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Hair loss

Women, get used to sticking that ball of hair to the shower wall every morning: Hair loss is inevitable. “There are as many women suffering from hair loss as men,” says Philip Kingsley, a trichologist with 50 years’ experience. “Four in every five women are seeing their hair thin.”

HAIR LOSS “You also have what Dr. Kingsley calls a ‘tug test,’ wherein he determines how many strands come out of your head after a gentle yank.”

At 29, I’d noticed that my hair was “suddenly” fine and that it had mysteriously stopped growing past my shoulders. Scary-Fact Alert: You need to have lost a minimum of 15 percent of your hair volume before you even begin to notice the depletion (this generally takes about three to four years, as hair goes through phases: growth, resting and dormant). Fifteen percent is significant, yes, but there are steps one can take to stimulate the hair’s regrowth. Better yet, a lot are easy to employ.

In the first consultation at the Philip Kingsley Trichological Clinic (16 E 52nd St between Fifth and Madison Aves, 212-753-9600; with the guru himself $275, with staff trichologists $210), you give a detailed description of your health, outlining your diet, medical history, stress levels, etc. You also have what Dr. Kingsley calls a “tug test,” wherein he determines how many strands come out of your head after a gentle yank. You’re then prescribed a personalized regimen of shampoos and conditioners, scalp tonics and vitamins, and, depending on the severity of hair loss, a small topical dose of minoxidil—all made in-house at the clinic.

In addition to all that, you’re encouraged to schedule hour-long scalp treatments ($85) every couple of weeks. A technician massages menthol-based cream into the scalp to stimulate the follicles, then a deep conditioner uses steam and penetrating infrared heat lamps to kindle growth. Whenever I left a session (I went once a week), my hair felt immediately softer and healthier. After two months of treatments, my mane also seemed fuller.

Kingsley asks that you get blood work done to aid in identifying the cause and source of the thinning hair. Hair loss is a reflection of something not quite right metabolically, so oftentimes hormone, iron and thyroid levels can be adjusted to the optimum level for your hair follicles. I was put on a series of about ten vitamins a day, including protein supplements, vitamin B and gelatin. Changing one’s diet to raise protein and iron intake (e.g., eggs for breakfast, chicken or tuna for lunch) is a key part of the process. Additionally, any significant trauma in hormones (childbirth, change of birth-control pill), emotional stress (grieving, a physical accident) or antidepressant medications can alter hair structure.

The basic theory is that if you lay the right groundwork and attack the problem at the source, the hair should follow. Treating your hair like a vital organ will ensure you avoid a “bad hair day,” a phrase Kingsley claims he coined almost 30 years ago—and one that I hope I don’t have to use for a long time. —Kristina Dechter