Written By: Tracey Khan
In a relaxing wellness studio on Howard Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Shanna Lord is helping Black women see their hair differently, not as a problem to conceal, but as a signal to understand.
Shanna Lord, founder of SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, stands inside her Bedford-Stuyvesant studio, where she specializes in holistic scalp care and trichology. (Photo by Jose Dessourees (eye2eyeimages)
As founder of SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, Lord specializes in holistic hair care, scalp analysis and trichology, a science-based approach to diagnosing and treating hair and scalp disorders. At a time when conversations about Black women’s health disparities are growing louder, her work sits at the intersection of beauty, medicine and cultural tradition.
“I realized we weren’t going deep enough,” Lord said. “We were styling beautifully, but we weren’t always asking why the hair was thinning, why the scalp was inflamed or why the shedding wouldn’t stop.”
Licensed since 2011, Lord spent years balancing a corporate career with hairstyling before leaping into full-time entrepreneurship during the pandemic. The pause, she said, forced her to slow down and examine her own health. After experiencing hormonal imbalances following the birth of her second son, she began researching the connection between internal health, autoimmune conditions and scalp disorders a link she believes is often overlooked in traditional cosmetology.
Her decision to become certified in trichology was both professional and personal.
“Hair loss is rarely just cosmetic,” Lord said. “Sometimes it’s the first visible sign that something inside the body needs attention.”
Lord performs a scalp analysis on a client at her Brooklyn wellness studio, using science-based techniques to identify inflammation, hair thinning and underlying health concerns. (Photo by Jose Dessourees (eye2eyeimages)
At SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, clients begin with an in-depth scalp analysis, followed by customized treatment plans tailored to issues such as traction alopecia, inflammation, hormonal shedding and dermatitis. Lord frequently suggests medical referrals when she observes signs that may indicate underlying autoimmune disorders, thyroid dysfunction or severe hormonal imbalance.
“I’ve had clients discover lupus or other conditions because we paid attention to what the scalp was saying,” she said. “That’s why this work matters.”
Lord’s approach blends science with heritage. Born in Brooklyn to a Jamaican father and a mother from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, she grew up in a West Indian household where herbal remedies were routine. Peppermint to cool the scalp, sea moss for vitality, bitters for internal cleansing, these practices shaped her understanding of wellness long before they became mainstream trends.
“Before sea moss was a hashtag, we were taking it as children,” she said. “That tradition stayed with me.”
Today, her holistic Black hair care practice integrates prescribed treatments with herbal regimens, emphasizing internal balance alongside external care. She avoids harsh chemical processes and instead prioritizes safe styling techniques, natural hair health and low-tension braiding methods that protect follicles rather than strain them.
“Protective styles are only protective if the scalp underneath is healthy,” she said. “We have to stop sacrificing long-term health for short-term beauty.”
Her services now extend beyond traditional hairstyling to include stimulating scalp therapy, exfoliating treatments to remove buildup and unclog follicles, customized facials, medicated nail treatments, medical wig making and a newly introduced head spa experience designed to enhance circulation and promote deep relaxation.
Lord has also assembled a multidisciplinary team, including natural hair stylists and a medical nail technician who specializes in diabetic and specialized foot care. Together, they are redefining beauty as an integrated wellness practice one that treats the scalp, skin and overall health as interconnected rather than separate concerns.
For Lord, leaving corporate life was daunting. Yet she describes the shift as necessary.
“It’s harder work,” she said. “But it’s meaningful work.”
In a community where stress is often normalized and health concerns are frequently minimized, Lord believes education is empowerment. She provides detailed reports and customized regimens so clients leave not only treated, but informed.
“I want women to understand their bodies,” she said. “Your hair is part of your health story.”
Herbal products and scalp treatment tools are displayed at SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, reflecting Lord’s integration of West Indian traditions and modern trichology practices. (Photo by Jose Dessourees (eye2eyeimages)
As holistic hair care and scalp wellness gain traction in New York City, Lord’s work represents more than a beauty trend. It is a call for Black women to reclaim their crowns with intention, honoring both science and ancestral wisdom.
Inside her Brooklyn studio, the message is clear: caring for Black hair begins beneath the surface. And when women understand the root, they do more than grow hair; they restore balance, confidence and control.
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