Love is a many-splendored thing, and so is healthy hair. As with every aspect of wellness, multiple factors affect the growth and quality of our hair, so it stands to reason that effectively treating hair thinning and hair shedding will require a multi-targeted approach as well. Understanding this led three health innovators – a male model, an entrepreneurial cancer survivor, and an M.D.—to create the Nutrafol brand of hair growth supplements in 2015.
Nutrafol is recognized as the category creator of hair wellness, using a patented blend of medical-grade phytoactives and proprietary ingredients tailored to specifically address the biological needs of women and men. The ingredients in Nutrafol’s clinically proven formulations work to improve overall hair health and can also contribute to improved skin and nails, better sleep, and more balanced stress levels.
One of Nutrafol’s three founders is Sophia Kogan, M.D., a New York based holistic wellness expert who now serves as the brand’s Chief Medical Advisor. Nutrafol is the only hair supplement brand to offer a product specifically for women in menopause, and just recently added Nutrafol Postpartum for new mothers as well! Dr. Kogan says, “We created Nutrafol Postpartum to support and help postpartum women get through the period of excess shedding and grow healthier hair with a breastfeeding-friendly nutraceutical. This formula leverages the science behind postpartum hair biology to address common root causes in this specific period of life with natural ingredients that support whole-body recovery and hair health as women navigate the incredible, yet oftentimes challenging transition from pregnancy to motherhood.”
Postpartum shedding is normal and happens to most women about 3-6 months after childbirth in response to major shifts in estrogen and progesterone, which suddenly drop after birth, while cortisol (a spiky, snarky stress-hormone similar to adrenalin) rises by almost 200%. The postpartum supplement is physician-formulated and OBGYN developed and is designed with ingredients that address the underlying factors that further contribute to hair thinning, namely the physical stress of childbirth, the emotional stress of being a new mom, and the inevitable postpartum nutritional gaps (Pea Sprout and Apple Extracts to the rescue!).
Nutrafol Postpartum is recommended for as long as the woman chooses to breastfeed. When no longer breastfeeding, Nutrafol recommends switching to Nutrafol Women, one of the brand’s product offerings to support healthy hair growth beyond postpartum.
Not Just For Moms
Picture property of Glynis Ablon, MD, FAAD.
Dr. Kogan reminds us, “Research shows that all hair thinning is multi-factorial. Many internal and external factors are involved, such as genetics, hormones, immune regulation, oxidative damage, aging, stress, microbiome health, nutrition and more. From a holistic standpoint, the hair is ultimately a manifestation of what’s happening internally.”
Stress is cumulative, and may be produced by the accumulation of micro-stressors. These are two reasons that many of us fail to acknowledge the role that stress plays in our health. Things may seem “fine”. But everyday aggravations can prevent your body and mind from ever fully relaxing and restoring your vital energies. Constant, low-grade stress causes problems, evident by those hunks of hair in your comb and shower-drain.
She explains that system-wide inflammation is generally the culprit for hair-thinning and shedding, and that the experience may be more traumatic for women than men, since men anticipate some degree of balding based on family history. “Why can men talk about it and we can’t?” asks Dr. Kogan. “I want women’s hair thinning to become a non-taboo conversation, because the more people know, the more they can do something about it.”
Nutrafol is the only hair wellness brand which also offers a formulation specifically tailored to the needs of women peri- and post-menopause. The new arrival, Nutrafol Postpartum, joins three other formulations:
- Nutrafol Women multi-targets the root causes of thinning hair, using ingredients that support whole-body health from within.
- Nutrafol Women’s Balance is formulated for women experiencing hair thinning during menopause—and is the only supplement of its kind on the market.
- Nutrafol Men addresses multiple causes of male hair thinning, especially stress, hormonal shifts and changes in metabolism.
In addition to these four products, a client’s hair growth journey taking Nutrafol may be enhanced with Nutrafol targeted Boosters.
In The Salon
Many hair stylists may recognize hair thinning and shedding in the chair. Angelique Vailes, hair stylist and licensed trichologist at AV Healing Hands in the Washington, DC area, says “When my clients ask for advice, I let them know that hair thinning starts from within. What they’re eating shows up on the scalp. Nutrafol provides the body with high-quality nutrients that they might be lacking and works to combat hair-thinning triggers to allow for optimal hair wellness. It’s a three-part process. I first take them through a body detox, then I detox their scalp, and then I present them with the programs that best fit their hair-thinning issue.”
Integrating the Nutrafol system into your salon menu may have many benefits, especially when it comes to cementing client loyalty. Explore building stress-reduction techniques into scalp treatments, and offer clients DIY scalp care kits to use between visits.
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