Currently over 50 million men and 30 million women suffer from hair loss. It was my extreme pleasure to recently spend time speaking with Dr. Shawon Gullette ND, IAT., of Dayton Trichology Hair Loss Control Center, regarding her journey and how she became such an amazing staple in the Trichology industry.
Dr. Gullette spent roughly 20 years as a hair stylist. Over the course of those years she became increasingly aware and concerned about the alarming number of women that came into her salon experiencing hair loss. “I was intrigued and determined to find out what I could do to help these women,” she recalled. “During basic Cosmetology training you don’t learn about Trichology. You’re made aware of commercial hair loss products but you learn soon enough that those products don’t provide results. I started finding courses on Trichology and studying them so that I could educate myself in order to help these women. This was so much bigger than Cosmetology.”
Dr. Gullette studied and became a certified Trichologist through the International Association of Trichologists in Sydney, Australia and has been practicing for 15 years now. When asked about what she found to be the hardest part of her studies she was quick to recall, “Understanding hair loss and the underlying issues and connecting those things to formulate a plan of action. There’s a strong misconception that hair loss is just something you have to live with. Every person is different. People assume that it’s genetic and don’t realize the critical factors that might be causing their hair loss. Whether it be circulatory, digestive, urinary, or immune system, there is a root to the problem that has to be discovered in order to formulate a plan to make changes. My favorite saying is that ‘It’s not about the hair.’ Hair is a barometer to what’s going on in the body. Uncovering everything going on in the body is how we know what we’re dealing with and how to make the changes necessary to gain control and a successful plan of action.”
One of the most challenging cases that Dr. Gullette remembers was a 21 year old college student that had about 75% hair loss. She explained, “This woman was having digestive issues and only having one bowel movement per month. She had a very stressful life. It was necessary for her to do a serious detox to eliminate the toxins from her body and give her body everything it needed at a cellular level. She had gone to a dermatologist that told her she was wasting her time and money if she were to come and see me for treatment. It was a long journey but she is now living life with a full head of hair. During the course of her treatment we took several before and after photos which we then sent to that Dermatologist. He is now the top source of referrals to my practice.” I got goosebumps when learning of the journey between Dr. Gullette and this particular patient. She really opens her heart to her patients and understands that there is such an emotional side to this experience for women and how it affects their self-esteem, their home life, their careers, and their relationships. She truly is invested in each individual patient and goes above and beyond to create the best course of action for them. Her ultimate goal is to help women regain their health and self-esteem.
As far as future goals for Dr. Gullette’s practice, she mentioned that she realizes the importance of nutrition and is in the process of bringing a nutritionist on board. Her intention is to create a circle of wellness for each individual that comes into her clinic. She will soon be bringing a Dermatologist on board as well to help women with Scarring Alopecia amongst other issues. “I see a lot of advancements. Trichology has been around for a long time but the interest is just peaking. Early prevention is becoming easier because people are becoming more aware of Trichology,” she says.
It’s important to note that Dr. Gullette comes from a family of Naturopaths. She enjoys giving patients the choice of both Western and Eastern medicine recognizing that a holistic approach is every bit an option as its counterpart and that it’s also okay to intertwine the two. Her father actually wrote a book titled ‘Man is Born Perfect,’ one that I fully intend to read as she has promised to find me a copy. “Before becoming a Certified Trichologist, I was first a CNHP. That’s what really wet my appetite. Everything you put in and on your body affects your body,” she boldly states. I think it’s amazing to note that it’s not just what you put in your body, but on your body as well. That’s not something that everyone realizes but I find it very refreshing that she does.
I would like to personally thank Dr. Gullette for the incredibly uplifting conversation we had. To begin her journey as a hair stylist and take such concern for her clients is what led her to becoming the amazing Trichologist that she is today. She’s completely invested in every one of her patients, providing them the well rounded treatment that they need. What a rewarding career for an absolutely outstanding woman.