Krysia West, co-founder of Postiche Academy, salon owner and hair loss specialist and educator advises.
Hair loss and thinning is something that affects a large percentage of women and men in the UK.
It can be triggered by many different things and can affect people of all different ages. It is thought that around a quarter of women in the UK will suffer issues with hair loss before they turn 40. Having worked with clients in my salon at Perfectly Posh to help them with their hair loss journeys, I noticed there was a gap in the industry for widely available, professional and reliable advice to guide clients through this difficult experience. As a result, myself and my sister set up Postiche Academy. Our aim is to provide education for hairdressers on how to help their clients with hair loss and provide suitable solutions depending on each scenario.
There are some key signs you can look out for when it comes to hair loss. Being aware of these can potentially help your clients a great deal when it comes to their battle with thinning hair. Often the earlier signs are detecting and a treatment plan is put in place, the better the outcome is. Here’s 5 signs to make your clients aware of to look out for –
- A sudden reduction in the time it takes to dry their hair. You may notice this in the salon and likewise they may notice at home. Even if you are unsure if there is visibly less hair there, if it appears to take a lot less time to dry and their routine is the same this can be a warning of hair thinning.
- Being more aware of your scalp. This one can be tricky to determine however if your client is used to having a thick head of hair it’s likely they won’t be overly aware of extreme heat or cold on their scalp. If they are experiencing hair loss or thinning their scalp may become more exposed. They may then become more aware of this. Definitely something to be mindful of.
- Being aware of their diet and vitamin intake from their food or supplements. A healthy diet is important in maintaining healthy hair. If your client suffers from a deficiency in iron for example this could affect their hair. By educating them of this they can then monitor their hair and look out for signs of potential hair loss.
- Breakage when brushing or styling their hair. Whilst breakage is different to loss of their hair, it’s something to be aware of. Recommend that your clients take care of their hair as much as possible from the brushes they use through to how the style it and especially any extensions they clip in or have fitted elsewhere.
- Any family history of hair loss. It’s not always hereditary however it’s important to be aware if this is something suffered in their family before as it increases their chances of suffering too.
Being well equipped with the information and signs to look out for allows your clients the best possible chance to recognise any hair loss or thinning quickly. As hairdressers we have a responsibility to educate our clients.
For more information on learning how to support clients through hair loss and offer practical solutions, check out https://www.posticheacademy.co.uk/.
