What does a Healthy Scalp and Hair feel Like?

It's been 8 years since I had my adorable daughter and, I guess 8 years now since I had healthy hair. At least the type that didn't fall out.Pregnancy is one of the common causes of hairfall in women, but the condition should fix itself soon after delivery. If hair fall still happens long after, like in my case, there are probably other factors at the root (pun intended) of the problem.So upon invitation, I visited Svenson and thought it was time to finally find out what the problem was. Curiously, seeing my brush full of loose strands even after many years did not really alarm me probably because, despite of my condition, I thankfully still have an abundance of hair on my head. So let's just say I was overconfident, and after we had this intimate meet up with Mr. Michael Bernstein, Chief Trichologist of Svenson, merely brushing off (pun again!) the problem could cause major problems later on.That afternoon, together with @daddydribbles Gary, and Michelle, we talked and learned all about hair. It was fascinating, and amazing to discover new things about our crowning glory.Another realization is that Svenson, known before as a more man-centric facility that was the best in hair transplants and weaving, has extended its expertise, and rightfully so, to the rest of us simply because we all care about our hair, and with new knowledge, technology and new treatments, baldness is only one of many concerns they can treat and one that they can help all of us prevent.With more awareness, more and more women walk through Svenson's doors, like Mish and I, and also more men with a full head of hair like Gary, or even like Chico Garciaand Gino Quillamor (both celebrity radio jocks and co-hosts of the Morning Rush on 93.1)who both still look young and have full heads of hair, but both just discovered their crown part on top of their heads were starting to thin out.The more we spoke with Mr. Bernstein and also hearing Chico and Gino's story the more we learned about how we can ensure we have a healthy (and full) head of hair for as long as we can keep it there.Interesting Trich Talkpoints from Michael Bernstein of Svenson:1) Hair loss is a young man's problem. Hair loss is not just for our dads and lolos. Even from age 15 (up to 30), when men's testosterone level is highest, when it interacts to certain enzymes, converts to DHT or dihydrotetosterone which is the main culprit for hair loss.2) Women, on the other hand, are not naturally predisposed to this problem but due to factors such as stress, childbirth, illness, medications (even contraceptives), extreme dieting or weight loss or just having a bad diet, or even medical conditions like anemia, diabetes or thyroid problems, we can experience hair loss as well.3) Stress increases testosterone which causes hair loss. We all know how stress can wreak havoc on our bodies but it was interesting to learn how we women, who normally have higher levels of estrogen (which makes us women:)) when under extreme stress can cause us to produce more tostestorone because of extra active adrenaline glands working, and because of this, hair loss occurs.4) It is common for women to experience hair loss after childbirth because when we are pregnant, our estrogen levels are higher which is why we feel more feminine, our body goes through "womanly changes" as our body prepares itself for birth. At this time our skin and hair is usually at its best also becuase of the extra estrogen in our system. Then when we give birth, the whole cycle stops, hormones stabilize and with the new baby comes sleepless nights, emotional ups and downs, and we are faced with a lot of changes in our bodies as well. The abrupt hormonal changes and again, stress, are the main factors that cause hairloss in women post-partum.5) Yes hair loss is also caused by hereditary factors. So look at Dad and Mom to see your future. This is not to say that you cannot alter fate. Gino for one thought he might be headed that way when he sees his Dad, but was thankful that Svenson had a prevention program that is recommended even for people his age (Gino's still in his 20's!) because treating the scalp with the nutrients it needs and oxidizing roots can certainly change destiny:)6) Coloring hair and straightening per se does not directly cause hairloss although the act of straightening and pulling hair may cause breakage which is also a form of hairloss. Hair dyes do not cause hairloss but still it is better to stay away from products with peroxide.After the interesting session with Michael, Chico and Gino, we all got the chance to have one-on-one consultation with the Svenson resident trichologists. Gary and I spoke with Ms. Mitch, who gave us a more personal overview of our individual hair and scalp conditions.She first asked us about our lifestyle, physical conditions, etc, and then went on to talk about how poor lifestyle choices can affect not only our bodies but even our hair condition. We then got a rare visual "treat"! I got to see a magnified version of my scalp which gave me surprising results. I knew I had dandruff but thought it was mild, but the test showed that I had more than mild dandruff, not severe, but enough to warrant some attention.Before. Let's just say ignorance is bliss.After. Shocked to say the least.Giant flakes! eep!She also showed me that some follicles have 3 strands while some just have 2 or 1 showing that I have really lost hair along the way and if I let this go on, someday my hair will also thin out inevitably.More interesting hair facts from Ms. Mitch:1) Mitch told us that dandruff can cause hair loss because dandruff clogs hair follicles keeping the oils in. The excess oil can travel from the scalp down the root and deep into the hair follicle and when this happens the oil will stop the hair from growing and eventually kill it off.2) Mitch also asked me how often I shampoo and I answered every other day because I thought shampooing everyday would cause my hair to dry out. She said we need to shampoo everyday to regulate the oil in our scalp. She added that when we do wash our hair, use warm to cold water and not hot. There is also the hardness of the water to factor, water softeners exist that can change your hair life, top products from this brand will get you started.3) Getting enough sleep, avoiding stress and proper hair care mentioned above are all essentials to maintain healthy hair and scalp. In my case, being a night owl, not getting enough sleep could actually cause blood vessels in my scalp to be tighten, causing prejudiced blood flow, and this could cause hair not to grow properly or at all.From here, Ms. Mitch prescribed us the Scalp Corrective Treatment. Since we had this base condition of oily scalp and dandruff, they would need to address this before anything else.It was a surprise to me that the whole treatment was totally relaxing and a pampering experience, almost like an afternoon at my hair salon in newnan GA with the gals. There were several steps to it and the attendant carefully explained every single step. Here's the step by step procedure for the Svenson Scalp Corrective Treatment:First step is scaling. They gently scratch and scrape your scalp to loosen up dirt, dandruff and dirt that may be on your scalp.Followed by a shampoo and ultrasound massageThis is called a Marriati massager meant to stimulate the scalp but was totally relaxingAfter washing in the basin, it is time for the most essential step, applying the scalp corrective treatment solustions.This is the Svenson Scalp Corrective Treatment Kit: 30 pairs of vials that will last 2 months (every other day or 3x a week) treatments you can either have at Svenson or you can also bring home the vials and DIY it.The blue+white vials are used together and alternating with the yellow+pink vials. One vial is a cleanser, the other is a corrective solution for the scalp to prevent dandruff, hairfall and delay thinning. The solutions which are herbal in nature (no chemicals!) felt soothing and cool to the scalp.If you have your treatment at the center, they use these cool airbrushes to apply the solutions.If you choose to DIY at home, you can use a cotton swab.Infrared is then used for better absorption and penetration by the scalp. This step is done for just 3 minutes.Here's Mish and I, feeling super refreshed.Lastly the booster is applied as an added solution to stimulate hair growth. Hair is then dried off, preferably using cold air. If the blowdryer does not have a cold setting, you may use hot air but do not direct it to the scalp and the ends.Mr. Bernstein likened Svenson treatments to caring for your teeth. With proper maintenance and care, you can keep your teeth healthy and strong until old age, no matter what life's circumstances or genetics sets you up for.I remember our childhood dentist who took the time to explain dental processes to 9-10 year old me. After one session of thorough cleansing and brushing, the dentist asked me to swish my tongue carefully around my entire mouth to feel and have a sense of "what clean teeth feel like". He said that from that time on, after I brush at home, swish my tongue around my teeth and look for that same "clean feeling." This worked for me and made me conscious about proper toothbrushing at home.In the same way, after my first Scalp Corrective Treatment with Svenson, I though to myself, "so this is what a healthy scalp and hair feel like."How do I describe it in words? Clean. Fresh. Healthy, and those are just words off the top of my head (pun x 3!),Gary and I thank Svenson and our new friend, Mr. Bernstein for the enlightening afternoon.---To know more about Svenson, check their website: www.svenson.com.phFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/svensonPHLTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/svensonPHLInstagram: http://instagram.com/SvensonPHL