Hair by Shawna

I used to think I was paying attention to my clients’ hair.
Then I went through trichology training and realized how much I’d been missing.
Not because I didn’t care, but because no one had ever taught me what I was actually looking at.
The widening part I’d style around. The “dandruff” that wasn’t dandruff. The shampoo I’d recommend because it worked for the last client. The shedding I’d reassure away without ever looking at the root.
As stylists, we see more scalps than most doctors ever will. We’re often the first person to notice something is changing + sometimes before the client does.
That’s not a small thing. That’s a responsibility.
You don’t need to become a trichologist. But you do deserve to know what these signs mean, so you can have the right conversation and send your client to the right place.
Swipe through and tell me which one surprised you most.
Save this for your next consult, and send it to a stylist who needs it. Especially if you want some extra scalp training! 😉

Most people I see for thinning didn’t wake up one day with less hair…
For women, it usually starts quietly. The ponytail feels smaller. The part looks a little wider in the bathroom lighting. Your hair just doesn’t “do” what it used to.
For men, it’s the hairline that sits a little further back in photos. The crown that shows under overhead lights. The hair that won’t hold a style the way it did a few years ago.
And almost everyone says the same thing: “I thought it was stress. I thought it would come back.”
Here’s what’s actually happening with genetic thinning (androgenetic alopecia). DHT doesn’t make your hair fall out overnight. It shortens the growth phase, cycle after cycle, so each new hair grows back a little finer, a little shorter, a little lighter. That’s miniaturization. It’s slow, it’s quiet, and it’s easy to miss until it isn’t.
The good news? A follicle that’s shrinking is still a follicle. That’s your window and it’s almost always earlier than people think.
This is exactly what we assess in my clinic. Not a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all product, but a real look at your scalp, your history, and what’s driving the change, so we can build an evidence-informed plan for your hair.
Hair loss takes time to rebuild. If there’s a follicle, there is something worth acting upon. The question to ask yourself, are you ready to take charge of it and get ahead of what needs to be done to revive it?
If you are, I have a hair and scalp consult form in my bio! Let’s start there!

Something I’ll be forever grateful for is moments that you are able to give back.
This is one of the reasons I adore MONAT Official. I reached out and asked if they could donate anything to help out our local community from a terrible tornado that wiped out Neenah and Menasha a few months ago.
Without a doubt, they asked me how many products I needed and asked if I would cover some of the shipping and I quickly responded. Little did I know that they would be sending over 500 items on a pallet.
Yesterday, erin marie | hairstylist•mama and my daughter Lucca and I donated all of the products to a nonprofit that was looking for donations to put together cosmetic and care kits for those in need.
The most special moment was having my daughter help serve others alongside me. She was so excited to help us unload boxes.
The thing is, these are the moments of gratitude that connect you to your inner soul. It’s the moments of making an impact. I never knew I needed this fulfillment but I can’t even begin to explain how this little shampoo biz of mine has created so much joy. It’s ALL due to Monat.
Next time you giggle or roll your eyes at this opportunity just know that I’m ONE of thousands of people working with the MONAT Gratitude Foundation. Think of the servant hearts out there literally changing the world to make an impact.
1 year in- so many more to go! Wanna help us this year? Let’s chat!

Your follicles are constantly responding to what is happening inside your body; nutrient availability, hormones, thyroid function, illness, sleep, stress, inflammation, genetics and major life changes can all influence the hair-growth cycle.
And here’s the part that surprises people: what you’re seeing today may reflect something that happened months ago.
That’s why when someone tells me, “My hair suddenly started falling out,” I don’t only look at their scalp.
I want to know:

What changed 8–12+ weeks ago?
Have we looked at iron/ferritin and other relevant nutrients?
What is happening hormonally?
Has thyroid function been appropriately evaluated?
Was there an illness, surgery, pregnancy, medication change, major weight change or prolonged period of stress?
Do you have gut issues?
And most importantly, what does the scalp and follicle actually show us?
Because “hair loss” is a symptom, not one single diagnosis. And two people experiencing what looks like the same shedding can have completely different contributing factors.
This is why my approach starts with history + appropriate labs + trichoscopy, then we determine what deserves attention instead of throwing every supplement, serum and treatment at the problem.
Your hair can give us information.
We just have to know how to read what’s it’s telling us.
Save this for the next time someone tells you, “Your labs are normal, so everything must be fine.”