[ad content] Researching Covid related hair loss is an absolute rabbit hole, but it’s a noted side effect and something that is now affecting me. My hair follicles seem to have gone into a prolonged resting state so this is ticking all the anecdotal Covid hair loss boxes – I feel as sure as I can that it is telogen effluvium, or ‘episodic hair loss’.

I have taken a hair supplement for several years and yet, inexplicably had a moment where I felt I was taking too many supplements and stopped taking them at the worst possible time. I didn’t know what was coming! So, I’m back on those. Hair loss is so upsetting – whatever gender you are – I’ve watched people on Instagram (notably Jo Jones and her post-partum hair loss HERE) tell their stories and you can just see how what a difficult thing it is and how frustrating unexplained loss is. I don’t know how far my loss will go – at the moment it’s not noticeable to anyone but me, but really it’s quite shocking how much is left on my brush after I’ve blow dried. I have no idea when it will stop. The absolute standard guidance if you have unexplained hair loss is to see your doctor or a trichologist for blood tests which could help to identify any vitamins or minerals you may be short of.

The major thing that I’m doing is using and reviewing the Current Body Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device. The most common types of hair loss are androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium (mine) – they have several differences but a common thread is that in both, red light therapy has been found to increase microcirculation, stimulate cell metabolism and provide antioxidant support to scalp tissue. Androgenic hair loss is pattern loss – you might hear it termed ‘male pattern baldness’ but it’s common amongst women too. Please note that ‘proven’ result studies have mostly been conducted on androgenic loss but boosting circulation and cell metabolism can benefit both. Claims with the CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device is that it targets receding hairlines, hair thinning and pattern balding, giving noticeable results in 16 weeks, so this is a long haul test. I’m giving this the full four months, with weekly photos so I can see any improvements unless results come sooner in which case you will hear about it!

Now, friends, there are two ways to go with this and I’m somewhere in the middle. It is a beast of a thing – a white helmet that emits a red light glow that you use daily for 10 minutes. When it arrived, I was completely taken aback at this device – I just wasn’t expecting a whole, huge, blue tooth enabled helmet. And then I was worried about how it was going to look in pictures and being entirely honest, there is a comedy element to this. Remember those Courreges space era hats from the 1960s and 70s? Retro futurism – we can make it fashion. In fact, after initially feeling somewhat self-conscious, you just kind of forget about how it looks to be honest. It’s only 10 minutes and if Audrey Hepburn can take on a bucket hat and Sigourney Weaver can look fierce in an astronaut helmet, I can do my best with this. The absolute irony that only a few months ago I was trialling a device to get rid of hair and now I’m trialling one to increase it! I’ve been taking skin supplements for a good while now, I take D, C and K and Vitamin B6. Obviously, I am back on my hair supplements too. I’m just trying to cover off everything that could possibly contribute to any results just so you that know, but I’ve been taking all of these, bar the B6, for some considerable time. As you can see below, my scalp is also unhappy – flaking and itching.

Stress and illness can be a big factor in episodic hair loss – over the summer I had both and my body took an absolute battering. Things are almost better but I notice I don’t have the same balance I had before or the same strength. My eyes look sleepy in a way they did not before – I kept wondering what was wrong with my eyes before I heard that ‘Covid face’ was a thing – but that’s a whole other topic.

The use of red light for hair loss has been in the pipeline for several years. NASA studies of red light benefits have been of keen interest to the beauty and wellness industry which has been desperate to authentically address so it’s had very high levels of research thrown at it. A wavelength of 630-670nm is crucial, as is the light being able to reach the scalp (so if you have abundant hair but would like it more so, red light will be far less effective in reaching the follicles so it’s not for you) to do its work.

The CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device is a considered purchase at £650 HERE but having now looked at as many like devices as I possibly can, it’s at the lower end of cost (never mind looking at other hair loss treatments which can run into the thousands). If you use JANE15 at checkout, you will get 15% price reduction. Something has to pay for all that research, right? So I’ll be back with follicle news in due course – in the meantime, I’m channelling my inner Sigourney Weaver and Audrey Hepburn on rotation.