A brave woman decided to show her matted hair transformation after struggling with depression and severe anxiety. 

Caregiver Kiera Smith, 21, was at her friend's house in Wisconsin, when she decided enough was enough and began to brush and wash her hair for the first time in three months. 

Kiera for the last few months had just been brushing her hair into a bun and wasn’t aware of just how matted it had become, so she began to brush and detangle it. 

She washed through her hair with shampoo and conditioner and continued to brush through it, repeating the process until her hair began to feel much healthier, which took her over three hours. 

She captured the process on video and posted it online, hoping to help others who are struggling and help motivate them.

The video went viral, amassing over 13.9 million views with many thanking her for being so brave and for showcasing what depression can do. 

Kiera said: “I was going through a period of depression and severe anxiety to the point I didn’t care about doing my hair, so I kept it in a bun 100% of the time. 

“I finally decided enough is enough and brushed through it before it got any worse, it was the first time seeing my hair out of a bun for a few months. 

“I was shocked, it looked worse than I imagined and I couldn’t believe I let it get that bad, it felt like it was gonna be impossible to detangle. 

“However, I took it one step at a time and the process became a lot easier as I motivated myself through each step.

“I was completely shocked at how much love and support I received. A lot of people told me how proud they were of me and that I’m loved and those comments mean so much to me and I’m so happy that this video reached thousands of kind and amazing people.

“I made this video to help people who also struggle with depression and matted hair as I wanted it to motivate others to take a step in taking care of your hair and yourself when going through periods of depression/anxiety. 

“No matter how small the step is, it’s progress.” 

ENDS 

 

The following music was used for this media project:
Music: Coming Home (loopable) by chilledmusic
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10041-coming-home-loopable
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license