^{This post is sponsored by Rogaine. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Diary of a Debutante possible!} 

Oh family– you gotta love ’em! It’s crazy to me how much more often I recognize similarities between my parents and me now that I’m older. For example, I’m a mega math nerd, and I always have been. Kyle and I just had dinner with my dad and stepmom the other day, and 95% of the conversation was focused around physics and Star Wars. Maybe nerdiness is a genetic thing, who knows? As for my mom, people haven’t been able to tell us apart on the phone since I was 13. We have the same voice, same laugh, and same fair skin (which is why I’ve been getting ahead of sun damage by using daily SPF 50+ sunscreen since I was a pre-teen). I also inherited my dark, rich, and thick Italian hair from her side of the family. I even got it thinned one time to better manage Florida’s summertime humidity. Those were the days! Now my situation is unfortunately quite a bit different.

Although the effects are still relatively undetectable to strangers, I just can’t get my hair to stop falling out. After suffering from a severe eating disorder for over five years and coming to terms with the fact that heredity conditions leading to hair loss run in my family, I started researching potential causes and solutions. As with any unwanted conditions, the key is recognizing the area(s) of your overall health and wellness that you wish to change and figuring out how to get ahead of them. You know, taking on that proactive “why wait?” mentality and leaving self-pity, embarrassment, and procrastination in the dust. While there are other forms of hair loss, heredity hair loss is the most common– and that’s why I’ve started using Rogaine to get ahead of it. Since HHL runs in my family, I decided it was time to find an effective female hair loss treatment, and I’ve partnered with Rogaine to share my hair loss/growth journey with y’all!

For a little bit of background, people of all genders, ages, and weights with eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, and other related disordered eating patterns) commonly experience hair loss, including hair thinning and areas of balding. Women can also lose their hair following pregnancy. In cases related to disordered eating, the body stops hair growth so it can focus on keeping that malnourished person alive. Speaking from experience, hair loss, coupled with a slew of other physical, emotional, and cognitive side effects, can be quite distressing, making it all the more difficult to recover. Luckily, depending on a person’s age, genetic makeup, and a variety of other factors, regular hair growth will most likely return to normal after a person maintains nutritional stabilization for six months or more according to Eating Disorders Resource Catalog. 

While hair grows back naturally following nutritional  stabilization or pregnancy, hereditary hair loss is something that can worsen over time unless you use a treatment to stop it! If you are experiencing any type of hair loss and have any questions about it, I definitely recommend that you go see and speak to a dermatologist to determine the causes. 

To clarify, the main cause of hair loss comes from your genetics. This is unfortunate when Heredity Hair Loss (HHL) runs in your family. Although my HHL is paternal, it can stem from the mother or father’s side of the family. Now that my body has stabilized and I’m healthy, I finally feel like I can tackle and focus on the HHL I’m experiencing head on with Rogaine. Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam is created to treat HHL, and so far, using it has been much less of an intimidating process than I thought. Not only is it the #1 dermatologist recommended brand for hair regrowth, it’s the first FDA-approved treatment on the market for women going through heredity hair loss. When its foam formula is massaged onto the scalp, it works to reactivate hair follicles and stimulate hair growth. With continued use once a day every day, it’s clinically proven to regrow up to 25% more hair (that’s up to 48% thicker than before) in three months, which is pretty incredible. Remember that in order to maintain results, ongoing use is important. 

How to Use Women’s Rogaine

To use Women’s Rogaine, just apply it once a day to dry or towel dried hair in the morning or evening by dispensing the product onto a non-porous surface, parting the hair to help maximize scalp exposure, and massaging directly on to the scalp an don’t forget to allow the product to dry before you begin styling. I love that this female hair loss treatment won’t interfere with your regular styling routine and can be integrated seamlessly with other styling products. It’s completely discrete and non-greasy– no hair nets, heat lamps, squirt bottles, or complicated scientific procedure required. It’s available nationwide at retailers like Target with prices ranging from $29.99-$49.99 depending on if you want a two or four month supply.

Deciding If You Need a Female Hair Loss Treatment

Lastly, before you start freaking out and worrying that your natural hair loss is more serious than you thought, heredity hair loss is a manageable trait that you and your family, friends, and loved ones can easily get ahead of with Rogaine. I’m still in my mid-twenties, and I’m honestly mad at myself for waiting as long as I did before researching a female hair loss treatment. Most women don’t talk about it, but for those of us who start to notice our hair thinning, 76% start to see it after the age of 30 (even though it can start as early as your 20’s). That’s shocking to me– and it offers so much comfort! To stay on top of HHL, here are the key signs of heredity hair loss to look out for in women:

• If you notice your hair is starting to thin out (for example, hair losing its volume and density over time)
• If you notice your hair seems to always be shedding (a consistent loss of 150 hairs per day is considered significant hair loss)
• If you notice your part is starting to widen or you can see visible patches of your scalp (more scalp visibility is a definite sign of hair loss)

Hair Loss for Men (‘Cause Your Hair Matters, Too)

And, of course, if you’re a guy, Rogaine has your hair loss covered, too. Men’s Rogaine Foam regrew hair in nearly 9 out of 10 men when used twice daily over twelve weeks and is clinically proven to regrow up to 25% more hair in three months. Just like their female hair loss treatment, Men’s Rogaine Foam contains 5% minoxidil, which is the only topical ingredient FDA-approved to regrow hair.

As for me, I just started using Women’s Rogaine 5% Minoxidil Foam a few days ago, and I’m excited to track my progress with you. I’ll be posting periodic updates on social media over the next six months or so– so stay tuned for long-term results! Does hereditary hair loss run in your family? What are some of the genetic traits you share?