Within our tresses lie the stories of the twists and turns of our lives. My strands have been thrown quite a few blows (and the blow-dries haven’t helped either). From a keto-acidosis chemical imbalance when first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes… to Hypothyroidism after pregnancy… to low iron tendencies… to hormonal imbalances due to IVF… and finally to godforsaken Covid… All triggered devastating hair loss and steered me through trials and tribulations to treat each time. Compared to men, women have an advantage when it comes to treating hair loss, as addressing the cause usually leads to regrowth. However, whether male or female, the way we treat our hair internally and externally DOES definitively make a difference.

After having put 2 + 2 together and Googling the shit out of this topic, the Phoenix has risen from its smoldering ashes and…

Here’s what I’ve learned, to regrow, nourish and coddle our potentially luscious locks and manes through the good and the sad:

Coloring, sun exposure, and heating (blow drying, ironing) deplete the hair of 8 essential amino acids! Keratin, the protein that makes up 95% of hair, is made up of roughly 18 types of amino acids. That means that these mistreatments kill nearly HALF of the building blocks of hair! These amino acids, thankfully, can be reintroduced through supplementation and topical hair care products. There is a god. So here are some of my personal suggestions:

FOR REPLENISHING FROM WITHIN:

GH3 GEROVITAL
(Original formula of Prof. Dr. Ana Aslan)
Two capsules on an empty stomach and TRUST ME. Immediate results.
www.realgh3.com

BODY HEALTH
PERFECT AMINO supplement
(ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO HAIR GROWTH, 5 tablets x day)

POSITIVE POWER NUTRITIONALS
SUPER SILICA (15 drops in water x day)

CHI ENTERPRISES
BAMBOO EXTRACT supplement
(4 x day)

GREAT LAKES WELLNESS
UNFLAVORED COLLAGEN PEPTIDES
(2 scoops x day)

ARMRA
Colostrum, Immune Revival

ORGANICS NATURE

BLACK SEED OIL COLD PRESSED CAPSULES
(2x day)

ORGANIC INDIA

MORINGA
(2-3 x day)

J. CROW’S
LUGOL’S SOLUTION 2% (IODINE)
(10 drops on wrist, if iodine levels tend to be low)

METABOLICS
Selenium SeMSC (1 capsule x day) OR
Ionic Selenium (2-3 dropperfuls x day)

TRADITIONAL MEDICINALS
Organic Nettle Leaf tea

FOR CODDLING, REVITALIZING AND HOPEFULLY TRANSFORMING:

Cut out and use only the heart of a piece of ginger which is the more mature part (no need to peel the skin). Add this together with a few dropperfuls of organic Black Sesame oil to 30-50mL of water in a blender. Apply paste onto the scalp for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo. This hair mask can be done as often as every week, if you have the time and discipline. Give it a month or two and watch as you sprout a lioness’s mane.

Another natural hair mask treatment, mix 2 tablespoons of organic liquid amino acids (ex: Bragg organic coconut liquid aminos) with 1-2 tablespoons of conditioner (Hairstory New Balm or Josh Rosebrook Conditioner) and 10 drops of Rosemary essential oil. Leave for 20-30 minutes, then rinse and shampoo. A protein shake for your locks.

FOR NOURISHING
(When styling your hair back, these are great for leaving on throughout the day):

EELHOE
Hair Growth Oil

(Rosemary, avocado, coconut, olive, lavender, almond and castor oils all in one and yet doesn’t leave the hair greasy!)

KEROTIN
Intensive Growth Drops

AYURS
Rice Water + Horsetail Leave-In Conditioner

MAYA CHIA
Power Fol Advanced multi-correctional scalp and hair treatment

FOR CLEANING:
(As mentioned in my post —>Beauty Should Be Edible, Or Not At All, I only use products for my hair or body whose ingredients I would consider “edible”)

AYURS Batch of Nature
(Owner Tara Gregory’s Ayurvedic formulas are completely natural, home-made, and natural enough to eat. And her shampoos also contain amino acids, essential for hair growth)

Fenugreek + Rice Water Shampoo (THE nourisher)

Scalp + Restoration Paste

Fenugreek + Rice Water Conditioner

KI•TSCH
Strengthening Solid Shampoo, Rice Water Protein

(Perfect for traveling with a carry-on. Not only is this bar practical, it leaves my hair BIG, fluffy, full, bouncy and flirtatiously LIONESQUE 🦁. All that and heaven-scent too 😉)

Rice Water Conditioner Bar for Hair Growth

(KI•TSCH ALSO SELLS CERAMIC THERMAL ROLLERS FOR STYLING HAIR WITHOUT HEAT)

APIVITA
Oily Roots & Dry Ends Shampoo (A Greek product, made with nettle and propolis, and although a shampoo only, it leaves the hair conditioned AND MASSIVELY voluminous!)

ALBA BOTANICALS
Plumeria Colorific Shampoo (for color-treated hair)

Hawaiian or More Moisture Shampoo

(Great value for price)

DR. ALKAITIS
Organic Herbal Shampoo (contains amino acids👍🏻)

HAIRSTORY
New Wash Shampoo (Leaves hair SILKY, THICK AND PLUSH, a shampoo that is VERY conditioning)

New Balm (nourishing balm, I use for fly-aways)

Massaging Scalp Brush 👍🏻

JOSH ROSEBROOK
Nourish Shampoo and Conditioner

Enrich Hair mask

PHILIP B
Peppermint Avocado Scalp Scrub

(Pricey, but if you like to splurge… I use as a shampoo sporadically. Thoroughly Invigorates and exfoliates the scalp)

HAPPY ENFORCING, AND MAY THE FOLLICLE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

[Key 🔑tip: If you don’t already have a water system that filters out the chloramine, lead, fluoride and god knows what other toxicities lurking in your city’s tap water, unlock your vital health with something so basic as great quality water. DO inform yourself of the quality of your home’s general and drinking water. If anything less than ideal, look into changing your ENTIRE HOME WATER SYSTEM. This can range anywhere from $2500-15,000 depending on home size and filtering company. A cheap option is using filtered shower heads.

I was shocked to find out our home’s water had a high level of chloramine. This chemical is a bond between chlorine—a scientifically-proven carcinogenic used to kill bacteria in water—and ammonia, used to make chlorine’s effect as disinfectant stronger and last longer. Chloramine can cause a slew of health issues, hair loss and premature wrinkles for starters. The list is quite long but others may include skin outbreaks, extreme fatigue, and stomach and gut disturbances. No thank you.]