BACK to LIFE
…..can your hair really recover from the menopause?
LEISA and I were recently at a 60th birthday party — can you believe it? It seems like only yesterday we were partying like it was 1999 and it wasn’t an annual event. Of course there was dancing (of sorts) drinking (moderately) and laughs (at those dancing).
And then there was the music — the eclectic mix of 80s indie and cheesy pop as well as the camp hienergy of Divine, Kylie etc and then the cool urban pre and post rave and dance that defined most of our coming of age.
The DJ played a mix of classic club hits all familiar and nostalgic, and I watched on as the dance floor filled to Soul To Soul’s classic Back To Life. A familiar face greeted me with a smile: “Do you remember this one,” she said and I answered that I did, very well.
“I don’t suppose there is anything that could bring my menopause hair back to life?” she fired back, quick as a flash.
You see the menopause is everywhere nowadays — of course it always has been but today it’s openly discussed at coffee shops, gyms, workplaces, churchedsand 60th birthday parties. The taboo that surrounded it is gone and nothing is off limits now.
Leisa and I have conversations daily with women of all ages on the effects of the menopause on their hair — like hairdressers all over the world have for years. So if that’s the case why has it taken so long for the hair industry to realise that this is a major area of concern and that it effects a considerable percentage of their market — er, hello all women!
Of course we have discussed this issue many times on this page. Leisa, now into her fifth year of menopause has done a considerable amount of research into the effects of the condition, whilst also taking advice from industry leaders on the best products, remedies, dietary supplements and physical and breathing exercise programmes. All are worthy and have their merits but up until now the hair issue has been a slightly more grey area — are things about to change?
WELL, it appears that the major hair manufacturers are now starting to listen, with the development of some really exciting new product ranges and treatments.
Over the last year a few giveaway clues seemed to make their way into the hair product vocabulary, the most frequent and maybe the most telling is ‘anti ageing range’. It’s not subtle, but it has to be direct because this specific market — menopausal women — generally do not deal in nuance, so here the companies tell as it is.
Many women suffer hair loss, thinning, limp, lifeless texture and lack of body and numerous other side effects during menopause. There is also the absolute sense of hopelessness and resignation that this is simply the way things are. Online searches and endless chemist visits often end in disappointment and wasted money on the wrong products or bad advice.
Even we as salon owners and hairdressers were often at a loss to really recommend products that we truly believed in — many requests and suggestions were made to our product partners to develop and manufacture small ranges of specific aids to give clients some confidence that they were at least using shampoos and treatments that would actually improve their hair.
No menopausal woman is expecting a miracle but any sign that their hair is at least not going to deteriorate more would in actual fact be a bonus. Gradually they started to listen — anti ageing ingredients added to shampoos, body building treatments and strengthening styling products that decrease the brittle texture and make the hair plump and full. Slowly but surely they even started to introduce the M word and as momentum gathers, the big colour and styling houses are starting to have the conversation with hairdressers and most importantly women about the fight to bring menopause hair back to life for good.
At the party Mrs S comes back from the dance floor: “It’s hot”, she says to our party friend.
I leave them talking about how hot they both are to get some drinks. When I return Leisa is discussing a new range of anti ageing/menopause suitable products that she has just started using on a trial and a few other women have joined the conversation.
The range , developed and manufactured in Italy is relatively new , Leisa tells them but she has been using the shampoo thickening cream and leave in treatment since Christmas. This is news to me — I thought her bouncy shiny mane was down to the fabulous haircut I gave her at the start of the new year. Turns out Mrs S has been a little private project, using Semi di Lino density range as a little tester before we decided to stock it in the salon. The range consists of a shampoo, a thickening cream and a course of hair restoration vials to be applied daily.
Crafted especially for those with thin and mature hair, this revolutionary line promises to not only add thickness but also revitalise the hair fibre, resulting in healthier, younger, and fuller-looking locks. Let’s delve into the key features that make this range a must-have…
The Filler Complex re-plumps the hair and also gives thickness to thin strands that may have lost their natural body over time.
Alfaparf’s exclusive ClimateProof technology is an active ingredient that keeps the hair hydrated, providing a protective shield, keeping your hair resilient and radiant regardless of the weather while the anti-pollution shield acts as a barrier and helps to maintain your hair’s vibrancy.
Shine Fix Complex enhances the natural shine of your hair, leaving your locks looking radiant, while Colour Fix Complex includes a UV filter and antioxidants to protect your hair colour from fading , prolonging the duration of colourtreated hair.
The full range is Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Density Thickening Low Shampoo, a thickening low shampoo offers a gentle cleanse, delivering body for thicker and more revitalised hair. Then there is the thickening conditioner which detangles and nourishes while replenishing the hair for body and softness, without weighing the hair down.
The Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Density Thickening Lotion comes in six vials of 13mls and is a professional thickening treatment for thin and aging hair. It offers a replenishing and nourishing action, delivering body to the hair. allowing the hair fibre regains thickness, so hair retains a youthful, healthy appearance.
The final product is the Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Density Thickening Leave in Cream which adds volume, texture and protection from styling tools.
At last , an exclusive range of hajr products specifically for hair that needs ultra care and treatment. Salons around the country will soon be stocking their preferred brands but already Mrs S is flying the flag for the new Semi di Lino density range — it’s a pity she hadn’t brought some stock to the 60th birthday party!
Got a hair problem? Paul and Leisa are here to answer your queries. Send questions features@dailymail.ie or write to Stafford Hair Clinic, Features, Irish Daily Mail, 2 Haddington Buildings, Haddington Road, Dublin 4. Paul and Leisa cannot enter in into individual correspondence