Hair cleavage is real, people. You know, where your hair part is getting wider and wider and starts looking like the last sad tree standing on Christmas Eve.
Ashley Weatherford, senior editor of Into the Gloss, earlier this year wrote her piece, “Can We Talk About Hair Thinning?” and I fan-womaned like no other.
For one reason or another, female hair loss, is still an elusive topic. A large part is because, for centuries, our hair has been an important symbol of beauty and fertility. The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology cites a study where hair length is significantly correlated with female attractiveness and shiny, strong hair seen as a cue to a woman’s health and reproductive ability.
I find this ironic, as women frequently experience postpartum hair loss (see my interview with Amy Chang). But mmmmk.
On the other hand, men can lose their hair and sport their shiny baldness around town and no one really gives a damn. Women (myself included TBH) even swoon over @therock’s perfectly round head, but I doubt anyone is doing the same with a woman’s scalp.
These notions of hair loss associated with beauty and fertility, as outdated as they are, still pervade our culture today.
We do everything else to enhance our beauty – eyelash extensions, brow gels, mascara – but wearing hair is still not considered “mainstream.”
When my hair started thinning, I was shocked at how little accurate information was out there to solve my hairy situation. I spent six years secretly researching and quietly asking friends/family in the hopes of finding solutions.
When I finally found toppers and considered wigs, I was socialized not to “advertise it around town” because wearing wigs was something you did as a secret in the hopes that no one knows it’s not your hair.
When women start losing hair, we’re considered damaged goods. It feels embarrassing.
Hair for me, is a crucial part of my identity when I look into the mirror, just like my eyes, nose, and lips are. It’s not everything (duh), but it’s a big part of how I feel about my appearance.
I went on a six-year journey to find a solution that worked for me and spent countless dollars on magical cures and tricks that are based on little to no information. I created this website because I have a feeling that other women are experiencing this as well.
There are real consequences when we don’t talk about important topics. The hair extensions and wigs industry is a $+10B industry that lacks transparency, quality, and safety.
The hair loss solutions market in the United States alone is valued at almost $4B and growing.
Third-party research specifically on female hair loss, which differs drastically from male hair loss, is sparse and many times inconclusive. And yet, there are thousands of products and devices out in the market that claims they’re the cure.
So, what can we do?
We can start talking more about our hair. I collaborated with the Instagram hair loss community to create a video that starts this conversation.
How we feel, what we do, our experiences and emotions.
Conversations create demand and where there’s demand for accurate and effective information, supply will find a way.
We’re excited about this journey and hope you follow us.
15 comments
I honestly can’t wait till the day I own a hair topper! I will sure post it in the gallery once I do! I’ve been losing my hair since I was about 17, I’m now 35. It’s been a very slow hair loss process and till this day I’m not sure if what I have is alopecia (more than likely). I always thought to myself oh this will eventually stop, but it didn’t, so I’m at a point in life where I want to learn to embrace this and love myself more. It has been many years of being in denial and hiding things under the rug. I’m ready for this new journey.
Thank you for creating Strandie! ❤️
Thanks so so much Emma, and yes! I can’t wait until you get your first hair topper, pictures please!!! 🙂 <3
So happy and excited for everyone who comes across your website. Thank you being a bright torch in this community!
Aw thanks so much Kayla!! You inspire me every day with your kindness!!!
Ahhh, this is so amazing and so comforting to know there are so many other amazing women out there facing the same challenges. I am so thankful for this and for the community!
Suran, this post makes me so happy. When I lost all my hair (completely bald) about 10 days before my wedding last year, I was literally stuck in a state of shock and I had no idea what to do. It was a really difficult time for me. Exactly a year later – I’m finding more confidence in myself than ever before from the support of yourself and others in the hair loss community. Thank you for bringing this to the surface ❤️
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Lillie!! I’m glad that the hair loss community has helped you as it did me!! <3
Suran,
Thank your for being a leader within the hairloss community. I admire your resilience and how brave you are! I am learning so much from you and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time! My wedding is 4.5 months from now and it’s great to know that I will have some form of hair. I already plan on using the Sammy bun and extensions. 🙂 Albeit, I’m still very frightened to think about the state of my bio hair come December. Prayers for the bio hair!
Thanks so so much Rabiha!! Yes, I CAN’T WAIT for wedding pics!!
If there were more websites like this years ago when I started to lose my hair, my journey would’ve been so different. In the beginning, I concentrated so hard on trying to grow my hair back. I didn’t care what it cost. And when it didn’t do much, I didn’t want to leave the house. I had my hair so full of hair fibers and teasing that I freaked out if the wind blew or if it started to rain. I obsessed constantly about it, missing out on so much. Finding hair toppers was a dream come true. Some people might say my hair growing back would be the dream, but I say toppers are because they’re immediate. I can instantly make myself feel better with a few clicks of the clips. 😉 Suran thank you for this website and helping to spread the word to all the ladies out there who don’t know there’s hope for them.
Thanks so much Jaime!!! Yes to immediate results with toppers!! 🙂
Super interesting to hear your story! Inspiring.
Thanks so much Andrew!!
Girl, you rock! I got my diagnosis today for androgenic alopecia, even though I already knew it, since my hairloss is quite bad. Thanks to you and all the amazing women on Instagram I didn’t lose it, when the doctor told me there was no cure. I knew I had options and I feel safe knowing there are some serious queens like you standing proud and showing that loosing hair isn’t the end of the world. The doctor ordered Rogaine though, but I’m not convinced…Looking forward to reading your posts reviewing wigs and toppers- I’ve decided I’m gonna make most of this journey and have all the dream hair I never thought I could get. ❤️
YES, Minna!! You go, woman!! Rogaine didn’t work for me, but wearing hair certainly did. So excited for your journey, I want to see ALL the hair pics!! 😀