Seven Seas Perfect Seven: Can Taking Supplements Really Make Your Hair Grow Faster?

After a lengthy 19 year battle with trichotillomania, I am convinced that I have permanently damaged my hair. The lashes and eyebrows that now eventually grow through are weak, brittle and fall out so easily. Dermotillomania has made my nails flimsy and thin- causing them to break as soon as they get past a certain length- and scabbing and scarring around my cuticles is a regular sight. Throughout these years, I've experimented with so many different treatments to help ease these symptoms; eyelash and eyebrow serums, nail strengthening formulas, intensely nourishing creams and even using beauty products to act as a barrier whilst my hair and nails try to grow. One thing I haven't turned to in all this time is supplements. Seven Seas' range of vitamins claim to help these symptoms from the inside, so for the first time, I'm going to be putting them to the test.

Fuss-Free Nails: KISS ImPress Press-On Manicure

Recently, a (what I think was slightly dodgy) gel manicure completely damaged my nails. On top of my permanent dermatillomania damage, this beauty treatment left my nails dry, damaged and literally crumbling. I've never had it before when my nails split right down the middle- and I'm not talking just the tip! My thumb nails have been agony recently where pretty much half the nail has come off (GROSS ALERT) and whilst I have let them to heal naturally for a little while, I really want a quick-fix in covering up the ugly mess that has been left. When they grew back to a very short but normal length, I gave these KISS Press-On nails a whirl to help make my hands look pretty once again.

BFRB Awareness Week: What Does It Actually Mean?

In support of BFRB awareness week, I thought I'd go into the more medical side of things for once and give an insight into the category in which trichotillomania is placed. BFRB stands for 'body-focused repetitive behaviours' and broadly covers all disorders which display these characteristics. Rather than mild habits or 'tics' (such as picking your nails every now and then), these disorders focus on touching the body and/or hair in ways which are incredibly damaging; they have more extreme consequences than the mannerisms which people are most used to seeing. Rather than just being habits, there is a deeply complex emotional root in these BFRBs which needs treating in some way. The emotional trauma and physical damage these disorders can cause make them something dangerous to undermine and hurtful to minimise the severity of.

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The Ultimate Lazy Nails (Featuring Brit Rocks Vintage)

Whilst I am incredibly open about my trichotillomania on this site and other places across t'internet, there is one thing which I am forever embarrassed and ashamed about. I've come to terms with not having eyebrows or eyelashes, but have pushed its sister disorder completely to one side. Dermotillomania has destroyed my nails. Throughout my teens, I would (warning: this sounds disgusting) compulsively pick away at my nails and my cuticles...and I still do to this day. It makes me feel disgusting and has physically ruined my nails. My cuticles are scabby, red and sore (and often picked so much they bleed) and the nails on my thumbs have curved so much they just look abnormal now (my family call them my 'werewolf claws'). I love painting my nails and making them look pretty, but always had hang-ups with the way my fingers looked with dermotillomania- scabby, werewolf claws are just not elegant. Nail varnish never hid the curves in my nails, but I've recently discovered one thing which does: false nails.