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TODAY’S DOSE OF HONESTY

Dr. Jen’s (abbreviated) hair resuscitation plan.

This past weekend, my husband and I were in Austin, Texas—which was a lot of fun, BTW! While I was gone, in my “Ask me anything!” on Instagram, I was inundated with questions about hair—hair loss, my hair journey, hair tips...you name it! There were so many questions that I decided HAIR had to be on the AJenda for this week. So, here’s my dose of honesty on all things hair.

If you’ve noticed a change in your hair recently, you are definitely not alone. In fact, hair loss or hair thinning affects 50% of women over the age of 40, and it can certainly happen well before that too. There are numerous causes for this: It could be hormonal, or nutritional, or environmental, or behavioral. And while it’s always important to figure out the “why” of hair problems, what we almost always want, really, is to get to the “what to do” part of the equation. 

If you know me and my recent past, you know I’ve been through this personally, in a really big way, since 2020. At that time, I had the perfect storm of hair crisis: I had just had COVID, had adopted a vegan diet (not getting enough protein), was having my hair professionally styled (read: damaged) every single day for GMA/ABC News, and had entered perimenopause (I was 50). My hair broke off at roughly the 5-inch mark, and I went into full resuscitation mode. Here’s what I did and what worked for me:

1) RESTING: I leaned into hair pieces (wigs and my “faux-po” pony), which allowed me to take a break from styling my real hair every day. These were probably the most important elements in my journey. And...I loved them!

2) PROTEIN IN MY DIET: My dermatologist set me straight me in no uncertain terms: I needed 80 grams of protein a day for my hair. Inadequate protein leads to hair thinning, as the body prioritizes essential functions over non-essential processes like hair growth. Vegan was out (for me), fish was in, and eggs slowly came back too.

3) MINOXIDIL: I started oral, prescription minoxidil. For women, this needs to be compounded, with a low starting dose of 1.25 mg or less. It should be taken at night, since it can temporarily drop blood pressure roughly 4 hours after taking it. If there is any unwanted hair growth, it usually reverses after the dose is decreased.

4) WET HAIR CARE: Don’t brush or comb wet hair...ever. Scientifically speaking, when hair gets wet, the proteins that make up each strand (keratin) form weaker hydrogen bonds, rendering it more susceptible to damage from being pulled, stretched, bent, or otherwise roughly handled. So, towel dry then air dry for as long or as often as possible.

5) SCALP CARE: This is KEY. Letting oil or sebum build up on your scalp triggers inflammation, which is deadly for hair health. You actually need a clean scalp with good blood flow; with its one-two punch of detoxing scrub ingredients and clarifying shampoo, Revivv’s Scalp Scrub is a great option for a gentle yet thorough cleanse. I also use a scalp massager every night!

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6) PROPER SHAMPOOING. Dermatologists actually recommend a dandruff shampoo even if you don’t have dandruff. The salicylic acid and sulfur in these shampoos work to decrease fungal growth and buildup on the scalp that causes inflammation—leaving you with soothed skin on your head. And you’ll save time and money: These products are easy to find and generally cost less than hair-loss specific shampoos.

7) NUTRAFOL OR VIVISCAL SUPPLEMENTS: Nutrafol capsules contain a blend of collagen with ashwagandha and other plant extracts, while Viviscal tablets combine several marine peptides with vitamins and minerals. And, yes, there is science to support their use. Both work; it just may take 6 months or longer to see the effects.

8) PRP TREATMENT: Short for platelet-rich plasma therapy, PRP is a medical treatment that may help boost healing, regeneration, and growth. It works by drawing blood, processing it, then injecting it into the affected area. There’s promising research behind its use for hair loss, but much of it was conducted with small study groups of 40 people or fewer. So, it’s hard to know if everyone will see these results. It worked for me, but it was expensive (and uncomfortable).

9) RED LIGHT THERAPY: Red light therapy is a non-invasive treatment option for hair loss that involves exposing the scalp to low levels of red or near-infrared light, which stimulates cellular activity in the hair follicles, promoting hair growth and density. There is good scientific data to support its effectiveness, but it’s a commitment: You will likely need ongoing sessions for weeks or even months before seeing results. 

10) HAIR COLOR SCHEDULE: Go easy on color. Dyes and bleaches are known to compromise existing hair follicles and can cause treated hair to become so damaged that it falls out. The effects of these agents are not associated with inhibiting new hair growth or causing permanent damage, but I don’t feel like taking too many risks. I used to highlight my hair every 10 weeks, but now I stretch to 12. It ain’t so pretty, but it’s better for my hair (and wallet!).

11) NO EXTENSIONS: Avoid these at all costs! Extensions cause traction alopecia and rip your real hair out at the root because they’re actually GLUED onto your hair strands and often break off because they’re too heavy. Sometimes they break off close to the scalp, other times they break off farther down. But the more of them you get, the more you will want and/or need (sadly).

My dose of honesty for this week: I will never have J Lo hair, but mine is much healthier than it was 3 to 4 years ago, although it remains a bit of a science project. So, I feel no shame in headscarfing to protect my hair from damage, and/or slicking it down with olive oil or argan oil and putting it in a low pony to give it a “rest.”  

SYMPTOM SOLUTIONS

For best strength-training results, take Korey’s advice: Give your body a vacation!

Here’s a scenario: You’re a faithful gym-goer. You initially worked with a trainer, who helped you build a strength-building program and showed you how to increase the challenge as you added muscle and power. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, you are struggling to get through a workout, winding up with more fatigue and frustration than energy. You keep it up but begin to wonder when you’ll be able to increase reps and weight again. And your motivation is severely waning. What is going on?

This, my friends, is a plateau. Beginners can pretty much count on being able to increase weight, reps, or duration in their workouts for a while. But most people—both women and men—will hit a plateau at some point in their training. And I did too, in Month 2 of my 6-month fitness experiment with my trainer and AJENDA Core Expert, Korey Rowe. I would wake up and just dread the idea of working out. Korey saw what was going on and started me on a “deload” week. Thank goodness—it was just what the doctor needed!

I asked Korey to explain “deloading”: what it is, why it helped me, and how to do it. Here’s what he had to say.

What’s a “deload” week?

A deload is basically a mini-vacation from training for your body and your mind, to help them relax and reset so they can return properly to strength-building mode. Think about taking one step backward to take two forward. There are three main types of deloads:

1. Reducing the amount of weight used.

For this type of deload, you keep the number of reps you perform the same but cut the amount of weight you lift by about half what you would normally use. This allows muscles to recover without losing movement patterns.

2. Reducing the number of reps and/or sets you do.

Here, you keep the weight you use for each exercise the same but cut out half of the reps/sets you would normally do during your workout. This will reduce fatigue while keeping your muscles active.

3. Change the form of exercise you perform.

With this deload, you completely change up the exercise you do, swapping weight training for a lower-intensity body-weight circuit, mobility-focused workouts, swimming, or hikes during the week. These rest days help promote a full-body recovery and decrease your chances of burnout.

The science (and wisdom) behind deloading.

Deloading can help prevent injuries from overtraining by giving your joints, tendons, and ligaments a breather, allowing your body to recover from accumulated workout stress. Aside from physical rest, a planned week away from lifting weights can do a lot for your mental well-being. Deloading also makes sense through the lens of the General Adaptation System—in other words, the 3 stages of the body’s response to a stressor such as training: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.

Immediately after a training session, the alarm stage (1) occurs, which is characterized by reduced performance. In the resistance stage (2), performance returns to baseline or slightly higher, a phenomenon known as super-compensation. The exhaustion stage (3) occurs if training is too frequent, too long, or too intense, and may result in muscle and joint pain, fatigue, and waning performance.

When should you deload?

For most people, every 4-8 weeks makes sense, taking into account workout intensity, recovery, and individual needs. Maybe it can coincide with a vacation, where you can enjoy hiking, bicycling, or another lower-intensity activity. Jen’s plateau occurred about 6 weeks into the experiment, so she’ll be deloading every 6 weeks.

One note: Deloading is NOT a diversion from exercise altogether—you don’t want to lose all the strength, balance, flexibility, etc., you’ve gained over time. Give yourself a necessary refresh, then get back to it!

OUR CORE EXPERT

Korey Rowe is a fitness professional and, with over a decade of dedicated experience, a distinguished leader in the fitness industry; he is known for his innovative and integrative approach to strength and mobility training. His expertise transcends traditional fitness, combining a clinical understanding of movement with a deep focus on functional longevity and peak performance, and his holistic philosophy fosters resilience and sustainable progress, ensuring that his clients thrive in both body and mind. @korey.rowe

COMMUNITY

“What is Fraxel? Are the results worth the cost?”

When it comes to facial treatments, I am generally willing to try anything once, as long as it’s safe and does not trigger a lot of unwanted side effects. Someone recently asked me about this particular skincare therapy, so I turned to our Core Expert, dermatologist Dr. Yael Halaas, for her take.

Fraxel is a non-surgical skin resurfacing treatment for both men and women looking to achieve a more youthful and radiant appearance. It’s ideal for those looking to reduce signs of aging.

Fraxel works by creating micro-injuries in up to 40 percent of the treated skin cells, stimulating them to repair and regenerate while surrounding healthy cells assist in the healing process. This treatment promotes growth of new surface cells and boosts collagen and elastin production in the deeper layers, key components for youthful skin. Unlike traditional ablative lasers that target the entire top layer, Fraxel treats only a fraction of the skin, allowing for faster recovery.

It’s not cheap, though: Fraxel laser costs $900 to $1,500 per session on average for a full-face treatment or $250 to $500 per session to spot-treat a small area. The total price depends on the number of sessions, provider type, and your geographic location.

For those seeking more affordable options, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and chemical peels offer similar benefits. IPL is effective for reducing redness and brown spots, though it’s less impactful on wrinkles. Chemical peels can address fine lines, age spots, and hyperpigmentation, however, deeper chemical peels may require more healing time.

OUR CORE EXPERT

Yael Halaas, M.D., is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon specializing in facelifts and rhinoplasty (www.drhalaas.com). She is a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery and is affiliated with Lenox Hill Hospital at Northwell Health in New York City. @drhalaas

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ABOUT DR. JEN

In her former roles as chief medical correspondent for ABC News and on-air cohost of “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” Dr. Jennifer Ashton—”Dr. Jen”—has shared the latest health news and information with millions of viewers nationwide. As an OB-GYN, nutritionist, and board-certified obesity medicine specialist, she is passionate about promoting optimal health for “the whole woman.” She is founder and CEO of AJenda, a company that focuses on helping women enjoy optimal fitness, health, and well-being, and has authored several books, including the national best-seller, The Self-Care Solution: A Year of Becoming Happier, Healthier & Fitter—One Month at a Time. And she has gone through menopause…

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