The first thing Stephanie did was inform me of everything I needed to know forward and honestly. “I believe I can help you, but you’ll receive better results if you come to me weekly vs. bi-weekly,” she told me.  She also advised me to cease using chemicals, such as relaxers, perms, etc.  Going natural was a difficult step to take, but I was willing to do whatever she needed me to do; and so, the journey began.

My initial care began with the scalp exfoliation treatment.  Stephanie told me it would rid my hair of all the foreign particles, dust, and dirt that would hinder my hair growth.  The treatment had a combination of the Dead Sea Scalp Mask and the Turbinado Sugar Scrub, two of The Hair Care Company’s original products.  Such natural products were all a surprise to me, but every experience felt as if I were getting a massage.  I enjoyed every minute of Chantel’s (Stephanie’s assistant) hair washing.  It was like she knew exactly where to scratch!

After the first two weeks I had already begun to see results.  I was still a little skeptical about how my ending results were going to turn out, but the Follicle Rejuvenating System had already began to show vast improvements on my scalp.  Every week that I came back and saw how well the treatment was working, was another week I would hear Stephanie cheering me on.  She was a motivator through the entire process.  Soon, I started to feel better about my looks and ultimately about myself.

By the time Thanksgiving started to roll around, I had already had about six treatments of the Follicle Rejuvenating System.  This product was actually giving me my hair back.  For the first time, I was seeing consistent results.  Stephanie was proud of her product, and so was I.  Stephanie’s coworkers were commenting to her, and to me on how well the treatment was taking to my scalp.

Because of the distance from my home to The Hair Care Company, I wanted to continue my treatments at home.  So, I asked Stephanie if I could purchase the products and continue my treatment in house.  She told me as long as I continued the treatment, she believed the product will continue working as it had been.  I bought the entire system and continued my weekly treatments.  My hair was starting to fill in.  I was so excited that prayers were being answered.  I was getting my hair back.

This was a bit of a process, but I didn’t mind at all; the ending reward was much greater.  For once in a long time I was starting to feel like myself again.  I had the help of my mother and my husband, and equally as important, Stephanie and her Hair Care Company.  Alopecia has been a chronic problem for me, but because of Stephanie’s help, I have been able to overcome it.  She is truly a blessing.

I failed to mention throughout this testimony, that I now have a wonderful, talented beautician (among her fellow talented and wonderful coworker beauticians).  I am still a client at The Hair Care Company, continuing my treatments, and to top it off, I haven’t used chemicals in six months!  A lot of black women believe this is a hard thing to do; but, I ‘m here to say to those women, it’s a great experience.

The majority of customers at The Hair Care Company have been advised to, or decided on their own to “go natural”.  Stephanie and her colleagues have the talent to make natural hair look like it has been processed. The best thing about being natural though, is that your hair has less of a tendency to become damaged.  It becomes stronger.

As a desperate, 24 year-old young woman looking to re-gain her confidence, and her hair back, I found Stephanie just looking on the internet. I didn’t know what to expect, but I saw that she specialized in many different hair problems.  After emailing her, I felt like it was worth a try. I am so glad I found Stephanie and The Hair Care Company.  My entire process has been a very positive experience.  Not one time did Stephanie’s treatment show anything less than positive results.  If I had to make a suggestion to anyone that’s going through the same thing I have gone through, I would lead them straight to Stephanie and The Hair Care Company!

• Shawana Penro, March 15, 2011

Tuesday, I walked into the salon, looked in the mirror, and decided to get a relaxer. I was so desperate, that I forgot I had shampooed my hair the day before. Marche’ took the time and based my scalp well. She kept saying, “Dang, your hair is thick.” Before she could finish applying the relaxer, my scalp was feeling hot. By the time she started to smooth it, I was on fire. Can you say FIRE? FI-YURR, I WAS ON FIYAH. Marche’ was taking her time smoothing the hair and looking at my wave pattern. I wanted to say, “Do you want to get punched in the throat?” But I opted for “move Marche’, move.” When she rinsed it out, it was torturous. The needles, the needles. I thought my scalp was melting off. (Note to myself: never get a relaxer the day after shampooing no matter how desperate you are.) She asked if I wanted color. WHAT? If I get color, I will run through the front door without opening it. No thank you. My roots will just have to show for a week. So I made it through, but there has to be a better way. We are following the diet and doing what we are supposed to do. Andrea’s press is holding up OK, but she has her issues too. I’ll tell you about her drama in the next post. Until then, I’m hanging on, and determined to run that marathon and have good looking hair too.

I poured my cup of coffee and prepared myself for the moment of truth. As I unraveled my scarf I braced myself for what I was about to see. It wasn’t so bad. Completely straight: needed a lot of curling but otherwise pretty manageable. I usually have a good curve to my hair but this time it was just packed down on my head.

I had to take my time and curl it. Taking large sections was not going to do it. It also was still a little dry, so I had to reach back into some old school products. I first put some Dax Curling Wax on my hair for hold, and Duke Greaseless Hairdressing on my tapered back to get it under control. Yes, I said Duke. Don’t rule out the dude products. A doo rag and some Duke can do wonders on short haircuts about a week away from a relaxer touch up.

So off to work I go. My body feels a little sore, but some stretching before leaving the house helped. I get to work and had a Kashi fiber bar and a bottle of water. I knew I had the lamb dish left over from yesterday in the fridge at the shop, so I could have that for lunch. Normally, I wouldn’t add in what transpired through the day, but since we are not using our hair as an excuse for our health,and putting our health first, I decided to tell you about this part of my day.

Today was the first time I had a mammogram. We say that we are going to take care of ourselves, and regular doctor visits and screenings are a part of that. I had put off my mammogram a few times because of the horror stories I had heard and how painful it can be. Monday, when I went to the doctor, I promised I would get it done this time. My doctor told me not to procrastinate, and walk across the street to the radiology center and just get it done. When I got there, I obviously did not have an appointment so they could not fit me in. The receptionist at the desk said she had a Wednesday appointment at 1:00 available, so I took it. When I got there I had to fill out some papers and off to the waiting room to sit with other women. When my name was called, I was led into a room with 4 cubicles with curtains in front of them. The woman told me to undress from the waist up and put on the gown with the open part in the front. Lockers were provided for our clothes and belongings. I brought my Ipad with me to get some reading done while I waited. As I was reading, the next thing I hear is a woman returning into the room stating that she will never have this done again. She also had some choice 4 letter words to articulate the experience. Needless to say, I started getting real nervous, and you know I don’t need to sweat in the middle of the day, I need a touch up. Boy oh boy. My foot started tapping and I was trying to stay focused on the book I was reading, but it was getting difficult. I heard phrases like, “that hurt too bad: flat as a pancake: I know a man invented that machine.” By this time I’m ready to open the locker with my belongings, get dressed, and high tail it out of there. No: I’m all about taking care of myself and I made a pact with my girls. “Ms. Johnson,” was the next name called. As I entered the room it was a little dark with a Plexiglas machine glowing in the corner. The tech was very nice and started to explain the process. She told me women my age, (like what’s that supposed to mean?), could be sensitive if you had coffee, soda, or chocolate. Is she serious? Those are an essential part of everyday life. She said the machine would lock down on my breast and stay for about 3 seconds and then release. We would take 4 pictures, two for each breast. Before she started to get me set for the pictures I asked if it would be OK if I could scream, you know,  just in case I had to. She got me set and the machine slowly clamped down on my breast and stopped. Click, click: release. That’s it? That didn’t hurt at all. The woman before me must have been a real cry baby, or just a drama queen. I mean really, I was scared for nothing. Ladies if you are putting off a mammogram screening, stop. I was a piece of cake. Let’s get healthy and take care of ourselves.

When I got back to the salon, Andrea sent me a text that said “Frizzies today. A little puffy, no sheen, dull do day. I think I need a tighter pin curl. Test tonight.” Day 2 of Insanity was a little rougher. We both made it through the fitness test OK, but the first day of the real workout was a little harder on our hair. After I finished my last client for the day, I got dressed and called Andrea to let her know that I was on my way. When she answered the phone, she didn’t sound too enthusiastic. My body was tired and sore, but I’m determined to see this through. Driving over to Andrea’s house, I must pass my street to my house. I so badly wanted to take that left turn and head home. But I made a commitment, and I’m determined to see it through. The first phase: 60 days, 6 days a week workout. I can do this. When I arrived at Andrea’s house the door was open, and I walked in to find her dressed, hair tightly pin curled, moving slow, but ready to go. I heard someone say that if you make it through 3 days of whatever you’re trying to do, be it exercises, quitting smoking, changing your diet, etc. You can survive. Well this is day 3 and it was the worst. Shaun T really took us through it. Globe jumps, hurtle jumps and runs, power jacks, and other insane moves. I kept looking at the clock on the TV screen to see how much time was left. Finally, the cool down and I make it through. By the time we finished, I looked like Heat Miser. My hair was all over my head. The only thing that held up was my wonderful Xtreme Lashes which was touched up earlier that day. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So I guess I will go home, moisturize my hair, and tie it down tightly. I was so tired that I contemplated having sleep for dinner, but my stomach had other ideas. So I once again had a multigrain English muffin with smoked salmon. I’ve got to get my dinner menus together. I’ll search the markets this weekend. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Day One

I have to build up my endurance so the new Insanity workout is the initial training of choice. 60 days of training 6 days a week. The first day was an endurance test. We record how many reps of each exercise we can do in one minute intervals. Needless to say, it felt like the hardest workout I have ever done. I thought I had lost a lung. My hair was filthy the first day, and I planned to shampoo it after the workout, so I wore a bandanna. I do not suggest this, because my hair was soaking wet. Andrea pin curled her hair and managed very well. I have been pressing her hair for about 5 years now, so it is very well trained. We were a little worried about how her hair would react but it seemed ok. As for me, my hair was a mess to begin with, so I really didn’t care. I knew I was going to start this program, so I did something really stupid. I ate 3 small Kit Kats, 3 mini ice cream sandwiches, and a Hershey’s Dark Chocolate bar in addition to 3 tacos filled with ground beef, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and salsa. Yeah I know, but I was saying goodbye to my former life, give me a break. When I got home I felt pretty ok, not hurting too much.

Day Two

I woke up this morning and made a berry smoothie for breakfast. It consisted of frozen mixed berries, non-fat yogurt, strawberry banana juice and ice. I shampooed my hair the night before, wraped it, tied it up, and let it dry while I was sleeping. I curled it while drinking my breakfast. For lunch I ate a little lamb curry with rice and cabbage and had water to drink. At the end of the day I headed for Andrea’s house to do our second day of the Insanity workout. When I pulled up, Andrea was standing outside talking to her neighbor and her hair looked great. It still had lots of body and bounced as she walked towards me smiling and yelling out “you ready girl?” As for my hair, it looked great because I had just shampooed and styled it so it was fresh and shiny. We began the workout, and I must say Shaun T needs to be shot. The many drills of suicide runs, jumping jacks, pushups, football and basketball drills, and countless other exercises wore us out. There were many times I had to walk in place just to catch my breath. I drank 2 bottles of water during the workout, which is something I have never done. Guess I really wasn’t working out before. I am about a week away from my touch up, and I could feel my hair drawing up at my scalp. I knew it; my scalp will feel like indoor/outdoor carpet by the time this is over. Sure enough, after the work out, my curls were sitting on a little fro and dry as the Sahara desert. I didn’t put a scarf on my hair because it would lock too much heat in. So I came home, put some of The Hair Care Company Hair and Scalp Hydrator on it, brushed it through, wraped it, and tied it down tight. For dinner I ate a multigrain English muffin with cream cheese, red onions, capers, and smoked salmon. To drink, water and a half glass of red wine. I hope my hair will be smooth by morning so I can curl it. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Help, My Daughters hair is out of control!

I can’t tell you how many countless times I have heard this from my clients. Little girls all over the world of African American decent have experienced many hours of torture carried out by the hands of mommy, grandma, auntie, sister: to make it plain, the “Kitchen Beautician.” I myself can recall the many hot comb tattoos I received on the back of my neck, forehead and ears. Not to mention, once my mother got fed up with my whining, flinching, and screaming, a quick whack of the brush on the top of my head usually caused me to suffer the rest of the nightmare in silence. Mom is tired and daughter just wants it to come to an end. There is an easier way. Together we will learn how to make this painstakingly task a lot easier.

First things first: get control. Most women shampoo their daughter’s hair and then attempt to comb through the massive afro with no system in place. Just tugging and pulling with a wide tooth comb from the scalp to the ends: first mistake. We must control the hair and not let the hair control us. How do we do that? Here I will give you the steps to take to make the task much more easy and enjoyable for both of you.

1. Comb and brush the hair thoroughly before shampooing.

Not removing tangles and knots before shampooing will cause the hair around the tangled area to attach to the knot during the shampoo process and create a great mess. Doing this beforehand will make the conditioning process easier. Also, make sure that the water is not too hot. Extra hot water does not mean the hair will be cleaner. Actually, having the water too hot can cause more tangles by stripping the hair of natural oils. Just keep the water at a comfortable, warm temperature.

2. Condition the hair well and comb through from the ends to the scalp.

You want to make sure that you have a good moisturizing conditioner.( There are many wonderful products on the market today that I will add at the end of this article.)

You want to apply the conditioner starting at the ends, where it should be the heaviest, and work your way up to the scalp. Most mothers do just the opposite, putting a glob of conditioner in their hands, and then smearing it at the scalp and commence to comb it through in the same manner. Just take your time and start at the back of the head. If your child has extra thick hair, use hair clips to separate the hair, and apply it in sections. Just don’t forget to comb through the hair starting at the ends and make your way up the hair shaft with the back of the head being first.

3. Rinse thoroughly.

Pretty much self explanatory: If you have problems with rinsing, take her to a salon, you need a professional.

4.   Use a leave-in conditioner and section the hair.

This step is very important. This is where mothers begin to lose control of the hair. With my all natural little clients, I section the hair into 4 parts and plat the hair. This makes blow drying easier. If the hair is extra thick, 6 or eight sections might be necessary. DO NOT LEAVE THE HAIR OUT AND TRY TO BLOW DRY IT! To put it in the sections, always, always, always comb from the ends to the scalp. I know of a lot of women who put grease on their daughter’s hair and plat the hair up and let it dry. Never do this. African American hair holds a lot of water and by allowing the hair to air dry with grease on it, you run the danger of the scalp developing a fungus which will cause hair loss. If you have a hooded dryer, put her under the dryer for about 10 minutes to get some of the water out of the hair and dry the scalp. If not, just move on to step #5.

5. Blow Dry

Using a blow dryer comb attachment, take apart one plat, and start drying the ends first. Be sure to pull the comb attachment all the way through to the ends with every stroke. Starting at the ends will ensure the hair will be tangle free as you work your way up the hair shaft. Continue to do this section by section until the entire head is dry and tangle free.

6. Style as usual.

If you take these steps I have mentioned here, shampoo day will go a lot easier. You will find yourself having more hours to do what you both like instead of struggling with hair. Just remember to take your time and keep control of the hair. Here’s to a happy shampoo day.

Shampoo and Conditioners

1 .A decent supermarket brand is Pantene Pro V. Try to find the one that comes in the red package. I know they now have a line for relaxed hair, but I’m not familiar with it and not quite sure how it works with natural hair.

2. For a little higher quality product try Nexxus Humectress Shampoo and Conditioner. It works quite well on natural hair and detangles fabulously.

3. If you are looking for all natural products, which are what I recommend, try The Hair Care Company’s Clarifying Shampoo and Cuticle Sealer and Reconstructor deep conditioner. The Clarifying Shampoo gently cleanses the hair without leaving a film. The Cuticle Sealer and Reconstructor put a seal over the cuticle of the hair, keeping the hair straight longer, and minimize frizz.

*Please make a note that heavy conditioner does not make it better for the hair. Too heavy conditioners will leave a film over the hair, weigh it down, and minimize body. Just make sure that it is moisture based and not lanolin or wax based.

Hair loss is an alarming condition associated with many “young” women today. This condition may occur by excessive shedding, thinning or balding. Hair also naturally sheds 80 to 100 hairs per day. The trick is to know the difference before you get to the “point of no return.” An increasing number of women today are losing their hair, and it has nothing to do with age. In this article we will explore the different types of hair loss, and what can be done, if any, to combat that. First, let’s explore some different types of hair loss.

Abnormal hair loss is called alopecia. The most common types are androgenic alopecia, aloecia areata, postpartum alopecia, and most recently, traction alopecia.

Androgenic Alopecia is the result of genetics, age, and hormonal changes. It can begin as early as the teens and is usually seen by the age of 40. By age 35, almost 40 percent of both men and women show some sign of hair loss.

Alopecia Areata is the sudden falling out of hair in round patches, or baldness in spots, which can occur on the scalp and elsewhere on the body. It is highly unpredictable and affects almost 5 million people in the United States alone.

Postpartum Alopecia is temporary hair loss experienced at the conclusion of pregnancy. Sudden and excessive shedding from 3 to 9 months after delivery is experienced. Although this is usually very traumatic to the new mother, the growth cycle generally returns to normal within one year after the baby is born.

Traction Alopecia is the most common among African American women suffering from hair loss today. This is caused when the hair follicle has been traumatized due to aggressive hairstyling techniques. This is the type of alopecia that can be treated and the type that we will focus on.

So what is it that we do to contribute to traction alopecia? The first thing we must understand is that simplicity is the key to healthy hair. When trying to help women come back from traction alopecia hair loss, I so often hear “I get bored with the same hairstyle day in and day out.” Well, let me let you in on a little secret. The more frequently you change your hairstyle, the higher the risk of losing it. If you pay attention to celebrities that have a full, beautiful head of hair, meaning their own hair such as Oprah Winfrey, you may hear comments like “her hair is pretty, but it’s always the same, she rarely changes it.” That’s why she has hair. It’s OK to change from the norm for a special occasion, or get braids for the summer so that you can have carefree vacations. But to make these hairstyles such as ponytails, braids, freeze styles, and constant roller wraps set with setting lotion with a high concentration of alcohol, you step into dangerous territory. I sense you asking the question “What exactly is traction alopecia?” Well I’m glad you asked. Here it is, and I will try to make it as plain as possible.

Each hair strand is held onto your head by a muscle. This muscle is called the arrector pili (ah-REK-tohr PY-ly) muscle. When this muscle has too much strain put on it, it gives way, and the hair strand falls out. It’s kinda like if someone leans on your shoulder. If they lean on it for a short period of time, it doesn’t bother you, but, if someone leans on your shoulder for a long period of time, you will give way and have to rest for a spell. That’s just how the arrector pili muscle responds to aggressive hairstyling techniques. Take braids for instance. The reason most women begin to thin around the edges is because there is a certain amount of tension that has to be applied for the braid to be stable. The perimeter around your head, or the hairline, is the one of the weakest areas of the head as far as hair is concerned. You pull, or “lean” on the muscle too much, it gives way. The same goes for ponytails, freeze styles, and many hairstyles women wear where they don’t have to “comb it.” Take freeze styles. There is a certain amount of alcohol, heat, and steam that goes into achieving these styles. The muscle is under so much strain, pressure, and heat from the steam that is created, that it just “gives way.” Don’t be too disappointed over this information. The good news is that in most cases of traction alopecia, the follicle is not dead, and the muscle that assist in keeping it in place is just lying dormant.

How can we get it back? We “wake it up.” There are many ways this can be achieved. Getting the blood circulating again can begin to strengthen the muscle, and stimulate the follicle so new hair can begin to grow. The Hair Care Company™ has a wonderful, all natural, Follicle Rejuvenating System that will accelerate the stimulating process. The key is once the hair grows back; don’t fall back into the same vicious cycle. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome. If you want to have beautiful tresses on your head, it’s going to take a little effort on your part. Yes, this means that you will have to “comb and brush” it every day. Keep it simple. A nice wrap or flat iron style, or opt to get rid of the chemical altogether. We will discuss in the future the fact that all heads of hair are not compatible to a relaxer, and that yes you too can have a thermal texturizer. (Press and Curl) For more information on Follicle Rejuvenation visit us on the web at www.thehaircarecompany.com. Until next time, here’s to healthy hair.

The Hair Care Company introduces its flagship products to the world. Learn about the most innovative techniques in hair care today.