Is Kim Kardashian Using Hair Loss Treatment?

Given that bouts of hair loss appear to have been dotted throughout her glittering career, it seems fair to say that reality TV star Kim Kardashian’s ever-changing hairstyle has been less than kind to her scalp. But now a gossip magazine in America claims that her hair loss became such a problem that she has paid for a new hairline which it states came via a hair transplant.

Kim pictured in around 2008

Surgery unlikely

While the allegations which appeared in Life & Style magazine appear unlikely to be correct, it is entirely possible that the KUWTK star could have been trying to maintain healthy locks with a pharmaceutical hair loss treatment course. When tailored to the individual's personal needs, this approach can address the reasons why hair is falling out in the first place, and also provide a strong foundation for regrowth.

A fan of various hair supplements to improve her hair's strength - she is known to advertise at least two different brands - trying Belgravia’s Hair Vitalics a proprietary blend of essential vitamins and minerals developed to ‘top up’ gaps in people’s diets so that hair follicles were properly nourished - could be a good move for Kim. These daily botanical tablets, which are suitable for vegetarians, salt and gluten-free, contain a herbal extract called Saw Palmetto which is believed to deter genetic hairloss, alongside other vitamins, minerals and amino acids that target hair health.

The focus of the Life & Style article was an apparently fuller-looking hairline that the star seemed to be sporting in recent photographs. The American article suggested this was the work of a “famous Beverly Hills doctor who’s known for doing ‘corner pockets,’ filling in the missing chunks of hair on either side of her forehead.” A spokesperson for the Kardashians has denied this surgery, which the magazine says took place in April 2016.

Kim pictured in May 2016

A hair transplant is certainly not the only answer for thicker-looking hair - especially in women. Following a female hair loss treatment course based around clinically-proven products regularly helps people in cases where they are experiencing thinning hair around the hairline and temples. This approach is the one used to significant effect by Belgravia's hair loss specialists and involves tailoring a bespoke treatment programme featuring appropriate high strength minoxidil formulations paired with recommended hair growth boosters. It is also a far less invasive way of dealing with thinning than Follicular Unit Extraction procedures, the transplant technique which was mooted in the article.

Various hair loss issues

In all fairness, and given her fairly rocky history with regards hair health, it wouldn’t be a great surprise if Kim was trying to improve her lot in the hair stakes. This is especially true given any thinning hair, particularly around her hairline, would be more noticeable given the TV star had laser hair removal on this area to permanently remove her 'baby hairs'. A trick her sister, Khloe, is known to use in order to prevent any thinning around the hairline showing in photos or on TV is to colour the hairline in with an eyeshadow in the same shade as her hair - something Kim may also have taken to trying.

Kim photographed with signs of Traction Alopecia in 2013

Thinning after pregnancy

Not long after the birth of her first child, daughter North, Kim was photographed with her hair hurriedly tied in a bun perched on top of her head. In photos, this appeared to show noticeable thinning in several patches around her head. A possible explanation is something called Postpartum Alopecia, which very often happens a few months after birth when the hair growth cycle returns to normal and an excess of hair that the body has been “hoarding” is quickly shed. Another possible reason is that poor nutrition, sudden weight loss or a general shock to the system could have led to a temporary condition called Telogen Effluvium which postpartum alopecia is also a type of.

Stress-related hair fall

Another possible explanation for hair loss after Kim’s first pregnancy is stress. It’s something that cropped up again some time later when a friend was quoted as saying: “Kim is so stressed her hair is falling out.” While stress is one of the known “triggers” that can bring about the onset of the autoimmune disorder Alopecia Areata, which leads to sudden patchy hair loss, there is no pictorial evidence to suggest that this was the case with Kim. If she did lose hair to stress, Telogen Effluvium is again the most likely diagnosis. When this condition continues for more than a year, incidentally, it becomes known as Chronic Telogen Effluvium, or Diffuse Thinning.

Hair dye damage

Kim stunned fans when she opted for a peroxide blonde look in March 2015 at Paris Fashion Week and much was made of the possible recklessness of her decision. Her stylist, Lorri Goddard, said at the time: “It is extremely difficult to take dark hair to platinum as it shifts the condition of the hair but hair can be kept strong if the proper conditions are taken.” While Kim’s treatment was undoubtedly the best that money can buy, concerns about dramatic bleaching procedures persist in the world of hairdressing, especially when so many customers say that it left their hair dry and brittle, sometimes even snapping off mid-shaft due to hair breakage.

Kim wearing hair extensions for a photoshoot

Extensions and wigs

There are several types of hair extensions, and the trend today seems to be for makers of each new type to advertise them as more hair-friendly than their predecessors. Some extensions are clipped in, some are glued in, some are taped in and all, to a degree, place tension on existing hair follicles, as do wigs which Kim often wears. This, as many women have discovered to their peril, can lead to a condition called Traction Alopecia which results in patches of hair loss as well as a receding hairline. Frequently wearing tightly woven braided hairstyles - another Kim fav - can also cause or exacerbate this condition.

Kim has run the gauntlet of different extensions and, despite announcing she was done with them, recently admitted she was wearing tape-in versions as opposed to those that are quite literally glued or woven to the hair. According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, a third of UK women now have hair extensions, and while tape-in extensions are often considered a 'kinder' option, they are definitely not recommended by hair loss experts.

Hair loss among women in their 30s (Kim is 35) is not uncommon; as well as the above-mentioned conditions Female Pattern Hair Loss is quite often seen and can lead to a general thinning on the top of the scalp. As with all hair loss conditions, it should be diagnosed as quickly as possible to help increase the chance of successful treatment so a visit to a professional is recommended at the first signs of excessive shedding.