Nobody Warned Me About the Chin Hairs

Dear Bawsey,

Nobody warned me about the chin hairs.

They warned me about hot flashes.

They warned me about mood swings.

They warned me about night sweats.

Nobody said a word about standing in the Walmart parking lot, catching the sunlight just right, and discovering what appears to be a fully functioning beard growing out of your chin.

As a hairstylist, I spend my days talking to women. We talk about hair, sure, but we also talk about life. Kids. Husbands. Stress. Aging. Hormones.

Recently, one of my clients, a surgeon, told me she believes the very first sign of perimenopause wasn't a missed period or a hot flash.

It was random chin hairs.

The funny thing is, I immediately agreed.

Looking back, that may have been one of my first signs too.

Nobody prepares women for how sneaky perimenopause can be.

It doesn't always arrive with a dramatic announcement.

Sometimes it slips in quietly.

A few extra hairs where you don't want them.

Hair becoming thinner where you do want it.

A little more shedding in the shower.

A ponytail that doesn't feel as thick as it used to.

The thing I've learned both personally and professionally is that women are often experiencing symptoms long before they realize those symptoms are connected.

The hair doesn't lie.

As a stylist, I often hear women say:

"My hair just isn't the same."

What they're really saying is:

"I don't feel like myself."

And that's a much bigger conversation.

Over the coming months, we're going to talk about perimenopause, menopause, hormones, hair loss, HRT, GLP-1 medications, protein, stress, sleep, and all the things nobody bothered to teach us.

Not from a doctor's office.

From behind the salon chair.

Because sometimes the best conversations happen between a stylist and her client.

And if you've recently discovered a random chin hair, welcome.

You're among friends.

Love,

Bawsey

I'd love to hear from you.

Looking back, what was your very first sign that something was changing?

Was it a chin hair? Brain fog? Hair thinning? Night sweats? Anxiety?

Leave a comment and let's start talking about the things nobody warned us about.