Why I Wear NBR® Extensions

Photo Credit: Honor Photography

Hello, Beauty!

I wanted to share a different kind of post about hair extensions today...it's actually my Why for wearing Natural Beaded Rows® Extensions (NBR®.) It's a pretty personal issue for me, and it's one that I often try to keep in the background. I just want to talk about pretty hair, not the ugly reasons why people feel better wearing them. But I want you to know, so that if I can be open with my struggles, other women can be, too. And then I can give them pretty hair.

I used to have amazing hair, and it was just something I took for granted. Going through treatment for an autoimmune disease (Sarcoidosis) took a toll on everything about me, including my hair and my confidence.

During that nine year span, I dealt with many different side effects from both the disease and the medications I took to help control it. Some of you probably remember my face while I was on prednisone for a year 😞 It's crazy how much steroids can affect your body! I was definitely not taking a lot of photos during that time--I felt like I didn't even look like the same person. But I'd have to say that losing about a third of my hair's density was probably the longest lasting issue that affected my self-esteem.

Ugh, even with medications designed to reduce the side effects of the drugs I was taking, I still lost hair. But it was also thin, dry, and brittle, and broke easily. When I washed it in the shower, I would just let myself cry a little and let the grief have a moment. But only once in a while. It seemed ridiculous to be so worried about my hair when what really mattered was my overall health.

So I would wad up another handful of wet hair, or slide it from the drain with my foot so I could put it in the garbage once I got out of the shower. Or I'd forget about it and my hubby would about gag picking it up for me the next time he was in the shower😜 It was pretty demoralizing, especially being in the beauty industry.

I tried not to focus on it too much, but also looked for ways to help support my body, health, and wellness with supplements, hair repairing and conditioning treatments. I tried a lot of sketchy Pinterest concoctions during that time, and even measured my hair's growth on a tee shirt with a Sharpie, just to have some visible results that my hair would be alright.

By the time I started wearing NBR®, thankfully things had improved. I had been feeling stronger and healthier, thanks to adding supplements, and Humira into my treatment plan. It allowed my body to start healing, and gave me a glimmer of hope that I'd feel better permanently someday. My hair had started growing better, and was getting longer, but it was still thin and fragile. 

I remember being so excited bur nervous that my hair wouldn't be able to handle the weight of hair extensions, or that if I loved it too much that my hair would start falling out again and I wouldn't be able to keep them in. That's one of the many reasons why I love NBR®--it was created to be lightweight for fine hair, so I wouldn't need to worry about that as much! 

My Sarcoidosis has been in remission for over a year now, and I feel really healthy. But my hair, though now thicker and stronger, is still much finer and thinner than it was before I got sick. I feel like myself when my hair is thick, holds a curl, and swings against my back when I walk into a room. I know when people look, they don't see "sick" or "poor thing" hair. They see me. And that's why I wear NBR®.

Thank you for reading this. My goal is for you to understand that you are not alone with your struggles. Hair really does matter to how we see ourselves, and how we feel in our bodies. Please don't be ashamed of that. 

xx, linds

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