Search Results: Stacey Biro

By Stacey Biro · Published September 26, 2019

Image:@wavescurlswhatever using Ecoslay Orange Marmalade

While we all prefer to wash our hair any other time than on a rushed weekday morning, that doesn’t always work out. You don’t want to choose between leaving your house with wet hair or being late because you have to diffuse! The tips below will help you speed up your wavy hair’s drying time without cranking up the heat on your hairdryer.

1. Moisturize in the shower

Make sure your hair is thoroughly moisturized before you apply any products. If your hair feels dry, or you don’t have any definition with your daily conditioner, swap it out for a more moisture-rich conditioner option. Keep your hair in balance and avoid moisture overload by ensuring the conditioner has a bit of protein in it, and do not use it more than twice a week. After your hair is rinsed, you can then apply your styler and skip the leave-in.

2. Minimize your layers

Do not layer products on your wet hair. Many wavies like to layer a leave-in with gels, creams, and maybe a drop or two of oil. Instead, try a small amount of moisturizing foam as a stand-alone hydrator. It will leave your hair moisturized, and give you a bit of hold as well. Here are a few favorites:

• Carol’s Daughter Mirabelle Plum Styling Mousse
• Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style & Shine Foaming Mousse
• CURLS The Green Collection Avocado Hair Mousse
• OGX Quenching + Coconut Curls Frizz-Defying Moisture Mousse
• SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse
• Soultanicals Curl Juice Vegan Hair Mousse

3. Scrunch out the water

Scrunch out your hair in the shower. You can do this before or after you have applied product, just make sure that there is a good amount of moisture in your hair. Scrunch thoroughly and slowly, squeezing out water from each section of hair. Scrunch up to your roots.

4. Set your waves with a microfiber towel

Remove as much moisture from your hair as you can with a microfiber towel. Microfiber towels are amazing at not only helping your hair to dry faster, but also in setting your waves. After you have applied your styler, flip your head over and scrunch sections from the ends up to the roots with the towel. You will need to move the towel for each new section to ensure you are working with dry fabric. Flip your head back, and continue scrunching, being careful to not disturb your wave clumps.

5. Choose quick-drying stylers

Avoid using slow-drying styling products and swap them out with lighter alternatives. Gels, in particular, take forever to form a cast. If you have a cream-based leave-in underneath your gel, the drying time will increase exponentially. Leave-in sprays, which are light and water-based dry faster than cream-based ones. 

6. Consider a cut

Consider a cut for the colder months. Pixies, bobs, and other cute styles dry a lot faster than longer waves. If you prefer to keep your overall length, consider getting some layers. For example, if you have thick, dense waves, the Ouidad carve and slice technique can take out some of the bulk of your hair. 

What is your favorite way to get your wavy hair to dry faster? Let us know in the comments. Click here for more tips on getting hair to dry faster.

By Stacey Biro · Published September 20, 2019

This summer, a new method for controlling high-humidity frizz and keeping curls clumped started making the Instagram rounds. Curlies and wavies everywhere were using this approach to moisturize their hair and lock that moisture in by layering gels over watered-down cream styler. The result is bouncy, frizz-free curls that are well-defined without being weighed down.

Image: @honestlizhere

Intrigued, I caught up with the 123 Gel Method’s creator, Elizabeth Alex, of Honest Liz, to share her hair secrets. Even though the summer has almost past, rainy fall days are ahead. High dew points, as you know, can lead to fuzzy hair that lacks definition and shine. For Liz’s perspective on the method, head on over to 123 Gel Method: A Curly Hair Hack for Humidity. There, she goes over the process in detail. In a nutshell, here are the steps she uses to get her glossy, gorgeous curls.

1. Liz starts with applying moisture-enhancing styling cream to her wet hair. She, like most of us, needs lots of hydration, so she likes to mix the cream with some water using the bowl method.
2. Next, she layers one pump each of three of her favorite gels, preferring to use moisturizing gels. Here, you can use gels with progressing levels of hold so long as they provide hydration to the hair. 
3. Next, she plops her hair. She then diffuses her hair on the cool setting for 5 minutes.
4. Finally, she clips her roots for volume, and then she air dries the rest of the way.

Below, you can see her curls with no gel, 1 gel, 2 gels, and with the 123 Gel Method.

Image: @honestlizhere

Here are the products that she absolutely loves for the 123 Gel Method:

• Bounce Curl Light Creme Gel
• Jessicurl Spiralicious Gel
• Only Curls London Enhancing Curl Gel
• Curly Girl Movement Curl Defining Gel
• Inahsi Coconut Avocado Curl Defining Custard
• Ecoslay Orange Marmalade Gel

Liz’s tips for success are:

• Make sure to clarify regularly to avoid product buildup. She likes to clarify once or twice a month. You can do this with bentonite clay or your favorite clarifying treatment.
• While she likes to scrunch in gel because it gives her lots of volume along with the definition, she encourages you to do what works best for you.

If you are wondering how well your hair will hold up post-wash day, as you can see this method can really lock those curls in for days.

Image: @honestlizhere

I tried this with my products at home, and can tell you that it left my hair looking bouncy and well defined for days! For my hair, I used a leave-in conditioner, Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner instead of a cream. I raked it through my hair, and then I spritzed some water on it from my fine-mist sprayer. I then used the following three gels, scrunching in one pump of each.

1. Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Styling Gel hydrates curls to leave them softly defined. It has a thin texture that applies easily.
2. SheaMoisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oil High Porosity Moisture-Seal Styling Gel moisturizes while also providing your hair with some protein to help reinforce the structure of curls that tend to easily lose their definition. 
3. tgin Curl Bomb Moisturizing Styling Gel gives a great hold without flaking. It provides your curls with lots of hydration, too.

Have you used the 123 Gel Method? Share your results in the comments. Click here to learn how to clip your roots.

By Stacey Biro · Published September 19, 2019

If dry fall air is wrecking your waves and curls, leaving you with flyaways, try these oils that won’t weigh down your hair. They can be used to spot-treat frizzy, dull strands or to impart all-over sheen. For best results, start with a drop or two, and add more in small increments, particularly if you have fine hair.

SheaMoisture 100% Pure Argan Oil

Argan oil is filled with nutrients and essential fatty acids to keep your hair and skin soft and healthy. 100% pure Argan Oil leaves you with moisturized, shiny hair that does not feel greasy. You can use it to heal dry skin patches, too.

Kinky-Curly Perfectly Polished

This wonder-blend contains apricot kernel oil that deeply penetrates the scalp to moisturize it and keep it flake-free, Argan oil for lightly moisturized waves that glow from within, and Abyssinian and wheat germ oil for stronger strands. This polishing oil blend is mineral oil, petroleum, and silicone-free so it will not build up on your hair.

Alikay Naturals Glazed Argan

A tried-and-true favorite of many stylists, Argan oil will not only make your hair look healthier, but it will also improve its condition as well. It strengthens hair and helps to seal split ends. It locks in moisture, too, for all-day protection against frizz. Glazed Argan has a beautiful raspberry and vanilla scent that you are sure to love.

All I Need Naturally Baobab Growth Oil Cocktail

Baobab Growth Oil Cocktail is a blend of oils and infused herbs that are known for their hair-strengthening and scalp-soothing properties. Calendula, lavender, tea-tree, and peppermint will banish flakes and a dry scalp, while nettles help you to grow stronger hair. Baobab and olive oils will smooth and seal the hair shaft to reduce breakage and help restore elasticity to dry strands. Silk amino acids penetrate deep within the cuticle to moisturize even in low-humidity environments. This oil-blend is free of sulfates, parabens, and artificial fragrances.

Curl Girl Moisture Fix Daily Shine Oil

Spray on the shine with Curl Girl Moisture Fix Daily Shine Oil for finished, polished, bouncy waves. This wave-loving formula can also be used as a pre-poo or as a refresher for strands that have lost their mojo.

HPO Butter Drops

With the bright scents of citrus and lavender and the moisturizing power of jojoba, these butter drops will perk up your waves and your senses. You can also use this natural oil blend to help add shine to your tresses, and to moisturize dry skin and a dry scalp.

Camille Rose Naturals Herbal Tea Seal & Soften

Camille Rose has brewed up hair-loving goodness with this tea for your tresses. It contains an infusion of nettle, patchouli, sage, marigold and lavender in olive and jojoba oils to leave your hair hydrated and super soft. Your waves will be radiantly shiny with this fragrant formula. 

Moisture Love Seal with a Kiss Finishing Oil

Perfect for a variety of hair textures and densities, this luscious blend of avocado, Argan, macadamia, castor, and meadowfoam seed oils will keep your hair growing gorgeous. It can be used as both a finishing oil or a moisturizing treatment. Naturally Curly Shopper, Briana writes: “Perfect, I have now bought 4 bottles of this oil. It smells so good and I have very thick hair so I usually use heavier oils but this one is light and it does it for me. My daughter has thin to medium hair and its perfect for her too. I massage it on my scalp and use it as a finishing oil.”

What is your favorite oil? Let us know in the comments! 

By Stacey Biro · Updated May 28, 2024

Fall is a great time for fresh starts, both in life and in the salon chair. The bob is a cut that can take your waves from the classroom to the boardroom in style. If you are nervous about the dreaded triangle cut, fear not. Today’s bobs can be collapsed to hug the head, or are longer, or are blunt-cut so you do not need to blow-fry stacked layers with a round brush for volume.

If you don’t already have a stylist that you love and trust, our Salon Finder can help. When consulting with your stylist, be sure to bring ideas for cuts that will work with your curl pattern and density. In this video, the stylist asks Grace about what her hair tends to do when it is a shorter length. This is important because for some wavies, hair will spring up and become curlier when cut. For others the opposite is true, so be sure to discuss your preferences with your stylist.

If you are deciding on a longer or shorter bob cut, keep the following in mind. Shorter cuts tend to be:

• Faster to dry on wash day. If you are currently sporting a long, layered look snipping off some of the length into a chic new style can really speed up your wash day.
• Easier to refresh. Even if you wake up with a mix of curls and frizz, you will find that the bob still looks put together because of the hard line of the cut. Just scrunch some mousse into the flyaway pieces and you are good to go.
• More voluminous, particularly if you have fine, low density hair.
• A good corrective cut option for hair that has been overly layered so that the ends look sparse. Taking up some of the length, and allowing soft waves and curls to frame the face can highlight the beauty of your waves and loose curls and give you a fuller, more filled-in style. A great example of a corrective cut is this modern A-line bob. I tried this after a bad layered haircut left my hair looking limp, stringy and outdated. It completely changed my hair for the better, and I love how effortlessly my curls and waves clump.
• Easier to manage when you have multiple curl patterns, either naturally or because you are transitioning. This graduated bob brings the model’s waves to life.

Longer cuts, conversely tend to be:

• The most flexible in terms of styling options. If you like to put your hair up or pull it back, the new longer LOBs (also called clavicle bobs”> may be a good choice for you.
• Cuts that do not require as many trims as shorter bobs will. A shorter bob needs to be trimmed every eight weeks.

The Best Wavy Bobs for Fall, 2019

Now that you have a bit of information about getting your cut, let’s take a look at what the cuts are:

The clavicle bob

Image via Facebook: Stylish Belles

The clavicle bob is the hot new trend that is all over social media. It’s longer than the LOB, and completely carefree.

Jaw length bob with round layers

Image credit: stylecraze.com

This classic bob is easy to care for and easy to maintain. It will give you volume for days.

Modern A-line

Image via Facebook: Two Zero One Salon

For fall, 2019, the A-line bob is softer and blunt cut with minimal layering.

Choppy layered bob

Image source: Pop Haircuts

If you are growing out (or have grown bored with”> heavily layered looks, the choppy bob is the perfect way to grow them out gradually.

Heatless Styling for Voluminous Waves

If you equate the bob with a round brush and plenty of hairspray, you will be happy to know that bobs can look beautiful without any heat. The following routine will give you volume and definition, and it does not require root clipping.

1. On clean, thorough saturated hair, apply a dollop of leave-in conditioner. I prefer Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner because it is light and it will not weigh hair down. Rake it through your hair from I inch below your roots to your ends.
2. Apply several pumps of volumizing foam, and work through your hair from roots to ends using your fingers. AG Hair Foam Weightless Volumizer is a good choice for waves that tend to fall flat easily. It will leave them looking shiny and healthy with lots of body.
3. Use your fingers to thoroughly detangle your hair.
4. Using a Denman brush, brush through your hair, flipping out the ends so that the waves will form clumps.
5. Apply a dollop of Jessicurl Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion to the mid-shafts to the ends of your hair using the praying hands method. Scrunch thoroughly all around your head, especially at your roots.
6. Remove excess water from your roots by scrunching them with a microfiber towel.
7. Mist 2-3 spritzes of Aveda Volumizing Tonic on your roots in the crown area, and then scrunch.
8. Allow your hair to dry naturally, or you can use a diffuser on the cool setting.
9. Once it is completely dry, scrunch it out and fluff your roots.

Are you thinking of a new bob cut for fall? Let us know in the comments. Click here to find a great salon.

By Stacey Biro · Published September 6, 2019

Image: @haleyjakobson

If your hair starts looking dry, flat, and lifeless every autumn, you are not alone. Many of us experience changes to our hair’s volume and texture at this time. Women tend to have more hairs in the telogen (growing”> phase in July to protect our scalps from the heat of the summer sun, and that hair falls out approximately 100 days later leading to less hair density. In addition, cooler, less humid air can also take the body out of your waves and make them more prone to frizz and flyaways. The following suggestions can keep your hair looking and feeling its best throughout these cooler months and beyond.

1. Trim those tresses.

A good fall haircut can work wonders for the health of your hair, particularly if you have spent a lot of time outdoors over the summer. Split ends can pull your waves straighter and make them less able to clump properly. In addition, the summer growth that you might have incurred has likely led to length at the exchange of volume.

2. Keep your scalp clean.

If you tend to get flat, greasy roots, it is important to cleanse your scalp thoroughly. Excess sebum and debris, particularly on your roots, can really weigh your hair down, and can cause scalp issues like dandruff. Girl+Hair Clarifying Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse deeply cleanses while it strengthens. The ACV removes impurities and buildup. Citrus-scented Kinky-Curly Come Clean Moisturizing Shampoo will give your hair a fresh start. Uncle Funky’s Daughter Squeaky Deep Cleansing Shampoo will leave your scalp thoroughly cleansed and refreshed.

3. Use moisturizing daily and deep conditioners that have a bit of protein in them.

While moisture is critically important, particularly when the air is a bit drier, protein is necessary as well. It can help provide some structure to waves to keep them from losing their shape. DevaCurl One Condition Original Creamy Daily Conditioner got many wavies and curlies started on their CG journeys and it is still a Naturally Curly Favorite. Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment works as both a deep treatment and a leave-in, and will give your waves loads of much needed hydration while making your hair stronger.

4. Find a favorite foam.

Foams can give you lots of extra body along with light hold and definition. They can be used on wet hair as a styler, or on dry hair to help perk up waves at the end of the day. Lottabody Wrap Me Foaming Mousse moisturizes with shea butter and helps those waves hold their shape. To pump up the volume on your roots try Dippity-Do Girls with Curls Curl Boosting Mousse. Treat yourself to the luxurious scent and shine-enhancing properties of Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll.

5.Scrunch with steam.

If you rely on humidity to make your hair look more voluminous, an inexpensive face steamer can give your waves back the body and bounce of summer. Simply apply your leave-in conditioner and stylers to thoroughly saturated hair, and then allow the steamer to heat. Stand over the device, and scrunch your hair. Flip your head over so that the steam can reach all sections while you continue to scrunch. Allow your hair to dry thoroughly before picking and fluffing it out. For more on scrunching with steam, click here.

6. Add elevation to your roots as they dry.

Many of us struggle with flat roots. Wavy hair tends to show its pattern at ear-length, and everything above it tends to be straighter, and more likely to dry close to the head. Keep this from happening by trying any of the following on wash day after you have applied your styling products:

• Rainbow clipping.
• O-clipping.
• Removing excess moisture from your roots after you wash your hair. Too much water at your roots can lead to your hair drying flatter than it should. To combat this, scrunch out excess water from your roots using a microfiber towel, and then scrunch your roots again with your bare hands. This will give you more texture and definition at your roots.
• Plopping with a microfiber seamless scarf. Here, instead of a towel, put on the scarf so that your wet ends are exposed. Scrunch around your hairline using the scarf to absorb excess moisture. Keep the scarf on until your hair is at least 75% dry, and then diffuse the rest of the way, or allow your hair to dry on its own. You will have lots of extra volume at your roots.
• Diffuse your hair. This is best done on hair that is almost dry. Flip your head over, and then diffuse-dry your roots. Cup sections of waves in the diffuser, and push them up towards your scalp as you dry. Finish with a cool shot for voluminous, shiny waves that last.

What are your favorite volume-building tips? Let us know in the comments. For more products to get your waves back to looking their fullest, click here.

By Stacey Biro · Published August 29, 2019

If you are experiencing thinning hair and hair loss, being born curly is to your advantage because nothing will disguise finer strands like texture. To give them a boost, choose the right products, styles, and techniques for maximum volume with minimum effort. Skip the myriad of shampoos, treatments, and stylers that claim they are for thinning hair such as shampoos that are full of harsh detergents, and topical treatments with drying alcohols or sticky, heavy ingredients. Not only are these products generally ineffective at reversing hair loss, but they can wreck your curls in the process, robbing them of their sheen, definition, and body.

Your daily regimen should contain products that are made to support hair health such as the following:

• Shampoos formulated to cleanse curly hair without damaging it. These shampoos work wonders for volumizing thinning hair, and most of them are less expensive than standard thinning hair shampoos.
• A light daily conditioner that can also be used as a leave-in. These types of conditioners will not weigh down your hair while giving it the moisture it needs. Three Naturally Curly community favorites are: Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner, Alikay Naturals Caribbean Coconut Milk Conditioner, and DevaCurl One Condition Delight.
• Volumizing foam to give your hair extra body and shine. Try Ouidad Playcurl Curl Amplifying Foam or AG Hair Foam Weightless Volumizer. Foams will also give you light hold and frizz control without making your hair look greasy, stringy, or weighed down.
• If you have crown thinning, try colored edge gel in a shade that matches your own hair color. For an easy daily style, you can pin back your hair and use the edge gel to add color depth to your baby hairs. It will make your hairline look denser.

Haircuts

If you have thinning hair, consider a shorter cut. Not only will it make your hair appear fuller, but a shorter cut is often easier to maintain, particularly if you are also using topicals or are washing your hair more frequently. Pick a cut that works for your curl pattern, lifestyle, and personal style. Don’t try to cut around the hair loss (e.g., an edgy asymmetrical style”> unless you are absolutely sure the pattern of hair loss is not going to expand. Also, be aware that your hair will grow more slowly if you have pattern hair loss than it normally would, so be sure to choose a style that you will love for the long term. Here are a few cuts to consider.

Inverted bob with a few longer face framing curls

Image source: The Right Hairstyles

This look will help disguise a thinning crown while still looking fresh and pretty. It is very easy to care for, too.

Classic bob with a side part

Image source: The Right Hairstyles

This classic bob is slightly longer in front so the curls fall just below chin-length. The hair is long enough to be parted over the pattern thinning area, and the cut emphasizes bouncy, shiny curls.

Curly pixie with tapered sides

Image source: Hairstyles Weekly

For a soft, flattering shorter cut that gives you many styling options, try this trendy pixie. Help curls to fall into place by arranging duck bill clips in wet hair. When your hair dries, remove the clips and fluff out the curls.

Short Crop with tight curls

Image Source: The Right Hairstyles

If you have tight curls and coils, a close crop can help thin areas to look fuller because your natural curls can fill in areas of exposed scalp. This look is also very chic and timeless.

Styling Tips

When it comes to styling thinning curly hair, always strive to maintain hair health. Heat tools, bleach, and silicone-laden glossing sprays will leave your hair dried and fried, and will ruin your curl pattern. Instead, continue curly best practices including no heat styling, weekly deep conditioners, and gentle detangling of wet hair. In addition, the following can help:

• Avoid long, heavily layered haircuts. They will just draw attention to the thinning by making the bottom of your hair look stringy and sparse.
• Do not opt for bangs. In most women with thinning hair, the hairline remains intact. The hair at the front of the head can be pinned or pushed back to cover crown thinning, or to give a bit more volume and substance to the thinning area at the top of the head. Bangs are harder to work with and may not give you the coverage you need.
• Get more frequent trims. Frizzy ends can drag down your curls and make them look dull, flat, and lifeless.
• Try to avoid hair fibers. Hair fibers are flecks of colored dust that are supposed to magnetically stick to the hair without migrating to the scalp where they can clog the hair follicles and further exacerbate hair loss. However, these types of products look matte and powdery on curly hair. They tend to move around, and they absorb beneficial oils from your roots. The fix to keep fibers in place is hairspray with some sheen to it, but this further enhances the drying aspect to the fibers.
• If you have wavy hair and an oily scalp, tinted dry shampoos can cover sparse areas of your hair. Bonus: you can also extend the time between wash days. Curlier hair tends to be less oily at the root, so dry shampoo is generally too drying, and it tends to sit on top of the hair as a fine powder.
• Add visual interest with earrings. There are lots of great earring looks available from multiple piercings to ear crawlers, to classic hoops and more that can really make what ever haircut and style you choose pop.

What are your favorite tips for making thinning hair appear fuller? Let us know in the comments. For tips on making natural hair look fuller click here.

By Stacey Biro · Published August 28, 2019

Image: Getty

As of 2016, the worldwide market for beauty supplements was worth $3.5 billion, and is estimated to reach $6.8 Billion by 2024 per Goldstein Research. We see beauty Instagrammers, reality stars, and makeup gurus touting tiny capsules of promise in the hair loss battle. If you are wondering if and how supplements can help you, consider the following.

A supplement should be used as an addition to your current diet and wellness efforts.

If you do not have a diet that fuels your body, or you do not drink enough water, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, or mitigate your daily stressors, no vitamin, mineral, or herb is going to fix the situation. 

• Make sure to eat a varied, well-planned diet that incorporates the minimum recommended daily allowances of all nutrients, paying particular attention to the following. 
• Omega 3 fatty acids. These are found in freshwater fish such as salmon, walnuts, hemp and flax seeds, and algal oil. 
• Protein: Get adequate amounts of protein from legumes, nuts, lean meats, and fish.
• B12: Vitamin B12, which is found in meats, eggs, dairy, and some fortified nut milks and cereals (always check labels”> often needs to be supplemented when following a vegan diet.
• Biotin: Biotin, which is touted for its ability to help grow strong, resilient hair, is found in high amounts in egg yolks, canned salmon, and beef liver.  
• Zinc: Zinc helps the oil glands around the hair follicles to function correctly. It is in nuts and shellfish.
• Selenium: Selenium can be found in fish and nuts, especially Brazil nuts. 
• Calcium: You can find Calcium in dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, tofu, and dried fruits.
• Vitamin A: This vitamin is in carrots, oranges, and leafy greens.
• Drink at least 64 ounces of water per day.
• Get regular exercise, adequate amounts of sleep, and try to keep your stress levels in check with yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, or a trip to the spa.

When you choose to supplement certain vitamins and minerals due to dietary deficiencies, take the right precautions.

This is always best done under the care of a Physician or Trichologist. He or she can recommend lab tests to help ensure that you are not over or under-supplementing certain nutrients which can lead to further hair loss or other health issues. For example, Biotin at very high doses can skew lab test results or lead to cystic acne (even if you have gone through menopause”>. Too much vitamin A can cause more hair loss. Selenium, when over supplemented, can easily lead to toxicity which will act like heavy metal toxicity in the body. This is because it is in multivitamins and many hair loss supplements, and can sometimes be in ground-water, so please pay attention to labels. Iron deficiency is a common problem, but too much iron can lead to serious health issues.

Be Wary of Label Claims

As curlies, we know how to ignore the front of a product bottle and flip it over to see what’s inside. It is the same with supplements. Claims that seem to be too good to be true likely are. 

Know that no supplement is clinically proven to regrow lost hair, so if you see this claim, it is false. Supplements, however, can help correct deficiencies, reduce inflammation that may be contributing to hair loss, and support your overall health. 

Image: Getty

Supplementation: a Trichologist’s View

For a Trichologist’s take on supplements, I contacted Sophia Emmanuel of Crown Worthy for a Q and A. Her insights can help you determine what types of supplements may be right for different types of hair loss.

Question: Are DHT blockers helpful? DHT blockers are supplements that inhibit dihydrotestosterone, a potent androgen hormone that binds to androgen receptors in the hair follicles and is a cause of female pattern hair loss (FPHL”>.

Answer: Since female pattern hair loss is a progressive type of hair loss, we cannot stop it. We can, however, use saw palmetto, green tea extract or sunflower seed oil, for example, to inhibit DHT, the hormone responsible for miniaturization (thick strands turning into fine, thin strands of hair”> to slow it down.

Q: Can supplements be useful when the hair loss is due to an autoimmune issue like Lupus?

A: When it comes to hair loss related to an autoimmune issue, herbs and supplements are not going to help you if you do not know what type of hair loss you have and why it is happening. First you need to be diagnosed by a doctor on the type of hair loss you have. You need to know what is triggering it. There are some diseases such as Lupus or the medications taken for Lupus that can cause hair loss. This is why seeing a doctor is crucial if you think you have any type of hair loss because hair loss in some cases can give clues to medical problems you are having. This can be found out by running blood tests with a primary doctor or a dermatologist. If the hair loss is related to a skin disease like Alopecia Areata, you can take L-Tyrosine an amino acid that reverses the autoimmune response in the skin, that causes inflammation. Reducing inflammation can help reduce hair loss, and symptoms of inflammation like sensitive scalp or sore scalp. 

Question: What are your recommendations for Telogen Effluvium?

A: Telogen Effluvium can correct itself depending on the cause. You can take supplements for overall hair and body health. Sometimes test results come back normal, but Telogen Effluvium may still occur. In this case taking a hair supplement won’t hurt. If you see excessive hair loss, always go to your doctor and have blood tests run, just to be sure. 

Question: What kinds of tests do you recommend for your clients who are experiencing hair loss?

The tests I recommend depend on what I find out during the consultation with the client and what I suspect is triggering the condition.  Because hair is a non-essential tissue it can be affected by slight changes in the body. Although test results can be normal for body health, for hair health the results are different. Some of the tests we look at are vitamin D, vitamin B, zinc, iron, ferritin levels, sex and thyroid levels such as T3, T4, TSH, DHEA, Testosterone, prolactin, and follicle stimulating hormone.  

Have you ever used hair loss supplements? Let us know if the comments. For more of Sophia’s recommendations click here. 

By Stacey Biro · Published August 20, 2019

Shampoos are a critical part of any curly regimen, particularly when dealing with thinning hair. This condition, also known as Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL”>, Androgenic Alopecia, and pattern thinning, is due largely to the binding of DHT (dihydrotestosterone”> to androgen receptors in the hair follicles. This alters the growth cycle of the hair, causing many hairs within the pattern to fall out prematurely, and be replaced with thinner and thinner strands over each shortened hair growth cycle. Eventually, if left untreated, these follicles will die. Unfortunately, there is no shampoo that can fully reverse this process once it has begun, but the right shampoo(s”> can do the following:

• Remove excess sebum, dirt, and debris that would block and/or irritate the hair follicle.
• Cleanse hair of topical hair loss products which can be oily, sticky, or drying to the hair.
• Relieve and resolve scalp conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
• Get rid of calcium build-up from hard water.
• Optimize scalp health to encourage new hair growth.

In order to create a custom-care regimen for your scalp, you may want to alternate stronger clarifying shampoos with more gentle ones that will not dry out your hair. Determining a wash schedule will take some trial and error because although most hair loss professionals suggest shampooing every day or every other day when you have FPHL, this is much too damaging for delicate curls (even when conditioner is used afterwards”>. If you want to protect your hair and keep it hydrated while washing your scalp, try the Condition-Wash-Condition Method.

1. Girl+Hair Clarifying Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Apple cider vinegar and rice water are combined in a pH Balancing powerhouse that deeply cleanses your scalp while leaving your hair smooth and silky. The applicator nozzle on the bottle enables you to easily apply the product when you are wearing protective styles. This is a great shampoo choice when you have hard water.

2. Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo

The holy grail, the OG, the one that everyone loves for its peachy-scented goodness, can be the mainstay of your wash routine. It cleanses enough to get out the gunk, but it doesn’t strip your hair or make it feel like straw. It is full of scalp-nourishing botanical extracts of peach, anise, ginseng, and gingko biloba. It does have a gentle sulfate, Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which is derived from coconut, but the shampoo with not rob your hair of its beneficial oils.

3. Curly Hair Solutions Treatment Shampoo

Inevitably, in your thinning hair battle, there is going to be that one topical treatment that you cannot get out of your hair no matter what you do. This shampoo will do the trick. It also has strengthening agents like panthenol and silk amino acids, and it contains magnesium sulphate to help remove build-up on your hair follicles.

4. Wonder Curl Detoxifying Clay Cleanser

Coming soon to our shop, this Kaolin clay-based cleanser gently removes dirt and impurities while keeping your strands soft. Unlike most shampoos, you can use it to detangle, as it contains moisturizing fatty alcohols and botanical butters and oils.

5. Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo

This volumizing shampoo will leave your hair fully of body and sheen. Coconut-derived cleansers gently yet thoroughly cleanse your scalp, while aloe, coconut, biotin and panthenol leave your hair strong enough to stand up to daily stressors.

6. Eprouvage Gentle Volume Shampoo

This strengthening, anti-aging, anti-breakage shampoo gently cleans without stripping. Give your hair and scalp a boost with botanical ingredients like the following:

• Egyptian Blue Lily to protect skin from the effects of aging.
• Keratins to help fortify the hair and rebuild it from the inside.
• French Oak Extract to fight free radicals.

7. Hairfinity Beneath The Weave Scalp Purifying Shampoo

If you are wearing protective styles, wigs, and hairpieces you need this shampoo in your life. It comes in a bottle with an applicator tip that will help cut down on the time it will take to apply the product and give your scalp the TLC it needs. Some key ingredients are aloe (great for high porosity hair”>, peppermint (to stimulate new hair growth”>, and biotin and panthenol for longer, stronger hair.

8. Many Ethnicities Invigorating Shampoo

Balance is critical for healthy hair, and that is what you get with this shampoo. It cleanses well, but it does not dry out your tresses. Reviewer Cecelia writes: “Tried it and LOVED it!”

Saw Dr. Ena was named one of the 2018 style heroes by the Today Show and bought all three of their adult products. The shampoo is amazing! Great moisturizing – even before conditioning. Very impressed. Will buy again!

9. As I Am Long and Luxe GroWash Cleansing Creme Conditioner

If you do the Condition-Cleanse-Condition method, this co-wash can be used as the conditioner applied to your hair before you apply the shampoo. Growash is a moisturizing yet strengthening cleansing conditioner that has hair growth promoting ingredients like castor seed oil, caffeine, and nettle.

10. Maple Holistics Sage Shampoo

For any scalp condition from dandruff to psoriasis to scalp irritation from topical products, this is the solution. It has a blend of scalp-soothing sage, rosemary, and tea-tree essential oils. It will also get your curls clean and leave them bouncy and voluminous. This shampoo is on the stronger side, so I would recommend pairing it with your favorite conditioner and leave-in for a wash day you are sure to love.

What is your favorite shampoo for properly caring for your thinning hair? Let us know in the comments.

By Stacey Biro · Published August 19, 2019

Menopause, the time in a woman’s life that marks the end of her menses, can usher in many positive physical and psychological changes such as a recommitment to self-care, a healthy diet, and exercise goals. Unfortunately, for many of us, hair loss can also be part of the package. Just when we’re bestowed our silver crowns, nature decides to rip them away one precious glittery strand at a time. While there are many types of hair loss, the two that dominate during the time of “the change” are Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL”>, which is also known as Androgenic Alopecia, and Telogen Effluvium. While each of these conditions has a different cause (or causes”>, they can exist concurrently, making the hair loss difficult to resolve. That is the bad news. The good news is that the same well-earned skills that we have gained about our curls and scalp health by transitioning can help. We are far more aware of products, ingredients, and healthy-hair practices than many of our non-curly peers. If you are currently experiencing post-menopausal hair loss, now is the time to put your wisdom to work.

What is Female Pattern Hair Loss?

The type of hair loss and thinning that you will see with FPHL starts as a widening part, and then very gradually progresses to diffuse thinning that covers the top of head and spreads to the crown. For women, the severity of hair loss is measured using the Savin scale (shown below”>, or the Ludwig scale.

Image Source: WebMD

When experiencing FPHL, a portion of hairs on this area of your scalp shed and are replaced by thinner and shorter hairs during each growth cycle, or anagen phase. This continues through each subsequent cycle of hair loss and regrowth until vellus hairs which are extremely fine, weak, and colorless develop. This is called follicle miniaturization. It is an indication of impending follicle death.

What Causes Female Pattern Hair Loss?

There are two causes of female pattern hair loss: androgens and heredity. Our hair follicles contain androgen receptors which are highly receptive to androgen hormones. When they are present, the genes that shorten the hair growth cycle are activated. Unlike men with male pattern thinning who have high levels of free testosterone circulating in their blood, women with FPHL have high levels of 5α-reductase the enzyme responsible for converting our normal levels of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. We also have more androgen receptors, and low levels of cytochrome P450, a family of enzymes that converts testosterone to estrogen.

Several genes have been implicated in FPHL. If your mom, or grandma, or other close family members have been diagnosed with FPHL, and you are losing your hair in a similar manner, chances are you have inherited the genes responsible for this type of hair loss. As of this date, there is no reliable test to determine your genetic predisposition to this condition. It is best to compare your hair loss to the Savin scale image above.

What is Telogen Effluvium?

Telogen refers to the resting stage in the hairs’ growth cycle. In Telogen Effluvium (TE”> up to 70% of hairs are pushed into this resting stage, many of them prematurely. This will cause dramatic excessive shedding all over the scalp. The condition can be acute or chronic.

Acute TE is when one episode happens, and then spontaneously resolves without intervention. Chronic TE can fluctuate for several months to several years. You can also have one attack of TE, and then a second attack before the first one is resolved. In order to diagnose TE, a lab or your healthcare provider will look at the shed hairs under a microscope. They will have clubbed ends. You may also be able to view the hair with an app such as Cozy Magnifier and Microscope. Another way to identify this type of hair loss is with a punch biopsy, where your Dr. sends a section of skin and underlying tissue to a lab for analysis.

What Causes Telogen Effluvium?

Acute cases of TE in post-menopausal women tend to be the result of an emotional or physical traumatic incident which can include:

• Surgery.
• Severe infection.
• Loss of a loved one.
• Divorce or major life change.
• Certain medications. (Note that TE can become chronic if the hair loss side effect of the medication is not a temporary one. In cases of Anagen Effluvium, hair loss due to chemotherapy drugs, hair loss will resolve on its own when the chemo sessions are over.”>

Chronic cases of TE tend to be more complex and can involve more than one trigger which can include:

• Having undergone a gastric bypass.
• Ferritin levels under 50. Ferritin levels are the amount of stored iron in your body. You can read more about them here.
• Too much Vitamin A.
• And overactive or underactive thyroid gland (referred to as hyper or hypothyroid”>.
• Lead and/or Cadmium toxicity.
• Poor circulation to scalp (in cases of crown thinning”>.
• Inadequate Zinc intake.

Who Should You Talk to About Your Hair Loss?

Image Source: Getty Images

There are three types of professionals whose help you might enlist if you have hair loss. Your first choice should be your Primary Care Physician (PCP”>, particularly if you are having other health-related symptoms such as excessive fatigue (which can indicate low Ferritin levels”>, or extreme difficulty losing weight (indicative of Hypothyroidism”>. This is important for two reasons: 1. Any underlying health conditions must be addressed in order to stop the TE from progressing, and 2. A Dermatologist would likely use different diagnosis codes for lab work than a PCP would if a health condition is suspected, and certain tests submitted by a Dermatologist may not be covered by insurance if hair loss (also referred to as non-scarring Alopecia”> codes are used.

After seeing your Primary Care Physician, a Dermatologist who specializes in hair loss can be very helpful, particularly if you are having other scalp issues such as flaking or scaling, redness, irritation or cysts. He or she can also help advise you on product sensitivities, and scalp care.

If, after seeing these two professionals you have been unable to resolve your hair loss issues, a Trichologist visit is in order. A Trichologist has the tools and training to get to the root (literally”> of your hair issues and can help you optimize your scalp health in order to regrow lost hair. Here is a video showing the types of treatments a Trichologist does:

How Should You Prepare for Your Doctor Visit(s”>?

There are four things that you should do before you talk to Doctors:

1. If you are having any other health-related concerns and symptoms besides hair loss, type them out and have a printout ready for the Doctor to review. Some offices have a “no cell phones” rule.
2. Prepare a list of your current medications and supplements along with their dosages.
3. Educate yourself fully on hair loss so that you can ensure that you can ensure you are getting all the help you need. The following video is a comprehensive look at hair loss: Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giBALq34cKs

   Hair Loss: Myths and Realities | Carolyn Goh, MD – UCLA Health

4. Understand the lab tests that may be ordered to diagnose your hair loss cause (s”>. Tell your Doctor that you want to make a follow-up appointment to discuss them, and that you will want to know your exact numbers, and if they are within the optimal ranges for hair regrowth. This is because the normal range for some tests can be less than optimal for hair growth. For example, the normal range for Ferritin levels is 12 to 150 ng/mL for women, yet, hair loss can occur at levels under 50 ng/mL. Common lab tests for hair loss may include but are not limited to the following:

• DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone”>. Low levels of this androgen hormone have been implicated in FPHL. Other hormone lab tests may be ordered as well.
• Serum iron, serum ferritin, and total iron binding capacity (TIBC”>. Primarily, you will want to know your Ferritin levels.
• Thyroid panel (T3, T4, TSH”>. This test is an indicator of thyroid health or imbalance.
• Complete blood count (CBC”>. A CBC can indicate the presence of infections or chronic illnesses. Further investigation may be required depending on the results.
• Cortisol levels (optional”>: This test may be warranted if you are experiencing chronic physical or mental stress.
• NutrEval (optional”>: This comprehensive nutritional evaluation may be ordered if a nutritional deficiency or toxicity is suspected.

Telogen Effluvium Treatments

In cases of acute Telogen Effluvium where no underlying disease exists, the hair loss will spontaneously resolve itself without any intervention. It will take 6-8 months for regrowth to appear. In chronic TE, the treatment will correspond to the underlying problem. It may include one or more of the following:

• Iron supplements to increase Ferritin levels. Iron bisglycinate, also known as chelated iron has the least potent for gastrointestinal side effects. Please do not take more than your Doctor’s recommended amounts because too much iron in the blood can cause health issues.
• Hyper or hypothyroid medications to treat thyroid imbalances.
• Antibiotics if an infection is present.
• Treatment of an underlying disease.
• Adjustment to current medications or their dosing schedules.
• Correction of any nutritional deficiencies with diet or supplementation.

Female Pattern Hair Loss Treatments

Image Source: Getty Images

Treatment of FPHL centers around three objectives:

1. Correct any underlying hormonal imbalances.
2. Prevent any further hair loss, and ideally, regrow a large percentage of lost hair.
3. Optimize scalp health

Correct hormone imbalances:

In a small subset of post-menopausal women, a combination of Spironolactone and Finasteride can aid in reversing FPHL. However, these drugs come with unwanted side effects.

Prevent any further hair loss, and ideally, regrow a large percentage of lost hair.

• The topical medication Minoxidil (brand name Rogaine”> is the only topical medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of pattern hair loss in men and women. It comes in two strengths: 2% and 5%. Doctors recommend twice-daily application of the 2% strength or once-daily application of the 5% strength.
• Both the men’s and women’s formulas contain the same active ingredients. The generic Minoxidil and its brand name product Rogaine also contain the same ingredients. Most of the 2% formulations contain drying alcohol and are best avoided for curly hair. The 5% foam can cause side effects like a rapid heartbeat. An alternative is DrFormulas® HairOmega® Foam 2% Minoxidil.
• If you want to avoid disturbing your curl clumps or protective styles when applying Minoxidil, use a bayalage kit. Spray the desired amount of foam onto the board, and then use the brush to paint the foam onto the skin. You can then massage it in.
• You will begin to see new hair growth at about six months. The following hair loss and recovery story will show you will give you an idea of the length of time that Minoxidil will take to work: Does Rogaine/Minoxidil work on Black hair? 2 years later / TV Blake Review
• While Minoxidil is considered a relatively safe medication for hair loss sufferers who are not allergic to it, some of you may want more natural alternatives. Rosemary essential oil in combination with a carrier oil such as olive, coconut or jojoba at 25% Rosemary essential oil to 75% carrier oil is a good choice. Massage a few drops of this mixture into the thinning areas of your scalp two times per day.
• For balding at the temples, you may also want to incorporate a light massage of the temples with a Jamaican Black Castor Oil blend three times per week.
• To optimize the effectiveness of these topicals, use a Derma Roller. Click here for more on how to select and use one.

Optimize scalp health:

A critical component of scalp health is going to be keeping your scalp clean and free of product buildup, excess sebum, and debris. All of these can block hair follicles and prevent hair from growing. Some great shampoos for this purpose include:

• Uncle Funky’s Daughter Squeaky Deep Cleansing Shampoo
• Girl+Hair Clarifying Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
• DevaCurl Buildup Buster Micellar Water Cleansing Serum

Most dermatologists and trichologists will recommend that curlies wash their hair more frequently, sometimes up to several times a week. This can be too harsh for delicate curls. In order to prevent dryness, you can try using the Condition-Wash-Condition Method.

Another component of optimizing scalp health is to increase circulation to it. One easy way to do this is through exercise. Cardio, dance, power yoga, brisk walks or anything that gets your blood flowing is a good bet. Exercise is also good for improving your overall health and decreasing your stress levels which in turn can improve your hair health.

How to Avoid Hair Loss Scams

Image Source: Getty Images

Lastly, as you can see from the above, there is no easy overnight fix to hair loss. It can take six months or more to resolve with the correct diagnosis, and even then the resolution might mean a lack of further progression, but not restoration. There are many supplements, devices, topicals, and shampoos that simply do live up to the claims on their labels. Some of them promise to fix the problem in a short amount of time, while others tell you it will take months. You can use the product for ages with no results, and during that time have additional hair loss which is then harder to resolve. It is best to follow the traditional route by getting a proper diagnosis, using FDA-approved treatments, and supplementing your efforts with good scalp care. Once this is working for you, you can always switch over to something else, and if your hair does not shed the product is effective.

To avoid wasting time, money or both, follow these tips:

• Do not purchase any product or product line that does not fully reveal its formula. This could be a product that touts its key ingredients and neglects to admit that they are in a base of denatured alcohol or propylene glycol (a common allergen”> is a key ingredient. A dry, inflamed, irritated scalp is not going to produce hair. Companies avoid full disclosure by stating their formulation is proprietary or patented. Don’t fall for that. I did, and I am here to tell the tale $200 dollars later.
• If you are deciding on purchasing a product or device, you can use fakespot to help. You can put in the product URL, and it will analyze the reviews and give a grade based on whether or not they are legitimate.
• Be wary of sponsored posts and videos. While many influencers will not review products that do not do what they claim, there are some that will.
• Exercise caution when purchasing any type of hair loss device, such as a laser cap. Due your due diligence by reading and researching the validity of reviews. Also check eBay. If you find a lot of used models of the product you intend to buy on there, there is a good chance it doesn’t work.
• Disregard product claims for topicals and shampoos. As you would with curly hair products, always read labels to ensure the products are free of allergens and ingredients that would damage your curls.

What are your favorite hair loss tips? Share them with your Naturally Curly community. Read more about hair loss and your hormones here.

By Stacey Biro · Published August 6, 2019

While technically it’s not a curly styling tool, the Denman brush is better at whipping wet hair into ringlets than anything else. Yes, you might have seen failed trials resulting in spaghetti strands or detangling traumas on YouTube, but chalk those up to the learning curve that we all go through. The Denman brush is your friend, and with a few variations of technique, you can get the best curls of your life. This is because it allows you to evenly coat each strand of hair with moisture which in turn helps your curls clump better.

Although Denman offers a variety of brushes and combs, for the purposes of this article, I am referring to the Denman D3 Classic. It’s a medium-sized brush that has seven rows of pins imbedded in a rubber pad. You can remove rows if you have thicker hair. Here is a video demonstrating how to do this: Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmZhJLm5DM0

Before you get started using your brush in its original or modified form, here are some tips:

• Do not use the brush on dry hair.
• Do not use the brush to detangle. Instead, detangle first with your fingers, and a wide-toothed comb for stubborn knots.
• Do not brush through wet hair that does not have product on it.

How to Use:

1. On fully saturated and detangled hair which you have applied a leave-in conditioner, moisturizing foam or cream styler, carefully brush through your hair in a downward motion.
2. Flip your head over and brush through your hair again. This will allow you to reach the layers in the back of your head.
3. Flip your head back over, and let your hair fall into place. Part your hair as you normally would.
4. Now, this is where you can use different techniques to achieve different results.

Check out the video below to see how Jannelle O’Shaughnessy shows how she uses a denman brush on her 2c/3a curly hair.

• If you want large clumps, brush downwards and flip out the ends. This technique is good for wavies and looser curlies.
• If you want tiny separated, defined curls, brush hair up and away from your head. This technique is good for tighter curls.
• If you want medium clumps, curl sections of your hair under.
• After you have brushed through your hair using your desired technique, check your head to ensure that there are no strands of hair that are not clumped, or curls that are smaller than you would like them to be. If there are, shingle them with another curl clump.
• Lastly, there are variations in scrunching technique you can use to produce different results.
• If you want a lot of small, springy curls all over your head, start scrunching everywhere. Flip your head over, and scrunch the layers in the back of your head. You can then further scrunch with a microfiber towel to remove excess water.
• If you want smooth, defined curls that curl evenly from root to tip, cup a few curls at a time in a microfiber towel, and scrunch them up to the root, squeezing out excess water as you go.
• If you want to elongate your curls and avoid too much shrinkage, use microfiber gloves to squeeze out excess water from the mid-shafts to the ends of your curls. Remove the gloves, and then scrunch your roots. Do not scrunch upwards.

If you have tighter curls, check out the video below to see how JeanetteJBeauty shows how she uses a denman brush on her 3c hair to get the most out of her wash n go routine.

Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVYESul7UBg

How do you like to use your Denman brush? Let us know in the comments. For more about the Denman brush, click here.

By Stacey Biro · Published August 2, 2019

Sun, sand, and dry Santa Ana winds are no match for these ten Southern California Salons. Check them out for gorgeous, glam it up waves, curls, and coils or carefree, beachy Summer looks. For the best in curly hair care and styles, these LA and San Diego salons have got you covered.

Los Angeles

Curls One on One

Located in posh Beverly Hills, this salon is staffed by Devacurl Certified Stylists Ezmeralda, Donatela, and Emily who specialize in Devacuts and Pintura color. Embrace your beautiful texture, and enhance it with stunning highlights in the salon that Devagirls with curls love.

Image Source: https://www.vagaro.com/curlsoneonone

Curls L.A.

There’s nothing but curl love here in this tinsel town salon that specializes in Deva techniques. Curl experts, Ashley and Sergio, will shape up those curls to their most glorious state. They work with all texture types, and can even style your curly kids, too.

Image Source: https://www.curls.la/

Isis Hair Salon
If you are considering a protective style to get you through the hot days of July and August, look no further than Isis Hair Salon. It is one of their specialties, along with extensions and custom units.

Image Source: FB Isis Hair Studio

Sekkai Natural Hair Gallery

Located just blocks from the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour, this salon is the perfect place for traveling curlies who want the finest in natural hair services, braids, twists, and extensions. They care for kids’ hair, too.

Image Source: http://www.sekainaturalhairgallery.com/

Virgo Texture Salon

Virgo Texture Salon’s focus on all-natural products and healthy hair of all textures definitely makes it a place to go to trim those tresses into shape. They offer services such as organic color and non-toxic hair rebuilding treatments which can make the transitioning process so much easier.

Image Source: https://www.ilovevirgo.com/

San Diego

Me, My Curls, and I
Sun-drenched San Diego is the home of curly cut experts who will give you a fabulous style and help educate you on caring for your gorgeous curls.

Image Source: http://www.memycurlsandi.com/

T’s Curls
Curly hair expert, Travina, knows curls of every kind. Treat yourself to curl care in two locations: La Jolla and Spring Valley.

Image Source: http://www.ts-curls.com

Bella Donna’s Salon
While not a curly-specific hair salon, it is a place to go for organic and henna-based hair color. This is the perfect solution for those of us who want to have fun with color without doing damage to our hair or sensitive scalps. If you go in for a henna treatment, the mixture will be applied to your hair, and then you can go home and let finish processing for deep, rich color.

Image Source: FB Belladonna’s Hair Salon

Curl Craft by Skylar
The cuts at Curl Craft are beautiful, unique, effortless, and Bohemian-chic, much like sunny San Diego itself. You can compliment your new style with color, too.

Image Source: https://www.skylardelong.com/

Daze Hair Salon

Stunning cuts are on the menu along with Pintura highlights and other services to help your crowning glory shine. Book your appointment now to get a fresh look for fall.

Image Source: Yelp Daze Hair Studio

What is your favorite curly salon in Southern California? Let us know in the comments. For more LA salons to love click here.

By Stacey Biro · Published July 26, 2019

Image Source: Getty Images/People Images

Psoriasis, patchy, flaky, blistery, painful nuisance that can plague even the most well cared-for scalps is persistent and difficult to treat. If you suffer from it, you are in good company, as even some famous members of the reality-TV elite have battled it. Like them, you may be wondering what triggers it in an effort to cure it. While they are only part of the story, limiting your use of certain hair care ingredients can definitely lessen flare-ups. Common scalp psoriasis triggers that you might regularly find in haircare products include those below. Of course, there are others such as parabens, but they are likely to be ingredients that are not part of a standard curly regimen.

• Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS”>: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, while not Curly Girl Method friendly, is still being used by those of us who wash and style silicones that are not water-soluble. Sulphates can strip your hair of its moisture and in the process irritate your sensitive, psoriasis-prone scalp. Avoid it if you can and replace it with a gentler curl-friendly shampoo. Ideally, look for shampoos that contain black soap and white willow bark, for example SheaMoisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo.
• Urea: There are three forms of it that can be found in your hair care products: hydroxyethyl, diazolidiny, and imidazolidinyl. Hydroxyethyl is the most common, as it is a humectant and moisturizer.
• Fragrances/perfumes: Any type of fragrance or perfume can trigger a psoriasis flare-up if you have sensitivities. A number of haircare lines carry fragrance-free options for a variety of curl types, for example Jessicurl and Koils by Nature.
• Polysorbates: These are emulsifiers and thickeners that can be found in numerous hair products, particularly conditioners which have both oil and water-based ingredients.
• Sorbic acid, sorbates: Used as preservatives, sorbic acid and sorbates are antimicrobial. If you react to them, look for products that contain rosemary oil or extract as a preservative.
• Alcohols: While there is a big difference between drying alcohols like Isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol and the fatty alcohols (e.g., cetyl and stearyl”> in terms of how hair looks and feels, when it comes to psoriasis, any alcohol can set off a flare-up of dreaded psoriasis.
• Propylene glycol: Last year, in 2018, American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS”> named Propylene Glycol Allergen of the Year. This illustrious (or rather, notorious”> award was a nod to those of us scalp psoriasis sufferers who have been avoiding propylene glycol for years.
• Minoxidil(brand name: Rogaine”>: While the alcohol or the propylene glycol in these hair loss products can be the main culprits, it is not uncommon for psoriasis sufferers to incur a flare-up from actual Minoxidil itself. If you are experiencing this, consider switching to a topical that contains rosemary which was shown to be as effective as 2% Rogaine in this 2015 study. Sunny Isle Rosemary Jamaican Black Castor Oil contains rosemary essential oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil, both of which can help regrow hair.

If you have scalp psoriasis, which ingredients do you avoid to limit flare-ups? Share them with your Naturally Curly community in the comments. See How to Deal with Scalp Psoriasis, According to The Hair Doctor for more tips.And then 

By Stacey Biro · Published July 25, 2019

Image Source: Getty Images/PeopleImages

If you are experiencing Telogen Effluvium, a type of diffuse hair loss and thinning, your Doctor or other health care professional may order a lab test to determine the ferritin levels in your bloodstream. This important, yet simple test can show whether or not the stored iron in your body is adequate for overall health and to support hair growth. Ferritin is, in part, stored in the hair follicles, and when levels dip too low, your body will steal it from them for its essential functions. The hair follicles are then unable to sustain the hair growing from them which results in:

• Diffuse hair loss all over the scalp.
• Often, although not always, a loss of some body hair.
• Thin, weak, brittle, breaking scalp hair.
• Dull, listless hair that has stopped curling (this hair is in the process of falling out”>.
• Loss of shorter regrowth hairs.
• Linear hair loss and bald spots.

Note that Telogen Effluvium can coexist with other forms of hair loss, particularly Androgenic Alopecia (pattern hair loss”> which begins as a widening part. As it progresses, hair thins at the temples and in the front of the scalp. The hair line may also recede. Therefore, even if your Doctor diagnoses you with Androgenic Alopecia, he or she may still order the ferritin test, particularly if you are experiencing other iron deficiency symptoms such as:

• Fatigue/exhaustion
• Exercise intolerance
• Heavy periods
• Dizziness
• Brittle nails
• Headaches
• Restless legs
• Difficulty staying on task/concentrating

In addition, if any of the following apply to you, and you are dealing with hair loss, you may want to consider asking your Doctor to test your ferritin levels.

You are pregnant or nursing.
Even though you may have the healthiest of diets with adequate calories, you may not be getting everything you need. Your OB/GYN can guide you on how to proceed with dietary changes and supplementation.

You are in perimenopause.
Perimenopause generally means heavier periods which can have an impact on your ferritin levels over time.

You have chronic digestive issues.
Anything that disrupts the digestive process can contribute to iron malabsorption issues, so if you have been diagnosed with GERD, Crohn’s, Colitis, Gastritis, or IBS, and you are having symptoms of low ferritin levels, consider getting them checked out.

You have radically changed your diet or food intake.
This is a tricky one since diets do tend to fluctuate. However, if you have undergone gastric bypass, or are eating significantly less calories or iron-rich foods, your ferritin levels could have dropped.

How to Proceed

After the result of your ferritin level test is in, sit down with your Doctor to discuss it. Clinically “normal” ferritin ranges are 12 to 300 ng/mL (nanograms per milliliter of blood”> for men and 12 to 150 ng/mL for women. Hair loss can occur at any level below 50 ng/NL, so it is important that you know what your exact number is. You will likely be prescribed iron supplements that you will need to take, possibly along with Vitamin C that will help with absorption. If you have had difficulty taking iron supplements in the past, iron bisglycinate chelate (also called chelated iron or iron chelate”> can be a good option for you since it causes less digestive upset. Do not take more than what you are prescribed because too much iron can get stored in the organs which can possibly lead to heart disease, diabetes, and liver disease.

Recovery

Most Doctors recommend raising ferritin levels to an optimal range between 70-80 ng/mL to resolve hair loss issues. This will take several months. You will know, though, that you are moving in the right direction when shedding slows down and you start to feel peach fuzz on your scalp. You may shed several short hairs during the recovery time as new hair grows in, but this will likely stop within a few weeks.

Have you ever experienced hair loss due to low ferritin levels? Tell us how you resolved it in the comments. For more on hair loss and iron deficiency click here.