:
I just dry it normal. I don't know. I don't have any restrictions or think like, oh, I've got to be careful. I've got to do this. I've got to do that. Like, it's. It's my hair. And, you know, I think that's a testament to everyone at Hair Club, right? They have a lot of different options when it comes to adhesives or ways that they apply it or systems.

Frankie Muniz [00:07:47]:
So, you know, there's full lace systems, there's skin systems, there's these hybrid systems. So I have some hybrid systems, which is skin in the front, lace in the back, so it helps breathe a little more with my helmet.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:57]:
Oh, wow.

Frankie Muniz [00:07:58]:
And we've, you know, that's one thing with Hair Club is they'll work with you to try to figure out what solution will work the best for you. And I think we found that now to where, you know, there's a little period of trial and error of, like, what works better with your skin and all that kind of stuff. And once we figure that we've got our system down and. And I have full confidence that I never have to worry about it at all.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:21]:
So you'll be in a race car which is 30 degrees plus hotter than it is even outside. You're sweating, you're hot, you take your helmet off. There's never even a concern when you're in front of people saying, okay, is my hair still on or did it come off in the helmet?

Frankie Muniz [00:08:35]:
Never a concern. Never a concern. You know, initially, I won't lie, like, yeah, I was like, is it going to. What's it going to do? Like, yeah. Do I need to hide when I take my helmet off? No. That was just kind of the. Me getting kind of over that fear as someone who just didn't know, you know what I mean? And. But no, I have no fear that that's going to be an issue at all.

Frankie Muniz [00:08:55]:
And the cool thing, though, as well is with Hair Club, and I don't want to sound like I'm just, like, pushing it, but, like, I travel all around the country. Hair Club has locations throughout the country. You know what I mean? So I. I've gone into places. I'm in racing in Daytona. I went into Orlando and got a new system put on right before the race. So.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:15]:
Wow.

Frankie Muniz [00:09:15]:
Okay. That's been a really great aspect of being a Hair Club member for me is it's not just where I live. You know, I'm on the road all the time, and I've been able to go to a bunch of different locations throughout the country, and everyone's been awesome to help me out.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:30]:
And then they take your hair system and they give you the exact style that you want. They blend it in perfectly. And you can do that anywhere, anytime, wherever you might travel.

Frankie Muniz [00:09:40]:
Yeah. And I've started wanting to play around with it a little too. That's the fun thing too, is I can. You can kind of do whatever you want, right? You can, yeah. You can have it long. You can change the color. You can kind of do more fun, experimental things. And it's not as permanent, if that makes sense.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:01]:
It's amazing to see how things change from Frankie's hair being the source of his insecurities to now that he's at a point where with his hair system, he wants to change up his look and even experiment with it. It takes courage to come back from a place of insecurity. And for Frankie, a hair system was the boost he needed to get there. I wanted to know whether his hair system has the same impact on the track because it takes a lot of determination, confidence and attitude to drive one of those stock cars across the finish line and really go for the.

Frankie Muniz [00:10:39]:
I actually started racing in 2004, 2005. I was still doing Malcolm, but I got to do the pro celebrity race that they put on at the Long Beach Grand Prix for years, and I ended up winning that. And that feeling of crossing the finish line first was like, truly magical. And like, once you've experienced that, like, you want that feeling all the time. Right. So as a competitive person, but even then, I didn't know, like, how do you become a professional race car driver? I didn't realize that most people start racing when they're 5, 6, 7 years old in carts and kind of work their way up. And, you know, by time they're 16, 17, 18. They've already been racing for 10, 12 years and have tons of experience.

Frankie Muniz [00:11:19]:
I started at 18, 19, so I was already old, you know, as far as that age.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:24]:
Yeah. For that profession. Yeah.

Frankie Muniz [00:11:26]:
And. But I kind of got thrown off the deep end. I got approached by a pro team after I won that pro celebrity race, and they offered me a test just for fun. And it ended up that I was really, really fast. And they signed me to a two year development deal. And, like, my next race was like, a month later, I was racing in the Formula BMW championship against current Formula One drivers. Daniel Ricardo, Sebastian Vettel, you know, IndyCar drivers, Joseph Newgarden, you know, so I really kind of Threw myself off the deep end. But I've always kind of felt if you wanted to do something like, sure, you have to have the natural ability, you have to have the talent.

Frankie Muniz [00:12:03]:
But if you want to be the best, you've got to compete against the best. But you have to feel racing is so mental. There's so much mental preparation that goes into it. And like most sports, right, if you're a basketball player and you feel like you can't shoot the ball, you're probably not going to make it. You know what I mean?

Kevin Rolston [00:12:19]:
Yeah, yeah. You get a mental block, right?

Frankie Muniz [00:12:21]:
Yeah. And do it. So I've kind of always done that. When I went in 2009, I got pretty badly hurt and that kind of stopped my racing career for a while as I was healing. So I didn't race anything from 2009 until 2021, 22. And my first pro season back was last season in the Arkham Menard series. But I decided let me go NASCAR racing. Completely different world from what I raced before.

Frankie Muniz [00:12:44]:
I race open wheel cars, like Indy cars. It's like saying Olympic diving and Olympic swimming are the same sport. They're not two different athletes, two different disciplines. Like, sure, it's racing, but just the way you have to do it, just different. You know, going back into it after such a long period off, I also was now like the oldest guy in the series, you know, old man. I was racing with 16, 17, 18 year olds. As a 38 year old, their parents would come up to me and be like, oh, I grew up watching you. We're the same age.

Frankie Muniz [00:13:14]:
Or you're older than me. I'm like, how am I older than the parents of the kids that I'm racing? You know what I mean? So going back to what you were saying about like confidence, I didn't want to like show up and feel like the old man, you know what I mean? I didn't want to feel like the old guy, you know, having hair and the confidence to like take my helmet off or take my hat off and know that it's going to look good. Like it means so much more than you can imagine. Like as I hate, I don't know, like I don't think that people would understand like that the confidence that I have for my hair helps me in and out of the race car. Like it just does. It's a weird, it's hard to explain.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:50]:
Well, you talk about mental blocks and look, it is something that when you're self conscious about your hair, it is just something that it's like a thorn in the back of your brain that it's, it's always there and it's when you can remove that thorn, it just allows you to think freely and clearly and with the confidence of being the best version of yourself.

Frankie Muniz [00:14:08]:
Here's an interesting tidbit that maybe not a lot of people know and I don't know if they'll even want me to say this. So Hair Club recently just did their an infomercial new infomercial and they had my wife and I kind of hosting the infomercial. And I came up with the idea of for three months removing my hair system, letting my hair grow it back in so we can get like a proper before and after, right? Like a problem like this is actually what my hair looks like and this is the after. Because you know, before I was really a part like an ambassador, like someone who publicly spoke about Hairclub. I was a hair club member. So we weren't really getting those photos. We weren't really trying to, you know, tell the story as much as we want to Now. I cannot tell you how painful those three months were because it'll be that bad.

Frankie Muniz [00:15:00]:
It's not that bad. I couldn't believe it. I was in absolute shock and I truly feel like it did affect my confidence so much even from. That's why I say like working out because like I'd be in the gym like working out like training like crazy. I look in the mirror and I just felt like defeated because how thin my hair was. So like getting the system put back on for the infomercial and getting to, you know, have the true before and after. It was almost as if I did it for the first time again. You know what I mean? It was truly eye opening of again of saying like, wow, this changes the way I feel as a human.

Frankie Muniz [00:15:35]:
And I hope if anyone is out there that feels self conscious or feels or finds themselves looking in the mirror, I'm telling you it's worth it, it's worth the time, it's worth the go in for the free consultation. Just go in for that. If you don't like it, you can stop. You go immediately back to where you were, that's fine. But I'm telling you it's going to change your life because it definitely changed mine. And I know people who I've sent there and now they come up to me like, dude, thank you so much. Like I know exactly what you're talking about because just game changer.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:08]:
What is the maintenance like for having a hair system and how does that differ from having real human hair? How much more times it takes, you know, you look at what you're doing, you're a busy professional, you're a dad, you are a husband, you've got a lot of things going on in your life. Does it take a lot of time to have your hair look as good as it does?

Frankie Muniz [00:16:26]:
No. I mean, I would say the only time that's added is the times that I go to hair club, but I almost consider it, like, women go to a spa or, I don't know, they get their nails done. Whatever it is, when I go to hair club, it's like a very relaxing, like, me time. You should be that hour that I'm in the chair, get my head massage, I get my hair cut, it feels good. So, like, I go, but I wouldn't say fairly often. I go once every two weeks to the center, and I probably get a new system once every two months. But, you know, obviously I want it to be as fresh as it can be. So they take really good care of me there.

Frankie Muniz [00:17:06]:
And so I go in once every two weeks. That would be the only additional time. But that small time investment, that hour, okay, with travel, you know, I mean, driving there the two hours every two weeks that it takes me to kind of make sure that my system is, is the way it needs to be, is worth the way I feel every other moment during those days, during those weeks. So I don't think it's a huge time commitment. You know, I know hair club offers different kind of levels of how often people come in. Some people come in twice a week, once a week. You know, like, you can come in once a month. It really kind of depends on what you're looking for and all that.

Frankie Muniz [00:17:41]:
But I would say that I don't need to go in as often as I do. It's not that I go in because I have to. It's the truth is, like, as a hair club spokesperson, like, you know, I. I want to make sure it's the best it can possibly be at all times. Just because, you know, I think people are looking more than if I wasn't.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:58]:
So where are you going? Because you are a dancer, a drummer, a driver, an actor. Where are your next projects going to be? Taking Frankie Muniz.

Frankie Muniz [00:18:10]:
Yeah, I mean, I will say that it. I've lived a very full life. That's the way I like it. I like to feel like I'm not wasting any time, you know, Granted, I found myself for the first time in a while realizing that maybe I'm trying to do too much at once. Right. If you want to be really successful as a race car driver and you're competing against the top race car drivers in the world, well, they're just focused on being the best race car driver in the world. Same with being an actor, same with being an entrepreneur. Whatever it may be.

Frankie Muniz [00:18:39]:
If you want to be successful, you really got to put in the time to make those things work. So right now, my focus is the racing. I'm only racing part time this year. I've got a few more races left for the season, but then I've already got my deal signed for next year. I'll be full time next year again. So it'll be very, very busy as a race car driver. That said, in the off season, I know that there's some acting stuff and some entertainment stuff planned, but, you know, it won't hinder my racing career at all. And that's kind of how I'm trying to make decisions.

Frankie Muniz [00:19:10]:
I mean, even actually this morning, before I got on this call, I got a call from my manager. I got offered a movie. It's filming September through October. The movie is really funny. I would love to do it, but it doesn't. It's going to put a lot of stress and strain on me, my family and the racing and, you know, I don't want to let down everybody else. Right. There's a lot of people involved in my life, in my career.

Frankie Muniz [00:19:33]:
You know, I want to do the best job I can in whatever it is I'm doing and not, you know, just kind of do it halfway.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:44]:
We over here at AirPod just want to say thanks to Frankie for coming on the show and sharing this powerful message that when you feel confident, it becomes so much easier to live your life the way you want to live it. And Frankie has that confidence recently, making the bold move to say, you know what? I'm going all in stock car racing is what I'm going to do now. He's not totally abandoned acting. He may get back to it, but it's a bold choice to walk away from something that has been your entire life. And now Frankie's living a new life in a new place. It's the same kind of confidence we would all love to have to be bold in our decisions, to take chances and not be afraid to try on new things. Don't forget to check out episode 26 with Frankie if you want to hear more about how his hair journey went before he found his hair system and how he figured out it was the right option for him. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who've been through hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:44]:
Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpod. Check us out at Hairclub 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 us them. 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.com.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:09]:
We'Re here to build people up and.

Kevin Rolston [00:21:11]:
To 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.

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Come on the Show!

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Combat Seasonal Hair Loss With a New Look

Combat Seasonal Hair Loss With a New Look

Episode 37

Combat Seasonal Hair Loss With a New Look

Holiday Hair Hacks with Kevin Rolston

Fall has arrived, and with the changing seasons comes a great opportunity to change up your look. If you’ve been noticing some hair thinning around the crown of your head or up near your temples and you want to do something about it, I hope you’ll check this episode out. Today, we’re talking about all of the things I did to try to stop my hair loss, and what actually ended up working for me.

How My Hair Loss Started

Genetic hair loss happens to so many people, but no one wants it to happen to them. I was worried about losing my hair starting at the age of 8 when I realized that my grandfather was bald, and my mom said that would happen to me, too. When I was 28, I saw a picture of myself that showed the crown of my head, and there was a noticeable thinning spot, which really worried me. I didn’t want to lose my hair at such a young age, so I decided to take action.

The Hair Solutions I Tried First

Minoxidil and finasteride are both hair loss solutions that work on reducing the impact of the hormones that cause genetic hair loss (DHT). I started with the over-the-counter solutions and later got a prescription for finasteride. I had an excellent experience with finasteride, as it significantly slowed the rate at which my hair was thinning. I didn’t know then what I know now – that I am a part of the 10% of the population whose hair loss is only slowed by finasteride, not stopped completely. For those of us in that 10%, there is another solution called dutasteride, but I was not aware of it at the time. So I carried on my search.

Trying Laser Therapy for Hair Loss

I tried laser therapy for my hair loss, going from once per week to three treatments per week. The laser therapy wasn’t invasive, it didn’t take long to go through each treatment, and it’s also possible to purchase a laser cap to use at home, although that wasn’t the route I decided to take. I also sought a hair transplant from a surgeon, and we had great conversations about how it would look and what the financial burden would be, and my transplant was successful. However, I continued to lose hair, and kept looking for solutions.

My Hair System

Using a hair system ended up being the right option for me. I have a stylist that cuts it for me and blends it with my hair so it both looks and feels completely natural. It also uses real human hair, so it feels completely natural and doesn’t require any care outside of what I would normally do to take care of my hair. This was the perfect solution for me, but there are so many options out there and ultimately, it’s up to you to determine what’s right for you. I hope you can learn from my experience and it inspires you to seek out your own perfect solution.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.37 Transcript
Kevin Rolston [00:00:02]:
That's why I completely recommend finding a specialist and somebody that walks you through all this. But as far as what I am doing right now with my hair, it is natural hair. It looks absolutely amazing. It blends in. I have a hair stylist that cuts it any way that I want. I go in every three weeks and it looks completely natural. You would have no idea that I have a hair system on at all. And that's, to me, why I love it.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:44]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Rolston, and this week we're bringing you an episode from the vault. You know, as the seasons start to change, so do our sensibilities, our wardrobe, the things that we do, how often we go outside, and also your look. This might be a good time of year to start thinking about the way you present yourself. Maybe something happened to you over the summer where you noticed that your hair was getting a bit thinner. Jumping into a pool will do that. You notice that, wow, I had a lot more hair this last summer. So what do you want to do about it? Because that sense of panic starts to settle in.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:28]:
I know I've had it myself. So how can you boost up your confidence with a new, fresh style? What I want to do is walk you through my own personal experience with hair loss and the solutions I've tried. And trust me, over the last 20 plus years, there's been a lot of attempts, a lot of things I tried, and a lot of money wasted. So I'm hoping this can save you some time and a ton of money. You know, everybody's journey is going to be unique, but I hope this can help you navigate finding the right solution that works just for you. Hello, my name is Kevin Raulston, and I am the host of the hairpod. And today, I want to take you through my own hair loss journey. Everybody's going to have their own story, and it's going to be completely different, but maybe something I say in my own hair loss journey can help you with the hair loss journey that you are going through as well.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:24]:
For me, I knew at a very young age that I likely was going to have to deal with hair loss. There was a portrait of my maternal grandfather that was hanging in the upstairs hallway, and I remember noticing just how much hair he was missing and having a conversation with my mom, and she may not even realize, but she flippantly just said, yeah, you know what they say that it comes from your maternal grandfather. That's probably what your hair is going to look like when you get older. And it freaked me out, it really did, because I didn't want to look like that. To me, that was the embodiment of old. I loved my hair. I always thought hair was absolutely gorgeous. So I had that dread at an early age, probably around the age of eight.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:04]:
So I continue on. I progress through high school and I get into college. Everything is still fine. Hair is okay, even though it is very fine and thin. I didn't have any hair loss that I noticed. Then it was finally, at the age of 26, I was doing an event where I was breaking a board for a taekwondo class. And I had to bend over to strike the board to break it. And as I did, somebody snapped a photo of me.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:33]:
And they said, hey, look at this photo. That was so cool that you did that. And the only thing I noticed was not me breaking the board. It was the fact that I had a noticeable bald spot right at the crown of my head. And it freaked me out. And I said, here it begins. And I knew that that photo that I had seen when I was 8 years old was now starting to begin. But the question is, how fast would the journey be? Because the portrait of my grandfather was him in his 70s.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:02]:
So was I going to be able to hold on to my hair until my 70s, or was it something that was going to rapidly start falling out? I didn't want to wait and find out. So I went out and I found somebody that could give me advice on what to do, because there are so many things that happen. And, yeah, you can start with your rogains. In fact, that was the first thing I did. I went out and I got some of the stuff that you can get at your regular pharmacy now. I started applying it and using it. I was impatient and I was concerned, but I stuck with it. I would say a good six months I was there and I kept doing it, kept using it, but I kept noticing hair coming out my hands as I would wash it.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:40]:
I noticed in the drain that there was more and more hair. And I just felt like I was still losing more than I was keeping. And so I thought that I needed to go to the next level. And there are so many levels. And that next level was talking to somebody that gave me some guidance. And I was very happy that they plugged me into something called finasteride. It was a pill that I would take that would basically blocked the dht, the testosterone created by my body that would start closing up my hair follicles. And making my hair fall out.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:12]:
And for me, it was really great. It really did slow down my hair loss. And from the age of 26 into my 30s, probably a good 10 years, it was all I needed. But look, I'm a person that's always been on that quest to have a perfect head of hair. And I'm very particular about it. And any kind of hair loss or just something looking like I'm losing it at all, it still bother me. And there were still some of those issues. So I continued my journey and I tried about everything because I wanted to see, hey, what was going to work best for me.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:44]:
And that's the one thing I found. That's why to me, every person's hair loss journey is different, because I think things work differently for people. And not to mention too, I was at a different budget at the age of 26 than when I was 36. So I had more options and there was more that I could do. And that's part of the conversation as well. So throughout my journey, there are other things that I went to. Lasers. That was something that's pretty interesting.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:11]:
I started off by doing a salon laser where I would have to sit in the chair and for 30 minutes a week I would have this blinky little light on top of my head. And so many people have talked about great experiences that they've had with that and the technology for it's really improved. And so many people just absolutely love using the laser caps. And that's all that they've needed. And the laser caps now can be done portably. You could have a laser cap, which I did after I went through the salon visits, I got my own. And it was something that I would wear. And I wanted to up my frequency too.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:49]:
I found that just one time a week wasn't enough. I wanted more because, hey, if it worked great one time a week, I heard that using it several times a week was even better. So I'm doing it three to four, maybe even five times a week, at least a minimum of three. And when you have your own laser cap, that's something you can do. And you can walk around. It can be portable. If you're on a road trip, you can actually put it on your head and drive around. And who cares what anybody else in traffic thinks about you? They don't even really notice.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:15]:
It was really amazing because it really looked like a ball cap. Fact, there's a ball cap that went over top of it. So it was pretty discreet. And the laser caps work really well. So that might be an option that you want to do. There are so many other options that I didn't even try outside of the ointments and the topicals that you could do. Even now, there's people that are doing the tattooing, and there's just interesting little X strands and stuff like that that you can use that I haven't really gotten into. And look, if you seek something like that out, there's just so many options.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:45]:
I even went the route of the hair transplant, and that was my next step because I wanted to fill in a few spaces, and I knew it was going to be more of a permanent solution. And my experience was honestly, really good with the hair transplant. It wasn't anything that was painful. They numb up your head. I was doing something where we had a show. We were walking people through the procedure, so mine took a little bit longer. I was down for about 10 hours. But a couple things that I would tell you about the hair transplant is, you know, you might want to look into the payment plans that they do, because I have one of those.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:19]:
And it became something that worked into my budget when I did that. And the other thing you might want to find out, too, is how many strands you're putting in, how they're putting them in. I had a really good transplant doctor that could make it look really natural. And that's, of course, what you're definitely going to want. And I think a lot of the transplant specialists out there today are going to be somebody that is going to do basically what I had with numbing of the scalp. I didn't feel anything at all. That wasn't any kind of issue, and I wasn't really out. You had to, you know, cover your hair up for, you know, a couple of weeks, because there's going to be some fallout, some shedding, and it's going to take a little bit of time.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:57]:
That's one thing to know, to really fully see that hair in that area come to fruition and be strong. Like, it's going to be six months to probably a year is about what it's going to take. But, boy, when it's in there, it's permanent, and it's pretty awesome. And you might also want to try to get an idea of just how much more hair you're going to lose because you get a hair transplant, it's possible you might need another hair transplant down the road, or you might need more than one to fill whatever space that you have. So, you know, those, to me, are good questions you need to ask when you go in if you are going to consider doing a hair transplant. And I love mine. And it maintained for probably another five to maybe even 10 years. I would say I wound up doing that.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:40]:
But as I continued to look, yeah, I continued to lose. I was heading down the path of where my grandfather was, and that's where I was going to go. And what I started noticing was some of the commercials that I would see on TV of people that were showing a little bit before and after and their stuff on social media. And it was pretty amazing because people who had the kind of hairline that my grandfather had and what I felt like I was heading to, even a Dr. Phil type of hairline, they were finding hair solutions with natural hair. I said, you know what? I think that's where I want to go. And again, it was something that I could do. And I started looking into the budgeting of it.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:18]:
I said, okay, this to me is my best fit. And going with that option really was fantastic. That was my hair solution to have that and look maintaining with the finasteride, I found a great deal because I got the generic where it was only a dollar a day for the pill. And that was something that I could work in. And that really does slow down the hair loss. And so you might want to have a combination of things that you want to do. So that's why I completely recommend finding a specialist and somebody that walks you through all this. But as far as what I am doing right now with my hair, it is natural hair.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:59]:
It looks absolutely amazing. It blends in. I have a hairstylist that cuts it any way that I want. I go in every three weeks and it looks completely natural. You would have no idea that I have a hair system on at all. And that's, to me, why I love it. You can change up your hairstyle, the way you look. They can gradually make it look like you haven't just all of a sudden gone from completely bald to having a full head of hair.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:28]:
They have strategies. They can start small, they can continue to improve it. You can do things like grow facial hair, take facial hair off, start wearing glasses, take glasses off so that people don't really understand the big change that you made. If being discreet is what you want to do. For me, I just wanted to have that kind of hair and I wanted it today. And I wasn't shy about it. I'm a very open individual. And so I was cool with telling people what I did because I want people to know.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:53]:
And that's why I host the hairpod because I want people to know what great solutions are out there. Because if you can get that confidence on day one, go for it. And for me, the biggest thing about having my hair system is how much younger it makes me look. I'm 50 years old now, and I'm not trying to toot my own horn. Most people say I look about 35. It really does. You take off my hair system and I look my age, it takes 10 to 15 years off of your appearance, I believe, at least for me. And that's why having a hair system is where I wanted to go.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:28]:
But doing this hair pod is all about these different solutions that are out there so that you hopefully find the one that is right for you. And that's why I recommend getting a hair expert in your corner. Finding out, is finasteride right for you? Is it a minoxidil type of solution that's going to be right for you? Is it a laser cap? It is a hair transplant? Is it one of the other many solutions that are out there? Having somebody that's in your corner and continuing to come to the hair pod to hear these great discussions is going to help you find your solution for the budget that's right for you. And make sure you get a hold of us too, because if you have any kind of questions, we would love to address them and correspond with you and maybe even do an episode that you suggest. So check us out on Instagram, you can at Hair Club or go to Facebook. We're there as well. I hope you find some great information in this episode and hopefully my hair journey is going to help you on yours.

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Halloween Tips on Styling a Hair System

Halloween Tips on Styling a Hair System

Episode 36

Halloween Tips on Styling a Hair System

Halloween Tips on Styling a Hair System Dan Medeiros

In this episode of HairPod,  I sat down with Dan Medeiros to talk about how he styles his costume wigs for comic cons. Dan has been doing comic cons for years, and he has used both costume wigs and his hair system to put together his amazing, professional-looking costumes. Whether you’re getting ready for Halloween or you’re just curious about buying a costume wig for fun, check out the episode!

Styling Costume Wigs

Synthetic costume wigs are an option for people who want to dress up or change their look temporarily but don’t want to spend a lot of money. They don’t look or move exactly like real hair, but they can be styled to fit your costume needs (to a certain extent). One important thing Dan shares is NEVER to use heat tools on a synthetic wig – because the hairs are made from thin plastic fibers, heat tools will melt the hairs together. Instead, look for a wig that is already close to the shape and texture you want, then put it on a dummy head and style with a combination of pins so you can shape it and hairspray for hold.

Human Hair vs. Costume Wigs

Human hair wigs have a more realistic look than costume wigs, but they tend to cost quite a bit. Rather than investing in human hair wigs, Dan opts to make use of his hair system in many of his costumes. He has a few different lengths of hair systems, which can be switched out to match which costume he plans to wear. When he does wear costume wigs, he will often wear them over the hair system (so that when he removes the wig, he doesn’t have to reapply the system). Even though it gets quite hot under a synthetic wig, his hair system never moves or gets dislodged.

Hair System Maintenance

Hair systems may seem complex or time consuming, but that has not been Dan’s experience. He works with HairClub to determine a maintenance schedule that works for him, as he stays very busy. For Dan, stopping by a HairClub center weekly helps him achieve the look and results he wants. In between appointments, he cares for and styles his hair system just like anyone would do with their regular hair, which helps him save time during the week.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.36 Transcript
Dan Medeiros [00:00:02]:
And that's another thing I love about HairClub and the systems is that it's so easy to manage. You know, the taking it on and off and putting, you know, dealing with that stuff that's, you know, that comes with time. Just like anything. I wasn't able to do that myself. You learn it, but everything else, it's so simple. And HairClub takes care of you. The maintenance is simple. It's just like your own hair.

Dan Medeiros [00:00:22]:
You just, you manage it, you style it. You don't have to worry about light shining through. You don't have to worry about losing it. It's always there.

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 Rolston, 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, we're welcoming friend of the pod, Dan Medeiros, back to the show. He's come on the HairPod before to talk about the vicious cycle of his anxiety and his hair loss when he was younger and how he found a way to get his hair back. These days, Dan spends a lot of time in the public eye. He's a performer, actor, model, and professional rock star. But in what little free time he has, he cosplays a variety of characters at comic Cons.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:36]:
And for anyone who doesn't know what cosplay is, it's not too different from dressing up as your favorite TV or video game character on Halloween. Cosplayers can have incredibly intricate costumes that are totally custom made from head to toe. For today's episode, we're going to focus on how Dan styles the wigs he uses for his costumes and how his costume wigs affect his hair system. Now, tell me about this, because I.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:06]:
Am a novice when it comes to wigs. To me, I've always just thought when you get a wig, the way the wig looks is what you're going to get.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:14]:
But you can actually get wigs and.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:15]:
You can style them yourself.

Dan Medeiros [00:02:18]:
Yeah. And I mean, to an extent there, some of them are a lot harder than others because, I mean, a lot of the wigs, you know, they're not real hair, so you have to, like, really, really work with them and kind of force them into learning the direction you want it to go. So, like, for this past weekend, we went to Galaxy Con, which is part of Animate Iowa. So it's like half anime comic con and then horror movie comic con thing. So I did, I had to wear a wig for Nandor from the show. What we do in the shadows. I don't know if you watch that show.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:51]:
Okay, that's cool.

Dan Medeiros [00:02:52]:
Yeah, my wife and I did Nandor and Nadja. The full blown makeup accents everything. It was wonderful. So we go all out and you know, the wig, it was something I just got off Amazon, but it was like the length I was looking for. The, you know, the, it was close enough to the texture and cheap enough. So, you know, just kind of attaching it to like one of those foam heads and, and then just really going to it with the brush. You know, if you have to pin things back to kind of get it again to take that shape so you can really mold them and do what you want with them. I mean, I'm no hairstylist expert.

Dan Medeiros [00:03:28]:
I've got friends who are hairstylists and do cosplay and stuff like that. So they're, they're really good at working with wigs and. But yeah, there's so much you can do with it. And it's kind of funny, you know, just managing my own hair and then I'm wearing a wig on top of that. So it's, it's, you know, it can be a lot of hot under there, but it's worth, it's worth it when the costume comes together.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:51]:
So tell me, for somebody that might be looking for a wig for either cosplay for one of the comic cons or just even for Halloween, what are you looking to order? Where would you go to order it? Are there materials that the hair is made out of? The wigs are made out of that that you might want to look for. And then can you apply heat to any of these wigs? How does this work from your experience? What have you seen done?

Dan Medeiros [00:04:14]:
Yeah, and I mean, again, most of them you'll get aren't going to be real hair. They're artificial. And I mean, you can spend really good money and you can even get ones that are really close to human hair. I know a lot of them use like, you know, whether it's horse hair or whatever I've seen. But I tend to stick with what you can get in a lot of the costume stores. But you can get the stuff off Amazon as said. And no, you do do not want to apply heat to them like normal hair because they will melt the hair. The hair, the hair will fuse together and it will look awful.

Dan Medeiros [00:04:50]:
So you have to be kind of careful on how you, how you style it. So you have to do it. You got to do it dry, essentially. And then it's just forcing it into place. If you have to use pins, clips, you know, whatever it takes, that's how you get it to stay. And then you can throw in, you know, throw it. If you throw in good enough, strong enough hairspray and you've got it in that position, it can kind of lock it in. There's so many different little hacks you can find.

Dan Medeiros [00:05:14]:
I do kind of what everyone else does. I just go on YouTube and see what other people do and then take the best tips and which ones work.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:23]:
Now if I'm going for, let's say I want to put together a good costume, there's a costume contest or some money in it. It's pretty decent. What am I looking for to spend to get that kind of wig that is going to make a costume look good?

Dan Medeiros [00:05:36]:
Oh, you're probably going to. You'll want to go with the more realistic ones. So, I mean, and they range anywhere between 30 bucks up to, you know, 150, 200 bucks. You can get ones that are even more expensive than that. And if you want really authentic, real looking ones, you're going to spend a lot of money on them. So for the most part, I try to do characters that I can use with just the hair I've got going, you know, if I have to customize it, that's the nice thing with Hair Club, I'm able to customize my hair. So if I need something that's longer or shorter, I can just switch out. So I, you know, I have, I can switch to a shorter if I want if I need to.

Dan Medeiros [00:06:13]:
During the, during the colder months, I like to have it longer. During the warmer months, you know, I really like to have this buzz down and keep this shorter just so I. Especially performing, I don't like having hair in my face, in my eyes, and it's that extra sweat. I'm doing a lot of outside performing and it's awful when I can't see while I'm trying to sing. I don't want to fall off the stage.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:36]:
That's never good.

Dan Medeiros [00:06:37]:
No, no, no. So seeing where you're going is very important. So definitely think about that.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:47]:
One of the cool things about Dan is that he doesn't just use synthetic wigs for his costumes. He finds ways to incorporate his own hair system into his looks as well. As Dan mentioned, cosplay wigs can be made from a Lot of different types of materials, and the more realistic they look, the more they cost. Most people aren't going to buy a real human hair wig for a costume because they're just too expensive, but they deliver the most realistic look. So Dan uses his hair system when he can, even as a couple of different systems that allow him to create costumes with slightly varying hair lengths. Now, if you're a first time listener or you haven't heard of a hair system before, systems like Dan's are made from human hair and adhere to the scalp so they won't move around. Dan gets his hair system from Hair Club, where he talks to a stylist about his unique situation and then they tailor his program to fit his needs.

Dan Medeiros [00:07:48]:
It really depends on your plan and how often you come in. And I mean, the hair Club, the centers are always fantastic at working with you on, you know, what you need. You know, so if while I'm not performing or needing to be, you know, dressed up as Superman or whatever I'm doing that day, whoever I need to be that day, you know, I do like to have my hair like this on my own, but when I switch to Superman, you know, I like to go shorter. So I go in weekly for appointments. My system's usually every month, month and a bit, but that's just what my plan's on. So I always keep one like a backup at home. If I'm not wearing shorter hair, I'm wearing longer hair. But I like to be able to go back and forth, so.

Dan Medeiros [00:08:31]:
And I'm really good at doing stuff at home too. So if I need to on the fly, either just myself or my wife and myself were really good at taking off and reapplying and doing all the, all the custom work. And I learned a lot during 2020 when we couldn't go anywhere.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:46]:
Oh, right.

Dan Medeiros [00:08:46]:
So I had to do a lot of diy, a lot of learning to do things from home. I didn't have just the ability to just go to the center and have my stylist help me. It was all right, let's figure this out and never have to stress about this again.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:00]:
So now, do you almost have a seasonal schedule for your hair systems? It sounds like you have this time of the year. I have it long this time of year. It's. We're going short because Superman.

Dan Medeiros [00:09:11]:
Yeah. So like, I'm also a singer in the band and, you know, I need to have my goatee, but I like to have my beard. But when I do Superman, I have to shave my beard. So Literally, my hair and my facial hair have to change throughout the year based on what I'm doing or if I'm like doing, like I'm acting or doing a modeling gig. Well, we don't want a beard for this. We want longer hair. We want shorter hair. And I feel like my entire life is dictated on my hair and my hair on the head and the face regions.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:39]:
Right, right.

Dan Medeiros [00:09:40]:
It's exhausting, but it's fun and I like that I can do that. That's the amazing thing. You know, I'm not stuck with what little I had.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:49]:
Yeah.

Dan Medeiros [00:09:49]:
So it's for every single day. I'm so grateful that I am able to do this. I'm able to look the way I'm supposed to look. I'm able to look in the mirror. I'm able to talk to you right now, see myself in the corner of my screen and go, that's how I'm supposed to look.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:03]:
So I'm hearing somebody who is a musician, an actor into cosplay, always doing dress up. And let's just say I'm one of these people that that's not my world. And to me, I'm very busy. I don't have a lot of time. Everything you're talking about sounds like a time suck, and it sounds like it's very involved. And now I'm not so sure that this is for me. Tell me a little bit about your hair systems and how much time it takes. And if you're a business professional and you have kids and a busy lifestyle, are you telling them that you're just not going to have time for a hair system? What is the maintenance like on this?

Dan Medeiros [00:10:43]:
Oh, gosh, it's the complete opposite. And that's what another thing I love about Hair Club and the systems is that it's so easy to manage. And it may, you know, the taking it on and off and putting, you know, dealing with that stuff that's, you know, that comes with time just like anything. I wasn't able to do that myself. You learn it, but everything else, it's so simple. And Hair Club takes care of you. The maintenance is simple. It's just like your own hair.

Dan Medeiros [00:11:07]:
You just. You manage it, you style it. You don't have to worry about light shining through. You don't have to worry about losing it. It's always there. It's just, it's. I don't have time for a lot of maintenance because I am on the go so much. I need to be able to depend on waking up and going all right, my hair looks great because I got to go to work right now, and then after I get home from work, I go, go do this, and I got to go do that.

Dan Medeiros [00:11:34]:
I don't have time to stress over my hair, stress over how I look to look in the mirror and go, oh, I don't know if I can go out there today because I don't look right. I don't have that problem, and I don't have time for that problem. So low maintenance and just ease is my favorite thing. And that's what I love about hair club. And if you have any questions, any concerns, they will get you, and they will work with you, and they will make sure that it's as stress free as possible. And I need that. I've got enough stress and anxiety in my life. So the hair club, by knowing that they're always there to back me up.

Dan Medeiros [00:12:10]:
It's huge. Huge.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:17]:
I think this is the bottom line for all of our guests who have found a hair solution. They look in the mirror and they see themselves the way they feel they're supposed to look. I think it's easy to underestimate the impact of feeling awkward when you catch a glimpse of yourself in a store window or see a picture of yourself from a family gathering. A lot of people are going to.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:35]:
Brush off these little moments of discomfort.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:38]:
Rather than listen to their gut feeling that it's time to take action. And it's only when they finally take that step that they realize what they've been missing out on all along. Just like Dan, I'm a busy person, got a crazy job, a family, and I'm always on the go. I don't have time to fuss with my hair to try to get it to look the way I want, knowing I'm going to be confident when I get up every single morning and face the world, it makes all the difference. Dan's a busy guy, too. It's not uncommon for him to go from a Comic Con to another event. So I asked him if he ever wears his hair system underneath his. His wig just for the sake of convenience and if that ever leads to any issues.

Dan Medeiros [00:13:22]:
I have yet to run into any issue other than it being a little hot under there. But, no, I love it. I don't mind it. And honestly, sometimes if I don't have my hair on, I'll just. I'll just adhere the actual wig itself on top of, you know, just like I would any other hair. I've done that too. But when I. When I, you know, when I need to take it off and actually do something afterwards.

Dan Medeiros [00:13:44]:
It's much easier to just take off the wig and be like, all right, good to go.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:47]:
Yeah.

Dan Medeiros [00:13:48]:
So, like, then that's what I did this weekend. And yeah, it wasn't. It was not a problem at all, actually. What I did is because I had the longer hair, I actually just used clips and I clipped it back, so it was kind of slipped back, clipped down, and then I was able to just take the wig, place it over top, and easy peasy. I didn't even have to think about it. And as you said with, like, wearing my hair, I forget that I'm actually wearing hair because, again, it's like. It's like a second skin and it's. The hair is that you just forget that you are.

Dan Medeiros [00:14:19]:
So I'm never worrying about, you know, the excessive heat from wearing two things. I don't feel that. If anything, I just feel it a little bit extra weight because I'm wearing an extra hair on top of my.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:29]:
Head now to paint a more vivid picture for people that are trying to understand what it's like. Because you talk about you go to shorter, Superman type hair, and then you've got, you know, hair that you're going to be wearing that's a little bit longer. What does that look like? And are you stuck in certain styles? Do you have to pick out a style of longer hair or is the hair long? And then you pick the style and your hairdresser then puts it into that style.

Dan Medeiros [00:14:54]:
Yeah, all of my hairs that come in, they're usually roughly around 6 to 7 inches, usually around there in length. And then I can just dictate where I'm going from there. So as I said, during the colder months, and I want it longer, I'm just like, all right, you know, start off well, maybe cut it down to about 6 inches or 5 inches, and then kind of work away from there. And then every time I come in, I'm like, all right, let's just clean up the ends a bit more, make it a bit shorter or. And then when it comes down, I'm like, oh, I got to do Superman this weekend. So actually, let's cut it down even shorter and I'll get that Superman cut, and then I'll. I'll hang with that for a while. But I do like to keep backups at home.

Dan Medeiros [00:15:32]:
So if I. If I know if I have a shorter one, then what I'll do is when I go in for that appointment and I'm, you know, putting it back on Again, I just. I bring my shorter one and I have them put that on instead.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:46]:
The craziest thing about this isn't that Dan has this sort of magic wand. He can wave and change how his hair looks. It's how completely natural his hair system looks. When I interview our guests, I get to see them and their hair. Dan showed me his system close up, and I could not even tell where it ended and his natural hair began. It's a perfect match with his natural hair, and it's so breathable that he sometimes forgets he's even wearing it. It made me curious how his system holds up when he's performing on stage. And if it's the last thing that's on his mind.

Dan Medeiros [00:16:24]:
It'S 100%. I never even think about it. And trust me, I'm up there, like, running, jumping around. I'm a lead singer, guys, so I'm hopping up on stage, I sweating like crazy. And yeah, not once I've had my. I had professional photographers taking photos. So I see all the photos after the show and some really cool ones where my hair is quite literally doing a sweaty, wet, like, flip. And you can see the beads of sweat coming off of it.

Dan Medeiros [00:16:52]:
And it's just so people.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:53]:
So people understand you. You have sweat through your system. So it breathes enough that the sweat has left your own scalp. It's gone through the fibers that they have there. It's now into the hair, and that hair in your system is drenched with your own sweat. That's amazing.

Dan Medeiros [00:17:10]:
Yeah, that's amazing. It's absolutely incredible. Like, you know, things have changed with the technology so much since even when I first started back in 2010, you know, we were. I was wearing a dirt, an old technology, which is more of a lace. And then we used the strips of tape and stuff like that with. Now it's like this. As I said, it's so thin. It's like the second skin, but it's so durable and it.

Dan Medeiros [00:17:34]:
It just adheres completely to your head and then you just forget it's there.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:40]:
Yeah. Cause I would imagine if you had an old school toupee, what would happen if you were on stage?

Dan Medeiros [00:17:45]:
Oh, you've seen them in the movies and shows where it just goes flying. Lands on somebody's like, soup or something, right?

Kevin Rolston [00:17:51]:
It does.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:52]:
That's always the joke.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:53]:
But you would have a plastic film that the baby doll hair would be woven into, not even real human hair. And then you would be sweating, not through it, so the side of your hair would be wet. And then the top part would be dry because the sweat can't permeate through what they used to make those toupees out of. And it's a different feel now.

Dan Medeiros [00:18:13]:
Yeah. And that's why you can, like you see in the commercials, in the infomercials, you coming out of the pool, you're swimming, it's.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:19]:
Yeah, I love that too.

Dan Medeiros [00:18:20]:
I can go swimming and I don't have to worry about any of that. I say I went, you know, I was, the first time I went on an all inclusive vacation to Cancun, I was like, okay, all right. I'm in a whole other country. I've got, you know, I hope this is going to be all right. And honestly, it was fine. I was there for a week. I'm in the sun and the pool all day, every single day and in the heat and it wasn't a single issue. Did my own little touch ups as I needed.

Dan Medeiros [00:18:47]:
But when I went out for dinner and disco dancing afterwards, it was a good time.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:54]:
Yeah, I will tell people too. I always, when I had a full head hair, even as a kid I had thin, fine hair that was impossible to style. And now that I have a hair system, I actually have better hair now with the system than if I had, if I could choose, would you want to go back and have all your original hair or have the system? My hair looks better with the hair system than it did when I had my own natural hair, so.

Dan Medeiros [00:19:18]:
Exactly. And that's what you can do. You can have that. You don't have to, you know, you don't have to be that. You can actually look the way you should be the way you want to be.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:31]:
I want to thank Dan for coming.

Kevin Rolston [00:19:33]:
On the show once again. He's always got great advice for everyone who is looking to learn about hair loss and how they can come back from it. Whether you're getting ready to style your first costume wig or you're wondering how you can find a hair solution that matches your lifestyle, we got you covered here on the hairpod. Don't forget to check out our show notes if you want to hear more from Dan about his hair loss journey. And for more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who have actually been through hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks 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 with them.

Kevin Rolston [00:20:20]:
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.com 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.

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Racing Through My Hair Loss Journey: Joey Logano

Racing Through My Hair Loss Journey: Joey Logano

Episode 35

Racing Through My Hair Loss Journey: Joey Logano

Racing Through My Hair Loss Journey: Joey Logano
Is there anything holding you back from the win? Joey Logano is back on HairPod to talk about the life of a NASCAR driver. Joey speaks about his career, the competitive world of NASCAR, and how he continues to race with the same passion and determination that has made him one of the sport’s biggest names. We also dig into his experience with hair loss, and how the other drivers reacted to his decision to start using a hair system.

NASCAR: Behind the Scenes

While most professional athletes may experience some ribbing or joking behind the scenes, NASCAR is a little bit different. Most teams see the same rival team once every few months, but during racing season, competing drivers see each other week after week. Conflicts do arise occasionally, but for the most part, Joey says the best thing to do have an awareness of those situations and avoid them when you can.

Hair Loss As a Pro Driver

Joey Logano has a hair system, and he has never been shy about letting people know that he deals with a condition called alopecia areata. He is also open about working with HairClub, and due to the stigma that surrounds hair loss and hair systems, one may think he has caught some flak from his competitors or even his own team. This has not been the case – if anything, other drivers have wanted to know how Joey solved his hair loss because they deal with similar issues.

Hair Systems and Finding Confidence

Joey has found that the best way to deal with detractors has been to embrace his situation. He feels most comfortable being completely open about his hair system and hair loss, even poking fun at his situation at times. While this may not be the way everyone handles their hair thinning or loss, it’s important to consider that even someone as transparent about hair loss as Joey does not experience many negative reactions. People are generally supportive, and in general, his hair system doesn’t come up in conversation at this point.

Long-term Hair System Use

Before making the decision to endorse HairClub as a product, Joey wanted to test it out. It was important to him to find out if it was something he could actually use and live with in the long term. He has found that having a hair system has been a great option for him in terms of how easy it is to care for and how well it stands up to the fast-paced lifestyle of a NASCAR driver.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.35 Transcript

Joey Logano [00:00:02]:
But I still enjoy going to the racetrack. I enjoy winning. So I know I got a handful of years at least left in me, and I think depends also just how life is. But if I can’t compete for wins, that’s probably going to be the sign for me to say I’m not going to just go to make laps and go around in circles. I enjoy racing, don’t get me wrong, but I do it to win. I don’t do it for fun. I don’t do it to race. I do it to win.

Joey Logano [00:00:25]:
And so I I’m still competitive. I still can win races. I’m going to continue doing it.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:42]:
Welcome to Hairpod, the podcast where we get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:48]:
I’m your host, Kevin Rolston, and each.

Kevin Rolston [00:00:50]:
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. If you’re a NASCAR fan or a HairPod fan, you already know the name Joey Logano. Joey is a NASCAR champion who isn’t afraid to tell his hair story. He’s been on the podcast a couple of times already to talk in depth about his journey with an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata. With alopecia areata, the immune system mistakes a person’s own hair follicles as a threat and attacks them, causing hair loss that happens in round patches. If you look at Joey now, you’d never know that he has this condition.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:37]:
He’s got what appears to be a full head of hair, whether he’s in front of the press, smiling for a photo op, or just getting out of his stock car. I’m glad we got to talk to Joey again because I wanted to find out what it’s like having a hair loss condition and living that fast paced lifestyle of a NASCAR champ.

Kevin Rolston [00:01:59]:
Here we are again with Joey Logano to talk about NASCAR and hair. What an interesting combination and how we weave these two things together. What’s going on, Joey?

Joey Logano [00:02:09]:
I see what you did there. It’s pretty. It’s going well. How you doing?

Kevin Rolston [00:02:14]:
Yeah, doing good. I’ve got on a temporary face tattoo right now. Other than that, I’m doing fantastic, so.

Joey Logano [00:02:21]:
Well, I tell you what, everybody knows the name of your show. It’s written all over you. So that’s.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:25]:
Yep. That’s all over my face. It’s in henna. And you thought that maybe I lost a bet and I wanted to ask you, being in the world of NASCAR, do you guys ever get into silly, stupid bets with one another that you have to pay off on the track?

Joey Logano [00:02:39]:
No. Good. You’re smart.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:41]:
You’re smarter than I am.

Joey Logano [00:02:43]:
Yeah, I really don’t want to look like that.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:47]:
That’s terrible.

Joey Logano [00:02:49]:
It’s terrible.

Kevin Rolston [00:02:50]:
Yeah.

Joey Logano [00:02:51]:
Honestly, it’s funny. The drivers themselves, I mean, we all know each other and are around each other a lot, but I wouldn’t say there’s many of them that really hang out and do a whole bunch of things together or funny jokes like that.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:03]:
Yeah. I’m kind of curious when it comes to relationships on the tour, would you say, are there certain cliques and are people more friends or enemies? Because I’ve seen so many races where guys are duking it out right after they get out of their cars, and sometimes they have to stop to duke it out. So I think I’ve seen maybe more fights than I’ve seen pat on the backs. What is the relationships like in NASCAR?

Joey Logano [00:03:29]:
Well, I mean, yeah, I think it’s, it’s competition. And, you know, the people you hang out with the most at the racetrack is going to be your team. Right. And your teammates and the people that you’re around. So, you know, your competitors, it’s different than other sports because, you know, other sports, you have a. A team of, I don’t know, ten to 15 to 30 people right, on each side, depending on what sport you’re playing. And they play each other, and then maybe in four months, they might play each other again.

Kevin Rolston [00:03:57]:
Right.

Joey Logano [00:03:57]:
But you have a long period of time in between, and if there is a beef, you kind of forget about it a little bit and you gotta move on to the next thing. But for us, it’s the same 36 drivers you see every single week.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:10]:
Right.

Joey Logano [00:04:10]:
And eventually you’re going to have something happen, and guess what? You’re going to see them again next week and the next week and the next week. It just doesn’t go away. It doesn’t go away. Um, so it’s just a. A very unique sport for that reason.

Kevin Rolston [00:04:24]:
As a driver, do you know some of those interpersonal struggles and realize maybe I need to stay away from these two if they get together on the track because tempers might flare up, they might spin somebody out that might affect how I drive. So do you need to know and almost psychoanalyze the other drivers that are on the track with you?

Joey Logano [00:04:42]:
Well, it’s always important to know what situation people are in. Whether situation. Yeah. If they’re trying to get into the playoffs. I just went through one of these scenarios, you know, whether, whether trying to get in or if they have a history of someone else, and there’s two erasing right in front of you, the last thing you might do is get caught up and you know, their mess, right. And so you try to stay aware of the situations the best as possible, but sometimes there’s just nothing you can do about it, right. Like you’re. You’re just there and you happen to be racing for the win, and here you are.

Joey Logano [00:05:12]:
Right. Like, it just is what it is right now.

Kevin Rolston [00:05:14]:
Is it something where you find a weakness of another driver and you’ll often have a nickname for them? Are people like some sports, you know, football especially, they’ll be ribbing each other and they’ll be in each other’s head and they know that something gets under somebody’s skin. Does that happen in NASCAR with drivers? Is it to that level?

Joey Logano [00:05:33]:
I don’t see it to that level. You know, like, I mean, I think what the difference is is I think in other sports, whether it’s basketball or football, the adrenaline is at its peak right after a play, right. And you’re kind of feeling one way or the other, right. Whether it’s good or bad, and. And you’re going to draw to each other immediately. Right. Like in the heat of the battle for us, you know, the time we see each other is 2030 minutes before the race at driver intros. And then you’re strapped into a race car after that.

Joey Logano [00:06:04]:
So if someone makes a move on you or you’re mad at them or you want to, you know, talk a little game, you can’t. You’re stuck in a race car. Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:13]:
Right.

Joey Logano [00:06:13]:
So afterwards, sometimes drivers get out and express their feelings a little bit, but really, outside of that, there’s just not a whole bunch.

Kevin Rolston [00:06:24]:
Of, if you watch a lot of professional sports or even if you just played football in college, it’s pretty typical to see athletes have a little bit of fun at each other’s expense or even go one step further and try to get into a competitor’s head by calling out their weaknesses. That kind of exchange happens outside of pro sports. Too many people who go through hair loss don’t feel confident about it, and the last thing they want is for someone to bring it up and make some kind of snide comment. They may want a solution, but not one that calls attention to the problem itself. Kind of like the toupees used to see guys wear decades ago. Joey’s pretty public about his hair loss and has never really tried to hide the fact that he uses a hair system. So I want to know if the other drivers ever remarked on his hair loss in a negative way.

Kevin Rolston [00:07:16]:
I’m just kind of curious. In your field, how has you being a client of HairClub been accepted? What do other drivers say? Do they use it as a thing to rib you with, or do you feel like it’s starting to hit that nice level of acceptance throughout even NASCAR?

Joey Logano [00:07:34]:
Yeah, I’d say it’s the complete opposite, actually. I had a lot of them reach out to me, and for whatever reason, there’s a lot of race car drivers that suffer from hair loss for whatever reasons. I don’t know if it’s helmets or heat or. I don’t know. Lord knows. But I had a lot reach out to me saying, what did you do? Can I do, like, who’d you call? What do I do? Right. So as far as, you know, the. The drivers now, they don’t do that type of stuff.

Joey Logano [00:08:00]:
And to me, that’s probably below the belt a little bit, so probably be a good thing if they didn’t do that, right? It’s one thing to talk about someone’s driving skills or something like that, but I don’t think anyone ever, you know, talks about those type of things. Race fans are different. Race fans are going to be race fans, right? The ones that love you are going to love it. The ones that already don’t like you probably are going to not like you more. Like, I was just. It’s just life. That’s fine. But the other side of it, I mean, it’s.

Joey Logano [00:08:24]:
It’s, uh. Nobody really says anything.

Kevin Rolston [00:08:26]:
I remember as a kid, you always knew when somebody had a toupee or hair help. And now today, when I’m at HairClub and I see people that might be there, or I see people that are HairClub clients, people like yourself. I’m always so blown away because I never have any idea. So you work closely with the pit crew. You’ve got your whole team. Is everybody aware of what you do? What would you say is the awareness level of what you do with hair club? Do they just know you go to hair club, or how does that sit with the people that are closest to you?

Joey Logano [00:08:57]:
Well, they know I go to HairClub, obviously. Look at. I’m talking to you. I’m wearing a shirt. I don’t hide it.

Kevin Rolston [00:09:03]:
Yeah.

Joey Logano [00:09:03]:
I don’t know. I get a lot of questions about it, but honestly, dude, I’d live my life like, it’s a pretty normal, like, at this point, I’ve. I’ve had my hair for a couple years. You know, it’s been very easy, and I got the routine figured out and I live my life like anybody else, you know? And, yeah, I’m glad I did something about it. Right. I suffered from alopecia, so I decided that I wanted to do something. Found HairClub, saw that they have multiple solutions. I found the one that was right for me and I did something.

Joey Logano [00:09:31]:
And I hope everybody, if you have the opportunity to, why wouldn’t you these days, right, if there’s a technology there to, you know, make your appearance look better and you can do it, what’s stopping you? You know, don’t let someone’s stupid comment, you know, stop you from bettering yourself. Right. And if you could feel like you can do that, then, then go for it. And honestly, no one’s. I mean, I’ve never really had any backlash that bothered me. At least, you know, you’re going to get some jokes here and there. Honestly, I joke with them most of the time. I throw the jokes out before they do.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:06]:
That’s it. That’s it. There you go thing.

Joey Logano [00:10:08]:
Like, I’m very open about it. You know, not everybody is as open or wants to talk about it, but I really, yeah, I understand what I have. And nothing you can do about it, right. Whether it’s alopecia or just normal male pattern baldness. Like, what are you gonna do about it? Like, it’s not your fault. There’s nothing you can do about, you know, your genes, right? Like, that’s what you’re born with. And you know what? So I did something about it. Kiss my butt.

Joey Logano [00:10:32]:
I think it’s a great move.

Kevin Rolston [00:10:33]:
Well, I think the improvement in the technology is one of the biggest reasons, because how do you get on somebody that has a head of hair that looks 100% completely natural? I don’t even know where the joke is in something like that. And that’s really it. When I see the hair solutions that are out there now, you really have no idea. If somebody brings it up, it’s like, what are you going to say? Because they look better with it, they don’t look worse. So find the joke in this.

Joey Logano [00:10:56]:
Yeah. And it’s. If it’s the first time you met me, you would never know, right? I mean, people, you can’t. You can’t tell.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:01]:
No idea. Now I’m curious. Cause I’m sure people want to know about the durability. And I’m curious, too, because the temperatures that you have on the track in that car. You mentioned the helmet, which, I mean, those things are on pretty tight. I would imagine. I’d imagine getting them off, too. I know with football helmets, those things really grab.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:20]:
So do you have concerns with the hair that you have, that anything is going to get messed up, it’s going to become dislodged. Does the heat affect your hair?

Kevin Rolston [00:11:31]:
What.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:31]:
What are the concerns and conditions that you have?

Joey Logano [00:11:33]:
No, I just, like, honestly, I just had to figure out the right combination for me and the right routine. But outside of that, now I have zero concerns. When I go to the racetrack, I take my helmet off at the end of a race, jump in the pool, drive a jet ski 70 miles an hour across the lake.

Kevin Rolston [00:11:49]:
Okay, so you even go fast. You go fast on the lake, too.

Joey Logano [00:11:53]:
Well, I mean, I’m a race car driver. What do you think I do? I don’t go slow. I can tell you that much.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:01]:
Does it bother you if you ever get passed by another jet ski, or do you feel like you have to win even that race?

Joey Logano [00:12:06]:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, I don’t think racing on the lake is probably the thing I should be promoting, but you’re right. We’ll back off that one. Most of the time, I like to go fast. Yeah.

Kevin Rolston [00:12:23]:
There are hair loss solutions for everybody out there. No matter what kind of hair loss or lifestyle you have, the most important thing you can do is talk to professionals and find out what your options are. I wanted to find out how that process went for Joey, because not only is he a hair club user, he also endorses the product. So when he went in for his consultation, he had to figure out if hair club was something he could stand behind. So I asked him how long it took to go from his first consultation to ending up with a product that he was satisfied with.

Joey Logano [00:13:00]:
Honestly, it’s pretty quick. You know, you can go to HairClub, and they’ll give you, you know, whatever options they have available quickly. What they do a lot of times is they have a consultation, they bring you in, okay, talk to you. What’s your struggles? Right? What’s your history? And there’s many, many fixes that they can present to you. So, like I said, what works for me may not be what works for you, but I think the ultimate outcome, the goal is what? To have hair again. And it’s different for everyone, right? Like, there’s hair transplants. There’s. There’s just things you can put on your hair.

Joey Logano [00:13:37]:
There’s certain kinds of shampoo, right? I mean, there’s different things. You can use that to try to, you know, and HairClub has all those things that allow you to do that all the way through. For me, with the alopecia stuff, I couldn’t do a lot of the options because it can trigger it to be a lot worse.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:53]:
Oh, wow. Okay.

Joey Logano [00:13:54]:
So it can kind of trigger a lot more underlying issues. So.

Kevin Rolston [00:13:58]:
So HairClub can work. Yeah, they can work around those kind of specific problems.

Joey Logano [00:14:02]:
Yeah, but it’s different for everybody depending on what you’re dealing with.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:05]:
Now, did you have a consultant when you went into HairClub, somebody that said, hey, here are the options, and here’s what I think would work for you?

Joey Logano [00:14:11]:
Yeah. Which was one of the cool parts. Before I partnered with him as someone that’s endorsing the product, I went there and said, hang on. I was very skeptical. If I’m going to endorse this, this is a pretty personal thing to be talking about. I want to make sure that, one, this is going to work before I tell anybody about it, and, two, that I can live my life with it, and it’s not just a complete pain in my butt that I’m like, it’s not worth it. Right. I want to make sure that I check those two boxes before I tell everyone, you should go do this.

Joey Logano [00:14:40]:
And I feel like once I got through that, I was like, all right, well, I feel comfortable talking to people about what’s going on and what I did to fix it and that, you know what? If you have a problem, go fix it. Right? Like, it’s like that in anything in life, right? If you have an issue, fix it. And if there’s an avenue to fix it, great. Hair club’s got it for you, so you might as well do it.

Kevin Rolston [00:14:58]:
What’s it like styling your hair time now compared to time that it used to take before you had your system?

Joey Logano [00:15:04]:
Well, it’s a little longer now because I actually have hair. When you got no hair, it takes no time, but it doesn’t take any longer than it did when I was a kid and I had hair. You know what I mean? Like, it was. It’s the same, right. I might get in the shower. I shampoo and condition just like anybody else would. You know, once a month, I get a haircut, and I keep on going. Like, it’s pretty simple for me.

Joey Logano [00:15:32]:
And I got the system figured out at this point. Like, it took me a few months to get to that point, but, yeah, now that I got it figured out, it’s cake.

Kevin Rolston [00:15:40]:
The thing I find amazing about hair club is that once you find hair club and you find your solution is they grow with you because as you age, you get older, you know, they can start bringing the hair back. If you want to look like you have more of a natural hairline for your age, they can do that if you’re getting some of the gray, like I got some gray in the beard. But you know what? They put some gray in my system so that it looks a lot more natural. And so, you know, once you find hair club, it is something that you can ride out for the rest of your life and have the hair that you want.

Joey Logano [00:16:09]:
Absolutely. Make adjustments. However you want to make adjustments. I mean, it’s literally, it’s up to you, right? I mean, I mean, a lot of it I leave up to the stylist because I’m like, yeah, you’re going to know a little bit more than me, I hope, and they do. But you can put your two cent and tell them what you want, tell them what’s comfortable, you know, what’s not. I went through a couple things that I was like, I don’t really like this that much, right. And we made an adjustment and changed that we wanted.

Kevin Rolston [00:16:34]:
Well, I got to tell you, Joey, I think you’ve got broadcasting hair. I think you have broadcasting abilities because I am in the field. How much longer before you’re in the booth and not the track? Any thoughts on that?

Joey Logano [00:16:46]:
Oh, man, I got no idea. I know I got some time when I feel certain about it, then I know it’s time. But I still enjoy going to the racetrack. I enjoy winning, you know, so I know I got a handful of years at least left in me. And I think depends also just how life is. But if I can’t compete for wins, that’s probably going to be the sign for me to say I’m not going to just go to make laps and go around in circles like, I enjoy racing, don’t get me wrong. But I do it to win. I don’t do it for fun.

Joey Logano [00:17:15]:
I don’t do it to race. I do it to win. And so if I can’t win, I’m not going to want to do it anymore. So I’m still competitive. I still can win races. I’m going to continue doing it.

Kevin Rolston [00:17:28]:
Sounds like Joey’s passion for competing and winning on the track hasn’t slowed down one bit. We wish Joey a fantastic end of this year’s racing season and can’t wait to see what’s next for him. I hope his drive for excellence inspires you to go out there to win at whatever you do. And as Joey said, if there’s something about your appearance that you’ve been wanting to change, do it for yourself. And don’t worry what other people are going to think. The people who matter most are going to be supportive. And you may even find that the people around you are dealing with similar issues. Who knows? By opening yourself up to change, you could be helping them more than you know.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:06]:
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. Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpot. 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. 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 Dot hairclub.com. we’re here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone.

Kevin Rolston [00:18:49]:
And when you share, review, and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time.

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Dr. Phipps: Male vs Female Pattern Hair Loss

Dr. Phipps: Male vs Female Pattern Hair Loss

Episode 34

Dr. Phipps: Male vs Female Pattern Hair Loss

Dr. Phipps: Male vs Female Pattern Hair Loss
This week on HairPod, I sat down with an expert in all things hair loss, Dr. Angie Phipps. She is a hair transplant surgeon with over two decades of experience in the industry, and she was the star of the TLC reality series, Bad Hair Day. She joined us to shed some light on an important issue that affects over 100 million Americans: male and female pattern hair loss.

When people think of hair loss, they often picture the receding hairlines of male pattern hair loss. However, women can also experience hair thinning. Female pattern hair loss can be equally upsetting, even if it looks different. If you’ve been wondering about male vs female pattern hair loss, we’re here to break it down.

Female vs. Male Pattern Hair Loss

Female pattern hair loss is different from male pattern baldness in a few key ways. They are both caused by the impacts of hormones on different receptors throughout the body, and these hormones cause hair loss when those hormones affect our hair follicles in certain ways. In men, this type of hair loss centralizes on certain areas, like the forehead and top of the crown. Women can experience thinning in any zone, and it typically happens in a more diffuse way. For both men and women, the amount of hair loss you’ll experience due to this condition is genetic, and science doesn’t have a consistent way to shut down the gene or the receptors.

Understanding Androgenetic Alopecia

Once called androgenic alopecia, androgenetic alopecia is a hair loss condition that affects both men and women. The condition has a strong genetic link that’s tied to one key hormone group: androgens.

Androgens are specific sex hormones like testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is the hormone that has the strongest correlation with male and female pattern baldness.

Hair follicles have androgen receptors, and your genetics affect how sensitive your follicles’ receptors are. When your hair follicles over-respond to androgens, they end up with a shorter growth period. This leads them to shrink, changing long terminal hair into vellus hair—those short hairs known as peach fuzz.

As we age, the effects of androgenetic alopecia become more prevalent. By their 50s, about 50% of men get some degree of male pattern baldness. For women in their 50s, it’s about 25%—although that number rises after menopause. Women tend to see more of the effects of hormonal hair loss post-menopause when reduced estrogen leads to more androgen influence.

Androgens are the leading cause of female and male pattern hair loss, but other factors can lead to thin hair and baldness. The good news is that there are many solutions for hair loss. More on that later.

Common Signs and Symptoms

What do you look for in female pattern hair loss vs male pattern hair loss?  This common type of hair loss has specific signs and symptoms.

Receding Hairlines in Men

As men begin to experience androgenetic alopecia, they lose hair between the ears and forehead. Hair loss starts near the forehead and transitions into a receding hairline. An M or U is the classic shape. Next, the crown starts losing hair until it eventually connects with bald spots closer to the hairline. Men with this pattern of hair loss may also lose hair from the sides of the head.

Did you know: Men have more androgen receptors in the frontal hair follicles than women. That’s why male-pattern baldness starts at the front of the head.

Diffuse Hair Thinning in Women

In women, the most common early sign of androgenetic alopecia is hair thinning at the part. This hair loss can run from the front to the back of the head. Next, women start to see a noticeable hair volume loss and a wide part. Continuing symptoms lead to diffuse hair thinning across the top of the head. When you consider female vs male pattern hair loss, it’s more likely to create a see-through appearance in women. Women are also less likely to go bald than men.

Causes of Hair Loss

Before you assume the worst, let’s look at common causes of hair thinning. Some are reversible, and hair loss treatments like those from HairClub can provide solutions that lead to fuller hair.

Genetic Factors

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common genetic cause of lost hair. If you have a family history of male or female pattern hair loss, you’re more likely to develop it too. Even though AR gene mutations are the leading cause, there are other genes that also increase your risk.

Hormonal Changes

Different hormones can lead to hair loss. Androgens are the main contributor to androgenetic alopecia, so changes in these sex hormones affect your hair. Thyroid hormones also affect hair growth in men and women. If your thyroid produces too many or too few hormones, you’ll feel the effects with thinning hair.

For women, estrogen and progesterone cycle in different amounts depending on age, time of the month, health status, and other factors. Whether you’re pregnant, not pregnant, or are going through menopause, you can have hair loss due to these fluctuations.

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, can also be a cause of female pattern hair loss because it increases androgen levels in women.

Aging

Getting older is a natural process, but it often comes with hair loss. Hair naturally gets thinner as you age because your hair follicles are aging too. They may have a shortened growth period, or their shedding may outpace the time it takes for new hairs to grow. New hairs may grow back finer because of follicle miniaturization and may have less pigment—one of the reasons your hair turns gray. Hair transplants or hair restoration procedures can help you regain confidence.

Medical Conditions

Sometimes, a medical condition can lead to your hair falling out. Cancer treatments can do this, but so can anemia, scalp infections, infectious diseases, or autoimmune disorders like lupus or alopecia areata.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Your body needs nutrients for optimal living, and that includes your scalp and hair. Without key vitamins and minerals, your hair follicles and hair texture can start to change.

Short- or long-term hair loss can happen from nutrient deficiencies in:

  • Vitamin D
  • Iron
  • Zinc

Other nutrients also help boost your scalp health:

  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B
  • Protein
  • Omega-3
  • Vitamin E

However, don’t get too much selenium and vitamin A. Your body definitely needs these nutrients, but excessively high doses can lead to hair loss.

Stress

Stress can also cause hair loss if your cortisol levels are too high. In cases of severe stress, you might get what’s called telogen effluvium. This is when your hair follicles prematurely change from the growing phase to the shedding phase because of stress. The condition is often temporary but results in more hair loss than normal.

Gender Differences in Treatment

There are differences between hair loss male vs female, so it makes sense that there are a few differences in medical treatment between women and men.

Hair Transplants

Women and men may both benefit from hair transplants like Follicular Unit Extraction and Follicular Unit Transplantation from HairClub. However, some women with more severe hair loss and diffuse hair thinning have fewer donor hairs available. This may make it harder to find good donor sites.

Medications

All genders can use topical treatments like Minoxidil to good effect. For oral treatments, only men should take Finasteride because it can affect women’s hormones and may also affect developing babies.

If you’re looking for another treatment to stop hair loss, you’ll have many options available. From low-level laser light therapy to customized hair systems and at-home products, HairClub can help you restore your head of hair.

>How Effective is Finasteride?>

Male pattern hair loss happens due to one specific hormone, and science has found a way to block that hormone without any negative side effects. That treatment is called finasteride, and it helps many men stop their hair loss. Women, on the other hand, experience hair loss due to a combination of hormones, and there are negative effects to blocking them. This means that hormonal treatments are only really helpful for men at this time. For men who don’t experience great results with finasteride, Dr. Phipps typically prescribes dutasteride. In either case, the medications must be continued to block the hormone. If the medication is stopped, hair loss will resume.

Finasteride as a Preventative Measure

Genetic hair loss can skip generations, but if it’s somewhere in your family history, you may very well experience it. Dr. Phipps recommends starting the medication early so that you don’t experience extensive hair loss before stopping it. While there are always risks for medication to cause side effects, finasteride has been studied long-term and it has not had major long-term side effects on any internal processes or organs.

Is Finasteride Right for Me?

Regular hair shedding is normal, so how do you know if you’re experiencing hair loss? It’s normal to lose 100-150 hairs per day, so if you see a bit of hair in your comb every day, there’s no need to panic. But if you start to see an increasing amount of hair coming out in your brush or in the shower, there’s no harm in consulting with a professional. They have the tools and knowledge to determine whether you’re experiencing hair loss. If you think you’re experiencing hair loss and hair loss runs in your family, Dr. Phipps suggests starting preventative care early. But hair loss can be caused by other factors, and a hair loss specialist can give you an idea of what is causing the hair loss.

The Best Treatment for Hair Loss is Comprehensive

Hair loss can have a variety of causes. Rather than trying just one tactic, the greatest chance you have for success in reducing your hair loss is to take a multifaceted approach. Dr. Phipps works with clients to determine what combination of treatments will support the best possible results in her patients. When you work with professionals like her, you can benefit from their years of experience and work with them to find something that works for you and your budget. More is more!

Managing Hair Loss Effectively>

Losing hair can be difficult. Along with frustration, you may feel embarrassed and want to cover your head or change your daily activities. If you’re struggling with hair loss, speak to one of our hair loss experts to learn more about HairClub’s innovative products and how we can bring renewed confidence back into your life.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.34 Transcript

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Latino Culture and Hair Loss

Latino Culture and Hair Loss

Episode 33

Latino Culture and Hair Loss

latino-hair-loss-Oscar-Camargo-033-blog

In this episode of HairPod, Kevin sits down with a member of the team who puts together HairPod every week, Oscar Camargo. He brings up a topic that we haven’t covered yet – the way that Oscar’s culture impacted his hair loss experience and his eventual decision to seek a hair loss solution.

Being Latino and Going Through Hair Loss

Hair loss can affect someone’s self-image, regardless of their culture. In Oscar’s case, he grew up in a Colombian family and was raised to care for his appearance and always leave the house putting his best foot forward. As a young man, this came easy, as Oscar had a full head of wavy hair. As he aged, he lost his hair just like his father had before him. It took years of dealing with the hair loss for Oscar to decide it was time to make a change.

Trying Different Hair Solutions: The Turning Point

Hair solutions come in many forms, and each person’s journey is unique. Oscar knew there might be some trial and error as he figured out what would work best for him, and he opted to try minoxidil first. While this option is satisfactory for many people, it didn’t give Oscar the instantaneous results he was after. When he first tried a hair system, he knew it would be a great fit. Oscar shares what it was like to show it to his family, especially at the moment when his biggest critic, his youngest daughter, finally saw and felt his brand new hair.

Gaining Confidence Through Hair Solutions

Losing your hair is often an emotional experience. Finding a way to restore your hair can be key to feeling the confidence you once had. Having a positive self-image and self-esteem can change the way you feel at work, with family, and during social interactions. Oscar talks about how great it felt once he was no longer worrying about where people’s eyes would go while they were talking or if they’d be looking at his thinning hairline. Now, Oscar says he can focus on other things he’d like to improve in his life – his hair looks and feels great.

Advice for Latino Men Facing Hair Loss

Dealing with hair loss is difficult for anyone, but Oscar wants to reach out and speak to men who understand his cultural perspective. Taking pride in one’s appearance and having an awareness of how others see you is a powerful value to be raised with, and one that helps prepare us for school, our jobs, and how we show up in social contexts. Feeling like you can’t take control of your appearance when it comes to hair loss can feel very isolating and caused Oscar to want to hide. He wants men to know that there are things they can do to get their hair back and feel confident in the way they look.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.33 Transcript

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What is Trichotillomania

What is Trichotillomania

Episode 32

What is Trichotillomania?

Heather-Brooke-032-blog
In this episode of HairPod, we shine a light on trichotillomania​—also known as trich or TTM—a condition that causes people to compulsively pull out their hair. To better understand this often misunderstood hair condition, we’re honored to welcome Heather Brooke, a licensed professional counselor and an individual with lived experience of TTM. Joining us to discuss her journey with TTM, Heather provides valuable insight for those living with the condition.

At HairClub, we offer more than just solutions for hair loss—we’ve created a hub of knowledge to help you understand every aspect of hair health and wellness. This episode is an essential listen for anyone looking to understand trichotillomania better, whether you or someone you love is affected by this disorder or you’re simply curious about it.

Join us as we explore trichotillomania​ through the lens of Heather’s experiences—her personal story, professional insight, and strategies for managing TTM.

What is Trichotillomania?

Trichotillomania is a hair-pulling disorder that leads individuals to uncontrollably (and sometimes unconsciously) pull out their hair. The disorder can manifest differently depending on the person—some may pull hair from their scalp, while others may focus on eyebrows, eyelashes, or other body hair. The intensity of the condition varies greatly; some individuals may experience mild episodes, while others may struggle with more severe, daily compulsions. There is also no single age of onset, though it often begins in childhood or adolescence.

Causes of Trichotillomania

The causes of trichotillomania are still not fully understood, and research into the condition is ongoing. However, many experts believe that a combination of factors—including genetics, trauma, anxiety, and stress—could contribute to its development. Heather Brooke believes that her own TTM was triggered by traumatic experiences in her early childhood. At just nine years old, Heather began pulling out her hair and relied on the adults in her life to notice and intervene. Unfortunately, due to a lack of awareness and understanding about the disorder at the time, Heather did not receive the therapeutic help she needed right away.

Despite years of therapy and now being a licensed professional counselor herself, Heather still deals with the effects of trichotillomania. Her personal journey underscores the challenges many face: living with TTM is a continuous process of managing symptoms rather than a quick fix. However, this also means that even though a cure may not be available, there are ways to cope and live a full life despite the condition.

Trichotillomania is a medical condition characterized by the compulsive urge to pull out one’s hair, often resulting in noticeable hair loss. It can affect hair all over the body:

  • Scalp
  • Eyebrows
  • Eyelashes
  • Other body hair

There is no single age of onset, but it often begins in childhood or adolescence. For Heather Brooke, it started at just nine years old. There is no clear-cut cause of trichotillomania, and research into the condition is still ongoing. However, experts believe that a combination of factors could cause it.

Biological Factors

Genetics may play a significant role in the development of trichotillomania. Other biological factors, such as changes in hormone levels during puberty, could also contribute.

Psychological Factors

Individuals who experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are more likely to show signs of TTM.

Environmental Influences

Highly stressful situations and traumatic events may trigger trichotillomania in some people. Heather believes traumatic experiences in early childhood triggered her own TTM.

Symptoms of Trichotillomania

Individuals with trichotillomania may feel an intense urge to pull their hair out. They may feel a growing tension that becomes harder and harder to ignore, with a sense of relief after pulling the hair out. People with TTM may have repeatedly tried to stop or minimize the hair-pulling behavior with no success.

Hair-Pulling Behaviors

Most people with TTM pull hair from their scalp, but some pull from other areas, such as eyebrows, eyelashes, genital hair, and beard or mustache hair. The resulting bald patches may have an unusual shape and affect one side of the head more than the other.

Emotional and Physical Consequences

Constant hair-pulling can cause severe damage to the skin and hair. From bald spots to scarring, this condition can damage the skin of your scalp and even permanently affect hair growth. As the hair loss becomes more and more visible, you may feel frustrated, ashamed, and embarrassed. If you can’t stop hair loss, you may feel like you’ve lost control. Over time, you may develop low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.

Trichotillomania’s Impact on Daily Life

Trichotillomania can profoundly impact daily life, often making simple tasks seem more challenging. The urge to pull out hair can strike unexpectedly, especially during moments of stress or boredom. This can lead to noticeable hair loss, which in turn can affect self-esteem and body image. Individuals experiencing TTM may avoid social gatherings, work, or school out of fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed by their appearance. Despite years of therapy and now being a licensed professional counselor herself, Heather still deals with the effects of this hair-pulling condition. Her personal journey underscores the challenges many face: living with TTM is a continuous process of managing symptoms rather than a quick fix.

However, managing the condition is possible with the right strategies and support. HairClub’s expert consultation and lasting solutions for trichotillomania treatment offer the personalized strategies you need to reclaim your confidence and find balance in your everyday routines.

Coping with Trichotillomania

Currently, there is no known cure for trichotillomania. However, numerous tools and strategies can help you reduce its impact and manage its symptoms. For Heather, stress and anxiety are key factors that exacerbate her TTM. Like many people with the disorder, she has realized that finding ways to release stress is crucial for managing her compulsions. Regular exercise is one of her primary outlets, and she finds that going to the gym is a powerful way to channel her energy. However, even this form of stress relief might not be enough during particularly stressful times. It’s in these moments that having multiple coping strategies becomes essential. In addition to exercise, Heather emphasizes the importance of therapy. Working with a licensed professional, especially one with experience in TTM, can be incredibly beneficial. A therapist can help individuals identify the triggers that lead to hair-pulling episodes and develop personalized techniques to address them. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices, and even medications may be recommended as part of a holistic approach to managing trichotillomania. Heather also advocates for self-compassion and patience. The path to managing TTM is not linear, and setbacks are part of the process. For those living with the disorder, it’s crucial to learn to forgive oneself and recognize that recovery is a journey.

Supporting Someone with Trichotillomania

One of the most important themes of Heather’s conversation is compassion. For friends, family members, or partners of someone with trichotillomania, understanding and empathy are essential. It can be easy to suggest to someone with TTM to “just stop pulling your hair,” but this kind of response can be damaging. Hair-pulling is not a conscious decision, and the compulsions are often driven by deep-seated psychological factors that require understanding, not criticism.

Educate Yourself

If you’re supporting someone with TTM, start by educating yourself about the condition. Ask questions and listen without judgment. Remember that the person struggling with trichotillomania likely feels a great deal of shame or embarrassment about their behavior, so it’s vital to create a safe and supportive environment for open communication. Rather than focusing on the physical symptoms (like hair loss), show concern for their emotional well-being.

For children with TTM, Heather has written a children’s book called “Where Is My Hair? A Trichotillomania Story For Children.” This book helps kids understand what they’re going through and introduces the idea that they are not alone in their struggles. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or friend, this resource can help foster empathy and understanding for young ones dealing with the condition.

Recommend Resources

Additionally, if trauma or emotional distress seems to be at the root of someone’s TTM, it may be helpful to gently recommend counseling. Healing from trauma can be a key step toward reducing compulsive behaviors. However, it’s important to approach these conversations with care and avoid pushing someone before they are ready to seek help.

Resources for Managing Trichotillomania

If you or someone you know is living with trichotillomania, there are a number of resources available to support you on your journey:

Therapy

Seeking out a licensed professional counselor who specializes in TTM or related disorders can be incredibly helpful. Therapists can offer individualized treatment plans, coping strategies, and emotional support.

Stress-Relief Strategies

Identifying healthy outlets for managing stress is key. Whether it’s exercise, mindfulness, or creative activities, finding what works for you can make a significant difference.

Support Networks:

Connecting with others who have similar experiences can be a source of strength and validation. Consider joining a support group for people with TTM or participating in online forums to share your journey with others who understand.

Educational Materials

Books like “Where Is My Hair? A Trichotillomania Story For Children” by Heather Brooke provide an accessible way for younger audiences to understand the condition. It’s also a great tool for parents and caregivers to start conversations with children about their experience with TTM.

Trichotillomania: Understanding This Hair Pulling Disorder and Its Impact

We hope this episode of HairPod has offered a meaningful and compassionate look at trichotillomania. While living with TTM can be challenging, hearing from people like Heather Brooke reminds us that we can navigate life with this disorder through self-awareness, therapy, and the support of those around us.

If you’re struggling with the effects of trichotillomania, HairClub is here to help. With personalized hair restoration solutions and expert care, we can help you take a step toward regaining confidence and control over your life.
Book a Complimentary Consultation at HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.32 Transcript

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Why I am A Hair Loss Stylist

Why I am A Hair Loss Stylist

Episode 31

Why I am a Hair Loss Stylist

hair-loss-stylist-Rachel-Rivera-031-blog
When you’re going through hair loss, one of the hardest parts can be trusting someone to help you. What if they don’t get it? What if they make everything worse? Or worse – what if they laugh? Our guest today is here to help ease your fears. If you’ve ever wondered what a hair loss specialist does or wanted to hear why people get into that field, this episode is for you. We had the opportunity to talk to Rachel Rivera, Kevin’s personal hair loss stylist and ask her what it’s like to do her job, building trust with clients, and helping them feel their best.

From Salon Stylist to Hair Loss Specialist

Most hair loss stylists begin their careers working in regular salon and then eventually transition into hair restoration, and Rachel followed that path as well. When faced with some of the typical challenges of being a salon stylist, she started to wonder if there was something else out there for her. She saw a job posting for HairClub, and she decided to go in for an interview to get an idea of what working there might be like. The rest was history – she knew specializing in hair restoration would be a challenge, but Rachel’s love of learning inspired her to pursue styling hair for people with hair loss!

How This Hair Loss Stylist Connects With Clients

Building trust with people who have experienced hair loss can be more challenging than with people who haven’t. Some folks have tried every internet remedy and are skeptical that any hair loss solution can give them the results they’re after. Others are scared to even reach out to ask for help from a professional – the stigma that surrounds hair loss can be paralyzing. Rachel has compassion for her clients and builds trust by taking the time to get to know each client as an individual, and by communicating extensively with them about what results they want and how they can get there.

The Right Hair Loss Stylist Matters

Hair loss stylists aren’t always easy to find! Hair loss specialists have a lot of knowledge about the way hair follicles work and can help you determine what kinds of hair loss solutions might be right for you. The average hairstylist may not have that level of education, so it’s important to seek out someone who can give you accurate information as soon as you begin noticing your hair loss. But it’s also important to find someone who you can see yourself working with over the course of years – as your needs change or your hair loss progresses, a stylist that knows you well can help you achieve the look you want and even experiment with changing things up if that’s what you want to do. If you’re looking for a new hair loss stylist, we hope you find someone as compassionate and knowledgeable as Rach.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.31 Transcript

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My Hair System Routine with Kyle Weatherman

My Hair System Routine with Kyle Weatherman

Episode 30

My Hair System Routine

Kyle-Weatherman-030-blog
Hair system care and the associated routines can feel overwhelming when you’re already losing your hair and don’t feel like you have time to add another thing to your busy schedule. Today’s guest proves that caring for a hair system takes no more time than his hair routine back before his hair loss started. This week, we sit down with NASCAR driver Kyle Weatherman to discuss his personal experience with genetic hair loss and his decision not to accept going bald. Beginning in his mid-twenties, Kyle faced the challenge of thinning hair head-on, deciding to take control with a solution that worked for him—a hair system. 

Hair System Care & Kyle’s Routine

How much maintenance does a hair system require? In Kyle’s experience, it doesn’t take much more than having hair grow out of your head. He lives a fast-paced lifestyle (pun intended), and he finds his hair system surprisingly low-maintenance. Since he travels for races every week during his busy season, he needed a solution that wouldn’t be too cumbersome. Kyle has a stylist he has worked with who cuts the system and blends it with his hair, giving him a polished, natural look. Together, these factors keep him feeling confident, even on race days. That’s right – Kyle’s system stays under his helmet in a stock car, where temperatures can climb to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tailoring Your Hair System to Your Unique Needs

Everyone’s hair journey is different because no two humans have the exact same needs. We all have different skin types, hair textures, and hair loss patterns, meaning hair solutions must be tailored to the individual they’re meant for. Kyle, for example, sweats quite a bit. Luckily, the stylist he works with determined which adhesive would work for him and offered a breathable lace option for his hair system to keep him comfortable. Finding a solution tailored to you is crucial, and working with an expert hair loss professional can help get you there.

Hair Solutions and the Leap of Faith

Going bald wasn’t an option for Kyle, as he doesn’t feel like himself without hair. He is grateful to other NASCAR drivers who have been so open about their hair loss issues and how they fixed them. His wife has also experienced hair loss, and she was a supportive voice, encouraging him to seek options and do something like this for himself. For those who don’t have a support network like that, Kyle wants anyone out there dealing with hair loss to take that leap of faith and book a consultation just to see if it’s a possible fit. As Kyle’s story shows, there’s a solution out there for everyone, and sometimes, it just starts with a single step.

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.30 Transcript

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.

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Life with Alopecia Universalis

Life with Alopecia Universalis

Episode 29

Life with Alopecia Universalis

alopecia-universalis-Ariel-Rawlings-029-blog
In honor of Alopecia Awareness Month, we’re bringing you a beacon of hope through our conversation with Ariel Rawlings. She is a remarkable individual whose alopecia universalis has led her down a path of advocacy and self-actualization. She is also a professional in the hair replacement industry, helping her clients with the empathy and heart that comes from knowing exactly what they’re going through.

Alopecia Universalis: The Early Stages

It can feel isolating to go through this disease. Alopecia universalis is a condition that leads to complete loss of body hair. For Ariel, this journey has been about more than just coping with physical changes. It has been a path to understanding and embracing her identity. Aggressive hair loss can be a distressing experience, as it can sometimes indicate other health issues. While Ariel ruled out those issues by treating a hormonal thyroid problem, this helped move her closer to her diagnosis of alopecia. After her diagnosis, she still had to navigate presenting herself to the world in a way that felt authentic and natural to her. Ariel acknowledges that each person’s solution is as different as the next. Her story is a testament to her strength and the evolving nature of her self-acceptance.

Advocating for Yourself with Hair Loss

Hair loss affects many people for various reasons, and it’s important to rule out health problems early on. In the early stages of her diagnosis journey, Ariel had to advocate for herself with her doctor. Occasionally, medical professionals will not prioritize non-lethal issues like hair loss, and the responsibility falls on the person with alopecia (or their guardian) to be their advocate. By sharing her journey, Ariel hopes others can see what is possible when you become your own champion, working tirelessly to ensure you are heard, and your condition is taken seriously.

Alopecia Universalis Support

A community can make all the difference when you’re struggling with hair loss. Ariel was fortunate to have many supportive people in her circle – her family and husband helped her through the emotions of losing her hair to alopecia universalis. However, not everyone has a community, and even those who do may wish to seek advice from people experiencing the same things as them. While alopecia universalis is rare and there is no medical cure, people have found many different ways to thrive with this condition. It’s important to seek out people who empathize with your plight and validate your emotions.

Ariel is a professional in the hair replacement industry, empathizing with clients who are feeling the emotional burden of hair loss. Her journey remains an inspiring example of resilience and encourages those struggling with alopecia to embrace their true selves and find strength in the support of others. We’re honored to share her experiences on HairPod and hope her story resonates with you!

Empowering Resources
As the episode draws to a close, HairPod extends a generous offer of a complimentary hair loss consultation, providing a tangible step towards reclaiming confidence and control over one’s appearance. Book a Free consultation with HairClub Today!

Thanks for listening to HairPod. We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please leave us a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts. If you’d like to connect with us on social media to share your story, check us out on Instagram @HairClub. HairPod is a production of TSE Studios. Our theme music is from SoundStripe.

Episode.29 Transcript
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 th