I’m on a few covid recovery and coma survivor in particular covid ventilator survivor groups and I’ve noticed that hair loss is a massive side effect around 3 months after contracting the virus. I have written a lot about how this has affected me. But I’ve decided to share some advice that I personally use that I have gained over my 26 years as a hairdresser. I have come across a whole range of reasons for hair loss, the main one after medical reasons being stress.
I have known people to lose there hair because of post natal depression. I have known someone to lose their hair because of chemotherapy, it was dark and straight then when it grew back it was grey and curly. I myself used to have straight hair. It’s now wild and curly. It was getting wavy after the kids but as it’s grown back after covid it’s almost ringlets at the back then really wild and fluffy at the front.
I’ve seen male pattern baldness, old ladies who’s hair was so thin I could count the strands and somehow I had to perm, or set it so it looked thicker. I’ve seen random bald spots in perfect circles.
I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve to make hair look thicker or to hide certain areas, but in reality the average person can’t keep on top of the styling everyday mainly because of the time and effort it takes, even me now.
Everyone wants to know how they can stop it, and what they can do to get it back.
Unfortunately there’s no magic fix, regardless of what apparent miracle cures there are on the market.
Shampoos lotions and potions are topical, meaning you apply them on top of the area. Shampoo is designed to wash your hair. It’s a detergent That’s it. There are more conditioning shampoos, but ultimately how gentle the shampoo is depends on the ph value. Any shampoo that claims to thicken your hair will contain a silicone or something similar that will coat your hair and scalp that will ultimately result in a build up making your hair feel clogged up and greasy. This is bad for promoting hair growth because the hair follicles (roots) may get clogged up. To promote growth you need to make sure the new hair can get out. So don’t plug the holes up with gunk! A basic gentle shampoo will be sufficient. Ideally nothing that promotes shine or thickness however tempting because 9/10 that means silicone.
Conditioner comes in a couple types. There is your everyday day conditioner that matches the shampoo. This is surface conditioner. Leaving it on for a few minutes won’t really do much because it’s designed to sit on the top of your hair shaft to help detangle. If you have short hair you could leave it if you like. It’s not a necessity. It just makes your hair feel nice easier to detangle and less static. They sometimes have a heat protection in them, and as with shampoo silicone to thicken or shine. Avoid these for the same reasons. But I’m not a fan of added extras in my basic shampoo and conditioner because I don’t always need it and prefer to add it as an additional product when I do therefore avoiding build up. Apply low ponytail down to avoid scalp as much as possible.
Always massage your scalp slowly and firmly during the shampoo and or conditioning process (unless you have greasy hair. In this case conditioner has no business being anywhere near your scalp).
Massage at anytime will feed your follicles with a lovely rich blood supply. You need to feed your roots to promote growth. You can use oils but this will ultimately have a negative impact if you don’t wash the scalp afterwards if used too often. During the washing process is sufficient. Dry massage can also cause friction so be careful no to rub the hair too much.
Intensive conditioning treatments are ideal and where if you want to spend money on a magic fix to make you feel better then this is where you should do it. An intensive treatment gets inside your hair shaft underneath the cuticles, Penetrating the core. I personally use Olaplex. You can buy this online, or go to an Olaplex certified salon and have a little pamper during the treatment.
There’s other treatments available. Bed Head Treatment 3,
Paul Mitchell Hair Repair and Aussies 3 minute miracle are all my go to’s depending on my budget.
If you can cover your hair while your treating, cling film or even a carrier bag will do. You just need to stop it drying out. Heat is good (sit by a radiator, warm up with a hair dryer, or sit in the garden in warm weather) as it opens up the cuticles while it’s processing. I’ve been known to sleep with it on. (You may want to dump the carrier bag and get a towel instead) or if your lucky enough to have access to a sauna or steam room like I do at my gym pop it on before you go in. Be careful not to overload as it will drip and make the floor slippy.
Dab your hair dry please 🙏🏼 don’t rub it. I’ve even heard people say they wrap it in a T shirt. Anything is better than rubbing with a rough towel. I put my hair straight in a hair wrap, button it up and sit with it for a while. I also dry naturally more often than I use a dryer. If I do use the warm or better the cool setting. Never hot.
Heat protection is a must, but if you can avoid heat styling completely that’s your best option. Style on the days you absolutely need to. Styling products are also ok because they get washed out. Just make sure they do get washed out completely with 2 shampoos (one to loosen the dirt and one to actually wash). And always the best you can afford.
Use soft silky bands. No elastic and rubber. At least make sure the band is coated.
I used to use kodo bobbles when my hair was long as they are kinder but I just use the scrunchies or what I call little clippy clips now. Just make sure your hair doesn’t get ripped or pulled with whatever you like using I’m also partial to a silky scarf to keep it out of my way during the day.
If you like curling your hair try damp setting it with bendy rollers? You can pop a net over the top to secure them in. They come in all different sizes and are cheaply available in Poundland or primark. You can use Velcro but be careful if your hair is fragile. I would probably stick to smooth surface rollers then air dry during the day if your going out that night. Or if you can bear it sleep rollers.
At night I use a silk cap. You can buy them on eBay or Amazon. I got mine from a hair extensions company. Not only do they help protect your style but they protect your hair from friction. I use a bipap machine at night that comes with a rather fetching head band. It rubs where the straps are so a silk cap or scarf, protects my hair from being damaged. It also stops the unsightly fluffy’s when I’m wearing plaits/braids.
You can get a silk/satin pillow case too. It may be more comfortable but wouldn’t help me.
When your hair grows back if your like me it stuck up in places so I used what we used to refer to as lady Jayne clips, or pin curl clips to flatten the hair down. Apply to wet hair and let it set dry (Or freshly dried hair while warm wait till it cools) You can buy the better more modern ones in primark or online and they have a plastic flat side that doesn’t leave a mark. Apply a spritz of Elnet (a dry less sticky hairspray) and your done.
As always diet is key. Make sure your getting all of your vitamins and minerals.
Go to a reputable health food shop to point you in the right direction. I go to Holland and Barrett . It’s advisable to take a list of your meds with you too. They are trained to give you the best advice. I wouldn’t dream of advising anyone what to put in their body. I’m not a dietitian or Doctor. Make sure who your talking to and getting advice off is qualified to do so and not trying to sell you a magic fix. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. At best the formulas contain ingredients you can buy cheaply.
And remember my advice about shampoo and conditioner. It cleans and conditions your hair. It can’t fix hair loss. If it could I would be using it myself. They usually count of the massage process for it to work and you don’t need to spend a fortune for that.
Try not to worry. Stress in itself is the biggest cause of hair loss after medication. I know it’s easier said than done. But save your heartache and bank balance by looking after yourself properly. Do what makes you happy.
Have a nice hair cut and get it trimmed regularly to stop the split ends getting worse. Add a treatment for your hair and even a head massage. This will probably be a cheaper, more enjoyable and worthwhile experience than buying snake oil.
**ALWAYS Go to your Doctor if your worried, or if the problem persists**
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