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Dr Eva Live Haircare Q&A
Your haircare questions, answered!
We held a live Q&A with our resident haircare guru - Dr Eva. Thinning hair? Dull locks? Over-brushing? It’s all covered. Check out Dr Eva’s advice below…
Q. How often should I wash my hair and does blow-drying make things worse?
A. “Ideally washing every day or every other day is best practice, every 3 days at a maximum to keep the scalp balanced. Blow drying doesn't damage the hair, in-fact, the hair is at its weakest when wet, so drying is best practice.”
Q. I colour my hair to hide the greys, but this leads to damage and hair loss, and my dry, frizzy hair’s got worse since perimenopause. I take collagen supplements every day but they don’t seem to be helping. Any advice?
A. “If you have excessive shedding, there may be underlying causes for this - not just the colour. Make sure when colour is applied it’s mixed properly and left on for the time advised. No heat should be used to accelerate the process. If any of these 3 elements are incorrect that is when colour can lead to damage.”
Q. I’ve dyed my hair a coppery-brown for years, however being in full menopause, I’m struggling to keep up with the grey (which is of course all in the face framing areas). How can I start to lighten it so that the regrowth is less obvious?
A. “It can take time and several processes to lighten a full head of colour, usually starting with some foils in a complimentary shade to break up the solid colour. A good hairdresser will give you a consultation to discuss the colour you’d like to get to and will work with you over a period of 6 months to get you to your end goal - without damaging the hair.”
Q. I’m losing more hair at the front of my scalp and now have patches. I’ve been using caffeine shampoo and conditioner but will the Absolute Collagen shampoo help?
A. “You may well have one or more hair loss conditions, so it’s important to book a consultation for an accurate diagnosis of what the problem is, and then a full treatment plan can be worked out. In the meantime, the Absolute Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner are great products and will certainly work to improve the look and feel of the hair. But, but if there’s a hair loss condition, you may need something to work alongside these.”
Q. Should I brush more regularly, even if it leads to more shedding?
A. “We naturally shed 50-150 hairs each day. These can stay loose within the head due to the static charge that our hair has. When we wash, comb or brush our hair, we break the charge and the naturally shed hair comes away. The longer you leave the hair without washing, combing or brushing, the more hair you’ll find coming out. My advice is to use a wide tooth comb when wet, and a wide spaced bristle brush when dry… and to ALWAYS comb or brush it every day.”
A. I’ve had to stop taking HRT (hormone replacement therapy) after 5 years. Will I lose hair ore quickly now?
Q. “HRT doesn’t prevent hair loss as a stand-alone treatment. If you’re shedding more hair, there’ll be an underlying cause and once identified, can usually be treated to restore the hair. If you’re noticing it’s thinner in the mid to front areas, that may be a condition like female pattern and so you’d need additional treatments to manage and control the condition. My best advice is to have a consultation so that you know what is happening with the hair so it can be treated accordingly.”
A. Why’s my hair falling out and breaking at the roots? I have a very basic hair routine but how can give my hair more life?
Q. “When hair sheds more than normal with the root bulb attached, it’s generally a condition called Telogen Effluvium which has many different causative factors. You’d need a consultation and a diagnosis to give you a treatment plan that will be most effective”.
Q. What’s the best way to combat hair loss and dry hair in your sixties?
A. “It really depends on what you mean by hair loss, as there are 58 different types of hair loss conditions. To treat a specific condition, you need an accurate diagnosis, however a good diet with enough protein (the Absolute Collagen supplement can support this) and good hair care products (again the Absolute Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner are great as a starting point) can really help.”
Q. I’m losing hair on top of my head but seem to be growing very fine hair along my hair line. Do you think this is normal?
A. “If you’re losing more hair and noticing a change to your normal hair density, then it isn't normal and could be one of many conditions. A diagnosis would help to pin-point what is happening, and then what you can do to treat the condition for optimum hair health.”
Q. I lost so much hair after giving birth to my girls around 20 years ago. And 18 months ago, it’s got worse since being diagnosed Long Covid. Any advice?
A. “Covid can cause an increase in shedding and thinning of the hair all over. It can be a depletion in stored vitamin and mineral levels and blood tests can be taken to check this. The lingering inflammation and change in dietary intake can even trigger autoimmune hair loss conditions too. My best advice is to have a consultation so that we can accurately diagnose what is happening, and to carry out blood tests if necessary.”
Q. Are the Absolute Collagen haircare products OK for coloured hair?
A. “Yes. the Shampoo and Conditioner are fine for coloured hair - I use them and my colour always looks great.”
Q. How can I make my fine, thin hair look thicker and more volumised?
A. “Unfortunately we can't increase the amount of hair on the head that our genetics gave to us. The best way to add volume is with styling products and a hair style that gives you the cosmetic effect of thicker, fuller hair. A good hairdresser will be able advise on both of these.”
Q. Is it good to deep condition your hair as you get older?
A. “Unless you’re doing something that causes the hair to become dehydrated, then no, the Absolute Collagen Conditioner should be able to manage any hair type. If you bleach the hair and/or use a lot of heat and products, then you may benefit from a hydrating mask. Dipping into the sea and swimming pools whilst on holiday can dry the hair and scalp, and after a lot of sun exposure, a deep conditioning treatment may be beneficial.”
Q. Can you prevent hair loss as you age?
A. “Generally the answer is yes, depending on the cause. My oldest patient came to see me at the tender age of 89, and at 92 is still using the products and loving the improvement in the hair.”
Q. I have thick hair, but it’s so hard to manage and control. I have tried the AC Shampoo and Conditioner but this seems to add more volume, which I don’t want. Please help!
A. “Hair that’s frizzy and flyaway is usually lacking moisture and serums often just coat the hair, they don't hydrate it. I have a hair reconditioning mask that you can use to add moisture and it can really help the hair to become smoother and sleeker without adding volume. You then need a good shampoo and conditioner that don't add volume to use in between treatments.”
Q. Can I use the Absolute Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner on keratin-treated hair?
A. “I have a keratin treatment every 4-5 months to smooth it and reduce volume, and I use the Absolute Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner. The sulphates that can cause the treatment to wear off more quickly are SLS sulphates which contain a very small molecule that can penetrate the hair, removing the treatment. The Absolute Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner don't contain this, and that’s why you can use them alongside these treatments.”
Q. Will a volumising or thickening shampoo actually make a difference to alopecia?
A. “Alopecia comes in many different forms and it depends on what type you are suffering from. For example, if you have androgenetic alopecia (female pattern), the hair miniaturises and becomes much thinner. The shampoo and conditioner will add a cosmetic density to the hair, but it won't treat the alopecia - you would need a treatment regime alongside the hair care products. If it’s an auto-immune scarring condition, then no, it wouldn't treat this type of alopecia.”
