menopause hair update...

4 MONTHS LATER WITH ONE HAIRCUT

BEFORE PICS

In my earlier blog entry, I discussed the effects of menopause and aging on our hair follicles and outlined my plan to tackle hair loss over the upcoming 3 months. Here's what I mentioned I would do:

MY 3 MONTHS HAIR FOLLICLE REVIVAL ROUTINE

Daily brushing with LED hair brush (5-10 min.)

Daily hammering of scalp with Yin/Yang hammer (5-10 min.)

Daily supplement - Banyan Botanicals Healthy Hair

Once a week hair mask with Banyan Botanicals Healthy Hair Oil

*I also added to this routine testing a new shampoo and conditioner for hair loss.

It has been 4 months, and I've been diligent with some of my goals, but not as much with others. I consistently used my Solaris LED brush and Little Yin Yang Hammer daily. I stopped taking the supplement after a couple weeks, not because I did not like it, but because I would forget to take it. I also didn't apply my Healthy Hair Oil mask weekly, but more like once a month.

During this hair test, I used two different brands of shampoo/conditioners geared towards hair loss. My favorite shampoo/conditioner has been Maya Chia, but I also wanted to try Nulastin shampoo and conditioner. Nulastin has peptides and proteins that strengthen the hair follicle, and I do think it made a significant improvement in the thickness of my hair and visibly less shedding. However, I did not love the smell. After two months of using it consistently, I moved back to Maya Chia primarily and Nulastin once a week.

Both of the pictures (before/after) were taken first thing in the morning when I woke up, so neither is styled, dried, or has product in it. I had one hair cut during this period, but you can see in the picture I still show visible growth in length. I also noticed that my hair became thicker, shed less, and I only had two gray hairs!!! Although I read that this is a potential side effect of tapping/hammering, I was initially unconvinced. It's logical that improved blood flow and circulation could aid in repairing and strengthening hair follicles, but I was doubtful about its impact on gray hair. But in this period I only had two grays pop up! You can see them in the photo.

So, here are my takeaways...

1. I will continue using my Little Yin Yang Hammer daily! Scalp and brows for 5-10 minutes/each.

2. I will continue to use my Solaris LED hair brush about 5 minutes/day.

3. I really like the Banyan Healthy Hair Oil and I think the ingredients are fabulous for hair loss, so I am going to try to massage that into my scalp and sleep in it at least 2x/month.

4. I am going to stick with Maya Chia Shampoo/Conditioner. The ingredients are incredibly clean, it smells good, and it seems to strengthen my hair for less loss and more growth.