If your hair is starting to look and feel flat and lifeless, editor Trudi Brewer reveals how to put the lustre back into your locks.
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I was born with thick, wavy hair, which in my teens I hated. But as I have got older, I have grown to appreciate the volume and how it's helped me tame my locks into just about any style. However, lately, my hair has started to feel thinner - mainly at the sides. I take full responsibility for the effects that colouring, bleaching, and heat styling have had on the condition of my hair, not to mention the product overload I subject it to on a daily basis. The sad truth is that hair can thin over the years, and hair loss can strike at any age. In fact, unbeknown to me after attending the Auckland Regaine launch (I have been using Regaine since the launch on June 15), I learned from the Sydney-based dermatologist, Dr. Eleni Yiasemides that many women notice hair thinning or hair loss over the age of 30. "It's common, I see women day in and day out in my practice experiencing thinning hair, and while there are cosmetic shampoo's and vitamins designed to address this issue, unfortunately, they offer poor results." My hair issue is mild compared to some women's struggle with shedding and bald patches, but I believe if your hair looks good you feel great. So, I decided to put Women's Regaine Once a Day Foam to the test, to see if it would help thicken my hair and help it to look bouncy and full again.
Here's how it works
What's in it?
Minoxidil 5%, a chemical that can reactivate the hair follicles to increase the hair growth phase.
How does it work?
Don't expect to see results immediately. You need to preserve with this foam and use it every day. Yiasemides says we lose around 100 hairs per day, and that is normal. However, if you suddenly notice thinning hair, it could be due to hormonal changes and or stress. Or for those women around 30, pregnancy and breastfeeding or if you have recently stopped taking the contraceptive pill, these could also be reasons your hair is not looking its best. The Minoxidil works to stimulate growth, which encourages thicker hair follicles as well as new growth over a few months. It's just like using styling mousse that you can apply to dry or towel dry hair and simply massage it into the scalp (this is important) and then style your hair as usual. It's fast drying and doesn't leave any greasy residue. However, it's not a styling product, so you do need to continue with your regular styling regime.
The verdict?
It does not work overnight. I have been using it since the launch June 15 and I am on my second bottle. Don't freak out if you see hair in the shower plug or your brush, remember it's okay to shed around 100 hairs a day. I have used around the size of a cap full of foam each morning, massaged into the sides of my hair at the scalp, and into the side parting. I have tried applying it wet or dry but prefer the feel of it in my hair when it's dry (however, you can do either). Success - week 13 and my hair has started to feel fuller, and I have lots of tiny new hairs sprouting, which to me signals that my hair is back in a growth phase.
Here's how easy it is to use.
In three easy steps, apply to dry hair in the parting of where your hair feels thinnest.
Always wash your hands with soap after each application.
You only need a small amount, which dries quickly, once dry heat style your hair as normal. I use it in the morning and then smooth my hair with a heated brush.
Saga Theoirie Thermal Brush, $175 - the process takes all of 6 minutes - see below how easy it is.
Regaine Women's Foam, $86 two-month supply or $130 for four-months supply, available at pharmacies nationwide.
Watch how to apply Women's Regaine Foam
