Tag Archives: soft skills

GlamourFest 2023 Empowering #Entrepreneurs in the #Hair Industry by Diane Shawe

Posted on August 31, 2023 | Leave a comment

🌐Hairloss Epedemic: How to become a specialist salon and thrive. Hair extensions, hairloss and treatments”

Join us in Birmingham in September or Manchester in October 2023 to learn how you can tap into the services of the future in an evolving industry.

“Did you know that over 15 million people in the UK suffer from hair loss? That’s more than 20% of the population! This is a major problem that can have a significant impact on people’s lives, both physically and emotionally.

If you’re looking for a business opportunity that is both profitable and fulfilling, then becoming a hair loss specialist salon franchisee is a great option. There is a huge demand for hair loss services in the UK, and with the right training and support, you can become a successful business owner and help millions of people regain their confidence and self-esteem.

At our event, we will be sharing everything you need to know about becoming a hair extension and hair loss specialist salon franchisee. We will cover topics such as:

The latest trends in hair loss treatment
How to provide effective and affordable hair loss services
How to build a successful hair loss business
How to market your hair loss salon to attract new clients

We will also be sharing the story of our own success as a hair loss specialist salon franchisee. We have been in business for over 20 years and have helped thousands of people regain their confidence and self-esteem. We will share our secrets to success with you so that you can replicate our success in your own region.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a hair loss specialist salon franchisee, then we encourage you to attend our event. The beauty industry is constantly evolving, and the demand for innovative hair extensions and hair loss solutions is higher than ever.

By joining our franchise, you’ll be at the forefront of industry trends, offering cutting-edge techniques and products that keep you ahead of the competition. Stay ahead of the game!

We’re hosting a new event, and we’d love to see you there. Register for The UK’s Hair Loss Epidemic: How to Become a Specialist Salon and Thrive, 25 September 2023 at 10:30 AM.

Join us in September to learn how you can tap into the services of the future in an evolving industry.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-uks-hair-loss-epidemic-how-to-become-a-specialist-salon-and-thrive-tickets-699224548447?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Posted in hair extensions, Networking, online colleges, online courses, training courses

Tagged #GoodSalonGuide #beautyfinderuk #WMBMagazine #salonhour #HairstyleBlog #hair #hairstyles #hairextensions #hairextensions #hairextension #hairextensionslondon #hairextensionsbirmingham #hairextensions, diane shawe author, hair extension courses, personal development, soft skills

How by Taking Control of Your Headline you could double your business revenue every month by Diane Shawe

Posted on June 17, 2022 | Leave a comment

Recent survey showed that 90% of ecommerce websites generally looked the same. And played little to no role in a customer’s decision to chose who they will purchase from. This means that thousands of pounds spent per month on traditional advertising has little to no contribution on over all profits.

But despite these setbacks, some businesses are earning more profits than ever while spending less time and resources then their competitors. No matter where your business is located, and no matter what condition its in, you can attract high paying customers in droves using little to known but effective techniques I’ll introduce just a couple of them to you now.

Did you know that many of your customers are willing to pay you more and buy more of your products if you simply presented it in the right way to them. You can also acquire more customers by simply marketing smarter and more efficiently as well.

One way to immediately increase your front end sales is to improve your sales letter offering.

Take control of your headline

You donʼt need to test and tweak a million different things until you start to doubt your own offerings, in order to bump up your conversions the ﬁrst thing you want to do is just test and tweak the headline. Leave everything the same …just start changing the headline and see what happens.

You test your headline ﬁrst or in some cases your email subject heading and you do that simply by just making a more powerful, more compelling headline that in my opinion should solve a problem for the reader. Once you have control over your headline then you can start testing the body of your content.

Use A.I technology by introducing conversational marketing

Start engaging with your social media followers especially if you have thousand of followers across your social media platforms?

Did you you can have a conversation, pass on details, resolve problems, show videos, get visitors to schedule appointment themselves, buy from your store, register on your courses, competition or events and much much more without you lifting a finger. A.I online virtual assistant can help you to:-

➢ Qualify your website visitors and direct them to what they want
➢ Increase your website or social media conversions
➢ Build a bigger email subscriber list
➢ Collect valuable feedback data to improve visitor experience
➢ Give them quick answer to questions
➢ Present a more streamlined buying experience
➢ Resolve complaint or problem in real time
➢ To get a more detailed answer to a query
➢ Link to calenders, videos, courses seamlessley
➢ Reduce your online admin time by 50%

Test your offering

The Key To It All. By testing your offer I mean you might want to, say, instead of selling an eBook for £12.99 – you might want to offer a physical version of your package for £27.00 + shipping and handling. You could offer three easy payments of £9.00 by a paypal subscription to a persons credit card. See?

Thatʼs actually £14.00 in total …over double the price …using a risk reversal offer that seems cheaper at ﬁrst glance.
In fact, that offer would probably convert better. So it’s important to tweak your offer a lot. In the words of Dan Kennedy, “ITʼS THE OFFER, STUPID.” Iʼll give you another one.

Trial offers are another fantastic way to persuade potential customers to register, use your services and you can then up sell them afterwards (no spamming)

Testing your offer structure.

Instead of offering a trial, you could ask for a fair sum upfront £99.99 …and then gave them the big box of stuff as a bonus. They get the same thing but you simply structured the offer differently. Just imagine if you got 100 people to take your service there and then online, fees right up front. No trial, no launch, no afﬁliates you could see just how profitable and structured your offering truly is.

The number 1 complaint about launching and running a online #business or posting links is generating enough enquiries to make a #sale! and capturing contact details to respond

If you want more qualified leads test this online tool for free! https://get-chatbot-demo.speedyappointments.com

Visit http://www.virtualspeedyservices.biz for range of services.

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Posted in appointments, assisted technology, blogging, business directories, business opportunity, chatbots, conversational marketing, Detoxing, diane shawe, ebooks, kindle, Franchises, hair extensions, online courses

Tagged #GoodSalonGuide #beautyfinderuk #WMBMagazine #salonhour #HairstyleBlog #hair #hairstyles #hairextensions #hairextensions #hairextension #hairextensionslondon #hairextensionsbirmingham #hairextensions, A.I technology, business startup, chatbots, diane shawe, soft skills, Virtual speedy services biz

MCT Oil – Why You Should Consider Adding It To Your Diet

Posted on July 19, 2020 | Leave a comment

7 Science-Based Benefits of MCT Oil

Listen to Podcast

MCT oil is a supplement often added to smoothies, bulletproof coffee and salad dressings.
As the name suggests, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil contains medium-length chains of fats called triglycerides. Due to their shorter length, MCTs are easily digested and many health benefits are linked to the way your body processes these fats.

So Let’s Get To The Bottom Line First!

Taking MCT oil could have many benefits and very few risks.

For starters, it contains fatty acids that can promote weight loss by reducing body fat, increasing fullness and potentially improving your gut environment.
MCTs are also a great source of energy and may fight bacterial growth, help protect your heart and aid in managing diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and autism.
Potential drawbacks may include increased hunger and possible fat accumulation in your liver. However, as long as you keep to 1–2 tablespoons per day and use it to replace — not add — to your normal fat intake, any negative side effects are unlikely.
At the end of the day, MCT oil is a convenient way to take advantage of all the health benefits MCTs have to offer.

So where does it originate from

MCT oil is most commonly extracted from coconut oil, as more than 50% of the fat in coconut oil comes from MCTs. These fats are also found in many other foods, such as palm oil and dairy products.

Four different types of MCTs exist, of which caprylic and capric acid are most commonly used for MCT oil. In some cases, these specific types have unique benefits.

Here are 7 science-backed benefits you can get from adding MCT oil to your diet.

1. Promotes Weight Loss in Several Important Ways

There are several reasons why MCT oil may be beneficial when you’re trying to lose weight.

MCT oil has been shown to increase the release of two hormones that promote the feeling of fullness in the body: peptide YY and leptin. It may even be better than coconut oil in keeping you full. One study found that people taking two tablespoons of MCT oil as part of their breakfast ended up eating less food for lunch compared to those taking coconut oil.

The same study also discovered a lower rise in triglycerides and glucose with MCT oil, which may also influence the feeling of fullness.

Additionally, taking MCT oil has been shown to significantly reduce body weight and waist circumference. Researchers even report that it could help prevent obesity.

MCT oil has about 10% fewer calories than long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are found in foods such as olive oil, nuts and avocados

Your body also processes MCTs differently, which may help you burn calories

Your body can use MCT oil as an instant source of energy, making it unnecessary to store fat for this purpose. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that your body may adapt to this dietary change, leading to only temporary results.

MCTs can be converted into ketones, which are produced from the breakdown of fat when carb intake is low. If you’re following a ketogenic diet, which is very low in carbs yet high in fat, then taking MCT oil can help you stay in the fat-burning state known as ketosis.

Lastly, your gut environment is very important when it comes to your weight. MCT oil can help optimize the growth of good bacteria and support the gut lining, which could also help you lose weight.

SUMMARY

MCT oil may support weight loss by increasing fullness, fat loss, energy burning, ketone production and by improving your gut environment.

2. Instant Source of Energy That Can Also Be Used to Fuel Your Brain

MCT oil has been dubbed a super fuel since your body absorbs MCTs more rapidly than long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which contain more carbons in their fatty acid chains.

Due to their shorter chain length, MCTs travel straight from the gut to the liver and do not require bile to break down like longer-chain fats do.

In the liver, the fats are broken down to be either used as fuel or stored as body fat.

Since MCTs easily enter your cells without being broken down, they can be used as an immediate source of energy.

When you’re on a ketogenic diet, MCTs can also be converted into ketones in the liver.

These ketones can pass through your blood-brain barrier, making them a convenient source of energy for your brain cells.

SUMMARY

MCT oil is easily absorbed and transported throughout the body. It can be used as an instant source of energy or can be converted into ketones to fuel your brain.

3. May Reduce Lactate Buildup in Athletes and Help Use Fat for Energy

MCT oil has gained popularity amongst athletes. During exercise, rising lactate levels can negatively impact exercise performance.

Interestingly, MCTs may help with lactate buildup. One study found that athletes who took 6 grams or about 1.5 teaspoons of MCTs with food before cycling had lower lactate levels and found it easier to exercise, compared to those taking LCTs. Furthermore, the study found that taking the MCT oil before exercise may help you use more fat instead of carbs for energy.

Even though MCTs can increase fat burning during exercise, study results are mixed as to whether MCT oil can help you exercise better. One study showed it could improve swimming capacity in mice, but another human-based study found no improvement in endurance performance in runners.
At the very least, the results of one animal study suggest that MCT oil does not negatively affect exercise performance, which is encouraging.

SUMMARY

MCT oil can increase fat burning and reduce the need for carbs during exercise. However, it is unclear whether this translates to improved exercise performance.

4. Could Help Manage Epilepsy, Alzheimer’s Disease and Autism

Studies have shown that MCT oil and a ketogenic diet may help manage conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and autism.

Epilepsy

While the ketogenic diet has gained popularity amongst people wishing to lose weight, it was first introduced as a way of managing epilepsy.
Scientists found that fasting increases ketone production and that this may reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures.

Since MTCs can be converted into ketones, they may be beneficial in managing epilepsy. However, the type of MCT may be important. One test-tube study showed that the MCT capric acid improved seizure control better than a widespread anti-epileptic drug.

Another study in rats found that the same MCT blocked receptors in the brain that cause seizures, though more human studies are needed. In addition, it’s important to note that a ketogenic diet is not for everyone and can be challenging to follow long term.

If you are considering a ketogenic diet to help manage your epilepsy, talk to your doctor or nutrition professional first.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease impairs your brain’s ability to use sugar. An MCT ketogenic diet offers an alternative energy source: ketones. This allows brain cells to survive better. It also blocks a receptor in the brain that causes memory loss.

One study found that a single dose of MCTs improved short-term cognition in 20 people with Alzheimer’s disease with a certain gene type, namely APOE ɛ4-negative.

While genetic factors play a role, evidence suggests that 20–70 grams of supplemental MCTs that include caprylic or capric acid can modestly improve the symptoms of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s.
Overall, the benefits of MCT oil in Alzheimer’s disease are promising, but longer and larger scale studies are needed .

Autism

MCT oil may also help children with autism.
One study found positive overall improvements when a ketogenic diet was followed for 6 months. Another study found that adding MCTs to a ketogenic and gluten-free diet substantially improved autism behaviors for 6 of the 15 children involved. Because autism is a spectrum condition, it can affect people in different ways.

This means that adding MCT oil to your child’s diet may help to varying degrees or may show no positive effects. More research is needed here, as well.
If you are considering a ketogenic diet to help manage your child’s autism, talk to your doctor or nutrition professional first.

SUMMARY

MCT oil may improve brain function, which could have benefits for people with epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease and autism.

5. Contains Powerful Fatty Acids That Fight Yeast and Bacterial Growth

MCTs have been shown to have antimicrobial and anti fungal effects.
Coconut oil, which contains a large amount of MCTs, has been shown to reduce the growth of Candida albicans by 25%. This is a common yeast that can cause thrush and various skin infections.

A test-tube study also showed that coconut oil reduced the growth of a disease-causing bacteria called Clostridium difficile.
Coconut oil’s ability to reduce yeast and bacterial growth may be due to the caprylic, capric and lauric acid in MCTs.

MCTs themselves have also been shown to suppress the growth of a widespread infectious fungus in hospitals by up to 50%. However, note that most of the research on MCTs and immune support has been conducted via test-tube or animal studies. High-quality human studies are needed before stronger conclusions can be made.

SUMMARY

MCT oil contains fatty acids that have been shown to reduce the growth of yeast and bacteria. Overall, MCTs may have a variety of antimicrobial and anti-fungal effects.

6. May Reduce Risk Factors for Heart Disease, Such as Weight and Cholesterol

Heart disease is a growing problem. Some factors that increase your risk include high cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, being overweight and smoking.

MCT oil has been shown to support weight and fat loss. This may, in turn, help reduce your risk of heart disease. A study of 24 overweight men found that taking MCT oil combined with phytosterols and flaxseed oil for 29 days reduced total cholesterol by 12.5%. However, when olive oil was used instead, the reduction was only 4.7%.

The same study also found better reductions in LDL or “bad” cholesterol when the MCT oil mixture was added to their diet. Moreover, MCT oil can also increase the production of heart-protective HDL or “good” cholesterol .
It can even significantly reduce C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker that increases the risk of heart disease. Additional studies found that MCT-oil-based mixtures can have a positive effect on other heart disease risk factors, as well.

SUMMARY
MCT oil may reduce heart disease risk factors such as weight, cholesterol and inflammation. Adding it to your diet could help lower your risk of heart disease.

7. May Help Control Blood Sugar Levels and Support Diabetes Management

MCT oil may also have benefits for those with diabetes. Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, which makes diabetes harder to manage. However, MCTs have been shown to reduce fat storage and increase fat burning.
One small Chinese study of 40 people with diabetes found that those who consumed MCT oil daily had significant reductions in body weight, waist circumference and insulin resistance, compared to those taking corn oil containing LCTs.

Another study found that when 10 people with diabetes were injected with insulin, they needed 30% less sugar to maintain normal blood sugar levels when they consumed MCTs, compared to LCTs. However, the same study did not find any effect of MCTs on reducing fasting blood sugar levels. Therefore, other factors such as timing and the amount of food eaten may influence the effects of MCT oil.

SUMMARY

MCT oil may help manage diabetes by reducing fat storage and increasing fat burning. It may also help you control your blood sugar.

Potential Drawbacks of MCT Oil

Although MCTs are considered safe, they may have some disadvantages.

May Stimulate the Release of Hunger Hormones

While MCTs can increase the release of hormones that help you feel fuller longer, they may also stimulate the release of hunger hormones in some people
A study on people with anorexia found that MCTs increased the release of two hormones that stimulate appetite: ghrelin and neuropeptide Y.

People who took more than 6 grams of MCTs per day produced more of these hormones than those who had less than 1 gram per day.
However, it is unclear whether the increase in these hormones actually causes you to eat more.

High Doses Could Lead to Fat Buildup in the Liver

High doses of MCT oil may increase the amount of fat in your liver in the long term.
One 12-week study in mice found that a diet in which 50% of the fats were MCTs increased liver fat. Interestingly, the same study also found that MCTs reduced total body fat and improved insulin resistance.

However, keep in mind that high doses of MCT oil, such as those in the study above, are not recommended. Overall, more research is needed on the long-term effects of MCT oil.

MCTs are high in calories and usually only make up about 5–10% of your total calorie intake. If you are trying to maintain or lose weight, you should consume MCT oil as part of your total amount of fat intake and not as an additional amount of fat.

SUMMARY

MCT oil increases the release of hunger hormones, which could lead to increased food intake. In the long term, it may also increase the amount of fat in your liver.

Source Previously Written by Sharon O’Brien on May 14, 2018

Further reading:

MCT Oil 101 – A Review of Medium-Chain Triglycerides

Written by Mary Jane Brown, PhD, RD (UK)

Supplementing with MCT oil is a popular way to cause fat loss and increase energy levels. MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride.

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Tagged hair extension, hair extension courses, mct oil, online training, personal development, soft skills

Your 5 Minutes Daily Program to Stress Management by Diane Shawe

Posted on May 18, 2020 | Leave a comment

Got too much time on your hands

Even though we have all had more time on our hands to effectively rest during lockdown, it would appear that more and more people are actually stressed! Why is this? Stressed if we have no time and stressed if we have to much time. If this is the case then perhaps we’re needed to take a closer look at stress, examine what causes it and holds we can manage it daily.

Stress Man. Businessman suffers from a headache

Stess is created by worrying about things in the future or things that have already happened, both of which you cannot change at the very moment you are worrying about it. Before you read any further do this little test. ‘At this very very moment Whist you are reading this is there a problem affecting you reading this article at this moment in time

Everything seems much faster, urgent and possibly unfilling! Everyone snoops around asking or trying to create a new moment resolution that they all know they won’t keep for the whole twelve days let alone a year.

Living too much into the future or reliving the past are both causes of fear and pain. These are often the questions one is faced with:

• How can you stop the pain?
• How can you switch your mind off,
• how can you stop worrying?
• How can you relax?
• How can I be happy?

30 minutes coffee break ebook available on Amazon and Google Books

Well two words’acceptance‘ and ‘surrender‘ is a good place to start. Become fully present so that the past and future can ceases to have any power over you causing stress, worry and unhappiness.

If only out life was like typing when we can simply undo, delete or Hyperlink to a quick useful reference but alas, lots of things are unavoidable in life. Never before has it become more important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress, especially as they can lead to short or long term illnesses.

Here are some of the things that can be done instantly by just remembering to be conscious of them.

Managing time

Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.

To improve your time management:

• Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
• Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
• Prioritise your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency.
• Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
• Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don’t commit to what is not important to you.
• Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
• Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
• Build healthy coping strategies

It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.

Plan how you are going to reduce Stress and Conflict

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:

• Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
• Have a sense of purpose in life.
• Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
• Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
• Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
• Limit your consumption of alcohol.
• Don’t smoke.

Social support

Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.

Changing your thinking can help change everyone’s mood

Changing thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body’s stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.

• Thought-catching helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
• Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
• Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
• Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated.

This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.

Courses available now

Continued Personal Development

Life long learning it’s important to you’re continued growth and smiley to core with lives every changing environment, circumstances and economical . Everyday life can often present challenges and like any thing in life if you don’t equip yourself with the right tools trying to fix the problem with the wrong tools can itself be the greater

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Posted in #covid 19, accreditation, Beauty Industry Awards, become a trainer, body language, business opportunity, diane shawe, ebooks, kindle, educational apps, learning management systems, micro teaching, online colleges, online courses, starting a business

Tagged bluetooth proximity marketing, Conflict, diane shawe, diane shawe author, expresstrainingcourses, Hairloss, online training, short courses, soft skills, stress, stress management, unemployment, virtual classroom, Worrying

Is free online courses dumbing down adult education?

Posted on August 12, 2016 | Leave a comment

Ignorance is not bliss

Is free online courses dumbing down adult education?

Adult education has become under-valued in an overpriced educational infrastructure.

The people who need the most help are already systematically ripped off by greedy loan companies, NHS parking, having to pay charges for drawing out their own money from private ATM machines in poorer boroughs, pre-paid electric meter’s to name but a few. The more you seem to need help the more you seem to have to pay.

Off course the arguments are always about risk, but to compound on top of their needs, a premium, just to make sure the risk is compensated for is questionable indeed.

But another kind of ripping off is taking place. ‘Free online education’ you may ask ‘why is this a rip off?’

I will answer this from my prospective initially and then make further arguments as to why we should be very concerned about this unpoliced, unchallenged butchery of the values originally infused into our adult educational system.

As Isaac Asimov—a master of science fiction literature—once said:

“No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.”

What has happened? Why have these large institutions priced education out of some fundamental principles?

How can we make the new economic age enhance, rather than diminish, our quality of learning? How can we make this amazing innovation advance the prospects of all people especially those with experience and not just youth?

It is clear that at this moment most educational systems are not keeping pace with changing technology and the ever-evolving world of work.

Not enough people are thinking strategically enough in this area. Fundamentally, we need to innovate what people learn, how people learn, when people learn, and even why people learn.

We must get beyond the traditional model of students sitting passively in classrooms, following instructions and memorising material that they are tested and scored on which sometimes turn out to be of little use in an ever changing economy. It is evident that computers can do that for us!

What should a 21st Pedagogy for Adult Education Look Like?

A 21st century educational system must focus on the areas where humans can outclass computers—such as in cognitive skills, interpersonal skills, fine motor skills, or sophisticated coding skills.

We need to make sure that the type of education can keep a population in work or self-employment, performing meaningful tasks relevant to todays and tomorrow needs within a community.

I believe that education has to become student centric and move away from solely institutional constructs that are not fluid to change.

There has always been a great deal of lip service given to the idea of learning by doing, but not much has been done about it. In fact, John Dewey remarked in 1916, in his book, Democracy and Education:

“Why is it that, in spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning by passive absorption, are universally condemned, that they are still so entrenched in practice? That education is not an affair of “telling” and being told, but an active constructive process, is a principle almost as generally violated in practice as conceded in theory”

I think it is imperative that this century focuses on Adult Transformative Learning because, if we don’t, we are already seeing the internet unintenionally affect the minds of some of our impressional adults who have no sence of usefulness within our society and can be easily motivated in learned stimulative blended information that could be perceived as devisive withing many communities.

“Transformative learning is a structured way forward in time of crisis when Individuals face Collective Challenges”

Diane Shawe M.Ed.

During the last twenty years, the use of the word “crisis” seems to have increased around the world. Referring to sudden and intense political, economic, social, psychological, cultural or environmental changes, this term emerges now more frequently in everyday vocabulary.

According to transformative learning theory, the emergence of a crisis represents a potential opportunity for personal and/ or collective transformation, grounded in the capacity of individuals and groups to revisit the perspectives through which they interpret their own experience.

Considering recent history, how does the emergence of social, economic, political, cultural, intellectual or environmental crisis manifest an opportunity, or an expression, of transformative learning?

In the mean time I think that some of these fundlemental questions need to be addressed:

How does the experience of individual or collective crisis affect the way one learns to critically interpret one’s own experiences?
What are the learning resources required in order to overcome the experience of individual or collective crisis?
What kinds of learning opportunities facilitate the management of personal and collective transformations triggered by a crisis?
What are the emerging issues and how do they affect research on transformative learning?

How can we effectively deal with some of these burning question when we are constantly dumbing down Adult education?

If you would like a copy of my full essay on this topic fill in the form below to request a copy be sent to you.

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Posted in educational apps, eLearning, mLearning, mobile phone broadcasting, Networking, online colleges, online courses, online universities, Smartphones, training courses

Tagged blended learning, bluetooth proximity marketing, diane shawe, distance learning, mobile learning, mobile marketing, online college, online courses, online teaching, online training, personal development, short courses, soft skills, virtual classroom

Why life coaching is a really really hard sell

Posted on July 23, 2016 | Leave a comment

Coaching – Specialise and gain more clients

What they don’t tell you in coaching school? Is that “life coaching” is a really, really hard sell.

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed

I know some excellent life coaches – they’ve written best-selling books, they’ve got 75k+ likes on Facebook, they’ve done everything right, business-wise – they have more of a reach than I will ever have in my business – and they still struggle to get clients. They are still living month to month. And they have to hustle every day to find new ways to make coaching a viable business.

Why? Because they are generalied “life coaches”. And life coaching isn’t something that people really “get”. Here are 10 Definitions of Coaching

“Unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them” (Whitmore 2003)
“A collaborative, solution focused, result-orientated and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and person growth of the coachee” (Grant 1999, basic definition also referred to by the Association for Coaching, 2005).
“A professional partnership between a qualified coach and an individual or team that support the achievement of extra-ordinary results, based on goals set by the individual or team “(ICF, 2005)
“The art of facilitating the performance, learning and development of another” (Downey, 2003)
“Coaching is directly concenred with the immediate improvement of performance and development of skills by a form of tutoring or instruction” (Parsloe, 1995).
“Coaching psychology is for enhancing well-being and performance in personal life and work domains underpinned by models of coaching grounded in established adult and child learning or psychological approaches” (Special Group of Coaching Psychologists, part of the British Psychological Society)
“Coaching is about developing a person’s skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, hopefully leading to the achievement of organisational objectives. It targets high performance and improvement at work, although it may also have an impact on an individual’s private life. It usually lasts for a short period and focuses on specific skills and goals.” (CIPD 2009)
“Psychological skills and methods are employed in a one-on-one relationship to help someone become a more effective manager or leader. These skills are typically applied to a specific present-moment work-related issues….in a way that enable this client to incorporate them into his or her permanent management or leadership repertoire” (Peltier 2010)
[Co-active] coaching is “a powerful alliance designed to forward and enhance a life-long process of human learning, effectiveness and fulfilment” Whitworth et al (2007)
“Coaching is about enabling individuals to make conscious decisions and empowering them to become leaders in their own lives” (Wise 2010 – sorry couldn’t help sneaking one in myself!).

So after reviewing the definitions, which one would you say best sums up your offering? The truth is that people will be coming to you because of YOU and what you have accomplished. Your story is important. Your skills and expertise are just as important. And while coaching isn’t about telling people what to do – sometimes people will need guidance, advice, and hand holding. And you are 100% allowed to be their coach, their mentor, their teacher, and advisor.

You might be veering away from what you learned in coaching school, but in order to stand out from the crowd it will help you fast-track your business success by playing to your strengths and personality and the need of your specific and targeted client base.

So I am going to call out the elephant in the room: The majority of coaches who are killing it in business are doing one of several things:

1. They coach and/or mentor other coaches

2. They coach specialist clients (sports, personalities, celebrities)

3. They coach executives within large companies.

Unfortunately many small businesses who would really like to have a coach cannot commit the resources, this is why most coaches are also starving.

People are interestd in you

Here’s what you can do to make the life coaching business easier on yourself:

Get specific about who you work with and what problem you solve for them.
Drop the jargon STAT of what other coaches have achieved
Stop doing open ended, ongoing coaching. It’s hard to sell and doesn’t get you known for anything.
Learn the common mistakes people make in creating packages, and then don’t make them.
Create ONE specific package for a specific market (based on your unique expertise) and get really, really good at it.
Build a solid client base, and THEN you can expand.
Create a blog and don’t be afraid to give away step by step advice, it will get you known.
And in the meantime, keep your day job.

Home Study Courses to help refine your Specialism for Coaching. Fully accredited. Request course outlineand price by clicking here

Change Management: Change and How to Deal With It	Managers traditionally have had the task of contributing to the effectiveness of their organization while maintaining high morale. Today, these roles often have to be balanced off with the reality of implementing changes imposed by senior management. Managers who have an understanding of the dynamics of change are better equipped to analyze the factors at play in their own particular circumstances, and to adopt practical strategies to deal with resistance. This one-day workshop will help you deal with change and will give you strategies to bring back to your employees.
Coaching: A Leadership Skill	Coach, Role Model, Counselor, Supporter, Guide…do these words ring a bell? Being a coach involves being a role model, sometimes a counselor or supporter, and always a guide. Coaching is based on a partnership that involves giving both support and challenging opportunities to employees. Knowing how and when to coach is an essential skill that can benefit both you and your organization. This one-day workshop will help you become a better coach in all senses of the word.
Communication Strategies	This course is designed to help you improve your interactions with other people in your workplace or at home. This course wil help you guide your clients on how to improve the critical communication skills of listening, asking questions and being aware of nonverbal messages. To help your clients who are struggling to find that middle ground between being too aggressive and too passive, and how to counter the manipulative tactics of difficult people. Your clients will also learn more about the elements of our communication with others that help us reveal appropriate information about ourselves, and how to get a handle on how to better manage ourselves for a professional image.
The Art of Delegating Effectively	Delegation is often one of the hardest skills for a manager to master. However, the skill can be learned. You will explore many of the facets of delegation: when to delegate, and who to delegate to. We will also go through the delegation process step by step, to see where the pitfalls lie, and what we can do about getting around them. These are useful tools for your clients.
Networking for success	Business networking is an effective and efficient way for business people to connect, develop meaningful relationships, and grow their businesses. These achievements don’t come through a direct sales approach, however. They come from being interested in helping others, in listening, and in purposefully meeting and introducing people to one another. You will learn the essential ingredients to help your clients with business networking, including in-person, people-centered connections and online spaces such as LinkedIn.
Conflict Resolution	There are two major myths about conflict: that it always involves anger and that it’s always negative. Conflict can actually be a positive tool for growth if you know how to manage it properly. This course will help you specialise in helping your clients develop quality mediation skills.
Dealing with Difficult People	All of us experience conflict. We argue with our spouses, disagree with our friends, and sometimes even quarrel with strangers at a hockey game. At times we lose sight of the fact that all this conflict is normal. So long as people are individuals there will be the potential for conflict. Since you can’t prevent conflict, the most important thing is to learn how to handle or manage it in productive ways. What is critical for resolving conflict is developing an understanding of, and a trust in, shared goals. It requires openness, discipline, and creativity. Showing respect for other people and not blaming them enables people to work for mutual benefit.
Conflict Resolution: Getting Along in the Workplace	Conflict Resolution: Getting Along in the Workplace
Conquering Your Fear of Speaking in Public	Do you get nervous when presenting at company meetings? Do you find it hard to make conversation at gatherings and social events? Do you lock up in awkward social situations? If so, this one day workshop is just for you! It’s aimed at anybody who wants to improve their speaking skills in informal situations. We’ll give you the confidence and the skills to interact with others and to speak in informal situations and in front of small groups.
Controlling Anger Before It Controls You – A One Day Primer	Everyone gets angry; it’s a completely natural response. But do you know how to manage that anger constructively? Most individuals throughout coaching need a set of tools to help them with this problem.
Core Negotiation Skills	Negotiation is a key skill that, when mastered, can enhance communications and provide better results from communication. You can specialise in helping your client on how to prepare to negotiate, ways to respond to negotiation challenges, how to create win-win solutions, and how to create sustainable agreements.
Creating a Dynamic Job Portfolio	The job market continues to change, as does the way we look for work. This course examines the value of presenting yourself as a complete package by using a resume as an introduction to an employer and backing it up with a portfolio presented at the interview. You can learn to help to executives for instance prepare themselves for new challenges.
Critical Thinking	In today’s society, many people experience information overload. We are bombarded with messages to believe various ideas, purchase things, support causes, and lead our lifestyle in a particular way. How do you know what to believe? How do you separate the truth from the myths? Help your clients with constructive tools on how to put their thoughts into order.

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Why are they contaminating bottled spring water?

Posted on June 9, 2016 | 1 comment

“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,”Grandjean says.
“The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”

As with other fresh water supplies (e.g., spring water, lake water, river water), bottled waters have low levels of fluoride.
Fresh surface water contains an average of just 0.05 ppm. To put this in perspective, artificially fluoridated water (using industrial-grade fluoride chemicals) contains 0.7 to 1.2 ppm fluoride, which is 14 to 24 times more than the average natural level.

Fluoride Health Problems

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the presence of fluoride in public drinking water (fluoridation). For starters, before fluoride was used to fight cavities, it was (and still is) used in insecticides and rat poision.

Fluorosis is a condition that wears down the enamal of the tooth, leaving behind white spots, making the teeth more vulnerable to cavities and decay. Fluorosis is a very real health condition that can effect both children and adults. More and more evidence is mounting against the use of fluoride, even in small amounts. But it doesn’t appear to be a critical issue according to the US Surgeon Generals, as the last 5 Surgeon Generals have supported the fluoridation of drinking water. Incidentally, the claimed health benefits almost always point to oral health. Fortunately, the CDC is calling for new labeling rules requiring manufacturers to list a product’s fluoride content, which we have found to be missing in some cases.

What is too much Fluoride?

Fluoride itself is actually required by our bodies in low doses. When consumed in high amounts, specifically the man-made fluoride that is in public drinking water, can cause problems.

An estimated 5-10g of sodium fluoride can be lethal for some adults. While fluoride provides benefits to your oral health, it can also come with adverse side effects, that vary in severity depending upon the amount of fluoride consumed. Excessive consumption of fluoride can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort. This can occur with doses 15 to 20 times lower than actual lethal doses (0.2-0.3mg/kg). Fluoride in exessive amounts can also cause problems in the formation bone.

Here are some bottled water brands that contain little to no fluoride:

A Better Water
Agromas Natural Mineral Water
Albertsons
Alpina
American Fare
American Star
Appco
Aqua Fresca
Aqua Panna
Aqua Pure
Aquarius Natural Mineral Water
Arbor Springs
Arlington Springs
Aquafina Water
Aqua Systems
Aqua Von
Artesian Wells
Augusta Medical – Daniels

Badger Water
Besco Pure Premium Drinking Water
BIOTA Colorado Pure Spring Water
Bio-2
Black Berry Farms
Blue Ice Natural Mineral Water
Boney’s
BORNEO
Bountyland
Buches

Calistoga
Callaway Blue
CAPA
Cascade
Century Springs
Chemung
Chippewa Spring Water
Citi Stop
Classic Selection
Clearly Arctic
Clear Mountain Spring Water
Clover Company Limited
Coach
Cold Country
Cohutta Mountain Spring Water
Cowboy Squeeze
Crowne Plaza Drinking Water
Crowne Plaza Natural Mineral Water
Cruel Jacks Spring Water
Crystal Mountain Spring Water
Crystal Point
Crystal Ridge
Crystal Spring Natural Spring Water
Culligan Water

Dakota Splash
Dannon
Deep Rock
Deep Rock Crystal Drop
Deep Rock Fontenelle
Deja Blue
Desert Quench

East Phils
Eco Quest
Elite
Equatorial Natural Mineral Water
Essentia Water
Eureka
Evian
E Water

Family Pantry
Famous Ramona Water
Flowing Springs
Food Club
Founders Square Bank
Fresh Brands Artesian
Fresh Brands Distilled Water
Fresh Brands Drinking Water
Fresh Market

Get-N-Go
Glacier Bay
Glen Summit Springs Water
Glen Summit Distilled Water
Glenwood Inglewood
Gordon Food Service
Great Bear
Great Value

Harvey’s
H2O4U
Henry’s
Hidden Valley Natural Mineral Water
Hillcrest Distilled Water
Hillcrest Drinking Water
Hillcrest Spring Water
Hilton PJ Natural Mineral Water
Hinckley Springs
HINT
Hi-Sprint Drinking Water
Hi-Sprint Natural Mineral Water
Hog Wash
Hon Less Natural Mineral Water

Ice Jam
Inland
Istana Natural Mineral Water

Joe Muggs
Joe Ragan’s Pure Water
Junior Johnson
Just Squeezed

KLGCC Natural Mineral Water
Kroger Bottled Water (Reverse Osmosis)
Krystal J Artesian Water
Krystal J Distilled Water

Laure
Leroy Jenkins Ministries
Logansport Savings Bank
Lowe’s

Martins
Masafi Pure Natural Mineral Water
Mercurio Produce
Mesra Drinking Water
Mesra Natural Mineral Water
Misty Mountain
Monadnock Mountain Spring Water
Montclair
Mountain Energy
Mountain Forest
Mountain Valley Spring Water
Mutiara Natural Mineral Water

Nantze Springs
New Frontier Bank
Niagra Mist
Nicolet Distilled
Northern Illinois University

Oasis Pure Drinking Water
Oasis Sparkling Water
Ogallala – Clear Cool Water
OUI Drinking Water
OUI Natural Mineral Water

Paiges
Parmer Pure H2O
Patriots Choice
Pelangi Natural Mineral Water
Penta Ultra Premium Purified Drinking Water
Piggly Wiggly
Polaris Water
Pristine Natural Artesian
Purely Sedona

Quick Stop

Rain Soft
Refresh Natural Mineral Water
Reiser Drinking Water
Request Foods, Inc.
Rip Time
Roundy’s “Purified Water”

Safeway – Refreshe
Sam’s Wine & Spirits
San Faustino Natural Mineral Water
San Pellegrino
Santee Springs
Scheopner’s Water
Sequoia Springs
Scotts
Shamrock
Shop-N-Cart
Shur-Fine
Silver Creek Purified Water
Silver Creek Spring Water
Sky Drinking Water
Smart Water
Snow Valley
Spinx
Stator Bros. Markets
Summit Mountain
Summit Springs
Summit Valley

T-Rex
Teton Mountain Lodge Spring Water
Tweetsie

United Dairy Farmers

Volvic
Vitamin Water
Veta Drinking Water
Valutime

Whistler Water
Whole Foods 365
Woodland Spring Water
Wyoming Machinery “Catipillar” Spring Water

Zodiac

List of brands to avoid that are known to be high in fluoride:

Alhambra
Arrowhead

Belmont Springs

Crystal Rock
Crystal Springs

Deer Park
Diamond Springs

Hindley Spri

Ice Mountain

Kandiyohi
Kentwood Springs

Mayer Bros.
Mount Olympus

Nursery Water

Ozarka

Poland Spring
Pure Flo
Puritan Springs

Shenandoah
Sierra Springs
Sparkletts

Zephyrhills

The list contains data provided by the International Bottled Water Association that you can use to make sure you’re not feeding fluoride to yourself and your family.

Source: http://www.foodandourhealth.com/

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Don’t let others failures make a monkey out of you

Posted on May 25, 2016 | 1 comment

http://www.shortcourses.expert. expert

Fear of failure and not standing out from the crowd will not get you far up the ladder of success

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed. Ed
Four monkeys were placed in a room that had a tall pole in the center. Suspended from the top of that pole was a bunch of bananas. One of the hungry monkeys started climbing the pole to get something to eat, but just as he reached out to grab a banana, he was doused with a torrent of cold water.

Squealing, he scampered down the pole and abandoned his attempt to feed himself.

Each monkey made a similar attempt, and each one was drenched with cold water. After making several attempts, they finally gave up.

Then researchers removed one of the monkeys from the room and replaced him with a new monkey. As the newcomer began to climb the pole, the other three grabbed him and pulled him down to the ground.

After trying to climb the pole several times and being dragged down by the others, he finally gave up and never attempted to climb the pole again.

The researchers replaced the original monkeys, one by one, and each time a new monkey was brought in, he would be dragged down by the others before he could reach the bananas.

In time, the room was filled with monkeys who had never received a cold shower. None of them knew why.

DON’T LET FAILURE MAKE A MONKEY OUT OF YOU!

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How answering 77 questions could help you avoid business failure

Posted on February 9, 2016 | Leave a comment

Out Now: 77 Ways to avoid Potential Business Failure

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” –Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple

Like you I Never Thought I Could answer 77 questions that would help me avoid business failure – But I Finally Discovered The Secret! Here’s How…

article by Diane Shawe Author

Are you ready? Is Entrepreneurship For You?

Are you the right person for your business idea?

In business, there are no guarantees. There is simply no way to eliminate all the risks associated with starting a small business – but you can improve your chances of success with good planning, preparation, and insight. Start by evaluating your strengths and weaknesses as a potential owner and manager of a small business. Carefully consider each of the following questions.

Are you a self-starter? It will be entirely up to you to develop projects, organise your time, and follow through on details.
How well do you get along with different personalities? Business owners need to develop working relationships with a variety of people including customers, vendors, staff, bankers, and professionals such as lawyers, accountants or consultants. Can you deal with a demanding client, an unreliable vendor, or a cranky receptionist if your business interests demand it?
How good are you at making decisions? Small business owners are required to make decisions constantly – often quickly, independently, and under pressure.
Do you have the physical and emotional stamina to run a business? Business ownership can be exciting, but it’s also a lot of work. Can you face six or seven 12-hour work days every week?
How well do you plan and organise? Research indicates that poor planning is responsible for most business failures. Good organisation of financials, inventory, schedules, and production can help you avoid many pitfalls.
Is your drive strong enough? Running a business can wear you down emotionally. Some business owners burn out quickly from having to carry all the responsibility for the success of their business on their own shoulders. Strong motivation will help you survive slowdowns and periods of burnout.
How will the business affect your family? The first few years of business startup can be hard on family life. It’s important for family members to know what to expect and for you to be able to trust that they will support you during this time. There also may be financial difficulties until the business becomes profitable, which could take months or years. You may have to adjust to a lower standard of living or put family assets at risk in the short-term.

So Before you start – Do you know the answer to these 77 questions? Download your copy today it will be the best £3.99 you spend?

I recommend you get a little notebook and start working on each question. For those you cannot answer, find the answer and make a note. This is also an invaluabe excercise if you are already in business, it can help you clarify where you are today and help you plot where you need to get too and how to do it.

Get your exclusive copy today and save £3.00

If you want to find out if you are right for your business, we have a surprise link hidden inside this little ebook. All you have to do is Answer 10 questions and we will send you a full report which will also include your Personal Training Needs Analysis to develop your Entrepreneur skills.

Diane Shawe Author of 77 Question to avoid business failure Available from Amazon

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Traction Alopecia – How You Can Stop It and is it Reversible by Diane Shawe

Posted on February 8, 2016 | 1 comment

Are YOU a Likely candidate for Traction Alopecia?

Anyone can be affected by traction alopecia – young or old, male or female. It’s more common within certain groups of the population, because they are more likely to use some of the hairstyling techniques listed above.

The reason I raise this article is because we are all living longer and some of the current fashionable trends in the younger groups are contributing to traction alopecia. Read about Clip ins and how they cause Traction Alopecia

For example, women and girls are more likely to notice the problem due to braids and weaves. Ballerinas – who tend to wear their hair pulled into very tight ponytails – sometimes suffer from traction alopecia around the hairline as a result.

In a nutshell – if you have a habit of doing something on a frequent basis that puts your hair under some sort of strain, then you are a candidate for traction alopecia.

Read on to discover the many ways you can prevent it from happening, or stop further damage if you’ve already noticed a problem.

Traction Alopecia Symptoms

Have you ever undone a ponytail and found your scalp feels sensitive to the touch afterwards?

Does untying your hair feel like a relief?

Does your scalp itch after you’ve had braids or a weave put in?

Have you ever taken painkillers because your hair is secured so tightly it’s given you a headache?

All of these are warning signs that your hair is under way too much tension. Your body is trying to tell you something… and you need to listen!

If not, the next thing you’ll notice is that sections of your hair are actually missing, or worryingly sparse. You can often see this more clearly around the hairline or behind the ears, but it can often happen around the crown, too. It really depends on what was causing the tension in the first place.

Some people even notice pustules (blisters filled with pus) or papules (little pimples) where the hair is under a lot of tension. This is because of the irritation being caused to the scalp and is a clear indicator that the follicles just can’t cope with the strain.

Can Traction Alopecia be Reversed?

Yes and no.

If you spot the warning signs of traction alopecia early enough and you put a stop to whatever’s causing it, then your hair will stop falling out and should – with time, patience and loving care – be completely restored to its former glory.

But if the hair follicles have been so badly traumatised for such a long period of time that they have scarred over, then the hair will not grow back by itself. Areas of the scalp where this is the case will likely look shiny.

In cases like this, you’ll need to think about some sort of surgical restoration – speak to your dermatologist to establish whether or not your traction alopecia has caused permanent scarring and to discuss the surgical options available to you.

When Traction Alopecia Compounds Other Hair Loss Problems

If you are wearing a hairpiece – such as a clip on topper – to mask other hair problems like androgenetic alopecia, then you need to be very careful not to compound your problem with traction alopecia!

The best option is to ensure that the clips of your topper are firm, but not too tight, and that you rotate them. We also recommend undoing a couple of the clips when you’re at home – it gives your scalp a little rest from the tension.

Traction Alopecia Recovery Time

Most experts agree that your hair should recover within 6 to 9 months of you removing the cause of the problem.

If you’ve followed the guidelines given here and you are still not seeing regrowth, then it’s likely that the damage to your follicles was permanent – a fact your doctor/dermatologist can confirm. In that case, you might like to discuss the possibility of a hair transplant, which will effectively mask the problem.

What are the Causes of Traction Alopecia?

Traction alopecia is a type of hair loss that happens over time. It’s caused by putting the hair under constant strain or tension and is usually caused by one or more of the following…

Very tight ponytails or pigtails
Tight braids or cornrows
Dreadlocks
Extension (single) braids
Hair weaves or wigs attached with glue, clips or tape
Certain hair clips, slides or barrettes that hold the hair tightly and are worn in the same position every day
Headbands – even fabric ones – worn day after day
Tight hairpieces
Tight headgear like cycling helmets that are worn frequently or for long stretches of time and tend to rub or pull repeatedly on the same area of hair
Repeated use of hair rollers
Repeated pulling of the hair with the hands (this is an emotional condition called trichotillomania)

If you use or do any of the above, then you may find that the constant tension they cause has led to areas of thinning hair – usually around the temples or behind your ears. Alternatively, you might notice that the part in your hair looks wider than it used to.

If so, then it’s quite likely that you’re suffering from traction alopecia.

There’s more to this condition than hair simply breaking off. Instead, the constant tension in the affected area either pulls out the hairs’ roots completely, or causes the follicles to become inflamed. As time goes by, the damage to the follicles causes them to become atrophied (wasted away)… and if you don’t put a stop to the cause of the problem, they will reach the point where they no longer produce hair at all.

Reference: DermHairClinic – Traction Alopecia

Get your copy today from amazon.co.uk

Traction Alopecia Treatment

As discussed above, ‘treatment’ for traction alopecia is only effective before you’ve arrived at the stage of permanent damage.

But the good news is that ‘treatment’ – if you’ve caught the condition early enough – can be as simple as changing whatever hair styling and hair care practices you were using and really learning to CARE for this precious asset… your hair!

Wearing a weave

One of the biggest ironies about traction alopecia is that it’s the most common cause of hair loss for women wearing hair extension is due to the application being too tight when weaves and hairpieces are applied… yet those weaves and hairpieces are often used in the first place to enhance hair that may seem thin, or lacking in volume.

Weaves are generally applied through braiding, fusion, netting or bonding – and the sad fact is that any or all of these methods can lead to traction alopecia if used extensively, over long periods of time.

To minimize the risk of traction alopecia, or to try to prevent further damage and encourage regrowth, have your weave fitted by a state licensed professional. Yes, it may be more expensive, but you – and your hair – are worth it! Someone properly trained in hair care will keep damage to a minimum and will be able to spot potential problems and nip them in the bud.

The same goes for hair extensions, which can also cause hair loss problems in the lower half of the scalp. Have them fitted by a trained professional – don’t try to fit them yourself or have a friend do them for you.

Speak to your hairdresser about taking care of your scalp – some women find it difficult to maintain good scalp hygiene because the weave or extensions make it awkward… unfortunately, though, this can make the problem of traction alopecia worse.

When chemicals are the culprits

There’s a kind of alopecia called CCCA (central cicatricial centrifugal alopecia), also known as hot comb alopecia, or follicular degeneration syndrome. It’s almost exclusively seen in African American women and it’s often confused with female pattern baldness, because it starts at the crown and spreads to the surrounding areas.

The cause?

A mixture of too much stress (traction) on the hair along with the use of harsh chemicals like dyes, relaxers and bleaches. The chemicals actually damage the keratin structure of the follicle itself, causing hair LOSS, not just hair damage.

In fact, research conducted in 2008 showed that the highest prevalence of traction alopecia was in women with relaxed hair.

If you suspect this is a condition that’s affecting you, speak to your dermatologist. In addition to removing the cause of the traction and stopping the use of chemicals in your hair, you may be tested for any bacterial or viral infection and possibly be prescribed topical steroids, antibiotics or topical minoxidil to encourage regrowth.

NOTE: If you must use a relaxer on your hair, have it done professionally. Specialists are seeing more and more problems caused by home relaxer kits, because it’s tempting to leave the chemicals on longer than necessary, or accidentally use a stronger formula than you really need. (Make sure they have been certified)

Braiding, ponytails, pigtails and locs

The 2008 research into the prevalence of traction alopecia in African girls and women showed that braiding caused more problems than chemicals (although the two together were worse still).

Constant, tight braiding – or other styles like ponytails that place hair under chronic tension – can affect any ethnic group. So it’s very important to take a new approach to styling hair that doesn’t rely on placing the hair under extreme tension.

The ideal solution, of course, is to allow the hair to be completely natural, without using any kind of clips, slides or ties.

The reality, though, is that this just isn’t possible for most of us. Our hair may either be unmanageable and wild looking when allowed to ‘do its own thing’ – or, like us, you may live in a climate where it’s simply too hot to have your hair hanging around your face all day.

The answer is that you can continue to secure back your hair, but you MUST change the way you do it from one week to the next. Traction alopecia is usually the result of CONTINUALLY putting the hair under EXACTLY the same tension in the same place, day after day.

How to Avoid Traction Alopecia (and still have beautiful hair!)

Change the location of your ponytail often – wear it high, low, on one side, then the other. Don’t wear a ponytail at all if your hair isn’t really long enough to need one… otherwise you’ll probably be pulling your too-short hair really hard in order to secure it.

Avoid using clipped in ponytails – the weight of them can – quite literally – tear out your hair.

Always use fabric covered hair bands – avoid bare rubber bands like the plague! And remove bands, clips and ponytail holders from the hair at night – this is when you may be putting your hair under tension without even realizing it.

Invest in satin pillowcases. They cause less friction on your hair than cotton or nylon ones – and, as an added bonus, they’re believed to help reduce wrinkles too!

Change the location of your partas often as you can. Even a simple part in the hair can trigger a problem when worn in the same position day after day.

Don’t retwist the roots of dreadlocks – watch this video for first-hand experience of how damaging this can be!

If you use hairspray or hair gel, wash it out before you next brush your hair.Brushing dried hairspray and gels out of your hair is damaging to the shaft and may cause further hair loss.

Make sure your hair is hydrated. If you’re in a dry climate – or you use air conditioning or central heating – the lack of moisture in the air can make your hair brittle and more likely to break