Author: Jeffrey Paul

Interview with Valerie Fuentes: Overcoming Medical Hair Loss Summit

by Jeffrey Paul


When Valerie Fuentes was diagnosed with alopecia in her early 20s, she did what most people would do: she faced it. She accepted it for what it was, and learned how to cope.

But despite her bravery, she felt what anyone in her position would feel: a sense of being let down. She would wonder, why am I failing myself? Why is my body not working?

She spent many years focused on how to get her hair to grow back and regain what she had lost. There were countless treatments and shampoos over the years. “You name it,” recalls Valerie, “I spent all my time, my money and my energy on it, because I wanted my hair back.” 

It became all-consuming, until Valerie made a realization: she was the only one who could change her life.

While Valerie still deals with alopecia on a daily basis, her outlook on life has changed. Her perspective of herself changed, which caused a shift in the conversations she had with herself. The realization came during a bout of depression over life with alopecia, when it occurred to her that she can have the life that she wants. She gets to live, and gets to decide what she will do with her life. 

From then on, Valerie would look at herself in the mirror and tell herself five powerful words: “You’re not your hair, Valerie.” 

It took years of soul searching to get to this point, but the choice she made to not stop her life because of hair loss was an important one. It took courage, and is a daily, ongoing effort.

Valerie now advocates for others to stay strong in the wake of hair loss, and to not let it stop them from living the best life possible. She works to prevent others from going through the same depths of depression she faced due to hair loss and wants others to know they are not alone in the journey.

Valerie will be hosting Overcoming Medical Hair Loss, a 21 day summit beginning February 24 with speakers from across the country. Experts in the industry will speak over the course of three weeks, delivering inspirational and uplifting interviews daily to recipients’ inboxes. They will share the tools, resources, coaching and support it takes to have a better life while living with hair loss.

Valerie strives to serve the community of those suffering from hair loss due to medical issues, and firmly believes it’s not one solution that will bring your life or your hair back, it’s a holistic approach. 

One important thing to remember: “You’re not dealing with hair loss, you’re living with hair loss,” says Valerie.

Differences Come Over Time

Every day is just one step at a time. Valerie finds strength within and is now sharing that strength with others.

It’s important to feel your feelings, and give yourself permission to feel sad and upset over the loss of your hair. The feelings are valid.

But it’s your choice what happens next. 

Valerie believes there are three important steps on the path to living with hair loss:

Step One: Have a conversation with yourself. You’re not your hair, but you’re still you. Remember, you get to look the way you want to look. Feel your feelings, then let the guilt go.

Step Two: What you get to do about it. Live your life every day, just one step at a time.

Step Three: Have a strong support system. Your hairdresser is an important part of the process, so choose one who’s sensitive to you and your needs, knows your journey and what you’ve been through. Be open with your family and friends. Surround yourself with positivity and remember, you’re not alone.

There is another side, and everyone can to the other side of this just like Valerie, by taking things one step at a time. Release the focus on it being all about the hair, and enjoy life and live it fully.

Signup Today for Overcoming Medical Hair Loss Summit

Sign up today at www.overcomingmedicalhairloss.com. Leave your name and email to register. The summit begins February 24, so don’t wait! Every expert will have a free gift.

Don’t forget, beauty begins within.

Free eBook

To Download Your Complete Maintenance Guide including product checklists, and your Step-By-Step Guide for Daily- Wear Maintenance, click here 

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5 Hair Strengthening Tips You Should Be Using

by Jeffrey Paul

Whether you have your natural hair, colored or processed hair, a wig, hairpiece or extensions, all these hair types have one thing in common: they need to be strengthened on a regular basis. There are many ways to strengthen the hair, but without knowing the correct way to go about it, you can actually cause damage by overdoing it. Here are 5 tips to effectively strengthen your hair.

Protein Size Matters

Just like your body, your hair needs protein and other nutrients to stay healthy. Protein helps rebuild and strengthen hair strands, maintaining your hair’s health. Without enough protein in your hair, it will become damaged, with snags causing split ends. Hair processed for wigs and hairpieces can become depleted and will continue to lose protein without extra treatments. The protein your hair needs is a molecular size, which is very small, meaning that it can penetrate into the hair and stay there.

Keep Hair Regularly Moisturized to Avoid Permanent Damage

When your hair is in need of moisture, the cuticle rises. Once it does so, it doesn’t close down and there is nothing that can bring it back to its original state. Therefore, it’s important to prevent this from happening by maintaining the amount of moisture in your hair. Regular protein treatments can help with this, as well as conditioning clean hair.

Spray Conditioner Coats the Hair Without Adding Weight

A coat of light spray conditioner in the morning can lubricate the hair without weighing it down. Leave in conditioner prevents the hair from tangling, which causes it from needing more moisture. Spray generously throughout the day, particularly in the morning as you’re beginning your day and in the evening as you’re winding it down, but also throughout the day as your hair becomes exposed to heat, cold or friction, for added protection.

Avoid Exposing the Hair to Friction to Avoid Breakage

The most common exposure to friction for your hair is your pillowcase. We recommend using a satin pillowcase, as its texture stops the friction against the cuticle. If you don’t have a satin pillowcase, wrap your hair in a silk scarf for the same effect. Other sources of friction include hats or caps that can be tough on hair, which weaken the hair when there’s too much direct contact with the material.

Comb Gently and Avoid Heat

Start from the bottom of the hair and work your way toward the scalp. You’ll want a quality comb or hairbrush, so avoid plastic to prevent your hair strands from being strained. Fiber-based brushes tend to work well against breakage. Avoid too much exposure to heat, as that can easily weaken the hair. Direct heat from hair dryers and styling tools are especially harmful, so opt for minimal heat.

Keep your hair looking beautiful everyday by giving it strength, elasticity and moisture. These tips can help you preserve your hair’s health. Want to continue maintaining your beautiful hair? Contact our team today!

5 Steps for Maintaining Beautiful Hair

by Jeffrey Paul

 

The key to healthy, natural-looking hair is cleaning it to keep it fresh. To maintain your hair, you must clean it regularly. When washing your hair, you’ll want to be sure you don’t damage the hair along the way. 

Here are the 5 steps to showering to avoid damage to your hair. Follow these basic fundamentals to keep your hair looking luminous and clean.

1. Pre-Wash

To begin, you’ll want to remove tangles and knots from your hair. Using a brush and moisturizing detangler, rid your hair of snarls before getting it wet. This will prevent breakage down the line. Pay special attention to the ends of the hair and the nape area where friction is greatest. Next, you’ll pre-condition, distributing the product evenly throughout the hair. Once you’ve worked it in, rinse with lukewarm —not hot— water. Hot water dries out hair and strips it of the much-needed nutrients, and even color. Rinse out the conditioner in a waterfall-like motion to avoid damaging the hair. Don’t let the water hit the hair directly where it is tied to the base. Make sure all product has been removed from the hair before moving on.

2. Cleanse

Work in an appropriate amount of shampoo with lukewarm water. Comb the product into the hair with your fingers carefully to avoid creating knots. Rinse out the shampoo, again in a waterfall motion to avoid damage. Once again, you’ll want to keep the water from hitting the hair directly where it is tied to the base, and rinse out the product thoroughly. Use lukewarm water rather than hot because hot water causes color to fade by lifting the cuticle of the hair.

3. Rinse and Repair

Repairing hair ensures it is moisturized and prevents additional breakage. To repair your hair, apply a protein treatment, working the product from mid-strands to end. Do not rinse it out until the next step is applied, as repair continues. Next, you’ll want to apply an appropriate amount of moisturizing detangling conditioner to the hair, over where the protein treatment was placed. Using your fingers as a comb, distribute the product throughout your hair, avoiding the roots. Keep the treatment on for three minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water in a waterfall motion.

4. Towel Dry

With your hands, towel dry your hair, squeezing out all excess water carefully. Use a friction-free towel to blot out any remaining excess water. Using a blotting technique, move the towel around the entire surface of the hair to absorb moisture. Turn your head upside down and shake out any remaining water. This will put body back into the knots that secure the hair to the base. 

5. Post-Wash

To finish, you’ll want to re-secure your attachment. Press down around the outer perimeter of the hair replacement or extensions to re-secure the attachment. Hydrate your hair by spraying an appropriate amount of leave-in protein product. Use your fingers to work the product into the hair. This will hydrate your hair and make it easier to comb through. Keep your hair protected by spraying a liberal amount of moisturizing detangler and work it throughout your hair with your fingers. Keep your hair feeling refreshed throughout the day to avoid buildup with anti-bacterial spray or toner daily. 

Following these steps is the key to prolonging the life of your hair. Knowing how to moisturize, cleanse, rinse and dry your hair correctly prevents breakage and avoids damage, leaving you with healthy, beautiful hair. We want you to look natural, beautiful and feel like yourself. 

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How to Stay Warm This Winter Without Damaging Your Hairpiece

by Jeffrey Paul

The cold weather has arrived, and with it, the need for heavy jackets, hats and scarves. Those blistering winds will have you wanting to keep every inch tucked away, and if you wear a hairpiece, this can present a unique challenge.

When your hair rubs against the back of your neck and another material, such as a wool scarf, it creates friction. Friction can unfortunately lead to hair breakage, split ends and frizziness. Breakage can result in hair tangling and even hair loss. Additionally, extreme temperatures, both too hot and too cold, can negatively impact your hairpiece.

Here at Jeffrey Paul Hair and Scalp Specialists, we want your hair to look healthy, glowing and beautiful all year round. Here’s how you can stay warm this winter, without causing damage to your hairpiece.

Silk Scarf

Silk scarves can provide warmth just as well as wool scarves, making them a great alternative for those who wear hairpieces. The material is smooth so they won’t cause friction, yet they preserve heat. Silk preserves the moisture in your hairpiece, to avoid drying out the hair. Wigs lose moisture when exposed to the cold, and silk helps to lock in the hydration.

Silk Hat

Silk can also be used to protect your hair from your warm winter hats. In addition to wool, cotton, acrylic and other coarse (but warm) fabrics can be detrimental to your hairpiece. The good news is you can still wear them if you line the interior with silk or satin. Just like with the scarf around your neck damaging your hair from underneath, hats can damage the hair at the top of your head. To preserve your hairpiece, simply sew the silk or satin material into your favorite winter hat. This will also limit your hair’s exposure to the cold temperatures, protecting it against the damage caused by wind and snow.

Moisturize

It’s also important to moisturize your hairpiece during the winter months, to combat the brutal temperatures outside. This can be done by deep conditioning your wig or using products like a hair mask. Another way to maintain the moisture in your wig is by limiting the use of straighteners, curling irons and blow dryers. However, it’s also important to note that you should never go outside in freezing temperatures with your wig when it’s still wet. The hair can freeze, which can cause it to break more easily.

Hair care during the winter months is crucial to making your hairpiece last. A hairpiece made from human hair needs just as much care as your natural care to protect it against cool winter temperatures. Hair maintenance is key to keeping your wig’s shape, thickness and look intact during this time of year.

Schedule Your Consultation Today!

Do you wear a hairpiece, wig or hair extensions, or are you experiencing hair loss? You’re not alone. Click here to schedule your free consultation today. A member of our team will learn more about your condition and help you find a solution.