Is my regrowth a positive sign?

My hair is regrowing. There are tufts. It's more than a centimetre. Is this a positive sign? These are all questions that I've seen before, and ones that gain so many responses on forums or social media feeds. Understandably, any regrowth can be exciting and exhilarating and maybe, just maybe a sign that your immune system is back under control and leaving your hair alone! Or maybe not...

Hair regrowth will vary from person to person; I've met people who have lost all their hair, then almost immediately received full regrowth which has lasted for months or years or to this day. Others who are in a perpetual cycle of shedding, growth, shedding, growth, shedding again. Then of course there are people just like me who have seen no more than a millimetre of growth or the odd longer hair, but never for very long!

As well as being unpredictable, it also means it is impossible to determine a pattern and even more difficult to determine what the hair regrowth may mean. To understand it even a little bit, we have to look to the causes and process of alopecia...

Each individual hair naturally goes through a three phase cycle, and it does so over a number of months, at a different rate / time to the hair next to it. The cycle is:

• Anagen Phase: In simple terms, this is the 'growth' phase of the hair. Each individual hair grows for somewhere between three and five years, reaching lengths of up to 30 inches in most people. With good care, diet and a bit of luck, this phase can last up to seven years, reaching lengths of up to a metre! That's if you let it grow out of course!
• Catagen Phase: Occurring immediately at the end of the Anagen Phase, the Catagen phase is a transitional period for the hair, when the hair follicle begins to collapse. This indicates the start of the shedding period and can last up to 10 days.
• Telogen Phase: An immediate follow-on from the Catagen phase, Telogen is a period of 'rest' for the hair follicle, lasting around three to four months for each individual follicle. The hair follicle releases the hair shaft (the individual strand of hair), which is shed from the head and falls out. The hair follicle remains in this period of statis, before returning to the Anagen Phase to start growing again.  

At any one time, 90% of the hair on your head is in the Anagen Phase and you will lose approximately 80 hairs per day from the head. As each individual hair is at a different point in the cycle, it means that in normal cases, you won't see any thinning or baldness. When this cycle becomes interrupted however, it will cause baldness or patches of baldness, which may have many triggers.

What this means is that any hair regrowth is in itself positive because it means the hair follicles are still able to enter the Anagen phase and able to produce new hair shafts, which could signify a return to a full head of hair in the future. Unfortunately, the longer hair follicles go without growing new shafts, the less likely they will restart or be able to restart BUT again, this is not a certain outcome either! To explain, we need to revert to the examples included previously, which show that hairloss and regrowth is unique to the individual...

• Some people will be a permanent state of flux, growing hair, losing it, growing it again, and it is likely will be like this forever
• Some people will have no regrowth at all for years, only to regain it again out of the blue
• Some people will have almost instant regrowth, which may or may not stay forever

Looking at the hairloss cycle, it is clear that any regrowth is positive in as much as the hair is growing, but that is about all you can draw from it! Those experiencing hair regrowth should be happy, but also wary and honest with themselves that it may change just as quickly, taking each day as it comes, and those with no regrowth ever should not be disheartened that it will be this way forever, as it may change on a coin flip too (not literally).

So yes, it's positive, but no it might not mean anything either!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald

What makes a good Wig Consultation?

In another post inspired by this story, (see part 1 and part 2), this one focusses on what makes a good wig consultation...

Before I launch into waxing lyrical about the benefits of a face-to-face wig consultation, it is very important to say that you CAN make good wig choices online and you definitely don't need to visit a wig consultant! That is however a different post which I promise to write...

So, back to the question in hand; what makes a good wig consultation?

Aside from the obvious, such as getting along with the person, feeling comfortable and secure, and knowing you'll get what you need, there are a number of things you can and should expect from a face-to-face consultation...

• Expertise - One of the key things you expect from someone who's helping you to find a wig is expertise, but surprisingly not every wig consultant is an expert. There is a big difference between someone who has a wholesale account and can order wigs, and someone who actually has the expertise to help you. As you will see from this post about my first experiences, that difference can be huge for you emotionally. Before you even get to the stage of going to see them, you should chat, email, skype, tweet or somehow get in touch and see if they clearly know their stuff. There are a lot of well-meaning people who get involved in wig sales to 'help out', but the risk is a well-meaning novice will create more problems than they solve.
• A good range / choice - The number of wigs they have actually in the shop doesn't matter, but the range that they carry do! Many businesses understandably cannot afford to carry a lot of stock (it quickly gets expensive), but they should have a few different sample pieces helping you to get an idea of cap types, fibre types and difference in quality and should also carry a range of different brands and collections. This is really important because one thing I have found out along the way is that just because someone LOVES a range of wigs themselves, doesn't mean it will be suitable for you, your budget, your lifestyle or even what you are comfy with. As part of the expertise point above, they should be finding a wig to suit you, not the other way around!
• Head Measurements - They should take head measurements before ordering a wig; every wig will come with dimensions etc, and whilst some are adjustable, it is important to make sure they are near your size. I have had a wig arrive that I could spin on my head, simply because measurements hadn't been taken!
• Communication - In the majority of cases (unless you are having a specialist wig made), wigs will arrive in around 1-2 weeks. However, sometimes they could be on back-order due to a sudden rush on a particular style or problems with the manufacturing, so communication is key! Find someone who promises to keep you up to date and more importantly actually does, because trust me, there is absolutely nothing worse than waiting weeks for the phone to ring with an update, or feeling like a pain as you ring and ring and ring.
• Charges - You'll have to make up your own mind on whether or not you are happy to pay for a consultation. However, some will charge you, some will charge you a fee redeemable against the price of a wig and some will offer their time for free. Ultimately, this is your choice, but don't be surprised if you do need to cover the time costs that someone is investing in helping you!
• Education - A good consultant will share some of their expertise with you, to help you make the most of your wigs. From hair washing to styling, removal of glue (if you use it), to storage, you should leave with everything you need to know to keep your wig looking lush!
• Added bonus - personal experience - It is a little harsh to expect a wig consultant to have first-hand experience of wearing wigs, however if you do stumble across someone with hairloss who also sells wigs, you're probably on to a winner! They can give you a first-hand insight, speak from experience and offer a valuable insight about different wigs that you simply won't get anywhere else!

Ultimately, you should leave feeling happy and comfortable; hair loss or hair thinning can be traumatic, but a wig consultation should reduce that stress not add to it!

Alopecia UK do offer a suppliers' directory for you to search, but make sure you feel comfortable with them before you take the plunge!

Victoria x

www.prettybald.co.uk Twitter: @PrettyBald