As far as I can tell, actress and comedian Kathy Griffin wears wigs all the time now for hosting gigs, public appearances, TV show guest appearances, and during her stand up shows. Does Kathy Griffin have hair loss? Otherwise, why wear a wig?
A few weeks ago I caught Kathy Griffin as a guest star on the TV sitcom Whitney, and I thought, “that’s got to be a wig.” Her hair was so big, and so perfect on the show. Sure some people have hair like that, but hers was sooo big and sooo perfect that it made me curious. I did some research, and it turns out it’s no secret that Kathy Griffin wears a wig! She admits to it - at least according to what I’ve read on the internet. I have never heard Kathy actually say she wears a wig, but other people claim they have – I guess that’s what Judge Judy would call hearsay. It turns out she has a best-selling book: A Memoir According To Kathy Griffin, so I wonder if she mentions it there?
As annoying and fame-whorish as she can sometimes be (sorry Kathy), I love that Kathy is open and honest about her struggles with accepting her appearance. And I appreciate that she, along with Joan Rivers (who makes my favorite hair concealing product), talks openly about her experiences with plastic surgery. I know it’s nobody’s business what you’ve done, but I am bad at keeping secrets about myself, and if I was a celebrity I would probably go on and on about what I’ve had done (including hair stuff). Since Kathy Griffin admits to having liposuction, a nose job, brow lift, face lift, eye lift, teeth veneers, Botox, and more, I believe that she probably has admitted that she wears a wig too.
• So why does Kathy Griffin wear a wig?
I have a few theories. Since Kathy’s had so much work done on her face, there’s a good chance she has scars from plastic surgery near her hairline, or her hair could have receded in the front from the face lift. It’s actually common for women to experience hair loss at the site of face lift incisions, and a receding hairline is another common side effect from the surgery.
Also, Kathy Griffin is now 51, so she could have some age-related hair thinning. She may have normal, average looking hair, but obviously she cares greatly about her appearance, so why settle for average hair, when you can have Hollywood hair instead? I am reminded of fellow redhead Christina Hendricks, who also has average hair, but Christina achieves Hollywood hair by wearing hair pieces and wigs. In Hollywood, it’s go big or go home. It seems like a lot of female celebrities will do whatever they can to achieve perfection – Kathy Griffin says getting lipo almost killed her, yet she later went back for more! So wearing a little fake hair is obviously no big deal when you think about it.
Finally, even when I had normal hair, I hated styling it all the time, and it never looked that good, so it’s probably easier to pop on an expensive wig and be out the door. Although, I have a feeling even a wig needs to be professionally styled for an hour to look perfect, so I don’t know how much time it would really save. Judging from older photos, it’s obvious Kathy Griffin has worn hair extensions in the past to add length and volume, but maybe she’s discovered that causes traction alopecia, plus permanent hair loss, where the pieces are attached. So wearing a wig could be less damaging to her real hair.
• Pictures of Kathy Griffin’s real hair:
I assume this is Kathy’s real hair (but I guess it could be a wig). It looks nice here.
I also assume this is her real hair. Again it looks nice – and it looks very average/normal.
Here you can see Kathy’s real hairline, and she looks like either she has a naturally high hairline, or it could be a bit receded from the face lift. But overall she doesn’t appear to actually have hair loss (except maybe in the front).
Here’s another picture of Kathy Griffin’s real hair. Except for the high hairline, her hair still looks pretty thick.
• Pictures of Kathy Griffin wearing wigs:
Here’s a cute photo of Kathy Griffin dressed up as pinup Betty Page.
This looks like a wig, although it could be Kathy’s real hair, plus hair extensions.
This looks like a wig, although again it could also be her real hair, plus extensions.
I love this over-the-top hairstyle. It looks like a wig because there’s no hair part.
This has got to be a wig!
I like this lighter red hair color on her.
I like the highlights here, and her hair is so shiny!
This is a cute picture. Unless she has really thick hair on top, that’s a wig.
Kathy Griffin – if you’re doing Google Alerts on yourself and you find this blog post, please fill me in on your hair secrets! Whether Kathy is sporting her real hair, hair extensions, or a wig, I normally like what she does with her hair. The only difference between her and other female celebrities is that she divulges her beautifying secrets. So now you know – whether or not she “needs” to, Kathy Griffin wears a wig to achieve perfect Hollywood hair.
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One of the most shocking and disheartening aspects of my hair loss experience is the complete lack of empathy from just about all of my family and friends. I’m not alone with this – countless women report the same issue, and obviously it makes the emotional impact of hair loss that much worse. Nothing makes you feel more alone than knowing you’re going bald and no one cares.
I get sympathy and empathy mixed up because they are similar. Sympathy means someone feels sorry/sadness/pity for your situation, they have compassion, and they may reach out to offer their condolences. People have been less than sympathetic over my situation as well, and while I don’t expect them to feel sorry for me, the lack of sympathy still saddens me. Empathy means identifying with, or understanding the person’s situation, or it’s ”the power of understanding and imaginatively entering into another person’s feelings.” So it means the person could put themselves in your shoes and imagine that it would really suck to be going bald. How hard is that? Apparently it’s damn near impossible for some reason.
When it comes to my hair loss, all I would want is for someone to say “wow, I can’t imagine how hard it would be to be losing your hair. That must be devastating.” Okay maybe men won’t be as caring because a lot of men don’t care if they go bald, and it might be difficult for them to understand the psychological impact hair has for women. Most women love their hair and they actually enjoy going to the hairdresser, and they draw immense pleasure from having nice hair. So why are most women so callous about my hair loss, and why do so many other female hair loss sufferers report the same phenomenon?
• Reactions to my hair loss from doctors
Most of the doctors I’ve seen have had a horrible bedside manner and have made me feel worse about my hair loss. Almost all women with hair loss say they are met with negativity by doctors, and they end up feeling worse after seeing a doctor for the issue. A few of the comments I’ve heard from doctors include, “you should be lucky that it’s only hair loss,” “don’t worry – you won’t go completely bald,” “stop stressing out – it’s not a big deal.” What’s weird is that I thought doctors were there to help people, and these are the reactions I get from Dermatologists, who supposedly treat hair loss. WTF? I understand that there are bigger health issues out there, but still… I’ve stopped taking rude comments from doctors personally, and now try to laugh at their insensitivity. One of the reasons I’ve thought about becoming a Physician’s Assistant, or Nurse, is so that I could be that rare person in the Dermatology field that actually shows empathy for my patients.
• Reactions to my hair loss from friends and family
When I told my mom my hair was falling out, I was met with various comments like ”you’re always exaggerating and catastrophizing. Your hair is fine. You’re just imagining it. I’m sure the doctors say your hair is fine. I’m not balding, so you didn’t get it from me.” My dad said, “who cares if you go bald – there are people with bigger health problems out there.” In reality I got the balding gene from both of my parents, but to this day my mom refuses to admit how thin her hair has gotten on the top of her head. My dad could care less that he’s bald, and my mom is obviously in complete denial about her hair, so I guess that’s why my parents don’t care about my hair. You would think they would have empathy for their only daughter, but they really don’t. They finally feigned a little sympathy once I explained that a doctor diagnosed me with genetic hair loss (I’m not making it up), and that while it may be a “superficial” issue, it’s still the worst thing I’ve experienced, and it’s caused me to fall into a deep depression.
Friends that I’ve told about my hair loss have either also told me I was crazy and making it up (I don’t make things up), or they expressed the least heartfelt sympathies and changed the subject to more important issues, like shopping and TV shows. Some of my friends have kids, so I understand your physical appearance takes a backseat to your kids. Maybe if I had kids I wouldn’t care about my hair anymore (but lots of women have kids and are still devastated by their hair loss). Nothing is more maddening than being told you’re imagining your hair loss, or making it up. I love telling jokes, so I would prefer someone express true sympathy for me, and then make light of the situation, rather than telling me I’m crazy.
Personally I haven’t had friends say horrible things to me – they just deny there’s a problem, or act completely apathetic. The horror stories I’ve heard from other women about the way their friends and family treat them is shocking. Other women have been ridiculed by their friends, mocked by coworkers, kicked out of a wedding party because their hair wasn’t good enough (and wigs were unacceptable), or had husbands leave them because they lost too much hair. Then these women also get ridiculed for later wearing hair to improve their appearance. I’m forgetting most of the horror stories I’ve read – but people are sometimes shockingly cruel!
• Why don’t people care?
I know I’m not dying (even though depression and suicide are common “side effects” of hair loss), and I don’t expect a pity party over my hair, but why are people so damn insensitive? Maybe most people just lack empathy? I’ve always had the ability to put myself in someone else’s shoes and to try to imagine what it would feel like to be in that situation, but maybe no one else does that. Some of my theories about why no one cares about hair loss include: people can’t imagine it happening to them, so they just don’t care. (Female hair loss is extremely common, but I guess most women don’t know that until it happens to them.) Maybe people are uncomfortable hearing about my hair, so that’s why they change the subject and act like I’m crazy. Maybe none of my friends care about their appearance (I know this isn’t true), so they wouldn’t care if they were bald. In my mom’s case, she’s in total denial about her own hair, so that’s why she pretends she has no idea what I’m going through.
Or maybe people are too wrapped up in their own problems to care about mine. Or maybe they just don’t understand how much of an impact this whole thing has had on me, so they think it’s no big deal. Or maybe they just thought I was exaggerating because my hair loss was never that obvious before (but now it’s pretty apparent I wasn’t lying). Maybe people think there’s an easy cure for hair loss, so they assume I can just go take a pill and suddenly be cured. Or maybe I somehow brought this on myself (which is not true). I have really become wary about my relationships with a lot of people after experiencing a complete lack of compassion. Ironically, one of the only people that has given me any sort of sympathy or empathy was some random person I used to always see at Starbucks. He was just some man I would talk with all the time, and I happened to tell him about my hair because I had just come from the doctor. He was actually empathetic and believed me and expressed honest sympathy, and then later we joked about both going bald. That’s all I want.
I guess I’m ranting. If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you are experiencing hair loss, and I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about when it comes to a lack of sympathy and empathy over your hair issues. For people that haven’t spent years watching hundreds of hairs fly out of your head every day, maybe you just think I’m whining. I guess I’m just sad that as if hair loss wasn’t bad enough, the reaction from friends and family just makes it that much worse. I really don’t know why it’s so hard for people to be empathetic about hair loss. I can guarantee if it happens to them, they’ll be feeling just as horrible. If you’ve been brave enough to tell friends or family about your hair loss issues, have you been met with the same lack of sympathy and empathy?
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Wearing hair, getting a hair replacement system, buying a hair piece or wig, whatever you call it - it’s something I desperately need to do, yet I’ve managed to think of about 1000 excuses to put it off during the last several months. For me, taking the steps to getting a hair piece is almost on par with going to the dentist to get my teeth drilled, even though the benefits will probably mean getting my life back. So what’s holding me back? In my defense, a few months ago I took the first steps and ordered a hair replacement kit from HairDirect.com – it’s the beginning of the process of getting a custom hair piece. A few horrible life events have happened in the meantime, but now that I’m ready to deal with ordering my hair piece, I still keep procrastinating. Here are some of my reasons:
1) It’s hard. I don’t know what I’m doing!
The learning curve of wearing hair is hard, and it’s a challenge I’m dreading. I never grew up wishing I could wear fake hair, and now that the unfortunate time is here, I still don’t have any interest in learning the ins and outs of the process. Susan from Crowned Beautiful has her whole training course about hair replacement, so there is help out there. Hair Direct also offers help in choosing the right hair piece for women (and men). It still doesn’t mean I’m excited. I am lazy and only like to do things I want to do, and this is at the bottom of my list. But it’s not like I wanted to spend half my life researching hair loss, but that’s where my life has ended up, so I know I should just embrace this next hair wearing chapter. I don’t enjoy doing my taxes, going grocery shopping, or cleaning my house, but they are necessary – and having decent hair is necessary for my well-being.
2) It’s expensive
This is when I wish more than anything that I was rich. I would hire someone to figure out who the celebrities use to create their undetectable hair pieces, and I would hire that celebrity hair specialist to come to my house and fix me. I wouldn’t care how much it cost, and I would have that person come every week and do my hair for me. Problem solved! Of course I have no money, and all of my hair replacement expenses will go straight on my credit card. I’m paralyzed by the idea of spending thousands of dollars on something, and what if it’s not even right?
I could go to a pricey hair replacement system clinic, I could pay for a training program, I could buy a cheapish wig from China or off eBay, but none of those are guarantees I will be happy, and then I’ll end up having to spend more money after that! For now I’m starting with the Hair Direct route since the price isn’t totally outrageous, and I know it will be cheaper than going to a clinic in person. Once I get the hang of things, the expense will become fixed – something I will just have to budget for. I have already spent tens of thousands of dollars going to numerous doctors (not covered by medical insurance), and on hair products, and medications, etc. At least hair replacement will be a real solution.
3) I’m low-maintenance
I’ve always prided myself on being able to roll out of bed and not being embarrassed if someone saw me that way. When I developed bad acne in my 20s, that was the first time I was afraid of someone seeing me first thing in the morning – makeup-less. Luckily I learned how to get rid of my acne, so until recently I was still able to be that girl that wasn’t ashamed of her au natural look. I could go swimming, camping (not that I’ve been camping in 20 years), and do any sports-type things without worrying I looked like hell. Now I worry if I get a hair piece or wig I won’t be able to roll out of bed without putting on my hair first, but I guess if you get bonded hair, that would solve that issue. I hate the idea of having to do stuff just to live normally – but I already have to wear glasses or contacts to see, use a retainer to keep my teeth straight, take medication to keep me healthy, and slather on wrinkle creams to keep the aging at bay - so what’s one more step? Hmmm, maybe I’m not low-maintenance after all. As my boyfriend likes to say, as you get older it takes twice as long to look half as good. I guess that’s life:(
4) What if the hair piece ruins my real hair?
I’m going to start out with a hair piece that clips onto my real hair, because I’m not ready to shave parts of my head yet to bond on a hair piece. I worry the clips will cause permanent bald spots. That’s a real possibility, but initially I don’t have to wear the hair piece every day. While I’m giving Propecia a shot (my last hope of getting my hair back), I don’t want to totally ruin my bio hair, since there’s a slim chance my hair will get better. So I can initially just wear the hair piece here and there, and I can also have lots of clips sewn into it, and rotate which clips I use. That way there’s less pressure on specific areas on my head.
However, I worry that once I start wearing a hair piece I won’t want to be seen without it. Once I have a thick head of hair, I know I will think my real hair looks thinner than ever, so it will be hard to emotionally be okay without the hair piece. And I’m not 100% ready to ruin my real hair by wearing hair clips that cause traction alopecia. This is partly why I thought wearing a wig was a good idea, but the wigs I’ve tried on felt so tight, and they felt like they pulled at my real hair, so it’s hard to believe they don’t damage your bio hair either. Well within a year I should know for sure if my real hair is worth saving, so none of these issues will matter then. In the meantime, I know I need to have a hair piece ready to go because my real hair gets thinner and thinner each month.
5) Having to deal with people
I want my new hair to look good, so I’m sure some people will notice I went from crappy hair to nice hair overnight. Half my friends already know about my hair issues, so the whole thing won’t be a surprise to them. It will just be nerve-wracking having to tell acquaintances I got fake hair. Or maybe I’ll say I was stressed from horrible life circumstances, which caused my hair to fall out, but now it’s grown back in. Or maybe I’ll just say I got hair extensions, or use the got a new: haircut/color/hairdresser lie. I wish I could go away somewhere exotic for six months, and then come back to my old life with my new hair. Then people will have forgotten what my old hair looked like, and they will think my exotic adventure helped me sprout a new, luxurious head of hair.
6) All of my hopes are pinned on this turning out right
Right now my life is in a holding pattern – I’m completely miserable, and feel the only way towards happiness is if I can be happy with my hair again. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope that someday I won’t be miserable anymore. But what if I spend thousands of dollars on hair, and it doesn’t look good? As low maintenance as I am, I do want extremely realistic looking, beautiful hair. What if I don’t get that? Then I will really be miserable forever and ever. I will go into debt and will never recover. These are the thoughts (maybe irrational) that plague me. I know there are good solutions out there – I’ve seen lots of women with great looking hair pieces and wigs – but I still worry nothing will look right on me. I’ve tried on every wig in Las Vegas I could find, and they all looked terrible and fake on me – it’s no wonder I’m freaking out!
So those are some of my big reasons for putting off delving into the world of hair replacement systems. I know I’m not alone in this – there are so many women going through the same thing. I also know that putting off the next step towards wearing hair is my way of checking out of life, but I can’t do that forever. What’s holding you back? What’s your next step?
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Propecia, Finasteride, and Proscar, which are all the same medication, have potential side effects in both women and men. While the medications are only FDA approved for men to use for male pattern baldness hair loss or prostate problems, some doctors will also prescribe them to treat genetic female hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). Since I recently started taking Propecia, I’ve delved in deeper to discover all potential side effects, and I’m slightly freaked out by what I’ve found. All medications, of course, come with risks and side effects, so Propecia is no different.
• Propecia vs Finasteride vs Proscar
I use these medication names interchangeably because they’re all basically the same thing. Propecia, which is made by Merck, is the brand name of the FDA approved male pattern hair loss drug, and its active ingredient is 1mg of Finasteride. Right now Propecia doesn’t come in a generic form, so if your doctor gives you a Propecia prescription, you will be forced to pay about $70 each month for it. Proscar, which is also made by Merck, is the brand name of the drug that is FDA approved to treat an enlarged prostate gland in men. Its active ingredient is 5mg of Finasteride. Proscar also comes in a generic form – Finasteride 5mg, which sells for about $4!
So whether you’re taking Propecia, Finasteride, or Proscar, they all contain the same active ingredient. The difference is that Proscar and Finasteride are five times the strength of Propecia, so if your doctor prescribes it for hair loss, he or she will probably tell you to cut the pill into four equal pieces and to just take 1/4th of a pill each day. That is 1.25mg of Finasteride, which is close enough to Propecia (1mg of Finasteride). Yep it’s complicated, and the only reason to get a prescription for Finasteride instead of Propecia is to save a ton of money. But cutting up that tiny pill is sort of a pain, and it’s hard to slice it evenly.
• Why Propecia is not FDA approved for women to use
Propecia has the potential to cause birth defects, so pregnant and breast feeding women should not take the medication, or even handle crushed or broken tablets. If you are trying to get pregnant, you should not take the medication, and you should wait a few months after stopping Propecia before trying to conceive. If a doctor does prescribe Propecia to a woman, the doctor will probably insist that the woman take the pill, or another solid form of birth control to prevent pregnancy while on the medication. If she does happen to get pregnant while taking Propecia…that’s a whole other issue, but most doctors won’t prescribe Propecia unless the woman agrees she would terminate the pregnancy in that unfortunate event. This scenario is similar to the issues surrounding the acne drug Accutane, but that drug is actually FDA approved for women to use.
From what I gather, another reason Propecia is not FDA approved for use in women is that Merck only cites one study of Propecia’s effect in women, and the 137 women in the study were all postmenopausal. The study concluded Propecia did not benefit postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia. They never even tested premenopausal women (because of the whole pregnancy thing). I have read about some Propecia success stories in premenopausal women, which is why I want to try the medication. I’ve also read some women need more than the standard Propecia dose to work, and I’ve read that Avodart works better than Propecia in women (I’ll write about that sometime in the future).
• Propecia, Finasteride, and Proscar’s other side effects in women
I recently started on 1/4th pill per day of generic Proscar (Finasteride), and finding a doctor to prescribe that was a huge challenge! Yay for a $4 prescription! Do I think Propecia will work on my hair loss? I am guessing there’s a 10% chance it will help me, and as I’ve recently written on hairlosshell.com, my hair loss is in a male pattern, and genetic (thinning and receding at my hairline, temples, and on top of my head). I just need to find out for myself if it will help. I am hoping it will decrease my crazy shedding.
So far I’ve been on Finasteride for a week and the worst of the side effects are over for now. The first few days I felt really crappy – like I was getting a cold, or the flu. I had a lot of pressure in my ears, jaw, and throat, and I felt like my head was swollen. This coincided with there being lots of ragweed in the air (which I’m allergic to), so my side effects could have been made worse by my allergies. The sick, swollen feeling is gone now. Yay! My other issue, which started around the third day, is painful breasts. Ow. They constantly hurt, so that freaks me out. I hope the pain goes away! Since Finasteride isn’t FDA approved for women, there aren’t official side effects listed that are exlusive to women. All of the listed side effects are ones that are reported in men, which I will list next.
• Side effects of Propecia, Finasteride, and Proscar in men
Once you read the potential side effects of Propecia in men, if you’re like me, you’ll wonder why this is a drug for men!!! Merck, the maker of Propecia and Proscar, claim side effects from Propecia are not common, and they happen in only about 2% of men. Male side effects include: erectile dysfunction, impotence, and decreased libido. Severe side effects include: breast cancer, allergic reactions (rash, hives, difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue), breast enlargement (gynecomastia), breast lumps, breast pain, breast tenderness, depression, nipple discharge, and testicular pain.
Merck claims the less severe side effects normally go away after stopping Propecia. However, if you google “Propecia side effects,” get ready to read about thousands of men that claim they’ve experienced permanent sexual side effects, even after quitting Propecia. Many men claim their lives have been ruined by Propecia, and they would gladly choose going bald over suffering from impotence, etc. Even if the risk is small, is it worth it? I have been telling my boyfriend about the success a lot of men have with keeping their hair while on Propecia, but he’s too freaked out now to try it, and he would rather go bald than face the “rare” side effects. You can read more about Propecia’s side effects on rxlist.com.
• How these side effects relate to women taking Propecia
The reason I’m freaked out is because Merck lists breast pain as a rare, severe side effect, and I’m already having that issue after only a few days on Propecia. But I think they list breast pain in association with breast cancer, and I can’t develop that overnight! Either way, I know a smart person would probably go off the medication, but since I’ve been balding, all common sense has been thrown out the window. Depression as a side effect worries me, however I’m already so fricking depressed that I doubt my depression could get worse. Just getting the prescription for Finasteride has lifted my mood because I am back to having hope that something will work to stop my hair from falling out (even if that hope is small, since nothing else has worked – minoxidil, spironolactone, etc.)
Finally, the risk of breast cancer freaks me out. Merck claims the risk is extremely slight in men, but no studies have been done, as far as I know, on Finasteride causing female breast cancer. I’ve also read other studies that say Finasteride greatly increases the chances of men getting breast cancer (but breast cancer in men is still extremely rare). I’ve researched risk factors for breast cancer, and I’m at medium risk. If I were at a high risk I definitely wouldn’t take Finasteride. If I were smart I wouldn’t take it just to be safe, but I also don’t exercise enough, or eat the perfect diet (and those two things alone can cut your breast cancer risk in half). One more thing – I’ve read that some people claim Propecia gave them wrinkles and made them age 10 years overnight. Great:((( I’ve also read the same thing about Rogaine, and personally I have become more haggard looking since using Rogaine.
• Bottom line – is Propecia worth the risks?
So many people have told me to cure my hair loss I just need do yoga, stress less, exercise more (I used to work out a lot), eat super healthy (I used to), take vitamins, test my thyroid and iron levels, use sulfate-free shampoo, blah, blah blah. Been there, done that – if they were right, I wouldn’t be balding. I still tell women to do all of these things since it really does help some women! Anyway, I’ve tried everything natural, and now I’ve weighed the risks and am hoping Finasteride works. Barring any new side effects, I’m going to give it nine months. If it doesn’t slow my shedding, or if I don’t notice my hair looking thicker, I will probably go off it. Well if my hair stays the same, maybe I will stay on it too, since otherwise I anticipate my hair will just keep getting worse on its own. There is less evidence that Finasteride causes a dread shed like Rogaine does, but of course anything is possible.
For men considering Propecia – read up on the side effects, and ask yourself if there’s a 1/1000th chance you could suffer permanent side effects from the drug, is it worth it? I don’t know exactly how common permanent side effects are, but that could be a good guess. For women, there’s a lot less evidence Propecia even works on hair loss (and if it does, it would only work on androgenetic alopecia). It’s not something you can take while pregnant, or if you’re at risk of getting pregnant, and its side effects haven’t been tested well in women. I’ll keep you updated on my Propecia/Finasteride/Proscar progress. Have you taken the medication, or would you?
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Does Khloe Kardashian's mugshot reveal her hair loss?
Does Khloe Kardashian have hair loss, and is she losing her hair like millions of other women? I have the Kardashians on my mind this week because of Kim’s announcement that her second marriage is over after 72 days! A lot of people criticize me for pointing out celebrities with hair loss, or they think I’m imagining things, or that I focus on the wrong things in life, but I can’t help it - I’m obsessed with hair loss. I do believe Khloe Kardashian has a hair loss issue – similar to Fergie’s hair loss.
Sure Khloe’s part isn’t that wide, and her hair loss isn’t that extensive, but as I’ve said so many times, most female celebrities do whatever they can to hide their hair loss, so it’s rare to see celebs with a super obvious problem. While watching a few episodes of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” my eyes immediately gravitated to Khloe’s hair – her thinning hair issues are pretty obvious on several of the episodes.
When I was googling “Khloe Kardashian hair loss,” the only story I could find was from the National Enquirer, which did talk about Khloe’s battle with hair loss. The story claimed Khloe revealed that she was so distraught after the death of her father that her hair fell out. She had to wear wigs and extensions until eventually her hair came back. Of course the National Enquirer is probably the least reputable news source out there, but I’m still inclined to believe the story. Extreme stress can cause telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss), so losing excessive amounts of hair after going through a painful event should come as no surprise, unfortunately.
I’ve also read Khloe talk about her desire to get pregnant, and her struggles with infertility. She supposedly told Life & Style magazine that she’s been trying to get pregnant for a while now, and is looking into doing fertility treatments if necessary. I also wonder if she also has PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), which could explain her ongoing hair loss and her difficulties getting pregnant. This is all speculation on my part, and I have never heard her talk about PCOS. Her dad died in 2003, and here in 2011 she is still dealing with hair loss, which makes me wonder if she now has PCOS or androgenetic alopecia (genetic hair loss).
Below are more pictures of Khloe Kardashian’s hair loss (at least in my mind she has mild hair loss). She always wears tons of extensions to make her hair thicker and longer, but it’s hard to get extensions that minimize a wide part. Also, I’ve seen her occasionally on talk shows or at events where she has no hair loss at all – I swear she’s wearing a topper at these times. I’m convinced of it. I also think she sometimes wears Toppik or some other hair cover-up product because sometimes her part looks sort of brownish (which is how my part looks from Toppik and Joan Rivers Great Hair Day). I’ve said it tons of times – on one hand I feel bad talking about celebrities with hair loss, but it’s not like it’s a secret – they choose to go out in public, so I’m just commenting on what I see. Khloe has all the money in the world to do whatever she wants to with her hair, so as bad as I feel for her, I still feel more sorry for myself and the millions of women out there like me, since we have no money to hire fancy hairdressers, get thousands of dollars worth of extensions, go to the best doctors, nor get the highest quality hair pieces and wigs (if that’s what we choose to do).
More pictures of Khloe’s hair loss:
In this photo my eye briefly looks at Khloe’s diamond ring before going right to her part.
Khloe’s got a wide part, or am I just imagining things?
Khloe’s hair under natural light. Is this her real hair, without extensions?
Khloe Kardashian with tons of extensions and reddish hair. I love this hair style and hair color!
Khloe Kardashian with red hair.
Khloe and her sisters. Hair loss??
Finally, here’s sister Kourtney Kardashian with her real hair. Hmmm.
Does Khloe have hair loss, or am I delusional? Here’s a list of more female celebrities with hair loss. Would you rather be a super rich celebrity that is scrutinized by the world, yet who also has the ability to buy the best hair money can buy, or would you rather be you? I’m not sure how I would answer that… So what do you think about Khloe Kardashian’s hair?
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Guess what? I finally got the HairDX hair loss test done. Are you ready to find out once and for all the cause of my hair loss???? About a year ago I wrote about HairDX, which is the genetic test to determine if you have hair loss caused by genetics (Androgenetic Alopecia) – it tells you if you have a high or low androgen sensitivity. At the time I wasn’t sure I wanted to do the test because of the cost, and I figured I already knew I had genetic hair loss due to my receding hairline, and the fact my hair keeps getting thinner and thinner each year.
• Why Get the HairDX Test?
So why did I take the HairDX hair loss test? A few months ago when I went to the hair restoration doctor in Los Angeles, that doctor looked at my hair under a magnifying video camera and said he didn’t see any miniaturized hair follicles on my head, except in the very front. So all of my hairs were more or less of equal diameter according to him. The hairs on the top, sides, and back of my head were all the same size, and there weren’t more than 10% of hairs that were thinner than others. This all indicated to him that I didn’t have female pattern baldness, although I had less hair on the top of my head than the back, which to me means I do have genetic balding. The doctor said I could take Propecia, and why would he offer a prescription for that if I didn’t have genetic hair loss? Anyway, after that appointment I was more confused than ever. Now I’ve had 10 doctors tell me they don’t think I fit the profile of having genetic hair loss, and one hair loss doctor who was 100% convinced I have a classic case of Androgenetic Alopecia.
I couldn’t take the confusion anymore, which is why I got the HairDX test done. Another option would have been a scalp biopsy, but HairDX is less invasive, and I have a feeling it would be cheaper than a scalp biopsy since my insurance sucks. HairDX is not covered under insurance (as far as I know). I also wanted to go on Propecia if the test came back positive for genetic hair loss, but otherwise I would not go on the medication. After more research, I read that HairDX is only 70% accurate, and I’ve also heard mixed reviews about the accuracy of scalp biopsies. So I don’t know what 70% accurate means exactly, but I will use the results as another piece of the puzzle, along with my personal observations of my hair, my research on hair loss, and the opinions of the doctors I’ve seen.
• The HairDX Test Process
I got the HairDX test done in Las Vegas at the hair loss clinic I went to earlier in the year. The test cost $199. What’s funny is the hair loss consultant didn’t think it was worth me getting it since it’s expensive and he hadn’t seen a lot of women get the test done, so he didn’t know much about it. I asked him what percentage of women that took the test came back with a result of “female hair loss” and he called his Los Angeles office, and the consultant there said 75%. That is what I expected. If you have hair loss already, chances are more than likely it’s genetic, so 75% sounds right. The people that don’t have a positive result are probably experiencing temporary hair loss (from going on or off the pill, low iron, post-pregnancy, stress, low thyroid, etc.), or they have Alopecia Areata, or another rare form of hair loss. And of course the test isn’t 100% accurate.
When I got to the hair loss clinic, a nurse swabbed my cheek a bunch of times, while telling me that I was wasting my money, and she didn’t believe in the test either. She recommended I crush up garlic and massage it into my scalp every day for a month. I haven’t tried that yet. As she was swabbing, I looked over my shoulder and read the instructions and it said to not drink water or brush your teeth an hour before the test. I had come straight from my house, where I had brushed my teeth right before I left. I probably should have gone and come back to be safe, but I didn’t. Then it said to air-dry the cheek swabs before putting them in the containers, but the nurse refused to do that. Those two things made me super worried the test would come back wrong, but in the end I did get my results, so I can only hope that two issues didn’t change the results (I doubt it). So a few cheek swabs is all that’s needed to perform the HairDX test. Next the clinic mailed the swabs to the HairDX lab and the results come back a few weeks later – I think it was three weeks later.
• My HairDX Hair Loss Test Results
After the test, I was 99% sure it would come back positive for genetic hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia). Honestly I think the first 10 doctors I saw were all wrong – every single one of them. And the hair loss expert in Los Angeles that has treated tens of thousands of patients, and who looked at a magnified view of my scalp? I think he was wrong too – I am convinced my hair loss is genetic (and maybe made worse by other factors). My hair strands are definitely skinnier than they were 10 years ago – my guess is they must have all equally shrunk in diameter, which is why individual strands don’t look thinner than others (except in the front).
The results are in…..I have genetic hair loss! Boohoo:( I got the results on the phone and asked them to send me a copy of the results but they haven’t arrived. When I get them I will update this post with more specifics. I believe I was told I have a 70% chance of developing hair loss (but hello, I’ve had hair loss for 10 years now.) Then there’s something called a CAG score, and mine was a 21. A score under 23.5 means my genetics suck and I am
destined for baldness, but it also means I am a great candidate for Propecia/Finasteride to treat my hair loss. However, HairDX also claims women that have the low CAG score could also benefit from Spironolactone, and that did nothing for me at all. What the hell??? Another reason I was confused about whether or not I have genetic hair loss is because nothing I’ve tried to treat it has worked – I feel like I am immune to Rogaine and Spironolactone.
Also, according to the HairDX.com website, 50% of women will develop hair loss by the age of 60, and they attribute this hair loss to Androgenetic Alopecia. I have read similar statistics, but I’ve always wondered if 50% of women develop Androgenetic Alopecia, or if their hair loss is just part of the natural aging process, or due to declining hormones. So if HairDX claims that 50% of women have genetic hair loss, and no one’s going to get the HairDX test unless they already have noticeable hair loss, then it makes sense that 75% of women that get the test come back positive for genetic hair loss.
• My Next Step…Propecia
I just found a doctor to prescribe Finasteride for me. I actually managed to get a prescription for generic Proscar, which is 5mg Finasteride (Propecia is 1mg Finasteride), so I will cut the Proscar into 4 parts and take one part each day. Propecia is expensive (around $70 a month) but my Proscar prescription was $9 for a 3 month supply! Awesome! I just turned 37 and I’m not planning on having kids, and I’m on the pill (Yasmin). Doctors will only consider prescribing women Propecia if they aren’t planning on getting pregnant, and if they’re on the pill, and even then most don’t want women taking it because it can cause birth defects in male babies. If you plan on having kids, you will need to get off Propecia first, and when you do, all of the hair that it helped keep on your head will eventually fall right back out:(
HairDX claims women with test results like mine will see an excellent response to Propecia. I’m not holding my breath. Nothing I’ve tried has helped my hair loss, so I honestly expect Propecia won’t work for me either. I have heard of some women that have good results with Propecia, but not many. That doesn’t make sense, if 75% of women that take the HairDX test end up with the same results as me, yet there are so few women that report positive results from Propecia. The reason I’m trying Propecia is that I just need to know if it will work. If it doesn’t work, I will be out of options and will have to accept that I will end up wearing hair for the second half of my life, and that totally sucks!!!!!!! And Propecia is sort of like Rogaine in that it helps keep your hair on your head, but it’s less likely to grow new hair. Again that sucks because I’m not happy with the amount of hair on my head. So I am wishing I tried Propecia two years ago when I had a lot more hair (but then I wasn’t as desperate to try Propecia). Since my hair sheds way too much, I am hoping Propecia will slow down the shedding, and if it does, it will look like I have more hair. We’ll see what happens! While side effects from Propecia aren’t that common, I am sure I will have some, and I worry it will cause something horrible like cancer, but the evidence of that is mixed.
• HairDX – Is The Hair Loss Test Worth It?
If you have $200 to spare, I would recommend the HairDX test – just go to HairDX.com and find a doctor near you that does the test. Sooo many women are diagnosed with Telogen Effluvium when they really have Androgenetic Alopecia, and HairDX will help you find the real answers. I wouldn’t use HairDX as your sole diagnostic tool for determining the cause of your hair loss, but it’s one tool. It only tells you if you have Androgenetic Alopecia or not (it doesn’t tell you if your hair loss is caused by Telogen Effluvium, Alopecia Areata, or one of the other less common types of hair loss). Finally, I know now I have Androgenetic Alopecia, but I still can’t rule out having other factors that are making it even worse (stress, low iron, low thyroid, etc.) Have you had the HairDX hair loss test, or would you consider it?
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Side effects from Minoxidil For Women (the generic version of Rogaine) are common, but luckily most of the side effects of this hair regrowth treatment are mild. Ironically, one of the listed side effects of Minoxidil Topical Solution 2% is hair growth! Unfortunately another possible side effect is hair loss, so consider the pros and cons carefully before using topical minoxidil. It’s also best to talk with your doctor before beginning the treatment.
• Minoxidil for women
Minoxidil is for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (genetic, hereditery hair loss). The 2% version of minoxidil is the one that’s FDA approved for women to use, and it only comes in a liquid form (not a foam option). The makers of Rogaine/minoxidil say the 2% version is just as effective for women as the 5% men’s version, and it comes with less risk of side effects. However, a lot of doctors feel the 5% version works better and they suggest that for women. Other doctors say to start out with 2% and you can always switch to 5% later. It’s a tough choice because you want to see the maximum amount of hair growth, but you need to be cautious of possible side effects. You are supposed to apply minoxidil to your scalp twice a day. Results aren’t expected to be visible until after four months (or longer) of use! Your results should be the same, whether you use the name brand Rogaine, or the generic minoxidil. Pregnant or nursing women should not use Rogaine/minoxidil.
• Potential minoxidil side effects for women using the topical solution 2%
Minoxidil has a long list of possible side effects, although most people only experience one or two of the more mild and common ones. If you have any of the systemic side effects, it’s best to speak with your doctor immediately to discuss whether or not you should continue using minoxidil. There may be even more potential side effects than the ones I have listed below.
• Common side effects in women include:
• Dry, flaky, itchy scalp (contact dermatitis)
• Unwanted facial hair growth
• Increased hair loss (!)
• Burning, stinging, or redness of the scalp
• Signs of systemic absorption (which is supposedly rare):
• Dizziness
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Fainting, lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Water and sodium retention – swelling of hands, feet, or lower legs, or rapid weight gain
• Tiredness
• Difficulty breathing, especially while lying down
• Headache, flushing
• Neuritis – numbness or tingling of hands, feet, or face
• Sexual dysfunction – decrease in desire or sexual ability
• Visual disturbances – blurred vision, decreased visual acuity, other vision changes
• Serious allergic reaction that requires immediate medical attention (this is rare, and it could be a reaction to minoxidil or propylene glycol) – rash, swelling of face, tongue, throat, severe dizziness, trouble breathing
• The side effects I’ve personally experienced from minoxidil
As I’ve said before on hairlosshell.com, several years ago I used 2% Rogaine For Women for about eight months and at that time I didn’t experience any obvious side effects. I didn’t experience increased hair shedding, or other issues. After eight months I also didn’t notice any results. I gave up on Rogaine and luckily I also didn’t notice an increase in shedding a few months after stopping Rogaine. After you stop the treatment, all of the hair that you gained while on the medication will go right back down the drain. So if Rogaine is working for you, you’ll need to use it indefinitely. I may have had increased shedding, but at the time I had more hair, so it would have been less noticeable.
Last year I decided to go with 5% minoxidil and I chose a product called Spectral DNC, which contains 5% minoxidil in a liquid solution, plus a few extra ingredients (Aminexil, Retinol & Copper Peptides) that are supposed to make the minoxidil even more effective. My theory was “go big or go home” so I wanted to try the men’s strength of minoxidil to see if it would work better than the girly 2%. Spectral DNC also doesn’t contain alcohol, so it makes the dry, flaky scalp problem less likely. If you’ve been dealing with scalp issues from minoxidil, you may want to try Spectral DNC (assuming you want the 5% strength). Unfortunately I immediately got headaches from Spectral DNC, and it wasn’t until I stopped it two months later that the headaches went away. So while headaches are supposedly a rare side effect of the medication, I guess I was unlucky. I then bought the 5% generic minoxidil (the kind you can find at Target or Wal-mart) but I got headaches from that as well, so the culprit was definitely the 5% strength of minoxidil.
After that I went back to the 2% women’s minoxidil and I’ve been using that on the top of my head ever since. I no longer get headaches or any other obvious side effects. And for some reason I can still tolerate 5% minoxidil if I use it sparingly just on my temples and receding hairline. Weird. However, while I’ve been writing this article I’m slightly freaked to learn that blurry vision is a side effect of minoxidil. I have blurry vision that comes and goes and doctors can’t figure it out (my eye doctor thinks it’s just dry eyes). I’m pretty sure the blurry vision preceded my use of minoxidil, though. The other minor side effect I have is increased peach fuzz on the sides of my forehead. It’s kind of annoying, but it’s not that big of a deal. A lot of women are afraid of increased facial hair, but I haven’t experienced this, and if I did, I’d just wax or use a Nair facial product. Or if you have dark facial hair and lighter skin, you could be a candidate for laser hair removal, and Vaniqa cream is another option.
• Side effects you need to know about!
Okay here’s another horrible potential side effect that you won’t see written on any package insert of minoxidil, but I think it may be true – minoxidil and Rogaine can cause wrinkles! That link takes you to an article I wrote about this issue on my skin care blog. Many people on the internet report increased facial wrinkles, and dark circles under their eyes after using Rogaine/minoxidil. I’ve also noticed dark circles under my eyes lately, which I never noticed before, and my wrinkles are getting worse. Am I just getting old, or is minoxidil prematurely aging me??? And if I go off minoxidil, will the wrinkles, dark circles, and rough skin texture get better? I don’t know.
Finally, the makers of Rogaine gloss over this issue, but tons of women report increased hair shedding after beginning the medication. On the official package insert, it says, “don’t worry—this is a good sign. It means that the new growth cycle is beginning and the older hairs you would have lost are making way for the new healthy ones. If this hair loss continues after 2 weeks on ROGAINE, talk to your doctor.” On hair loss internet websites, tons of women say you need to stick it out for up to three months before the increased shedding subsides. Three months is a really long time if your hair is falling out more than ever! My hair falls out too much every day, and this last year when I started minoxidil it continued to fall out a ton every day (and maybe more). I’ve been on the 2% minoxidil for at least six months now and my hair continues to shed like crazy – the shedding has never ended. It’s really hard to tell if the minoxidil is working, not working, or making things worse. It definitely has not been a wonder drug yet for me because I know I have less hair than I did six months ago, but that could just be because my hair loss is progressively getting worse on its own anyway.
The bottom line is that A LOT of women report increased shedding after starting minoxidil, and the shedding lasts way longer than the initial two weeks that the Rogaine makers says is normal. I haven’t read about a lot of women that have had excellent results with minoxidil, but there are some women that are delighted with the results. You also hear numerous horror stories about women that lose way more hair after starting minoxidil, and the hair never comes back. It’s hard to know for sure if the cause was minoxidil, or if their hair loss was on that path anyway. My suggestion is to start out slow and just use minoxidil on a small area of your head before you commit to your entire head. Give that small area a few months before going further. That way the worst that will happen is you’ll have a small area that is worse, rather than your whole head. I first did that, then I did the whole left side of my head every day, and now I do the whole top of my head. It was a long process, but I can’t say I noticed a difference on my left or right side, so minoxidil didn’t cause me to lose enough hair to discern which side was treated, and which wasn’t.
• Bottom Line
There are many potential side effects of minoxidil for women. Make sure to read up on them, weigh the pros and cons, and talk to your doctor before starting the medication to treat androgenetic alopecia. Aside from the possible scary health issues, many women report an increase in hair loss initially from minoxidil, so you need to be warned of this. I’ve said it a million times – hair loss sucks, and there is no magic bullet treatment for everyone. Have you used minoxidil or Rogaine – for women, or the men’s version? What side effects have you experienced?
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Fergie’s hair styles, and her obvious hair loss, have been a slight obsession of mine for the past few years. Nothing feels more lonely than to be a women struggling with hair loss, but when I see a celebrity going through the same thing, and almost embracing hair loss, it makes me question my own struggle. When pictures first surfaced of Fergie a few years ago that showed her hair loss, I was stunned and felt horrible for her, since I know how much it sucks. But what has surprised me is that she hasn’t done much to cover up her hair loss, and she’s not afraid to venture in public with her widening part. Is she brave or oblivious, or are so many women losing their hair these days that her degree of hair loss is almost the new norm?
Before I decided to write articles about celebrities like Fergie that have hair loss, I wondered if I was being mean by ‘outing’ them publicly. But Fergie shows up at various red carpet events, autograph signings, and performances, with her hair loss totally visible, so she’s presenting herself how she wants to be seen – hair loss and all. I would feel uncomfortable showing candid paparazzi photos of balding celebs taken with telephoto lenses into their homes or something, but if a celeb goes out in public, to me they’re saying they are comfortable with the way they look.
As I’ve watched my own hair loss progress from not being nearly as noticeable as Fergie’s, to being on the same level as hers now (and quickly getting worse), I personally don’t want the whole world to know I have hair loss. That’s why I wear hair concealers and leave the house thinking my hair loss is disguised, but I do wonder if it’s as obvious as Fergie’s under bright lights and camera flashes. I will very soon start wearing a hair piece like Christina Hendricks, so that if my hair gets worse, no one will know (hopefully) – except all the viewers of hairlosshell.com. That’s why Fergie fascinates me – why is she okay with her hair, but I’m not okay with mine? Who’s right? And she’s obviously concerned about her appearance because she always changes up her hair styles and wears tons of hair extensions to add length and volume to her hair. So Fergie – you confuse me and fascinate me!
This was the first photo that came out where it became obvious Fergie has hair loss. Before that I never noticed she had hair issues like me. The dark hair color also makes her hair loss more noticeable.
Again Fergie’s dark hair color highlights her hair loss.
Fergie at a red carpet event. Her hair looks awesome, but I would have worn a hair concealer to hide the wide part.
Fergie’s almost black hair makes her thinning hair more apparent. At least she doesn’t have to deal with a receding hairline like me.
I wonder if her constant use of extensions is what caused her hair loss (from traction alopecia). Or does she have telogen effluvium from stress and dieting, or is it androgenetic alopecia? Sorry Fergie for being so obsessed with your hair. I know it’s only hair!
An orange part – OMG this is exactly what I was talking about when I wrote about my scalp turning orange in fluorescent lighting from Toppik hair fibers. I’m not sure if she’s wearing Toppik, or if her scalp got hair dye on it that won’t wash out.
Fergie at another red carpet event with her dark hair.
I usually dye my hair lighter to disguise my wide part. Fergie’s blonde hair definitely makes her hair issues less noticeable.
Okay so I have a problem with hair loss (I hate it, and it’s an issue for me). Society has taught us that women are not supposed to bald, and balding is not attractive for women. Unfortunately I have bought into this stereotype for myself and I don’t want to be a balding women. Lots of women look great bald, or with little hair, but I am still hung up on having thick hair. So are magazines! I dare you to find a magazine where Fergie has noticeable hair loss. Every magazine either shows Fergie wearing a wig, or they Photoshop the hell out of her hair to hide her part. Magazines sell the idea that thick hair is beautiful, whether or not that’s true.
Either Fergie’s wearing a wig here, or they have her part turned away from the camera. Plus those are some massive extensions.
A new hair styles for Fergie. Hello Photoshop! Allure prides itself on natural/realistic looking covers, but it takes a lot of pixel-pushing to look “natural.”
What’s your take on Fergie’s hair loss? Personally I love all of her hair styles and wish I could afford hair extensions (but I would worry they’d make my hair loss worse). Is it wrong for me to point out Fergie’s hair issues, even though they are obvious, and she’s choosing to go out like this? Most female celebrities with hair loss are on the same page as me, and they cover up their thinning scalp at the first sign of a problem. No matter what hair Fergie sports - blonde hair, dark hair, black hair, or no hair, she always looks awesome. And she makes me question my own beliefs about beauty and the ridiculousness of hair, hair styles, and hair loss. Go Fergie!
*Click Here To Get Hair Loss Hell Updates Via Email!
Keranique sells a variety of hair products promising to stop hair loss and to promote hair growth. I caught the tail end of their “thinning hair for women” commercial at 3am the other night, and was of course curious about the ingredients of the Keranique product line. Despite my obsession with watching infomercials, I think most infomercial products are terrible and don’t work, so I am uber-skeptical of them. I also get really mad about the blatant lies told in most infomercials. Technically the Keranique advertisement was just a regular commercial, though…
On the Keranique.tv website, their tagline is “thinning hair solution for women.” To solve my hair problem, I would have to grow all my hair back – does Keranique do that?? The company’s other claims are more vague and promise you will “get fuller, thicker-looking hair!” and you can ”reduce embarrassing hair loss!” To supposedly end your thinning hair, the kit on the website, and in the TV commercial, consists of four products – a Keranique shampoo, conditioner, hair treatment, and follicle-boosting serum.
• Keranique Review
Okay technically this isn’t a review because I haven’t tried any of the Keranique products and I probably won’t. I felt compelled to write this article to enlighten other women about this kit, before you decide whether or not to purchase it. The cost of the kit is somewhat elusive, but the Keranique website says you can get it for $7.95 risk free for 30 days. I just read several complaints about women not being able to cancel their orders, so buyer beware. After the 30 days, if you don’t cancel, you’ll be charged 2 payments of $59.95, and then $59.95 each month, plus $7.95 each month for shipping. You will receive a new batch of products each month. They may have additional payment plans, and you can cancel at any time (which may be easier said than done).
The Keranique website doesn’t list the product ingredients, but I was able to find the ingredients online, and you will see them at the bottom of the post. You can buy Keranique on their website – keranique.tv, from Dermstore.com, or you can get Keranique products at Amazon
• Keranique Revitalizing Shampoo
The shampoo “gently cleanses your hair” and is “specially formulated for thinning hair, it leaves your locks shiny, fuller and voluminous.” There’s a good chance the shampoo does add volume to your hair, which I agree is a must-have if you are fighting thinning hair. However the second ingredient of the shampoo – Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate – is a harsh shampoo cleansing ingredient that I wouldn’t use on my hair, even if I didn’t have delicate, thinning hair. So there’s no way I would personally recommend this shampoo. I review several gentler SLS free shampoos here on my skin care blog, many of which I would recommend for thinning hair.
• Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment
Hey guess what – this is a bottle of Rogaine/minoxidil, with a more expensive price tag. It contains the FDA approved 2% minoxidil, and the ingredients are identical to my generic 2% women’s liquid minoxidil. This treatment (hopefully) comes with all the same warnings as minoxidil, so make sure to read the warning label. Also, since minoxidil can cause your hair to initially fall out more, be prepared to possibly see increased shedding the first few months of use. If you currently use Rogaine or minoxidil, do not also use this product at the same time.
• Keranique Follicle Boosting Serum
Okay this Keranique product has caught my attention because it contains aminexil (also called kopexil), which is an ingredient that works similarly to minoxidil. I haven’t used any products that contain aminexil yet, but I actually want to, so this is a product I would try. There are a few other products on the market that also contain aminexil. I will have to look into them more, and apparently you can use this product in conjunction to minoxidil. I don’t know if this product carries the same risks and potential side effects as Rogaine/Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment.
* Buy Keranique Follicle Boosting Serum at Dermstore/Amazon
* Buy other products containing Aminexil at Amazon
• Keranique Volumizing Conditioner
I don’t have too much to say about the Keranique conditioner. It’s supposedly a volume-boosting conditioner, but it’s expensive, so I’m sure you could find a much cheaper conditioner that works just as well. Or if you’re like me, you gave up on conditioner years ago because you don’t have enough hair left to condition. I find conditioner weighs my hair down too much and makes it stringy and limp. But maybe this conditioner is different?
• Bottom line
Like all infomercials/late-night sensational TV commercials, Keranique over-promises and under-delivers. Keranique hair products are not going to grow all your hair back, and there’s hardly anything revolutionary about their products. Some women have good results from minoxidil (which is what’s in their hair regrowth treatment), but few women regrow more than a little hair. The Keranique shampoo should be avoided because it’s too harsh for anyone’s hair. The Follicle Boosting Serum is promising, because some people have seen hair growth from the one main ingredient in the product. But I highly doubt the serum works better than Rogaine, which is not exactly a hair loss cure. My opinion is to skip Keranique altogether, or just try their Follicle Boosting Serum. You don’t need their Hair Regrowth Treatment because you can buy generic 2% minoxidil for cheap at your local drugstore, and their conditioner is not going to do anything to regrow your hair. Sorry for my negative review, but fanciful claims about stopping hair loss and regrowing hair drive me crazy!
Keranique Revitalizing Shampoo ingredients:
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Polyquaternium-70, Dipropylene Glycol, Eratin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Fragrance, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Pine (Pinus Strobus) Bark Extract, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Coneflower (Echinacea Angustifolia) Extract, Henoxyethanol, Citric Acid.
Keranique Hair Regrowth Treatment ingredients:
Minoxidil 2% W/v. Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Purified Water.
Keranique Volumizing Conditioner ingredients:
Water, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-55, Glycerin, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seed Oil, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Yl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Amodimethicone, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Keratin, Ydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Menthol, Fragrance, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Pine (Pinus Strobus) Bark Extract, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Coneflower (Echinacea Angustifolia) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid.
Keranique Follicle Boosting Serum ingredients:
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, 2,4 Diamino Pyrimidine-3-Oxide, Silk Amino Acids, Keratin Amino Acids, Collagen Amino Acids, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Menthol, Phenoxyethanol.
Keranique Volumizing Conditioner ingredients:
Water, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-55, Glycerin, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seed Oil, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Yl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Amodimethicone, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Keratin, Ydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Silk Amino Acids, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Menthol, Fragrance, Pomegranate (Punica Granatum) Extract, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Pine (Pinus Strobus) Bark Extract, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Leaf Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Coneflower (Echinacea Angustifolia) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Have you tried Keranique? What’s your take on it – do you think it really can fight hair loss?
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Jessica Simpson makes a clip in bangs hair piece for her HairDo collection (created by her hairstylist Ken Paves). The product offers a quick way to change up your hairstyle without actually having to cut your hair into bangs. Lots of celebrities wear clip in bangs from time to time for fun, or for movie roles and photoshoots - Kim Kardashian, Sofia Vergara, Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Bell, and of course Jessica Simpson, have all worn faux bangs. We know Jessica Simpson loves wearing hair. I didn’t see the movie “When In Rome,” but in the commercials Kristen Bell was obviously wearing fake bangs in half of the scenes, while she was bang-less in the other half!
Jessica Simpson Bangs Review
Last year I bought the Jessica Simpson HairDo clip in bangs because I was hoping for a solution to disguise my thinning hair. The bangs are made of synthetic hair and they are really affordable at about $24. They come in 11 shades, ranging from blonde to black. I bought the “buttered toast” color because in the store it appeared to be the closest match to my hair. But it turns out the color was not a close enough match to my hair, and there are no other options that are any better, unless I change my hair color.
* Buy Jessica Simpson Clip In Bangs *
• Positives
When I put the bangs on, they look realistic and the quality of the hair is nice. Some people say they are a bit shiny, but you can dull them with a little baby powder. They are easy to clip to your head – the three little clips attach to your real hair, and then they snap shut. On my hair they feel secure and comfortable, but I didn’t end up wearing them that long. The bangs look just like real bangs, and they definitely give me hope that there are options out there to enhance my hair – you don’t have to go around letting the world know you have hair loss if you don’t want to. The bangs are cut straight across, and they are a little longer on the sides to better blend in with your real hair. They come with straight hair, but apparently you can curl them with styling tools using medium heat. A lot of people love these bangs and I’ve seen pictures of people wearing them online and they look great on them.
• Negatives
Unfortunately, overall the bangs didn’t work for me. I have no idea why few people report this problem, but there’s a bump where the bangs attach to your real hair and that part looks totally fake – like they are just sitting on your head! You are supposed to brush your real hair over the bump to hide it, which won’t work in my case because I don’t have that much hair, but even if I had thick hair I can’t imagine this looking undetectable. The bangs are even marketed for people with fine, thin hair, so it makes no sense! The only way I could see wearing these bangs is with a headband. If you have the right color, they would look great with a headband covering where they meet your real hair. I am baffled why so few people have mentioned this bump issue!
The lack of color choice is the only other negative I can report. While 11 color choices sounds like a lot, I suspect a lot of people won’t be able to find a match to their hair color. Since the bangs are synthetic, you can’t dye them. At the end of the page I will list all of the colors, with their name and color description.
• Bottom Line:
Jessica Simpson Bangs are a great idea if you can find a shade that matches your hair color, and you want to wear them with a headband. They will help disguise thinning hair in the front area of your head, they are easy to wear, and they look good. Otherwise, without the headband (or scarf or hat), they look fake to me. I’ve seen pictures of Fergie wearing totally obvious fake bangs, but that’s not a fashion statement I can pull off personally!
Jessica Simpson Human Hair Clip In Fringe
There’s a second Jessica Simpson HairDo bangs option called Human Hair Clip In Fringe that looks really promising. At $191, it’s a lot pricier, but if it looks good and covers my thinning areas, it’s worth it. I haven’t tried the fringe yet (but want to). In this picture you can see the little swirl of the fringe, which looks sort of weird, but in the videos I’ve seen of the piece it looks a lot better. It has two clips underneath and it can be worn in a variety of ways – straight bangs, angled or side bangs, as a top volumizer, etc.
Since it’s human hair, the piece can be cut, colored, and heat styled to blend in with your natural hair. It’s supposed to last at least a year. The more I read about this hair piece, the more I want to try it. Since I have wavy hair, though, and I’m bad at styling my hair, I’m not sure how this would look on me without curling it. But for someone with straight hair, or the ability to style their hair well, this looks like a great idea.
* Buy Jessica Simpson Human Hair Fringe *
Colors of Jessica Simpson synthetic bangs:
Ginger Blonde R25 – Golden Blonde with subtle highlights
Ebony R2 – Black
Midnight Brown R4 – Off-Black or Black/Brown
Dark Chocolate R6 – Rich, Dark Brown
Chestnut R10 – Rich Dark Brown with Coffee Brown highlights all over
Chocolate Copper RS/30H – Dark Brown with soft, Coppery highlights
Ginger Brown R830 – Warm, Medium Brown
Glazed Strawberry R29S – Strawberry Blonde with Pale Blonde highlights
Buttered Toast R1416T – Dishwater or Mousey Blonde with sun kissed highlights
Honey Ginger R14/25 – Dark Golden Blonde with light Gold highlights
Golden Wheat R14/88H – Medium Blonde streaked with pale Gold highlights, Medium Brown roots
Colors of Jessica Simpson human hair fringe:
Black R1HH
Dark Brown R3HH
Chestnut Brown R4HH
Medium Auburn R6HH
Light Golden Blonde R9HH
Palest Blonde R10HH
Ginger Blonde/Medium Blonde R25
Golden Wheat/Light Blonde R14/88H
Chestnut/Light Brown R10
Have you tried Jessica Simpson Bangs or Fringe? What do you think? Do you wear any clip in bangs or toppers that you would recommend? Or do you have any hair wearing tips??
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