From Thin to Thick

Wait....what? This blog is not about weight loss ladies and gents. It's about.....hair. Yup, hair loss, hair growth, and everything in between. So, if you have ever experienced the pain and concern that accompanies hair loss, then you've found the right post.

My hair loss journey started when I was quite young. I was around twenty-five years of age when I started to really notice the thinning. I remember not brushing the top of my head in fear of pulling out more hair. I remember being in the shower and thinking there is no frickin way I'm losing hair in my mid-twenties. My grandma's hair sheds, my dog's, older men who wear hats too frequently, but not mine! No way! This could not be my reality. Well, it was. And it was horrific. I would cry for hours on end thinking I'm going bald. I thought to myself countless times that I won't know what it's like to have hair on my wedding day, in pictures when I deliver my first baby, at celebrations, what would I do? It may sound vain, but for women we have a few assets that really make us as Shania Twain stated, "Feel like a Woman." #feellikeawoman Our beautiful "girls" and our hair. For me I had neither, which is a separate story for another time. The hair thing really bummed me out. I didn't want long, silky, thick locks, I just wanted enough hair to put it in a ponytail or style it and not have to figure out a way to cover up the parts that revealed my scalp. So this is what I thought about everyday for a really really long time. Tragic, but there is a happy ending. I promise you. If you're with me so far, maybe you'll be willing to go a little farther and keep reading....isn't that a movie quote? Anyone? :-)

I think some of the hardest times were when I actually had to go get my hair, what remained, trimmed. I actually had a stylist say to me, "Wow...your hair is super thin." "Hey very impolite hair stylist who clearly doesn't know her clients, you're an asshole!" Needless to say I switched stylists, but it still didn't take away the fear and angst that would arise when it was time to sit in that chair. When they put that black shiny cape around me I would immediately tense up. How sad right? For women this is a relaxing time where they decompress and get pampered. Not me, it was a time to get up and close to those bright lights and see that thin wet hair with patches of bald to where my hair was so thin. Very traumatic, but it was part of the journey.

So I saw doctors....a lot of doctors. And then I saw some more. After that I saw some specialists...fancy doctors who according to popular vote, were the "best of the best." I saw my primary care doctor who referred me to an endocrinologist who sent me to an infectious disease doctor who sent me to a gastroenterologist who then sent me to a urologist who you get the picture. When I say I saw doctors, I mean I saw them all and then their brothers and sisters who were practicing medicine as well. I wound up at Rush Hospital in Chicago and saw a very respected doctor who gave me the ultimate diagnosis. You ready? Telogen Effluvium. What in the actual $u%! Like, but what is that? So according to Google Telogen Effluvium is temporary hair loss. Wow...great thanks Doc. Thanks Google. Thanks waste of months. My poor parents. That's something that will stay with me forever. They were with me the entire way, just trying to figure out why their twenty something year old daughter was so ill and losing her hair. I wish I could go back and ease their discomfort and worry. Being a mom now, there is nothing worse than seeing your child helpless. Mom...Dad...if you're reading this I'm sorry that you had to go through that, but thank you for being there for me. My mom actually took me to pick out a wig. Like I just went through chemo...that's what it felt like, only with chemo there's a good chance the hair would come back. With my situation I honestly didn't think it would.

So, there I was leaving Rush with my diagnosis and ready to fix the problem. Wait...was I given a solution? Oh no...I was advised to take Rogaine and monitor the shedding. Great. Thanks, send me the bill and I'll make sure you get your money. So if Rush Hospital couldn't help me, who could? Turns out it was me. I did my homework and I dug deep into research. I spent hours trying to figure out what could be the cause and how I could remedy it. Because hey, let's face it, no one should lose their hair, especially that young. My body was trying to tell me something, but I wasn't listening at first. Boy did I start though. After researching, experimenting, trying different supplements, I figured out there was a solution. It was healing the gut, eating the right foods, properly detoxifying multiple systems in the body, and supplementing strategically.

Here's the happy ending you've been waiting for. It worked. My hair stopped falling out and came back! What a relief. It truly was a blessing and a curse all at the same time. Am I thankful for it? Not really, but it was the kick in the butt I needed to get my health right. There were so many signs and symptoms that were indicative that my body was just upset. Hair loss was just more blatantly obvious and in vain I wanted it fixed. I am proof that it is possible, so if you've made it this far and you are reading this thinking, girl this sounds like me, know that there is hope. You can correct it. Sometimes we can say genetics and except our fate, but there are times where you have to "Take the Wheel" #takethewheel okay Carrie Underwood, what's up with he country references tonight? But really, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands, do the work, and make the necessary changes. That's where the magic happens. Your body wants to heal, I promise you. Listen to it, trust the process, and know that you too can go from thin to thick....hair growth that is :-)

Certain things to take into consideration when searching for reasons why your hair might be thinning or coming out:

- thyroid disorders

- autoimmune conditions

- protein deficiency

- vitamin or mineral deficiencies or BOTH

- hormonal disruptions including menopause

- a genetic predisposition to fine or thinning hair

- the body not producing enough amino acids which is usually caused by protein deficiency

- gut dysbiosis which can include infections and co-infections

- toxicity in the body

- medications

- drug interactions or side effects

- lack of HCL production

- stress (losing your hair will stress you the f out that's for sure) #viciouscycle

I hope this post helps. I hope you know you are not alone and I hope you know there's always time to get well.

#hairloss #hairgrowth #autoimmune #guthealth #healthcoaching #telogeneffluvium #healthjourney #microinfluencers #blogging #boggerlife #helpthoseheal #makeachange #findyourinnerstrength #trusttheprocess #betterdays #grateful