Like any woman, 36-year-old Emma Procter started to get increasingly worried and self-conscious when she noticed her hair was starting to fall out. There are many reasons that women suffer from hair loss, but Emma’s was down to a devastating diagnosis she received a few years ago – Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic condition.
The condition is largely known to cause tears in the muscles and joint dislocation due to its effects on the body’s collagen. Many sufferers also develop very weak, thin hair, along with poor regrowth. However, being a scientist specialising in chemistry, alongside additional work as a consultant at a hair clinic, she decided to try and research a potential solution.
Emma’s research led to a surprising discovery
One thing that was important to Emma when she began her research, was to find a solution that would be gentle on the stomach due to additional digestive issues. It needed to be dairy-free and as she discovered, this wasn’t an easy task.
A lot of the products already on the market to help with hair growth, contained collagen taken from marine animals, or marine complex. After being unable to find anything suitable she decided to research and create her own unique product.
After researching everything from which minerals and vitamins are good for hair growth, along with which ingredients work well together, Emma made one important discovery – a potential link between hair loss and DHT (Dihydrotestosterone). She found the hair follicles could shrink if there was a sensitivity to the hormone.
So, with her newfound knowledge, she created a product known as Lustalox, which contains ingredients specifically shown to stop DHT from forming. After trialling the product on herself and seeing excellent results, she did further product trials before releasing it onto the market. She’s since gone on to create her own company “My Hair Secret”.
Hair diagnosis and treatments
Emma’s story is inspirational and fantastic news for other sufferers of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. However, it’s important to note that there are many different potential causes of hair loss in women. This means, before trying out any type of treatment, it’s vital you seek a diagnosis from a doctor or hair specialist.
Emma is now developing her products further and we hope to see some new, exciting offerings within the next year.
Credit: Ranbir Rai Watson