My Hair Journey

Although food is my main focus, it is no secret that my hair changes all the time! I have always been a huge fan of switching it up! Because, WHY NOT! From curly to straight, natural to wigs, extensions to braids and twist, oooh and let’s not forget a good ponytail, I love when my hair reflects my vibe! Hair is another source of expression for me! It’s also a HUGE TELL! If you see me rocking a messy bun, pig tails or a headband wig, you already know, I am not having it for the day LOL, and I love that about hair! There is no limit to what we can do with our hair, it honestly feels like one of my super powers, especially as a black woman. Hair tells a story for us, it enhances who we are while often paying tribute to the intricacies of our culture and heritage.

That being said, growing up as a black girl, hair has always been a hot topic, I can still remember the day “Good Hair” the movie came out and how impactful hair was within in the black community, and how large of a role it played considering the way others view us and even the way we view ourselves. Since I was three I’ve had a relaxer, which helped to straighten out those supposedly “kinky curls”. And I had a relaxer every few months. My hair was such a big part of my life, every day it needed to either be wrapped, straightened, flat ironed, curled, blown out, braided, twisted, crotched, etc. When I tell you so much of my life revolved around hair, I mean it’s honestly hard to articulate. Even in the summer months, going to the pool became a pain because of my hair. I can still hear my mom yelling from across the pool, “Chillllleeeeee don’t get your hair wet.” And, let’s not forget going to sleep after the hair salon, having to sleep upside down with my head partially hanging off the bed! Not to mention, all the rod sets my mother would put in every night to make sure my hair was popping for school in the morning. I mean, when it comes to hair, I have been serving looks since Elementary School - which is what made losing patches of my hair so hard when I was about six. That was the first time I started to see a dermatologist for my scalp.

Due to the water in our home at the time, I dealt with small patches of hair loss for years as well as had some flare ups in college, which as you can imagine for a 20-year-old, was traumatizing. My family has also has a background of alopecia and hair loss at a young age, so I have always been aggressive about my hair. Especially, when I was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma Cancer. Thankfully, I did not lose any hair but that journey helped me get serious about my overall wellness, and hair routine. I stopped using relaxer, tried to find more natural ways to treat my hair and often lean towards wearing protective styles. Dealing with Seborrheic Dermatitis (S.B.) has not been a walk in the park. In fact, it comes and it goes which naturally stresses me out which causes it to flare up. Which means I can often deal with severe dry scalp, constant itching, flaky scalp and even still hair loss - this happens right around my crown and edges, so SUPER NOTICABLE! So I headed to the dermatologist again and got things under control! Here are some products that I am enjoying! I don't use a lot on my scalp these days but these help! The ointment and shampoo are prescribed by my dermatologist but the others you can find anywhere! I also love a good hot oil treatment, fresh aloe for moisture and a deep condition every now and then. I look forward to going to a local salon soon to try a scalp treatment too!

I cannot stress enough, seeking a dermatologist when noticing signs like this! However, if I ever started to deal with extreme hair loss, and wanted an easy local solution, I would check out Ohio SMP Studio. They are such a great local resource for people looking to feel more confident about their hair loss or even just thinning.

Ohio SMP Studio specializes in scalp micropigmentation (SMP). The technique Ohio SMP uses camouflages hair loss for men and women. They use a unique. S.M.P. Pen technology that implants pigments into the clients scalp, in the form of tiny dots that mimic the look of closely shaven hair follicles. S.M.P. is a non-surgical procedure and is not a hair transplant. The end result is a youthful appearance that leaves clients feeling empowered, confident and with a natural hairline, which is so important! Dealing with my S.B. taught me how important a full and natural hairline is! From wearing your hair naturally on an everyday basis to styling for special events, Ohio SMP is helping people everyday feel more like themselves and ready for any occasion thanks to their special S.M.P. Training.

As you can imagine, my investment in hair has become a major priority. I take my hair seriously and love knowing we have resources so close by to keep my sparkle and feel confident in any room I walk into. From food events to modeling gigs, I love knowing that whatever my hair says about me, it’s all good things. Regardless, of whether you’re dealing with hair loss or even if your luscious locks are thriving, your hair is such a major investment, take care of it, use that self-care time, seek natural products when you can and know that there are resources all around you! Here’s to all things hair!

Ohio SMP Studio: @Ohio_SMP_Studio

Xo Kait xo