You may already be buddy-buddy with your hairdresser and feel like you air out your darkest secrets whenever you sit down in their chair. What you might not realize, however, is that they’re often able to get a more intimate view into your body by simply looking at or touching your locks. Have a bun in the oven? Your stylist is probably playing coy until an official announcement. Undergoing a lifestyle change? Surprise, but it’s actually not such a secret to them.
Redken national educator Laura Frazier explains how your mane can sometimes offer a holistic view into what’s going on in your life and why you should always be truthful about any changes to ensure good hair days lie ahead.
Pregnancy
Whether for better or for worse, you may have heard rumors that your hair changes during pregnancy. While true, the type of fluctuations you experience may ultimately depend on your genetics.
“We can tell by your hair that you’re pregnant because of all the new nutrients and everything that are coursing through them and how shiny it is,” says Frazier. “Everyone’s different, but that”s probably my favorite thing about pregnancy hair—how beautiful and vivacious it is.”
In addition to becoming shinier, the influx of new hormones can change your hair’s texture, make it more oily, or even increase your growth for a fuller, more voluminous appearance. What goes up must come down, though, and it’s important to note that shedding is also possible, but it won’t last forever. According to Johns Hopkins, most women can expect their hair to return to normal around six months postpartum.
A day of salon pampering sounds oh-so-tempting when you’re expecting, but be sure to consult your doctor if you have concerns about coloring or dyeing your hair during gestation.
Vitamin Deficiencies
“Your hairdresser can tell if you have a lack of vitamins,” explains Frazier. “Sometimes you’ll have a little bit extra hair loss, extra dryness at the scalp, and sparseness from losing the hair.”
Frazier says a vitamin D deficiency can sometimes affect your hair’s health. Vitamin D helps the body produce keratin, a protein that helps facilitate hair growth, and in some cases, less of this vitamin can contribute to more shedding or hair loss. Though it’s likely not the only cause of most hair loss, it’s possible that it could impact your strands, and research into the link between the two is ongoing.
Before you start loading up on supplements, talk to your doctor, who might suggest you get an official blood test to see where you might be lacking since multiple factors can result in hair loss. Vitamin levels, genetics, stress, and lifestyle are just a few things to take into consideration.
“Vitamin D is hard to find, but you can get it in eggs and the sun,” adds Frazier. “Go outside and eat your breakfast!”
New Medications
“Certain medications affect your hormones or thyroid [function],” says Frazier. “We can see bands in the hair naturally occur, and they can occur in your color, as well.”
Your hair texture and thickness are susceptible to changes when using specific medications, so any applied color might not take as well to your hair as it once did. This is what Frazier means by color banding. Attempting to color over this growth can produce a horizontal line of contrasting color where your ‘new’ hair meets your ‘old,’ making for an unflattering outcome. If you have color banding, it might make sense to talk to a professional colorist, since they know all the best tricks to prevent and correct banding.
“Sometimes, if you’re having a hair challenge, we’ll always ask, have you changed anything in your lifestyle?” says Frazier. “Always be honest because many times we have a product that helps us work around that or get you a better color deposit.”
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