This singer with alopecia inspired a young fan to embrace her alopecia too

“There is life without hair.” That statement may seem obvious to most, but it’s not the easiest concept for everyone to comprehend. Especially those with a common autoimmune skin disease like alopecia areata. Singer and makeup artist Keya “Gifted Keys” Trammell is one of the approximately 6.8 million people in the U.S. affected by this disease. And that’s the message she wants to send to people everywhere — “There is beauty without hair, standard without hair, knowledge without hair, character without hair, love without hair, passion without hair, success without hair, confidence without hair!” Her message reached one young girl with alopecia in August, and its impact was as meaningful to Trammell as it was to the little girl. Trammell shared the experience on Instagram. Trammell was performing in Kankakee, Ill., when she noticed a little girl in the crowd. “I’d seen Zion before the band and I had even begun our set.

I thought to myself, ‘I wonder if she has alopecia, or cancer?’” Trammell tells Yahoo Style. “About 10 minutes into the show, I saw Zion and her family walk up. She initially had a hat on and was just vibing out. Then I began to sing a song I wrote about two and a half years ago, ‘Next to Blow.’ I [also spoke] to the crowd about my life; about how I was bullied when I younger, how I dealt with self-esteem issues and lacked confidence because of my alopecia.” It was then that Trammell noticed Zion’s mother crying. “I knew right then and there that Zion also had alopecia,” she said. “When I glanced back at Zion, I saw her without her hat.

She was so beautiful to me! I just waved at her and smiled. She waved backed, stared wide-eyed at me and smiled. Afterward, Zion’s grandmother came to me and asked if her granddaughter and I could meet because she had alopecia. I’m like, YESSSSSSSSSSS!” The photo shows both ladies without hats, wigs, or hair. Trammell is crying, and Zion is beaming. “Zion’s mother thanked me for not wearing wigs,” Trammell wrote in the photo’s caption. “I was a role model for her baby girl and the way that felt.. Reaffirmed me of my destiny.” “When she walked up to me, I just began to cry. Like ugly cry,” Trammell says of Zion. “I told her over and over that she was beautiful. I also just hugged her mother so tight, and we cried. I also asked for a picture with Zion. Me being 25 and her being 4, I figured I would get on my knees so we could be level-headed and I just cried even more. She told me not to cry. I could not help myself and told her that I was happy.

My tears were happy tears. Her mother said that Zion could not stop staring at me. That did something to me. Like I understood even more why I existed on this earth.” Trammell lost all her hair at the age of 2 due to alopecia universalis. “My hair grew back fully at around 6 but has always grown in patches,” she said. So she’s been wearing weaves and wigs since she was in the first grade. “I now just shave off the hair that does grow on my head. Sometimes I let it grow so my spots can truly be seen, but it’s easier to just shave.” She now has alopecia areata, which causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes on other areas of the body, and has a lifetime risk of 2.1 percent. The hair follicles remain alive, and hair can regrow at any time, which is why it sometimes grows back in patches. Because of this, Trammell has spent much of her life dealing with bullying and self-esteem issues. “I truly used to struggle to even look in the mirror and tell myself I was beautiful. My mother would force me to do it even when I didn’t want to.” One day as a senior in high school, things changed. “I was in class, and a classmate made a joke. I laughed [moving my head up and down], and my wig fell off. Everyone laughed.

My teacher even laughed. I went to the restroom and just cried,” she recalls. “A classmate ran into the bathroom after me to see if I was OK and asked to actually see my hair. I let her see, and she just hugged me. She helped make me feel comfortable.” It was after that Trammell found the courage to shave off her hair. “I remember waking up one morning and shaving all of the hair that I did have off. I still ended up putting a wig on to go to school, but that day when I went to school I felt like I had a secret — that I’d finally accepted myself. I wasn’t ready to share that with world; I’d shared it with myself,” she said. “I was 18 when that happened. I am now 25. Just now able to fully go day by day with my crown exposed to the world.” “I’d been battling myself for some time on if I would continue to wear wigs off and on or just go bald on an everyday basis,” Trammell tells Yahoo Style. “I truly wanted to make a concerted effort to see how I would feel just being myself every day.” So she did. And she says it’s been “the most liberating experience” of her life. “I noticed that going bald every day helped me like myself more. I wouldn’t get headaches from tight wigs or burn marks from glue adhesive. I noticed people treat me different when I am bald. I notice people love me more for being confident and just being myself,” she says. “That feeling began to be something that I needed.

The feeling of beginning to feel more beautiful without wigs when I looked in the mirror began to help me want to help others feel good about themselves. To be beautiful on the inside and out. To be beautiful with a PURPOSE. I learned that having alopecia was a gift.” Sure, she might put a wig on sometime in the future, but “a wig is just another option for me,” she tells us. “Depending on if I want to go in formation like Beyoncé, J.Lo, or Jill Scott for the day. I know I have that option. But the most important option is being able to wake up in the morning and just be me.”

Women with Alopecia Share Powerful Photos and Stories

When Brittany Myers was just a little girl, her mother noticed that her hair was falling out while she was brushing it. After several test screenings and by the process of elimination, doctors diagnosed her with alopecia at just 7 years old. Alopecia is a type of hair loss that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.

Now at 33, Myers is raising awareness during Alopecia Awareness Month, when many people with the condition take to social media to share their stories. “[Alopecia is] not a sickness. It’s not caused by stress. It’s simply a function of the body that we have no control over,” Myers tells Yahoo Beauty. “Throughout my childhood and into early adulthood, I would only have a missing patch of hair here or there — sometimes more and sometimes less,” she says. “When things were good, I didn’t think about it much. When things were bad, I worried a lot about one day losing all my hair.”

Myers overcame her fear of becoming bald when she was 26. One missing patch of hair grew bigger, so with the help of a stylist friend, she saw this as a sign that it was time to reinvent herself and her look. “Back then, I never imagined it wouldn’t grow back,” she says, “but I’ve been bald ever since.”

Myers says meeting other women with alopecia has been “hugely beneficial.” She explains, “It helped me begin to see the complex beauty in the baldness, in the challenge of it all, and finding that comfort over time helped me to shift focus away from alopecia and baldness.” Other women like Myers are sharing their inspiring journey with alopecia on Instagram, including powerful photos that illustrate how they’ve handled hair loss.

When discussing her resilience, Myers says, “Part of being strong is coming to terms with the fact that these are the cards I’ve been dealt. We’ve all been dealt something. I realized not too long ago that once you stop caring so much, once you stop focusing on it all the time, the rest of the world does too.” She continues, “So much freedom comes from acceptance and letting it go.”

A Popular Hair Loss Drug Costs 40% More for Women Than Men

Dr. Jules Lipoff was browsing the pharmacy shelves of his local Target when he stumbled across an interesting finding: Ounce for ounce, the women’s version of Rogaine foam—an over-the-counter treatment for hair loss—cost significantly more than the men’s.

Men’s and women’s Rogaine are marketed differently but contain the same ingredients. “I thought, maybe this is just a fluke,” says Lipoff, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. “But I went to a couple different stores and saw it was pretty consistent.” Lipoff and his colleagues then compared prices for Rogaine and its generic version, minoxidil, at 21 pharmacies in four states. Their findings, published in JAMA Dermatology, show that the drug is routinely priced higher when marketed for women. Although they only looked at a specific selection of products, the authors say their paper “may reflect the larger issue of gender-based pricing” for many types of health care. The researchers included Target in their analysis, along with five of the country’s other largest chain pharmacies: CVS, Kroger, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart. From July to November 2016, they recorded the prices, sizes and ingredients of 41 unique minoxidil products at stores in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Indiana.

Rogaine’s foam formulas are the company’s newest, most popular products, and at 5% strength, they are FDA-approved for both men and women. But despite having identical formulations, the researchers found a 40% average increase in the price of the women’s foam version ($11.27 per ounce) compared to the men’s ($8.05 per ounce) when sold at these stores. Lower-cost generic versions of minoxidil foam are available. But these products are branded for men only, because Rogaine still owns a patent on the women’s foam formula. A spokesperson for Rogaine told Health that Rogaine foam for men and women are the same price per ounce when purchased directly from the company’s website, and when sold wholesale to pharmacies. “I can’t speak for pricing by individual retailers,” he said in an email. A spokesperson for Target said the company was not able to respond by press time. The researchers also looked at topical (liquid) minoxidil, which is available for men and women as Rogaine or a generic.

It’s an older version of the medicine and is sold for men at 5% strength and for women at 2%. In this case, even though the men’s formula has more active ingredient, the two versions cost about the same: $7.61 on average for women’s and $7.63 for men’s. “On one hand, we see that women are paying more than men for essentially an identical product,” says Lipoff. “And on the other, we see that they’re paying the same as men for something that’s not as effective.” Lipoff points out that women’s and men’s versions of these products are sometimes sold in different sizes and quantities, so women may not even realize they’re paying more. To add to the confusion, Rogaine foam is approved for women as a once-daily treatment and for men as a twice-daily treatment—so the same size container is labeled as a two-month supply for women and a one-month supply for men. But doctors may tell women to use the medicine twice a day for better effectiveness. They may also tell women to buy the men’s 5% topical formula instead of the women’s 2%.

Lipoff tells his female patients to buy men’s Rogaine because it’s cheaper. “I would also encourage them to seek out generic versions, whatever is least expensive, because the active ingredients are going to be the same,” he adds. Gender-based price differences are not new; one 2015 report found that women pay more for personal care products 56% of the time. But since few medications are marketed differently to men and women, it isn’t often that researchers can compare drug costs in this way. Lipoff says the purpose of his study wasn’t to accuse stores of intentional discrimination, but simply to document and make people aware of the real difference in cost.“I also hope we can bring forth a larger issue,” he says, “that we should consider how many of our costs in health care—not just medications but things like insurance and medical procedures—could be affected simply by gender.”

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Can Cause Baldness, But What Is It?

When you start losing your hair, you have questions. First and foremost: What's making this happen? While modern medicine has given us many ways to fight balding, our understanding of what causes male pattern baldness is still a little, well, patchy. That's not good news for any of us, considering that by age 35, around two thirds of American men will be dealing with some degree of hair loss, according to the American Hair Loss Association. By age 50, it's up to 85%. Here's what we do know: your chances of keeping your hair hinge on how sensitive you are to something called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). If you've Googled male pattern baldness, you've probably seen those three letters. But unless you're a doctor, you were probably as confused as we were at first. So let's break it down: Here's what we know about DHT, and what it's doing in your body—and to your scalp.

One of the popular myths about balding is that it’s a sign you have more testosterone than other guys. Strictly speaking, that’s not correct. You can have as much testosterone as ‘80s Arnold Schwarzenegger, but what really matters is how much of it converts to DHT. “DHT is a modified, more active form of testosterone,” explains Joshua Zeichner Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. “In your body, testosterone is transformed into DHT, which exerts stronger effects than testosterone itself.” In fact, DHT is estimated to be five times more potent than the regular stuff. So even if you’re a low-testosterone kind of guy, if your body is converting it heavily, you’re in trouble.

Let’s get one thing clear: DHT isn’t all bad. In fact, without it we wouldn’t be men in the first place. DHT helps develop our genitals in utero—meaning it makes us boys in the first place. It’s a “sex steroid,” so it also does the heavy work during puberty, lowering our voices and putting hair on our chests. How do we know DHT is linked to balding? First, hairs plucked from the scalps of balding men test higher for levels of DHT. Second, when we decrease levels of DHT in the body, we see hair loss slow or even reverse—more on that in a minute. Here’s what we think DHT is doing. As hair on the scalp goes through its normal cycle of growing and shedding, DHT makes the follicles miniaturize. That means they get thinner—and shorter, because the growing cycle doesn’t last as long. In some cases, the growing cycle becomes so brief that new hairs don’t even poke through the skin. Plus, the thinning of the hairs makes them easier to shed. The result is classic “male pattern” baldness, the kind of balding that produces what the American Hair Loss Association calls a “horseshoe” shape, with hair growing from the temples and around the back of the head. So if we know DHT is to blame for male pattern baldness, why haven’t we fixed this problem? Well, in some of our bodies, head hair and DHT co-exist in peace.

But others of us are born with a genetic sensitivity to this particular sex steroid. A 2017 study from the University of Edinburgh identified 287 genetic regions that contribute to male pattern baldness. It was the largest genetic analysis of bald men to date, and could provide targets for drug development. But there's still much more work to be done to link which genes are interacting with DHT in what ways. Until we’re able to pinpoint or modify the “baldness gene,” what’s a man to do? “Medications such as finasteride target the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT,” says Zeichner. “By lowering the levels of DHT, the drug helps maintain or enhance regrowth of hair on the scalp.” You know finasteride as Propecia. It’s also sold under the brand name Proscar. Rather than working on the hair follicles themselves, it inhibits the 5-AR enzyme, the one responsible for DHT conversion. A single milligram dose of finasteride can lower DHT levels by 60%, and the American Hair Loss Association says it stops the progression of hair loss in 86% of men taking it in clinical trials. 65% of them experienced increased hair growth. 85% of us will suffer by age 50, but 86% of us can stop balding—at least for as long as we take the drug. Until we can reprogram our genes, those might be odds you want to take.

How to Know If You Will Go Bald

There’s a rumor we’d like to end, here and now: Your odds of hair loss are not dependent on the genes inherited from your mother’s father. Like anything else, genes from mom can play a role. But she’s only half the pie. You can also inherit these genes from your father, says Dr. Alan J. Bauman, Hair Restoration Physician and founder of Bauman Medical. “Hair-loss genes can be inherited from either your mother's or father's side of the family, or a combination of the two,” he says. He adds that there are roughly 200 different genes that regulate your hair growth, so the combination of these genes—from both parents—can be unique and won’t always pattern itself from one sibling to the next.

Decades ago, this would have been the most accurate way of determining your odds—looking at old photos of your ancestors—but now there are more scientific means of predicting hair loss. These days, your doctor can take a swab of DNA from the saliva inside your cheek, and it will show how sensitive you are to dihydrotestosterone (known as DHT, which is the hormone created by the body’s testosterone). This swab will also tell you your odds for balding (and how quickly), and can predict how you might react to hair-loss medications like Propecia or Finasteride treatment.


What Specifically Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss can start as soon as puberty ends, depending on your hereditary sensitivity to DHT. That phrasing is key: Bauman stresses that it is not DHT production that causes hair loss, it's the inherited sensitivity to DHT that causes the loss. Those with high sensitivity will be the first to experience a weakening in their follicles. This results in thinning around the crown and hairline, and lighter pigment in the hair. Behaviors that increase DHT production will magnify the loss depending on sensitivity. These behaviors include smoking, creatine supplements, resistance and weight training exercise, stress, and taking anabolic steroids or testosterone hormone replacement.


How Hair Loss Progresses

One-fifth of men will experience significant hair loss by age of 20(!), and that percentage grows proportional to age. Bauman says that significant loss increases steadily with age: 30 percent will experience it in their 30s, 40 percent in 40s, and so on. “This math proves true for men into their 90s,” he says. “If you go unchecked but have maintained most of your hair by middle age, then your sensitivity to DHT is probably on the low side, meaning you have a slower rate of male pattern hair loss going on.” Symptoms of gradual hair loss are sometimes hard to notice until nearly half the hair is gone. The most obvious signs are a thinning of the temples and hairline recession. Otherwise, the hair loss can be more widespread and balanced. This steady shedding is called “invisible baldness”, since the hair becomes gradually less dense until suddenly it is perceptible to the naked eye. “In general, hair loss is a chronic, progressive condition that gets worse over time without treatment,” Bauman says. However, there are also ways to measure this “invisible baldness”. Bauman utilizes two procedures—HairCheck and HairCam—to track the hair-loss progression over time,. This periodic audit can soon paint your long-term hair-loss outlook by offering in-depth looks at density, recession, and more. Also, you may have noticed that men, when they bald, never lose the hair around the sides and back of the head. Bauman says it is unknown why these follicles are immune to DHT, but this does explain why they’re the follicles used for transplants to increase coverage up top.


How to Strengthen Your Follicles and Slow Hair Loss

Regardless of your sensitivity to DHT, you will likely experience hair loss over time. It’s part of aging, says Bauman. Look at the odds: 90 percent of 90-year olds have experienced significant loss. However, you can slow down the fall-out rate, and not just with Propecia, Rogaine, and transplants. Start by getting good sleep, consistently. Cut back on smoking and drinking, both of which compromise the hair’s fiber production. Bauman says to avoid certain medications, like antihypertensives (which prevent high blood pressure complications), hormone treatments (such as thyroid or testosterone hormone replacement), statin drugs, mood modulators (like antidepressants and anti-anxiety agents), all of which that can hinder the hair’s growth and strength. And, as mentioned, avoid supplements like creatine, which will increase DHT production and thus accelerate loss. In addition to behavioral changes, Bauman says you can slow hair loss by taking routine nutritional supplements. He recommends a professional-grade Biotin, called Viviscal Professional or Nutrafol Men. “Nutrafol targets several possible triggers for hair loss and hair thinning, including inflammation, the effects of cortisol (stress hormones), free radical damage, and more.” He also suggests using grooming products that contain caffeine like Davines’ Energizing lineup), saw palmetto (Serenoa Repens) such as MiN New York daily shampoo, and green tea extracts (ECGC) like Paul Mitchell’s scalp care assortment. “These can help strengthen the follicles and help prevent shedding,” he says. As soon as you correct detrimental behaviors or seek treatments (both medical and natural), you'll start to improve your hair’s longevity, regardless of your sensitivity to DHT. Yes, you may still lose it, but loyalty to this regimen will buy you time.

Meet The Inspiring Woman Embracing Her Alopecia, Even On Her Wedding Day

Kylie Bamberger looks every bit the blushing bride in her wedding photos. She’s wearing a white ball gown, clutching a bouquet of sunflowers and gerbera daisies, flanked by beaming bridesmaids. But there’s one major thing that sets her apart from typical brides: Bamberger is totally bald. Bamberger, 27, has alopecia universalis, an autoimmune disease that attacks hair follicles and causes total hair loss all over the body, including the head, eyelashes, eyebrows, and all body hair. She hasn’t worn a wig or covered up her head for more than five years.

“Being blonde is not who I am,” she says. “I don’t identify with my hair color." When you consider that a bad haircut is enough to send many women into a downward spiral, the fact that Bamberger rocks no hair at all is inspiring. Still, her path to self-acceptance and the unshakeable confidence she boasts today had its ups and downs. Bamberger, who lives in Los Angeles, first noticed a quarter-size bald spots at age 12. Doctors diagnosed her with alopecia areata, which causes hair to fall out in round patches. Three years later, with no warning, her hair began falling out in clumps while showering. “It felt like when you run your hand through a box of yarn,” she says. “I just remember going, ‘This is not normal.’” That was a Monday; by Thursday morning, she no longer had enough hair to pull into a ponytail. The teenager tried cutting her hair short and wearing hats, but eventually shaved her head and started wearing wigs. In college, she would work in the morning wearing a blonde wig, and change into a red wig before class.

Though wearing wigs made her look more conventionally “normal,” Bamberger hated them. “Just walking across campus, it would be so hot that I would take my hair off and dry it under the blow dryers in the women’s bathroom, because I would sweat underneath it," she says. "That was my lifestyle.” One day, she forgot to put her wig back on before class. “I just walked in…I was like, ‘Well, this is me!’” she says. That day, she finally dropped what she calls her phase of being two different people: a blonde and a redhead. The transition from bewigged to bald at times dampened Bamberger's spirits, and often left her frustrated. She felt self-conscious about her appearance, especially when people would stare and ask uncomfortable questions.

To her horror, sometimes she was mistaken for a man in the women's restroom, and on more than one occasion, she was called a skinhead. The turning point in Bamberger's evolution came during collegiate soccer season. Her teammates were out to win games, not to gossip about someone’s hair (or lack thereof). On the field, she developed mental toughness, and discovered her personal power pose: "resting bitch face," as she calls it. Her icy stare intimidated players on opposing teams—and in everyday life, silenced rude whispers about her baldness. “If people were staring, I would stare back," she says. "If you’re going to go out bald, you have to have the confidence to own it. You’re not offending anyone.” Today, Bamberger—who works full time for her family's British food imports business—spreads awareness about alopecia through modeling and motivational speeches. She also promotes self-acceptance and self-love on social media.

In March, she participated in #WhatIModel, a joint social media campaign from Health and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit celebrating body diversity and positivity. Her video was among the most popular of the entire campaign, amassing more than 80,000 views. “I model acceptance. I model the ability to show your inner beauty, and that you don’t necessarily need all of this to have all of that,” she says in the video. “When I lost my hair, I was so focused on what I had lost, that I hadn’t necessarily realized what I had gained. I had gained the ability to finally love myself…. No one should ever be alienated because of the way that they look.” The stares and uncomfortable questions still happen, but Bamberger says she also receives compliments and, sometimes, even hugs. She’s come to appreciate the attention she gets while walking her bald. “As much as random hugs in the grocery store might not seem appealing, there’s something about the power of a hug, where even if it might not benefit me, that person who had to give me a hug really feels good about it," she says. "If I can be—as my husband calls me—the tortilla chip to their guacamole, if I can be the carrier for that good feeling, then let’s promote good feelings."

Ultimately, she hopes being bald can become as accepted as trends like unicorn hair are now. First, though, must come more acceptance, which she hopes she can have a hand in fostering. “Hair loss doesn’t make you unhealthy, and it doesn’t make you ugly,” she says. “Those are two massive, massive misconceptions. I am not sick. I’m only stronger. If you’re out there, bald, it just means you’re becoming stronger. If you’re out there embracing your bald, you’re stronger. Period.”

Will I Go Bald? Genetic Study Shows Complex Answer

Researchers searching for the genetic roots of hair loss say they've found more than 280 different genes are involved. And they've come up with a formula that can predict a man's risk of losing his hair, although it's too soon to say there could be a blood test to forecast whether and when a man would start losing his hair. It turns out that hair loss is very complicated genetically, the British team reports in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Genetics.

"In this large genome-wide association study study of male pattern baldness, we identified 287 independent genetic signals that were linked to differences in the trait," Riccardo Marioni and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh wrote. "The results of this study might help identify those at greatest risk of hair loss, and also potential genetic targets for intervention." The team studied the DNA from more than 52,000 mostly middle-aged men taking part in a gigantic British genetic experiment called BioBank. "We identified hundreds of new genetic signals," said Saskia Hagenaars, a student who worked on the study.

Although hair loss runs strongly in families, men cannot always look at their fathers and predict their own fates, hair-wise. Some can blame their mothers, the researchers found. The trawl though all of the mens' genes found 40 linked with baldness on the X chromosome. The rest were scattered across the genome. "It was interesting to find that many of the genetic signals for male pattern baldness came from the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mothers," Hagenaars said in a statement. Of the men in the study, 16,700 had no hair loss.

Another 12,000 had slight hair loss; 14,000 had moderate hair loss and 9,800 had severe hair loss. "We identified hundreds of new genetic signals," said Saskia Hagenaars, a student who worked on the study. Although hair loss runs strongly in families, men cannot always look at their fathers and predict their own fates, hair-wise. Some can blame their mothers, the researchers found. The trawl though all of the mens' genes found 40 linked with baldness on the X chromosome. The rest were scattered across the genome. "It was interesting to find that many of the genetic signals for male pattern baldness came from the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mothers," Hagenaars said in a statement. Of the men in the study, 16,700 had no hair loss. Another 12,000 had slight hair loss; 14,000 had moderate hair loss and 9,800 had severe hair loss.

However, it's possible to predict whether a man will lose hair with pretty good certainty. Most are fated to at least have their hair thin out. "Male pattern baldness affects around 80 percent of men by the age of 80 years," the researchers wrote. "We are still a long way from making an accurate prediction for an individual's hair loss pattern," Marioni said in a statement. "However, these results take us one step closer. The findings pave the way for an improved understanding of the genetic causes of hair loss."

Alopecia patient calls for bald emoji to help represent hair loss

Jade Jarvis, 24, from Eastbourne developed alopecia when she was 16. It's a condition that affects around one in every 100 people nationwide and Jade says you may well know someone with it but not realize it. "I used to wear my hood up all the time and never leave the house without my extensions in," she tells Newsbeat.

"I used to wear a little flower on top of my head to try to cover it. "It's quite stressful and hard to deal with at times but my confidence is coming back." After eight years of hiding her condition, Jade started writing a blog about what day-to-day life is like with hair loss. "I've learnt to accept it," she says. "I'm confident in myself and I just deal with it. It's me and if people don't like it then tough." The only character emoji with little or no hair are the baby and elderly man.

Jade says the lack of suitable emoji to go along with her Instagram pictures made her feel down and that alopecia is not accepted socially. She started the petition calling for a new bald emoji to help "people feel more confident". "Emoji are often used when you don't know the words to say and when you suffer from any hair loss condition it's really hard to express yourself. "I think if people were able to use one, it would speak volumes. "There are plenty of politically correct emoji, just none clearly showing a person without hair.

"I feel that by adding a bald male and female we could spread awareness and make this sensitive subject more socially acceptable." Jade was told that 98% of sufferers have regrowth in the first three years and 2% don't. Jade is in that 2%. There is no cure for alopecia and Jade says it's only a matter of time until she has total hair loss. "I am trying to be positive in the hopes that one day, it just might come back," she explains. "However, I have to prepare myself for the worst.

"I know so many people would feel more confident in themselves if they could use this emoji when uploading photos to their Instagram or Snapchat. "It's who they are and they shouldn't be afraid to show it - myself included." For those experiencing alopecia, Jade has this advice: "I know that it is not easy, but one of the greatest hurdles you have to cross is the one where you realize that you don't need to hide who you truly are.

"Believe me, once you cross it, the greatest weight comes off your shoulders and you become a stronger person. "It has taken me six years to get to the stage that I am at now, but now I am here I feel so much more lifted and full of self-confidence."

This Model Is Embracing Her Alopecia—And Showing Off An Amazing Wig In The Process

A model in Australia who lives with hair loss due to alopecia is hoping to raise awareness of the autoimmune disease. Lara Kitchen, 20, recently posted an Instagram video showing herself with and without a wig—and it’s been viewed more than 43,000 times in one day. “Doing this is the scariest thing I have ever done in my entire life,” Kitchen writes in the caption of the video, which starts to the tune of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and shows Kitchen with words like “acceptance” and “brave” written on her face. She details how she began losing her hair in clumps when she was 14, and it greatly impacted her upbringing. Kitchen says she became “the girl that ‘wore a wig,'” and rumors went around that she had cancer.

 Her parents took her to several doctors until one finally diagnosed her with alopecia. “I remember sitting there and just crying in the doctor’s office and taking my wig off as he looked at my head and began to tell me and my mum that the follicle off the hair was still there, but the chances of it growing back were slim,” she writes. She underwent treatments to try to help her hair grow back, but nothing worked, and she has worn wigs ever since.

As you can see in the below video, Kitchen has found human-hair wigs that look gorgeous—and like hair that grew out of her own head—in various styles. Kitchen says she hasn’t been open about her condition until now, but she’s realized she has nothing to be ashamed of. “Yes, my hair is a major physical aspect to my appearance, but my friends and family love me for me,” she said. Check out the full video.

Amazing Head of Hair in Minutes!

Watch as Ricky created a beautiful head of hair for one of our youngest male hair replacement clients. He is so happy with the finished look!‪#‎HairLoss‬ ‪#‎Bald‬ ‪#‎Hair‬

Hair Replacement for Young Men

When most people think of balding men, they think of middle-aged men. But, a lot of men actually start experiencing thinning and balding at a younger age, some in their teenage years! Ricky Knowles has perfected his hair duplication craft and offers young men the opportunity to have a head full of hair again! Take a look at client, Stefan! He changes his hairstyle often to fit his mood, and looks quite dapper! Awesome work Ricky!

How Much Hair Loss Is Normal?

About 50 to 100 hairs a day. And that number fluctuates throughout the year—it's higher in the autumn and lower in the summer. But if you notice a coin-shaped bald area (or areas) on your scalp, run to your dermatologist since that could be a signal of alopecia areata, a medical condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles.

You should also see your doc if you're especially itchy or if your scalp is red, tender, bumpy, or flaking, since these signs could point to a scalp problem or an allergy. And if you suddenly notice a massive increase in the amount of hair falling out each day, and it doesn't slow down after a month, schedule an office visit.

Have questions about hair loss? We're here to answer them!

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Amazing Undetectable Men's Hairpiece - Toupee - Real Hair Replacement

World-renowned, master hair duplication stylist, Ricky Knowles, demonstrates how he attaches hair to a middle aged man suffering from hair loss.  He shows how simple it is for the wearer to maintain and style.

Ricky Knowles reveals his most secret hair client... himself!  Most people never knew that Ricky not only is a master hair duplication stylist, that he is also a client at Ricky Knowles Hair and Wellness.

Watch his amazing reveal and see him apply his own hair piece.  He shows us how easy it is to put on and style!

How to Get the 7 Essential Anti-Balding Vitamins and Nutrients

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The foods to eat: Flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, tuna, kale, Brussels sprouts, rapeseed oil.

Zinc
The foods to eat: Chickpeas, wheat germ, oysters, beef, veal liver, roast beef.

Protein
The foods to eat: Greek yogurt, eggs yolks, kale, peanuts, beans, peas, lentils, tofu, chicken, turkey.

Iron
The foods to eat: Dark leafy greens, whole grains, beans, red meat, turkey, egg yolks, clams, mussels, oysters.

Vitamins A and C
The foods to eat: Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, pumpkin.

Magnesium
The foods to eat: Almonds, spinach, cashews, lentils, brown rice, halibut.

Selenium
The foods to eat: Brazil nuts, tuna, halibut, shrimp sardines, ham.

Are you ready to explore your options to combat hair loss?  Call our world-renowned hair duplication specialist Ricky Knowles at 713-623-4247 to schedule a free hair loss consultation!

9 Foods Men Need to Eat

While many men are less conscious about what they eat, experts say that at times, eating healthy can mean different things for men and women because both sexes have their own set of dietary requirements.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are also known as superfoods because of their numerous benefits. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which, studies say help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease and lower cholesterol - all common ailments in men.

Oysters
Oysters have high levels of zinc - essential for men's fertility and sexual health. Zinc maintains healthy testosterone levels and is excellent for healthy sperm production. It is also great for the hair.

Whole grains
Whole grains contain healthy levels of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whole grains like oats and brown rice have healthy amounts of B vitamins, good for over-all well-being and they also help alleviate depression. Studies also say that folate can keep sperm healthy, while biotin helps curb hair loss.

Garlic
While garlic is known for the role it plays in protecting the heart, it is said that men who consume garlic regularly have lower cholesterol levels.

Salmon
Not only is salmon a great source of protein, it is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to lowered levels of bad cholesterol. They also reduce the risk of heart disease, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and depression.

Blueberries
Experts say that blueberries have high levels of proanthocyanidins, which are linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Blueberries are also said to be effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and age-related memory loss.

Broccoli
Broccoli, as well as cabbage and sprouts, contains a strong cancer-fighting chemical called sulphoraphane, which is said to reduce men's risk of developing bladder cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer.

Eggs
Suffering from hair loss? Make sure you include eggs in your diet. Eggs have high sources of protein, important for hair growth. The yolk is also a good source of iron.

Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate juice helps lower cholesterol levels and prevent hypertension because it is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. Some studies have also suggested that having pomegranate juice daily can slow down the progress of prostate cancer.

Do You Suffer From Trichotillomania?

Ricky specializes in trichotillomania support and hair duplication.. He helps clients by giving them the tools to stop pulling. Check out what a client said about their experience at Ricky Knowles Hair and Wellness recently.

"My daughter has trichotillomania. Ricky brought happiness into our lives for the first time in many years after fitting her for a wig. He taught her how to care for it and wear it. His sensitivity around very delicate issues is awesome. I would recommend anyone with trich. or baldness to Ricky as he has a unique gift in dealing with people with these problems." - AMH

Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair

1. Salmon
Besides being rich in protein and vitamin D (both are key to strong hair) the omega-3 fatty acids found in this tasty cold-water fish are the true superstar. Your body can't make those fatty acids, which your body needs to grow hair. Omega-3s are also found in cell membranes in the skin of your scalp, and in the natural oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated.
Other options: If salmon doesn't thrill you, you can also get essential fatty acids from fish like herring, sardines, trout, and mackerel, as well as avocado, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts (see below for more wonderful things about walnuts.)

2. Walnuts
These are the only type of nut that have a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. They're also rich in biotin and vitamin E, which helps protect your cells from DNA damage.
Other options: Try using walnut oil in your salad dressing or stir-fry instead of canola or safflower.

3. Oysters
Oysters are rich in zinc, a lack of which can lead to hair loss (even in your eyelashes), as well as a dry, flaky scalp. Three ounces has a whopping 493% of your daily value. You can get some zinc through fortified cereals and whole grain breads, but oysters can boast a good level of protein too.
Other options: Get your fill of zinc with nuts, beef, and eggs.

4. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of the antioxidant beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A. It also helps protect and produce the oils that sustain your scalp, and being low on vitamin A can even leave you with itchy, irksome dandruff.
Other options: Carrots, cantaloupe, mangoes, pumpkin, and apricots are all good sources of beta carotene.

5. Eggs
A great source of protein, eggs are loaded with four key minerals: zinc, selenium, sulfur, and iron. Iron is especially important, because it helps cells carry oxygen to the hair follicles, and too little iron (anemia) is a major cause of hair loss, particularly in women.
Other options: You can also boost your iron stores with animal sources, including chicken, fish, pork, and beef.

6. Spinach
The iron, beta carotene, folate, and vitamin C in spinach help keep hair follicles healthy and scalp oils circulating.
Other options: Try similarly nutrient-rich dark, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and Swiss chard.

7. Lentils
Tiny but mighty, these legumes are teeming with protein, iron, zinc, and biotin making it a great staple for vegetarian, vegans, and meat eaters.
Other options: Toss other beans such as soybeans (the young ones are called edamame) and kidney beans into your soup or salad.

8. Greek yogurt
Cruise the dairy aisle for low-fat options such as Greek yogurt, which is high in hair-friendly protein, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid -- an ingredient you'll often see on hair care product labels), and vitamin D. Emerging research links vitamin D and hair follicle health.
Other options: Cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, and skim milk also fit the bill.

9. Blueberries
Exotic super fruits may come and go but when it comes to vitamin C. C is critical for circulation to the scalp and supports the tiny blood vessels that feed the follicles. Too little C in your diet can lead to hair breakage.
Other options: Kiwis, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and strawberries.

10. Poultry
This everyday entree is extraordinary when it comes to protein, as well as hair-healthy zinc, iron, and B vitamins to keep strands strong and plentiful.
Other options: Lean cuts of beef are another good source of lean protein.

Looking for other tips or products for healthy hair?  Contact our Ricky Knowles Hair and Wellness team at 713-623-4247, and we'd be more than happy to help you!

Scientists A Step Closer to Treating Baldness

Scientists have moved a step closer to finding a treatment for baldness in men and women with the discovery that it is possible to grow new hair follicles from human skin cells. The new test results are the first breakthrough in 40 years of research into finding a way to regenerate the structures in the skin that cause hair to grow and could lead to radically different therapies for hair loss. Scientists have struggled for decades to to replicate human hair follicles in the laboratory, but the new techniques prove they can be stimulated to grow in skin tissue and made to produce hair shafts.

The researchers claim that instead of the current method of transplanting hair from another part of the body, patients' own skin could be used to produce an essentially never-ending supply of hair follicles for transplant operations.

One of the study's lead authors, Professor Angela Christiano of Columbia University said, "This approach has the potential to transform the medical treatment of hair loss. Current hair-loss medications tend to slow the loss of hair follicles or potentially stimulate the growth of existing hairs, but they do not create new hair follicles. Neither do conventional hair transplants...Our method, in contrast, has the potential to actually grow new follicles using patient's own cells."

I have Alopecia and am constantly running from place to place with my busy schedule. Do you have an hair loss solution for me?

Alopecia Areata (AA) is a condition affecting humans, in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, usually from the scalp. Because it causes bald spots on the scalp, especially in the first stages, it is sometimes called "spot baldness." In 1%–5% of cases, the condition can spread to the entire scalp (Alopecia Totalis) or to the entire body (Alopecia Universalis). The different types of Alopecia do not discriminate and affect men, women, and children all over the world.

Unfortunately there is no cure for Alopecia but there are treatments that work on a temporary basis. The most popular treatment method requires painful injections into the bald areas. Although this may help the injected area, hair loss may occur in other untreated areas. For many suffering with Alopecia treatments like injections can become too painful and expensive to continue treatment.

Ricky Knowles Hair and Wellness offers several cover up options including wigs, hair pieces and other products. There is no need to worry about damaging the hair or slowing the re-growth by using our products.

We use specially designed hair replacements proven to cover or camouflage the bald areas without causing excess damage or future problems for your scalp. Our staff has years of experience working with women, men, and children that have been diagnosed with Alopecia. We have taken that experience and combined it with the most advanced technology in hair replacement. This means we can offer the most comfortable and realistic hair loss solutions available.

Watch our client Judy talk about the hair loss solution that our RNHW team customized for her busy schedule.

Contact us at 713-623-4247 to see what our skilled and compassionate staff can do to help restore hair and your confidence.