“Don’t let haters get me off my grind, Whip my hair, if I know I’ll be fine.” Ha,ha, you know you want to sing along! But guys, for those of you who don’t know, my hair is actually something I have cried many tears over. Four years ago I was diagnosed with something called androgenetic alopecia, and it’s a fancy way of saying, “Heidi. You’re going to start losing your hair.” Definitely not what anyone wants to hear, especially a woman. And especially as one of four children whose three other siblings all have gorgeous, thick hair!

Hair loss is something I have learned is a real thing that so many of us silently and shamefully deal with as we age and as our hormone levels change, and guys, I’m standing up today to let you know that you don’t have to feel that way. That first of all, you’re not alone. And second, there are things you can do to help slow the loss. I have tried every trick in the book, and today, I’m sharing my seven favorite products that I’ve used over the years to help me regrow my hair and prevent further loss from happening.

Do hair extensions cause hair loss?

Before I dive into my favorite products, I want to talk about my hair extensions! I get questions all the time from people who have been told that extensions will only cause MORE hair loss. And yes, they absolutely can! If you’re considering getting extensions, I cannot stress enough how important it is you have a conversation with your stylist first. Make sure they know about your hair loss, and that way you two can research and figure out the best type of extensions for you. You want to make sure that with anything you do, you take those extra precautions because the last thing you want is for your solution to actually contribute to further hair loss.

The second thing worth mentioning is I KNOW there will be people who watch this video or read this blog and come at me as being too vain. They will tell me that we are all beautiful in our own way and what really matters is what’s on the inside. And yes, I agree 1000% with both those statements (not the vanity part, though). But I have to be honest that this is my truth. Am I a confident woman? Yes. But I also come from a traditional era where society taught us that a woman is considered beautiful by her outward appearance. Long hair was something to be celebrated, and when you’ve gone from having something your whole life to it all of a sudden being taken away from you, guys, it can be a hard pill to swallow. So, yes, I want to celebrate my inner beauty, and YES, I wholeheartedly will celebrate your inner beauty. This isn’t about vanity; it’s about finding ways to feel confident, and if hair loss is one of your things, then it’s okay to be upset about what’s happening, and it’s okay to want to change it. So, without further adieu…

• Favorite shampoos: Monat Intense Repair Shampoo and Monat Intense Repair Conditioner and Monat Intense Repair Treatment

The shampoo you use is super important because what we put in our hair can contribute in BIG ways to the overall health of our scalp. One of my best resources is Carly from the National Hair Loss Association, and the biggest piece of advice she’s given me over the years is to keep my scalp healthy and clean. When we don’t wash our hair, the hair follicles can become clogged with buildup. And when the follicles become clogged, it stunts hair growth because the blood vessels begin to shrink and constrict and the flow and absorption of nutrients gets limited. You want to wash your hair daily so you can massage and slough away the dead cells. I use Monat Intense Repair Shampoo and Monat Intense Repair Conditioner every other wash, cycled through with other shampoos that have volumizing and color-boosting effects.

Monat Intense Repair Treatment: this should be used after every hair wash to help stimulate the hair follicles and allow your scalp to better absorb nutrients. I use this immediately followed by my favorite gadget that’s always sure to get a couple stares.

• Laser therapy cap

Capillus Laser Therapy Cap: I wear this thing every single day for 6 minutes, most of the time while I’m dropping my kids off at school (you can imagine how much they love me for that!). This cap provides red light therapy, which opens up and dilates the blood vessels so that the nutrients can actually reach the hair follicles. There’s a 97% success rate for people who consistently use this product who actually stop losing their hair, and a 70-80% success rate for people experiencing regrowth. Needless to say, I’ve been wearing this bad boy religiously 6 minutes per day for the last four years. And here’s a less expensive option too!

• Bosley Bov Revive

I’ll be honest, this product is new to my regimen. And I’ve been told that you’ll start seeing results almost immediately after you start using it, but that once you stop, you’ll start to lose the hair you’ve grown again. I can’t speak to either of those facts, but I can say that I will keep you posted!

• Anuva Scalp Vitalizing Complex

This is like vitamins for your scalp. I use this product at night while I’m sleeping. I usually cycle through the other sprays and this one—I never use them all at the same time because I feel it’s important to keep things fresh so my body doesn’t adjust and get used to the same products.

• AHair Hearts Gummy Vitamins.

If you’re wanting a vitamin that helps with hair health, tastes amazing, and is made by a woman and company with great integrity, then look no further! You all have heard me gush about my own stylist: Hair By Chrissy. She teamed up with some amazing people to come up with a formulation full of the cleanest ingredients to make your hair the healthiest version it can be, and guys, I’m in love.

So, there you have it! My seven tried-and-true products that I’m using to grow these luscious locks. If you are someone who is also dealing with hair loss, I want you to know three additional things:

You are beautiful.

You are worthy.

You are enough.

I hope you can put these tips and tricks in your tool belt and restore some of the hair and the confidence you might have lost. Know that you are NOT alone in this journey! If you’re looking for additional resources, you can contact Carly at the National Hair Loss Association, and don’t forget to drop a comment below and let me know one of two things:

1. What else do you want to learn about?
2. What products are you using for your hair that you can’t live without?!

xo,

Related reading:

Ruby Review: Lime Crime Unicorn Hair + Favorite Hair Color for Kids? Products
What the Gut? || The Ins and Outs of Gut Health
My Hair Secret: The How-To
Daily Makeup Routine for Busy Moms
Keep It Simple: My Morning Routine