How did you begin your journey as a trichologist
It was never my desire or ambition to be a trichologist, I just sort of fell into it. I was previously a tax accountant and was pretty successful and very happy.
One day I came across a Nigerian, Yoruba woman online, and she had amazing hair. I really wanted to know how she got there, so I became obsessed with the science and started learning everything I could about hair; I would look on YouTube, magazines, journal articles,anything I could get my hands on, and would spend hours reading. At that point it was really just for me and my daughter, and I started documenting what I learned on Facebook (instagram wasn’t really a big thing back then).
Eventually, I would share my knowledge with random, curious people. I would spend literally hours talking to them on the phone about what I’d learnt and what worked for me and I really enjoyed talking about it. Later down the line, after being encouraged by my sister, I put a post on Instagram, which ultimately started what is now Healthy Hair studio.
I got so many responses and enquiries, which was a huge shock to me. I was like ‘ I don’t even have a chair, I don’t have a mirror’. I went on eBay and bought a chair and a mirror, because my unique selling point was knowledge, so I didn’t need anything else. Really the brand started as a result of people’s question of ‘how’. After they saw my journey and asked ‘how is this possible for me?’ Fast forward to today, the business now has 4 hair coaches, 2 trichologists & a dermatologist and we are expanding to a larger unit in central London in the next few weeks.
What do you think are some major Misconceptions about afro hair-care
Oiling the scalp is probably the most common one. So many people oil their scalp, and if you ask them why they do it, most people don’t have a reason. Most just do it because it is a cultural thing, what their mothers and grandmothers did and did to them. I’ve had some people say they do it because they believe it helps dryness or itchiness of their scalp.
This practise really started because there was nothing in the market that catered to Afro hair historically. So people would just use things they found in the kitchen like butter and oils. Secondly, in the past, there was no focus on hair health. The focus was solely on aesthetics, so the hair had to be straight and the scalp had to be shiny. Now we know that when you constantly grease your scalp, it hinders the scalp and hair health. What eventually happens is the follicles on the scalp become degraded and the hair strand produced from it is of a poorer quality.
However, certain types of oils may be used as a means to stimulate hair growth for those who want to increase their average growth rate or to increase hair density in thinning hair. If the thinning is severe or quite advanced, it may be beneficial to see a trichologist.
What hair trends do you think are Unnecessary?
The idea of a ‘wash day’; I think it really puts people off. Washing your hair shouldn’t take the whole day. On social media, there is a whole process that is really very unnecessary. It generally shouldn’t take any longer than 2 hours including washing, deep conditioning and styling, and with practise it takes even less time. Obviously, that doesn’t include the time for styling if you wanted to do styles like box braids.
What are your thoughts on the use of food as DIY hair treatments?
People often say things to me like ‘I use eggs on my hair’ or ‘I use avocado on my hair’.
Using raw foods, because of the lipids, does make the surface of the hair feel a bit different, maybe a bit softer. In reality, nothing within the core of the hair is changing. Those foods would probably serve them better if they ate them. When food is applied onto the hair shaft, its only job is on the very surface, which limits the results you have in the long term.
When things are created in a lab, the natural ingredients from food and other sources are hydrolysed (broken down) and are used to formulate products, so they can have more of an effect on the hair strand. So a well-formulated product- with ingredients derived from avocados, for example- is much more likely to improve the results you see on your hair than just applying the avocado.
Are there any home hair remedies that are effective?
There are some things that do work. Ayurvedic herbs, for example, are very powerful and work effectively when used properly.
What are your thoughts on Scalp Care products, which seem to be gaining popularity?
Scalp is skin therefore scalp care is skin care. The quality of the scalp has a huge impact on the quality of the hair produced from it. So scalp care is very important. However, if you never buy or touch a ‘scalp care’ product- if you don’t have a scalp care concern- you will still achieve amazing results with using just shampoo to cleanse the scalp. Of course, those with a scalp care concern like dandruff for example will need to address those issues in order for their hair to really thrive.
What products are must-haves for every woman’s bathroom
A shampoo, of course and a deep conditioning treatment such as a protein or hydrating moisturising conditioner. You also need some sort of leave-in. Something like a hair lotion or cream, which you can leave on your hair and not rinse off. Finally, you need a sealant, which is a product that reduces the rate at which the leave-in evaporates.
What 3 tips would you give to people starting a healthy hair ‘journey’?
- Find a person or group that you trust that give you evidence-based information.
- Find amazing, well-formulated products that work for you.
- Consistency. Consistency only works if you have the right foundation, otherwise you’re being consistent in the wrong thing. The best place to start is with your mindset. Many will start their hair care journey and find it hard to stick to it because they want instant-gratification. There’s zero instant gratification with a healthy hair journey
Find Enitan…
Twenty to a hundred 