Zac Efron has great hair. Mostly. Sometimes I used to be like, ok ok ok, your hair is sweepy, we get it. But most of the time, I think he has just the right amount of thickness, curl, flip, separation and suaveness.

It’s kind of funny, because usually when a guy is sitting in my chair, trying so hard to explain the hair cut he wants, I am thinking “he wants a Zac Efron”, but when I say that out loud, the guy gets embarrassed and says “no way, I want the opposite”. But he has just spent the last ten minutes explaining Zac Efron’s hair to a T, so then I say sure and give him the Zac Efron anyway. He loves it and leaves my salon zippity doo-dah-ing down Broadway. And I knew all along what was in his hair’s best interest. Is it because Zac Efron is a teen hear throb that guys are scared off? I think he is the next Leonardo DiCaprio and that’s in a good way. Who wouldn’t want this guy’s hair?

plus, look at all the strange places he finds himself wearing a suit? Ooops, I’m laying on the beach in a skinny suit and pea coat! How did this ever happen?

With this edition of “Hair Answers” I won’t be posting a question. I have had several emails about this, so I’m going to do a general answer to hopefully satisfy the many questions I’ve gotten about hair loss. This is one of those topics that I felt a need to bump up the list because it is one that is actually a real problem, rather than “I want to look exactly like Scarlet Johansson and I don’t so my life sucks..” <-that isn’t really a real question I’ve gotten. Don’t get your feelings hurt!

Back to hair loss….

The majority of my clients suffering from hair loss, are losing it in relation to having a new baby, but there are many reasons for alopecia. Sickness, surgery, weight loss/gain or anything else causing emotional or physical stress. I’m not an expert (or a doctor) with making your hair grow thicker and more quickly, but I am an expert in hiding bald spots and figuring out the right cut. I have a client who was very sick and her medication caused her hair to fall out in clumps. She has several bald spots that were causing her a lot of stress, but together we have figured out a great way to conceal them! I’m telling you, no one knows she has bald spots. Not her boyfriend, not her friends. No one other than me and her mom.

The Pregnancy Fringe is what I call the short hairs all around a woman’s hairline after she delivers a baby. Most women lose a lot of hair in the front, and those baby hairs stick up straight and can look kind of funny. The best way I have found to deal with the pregnancy fringe, is to angle or cut bangs in the front. Blow dry your hair down into your face to force the hairs to lay down, the bangs/angling will cover up those little fringies. Use a product with hold (I recommend a wax) to keep those babies in place. The worst thing you can do is pull your hair all the way back with no part. It draws attention to your new strange hairline and all your baby fine front hairs. Don’t do this. And if you insist on it, don’t come crying to me when people ask you how old your new baby is when you aren’t even with her/him.

Thin hair and bald spots are a little trickier, but aren’t hopeless cases. The first thing you want to do is tell your stylist about your situation and ask for a cut that creates fullness. Most likely this will be a haircut with minor graduation, not anything choppy or severe. Avoid anything too long.

Now I want you to be open minded to my next few suggestions…..

Hair powder. This bumble and bumble product (above img) is a life savor. You can buy it in a shade close to your own and spray it to cover up bald spots or too much scalp showing through very thin hair. It is unbelievable how natural it looks. If you are self conscious about bald spots or extremely thinning hair, you really need to try this product.

Extensions. You don’t have to spend thousands on the permanent extensions, but if you have thin hair you might want to invest in some clip ins. The client I mentioned earlier uses some just for thickening, along with the hair powder, and I swear you would never know she has lost half of her hair. Really. It’s the type of situation where we both cry and hug each other at the end of an appointment.

Highlights. Subtle highlights can add more dimension to your hair. It makes it look fuller. Pretty much on everyone! But careful not to damage your hair with over processing!

Eat Healthy, take care of yourself, take vitamins and get enough sleep. These are the best ways to keep your hair growing in healthy. But if you are really concerned about severe hair loss, you should see your doctor.

Guys, I’m not going to rest until everyone I meet has better hair than they did the day before.

Goodnight.

Q by Auro: I got (ummm … had) mid back wavy dark hair. Love it but mostly tie it in a bun on a daily basis. On special occasions I open it out, run a curling iron through it and feel fabulous
So I have been toying with the idea of chopping of my hair.  Have done so two times in the last 10 years. Love it for a month or two and then can’t wait for it to grow back.
Anyway – fast forward to yesterday. I went in for a hair cut armed with pictures of long, medium, short styles and one that I did not quite like. Discussed it with my hairdresser and we decided to keep it long but shape it up so that it looked changed.
By the time she was done it was by my neck. She styled it and it flipped and looked exactly like a photo I told her I did not like Anyway – in the heat of the moment I decided what the hell, just chop the back so it does not look flippy like that !!
Now I have short hair And I sit her shocked and stunned 24 hours later. My husband is quite amused by my reaction and tells me its just hair ! I know there is no magic pill and I know it will eventually grow.
But is there any advice you have in the meantime. What would you tell a client ?
I know I am being super vague here – but as you see I am emotionally scared
Much love,
Auro

A by Reagan: I bet a hundred people will read your question and cry and nod their heads because they are or have been there with you Auro. I am still in the honey moon phase of short hair, I am LOVING it, but let’s be honest, it wont be for long. Soon I’ll be pulling on my hair and brushing it 100x on each side in attmepts to stimulate my hair follacles so they’ll grow faster.

Here is a short list of ways to get your hair back.

~Keep it healthy. As healthy as possible. Dry, damaged ends will break off, making your hair shorter! K?
~Get regular trims. I like to yell at my clients *I don’t really yell at them ever* when they refuse to cut their hair because they are growing it out. If you keep, nice, healthy, moist, blunt, lush ends, they will continue to grow DOWN instead of damage and dry-ness growing UP your hair shaft, breaking off inches of your hair. That is where the confusion of “cutting you hair makes it grow faster” comes from. It doesn’t actually make it grow faster, it just ensures it will continue to grow in the right direction. Your hair will end up the length you want to achieve more quickly if it is (say it with me) kept healthy! Woohoo! Team Healthy Hair!
~Deep Condition. Buy a good deep conditioner at a salon or beauty supply and use once a week or every other week. Leave on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing.  Again, keeping hair healthy and preventing damage.
~Find a stylist you trust. There aren’t many things more frustrating (when it comes to hair) than having several months of growth cut off because the stylist doesn’t understand the difference between a 1/2 inch and 5 inches. It has happened to me. It has probably happened to you. PS I dont do that to people. It is my goal in life to be a trustworthy stylist.
~Comb, Massage and Brush hair. You thought I was kidding about stimulating your hair follacles. It’s a real thing! If you stimulate them, they produce more quickly. Before showering, brush your scalp medium to hard with a bristle brush to loosen up any buildup on the scalp and to stimulate those little guys. Top it off with a clarifying shampoo every few weeks. (never over do the clarifying shampoo!!)
~Finally, talk to your hair, tell it that it’s doing a good job. Tell it you’re proud of it. Caress it. I don’t know if that helps. But it’s just one of those things that is like a “why not?” sort of situation.

Hey, do you guys want to sit back and covet some pretty hair with me? Nothing like starting out your day in seething jealousy!

Dont cry guys. Your hair will be long soon.

Sorry I never credit my photos. I need to work on a better photo storing system…

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A few years ago I felt the same way about the Katie Holmes bob. Let it be known that in 2010 I have decided I could happily go the rest of my life NOT doing another “Justin Bieber”. What is with mom’s suddenly bringing their sons in for $45 dollar haircut anyway? I guess he is pretty dreamy with his head gently resting on his palm….laying in that red pleather bean bag all sexily. Eww.