Hair loss is a common problem among middle-aged men, but I started losing hair at a relatively young age of 23. My family history of baldness and a stressful life as an MBA student with a part-time job did not make things easy. The receding hairline soon became obvious and I turned extremely conscious about my appearance, as it made me look much older than I was. Then, my girlfriend told me about an innovative treatment called microneedling that claimed to reduce hair loss and re-grow hair. Although it sounded too good to be true, I opted for the treatment for the ray of hope it offered. The first few sessions had no effect and I noticed no growth of hair as the treatment had claimed. However, my girlfriend, who had taken the same treatment for acne scars said that the treatment showed slow, but sure results. After five sessions of microneedling, I noticed my hair line slowly returning to normal. Meanwhile, I had adopted a new lifestyle with less stress, no smoking, and more time for myself which I’d like to believe made a huge difference in reducing hair loss. Six months of treatment made a significant impact and my hair looks much better now. 

A few months ago, I underwent a spa treatment that turned out simply wrong for my hair. It started shedding from the roots and no topical applications suggested by the salon seemed to help. Within a matter of weeks, my thick hair had reduced in volume and the scalp was clearly visible every time I styled my hair with a side parting. After doing some research online, I came across a blogger who had suffered from the exact condition as mine and decided to try her course of action. First, I swapped my regular shampoo for a sulfate-free one from TIGI. Then, I began weekly massages with a mixture of lavender and almond oil and it seemed to work. When you find a remedy that works for you, the trick to speedy recovery is to follow it religiously. Every Saturday, I did the massage routine, followed a healthy diet all along, and took good care of my hair in general. After a month, there was no trace of hair loss. 

A few years ago, anemia made me lose hair rapidly. There used to be a lot of hair collected in the shower drain which made me extremely scared of going bald. I have never been a fan of taking dietary supplements and believe in natural remedies, although they are slow in showing results. My mother-in-law, who is a doctor, made a diet plan for me that included natural sources of iron such as leafy vegetables and liver. In about three months of following a balanced diet, the extent of hair fall reduced. This serves as proof that one does not have to resort to supplements to treat nutritional disorders and that a healthy diet is the secret to a healthy life. 

My family has a history of thyroid disorders and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism as a child. One of the ways this condition manifests is in the form of severe hair loss. As the thyroid condition cannot be cured entirety, I will keep losing hair. However, losing a few strands of hair isn’t the end of the world, as I realized. All women in my family have this problem and instead of worrying about balding, we take things in a lighter vein. Every Thanksgiving, we joke about how we look very different and that the only way people would know we are a family is by our sparse hair. Support from my family has been the ultimate strength in coping with hair loss. Every time I feel bad about not having the hair I want, I draw inspiration from a former colleague who battled cancer. The chemotherapy sessions made her completely bald yet she held her head high. Survivors like her serve as an inspiration to people like me. 

It has been two years since I have been suffering from acute hair loss. This condition resulted from a scalp infection and till date, I have not found any product that provides permanent relief. Every time I brushed my hair, strands of long, dark hair fell out in bunches. My doctor recommended a scalp therapy formula, insisted on using it every single day, and as long as I do that, there isn’t much hair loss. There are instances when I feel embarrassed to flaunt my almost-bald head, especially during social gatherings. I have a wig specially made for such occasions that looks exactly like the hair I used to have. When I don’t want to wear a wig, I just wear a scarf. There is no point in worrying about how life would be if I did not suffer from chronic hair loss. Instead, I choose to live everyday knowing that I am doing my best to take control of the situation.