Why we need to start a chemical free revolution when it comes to Haircare

From experiencing alopecia to opening a leading online trichology clinic

Claire suffered from alopecia areata at 27, which she puts down to stress. She lost over 90% of her hair in a matter of weeks. She describes the feeling of shame she felt, which led her to develop an alcohol addiction.

She has now recovered, but this condition led her to study trichology and spurred her on to opening her own clinic. Due to COVID, she began seeing patients online, and this became so popular that she now has a team of scalp experts working with her and can consult with upto 40 patients a week!

Trua now has over 53,000 followers on Instagram where she regularly shares tips & tricks, and debunks old myths around hair loss.

Connect with Claire:

Instagram

Website

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Alopecia Areata Incognita, Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex & Pili Torti

Lottie lives in West Yorkshire. She has a rare skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa simplex, which she has had since childhood, which had a big impact on her life. Then just as that started to improve, at the age of 14 she developed alopecia areata incognita. She also has pili torti.

She began working in the hair loss industry when she was asked to take over Verve hair loss salon in 2020, where she used to be a client. The owner wanted to choose someone to hand the business over to who had experience of hair loss and also an interest in business. She now runs the salon with her mum.

Lottie is also now studying with the institute of Trichology, where she is enjoying learning more about her conditions within her course.

We discuss her conditions, what they are and how they impact her day to day life, how she has dealt with her alopecia and the strategies she has employed such as psychotherapy.

She also shares her decision to change from a fitted hair system to wearing wigs, to give her more choice and freedom, and how her Instagram account has helped her come to terms with being hair free.

Connect with Lottie:

Instagram

Verve hair loss

Instagram

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Upholding professional standards in the industry ~ The future of Trichology

Neil Harvey is the Chairman of the Institute of Trichologists.
He has a background in hairdressing, hair replacement services, products and education, which eventually led to him training in trichology.

His aim is to create a better future for Trichologists, patients, and the Institute. He was spurred on to take the position as chair because of the faith that his peers had in him to put him forward for the role.

Neil has made many changes within the last few years, and the Institute is now part of the Professional Standards Authority, and the Institute has moved location to Harley Street.

We discuss the changes that have been made, along with some other interesting aspects of the industry including becoming an expert witness and what this entails, along with being involved in product formulation and substantiating any claims they make. 

Connect with Neil:

Instagram

Website

Institute of Trichologists

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Persistent Chemotherapy Induced Alopecia

Jo had chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 2017, following breast cancer. She has had a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy, which plunged her into medically induced menopause.

She also lost her hair due to the treatment. She had been advised that this would probably happen, but was given the impression that it would grow back. She was not really given any information or advice regarding the cold cap, and after treatment, her hair didn't really start to grow back.

Jo sought help from her doctors, dermatologist and even a trichologist. She tried minoxidil, which yielded no results, and eventually was advised that her hair follicles seemed damaged, and after seven years, her hair has never fully grown back.
It wasn't until she spoke to a scalp cooling expert that she heard the term Persistent Chemotherapy Induced Alopecia, and found out how common it is.

Jo set up her instagram account 'Titless Wonder' to help to spread awareness around breast cancer, the options available, and the reality of the possible side effects of treatment, such as PCIA. She is determined to ensure that people know all the information to be able to make a fully informed decision on their treatment plan.

Connect with Jo:

Instagram

Preloved Reloved

Scalp cooling

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Why your mindset is so important

Belinda Hillman says she is very aware of what it is like to feel 'less than', describing herself as a bit of a lost teen who was living in a bedsit at the age of just 16.

The hairdressing industry helped her to turn her life around, going from a council estate to working on a cruise ship and travelling the world. She then went on to own a salon, but felt that she needed more help with her own mental health so as not to feel isolated.

She then created the brand Belinda Mindset, where she encourages people to focus on what they are good at. She provides education through her HABIA accredited mindset course, sharing that she likes to leave a lasting impression on her learners and add value by paying attention to the small details. Her aim is to inspire people, even if it is just for one moment in time.

She has created six different packs of cards to provide guidance for motivation and mindset.

Belinda is currently a part of the VTCT collective tour, and is also offering education for Wella professionals.

Connect with Belinda;

Instagram

Website

Facebook

Free resources

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Why consistent habits and the right advice are paramount to regaining healthy hair.

Karis is 35 and lives in Kent. She began experiencing issues with her hair three years ago, when she had noticeable shedding which led to visible thinning.

She describes her life at the time as very stressful and difficult, a relationship breaking down and facing many challenges led to her not taking care of herself as well as she could have.  She began to notice a large amount of hair in her brush and in the shower.
She investigated all the possible causes of her hair loss including traction alopecia and chemical/ heat damage.

Karis stresses the importance of using good quality products, and recognises their value. She believes that consistency is key when it comes to hair health.
Her hair was her crown, and losing that has had an impact on her confidence.

She says 'you can't put a price on the right advice' as we talk about being able to access and interpret information such as blood tests to accurately determine any deficiencies she has. Sharing this information with Karis meant we could look at the many different supplements she had bought, versus what she actually needed to make a difference.

We look at everything she had put in place to restore her hair to its former glory.

Connect with Karis:

Instagram

Phillip Kingsley

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

Integrating wigs & hair systems into your Salon business ~ could it work for you?

Aileen Maher is in Kildare, Ireland. She is a hairdresser who has had salons for over 25 years. She became an educator, working for brands such as Joico & Alfaparf.

After a client got cancer & needed help, she began to take an interest in hair loss & hair systems. She now helps clients with all kinds of alopecia including thinning hair, Genetic alopecia, cicatricia & frontal fibrosing alopecia and medially induced hair loss.

Aileen discusses the new funding that may be available for clients for them to be able to pay for their wig.

Aileen & Bridgeen King are hosting a roadshow around the UK sharing their knowledge and expertise to help salons add to their services and increase their revenue.

Connect with Aileen:

Instagram

Facebook

Website

Podcast

Bridgeen King 

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

How to look after your hair & scalp in winter

Jill Lee, a hairstylist of 25 years, qualified as a trichologist with USTI over a year ago.
Trichologists are not very commonly known in America, and she loves being able to help her clients on a deeper level.

Jill tells all on how winter can have an impact on the hair  & scalp - what does it need?
We discuss how you might want to change or add to your product range to help to give moisture and nourish the hair. Is winter shedding real or a myth?

We also look at the different scalp conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and dry scalp- how do we tell the difference?
Jill states that scaly conditions not properly looked after can become breeding grounds for fungus and yeast, and the practices that can make these worse. We look at cleansing and exfoliating the scalp as well as the face and skin.

What do you need to add or include in your hair & scalp care regimen to get the best from your hair this season?

Connect with Jill:

Instagram

Website

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

The future of Afro hair & textured hair education

Jacqui Mcintosh is the European director of education for Avlon Europe and a specialist in texture management. She is an educator, mentor, coach & trichologist.

When training, she made it her aim to focus on every aspect of hairdressing to gain a huge amount of knowledge, and has kept learning & growing throughout her career.

During her time working for global brands as a consultant and educator she became a platform artist and travelled all over the world. She had the opportunity to work in Texas, where she gained knowledge & skills in Afro textured hair.

Jacqui loves the way that hairdressing can lead to so many career pathways & elevate & evolve to have multiple roles at the same time.

Avlon has now collaborated with the Fellowship of British Hairdressing & Denman to produce education on textured hair, and they have lots to offer this year when it comes to education.

Connect with Jacqui:

Instagram

AvlonUk

Website

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

David Barreto began to notice is hair thinning at the age of just 20, and by the time he was 22, this had began to be quite noticeable.

He tried various treatments, but did not see any markable improvement. This led him to look into genetic hair loss, where he found that there has been a lot of research done that hadn't been put into use in commercial products. He wanted to bridge the gap between science and commercial products.

He wanted to create products that used natural solutions, adding compounds found in nature, rather than chemicals or synthetic drugs to treat hair loss, as he found that compliance can be an issue with some medical alternatives, along with the health warnings and side effects putting people off or making them a non- viable option.

He then began to create System K11, a science-led company, of which he is co-founder.

Looking at  the driving forces behind genetic hair loss, he found studies that showed a correlation to the rate of hair loss and diet, researching into sugary drinks and type 2 diabetes as examples of how a dysregulated metabolism can have an effect on the mitochondrial rate of respiration which limits the amount of energy the hair follicles gain from the glycogen stores around the hair follicles.

Connect with David:

Instagram

Website

Study to show association with sugary drinks & hair loss

Study to show association with diabetes & hair loss

Studies published by K11:

Focus: Hair follicle glucose metabolism in androgenetic alopecia.

Title: The ‘bald’ phenotype (androgenetic alopecia) is caused by the high glycaemic, high cholesterol and low mineral ‘western diet’ 

Journal: Trends in Food Science & Technology (An official journal of the European Federation of Food Science and Technology)

Impact Factor: 15.3

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421004362

Focus: AGA and 8 aggravating drivers, including glucose metabolism but also DHT, nutrition, prostraglandins etc

Title: An Updated Etiology of Hair Loss and the New Cosmeceutical Paradigm in Therapy: Clearing ‘the Big Eight Strikes’

Journal: Cosmetics

Impact factor: 3.3

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9284/10/4/106

Connect with Hair therapy:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy

Donate towards the podcast

Start your own podcast

Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!