The other day I was surfing the internet and stumbled across an advertisement for the OOKISA hair products. The advertisement stated it regrows hair, so of course I had to immediately inspect it. I quickly clicked on to the link and was taken to the OOKISA website. I was greeted by the little cartoon above, which I have to admit, is super cute. In fact it actually is a little animation, and her hair goes from short to long on a loop. I want to preface this post by saying I am not trying to attack the product, but I have some serious issues with the claims they are making on their website. I have no issue with the hair volumizing, extra shine claims, I definitely think that is possible with a really nice shampoo, but hair growth?
Their website states the following, “In addition, these ingredients improved hair flexibility, enhanced moisture retention and stimulated key factors involved with the growth of new hair. This resulted in an overall youthful appearance to hair.”
What are the key factors? I searched the product list and found a:
“Fortifying Shampoo” which the company states “powerfully cleanses and removes polluting and clogging substances that damage hair and keep you from achieving optimum hair thickness.” Contrary to what some may believe, clogged pores do not cause hair loss. Having said, that it is nice to be squeaky clean, so okay I’ll bite, and say this may be a nice quality shampoo for having clean hair.
They also offer a “Replenishing Conditioner” which states “moisturizes hair and is lightweight,” big plus for thin hair gals, but still haven’t seem the active growing agent.
I spot a “Instant Volumizing Souffle” which I admit sounds quite tantalizing to my follicles. Do I put it on my head or eat it? I love soufflé! [click to continue…]
I never really stop to think how much effort I put into trying NOT to think about my hair loss and how exhausting not thinking about my hair loss actually is.
I avoid mirrors, strong overhead restaurant lighting, I turn the bathroom lights off before going in (in my house). I’d do it in public to if I didn’t think I’d get tons of grumbles and nasty comments from the women already in there. Ha! Unless they had hair loss, then they’d give me a high five. Typically when I need light I use softer lights that are sort of dimmed.
Up in the morning, early 5:00am start to the day. I shower and I comb my hair quickly trying to get past the torture. Shower is always fun pulling the hair out of all sorts of odd places including my deriere. Oops stuck between my fingers, rinse it off, rinse it off or paste it on the bathroom wall. Always fun to look at after. Comb, scoop, comb, scoop, hair into the toilet. I pull my hair back in a ponytail or up in a clip to avoid feeling the hair fall all day. However, (as thin hair ladies know) the clip can hurt since it sits so close to the scalp with none of that pesky “hair padding,” it can become quite itchy and bothersome, so I loosen it up to make sure it’s perfect and set for the day. Oops now my hair looks flat on the left side. Do it again…oops now it’s flat on the right. Oh my gosh I look like a 
human ice cream cone, with no hair on the sides and a little on the top, the shape of my head has me looking like a Mister Softee. Do it again, darn it now my gaping center part is shining for all the world to see. Hummm I don’t remember it being that thin before. Maybe I should use the blow dryer some more. Blow to the left, blow it to the right. Apply clip strategy again, ah this “style” is okay. My simple clip style takes longer than it looks, same for the ponytail. This hair over that hair, brush here, brush there, trying to maximize every strand. Volumizing shampoo, volumizing conditioner, volumizing spray, volumizing mousse, plump this plump that. Poof it’s still flat. Part my hair one millimeter to the left of its normal part, nope, one millimeter to the right, yes that’s just perfect. Now I can begin my day. I glance at my watch, I wonder what activities are left to do on this Saturday at 10pm.
Happy Sunday Ladies! [click to continue…]
I got up this morning, walked the dog, came home, fed the dog. Threw on some workout clothes and hopped down to the gym (garage). I put my earphones on, I turn the ipod on, and I started the treadmill. The first song queued up is one of my favorites, and it just puts my mind at such ease and makes me smile. The song only lasts three minutes and thirty five seconds, but that’s enough. Enough to put my mind in the right mood and enough to set my day up with possibility. I of course played the song over and over since I wanted to draw out as much serenity as possible 🙂 I jogged along and felt content and… dare I say… happy. Sure my hair is falling out, it fell in the sink, it fell in my coffee, stuck to my sweatshirt, but I was happy. In that moment I felt right.
I think we need to take more time for ourselves, to do the things we enjoy and remind ourselves of living. It’s way to easy to obsess about our hair loss and worry about the future, but in doing so, we so frequently miss out on today, the beauty around us, the beauty within.
So now I know you are dying to know what song I was listening to. Well here it is for your listening pleasure (just click on the play button below) and your three minutes of freedom:
“Put Your Records On” By Corinne Bailey Rae – Best 0.99 cents I ever spent on iTunes!
[audio:https://www.womenshairlossproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/happysong.mp3]
Wishing you all a beautiful and HAPPY Friday!
Enjoy life, enjoy freedom, enjoy being you.
A blog from the network, written by Bonnie.
Well, this was intended be a simple little blog about asking you all to sign a petition asking Bayer, the manufacturer of Mirena, to fully disclose the side effects of Mirena to potential patients. But in checking back to the Mirena website to make sure I accurately used their wording concerning hair loss, I have now found that instead of just burying it as an “uncommon side effect, affecting less than 5% of users,” they have now removed it all together. I am so outraged that I am literally shaking! I am almost in tears. When I initially figured out that the Mirena was what was causing my hair loss, I found on their website that it listed “hair loss” as an uncommon side effect (though I do not feel that something affecting up to 1 in 20 users should be considered “uncommon”). In January, they updated their site to read “changes in normal hair growth cycles.” And now, the only place that you can find anything listed on their site about hair loss is under the Physician Information tab. It lists Alopecia as an uncommon side effect. “Alopecia is NOT listed in the Patient Information or Safety Information section at all. It simply says, “for a complete list of side effects, please contact your health care provider.” The pamphlet I was given did not list hair loss, alopecia or changes in normal hair growth cycles. How in the world are women supposed to get accurate information?
I had a Mirena for 11 months beginning in 11/07. Without even going into the horror story of how it was inserted, I basically bled for almost 11 months straight, and was told this was “normal” and that it would eventually stop. I noticed significant hair loss in August 2008 and was diagnosed with a very low ferritin level (I guess that’s what happens when you bleed literally all of the time!). I did mention the Mirena to my GP but she did not think it was a factor. I started taking iron supplements, as well as many other vitamins, but my hair loss just continued and I became very depressed. My hair loss got worse and worse and I just could not figure out what was causing it. I was literally always the healthiest person I knew. [click to continue…]
by Rebecca on March 1, 2009
This beautiful story of inspiration, strength and understanding was written by Becca, a member of The Women’s Hair Loss Project Network.
Yesterday started like one of those days that you don’t even want to get out of bed for me. Tuesday, my 2 year old and I both had the stomach flu, so between her vomiting anything that went in and me having a mind numbing headache, we survived. My husband decided that he would take the day off yesterday to help us recooperate and maybe do the five loads of vomit laundry that we accumulated. I had to get my normal bloodwork done, I have it done every two weeks because of my hypothyroidism, so we had to find a lab that would accept my new insurance. I had some bad experiences in the past with waiting in the lobby of these places, till they actually forgot I was there and turned out all the lights. I didn’t want another experience like that, especially being sicker than I normally am.
I reluctantly put on a wig, it was colder here so no bald head outside, and we left the house. Once we got to the labcorp building I just wanted to go home and lay in bed with a bucket. After registering with what I thought was just a receptionist, she informed me she does the whole shebang, registery, bloodwork, and follow-up. While she was entering all my new information, she turned around and said, “Ya know, I was just diagnosed with what you are getting bloodwork for.” I laughed a little and said good luck! Here is a woman in her early 50’s, very put together, almost looking defeated when I said that. I realized how it came across and I explained to her that what I have is a very rare form of the disease and all my symptoms are extremely heightened. She asked me about some of the symptoms, like my hands and feet fall asleep, my joints ache, exhaustion constantly, etc. And then she mentioned hair loss. I’m not one to get embarrassed, so I just told her, “Yeah, mine is so bad, I shaved my head a few weeks ago.” She just looked at me and then told me that she too, is having hair loss in quarter sized patches and it scares her. I thought of all you ladies immediately!! I could see in her face this look of upsetedness and sympathy. I knew what I had to do for her and the hairlossproject. I told her how devastating it was for me at first and how I found support with you ladies. I told her how I cried all the time at first and really felt alone. I told her that acceptance will come, no matter what happens with her hair. [click to continue…]
