Hair Story: After Trichotillomania and Chemical Haircuts, I'm Transitioning My Hair for a Fresh Start
Some women who experience hair loss have one clear reason for it: postpartum, stress or maybe a thyroid disorder. But other women, like Luana Ricchi, may actually have several underlying causes contributing to hair loss, making it even harder to manage.
Trichotillomania, chemical straightening treatments and even a chemical haircut — when hair breaks off on its own due to overprocessing from bleach, dyes and chemical straightening — were to blame. Stress, anxiety and low self-esteem didn't help either.
Now, Luana has made a promise to herself prioritize healthy hair habits and drop the ones that have damaged her hair. She's focusing on getting it to a healthy place and working on other facets of hair wellness like using quality hair products and improving her diet and water intake.
Luana generously shared her story with the VEGAMOUR community to shed light on female hair loss.
How long have you been on your hair growth journey and how is it going for you?
"Well, I have had problems with my hair from a very early age. It is naturally curly, which made me uncomfortable and unconfident about my appearance as a teenager. When I was 15 I developed trichotillomania and at 17 I started to chemically straighten it. At the age of 19 I suffered my first chemical cut. It took me about 4 years for my hair to grow back to the length it was. When I was 24 years old, because of stress at work and anxiety, I started to lose a lot of hair. At the age of 27 I moved to US and changed my hairdresser, and then I had my second chemical cut. And considering that 2020 was a very stressful year because of Covid the hair falling from stress came along with the chemical cut, and my hair was very thin. In September 2020 I did my last chemical straightening and decided to take a break from it after 10 years. Now I'm in hair transition and some days are more difficult than another (having two different types of hair is not easy) but I’m using VEGAMOUR to help with healthy hair growth and cutting the rest of the hair with chemicals."
Also: VEGAMOUR Before & After Photos
What motivated you to take the next step on your hair journey?
"Low self-esteem and low self confidence, and the fear of getting completely bald. I had suffered chemical cut and hair loss before, and this time I had both at the same time, so I was afraid of losing more and more hair. I decided to dedicate myself to reverting the situation and trying to restore my hair's health."
Shop: GRO Balance & Boost Kit
Have you made any lifestyle changes have made the biggest impact on your hair?
"I've made several changes over the past few months, some of them include:
- Using CBG to control stress and anxiety (My boyfriend grows hemp so I started taking CBG. I tried CBD but it made me too sleepy)
- Include more protein-rich foods in my diet
- Drink at least 2L (half gallon) of water per day.
- Started taking supplement rich in biotin
- I exchanged pharmacy products for quality products.
- Started a capillary schedule with specific masks for hydration, nutrition and repair/restore.
- VEGAMOUR GRO Hair Serum after washing and then once a day, every day.
- Always handle the hair with care."
What habits are you already prioritizing to achieve the healthy hair you want?
"I still intend to improve my diet even more and continue to drink plenty of water everyday. I want to maintain daily care (sometimes I still forget a few steps) and the capillary schedule has helped me a lot. I hope to be able to afford and buy quality products to continue taking good care of them."
Read: 16 Best Foods for Hair Growth
What advice would you have for someone who is struggling on their hair growth journey?
"Focus on the prize! There will be days when your hair will be perfect, other days not, and that’s okay! Believe, be persistent, use good products, love and take care of your hair, it will work ♥️"
Shop: VEGAMOUR Hair Products
Tell us a bit about your self-care routine with VEGAMOUR.
"Now I use the shampoo and conditioner once a week (the other washes I do with other products I have). GRO Hair Serum is used daily and scalp detox serum two times a month.
Since the first wash I felt a huge difference in my hair, and after a few weeks I’ve already seen new baby hairs growing."
What do you wish more people understood about hair loss?
"How this affects self-esteem and consequently the productivity of daily tasks. Self-confidence can be greatly shaken by dissatisfaction with your look. How a woman can feel more empowered when her hair is healthy and beautiful. Your whole mood can change if you are experiencing hair loss."
What's the next VEGAMOUR product you'd like to try?
"GRO Lash and Brow Serums, as I would like my lashes and eyebrows to be fuller too."
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Photo credit: katerynadeineka/iStock
