Except for a tragic perm in the 80’s, a bob in college, and going short after a couple of seismic life changes (marriage and childbirth), I’ve had the same hairstyle.

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with the big-eyed, clear skinned, towering models in Seventeen magazine and Mademoiselle (RIP). But as a petite, flat chested Asian with monolids, it was impossible to size up to the cultural beauty standards at the time.

But I had one beauty superpower… the hair.

But I had one beauty superpower… the hair.

Silky deep espresso hair that glistened with natural cinnamon and mocha highlights. We’re talking a Loreal “I’m worth it” level mane that would bounce down the middle of my back like a kangaroo jumping over a pool of water.

Until now.

A few years ago I parted my hair down the center like I did every morning, and some hair in the middle kept flipping to the other side. Something was askew. I inspected closely and saw that my hairline had divots. My perfectly U-shaped hairline now looked like a crooked road on a map, and the hair on my temples were shorter, lighter, and sparse like a baby.

Like so many middle age changes, this one came on suddenly like the parsley in the produce drawer that’s fine one day and slimy the next.

That comparison was really off subject.

Anyhoo, I’m SO good with physical changes that have come with age.

I am.

I really am.

Gray hair? Bring it.

Crow’s feet? Sensational.

Shrinking half an inch? Totally unnoticeable.

Vintage vagina? Manageable.

Thinning hair?

Thinning hair??

It blows.

My hefty ponytail is now a remnant of the early aughts, and the shape of my forehead is evolving from a waning to a waxing crescent moon.

Nope, no way, not here for hair loss, not gonna accept it. I will combat it every which way I can even though I’m the underdog, and genetics and aging have the upper hand in this fight.

Nope, no way, not here for hair loss, not gonna accept it. I will combat it every which way I can even though I’m the underdog, and genetics and aging have the upper hand in this fight.

Wanna get in the ring with me?

Hair grows through 4 phases: a growth phase (anagen), transition phase (catagen), resting phase (telogen) and shedding phase (exogen). New hair is growing into the follicles as old hair sheds away. When the phases are out of balance, and you lose more than the typical 50-100 hairs a day, ya may be experiencing hair loss.

Now to get a little sciencey-

Two common types of hair loss are telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia.

Telogen effluvium is caused by severe stress on the body, and is usually temporary and self-correcting. Illness, surgery, weight loss, medications, extreme stress, and sudden hormone changes postpartum are some of the causes.

Androgenetic alopecia is permanent hair loss caused by a combination of genetics and dihydrotestosterone which comes from testosterone. When this type of alopecia affects men, it’s called male pattern baldness (MPB), and when it affects women it’s called female pattern baldness (FPB), although the preferred term is female pattern hair loss (FPHL). The distinction between men and women is made because of the pattern of hair loss.

Side note: alopecia areata is hair loss caused by an autoimmune disorder that causes hair to fall out in clumps. (Jada Pinkett Smith shared her experience publicly after the Oscars.)

When we think of hair loss, men usually come to mind, but 40% of women over 50 have FPHL according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and it’s the most common cause of hair loss for women. ✋✋✋

More about FPHL from the American Academy of Dermatology Association.

• For most women, FPHL begins in middle age: 40s – 60s, but can start earlier.

• It’s a progressive condition where women continue to lose hair, but not all of it like some men.

• The onset is most common after menopause so hormones may play a role.

• A cure for FPHL doesn’t exist, but if you’re proactive in an early stage there are ways to slow down thinning, and potentially grow new hair.

• If your part is widening or you notice more shedding, the best way to determine if the cause is FPHL is to see a dermatologist because there are so many causes of hair loss. Even tightly pulled hairstyles can cause hair loss.

• Treatments include the old like Minoxidil, brand name Rogaine (messy), and the newish like Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) which is when your own blood platelets are injected into the scalp to stimulate cells critical in hair growth (ouchy).

Supplement companies will promise you Rapunzel-like hair growth, and may help if you have a deficiency in vitamins and minerals like B12, D, riboflavin, or iron, but in most research, supplements don’t help with hair growth. Biotin (also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H) is often touted as a magical solution, but there’s little evidence that supplementation helps except for those with a biotin deficiency which is very uncommon.

Does an easy, at-home, effective, non-invasive and drug-free treatment exist?

Does an easy, at-home, effective, non-invasive and drug-free treatment exist?

I found a video made by board certified dermatologist and YouTube sensation Dr Dray where she discusses her positive experience with a low level red light system called iRestore.

She uses and recommends the FDA cleared iRestore low level red light therapy. It looks like a bike helmet and you wear it every other day for 20 minutes. Studies have shown that low level light  therapy may stimulate hair growth.

I have had a great experience using a red light pad for my lower back pain so I was game.

The iRestore was a little spendy, but comparable to the cost of a year’s supply of a popular hair supplement. Plus there’s a 12 month money back offer so if it doesn’t work, I’ll return it.

I have no affiliation or promotional arrangement with the brand, and I’m not encouraging you to buy one. I just want to try it and share my experience with fellow thinning hair peeps.

Here are before and after pics in my first month taken just 24 days apart, and I already see some hair growth on my right temple. I’m not totally convinced that it works yet because I didn’t see the same result on my left side, but I’ll keep documenting and writing about it. Stay close for more updates.