Kristy Wilson. Photo: Chris Emeott
Stillwater salon owner supports people experiencing hair loss.
Hudson resident Kristy Wilson spent years learning to love her hair. She studied how to care for it, graduated from hair school and opened a salon catering to fellow curly-haired people. So, when she began to lose her hair after the birth of her first child—and then again, more substantially, after the birth of her second—it changed the course of her life and career.
“Hair loss is really devastating, and once you’ve experienced it yourself … I just have so much more empathy for women who are going through hair loss,” Wilson says.
At the Stillwater location of her salon, Uptown Curl, Wilson has helped guide clients through their hair loss journey from behind the chair—with about 40 percent of her clients dealing with some form of hair loss.
“It’s women of all ages, too. It’s teenagers; it’s women in their 20s and 30s; it’s women in their 60s. [Hair loss] affects a lot of people, and it really has been a hot topic lately just because of how many people have experienced it from COVID[-19],” she says.
And now, as a certified trichologist (hair loss treatment specialist), Wilson is taking appointments for follicle and scalp screenings at her Stillwater office to help women find a diagnosis—whether that’s through a dermatologist or a functional medicine doctor—and learn about treatment options to begin the process of healing.
“Our hair, skin and nails are sometimes the first symptom of internal illness or nutritional deficiency or hormone imbalance … So, [hair loss] is something that should be taken seriously,” Wilson says.
For women who are experiencing hair loss, it’s important to find the cause, Wilson says. Not all hair loss is permanent, and advances in technology have resulted in new treatments.
“Understanding that hair loss is very common and very typical, and [that] it can be cyclical in our life, is such a huge relief to people,” Wilson says, adding that there is often hope for recovery with knowledge and treatments. “I’ve seen it reversed many, many times, and the technology just keeps getting better.”
The Root Cause
For women who are experiencing hair loss, it’s important to find the cause, Wilson says. Not all hair loss is permanent, and advances in technology have resulted in new treatments.
“You have to figure out what the cause is before you can decide what the right solution is. If you cannot pinpoint the cause of the alopecia, anything that you do to regrow that hair, it’s just going to fall out again,” Wilson says.
During her second round of postpartum hair loss, Wilson grew worried that the hair loss would become permanent like her mother’s had. She turned to a professional and underwent PRP (platelet rich plasma) hair restoration therapy, which she says helped recovery dramatically.
“Understanding that hair loss is very common and very typical, and it can be cyclical in our life is such a huge relief to people,” Wilson says, adding that she hopes clients will come to know that there is hope for recovery with knowledge and treatments. “I’ve seen it reversed many, many times, and the technology just keeps getting better.”
Types of Alopecia
There are many forms of hair loss (also known as alopecia) that affect people of all ages, genders and ethnicities. Here are a few common types of hair loss:
Alopecia Areata occurs when one’s immune system attacks hair follicle roots, resulting in patchy and, often sudden, shedding of hair. For most, recovery occurs within two years.
Scarring Alopecia is a form of hair loss that is often permanent and is caused by complete hair follicle destruction. Without functioning hair follicles, hair can’t grow back. This can be a result of tension, infection, radiation, inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
Telogen Effluvium is a bodily reaction to trauma due to stress, infection, child birth or malnutrition, and has been on the rise in recent years as a symptom of COVID. This often occurs weeks to months following the event and can become a chronic disorder.
Traction Alopecia is the result of localized trauma from pulling at the hair follicles. Tight ponytails or fabric headbands can cause this at any age; hairstyles like braiding, extensions and weaves make this type of alopecia common for women of color, Wilson says, adding that consistent “tension on the scalp can lead to permanent hair loss as well as scarring alopecia.”
Uptown Curl
120 Main St. N., Stillwater; 651.342.1111
Facebook: Uptown Curl – Stillwater
Instagram: @officialuptowncurl
