Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

On many occasions, I have blogged about proper nutrition and hair care aiding in the prevention of hair loss. Some of this I’ve talked about before but I think it bears repeating. Others is new information that I like to pass along.

Some of what we know about the hair is that it grows in cycles. Some follicles rest while others are shedding and growing. As you age, re-growth eventually becomes so fine that you can’t see it. The unfortunate statistic is that over 25 percent of women over 50 will lose more than half of their hair.

Hair loss can be passed down from either parent’s side. In all likely hood, if you father is bald, you could end up with hair loss issues as well. For the female, the thinning usually occurs throughout the crown area.

Pregnancy, illness, divorce or any other major stressors can cause you to shed all of you “resting” hair. Usually this will happen from 2-6 mounts after the event, although, in these situations, the hair loss is usually temporary and will most likely grow back naturally.

Other contributing factors for hair loss which we’ve also discussed, include protein deficiencies caused by extreme dieting which can also make the hair dry and baby-fine, while tight hairstyles such as ponytails, can put so much tension on the hair follicles that they are ripped out. Once gone, there is nothing left to product new hair.

It is important to keep your hair hydrated and to style it gently. Repetitive stress such as brushing and blow drying can cause damage and break the hair. While clean hair is a good thing, too much shampooing can strip it of nutrients needed for healthy growth. Hot air strips the hair strands of moisture so minimize your use of a hair dryer. The chamois towels we sell at Fantasia are fabulous because they pull most of the moisture out of your hair so it requires very little blow drying.

Last, but not least, here are some foods that can help prevent hair loss:

• Chickpeas have zinc and vitamin B-6 which are needed for healthy hair. Zinc helps build hair protein and works well with vitamin A. A lack of either of these causes dandruff which can contribute to hair loss.
• Almonds are a great source of protein, iron and vitamin E. They reportedly lower cholesterol which is a good thing because, you don’t want to have to take cholesterol lowering drugs as they may actually cause hair loss.
• Whole wheat is a good source of sillica and iron. Silica is important as it helps with the absorption of many other vitamins and minerals.
• Oats are a great source of easily absorbable iron in addition to potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
• Oranges are a good source of vitamin C which, again, helps make iron more absorbable in the human body. Vitamin C plays a big role in the development of collagen, which is necessary hair growth; helps keep your skin tight and is the “glue” that holds things together in the body.

Sometimes the whole diet thing seems so complicated. The things mentioned above are very simple to implement into your diet. And, as I’ve said many times before, supplementing your diet is necessary as most of us are just not getting everything we need on a daily basis. Many of us at Fantasia are on Isagenix products as we feel they are superior to anything else out there! Call us if you are interested in joining us!

We know light can heal. This is the premise for laser treatment for stimulating new hair growth. The basic theory is that laser treatment (light) is linked to cell function. Encouraging healthy cell function should work to promote regeneration of healthy hair.

Laser hair loss treatment is efficient as it has low power requirements. The therapy utilizes different light doses to produce the desired effect on the scalp and balding areas. Laser treatments typically take about 30 minutes and should be done for 9 to 10 weeks and in some cases, more. For the treatment to be of benefit, the proper amount of light must be concentrated on the problem areas.

An added benefit of laser hair loss treatment would be an improvement general overall health of the scalp. If dandruff has been an issue, it will be reduced or eliminated. If all goes well, after the 9 week period, you should see hair growth beginning in bald spots and re-growth being generated in spots that were thinning. The remainder of your hair should experience a growth spurt, as well as thicker hair strands. After the initial hair re-growth, follow-up and maintenance appointments with laser light therapy are recommended as well as “booster” treatments once a mongh for continued hair re-generation.

Just as sunlight, through the process known as photosynthesis, helps plants grow and thrive, the energy of light through laser treatment can help aid in the healing of human injuries. Studies about this are soon to be published in scientific journals.

There is a new FDA-approved laser treatment called a “Lasercomb”. The comb works only if you have significant areas of hair left on your scalp. As you comb through your hair, the laser is supposed to be directed at your hair follicles to stimulate new hair growth. This technology is not cheap, the combs cost as much as $500. Directions tell you not to use it daily, only for a few days per week for about 15 minutes per day. It will take approximately three to six months using a Lasercomb to actually determine if this treatment is working for your hair.

A possible alternative solution for both men and women suffering from hair loss could be laser therapy. This will take both time and money, and is certainly not an immediate fix.  If you are looking for something more “instant”, contact Fantasia and talk with one of our Hair Support Specialist, they would be happy to help you with a solution that will work for you and give you immediate results.

An integration hair system combines natural hair and new hair. The key function for any hair integration is the ability to pull your existing, growing hair directly through the unit. It is a small system combined with your own natural growing hair to fill in the areas where you are lacking hair. What this does, is allow you to wear a custom hair replacement system without having to shave your head. Integrations are designed to work in conjunction with, and enhance and complement your own natural hair. About 65 percent of women experiencing hair loss fit into a category that can be successfully addressed by integration.

Your own hair is combined with the hair on the integration piece to create the look of a full, complete, beautiful head of hair. With integration, a professional hair replacement technician can fill in more hair in certain areas and less hair in other areas. This allows for the healthy hair to be blended with integrated hair. There should be no noticeable difference between your natural hair and the hair being integrated. Thus , it makes for an ideal appearance. Integrations can add back 20-30 percent of the hair you may have lost in certain places on your scalp.

Integrations are essentially fabric or simulated skin that have replacement hair attached to them that also serves to hide the material. This allows your stylist to bring through your own hair. Integrations can be worn daily or extended-wear, just as some other replacement systems can be.

Think of an integration as kind of a web of extensions strategically placed where you need them. They may be woven in or attached with clips, combs, adhesive tape, solution, or even fused or bonded to existing hair. Some may also be affixed with snaps, Velcro or eye loops.

There are several types of integrations to choose from: man made, thread (mono thread), cable, ribbon wefts and polymer wefts. At Fantasia, our hair replacement technicians are experienced fitting integrations and can discuss all of the different types and styles with you to determine which would be the best based on the degree of your hair loss. This could be a beautiful option for you as it incorporates the hair you already have and fills in where you are lacking. You would definitely want to consider this if you are not ready for a full hair replacement system. Again, the professionals at Fantasia are here to help you.