Does the sight of a client’s thinning strands fill you with dread? Are you hesitant to answer your guests’ questions about managing hair loss? Are you afraid these conversations will be uncomfortable? They don’t have to be.

In fact, the conversations you have with clients about their hair health should be positive and solution-based. And it all starts with education right in your chair.

Dispelling the Myth

As a stylist, you get a front-row seat to your client’s hair on a regular basis. You’re viewing it from the top and able to see changes in thickness and texture long before he or she does. And these changes can mean any number of things are going on with your client’s overall health.

While genetics certainly play a part in the texture and thickness of hair, clients don’t realize there are many other factors at play—and they can do something about it.

“Hair wellness is about going inside out as opposed to going outside in,” Dr. Sophia Kogan, co-founder and chief medical advisor of Nutrafol, says. “There’s always a component of what’s happening internally, so everyone has a chance to be pro-active in their hair health, just as they do in other aspects of their health.”

Starting early with preventative measures is key, but first clients need to get to the root of the problem.

“When we think of hair loss, thinning or even just sub-optimal hair, we often think it’s localized at the scalp,” Kogan says. “But the hair follicle is sensitive to everything happening in the body, not just the scalp. So when we developed Nutrafol, we thought about rebalancing internal pathways to get results on the outside. The idea is to bring everything into balance—hormones, the immune system, stress, cortisol levels, etc., as opposed to looking at just one area to work on.”

In a society where everyone is chronically stressed, clients should know how it may be affecting their hair follicles. In addition to stress, aging, hormonal shifts, and environmental triggers produce inflammation that disrupt the hair follicle and inhibit hair growth.

“People who start treating their hair health earlier see better results,” Kogan says. “It’s a progressive thing. Whether you’re a man or woman, at some point your hair will change, but women are more blindsided when they experience hair loss or have a texture change since they don’t expect it.”

But Kogan maintains as long as you can stay balanced internally, you will see more consistency in your hair thickness and texture. But first, clients need to be educated and informed.

A Positive Conversation

Behind the chair, hairstylists have the best opportunity to ask questions, educate and guide the client to pursuing a diagnosis and solution.

“Fifty percent of hair follicles have to be affected before a person starts to see their own hair loss with the naked eye,” Kogan says. “So the first person to really notice it would be the stylist, which makes them the first line of defense in early detection and prevention.”

Once stylists are educated on what to look out for, they can have positive conversations with their clients and direct them to the right resources.

“Stylists should be looking for changes in texture and density, and ask about shedding,” Kogan says. “They’re not expected to diagnosis their clients—just observe and notice sudden shifts.”

As stress can be a major factor in hair health, Kogan recommends stylists ask clients the following questions:

1. Do you have time for self care?

2. How is your energy level? (It should be higher in the morning and lower at night. It can be reversed if they are chronically stressed.)

3. What’s your diet like? What kinds of foods do you eat?

4. Have you been experiencing a change in texture or density in your hair? Are you seeing more hair on your floor?

“Don’t get too diagnostic—that is a doctor’s job,” Kogan says. “But have the conversation and encourage them to see a doctor for routine blood tests. It should be an open conversation the client is partaking in as well.”

Kogan says clients are often hesitant to bring it up with their doctors because they fear there is no solution. But a stylist can put those fears at ease and let the client know options are available.

Next Steps

The hair health conversation should be positive, leaving the client feeling ready to pursue treatment options with their doctor.

“Environment and genes do play a role, but that’s not all there is to it,” Kogan says. “We need to talk to clients about all the things that affect their body from the inside out and how to explore options in treatment.”

Nutrafol supplements offer a natural solution to each person’s unique hair issues. Stress, hormones, nutrition, environment, and metabolism are some of the factors that affect hair wellness. The result can be a shift in the hair growth cycle leading to compromised hair growth. Nutrafol supplements contain clinically tested ingredients that help correct these imbalances in the body and are proven to improve hair growth and hair quality.

Next month, learn more about the ingredients in Nutrafol that promote hair wellness.