April 1, 2024 • 27 mins
After wearing a wig for years, Lesa decided to grow her hair as much as she could, and leave her wig days behind.
In this episode Bambi talks to Lesa about the day she went from long and blonde to short and grey - and found the confidence to embrace her natural self along the way.
In this week’s Did You Know we also look at hairbrushes. You’ll find out:
- The best hair brushes to use if you have hair loss
- Why wet hair is delicate and needs a different approach
- The best brush to use when blow drying your hair
SHARE THE PODCAST:
Like what you heard and want to share the podcast with other women in your life? Send them this link: https://www.boostnblend.com/pages/hair-loss-in-women-podcast
FIND OUT MORE:
If you’d like to find out more about Boost n Blend head to the Australian website, US website, UK website.
Find us on social media at Facebook or Instagram.
DISCLAIMER:
While Bambi is a former registered nurse with extensive knowledge on hair loss in women, she is not a medical doctor.
All information shared in this podcast is of a general nature.
Please see your GP or other medical professional for specific advice related to your circumstances.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Hello ladies, are you struggling with hairloss?
I want you to know you're not alone.
Hi, I'm Bambi Staveley, former registerednurse, author, founder of Boost N Blend
and someone who probably just like you hashad first -hand experience with hair loss,
which is all covered in my latest book,Hair Loss in Women.
(00:23):
When I noticed my own hair thinning 15years ago,
I went looking for information and I wentlooking for products for women, just like
you and me.
But all I could find out there wasproducts made for men.
And most of the information I could findwas about male pattern baldness.
Well, that's not much help.
So I set out to change that.
(00:44):
I want to see women with hair loss talkingabout it and talking to each other,
sharing their stories from a place ofknowledge.
So join me.
as I meet some courageous women.
I'll share some information and we'lllearn together on the Hair Loss in Women
podcast.
(01:06):
Hello, it's me Bambi back again withanother episode of the Hair Loss in Women
podcast.
Today for our Did You Know segment, we'retalking about hair brushing and hair
brushes, something so practical.
and that we do every day.
But I know it can be a source of worry, soI'm going to give you some tips of the
best practices for hair brushing when youhave hair loss.
(01:29):
But before that, I'd like to introduce youto Lesa.
Does she have a hair loss coming out storyfor you?
Lesa actually wore a wig for 14 years andthen one day turned up at her work
sporting her natural short silver hair.
It's a great story of bravery, but also ofembracing ourselves.
and where we're at.
(01:51):
I really hope you enjoy this conversationI had with Lesa.
Lesa, welcome to the podcast.
Thank you.
Now, we'll get to the day at yourworkplace shortly.
But first, tell me a little bit about yourhair loss.
When did you first start to notice thatyou were losing your hair?
Probably, I'd say 25 years ago, just agradual thinning.
(02:17):
But it was something, because I'm ateacher, it was something that
Um, a couple of kids had commented on anda family member had commented on.
And so I felt very conscious of it.
And so that's when I first looked intoalternatives.
And so you wore a wig for many years.
(02:37):
Tell me about the decision to do that.
Yeah.
Well, um, I think that for me, that wasthe best option and it gave me the look
that I wanted.
And so I have, I had two little girls.
One was two and one was three.
And you know, like I was always, when Idid my hair, it was, you know, a big
(02:58):
obsession where I was always trying tocover every spot and I was looking at
myself from every angle and I, they wouldwatch me and I didn't want them to think
that that was normal.
So I decided to take that leap and I'ddone a lot of research and I'd found this
woman.
And she makes these amazing wigs.
(03:22):
And so I transitioned to a temporary wigfor probably, well, it was nearly three
months while they made this wig.
And it was just putting that hair on andfeeling a million dollars, you know,
feeling like the way that I wanted.
And so I wore variations of that wig for14 years.
(03:45):
Wow.
And how did you find it fit?
How was the fit for you and how did youmake it fit?
It was perfect.
That was on a latex base, so it justfitted like a second skin.
It wasn't hot.
Nobody could tell.
Everyone used to comment about howgorgeous, you know, my hair was and how
young I looked.
That's been the hardest transition.
(04:08):
How fabulous.
Yeah.
How fabulous.
Yeah.
And did you do any investigation into whyyou were losing your hair?
I went to a trichologist and he did sometests, but there was nothing conclusive.
And you know, he had so much hair.
That was awful.
(04:29):
It would have been better if he was bald.
Yeah.
So it like I'd had blood tests done, butthere was nothing, no reason why.
My mum's hardly got any hair.
So I knew it was hereditary.
So I knew that that was my future.
And mum has never done anything about herhair.
And I just was not going to go down thatpath.
(04:50):
You know, I was going to be proactive andI, I needed to make sure that I felt good
about myself.
Wow.
And so you wore a wig for a long timethen?
How long was that?
Yeah, I wore my wig for 14 years and I,I've only, I've been out of my wig for
(05:11):
about a year now.
And so.
And so while you were wearing the wig, whoknew about your hair loss?
Not many people, a family and anyone thatI chose to tell, but it was such a shock
for people.
You know, like I'd have people coming upand asking me who my hairdresser was.
And, you know, so when, when I told themthat, you know, they were just gobsmacked.
(05:35):
But I just, it became, you know, it wassomething early on that I could do
everything with, but I found that.
As the years progressed, I would bestopping doing things more and more
because of my hair.
So we're quite an adventurous travelingfamily and we were going to the Blue
Mountains and there was a caving trip.
(05:59):
But I just said, oh, look, I think it'sgoing to be too cold for me.
But in reality, it was always about myhair.
And so I found that I was missingopportunities.
And so that's when I decided that maybe Ineeded to investigate other avenues.
And so what other avenues came up for youthen?
Well, I went to see a skin specialist andhe said to me that, like I have good hair
(06:24):
growth at the back.
He said the medications are better now andthere's a good chance that I can have a
decent head of hair.
So that little seed was sown and I thoughtabout it for another year.
And in the meantime, you know, I wouldexclude myself from situations like going
(06:47):
to the beach or that sort of thing.
And in the end, I made the decision thatthat was it.
I was going to try.
So how did, so what was that process like?
And I guess there were a couple of stepsto the, to all of that.
Well, that, that was easy.
I found this fabulous skin specialist whohad an affiliation with a,
(07:10):
place in Melbourne.
So she was, and she was working under aprofessor in Melbourne and she specialised
in hair loss in women.
So she was the one that was telling meabout the, I call them sprinkles.
But also medication.
(07:30):
So I began to - Hair fibres you're talkingabout when you say sprinkles.
Yes, yes.
Hair fibres.
Yeah, they've been fabulous.
Yeah, so she was the one that told meabout the hair fibers and I started taking
the medication.
But then, of course, COVID happened.
So because of the suction wig, I couldn'tgrow my hair back because during COVID and
(07:54):
before and after, I had to still wear thatwig.
So I kept taking the medication.
I bought some hair fibers and I was justwaiting for.
I had to pick up another temporary wig sothat I could transition and grow my hair
through that other wig.
So yeah, it was a long process and my hairarrived from the States and I couldn't do
(08:17):
anything about it because I couldn't leavethe house.
So it was, yeah, it was a long timecoming.
Wow.
So the original wig that you wore for 14years, you were shaving off your head for
that to work?
Yep.
Yep.
So I knew I could grow my hair, but Icould see when.
I could see where the gaps were and it wasjust fine at the front, which is where you
(08:40):
moved your hair.
Yes, it is.
Right.
So then you had to transition from no hairunderneath a wig to growing your hair
back, but also wearing a wig for the timebeing.
Yeah.
But that the whole, when you get new hair,new wig, you know, that whole transition,
because one of those wigs lasts for threeyears.
(09:04):
And so by the end of that three years,it's looking a bit ratty.
So your hair gets shorter and shorter andshorter.
And so when the new wig comes, it'slonger.
So you have to time it for the schoolholidays in Christmas.
So you've got like six weeks.
So they kind of forget what you look like.
And then you come back with this glorioushead of hair again.
And so I went from having short hair,similar to what I've got on my old wig to
(09:29):
this new blonde.
I hated it, but this temporary wig.
And just, I was so nervous that first day,like it wasn't good human hair and it
wasn't easy to control.
And everyone made a comment about thecolor.
Oh my God, look at the color of your hair.
You've had your hair done.
And, you know, so there was a lot offocus.
(09:50):
So that first year back at school, tryingto grow my hair was hard.
Like just the beginning of that, but youknow, everyone settles down and then, you
know, it becomes old news.
Yeah, right.
And so you wore that wig, that new one,you wore that new wig over the top of your
(10:10):
hair growing back for what'd you say ayear?
No, six months.
Oh, six months.
Right.
Okay.
Yeah.
So by June I'd had enough and I thought Ihad hair and I had hair fibres and I went
to the hairdresser and I said, just giveme a good do.
And so, yep, she did.
And.
(10:30):
Um, she said to me, cause I could put myhair over the top of it if I didn't like
it.
And she said, it looks fabulous.
Go out there tomorrow and go to school andbe this you.
And so I did.
Wow.
You did.
I did.
How did you feel that day?
Oh, so nervous.
So nervous because I went from being longand blonde to short and gray.
(10:53):
So she just said, just wear big earringsand lipstick and no one will care.
Yeah, and rocket.
And you did.
Yeah, I did.
You know what?
No one knew me.
Not not one person recognized me.
And so I was on playground duty and noneof my kids recognized me and I would say,
(11:16):
Good morning.
How are you going?
And they'd look at me and say, are youthis is why?
And I go, yeah, yeah.
But even my friends at work, you know, Ihad a teacher swap with me for playground
duty and she just thought I was a casualteacher.
She just dismissed me.
I'm going, hi everyone.
And they just went, hi.
I don't even know.
Wow.
(11:37):
Yeah.
So you made it through that day.
Yep.
And then where to from there?
Did you adapt to it really quickly andeasily or did you find it took you a
while?
I look, everyone was really supportive.
So I knew that I would be, I didn't havean issue at school.
Um, and I knew that with the hair fibers,I, I could feel confident because the gaps
(11:58):
that I had, I could cover.
So I, you know, from, I've just gone fromstrength to strength and that, you know,
like I have moments where I'm nervous andI'm like, say to my kids, can you see
anything?
Can you see anything?
And yeah.
What did you say to people when theyrealized that it was you?
Um, I just told them my story.
I just told them the story that I toldyou.
(12:21):
And they, they could not believe it.
They couldn't believe that not I'd fooledthem, but that nobody picked up what was
going on.
And I was such a confident person that, Idon't know, just, it was a weird thing and
nobody's ever had, nobody's worn a wiglike that.
(12:41):
And, you know, without, you know, you seethose wigs that are like toupees or
they're so obvious.
Well, it wasn't like that.
It was very nice.
No, you must've had a wonderful wig.
Oh, I guess wigs over the years.
Oh, yes.
Good quality.
Very good.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, that's fabulous.
Yeah.
And so what's it been like since then?
So how long ago was that that you?
(13:03):
That was probably June last year and it'sbeen so liberating.
I feel so free and just, you know, I'vejust come back from Bali.
So to not have to worry about swimming orthe heat or.
Yeah, just those little things that youhave to think about when you got a wig on.
(13:24):
But yeah, I just feel I can be myself.
And even though like I like that I'msilvery grey, I don't need to colour my
hair.
I'm so happy and I feel like I look my agemaybe.
I guess getting ready in the morning isprobably a little quicker, is it, with
your own hair?
(13:45):
No, it's harder because I just put myhairy hat on.
So it's like I can just walk out the door.
Right.
Yeah.
So, but it's taken a bit of time to getused to, but I've got a short little cut.
So it's very easy and some product andsome hair fiber and it's perfect.
Yeah.
Oh, that's great.
And how do you find the gray hair fiber?
(14:05):
So which gray color are you using?
I'm doing a combination, mostly silkysilver, gray and the light gray.
Okay.
So you're combining the two graystogether.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And.
Which order do you put them on in?
I put the darker one on first, because myhair is, you know, just lusher at the
(14:25):
front there.
So that actually goes, if I put the lightone on first, it's a bit bluer.
So yeah, but it sits well on top of thehead.
Great.
I mean, combining colors is a talent.
So it's great that you're able to do that.
Yeah.
I just, I like that it covers my scalp.
So if I can get good coverage on my scalpand I've got an applicator and that works
(14:49):
to me around the front.
So yeah, that's, that's being, it's beingfabulous.
And when you think back to the day youmade the decision to transfer from a wig
to your own hair, do you ever think thatgoing back over the years you wished you'd
done that sooner?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I had a friend come up to me yesterday tosay, oh, how was Bali?
(15:13):
I can't believe, how much better would ithave been with real hair?
Because you wouldn't have had any worries.
And I was like, yeah, that's right.
It was the best decision.
And I do wish that I'd made it earlier.
And it is what it is.
It is what it is.
But I guess also while you had the wig,you felt great.
(15:33):
I did.
You weren't looking for, I mean, apartfrom.
Yeah, you looked fabulous and you feltgreat.
And actually I have to say you lookfabulous now.
You have a beautiful face and a young faceand I think your happiness shines through
as well.
Yes, yes.
I'm so happy and I'm so grateful for theproduct.
I have to, I just have to keep saying thatbecause without that, I wouldn't have the
(15:57):
confidence.
If I haven't got it in for some reason, Idon't go out.
Yeah.
Well, I'm in that boat too.
And, um,
Would you be comfortable telling us whichmedications you're on?
Yeah, I'm taking minoxidil, but I'm alsocombining it with bicholidamide.
And the minoxidil, the tablet or the?
(16:18):
It's a sublingual tablet.
Yeah.
So, and all the medication comes fromMelbourne.
So.
Right.
And you're finding any side effects withthe tablets at all?
No, no, I haven't had any at the moment.
Yeah.
I know a lot of women talk about gettingextra hair growth where they didn't want
it.
So that's not something that you've had todo.
Oh, look, I wax more often.
(16:41):
Yeah, I would like it to be on the top ofmy head, but I've got very good growth
around the sides and the back.
But I've got more growth than I hadbefore.
So I'm nervous to go off the meds just incase that's the...
Well, if you don't have any side effects.
And I mean, not that anyone on a podcastcan see you, but I can say,
(17:02):
to describe to everybody that you have abeautiful head of hair.
Yeah.
And you would not know looking at you.
You would just know you've got a good,good lot of fullness.
And I think that's, that's great.
And it's short.
So happy.
Yeah.
Shorts.
Yep.
The easiest way.
I think so.
Yeah.
And so is there anything that you'd liketo say to other women who maybe they're at
(17:25):
the beginning of their hair loss story ormaybe they're wearing a wig, but.
Is there anything, any advice or anythingyou'd like to look?
I often see people in the street with thathair loss and I want to go up and say, you
know, but I know that in that positionyou're really vulnerable and the last
thing you want to do is draw attention toyourself.
(17:46):
I would just say that it's the best thingthat I've ever done and it's an easy
solution.
It's a cheap solution and it works and itgives you the confidence and that kind of
confidence to be able to leave the house.
without worrying what everyone's thinkingbecause even though people say to you, oh,
it's fine, it's fine.
(18:07):
You know in yourself that it's not fine.
And to me, it's a big thing.
So it's given me everything.
It's given me my freedom.
Well, that's great.
I guess you had a different kind offreedom with the wig.
Yeah.
And now you have a different kind offreedom without it.
Yeah.
Well, I feel like me.
Oh, that's really fantastic.
(18:30):
And I should probably mention that themedication that you're on is not going to
be right for everyone.
So, you know, we're not suggesting thateverybody should go on anything that
you're on, but it's just that I thoughtit'd be interesting for other women who
are maybe considering medications to knowwhat other people are taking and how they
feel about it.
But it's something that everyone should atleast perhaps consider at some point
(18:51):
because it does obviously for some people,it does have a great effect and it has for
you, which is wonderful.
Well, it's been really fascinating talkingto you, Lesa, and I've really enjoyed
chatting with you today.
So I just want to say thank you for beingso open and so willing and so willing to
(19:13):
share your story.
So thank you very much.
Well, thank you for the opportunity tospeak.
What an incredible story that was.
From turning up to work in a long,luscious wig to short grey hair.
How incredible.
I really felt Lesa was such a greatexample of how freeing it can be if you
(19:34):
embrace what you have and show the worldyour natural self.
And as Lesa so kindly said many timesthroughout that interview, the product and
the solution that she kept referring towas Boost N Blend Cotton Hair Fibres.
She mentioned they're such an easy andcheap solution, much cheaper than a wig of
course.
(19:55):
So the different kind of freedom Lesa wastalking about was the freedom you get from
knowing that your hair loss is invisible,which of course you get from Boost & Blend
hair fibers.
Now let's turn to today's Did You Know?
Today's Did You Know comes from Leslie whosent a question in.
(20:18):
Leslie asks, I'm wondering what's the besthairbrush to use on my hair every time it
needs combing?
And she goes on to say, I just use a combwith widely spaced teeth.
And my friend said that I should use abigger brush that is flat with wide teeth.
So do you do one?
And if not, can you suggest a good brushand where I might purchase it?
(20:41):
So thanks, Leslie, thank you for thequestion.
It's great to hear from the community andI like to know what you want to know
about.
So let's get on to hair brushes.
Look, there is a difference between whatyou can use when your hair is wet and when
it's dry and the best way to go aboutbrushing or combing your hair throughout
the day.
So let's talk about wet hair first.
(21:03):
I don't recommend using a brush or a finetooth comb on wet hair.
Really, wet hair is so elastic.
and it's much more elastic than dry hair.
And of course, as you probably havenoticed yourself, with elastic wet hair,
it can break really easily.
So for wet hair, I would say only use awide tooth comb.
(21:25):
And the great thing about a wide toothcomb is they have other uses as well.
So I keep a wide tooth comb in the showerfor my conditioner.
And in the Boost and Blend range, there'sone with a hook on it, so it hangs in the
shower, which is great because then youcan just keep it there.
and it's really gentle on your hair andit's much better than rubbing your hair to
(21:45):
put the conditioner in.
So comb it through, comb your conditionerall the way through to the ends, but don't
forget about your scalp.
So use a scalp massager if you have one.
If you don't, just massage your scalp withyour fingers because it's really one of
the best things you can do for stimulatingblood flow to the base of your hair
follicles and it really does help toencourage growth.
(22:06):
We do, Boost and Blend really does have ascalp massaging brush and I suggest that
it's great to use in the shower if youcan, or for an extra boost with a 10
minute repair mask.
That's also really useful to do.
But anyway, back to washing.
So after you've washed your hair, use awide tooth comb again.
You don't want to use the one you just hadin the shower.
(22:27):
So always have a second one to use forcombing through your hair after you've
washed it while it's wet.
The reason you don't want to use the samecomb,
that you used in the shower on your hairafter your shower, there's really two
reasons.
One is that you definitely don't want toend up with any tiny bits of conditioner
and put those through your hair whenyou've just washed it.
(22:49):
But secondly, and this is something that Ifind really impossible to remember, if I
keep taking the comb out of my shower touse it later, then I get in the shower
next time to wash my hair and put myconditioner on and realise I don't have
the comb there.
So I always keep one in the shower and oneoutside the shower.
And then for dry hair, you can use abrush.
(23:11):
I tend not to.
I use a wide tooth comb during the day aswell.
I tend not to brush my hair during theday.
I wear hair fibers, boost and blend hairfibers, and I find I don't need to redo my
hair.
But if I've been out all day and then I'mgoing out at night, then yes, I will redo
my hair.
And I, at that...
(23:32):
point I don't use a brush then either.
I use a wide tooth comb.
But if you do have to brush, be reallygentle.
Don't stretch and break your hair.
Try a wide and soft gentle brush.
Something wide and soft like a ballbristle brush would be great.
I actually have a vent brush and yes we dohave that on our website.
(23:55):
It's called a Lift and Volume Vent Brush.
Now,
These are great brushes because they'reideal for lifting your hair when you're
blow drying.
So if you've got hair loss, one of theproblems that we all have is our hair
tends to look a bit flat.
And if you use a lift and volume ventbrush, you can pull your hair gently up
(24:15):
off your scalp as you're blow drying it.
And the brush has holes in it.
So while you lift your hair up off yourscalp,
the heat from the blow dryer goes throughthe brush and through those little vents
and it's not too strong of an amount ofheat on a compromised hair.
(24:36):
Whereas a barrel brush or a round brushthat many hairdressers use is really harsh
on your hair and when you use that incombination with a blow dryer, hair dryer,
then you really are pushing very hot aironto a compromised hair shaft.
So I tend to use the
Lift and Volume Vent Brush, I actually dothink they're better.
(24:56):
And then if you need to brush your hairduring the day, the Lift and Volume Vent
Brush is really good for that too.
Now, if your hair gets knotty, I was on acruise the other day and my hair got
extremely knotty.
It was really bad actually.
So I just did use a friend, had a flatsoft brush there and I just used that
(25:18):
briefly.
But a quick tip as well.
Because I knew I was gonna be in a highwind, I was wearing a sun visor and that
covered the front of my hair at the topand really prevented too much wind damage
to the front where my hair is really thin.
So that's just a quick tip, I think.
It keeps the sun off your face as well,but it's great to stop the front of your
(25:38):
hair from getting too blown about in aharsh wind.
So to recap, don't use a brush or a finecomb on wet hair.
Always use a wide tooth comb.
Preferably on dry hair as well, just use awide tooth comb, why not?
Or perhaps use a lift and volume ventbrush or a very wide, very soft brush.
(26:01):
Lesley, I hope that answers your questionabout hair brushes and which ones are the
best to use and when to use them.
So that's it for today's episode of theHair Loss in Women podcast.
Of course, as in all of these episodes,the advice given is of a general nature.
So please check with your doctor for yourspecific health advice.
(26:22):
I hope you got a lot out of both Lesa'sstory and learning a little more about
hair brushing.
Until next week, remember, kindness isbeautiful, so wear it every day.
Thanks for joining me on the Hair Loss inWomen podcast.
And a big thank you to the women who sharetheir stories here and with others in
(26:45):
their community.
One of the hardest things about hair lossfor women is that we don't talk about it.
So if you do want to hear more, pleasesubscribe to the podcast.
And if you like what you heard, why notleave a review?
Positive reviews will help other women tofind this podcast too.
You can also find out more in my book.
(27:06):
Hair loss in women.
This podcast has been recorded in Sydney,Australia and is produced by Pod and Pen
Productions.
Hello ladies, are you struggling with hairloss?
I want you to know you're not alone.
Hi, I'm Bambi Staveley, former registerednurse, author, founder of Boost N Blend
and someone who probably just like you hashad first -hand experience with hair loss,
which is all covered in my latest book,Hair Loss in Women.
(00:23):
When I noticed my own hair thinning 15years ago,
I went looking for information and I wentlooking for products for women, just like
you and me.
But all I could find out there wasproducts made for men.
And most of the information I could findwas about male pattern baldness.
Well, that's not much help.
So I set out to change that.
(00:44):
I want to see women with hair loss talkingabout it and talking to each other,
sharing their stories from a place ofknowledge.
So join me.
as I meet some courageous women.
I'll share some information and we'lllearn together on the Hair Loss in Women
podcast.
(01:06):
Hello, it's me Bambi back again withanother episode of the Hair Loss in Women
podcast.
Today for our Did You Know segment, we'retalking about hair brushing and hair
brushes, something so practical.
and that we do every day.
But I know it can be a source of worry, soI'm going to give you some tips of the
best practices for hair brushing when youhave hair loss.
(01:29):
But before that, I'd like to introduce youto Lesa.
Does she have a hair loss coming out storyfor you?
Lesa actually wore a wig for 14 years andthen one day turned up at her work
sporting her natural short silver hair.
It's a great story of bravery, but also ofembracing ourselves.
and where we're at.
(01:51):
I really hope you enjoy this conversationI had with Lesa.
Lesa, welcome to the podcast.
Thank you.
Now, we'll get to the day at yourworkplace shortly.
But first, tell me a little bit about yourhair loss.
When did you first start to notice thatyou were losing your hair?
Probably, I'd say 25 years ago, just agradual thinning.
(02:17):
But it was something, because I'm ateacher, it was something that
Um, a couple of kids had commented on anda family member had commented on.
And so I felt very conscious of it.
And so that's when I first looked intoalternatives.
And so you wore a wig for many years.
(02:37):
Tell me about the decision to do that.
Yeah.
Well, um, I think that for me, that wasthe best option and it gave me the look
that I wanted.
And so I have, I had two little girls.
One was two and one was three.
And you know, like I was always, when Idid my hair, it was, you know, a big
(02:58):
obsession where I was always trying tocover every spot and I was looking at
myself from every angle and I, they wouldwatch me and I didn't want them to think
that that was normal.
So I decided to take that leap and I'ddone a lot of research and I'd found this
woman.
And she makes these amazing wigs.
(03:22):
And so I transitioned to a temporary wigfor probably, well, it was nearly three
months while they made this wig.
And it was just putting that hair on andfeeling a million dollars, you know,
feeling like the way that I wanted.
And so I wore variations of that wig for14 years.
(03:45):
Wow.
And how did you find it fit?
How was the fit for you and how did youmake it fit?
It was perfect.
That was on a latex base, so it justfitted like a second skin.
It wasn't hot.
Nobody could tell.
Everyone used to comment about howgorgeous, you know, my hair was and how
young I looked.
That's been the hardest transition.
(04:08):
How fabulous.
Yeah.
How fabulous.
Yeah.
And did you do any investigation into whyyou were losing your hair?
I went to a trichologist and he did sometests, but there was nothing conclusive.
And you know, he had so much hair.
That was awful.
(04:29):
It would have been better if he was bald.
Yeah.
So it like I'd had blood tests done, butthere was nothing, no reason why.
My mum's hardly got any hair.
So I knew it was hereditary.
So I knew that that was my future.
And mum has never done anything about herhair.
And I just was not going to go down thatpath.
(04:50):
You know, I was going to be proactive andI, I needed to make sure that I felt good
about myself.
Wow.
And so you wore a wig for a long timethen?
How long was that?
Yeah, I wore my wig for 14 years and I,I've only, I've been out of my wig for
(05:11):
about a year now.
And so.
And so while you were wearing the wig, whoknew about your hair loss?
Not many people, a family and anyone thatI chose to tell, but it was such a shock
for people.
You know, like I'd have people coming upand asking me who my hairdresser was.
And, you know, so when, when I told themthat, you know, they were just gobsmacked.
(05:35):
But I just, it became, you know, it wassomething early on that I could do
everything with, but I found that.
As the years progressed, I would bestopping doing things more and more
because of my hair.
So we're quite an adventurous travelingfamily and we were going to the Blue
Mountains and there was a caving trip.
(05:59):
But I just said, oh, look, I think it'sgoing to be too cold for me.
But in reality, it was always about myhair.
And so I found that I was missingopportunities.
And so that's when I decided that maybe Ineeded to investigate other avenues.
And so what other avenues came up for youthen?
Well, I went to see a skin specialist andhe said to me that, like I have good hair
(06:24):
growth at the back.
He said the medications are better now andthere's a good chance that I can have a
decent head of hair.
So that little seed was sown and I thoughtabout it for another year.
And in the meantime, you know, I wouldexclude myself from situations like going
(06:47):
to the beach or that sort of thing.
And in the end, I made the decision thatthat was it.
I was going to try.
So how did, so what was that process like?
And I guess there were a couple of stepsto the, to all of that.
Well, that, that was easy.
I found this fabulous skin specialist whohad an affiliation with a,
(07:10):
place in Melbourne.
So she was, and she was working under aprofessor in Melbourne and she specialised
in hair loss in women.
So she was the one that was telling meabout the, I call them sprinkles.
But also medication.
(07:30):
So I began to - Hair fibres you're talkingabout when you say sprinkles.
Yes, yes.
Hair fibres.
Yeah, they've been fabulous.
Yeah, so she was the one that told meabout the hair fibers and I started taking
the medication.
But then, of course, COVID happened.
So because of the suction wig, I couldn'tgrow my hair back because during COVID and
(07:54):
before and after, I had to still wear thatwig.
So I kept taking the medication.
I bought some hair fibers and I was justwaiting for.
I had to pick up another temporary wig sothat I could transition and grow my hair
through that other wig.
So yeah, it was a long process and my hairarrived from the States and I couldn't do
(08:17):
anything about it because I couldn't leavethe house.
So it was, yeah, it was a long timecoming.
Wow.
So the original wig that you wore for 14years, you were shaving off your head for
that to work?
Yep.
Yep.
So I knew I could grow my hair, but Icould see when.
I could see where the gaps were and it wasjust fine at the front, which is where you
(08:40):
moved your hair.
Yes, it is.
Right.
So then you had to transition from no hairunderneath a wig to growing your hair
back, but also wearing a wig for the timebeing.
Yeah.
But that the whole, when you get new hair,new wig, you know, that whole transition,
because one of those wigs lasts for threeyears.
(09:04):
And so by the end of that three years,it's looking a bit ratty.
So your hair gets shorter and shorter andshorter.
And so when the new wig comes, it'slonger.
So you have to time it for the schoolholidays in Christmas.
So you've got like six weeks.
So they kind of forget what you look like.
And then you come back with this glorioushead of hair again.
And so I went from having short hair,similar to what I've got on my old wig to
(09:29):
this new blonde.
I hated it, but this temporary wig.
And just, I was so nervous that first day,like it wasn't good human hair and it
wasn't easy to control.
And everyone made a comment about thecolor.
Oh my God, look at the color of your hair.
You've had your hair done.
And, you know, so there was a lot offocus.
(09:50):
So that first year back at school, tryingto grow my hair was hard.
Like just the beginning of that, but youknow, everyone settles down and then, you
know, it becomes old news.
Yeah, right.
And so you wore that wig, that new one,you wore that new wig over the top of your
(10:10):
hair growing back for what'd you say ayear?
No, six months.
Oh, six months.
Right.
Okay.
Yeah.
So by June I'd had enough and I thought Ihad hair and I had hair fibres and I went
to the hairdresser and I said, just giveme a good do.
And so, yep, she did.
And.
(10:30):
Um, she said to me, cause I could put myhair over the top of it if I didn't like
it.
And she said, it looks fabulous.
Go out there tomorrow and go to school andbe this you.
And so I did.
Wow.
You did.
I did.
How did you feel that day?
Oh, so nervous.
So nervous because I went from being longand blonde to short and gray.
(10:53):
So she just said, just wear big earringsand lipstick and no one will care.
Yeah, and rocket.
And you did.
Yeah, I did.
You know what?
No one knew me.
Not not one person recognized me.
And so I was on playground duty and noneof my kids recognized me and I would say,
(11:16):
Good morning.
How are you going?
And they'd look at me and say, are youthis is why?
And I go, yeah, yeah.
But even my friends at work, you know, Ihad a teacher swap with me for playground
duty and she just thought I was a casualteacher.
She just dismissed me.
I'm going, hi everyone.
And they just went, hi.
I don't even know.
Wow.
(11:37):
Yeah.
So you made it through that day.
Yep.
And then where to from there?
Did you adapt to it really quickly andeasily or did you find it took you a
while?
I look, everyone was really supportive.
So I knew that I would be, I didn't havean issue at school.
Um, and I knew that with the hair fibers,I, I could feel confident because the gaps
(11:58):
that I had, I could cover.
So I, you know, from, I've just gone fromstrength to strength and that, you know,
like I have moments where I'm nervous andI'm like, say to my kids, can you see
anything?
Can you see anything?
And yeah.
What did you say to people when theyrealized that it was you?
Um, I just told them my story.
I just told them the story that I toldyou.
(12:21):
And they, they could not believe it.
They couldn't believe that not I'd fooledthem, but that nobody picked up what was
going on.
And I was such a confident person that, Idon't know, just, it was a weird thing and
nobody's ever had, nobody's worn a wiglike that.
(12:41):
And, you know, without, you know, you seethose wigs that are like toupees or
they're so obvious.
Well, it wasn't like that.
It was very nice.
No, you must've had a wonderful wig.
Oh, I guess wigs over the years.
Oh, yes.
Good quality.
Very good.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, that's fabulous.
Yeah.
And so what's it been like since then?
So how long ago was that that you?
(13:03):
That was probably June last year and it'sbeen so liberating.
I feel so free and just, you know, I'vejust come back from Bali.
So to not have to worry about swimming orthe heat or.
Yeah, just those little things that youhave to think about when you got a wig on.
(13:24):
But yeah, I just feel I can be myself.
And even though like I like that I'msilvery grey, I don't need to colour my
hair.
I'm so happy and I feel like I look my agemaybe.
I guess getting ready in the morning isprobably a little quicker, is it, with
your own hair?
(13:45):
No, it's harder because I just put myhairy hat on.
So it's like I can just walk out the door.
Right.
Yeah.
So, but it's taken a bit of time to getused to, but I've got a short little cut.
So it's very easy and some product andsome hair fiber and it's perfect.
Yeah.
Oh, that's great.
And how do you find the gray hair fiber?
(14:05):
So which gray color are you using?
I'm doing a combination, mostly silkysilver, gray and the light gray.
Okay.
So you're combining the two graystogether.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And.
Which order do you put them on in?
I put the darker one on first, because myhair is, you know, just lusher at the
(14:25):
front there.
So that actually goes, if I put the lightone on first, it's a bit bluer.
So yeah, but it sits well on top of thehead.
Great.
I mean, combining colors is a talent.
So it's great that you're able to do that.
Yeah.
I just, I like that it covers my scalp.
So if I can get good coverage on my scalpand I've got an applicator and that works
(14:49):
to me around the front.
So yeah, that's, that's being, it's beingfabulous.
And when you think back to the day youmade the decision to transfer from a wig
to your own hair, do you ever think thatgoing back over the years you wished you'd
done that sooner?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I had a friend come up to me yesterday tosay, oh, how was Bali?
(15:13):
I can't believe, how much better would ithave been with real hair?
Because you wouldn't have had any worries.
And I was like, yeah, that's right.
It was the best decision.
And I do wish that I'd made it earlier.
And it is what it is.
It is what it is.
But I guess also while you had the wig,you felt great.
(15:33):
I did.
You weren't looking for, I mean, apartfrom.
Yeah, you looked fabulous and you feltgreat.
And actually I have to say you lookfabulous now.
You have a beautiful face and a young faceand I think your happiness shines through
as well.
Yes, yes.
I'm so happy and I'm so grateful for theproduct.
I have to, I just have to keep saying thatbecause without that, I wouldn't have the
(15:57):
confidence.
If I haven't got it in for some reason, Idon't go out.
Yeah.
Well, I'm in that boat too.
And, um,
Would you be comfortable telling us whichmedications you're on?
Yeah, I'm taking minoxidil, but I'm alsocombining it with bicholidamide.
And the minoxidil, the tablet or the?
(16:18):
It's a sublingual tablet.
Yeah.
So, and all the medication comes fromMelbourne.
So.
Right.
And you're finding any side effects withthe tablets at all?
No, no, I haven't had any at the moment.
Yeah.
I know a lot of women talk about gettingextra hair growth where they didn't want
it.
So that's not something that you've had todo.
Oh, look, I wax more often.
(16:41):
Yeah, I would like it to be on the top ofmy head, but I've got very good growth
around the sides and the back.
But I've got more growth than I hadbefore.
So I'm nervous to go off the meds just incase that's the...
Well, if you don't have any side effects.
And I mean, not that anyone on a podcastcan see you, but I can say,
(17:02):
to describe to everybody that you have abeautiful head of hair.
Yeah.
And you would not know looking at you.
You would just know you've got a good,good lot of fullness.
And I think that's, that's great.
And it's short.
So happy.
Yeah.
Shorts.
Yep.
The easiest way.
I think so.
Yeah.
And so is there anything that you'd liketo say to other women who maybe they're at
(17:25):
the beginning of their hair loss story ormaybe they're wearing a wig, but.
Is there anything, any advice or anythingyou'd like to look?
I often see people in the street with thathair loss and I want to go up and say, you
know, but I know that in that positionyou're really vulnerable and the last
thing you want to do is draw attention toyourself.
(17:46):
I would just say that it's the best thingthat I've ever done and it's an easy
solution.
It's a cheap solution and it works and itgives you the confidence and that kind of
confidence to be able to leave the house.
without worrying what everyone's thinkingbecause even though people say to you, oh,
it's fine, it's fine.
(18:07):
You know in yourself that it's not fine.
And to me, it's a big thing.
So it's given me everything.
It's given me my freedom.
Well, that's great.
I guess you had a different kind offreedom with the wig.
Yeah.
And now you have a different kind offreedom without it.
Yeah.
Well, I feel like me.
Oh, that's really fantastic.
(18:30):
And I should probably mention that themedication that you're on is not going to
be right for everyone.
So, you know, we're not suggesting thateverybody should go on anything that
you're on, but it's just that I thoughtit'd be interesting for other women who
are maybe considering medications to knowwhat other people are taking and how they
feel about it.
But it's something that everyone should atleast perhaps consider at some point
(18:51):
because it does obviously for some people,it does have a great effect and it has for
you, which is wonderful.
Well, it's been really fascinating talkingto you, Lesa, and I've really enjoyed
chatting with you today.
So I just want to say thank you for beingso open and so willing and so willing to
(19:13):
share your story.
So thank you very much.
Well, thank you for the opportunity tospeak.
What an incredible story that was.
From turning up to work in a long,luscious wig to short grey hair.
How incredible.
I really felt Lesa was such a greatexample of how freeing it can be if you
(19:34):
embrace what you have and show the worldyour natural self.
And as Lesa so kindly said many timesthroughout that interview, the product and
the solution that she kept referring towas Boost N Blend Cotton Hair Fibres.
She mentioned they're such an easy andcheap solution, much cheaper than a wig of
course.
(19:55):
So the different kind of freedom Lesa wastalking about was the freedom you get from
knowing that your hair loss is invisible,which of course you get from Boost & Blend
hair fibers.
Now let's turn to today's Did You Know?
Today's Did You Know comes from Leslie whosent a question in.
(20:18):
Leslie asks, I'm wondering what's the besthairbrush to use on my hair every time it
needs combing?
And she goes on to say, I just use a combwith widely spaced teeth.
And my friend said that I should use abigger brush that is flat with wide teeth.
So do you do one?
And if not, can you suggest a good brushand where I might purchase it?
(20:41):
So thanks, Leslie, thank you for thequestion.
It's great to hear from the community andI like to know what you want to know
about.
So let's get on to hair brushes.
Look, there is a difference between whatyou can use when your hair is wet and when
it's dry and the best way to go aboutbrushing or combing your hair throughout
the day.
So let's talk about wet hair first.
(21:03):
I don't recommend using a brush or a finetooth comb on wet hair.
Really, wet hair is so elastic.
and it's much more elastic than dry hair.
And of course, as you probably havenoticed yourself, with elastic wet hair,
it can break really easily.
So for wet hair, I would say only use awide tooth comb.
(21:25):
And the great thing about a wide toothcomb is they have other uses as well.
So I keep a wide tooth comb in the showerfor my conditioner.
And in the Boost and Blend range, there'sone with a hook on it, so it hangs in the
shower, which is great because then youcan just keep it there.
and it's really gentle on your hair andit's much better than rubbing your hair to
(21:45):
put the conditioner in.
So comb it through, comb your conditionerall the way through to the ends, but don't
forget about your scalp.
So use a scalp massager if you have one.
If you don't, just massage your scalp withyour fingers because it's really one of
the best things you can do for stimulatingblood flow to the base of your hair
follicles and it really does help toencourage growth.
(22:06):
We do, Boost and Blend really does have ascalp massaging brush and I suggest that
it's great to use in the shower if youcan, or for an extra boost with a 10
minute repair mask.
That's also really useful to do.
But anyway, back to washing.
So after you've washed your hair, use awide tooth comb again.
You don't want to use the one you just hadin the shower.
(22:27):
So always have a second one to use forcombing through your hair after you've
washed it while it's wet.
The reason you don't want to use the samecomb,
that you used in the shower on your hairafter your shower, there's really two
reasons.
One is that you definitely don't want toend up with any tiny bits of conditioner
and put those through your hair whenyou've just washed it.
(22:49):
But secondly, and this is something that Ifind really impossible to remember, if I
keep taking the comb out of my shower touse it later, then I get in the shower
next time to wash my hair and put myconditioner on and realise I don't have
the comb there.
So I always keep one in the shower and oneoutside the shower.
And then for dry hair, you can use abrush.
(23:11):
I tend not to.
I use a wide tooth comb during the day aswell.
I tend not to brush my hair during theday.
I wear hair fibers, boost and blend hairfibers, and I find I don't need to redo my
hair.
But if I've been out all day and then I'mgoing out at night, then yes, I will redo
my hair.
And I, at that...
(23:32):
point I don't use a brush then either.
I use a wide tooth comb.
But if you do have to brush, be reallygentle.
Don't stretch and break your hair.
Try a wide and soft gentle brush.
Something wide and soft like a ballbristle brush would be great.
I actually have a vent brush and yes we dohave that on our website.
(23:55):
It's called a Lift and Volume Vent Brush.
Now,
These are great brushes because they'reideal for lifting your hair when you're
blow drying.
So if you've got hair loss, one of theproblems that we all have is our hair
tends to look a bit flat.
And if you use a lift and volume ventbrush, you can pull your hair gently up
(24:15):
off your scalp as you're blow drying it.
And the brush has holes in it.
So while you lift your hair up off yourscalp,
the heat from the blow dryer goes throughthe brush and through those little vents
and it's not too strong of an amount ofheat on a compromised hair.
(24:36):
Whereas a barrel brush or a round brushthat many hairdressers use is really harsh
on your hair and when you use that incombination with a blow dryer, hair dryer,
then you really are pushing very hot aironto a compromised hair shaft.
So I tend to use the
Lift and Volume Vent Brush, I actually dothink they're better.
(24:56):
And then if you need to brush your hairduring the day, the Lift and Volume Vent
Brush is really good for that too.
Now, if your hair gets knotty, I was on acruise the other day and my hair got
extremely knotty.
It was really bad actually.
So I just did use a friend, had a flatsoft brush there and I just used that
(25:18):
briefly.
But a quick tip as well.
Because I knew I was gonna be in a highwind, I was wearing a sun visor and that
covered the front of my hair at the topand really prevented too much wind damage
to the front where my hair is really thin.
So that's just a quick tip, I think.
It keeps the sun off your face as well,but it's great to stop the front of your
(25:38):
hair from getting too blown about in aharsh wind.
So to recap, don't use a brush or a finecomb on wet hair.
Always use a wide tooth comb.
Preferably on dry hair as well, just use awide tooth comb, why not?
Or perhaps use a lift and volume ventbrush or a very wide, very soft brush.
(26:01):
Lesley, I hope that answers your questionabout hair brushes and which ones are the
best to use and when to use them.
So that's it for today's episode of theHair Loss in Women podcast.
Of course, as in all of these episodes,the advice given is of a general nature.
So please check with your doctor for yourspecific health advice.
(26:22):
I hope you got a lot out of both Lesa'sstory and learning a little more about
hair brushing.
Until next week, remember, kindness isbeautiful, so wear it every day.
Thanks for joining me on the Hair Loss inWomen podcast.
And a big thank you to the women who sharetheir stories here and with others in
(26:45):
their community.
One of the hardest things about hair lossfor women is that we don't talk about it.
So if you do want to hear more, pleasesubscribe to the podcast.
And if you like what you heard, why notleave a review?
Positive reviews will help other women tofind this podcast too.
You can also find out more in my book.
(27:06):
Hair loss in women.
This podcast has been recorded in Sydney,Australia and is produced by Pod and Pen
Productions.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.