Tag: hair loss

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Choosing the right hair system – Let’s Keep It Real

Image of a woman who didn't choose the right hair system

Whether you are a seasoned hair replacement wearer, a newbie, or just contemplating getting on board with hair replacement, the most important thing to remember when choosing the right hair system is to ensure that it looks real, natural and age appropriate.

Nothing screams ‘wig’ more than the density of the hair. The aim is to achieve a realistic head of hair and for the hair to look age appropriate. As much as we would all love to be in our twenties again, wearing hair as thick as rope may draw attention: you don’t want to look like you have a sleeping cat on your head! It is preferable to select the density to match any existing hair on the sides and back. Be aware too, that you will be used to styling your hair in a certain way and so when choosing a new hair system, make sure the direction of the hair suits your desired hairstyle. Options range from freestyle (where the hair can be brushed and styled in any direction) to set partings, crown positions and breaks in the hairline. If in doubt, just repeat the mantra “less is more”.

It is vitally important to choose the correct hair colour for your age, complexion and existing hair. Be sensitive to any greying hair you may have and to choose a blend of colours that compliment rather than contrast your overall appearance. Looking like Morticia Addams at a Halloween party may be fine, but taking that look into your day-to-day life may result in a few unwanted sideways glances! Many reputable hair suppliers will be happy to custom match your existing hair to make sure you have a natural look and avoid any mismatched colour nightmares.

Getting the right hair type is imperative. Whether you choose synthetic hair or human Indian hair, Indian Remy hair, Chinese hair or European hair will be largely dependent on your lifestyle and budget. Most hair system wearers go for the human hair option as this gives the most natural and realistic look, but synthetic hair will never fade and lasts much longer. Consider carefully why you are wearing a hair replacement system before making this important choice.

Finally, and in a way the most important of all, is to get your hair system cut-in properly by an experienced stylist. Never forget that a haircut disaster on a hair system CANNOT be rectified as this hair will never grow back and you may end up with a very costly mistake. Research your hair stylist carefully before the first snip is made!

So there you have it, a few basic tips on how to achieve a realistic hair system that even your nearest and dearest will have difficulty detecting.

Keep an eye on our blog posts for more useful tips and hints on how to keep your hair system looking good all year round. You will find all the products you need too in our online shop.

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Pattern baldness: Myth Busting not Ghost Busting

Image of lady with bag on her head because of female pattern baldness

Halloween is here again. Getting up and down to answer the door to tiny tots dressed as witches, ghouls, ghosts and devils may not be your idea of fun, but don’t let the stress levels get you tearing your hair out.

Talking of hair, let’s get a few facts out into the open and bust a few myths about pattern baldness:

There are NO pills, creams, tablets, vitamins, sprays, tonics, oils or any other bizarre concoctions that can cure hair loss. There is NO CURE for male/female pattern baldness. If there was, baldness wouldn’t exist. These so-called ‘remedies’ exist for one reason only, and that is to convince you to part with your cash. Sadly there are lot of unscrupulous companies out there pushing bogus lotions and potions and convincing an already vulnerable group of people that they need to spend thousands to have their hair grow back.

Nothing will cure your male or female pattern baldness. Nothing. You have the option to undergo surgery for a hair transplant/laser therapy, choose a wig or customise a hair replacement system. Each option can provide you with a new head of hair that hasn’t magically grown back following a 21-day course of eye of newt and toe of frog tablets.

But what about vitamins and the various assertions that they can assist with hair growth? With so many studies, surveys and reports, surely there must be some hair related benefits to taking supplements?

Hair loss or pattern baldness has many causes, but the primary culprit is genetics, which can obviously not be avoided; you can’t cheat your genes. Changes in hormone levels; thyroid conditions, auto-immune disorders, stress and severe malnutrition are also responsible for pattern baldness but cannot be simply fixed with a vitamin B supplement. If you are seriously vitamin deficient, to the extent you are losing hair, you will no doubt be very poorly also, and should therefore seek medical advice.

Unfortunately, despite all the claims, there is no conclusive evidence that supplementing with vitamins can thicken your hair, halt the shedding process or help hair to re-grow. There are a handful of studies claiming hair-regrowth success on mice, but as yet, no test has proven successful on a human head!

A healthy nutrient rich diet containing B vitamins, vitamin A, E, D and C, plus omega-3 and 6 could contribute to your overall well-being and probably improve the look of your hair, skin and nails, but such factors cannot change your genetics. However, if you suffer with male/female pattern baldness, improving your diet will probably make no difference to your hair loss.

This Halloween don’t get fooled by the snake oil salesmen plying their trade to the vulnerable: who you gonna call?

For help and advice on hair loss and pattern baldness contact us

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Bad hair day – What a Tangled Web

Image of woman having a bad hair day

Weve all had a bad hair day. You know the one where you wake up and your hair looks like a bird’s nest and nothing that you do helps?

Tangled or matted hair can be extremely frustrating! Especially when you wear a hair system. The hair in a system is already dependent on you to add moisture because it does not produce its own sebum. Trying to get the tangles and mats out of a hair system can lead to costly repairs or even total replacement of your system. So it can be an expensive venture when your battle plan for a bad hair day is not executed properly.

Tangles come from friction on the hair system and the first rule always has to be prevention is better than cure. A major cause of friction comes from sleeping with a pillowcase made from coarse materials. The constant contact with linen leads to hair breakage. Most times, simply using a satin pillowcase will dramatically reduce the level of friction and extend the life of your hair system. Avoid wearing hats or helmets for extended periods of time. This will also help to lengthen the time bonding adhesives stay effective. Friction is also caused by excess combing and brushing. Using a moisturising product like Nearly Natural Moisture Mist will help reduce friction while youre in front of the mirror styling your hair.

On a bad hair day, when the hair in your hair system gets tangled, it can mean a lot more than just a few extra minutes of combing in the morning. By detangling your hair system the wrong way, you may inadvertently be diminishing the condition and life span of your investment.

Here are some simple, safe and effective tips that every person wearing a hair replacement system can use to get minor hair tangles out and avoid the frustrating bad hair day:

  • Before getting into the shower, wet your head and brush all the hairs toward the same direction. This adds moisture to the hair strands and will ease friction while washing.
  • If your hair is tangled before you get in the shower it helps to dilute your shampoo with just a little bit of water before applying. This will also make it easier to rub the shampoo in to the hair.
  • Using a wide-tooth comb or a specially designed Vent Brush in the shower while you shampoo will help prevent hair strands from intertwining and getting caught on each other.

If you need practical hair help then I am ready, willing and able to help and advise you. You can get in touch with me in several ways, detailed on my  CONTACT PAGE >

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Hair loss Trick or Treat

Picture of a pumpkin bandaged up

Halloween is upon us again, the traditional time for children to trick or treat. Soon your relaxing evening in front of the TV will be rudely interrupted by a swarm of ghouls, witches and goblins demanding sweets and treats with menaces… Halloween is traditionally a time when we remember all things scary and for some of us nothing is scarier than the thought of how to deal with hair loss. 

If you find yourself facing hair loss, what do you do?

Many will try every trick in the book to try to disguise hair loss, and certainly there is a myriad of options available on the market. Undoubtedly these solutions can prove to be very helpful. Millions of hair loss sufferers are currently using a variety of internal and external hair loss treatments such as Propecia and Minoxidil. Other solutions such as topical anti-androgens and hair thickening sprays also prove to be beneficial. Trying one or some or a combination of these products can feel very reassuring, giving you a feeling that you are doing everything possible to try to disguise your hair loss. Some find that having tried any or all of the applications, nothing helps. What do you do then? The ultimate trick is to cover up hair loss by wearing a hair system, and unquestionably the quality of many wigs and systems currently available prove to be a godsend to many balding beauties out there.

What then if you want to treat the baldness instead? Sadly there is no ‘over the counter’ treatment that is going to regrow hair once it is gone. If there were, no-one would be bald. Although topical treatments can slow down hair loss, they will not cure baldness. Hair restoration treatments such as transplanting or grafting have proven to be extremely effective and can restore a full head of hair in many cases. Consulting a trichologist can assist in diagnosing what type of hair loss you have and to find the best possible treatment for you.

Whether you decide to trick or treat, the most important thing to remember is that hair loss is not the scariest thing that can happen in your life. Some find it both mentally and physically uplifting just to bare all and live happily with their hair loss. However you decide to deal with your hair loss, make sure you make the choice that is best for you; after all those that matter, don’t mind and those that mind, don’t matter.

Get in touch – Holistique can help.

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Hair today – gone tomorrow

We often hear of a woman’s hair being described as her “crowning glory” and there is no doubt that a glorious head of hair can transform a woman – not only in terms of her looks, but her whole persona.

There is so much about a woman’s confidence that is bound up in her hair (no pun intended!) but if your hair looks good, you feel good.

Ever had a bad hair day? We have all been there. You get up in the morning and no amount of teasing, blowing, straightening, styling, moussing and gelling will make your hair look good. Imagine then, waking up every day of your life with a bad hair day. That is the prospect facing many tens of thousands of women in the UK; those women who suffer from alopecia or genetic hair thinning or who simply have very fine hair. For these women, not only do they feel the loss of their hair, they also a feel a loss of confidence, of attractiveness, of worthiness. Hardly seems fair does it?

I know first hand what this feels like. For the last 25 years I have been fighting a losing battle with genetically thinning hair (also known as androgentic alopecia). I could have gone on battling against the inevitable (or blaming my mother, or grandmother – it is genetic after all, right?) but finally I decided enough was enough. Having tried every type of hair treatment known to woman – transplants, extensions, integration systems, wigs, pills, lotions, sprays, hanging upside down like a bat to get more blood to the scalp (oh yes, I have tried it all!) – I finally found the solution that is right for me. Five years ago I found a hair replacement system that gives me amazing hair every day. It has changed my life dramatically – no more staring in the mirror every morning in despair. Now I spend the obligatory 10 minutes perfecting my already perfect hair (I am a woman after all!) and then voila, a quick flick of my gorgeous mane and I head off into my day, not only looking good but feeling good too!

I know that a hair replacement system may not be the solution to every woman’s hair loss problem but for me, it worked. It really did. If you are one of the many thousands of women out there needing practical hair help then I am ready, willing and able to help and advise you.

Related: Hair Loss in Women article from the NHS

Contact Eileen Colborne or visit our shop pages now to view our range of Hair Care Products

Useful Links about Hair Loss:

Treatment for hair loss
Alopecia UK
Alopecia Awareness
BeBold