Why I lost my hair during the pandemic (and how I’m growing it back)!

My wavy hair used to be thick like rope. I could twist it and it was thick, hefty, and strong. There was also a lot of it. It would be all over my face, and on my husband’s, when we’re asleep in bed. During the day, I would pile it high on my head and tame it with the assistance of a found scrunchie, or if going out, would brush it a few times and it falls neatly into place.

One not-so-special day I noticed it was no longer “all over”. No longer in my face. My husband complained less about it. The scrunchies would slip off easily, falling down the length of my hair, taking strands with it. On a bright sunny day, it was noticeably thinner, revealing my scalp. Finally, the truth became too hard to ignore: I was losing my hair.

My first instinct was to buy a fancy shampoo that promised hair growth. I scoured reviews online for 5-star reviews and made myself dizzy with options. I splurged on a popular hair care system I used for three months, but all that did was made my head smell like curry. When that didn’t work, I used scalp oils to no avail. I’ve tried brushing/not brushing, massages, essential oils — nothing. It wasn’t until I started investigating the root of the problem that I was able to narrow down my issue. It turns out that fall-out can happen for several reasons.