When you’re desperate to find a fix for something it can be pretty difficult to go about the situation with complete rationality. So, when you begin to see signs of hair loss it’s hard to not be blindsided by every beauty product recommended to you on Instagram due to your AI bestie Alexa eavesdropping whilst you cry to your mum about your ever thinning hair.
To add to a severe lack of judgement, it just so happens that every product you encounter is miraculously the only one you can rely upon for hair regrowth – as demonstrated through countless before and after images of individuals lucky enough to have discovered this one off 
miracle product.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and right off absolutely every product. There are diverse forms of hair loss and we each have our own individual experience with it. Nevertheless, when diagnosed with the likes of alopecia, the chances of shampoos, conditioners and hair masks having a significant impact on hair regrowth is pretty much non-existent. Don’t get me wrong, I do think these products can contribute towards good hair health, but ultimately, they’re no magic potion.
BUT, I do have some good news for my androgenetic alopecia angels! There actually is a product out there that gives our hair a little bit of gentle encouragement when it comes to the ol’ regrowth process, and it’s only bloody backed by medical professionals!!
REGAIN FOR WOMEN is a daily foam you apply to your scalp infused with minoxidil, which is some sort of magical ingredient that encourages hair regrowth. As a disclaimer however, I should state that this product doesn’t have a 100% success rate and is more so viewed as a prevention tactic opposed to an outright cure. Nevertheless, positive results have been identified, and on a more personal note, I’ve found that using Regain has provided me a much greater sense of control when it comes to my locks.
However, despite my newfound hairtonomy (a combination of hair and autonomy – unfortunately I can’t afford to trademark so use as you please), I’ve also experienced numerous drawbacks when using the product. Basically, although I apply Regain almost daily – and have done since my diagnosis – it’s not something I particularly enjoy doing. It’s literally just a ten-minute task, yet it feels like the biggest chore – at times I honestly think it would be easier running an ultra-marathon whilst carrying an alligator on my back, opposed to dragging myself to the bathroom at 10 o’clock for my evening hair routine. Daily application also results in a daily dissection of my hair, which can start to play as a constant reminder of the diagnoses, and ultimately take a bit of a toll on the mental wellbeing. Also, at the start of my diagnosis, when I wasn’t in the comfort of my own home, I would get extremely anxious about using Regain in case people found out that I have alopecia. And finally on a more physical note, although I’ve never been one that can get away with only washing my hair once a week, Regain seriously speeds up the greasy hair process and leaves it feeling pretty tacky.
HOWEVER, seven months into my minoxidil journey, I had an appointment with a dermatologist, and although it was too premature to reach a clear-cut conclusion regarding the impact Regain will have on my hair, she did identify re-growth.
Basically, it can take approximately 1 year for new hair to grow (our precious little hairs take more time to develop than a baby), so when you’re not seeing results after 3-4 months of using Regain – as stated on the bottle – don’t stress yourself, it’s a much more complicated process as the hair re-growth cycle is extremely slow. So, in the words of Journey, Don’t Stop Believinnn’.
Sooo, now I’m patiently waiting for a follow-up appointment with the dermatologist, which will be in a few months; meaning the appointment will be taking place roughly a year since my diagnosis. So please excuse me whilst I manifest extreme positivity and channel my inner Play-Doh crazy cuts – I’ll be popping out hair like this bad boi in no time.
