Spring 2013
BeauTrichful “TLC contacted me about filming for their show,
“Truth Be Told”;
®
Growing Out Trich
Lashes & Brows
an OCD episode. I do not believe Trich is an OCD.”
Green Beauty Tips
Kick Up The Volume Hair Tips
Meet Our IBS Sponsors
BEAUTRICHFUL Message From Founder c/oHelpMe2Stop POB 202, Bartonsville, PA 18321 570-HELP-020 Press@HelpMe2Stop.org
“Greetings from my homeland the Philippines- taken June 2012”
Hello! This is Charlene, Founder By Charlene Blacer
I am very excited to present HelpMe2Stop’s 1st Issue of BeauTrichful. I wanted to present a magazine solely for Trichotillomania and hair loss sufferers. BeauTrichful Magazine are stories of real life beautiful people with Trichotillomania; tips to care for hair, receipes to strengthen hair and how to style hair; makeup application; fitness, health; and highlights of our sponsors and events. I hope you enjoy reading this as much I have enjoyed making it for you. Please send me your edited stories- about living with Trichotillomania, tips, makeovers, fund-raising events, etc along with high resolution photos for my next issue to press@helpme2stop.org
extensions but had little or thin hair. Charlene took hair replacement classes and started offering hair loss solutions. One day, Charlene consulted her first Trichotillomania customer and was nervous that the customer might pull the hair from her hairpiece. They agreed to gave it a try and it worked! After 9 months, the customer’s hair grow long and she transitioned to hair extensions. It was a “miracle”! Volunteering for the cancer community, Charlene saw the awareness, the walks, the runs, the pink ribbons, the pink blowdryers, everything pink and felt that Trichotillomania is a very underserved population of millions...thus the birth of HelpMe2Stop.org. HelpMe2Stop is bridge connecting sufferers to salons and raises money for services that will boost sufferers’ confidence ABOUT Charlene Blacer: A Student Nurse, turned and remedy their image. Hair Extensionist inspired from a college part time job, living in Salons are the front line and HelpMe2Stop focuses on Midtown Manhattan who had no choice but to start her own developing partnership with salons to impact positive life business because New York City salons did not have a need for changes in the lives of pullers. HelpMe2Stop offers Salon her hair extension services. Partnership Programs. helpme2stop.org/salon After the bith of the Internet, Charlene launched a website Be sure to share this issue to all your friends, because you and soon generated many clients. Her clients wanted hair are all beautiful!
BEAUTRICHFUL Beauty Tips
Green Tea Hair Mask This homemade hair mask is very effective for stimulating healthy hair growth if you suffer from thinning hair and hair loss. Use this treatment three to four times per week to create long, thick and luxurious hair. INGREDIENTS ◦
2 tablespoons fresh green tea (strong)
◦
1 tablespoon mustard powder
◦
1 egg yolk
PREPARATION Mix all ingredients together until you reach a creamy consistency. If it becomes too thick, add more green tea. APPLICATION Part hair down the center and apply mixture. Cover hair with a shower cap or cling wrap. Leave in for approximately 15 to 25 minutes. Your head will feel slightly warm, as the mustard helps to increase the blood circulation to the scalp. Rinse thoroughly, then shampoo and condition as normal.
IBS New York Gold Sponsor David Rubenstein, President of Klix Hair is glad to know that there are non-invasive products like hair extensions and hairpieces to offer for sufferers of hair pulling disorder Trichotillomania and is very happy to support the cause. For more information about Klix Hair Extensions visit KlixHair.com
IBS New York Silver Sponsors Hair Essentials™ naturally combats hair loss, repairs and revitalizes damaged or dormant hair follicles and stimulates healthy hair growth so that women no longer have to suffer from hair loss; so they can walk into a room and feel confident of the way they look; so they can take off their wig or hat or scarf and enjoy the breeze; and so they can reclaim their lives and, once again, feel like the vibrant, beautiful woman they are. For more information, visit HairEssentials.com
Esche & Alexander is a national beauty PR firm specializing in both the professional and retail segments of the beauty industry. Originally located in New York City, now in San Diego, CA, Esche & Alexander takes pride in its unique entrenched experience in beauty public relations & communications, connections with key national media, and close client relationships throughout the country. Company principals Sharon Esche and Alexander Irving are a high energy, hands-on team of beauty PR strategists that build editorial credibility-through-visibility for people, products, and companies. Over the past 20 + years, Esche & Alexander has skillfully guided beauty related companies, both 'Start-up' and Fortune 500, to stronger positions of positive public/ industry perception through media influence. This strengthened 'perception of success' among target audiences translates directly to product and/or service sales. For more information, visit Beauty-PR.com
IBS New York Bronze Sponsors
BEAUTRICHFUL Beauty Tips
Volluma hair thickening spray is the instant styling solution for thinning hair and hair loss in women and thinning hair in men. Volume.net
ow r b e Ey ! Tips
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NationalHairSociety.org
BEAUTRICHFUL Cover Girl
“TLC contacted me about filming for their show, “Truth Be Told”; an OCD episode. I do not believe Trich is an OCD.”
Strength, Healing, Inspiration By Delia Jo Ramsey
I first recall pulling my hair at the age of eight. My parents divorced when I was five, my mother had remarried, and I believe this stress first caused me to pull. But I don’t blame anyone, I know that I was born with Trich and that it would have eventually reared it’s ugly head anyway. From what I recall, at that time I only pulled a small 2 inch patch from my head, and was able to stop for nearly 11 years with the help of a counselor and relaxation techniques. I still am amazed that I had the will to stop if as such a young girl and this time have been struggling with it much worse for the past 7 years. I recall a school assembly where I was being recognized for winning the spelling bee. I was sitting there waiting on my time to shine, when I heard a few people snickering behind me. Apparently, my hair had shifted so my bald patch was showing. The girls were pointing and laughing hysterically. I will never forget the utter humiliation I felt at that moment. In tears, I walked over to the principal and had to be escorted away from the assembly. I was so alone and knew that no one could ever understand, because I didn’t even understand what I was doing, and half the time I didn’t even realize I was doing it. Even after pulling, I never thought my hair was pretty. It was wavy and
hard to manage and the blonde hair I once had started turning darker as I entered high school, giving me an appearance of really bad roots, even though I had never dyed my hair. I remember a girl saying I had greasy hair, but amazingly, I did not pull. I did not even THINK about pulling during that 11 year period. Moving along to college, my hair was actually starting to look pretty and healthy as it did when I was young. My childhood dream was to work as an anchor on the news, my father had been a weatherman, and I loved the idea since I was able to walk. Little did I know, after graduating, the loss of hair would pose a problem, as I didn’t feel comfortable going in for interviews with my thin hair. I still wonder what would’ve happened with that had I not pulled out so much of my hair and damaged so much of my self esteem. It was then that a steamrolling 6 years of stressful events occurred, thus re-triggering my hair pulling beyond my worst nightmares.
By Delia Jo Ramsey
Strength, Healing, Inspiration
I married at 20, (too young in my opinion, to fully grasp the seriousness I was signing up for), only to find less than 2 years later I was being cheated on. At this time, I was 21, had normal hair, and was in the best shape of my life. Needless to say I was completely blindsided. After the split of that relationship, several years of partying, recklessness, and bad decisions ensued. I thought being a party girl was the answer to my problems, and though I was still close with my family and some friends, I apparently had no respect for myself. I think Trich plays a big role in hugely diminishing pride and selfrespect. But in the party world, I could get all dolled up, throw on a wig, and 90% of people didn’t even know, or didn’t care. The few people who did notice, I just told I wore wigs for fun and because it’s easier than fixing my own hair. For a while, I just had small patches, which I could hide easily with clip-in extensions, etc. But after awhile, a wig became necessary. My stupid decisions led me to have to spend 15 days in a local jail facility. The part I dreaded most (and believe, me, this prissy girl had a lot of dread) was that I had to go in there with my hair as it really was, 3 huge bald patches. I knew these people would not be kind, I had to make up lies to tell them, anything but telling them I pulled my hair. The judgment would just be too harsh. Miraculously, I did not pull a single hair during that time, the first 4 days I did not even have a book to read in my cell. I lay there at night and would recite the words to familiar hymns in my head. It was at this lowest of lows that I realized I could not withstand all these things of the world by myself, I needed God, and very much so. While I had been baptized at the age of eight, some rude people in the church and bad experiences led me away. God spoke to me through this experience and held me in His arms and I was under His care, and didn’t even feel the need to pull my hair. I wish I could say that I stopped pulling after, but at least after this point I did start drawing nearer to God. I started being more accepting of myself and all my flaws, being more open to talking about Trich. If anyone couldn’t accept me as I was, then I didn’t need them in my life!
handsome man singing a beautiful song he wrote. The song and his voice touched my heart, and I saved the bulletin, and later would look him up on Facebook. At the same time, TLC contacted me about filming for their show, “Truth Be Told”. The only thing was, they had decided to put me on the OCD episode instead of the one I had originally signed up for. I do not believe Trich is an OCD, as I do not have any other obsessive tendencies, but I still wanted my story out there. I have received some criticism for misrepresenting, and this was not my intent at all. Trich is in a league all it’s own... We don’t want to do it, we don’t mean to do it, and don’t even realize we are doing it, but we do. We were born that way. I began hanging out with the aforementioned handsome man from church, and the first time we met we were beside my car, and there was a wig sitting in the floor, obvious to see. Although normally for me that was a bit too soon to bare my Trichy soul, I went on and put it all out there. He didn’t run screaming away. He accepted me and a relationship blossomed. The TLC crew came and filmed and although my story was a little bit embellished (No, I do not have a lifelong dream of being a model, it was just something I dabbled with for awhile), I was glad to get it out there. Sometime in August, my boyfriend, my therapist, and I were convinced that shaving my head might be a good way to start over. I shaved it and was able to go to Six Flags for the first time in years. No wig, no worries. Just me. It was exhilarating!
The show aired, and I had close to a hundred people contact me on Facebook who were going through the same thing. Amazing! Never before had I found so many people who were going through the exact same thing I was! I will say, it helped tremendously. Around the same time, my handsome man proposed and we decided to get married in December. Time of hesitation: I didn’t want to be married with such short hair, and have to always remember my struggles with Trich. I ordered a beautiful wig, and decided not to let my hair hold me back. Anyway, how much time would I save by not having to fix my hair? The wig was already flawless! I did really good about pulling the next few months. I think finally being in touch with other people who had Trich and I moved to Texas later that year for a job, the first time I would ever be more than a 3 hour drive from also being more open and talking about it. Of course it didn’t hurt that I was incredibly happy my family. I did pretty good, minus a few setbacks, and promised to give it 6 months before I packed up finally not being alone anymore, and having a and moved home. The beginning of 2009 came and wonderful, talented, Godly husband to share my life. But Trich is much easier to deal with when life is my resolution was to get back into church. It’s very hard going by yourself, especially wondering if they going your way. The true test is staying strong when tough times come, which I still have to work on. will notice I have a wig on, etc. Around that time I News of my father having kidney cancer brought on also saw an ad online asking for people with more nerves, anxiety, urges than I have had in “Embarrassing Medical Conditions” to be on their show on TLC. I contacted them, because Trich is a awhile. It’s still a struggle and I definitely take pretty embarrassing one! People judge and point and thingsday by day. But I am uplifted by the hands of laugh, I knew this would be a way to reach the world God, and knowing that there areso many other people just like me out there who are struggling with about my struggles. I started going to a church I this same monster. I am so looking forward to passed randomly down the street from my meeting some of them soon. apartment. The third time I went I noticed a
BEAUTRICHFUL Blogger
A Real Look At Trichotillomania By AunieSauce.com
You guys know why I started blogging in the first place, right? It was to have an open and public place to talk about the disorder—trichotillomania—that has affected me for the past several years. I began my blog LastLash in 2010 so I could tell the world my story, and document it for all to see.
With my trichotillomania, I don't think there was ever a point where I enjoyed destroying my eyelashes and eyebrows. Oh, and talk about a self-esteem killer —I became very depressed at my worst stages of pulling, and I knew I needed to make a change. It was only when I decided to—and made a Since then, I've received countless emails from people conscious effort to—that I began to actually see across the world who also deal with this life-changing improvement in my pulling. Having trichotillomania disorder. Through every email, it never ceases to is like an addiction and in fact, has been compared amaze me how open people are—how people pour with having an addiction to heroin. Heroin. In other their hearts into their words and tell their story to a words, this isn't something you can just stop. But if complete stranger. I am so thankful for it... you try and pray and seek treatment, it IS something you can gain better control over. I think it's time for a trichotillomania update. I got an email last week from a woman who's been When I talk about my pulling on this blog, I know struggling with trich for 26 years. Twenty-six years. you can get an idea of what it looks like to have She had finally reached a point of desperation and absolutely none or sparse eyelashes and eyebrows. emailed me—the first person she's ever contacted But today, I want to show you. I want to give you a about her struggles—to see if I could help her or real look at the trichotillomania I've struggled with point her in the right direction. It is times like those for over 10 years, and I also want to show you how when I wish I was a professional... but I'm not, I'm far I've come. I've said it before—I AM NOT just me—a fellow stranger across the internet who CURED, I STILL HAVE AND STRUGGLE also happens to struggle with trich. What a beautiful WITH TRICHOTILLOMANIA—but it's not email I got to share with a woman who I will never anything like what it used to be. probably meet, but feel like I already know because of our disorder we share. Aunie Sauce is the blog about the life & sauce of Annelise Rowe. Why "sauce?" Aunie Sauce documents life—the ups, the downs, the big details, the little memorable moments, and all the love in between. The "sauce" is all the extras—style, faith, beauty, fitness, thoughts, etc.
What a blessing life is. I'm so thankful for how far I've come, and I have so much hope in my heart that I will be able to stop pulling completely someday. If you have trich or something you struggle with and you're ready to make a change—do it. Call your mom, your best friend, a doctor, a counselor—anyone who can help—and take your life back. Now is the time.
BEAUTRICHFUL Health
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BEAUTRICHFUL Salon Partner
Trich Friendly Salon in Australia “Let’s Create Magic For Trichotillomania And Our Beauty Industry”
By Charlene Blacer
With over 20 years in the salon industry, 10 years as a hairextensionist, hair enhancement and hair growth specialist, 5 years ago, Zak Shadbolt director of www.shiquehairextensions.com.au, found yet another passion, creating mastery and miracle hair solutions for gals with Trichotillomania.
Zak Shadbolt, Director of Salon Shique, Melbourne Australia
Zak creates natural systems that help his clients look and feel beautiful and help them stop pulling. “I do not view Trichotillomania as a disorder, but something the gals do to manage their stress/and a bad habit”. He refers to Trichotillomania similar to anyone coping with stress by… shopping, alcohol, gambling, smoking, etc and not as having a mental or “weird” condition. In the 5 years of servicing Trichotillomania, Zak finds his Trichotillomania girls to be very talented, intelligent, high achieving and often perfectionists. He believes there is so much pressure in our society to look great that these girls begin to feel unattractive, undesirable, ugly, different, ashamed, embarrassed, and hence lose their confidence and withdraw into an unhappy state of mind. Zak turns their lives around. “Negative thinking at any level is a very destructive force”.
Zak’s clients come from all over Australia; Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia to experience Salon Shique’s unique trich/hair pulling services. Our Trichotillomania clients and families feel at home mingling and getting support from other girls in his small private studio in South Yarra- the area of fine fashion.
Zak wants to normalize and let the world know about Trichotillomania and says; “These gals are not freaks or weird or abnormal. They just happen to pull their hair. “I am proud to be a part of Zak has seen and heard so many stories HelpMe2Stop’s vision. More education of his clients being medicated with little and exposure will help normalize this success and often more harm and condition. People always fear what they separation than healing. Wearing his unique Trichotillomania systems can turn do not understand.” a Trichotillomania girl around in hours. “Its such a wonderful feeling when they walk out feeling confident and ready to live a new life”. He helps them break the habit giving them a chance to move forward powerfully and live the life they’ve always dreamed of. One of his salon policies is helping the gals take the first step ….ACCEPTANCE (“They just pull their hair”) of who they are and what they do. The rest is a BAD made up story that they live into. Zak’s Salon Shique hair systems and service help boosts confidence, beauty and normalitysomething that Trichotillomania has deprived the gals throughout most of their lives.
Zak is also an author of a 30 Day Confidence Boosting book…. “putting the gain back into loss”…. which gives anyone with Trichotillomania or hair loss an easy to follow process to live the life they’ve always dreamed of. For more information visit www.shique.com.au To apply for a Grant Award and receive up to $500 that will apply towards the cost of a 12 month hair makeover, go to http://www.helpme2stop.org/ grant-application To become a HelpMe2Stop partner go to http://www.helpme2stop.org/salon
BEAUTRICHFUL Fundraising Event
Young supporters of the Trichotillomania cause wear feathers symbolizing “hair” while holding up a number “2” “peace” sign during a community event. Sponsor: Harvest Festival Mount Pocono, PA
BeauTrichful People Wish: 1. To be treated like everyone else. 2. Do not want us to think they are any different. 3. Never ask “Why do you do that?” or “Stop doing that.” 4. Never ask “Why can't you just stop?” 5. Offer tips like styles to cover bald spots. 6. Offer scalp massages. 7. Always be warm and friendly like you treat everyone else. 8. Never look at them as “sick”, “crazy”. They are normal. 9. Never embarrass them in front of other people. 10. Let them open up to you instead. For more Info & Donate
HelpMe2Stop.org
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