“Losing my hair felt like I was losing my confidence”

An oil-slicked choti wrapped up in ribbons like a birthday gift. Hot oil champis and Ayurvedic masks with sprinkles of brahmi, methi, aloe, and other family secrets.  Generations of women have laboured after that paragon of Indian beauty — shiny long hair. 

Given this centuries-old obsession with our hair, it’s no wonder that hair loss can be a traumatic experience, fracturing your self-image. “Losing my hair felt like I was losing confidence in myself, and that held me back from going out and enjoying my life,” says Shama Patil, a 37-year-old mother of two who battled hair loss for over a decade. After many doctors’ visits, pills and potions, she finally hit on the holistic service Traya which was unlike anything she had tried before. It helped her address the root causes of her hair fall and achieve visible results. Here’s her story of hair loss and hope.

Growing up, I was blessed with a full head of hair and good length. I used to experience hair fall just like anyone else. As I approached my late 20s, that suddenly changed. I was alarmed to see entire sections of my hair falling off in clumps. 

At the time, I blamed it on the change in water because I had just moved houses. I consulted a few skin specialists who put me on medications. These treatments worked for a while, but once I had my kids, my hair started falling uncontrollably again. I began the treatment again, but as soon as I stopped the medications, it was back to square one. I felt helpless, stuck in a vicious loop.

Going from working in a salon and taking pride in my hair to watching it all fall off bit by bit — it was extremely painful. I even considered wearing hair extensions, but they kept coming off along with my hair. I was convinced that I would be forced to wear a wig for the rest of my life. 

After the front sections of my scalp started becoming visible, I hesitated to attend family functions and weddings because the first thing people would ask about was my hair. I felt judged. Losing my hair felt like I was losing confidence in myself, and that held me back from going out and enjoying my life.

After consulting with even more doctors, I found out that my hair fall was related to anaemia. I knew then that I had to take a holistic approach to reverse the hair loss. One day while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post about Traya. The company uses Ayurveda, dermatology, and nutrition to treat hair fall and is backed by doctors. 

My husband refused to pay for the treatment, because I had already spent a lot on my hair loss without permanent results. It wasn’t affordable to keep wasting money on pills and potions that weren’t working. 

In a practical sense, maybe he was right. But I feared that if I delayed my treatment any longer, I would never be able to restore my receding hairline and patchy scalp. It was my friends who stood by me and motivated me through it all. With their encouragement, I decided to use my own savings and try Traya. 

Even though I was desperate, I was still a little apprehensive about the online process. So I thought I would start with one kit. After taking a hair test where they asked me about my diet and medications, I was recommended a kit and diet plan which included Hair Ras, Health Tatva, vitamin capsules, hair serum, oil, and more. 

I was also asked to drink more water, eat more vegetables, and have juices. This course of treatment was meant to last for nine months. 

A Traya hair coach then got in touch to address all my doubts. After speaking to them, I felt positive about trying the treatment. I hadn’t had that sense of hope in a long time. 

In the months that followed, whenever I faced any kind of confusion, I would drop a message to my Traya hair coach and get a solution. That’s what set Traya apart from the previous treatments that I had done. Here, my hair coach kept checking in with me and asking me for updates. Nobody previously did that. 

I won’t lie, In the beginning I was still questioning whether the treatment would work or not, but I kept going. Even when I started using the kit, I had a lot of hair fall. I was terrified that I would lose even the little hair I have left. But the coaches motivated me to continue the treatment. Within two months, I noticed some roughness on my scalp and itchiness after washing my hair. By the fourth month, I could see my hair beginning to grow back. 

The consultations with my hair coach were an integral part of my journey. I would share all my concerns with them, including the itchy and flaky scalp. I used to think that it was dandruff but they helped me understand that it was just the scalp’s reaction to the treatment. When I saw visible results, I was convinced. I also told them that I was unable to follow the diet thoroughly so they modified it to one that suits my lifestyle.

Everybody has pointed out that they see a difference, even my husband has started supporting me. I couldn’t even tie a ponytail previously because I didn’t have enough volume, but now I can wear my hair in different styles. I can’t tell you how satisfying it is. 

My scalp isn’t visible at all anymore which has helped me regain my confidence to step out in public without any hesitation. I’m no longer missing out on life. Hair fall may seem like a small issue, but only the people going through it understand how much it can affect one’s morale.

As told to Sakshi Sharma