Don’t Let Celebrity Endorsement of ‘Miracle’ Hair Products Fool You
It can be a challenge to tell the difference between a person who is offering heartfelt advice and someone selling a product because they are being paid for it. Celebrities have their own social media feeds that are followed by thousands or sometimes millions of people, and they are sometimes paid to wear certain items of clothing or post about products. It’s called ‘influencer marketing,’ and it is easy to be fooled.
We at Arocha Hair Restoration offer this warning after seeing media reports about Kristin Davis, the actress who played Charlotte on Sex and the City, experiencing hair loss and, what one publication called, “the miracle products that boosted her locks.”
Being somewhat suspicious of such claims and also big fans of Sex and the City, we looked into the story further. Davis was quoted in the stories as saying her hair had become difficult.
"My hair just was not what it used to be," she said. "It was very fine, like it had gone away, there just was hardly any hair there.”
The stories appeared at about the same time that Davis posted a photo to Instagram showing off a brilliantly full head of hair and this message (we redacted the name of the product because we don’t want the hair loss community to think we endorse it):
I am so excited to share with you guys that I have found a new product that I LOVE for my hair. Remember a while back I said I was in hair rehab? My hair kind of disappeared - it got thin + super damaged, seemingly overnight 😳. That's when I found @XXXXX Its a super simple shampoo+ conditioner ( plus 2 styling products for even more volume ) And the best part is that your hair is soft AND full! Not sticky . And there are no sulfates! I really love it + it's finally available at XXXX.com #volumehair #heathyhair #softhair #love #styledbyme #ad
It's that final hashtag, “#ad,” that was the only clue that Davis is being paid for this testimonial. It turns out Beauty company Junee Brands hired Kristin Davis as a celebrity endorser.
We don’t object to a celebrity endorsing a beauty product for money. Name just about any beauty product and you’ll find a celebrity who has been hired as its spokesmodel. What we have concerns about is the lack of transparency.
If you read the article, “Where is my hair?': Sex and the City star Kristin Davis speaks candidly about her later life hair loss and reveals the miracle products that boosted her locks,” in the Daily Mail, you won’t find any suggestion that Davis is getting paid. The story from Business Insider also failed to disclose that Davis is paid to promote the products.
What you will find in most of the articles is a troubling suggestion that Davis was experiencing alopecia and that these products somehow turned around her hair loss. Since we did not examine Ms. Davis, we can’t say whether or not she really experienced hair loss – we haven’t seen photos that indicate she had alopecia, but it wouldn’t be surprising if she did. Approximately 80 percent of women experience noticeable hair loss by age 60.
However, we can say with confidence that unproven and heavily marketed lotions and potions can’t miraculously reverse hair loss.
To suggest that this is possible is irresponsible and does a huge disservice to the estimated 21 million American women currently experiencing some form of alopecia.
Instead of searching for a miracle, we encourage men and women experiencing hair loss to use proven methods. First, consult with a doctor. A careful examination of the scalp helps us determine the best course of action. For instance, various nutritional shortcomings in a person’s diet may contribute to hair, and a change in diet may be the best treatment. Vitamins A, B, C, and E can be effective for hair loss prevention. Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet have been shown to contribute to healthy hair. Likewise, a shortage of iron may result in a lower red blood cell count, which is a known cause of thinning hair in women. Vitamin B12 is also important for robust hair growth.
Beyond general health and wellness, there are three proven hair loss remedies:
- Surgical hair transplant;
- Propecia (finasteride); and
- Rogaine (minoxidil).
These treatments play a key role in Arocha Hair Restoration’s “Total Restoration Approach,” a four-step approach to achieve the best hair restoration results. If you have questions, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Arocha to talk more about your options, please contact us today.