The Real Jenty

I needed another haircut today.  Yesterday I decided that I needed a new stylist too.

The last hairdresser I went to was ok.  OK, she was pretty good.  When I started going to her in January this year, she was based in a funky hair salon in Greenside where you got cappuccinos.  It wasn’t the busiest hair salon in the world though and the salon actually shut down and she had to move.  So the last time I went, she was based at her old salon… a place in Robindale… 2 things have made me look for another stylist

1.  The cut wasn’t as funky as I would’ve liked, and my hair looked crap quite quickly.

2.  The stylist next to her was knitting, and the certificates on the wall were from the early 80′s.  Seriously, there was nothing up to date in the place.  There were adverts for perms!  And those drying machine things on the wall.

I’m probably a snob, I’m quite happy if you tell me that in the comments but hey, to me, having a haircut is not only about the cut.  It’s about whether I feel comfortable in the place.  Whether the salon resonates with me.  That place didn’t.  I also wouldn’t refer her to anyone because she’s there. 

So, I decided to not find out how much it would cost at Jeauval in Clearwater, and I went there today. And OMG it was expensive… but I like the results.

Now that place resonated with me.  They served cappuccinos again ooh and there was wine on their drinks list!! And they asked me 3 times if I wanted some cake. And the hairstylists looked good.  Plus, the stylist I went to understood when I said spunky.  In fact, I felt comfortable enough to say yes to everything she suggested and left it completely up to her

LOL, not that Lance likes my new do he doesn’t like the hot pink streaks (it was supposed to be red but she decided after the processing that it was too dark).

Anyhoo, the moral of the story… ambience and experience in all things matters… not just your talent.  To me anyway.

Oh and if you’re wondering who took the photo? It was Bradley   he’s getting quite good.  He used my camera and the 50mm lens.

I went to get my hair cut this morning. When I sat down, the hairdresser took a look at my hair… as they tend to do.
I blurt out that I don’t see a difference in my hair since I saw her last… it’s still thin, but I can’t tell whether it’s still falling out at a rate of knots because it’s now short.

And then what she said was music to my ears… she could feel it was thicker!! Woohoo!!

Once she’d dyed it, and cut it, and dried it… I saw the difference too. It’s definitely thicker!! She also noticed a difference when she was cutting, she noted that she could see less of my scalp

You have NO idea how happy that’s made me, NO idea!

And it’s not only that… I’ve noticed in the last week (and she noticed today too)… that my skin has changed. Not only has the acne almost disappeared, but my skin tone has improved too.

Oh yeah, I’m a happy camper now the endo and his treatments were so worth all the money!

I went to the endocrinologist today… from now on referred to as endo because it’s such a long damn word.  Yes, I was very very lucky to get an appointment so quickly (there was a cancellation and I phoned just at the right time).

Here’s the quick rundown, apart from my facebook status in which I just declared that I was a hormonal mess:

1.  I need to go for more blood tests tomorrow for all hormones, because apparently the testosterone hormone is at the end of the line when it comes to problems and a problem with that hormone is normally caused by another hormone, or something like that.  This could be the first in  many sessions of tests to try find the cause though, he was very quick to stress that it isn’t an exact science all the time.

2.  The second set of results were the same as the first, and apparently they can’t trace testosterone in my blood at all at the moment.

3.  This could cause hairloss, acne (check), weight gain (kinda check), moods and plenty more which also relate to how I’m feeling and looking like at the moment, and in fact, the last number of years.

4.  He also suspects right now that this could also be the cause for all the miscarriages I had, and the fact that I had to be given progesterone when pregnant with Bradley and Connor to keep the pregnancies.  Go figure!

5.  I’m going back to him next week for treatment… and apparently the practice not only believes in pharmaceutical remedies but also natural and holistic remedies… what a win!!

Kudos to my GP for actually testing for this when I went to see her in January.  According to the dermatologist, he would not have tested for it because the results are normally the opposite for the condition I complained about.  If it wasn’t for her, I would not have known about this problem and been able to try and sort it out.

After only one day…

1. I need a new wardrobe, because my clothes don’t suit my style anymore.  In fact, I even wore a necklace today with my dress (and btw the colour is gorgeous when I wear purple!)

2. I went to a party this afternoon and was surprised to get the reaction… the reason… I’d forgotten I’d only done it yesterday!

3.  I started chucking out my hairbrush and old hair products… I need different stuff now

4.  My head feels smaller… very strange but true.

5.  Connor says I look like a boy

6.  Bradley just smiles and says I look like my old photos.

7. Lance is hugging me more, and keeps telling the kids he has a sexy wife

8. I find myself wondering why there isn’t a tool on the net where you can propagate all sites I’m linked to with my new avatar!  It’s a bloody pain!

I went to my long awaited dermatologist’s appointment this morning… and all I know for certain is that I’m going to be going to the loo a lot in the next 6 months.

He’s put me on a diuretic which is apparently quite strong and will make me need the loo all the time… fabulous.

The verdict was as follows:

1. My hairloss is my body’s reaction to the hormonal issue, but follows the same pattern as male baldness.  FABULOUS!!
2. My acne is part of the same problem
3. It’s also caused by stress.  Funny that!!
4. The medicine he’s given me should sort both problems out … but it’ll take 6 months   We should be able to stop it though.
5. And I have to watch what else I eat because this stuff has high levels of potassium in it, so I have to make sure anything else I take is potassium free.
6. Note the should is not a will!! 
7. He phoned an endocrinologist because of the low testosterone levels found in the last tests as they were very very low and concerning.  FABULOUS.  The specialist is also confused by the results.  So… I’m off for more blood tests tomorrow to repeat that particular test.

On another hair note, I’ve booked my hair appointment… with Jessica‘s stylist because the other chick was only available at the end of February!! My oath!! I hope this chick cuts well.

Lance is still trying to tell me it’s a bad idea because it’ll accentuate the bald areas on my head   But I can’t do this for another 6 months

I’m sure by now you’re tired about hearing about my hair… so I’ll find a new topic for tomorrow… maybe something to do with me stressing about the small chapel on Friday and wondering how I’m going to get around it without tripping over the bridal couple

I’ve decided to cut it, and now that I have… Lance (who has ALWAYS wanted me to cut it short again) reckons I should leave it for a few months because he thinks I’ll look worse because my hair is so thin.

But anyhoo, my plan is to cut it.  I just have to find another hairstylist who can do it.

I got Jessica‘s hairstylist’s number yesterday, but then today, a colleague also loved that hairstyle so much that she emailed the makeup artist in question and asked for her hairstylist’s phone number… and it turns out this person works from a house close to where I live!

So now the only dilemma left is what colour   I’m thinking red!  Lance reckons brown… he doesn’t get that it has to be funky! I can’t go blonde my skin is too pale.

Oh and the other thing… I need to lose weight then… it’ll only look funky if I feel funky again.

So, you know my hairloss story… it hasn’t changed

My dermatologists appointment is on Tuesday.

In the meantime, I’ve been considering my hairstyle again.

I hate it!  I look like a frump.  I cannot get my hair straight even after using a straightening iron forever.  And if I do get it straight, its all fluffy and crap within an hour anyway, so what’s the point. 

Lance thinks I should go short again, and so does Madi.

The thing is, it’s a age thing.  I know I know, it’s all in my mind.

I’m not getting any younger, and the only people that have short hair are older people.  And I don’t want that yet.  Even my hairdressers lately have said that only older women have short hair.  I don’t want to surrender to the idea that I’m getting old.  As it is, that’s the major factor for me not giving up my job and doing photography (I have yet to see an older successful female photographer)

I’m close to 40 you know! I’m on the downward side of 35 now… it’s closing in quickly.

But then, I saw this photo today on Kat‘s blog. MY GOD, how stunning is that haircut on the makeup artist!!

And then I’m tempted all over again.

As I mentioned the other day, I went to the doctor to see if there’s a cause for my hair loss.

The doc phoned me this morning:

• Thyroid is perfect
• Liver and kidneys perfect
• Iron perfect
• Glucose levels low – she says I need to eat more often or else I probably get very tired.  Ho hum, I see more eating and more weight ahead of me I suppose
• Testosterone levels low.  Now that’s where she’s confused.  Apparently high testosterone levels cause hairloss, and even the other doc she phoned for advise couldn’t explain it.

So now I have to go to a dermatologist with the blood results and her report.  She doesn’t want to put me on testosterone yet because it could make it worse. Fabulous!

And the first appointment for said dermatologist… 1 day after I start my new job.

Ultra fabulous!!

I actually feel close to what Lotus is feeling about her hairloss… maybe I should just shave it all off and be done with this crap!

Being Brazen has these question on her blog that beg to be answered.  I wasn’t going to do it when I read it this morning, but the first question needs to be answered tonight, and I don’t feeling like focusing only on that so I have to answer them all.

1. Today I feel… scared.  I went to the doc this morning to get my hair checked out.  One part of me is scared they won’t find a cause, ‘cos that’ll mean it’s stress and I really can’t not stop something in my life to calm my life down a bit
2. This week… I wish I wasn’t at work
3. Last night…I went to bed without editing anything
4. Lately the song stuck in my head is… there isn’t one
5. My New Years eve… was quiet
6. This year I’m looking forward to… being heard
7. What big lesson/s did you learn in 2009? that I can’t be the sole breadwinner

A few of you know that over the last few years, I’ve gone through bouts of losing hair.  It started when I had those miscarriages, and when I had both kids it happened again.

Now however, I can’t blame the kids.  My hair is falling out and it’s depressing me so much.

I knew it had got bad when Lance said something to me the other day

So now, I’m declaring Operation Jenty-hair.  I’ve got to do something about it or else I’m convinced I’ll be bald in a few months.

Last time it happened I invested in Nioxin… but MY GOD it was expensive and it really didn’t work all that well.

This time, I’ve bought hair and nail tissue salts to try the natural route, and I’ve also bought Vigro tablets and a hair tonic.

Any other ideas anyone?  Other than a wig?  Maybe I should chop my hair off… but then I think I’ll look worse because of how thin my hair is right now.

I don’t know… I actually just feel like crying about it and crawling into a ball and wishing it away.