Elanie Kotze has heard every hair loss story there is. As a hair and scalp expert, and a mom of five, which she'll tell you is its own kind of stress test, she uses her social media platforms to speak openly about hair thinning, breakage, and hair and scalp routines, and has shown her own journey rebuilding the health of her hair. Her own turning point didn't come from a single product, in fact it came from a combined routine that included oil treatments, high quality products and 10-15 quiet minutes of red light therapy every morning.
We talked to her about what's really behind most hair loss, how red light therapy fits into her scalp care routine, and why she trusts the Rouge Ultimate G4 enough to use it on her entire family.
What's the number one cause of hair loss you're seeing right now?
"The most common cause of hair loss I see today is a combination of chronic stress, hormonal changes, and inflammation," Elanie says. "Stress can disrupt the hair growth cycle, while hormonal shifts, especially during perimenopause, menopause, postpartum, and thyroid imbalances, can contribute to excessive shedding and hair thinning." She's quick to add that it's rarely just one factor. "I believe hair loss is often multifactorial, which is why a holistic assessment is so important."
It's clear from the start that Elanie doesn't look for a single culprit. She's more interested in the full picture.
What about the scalp itself? What issues come up most?
"The most common concerns I encounter are scalp inflammation, dryness, excess oil production, dandruff, itching, sensitivity, and progressive hair thinning," she says. "Many people focus solely on the hair itself, but healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. When the scalp environment is compromised, hair quality and growth can be affected."
That distinction, treating the scalp as its own environment rather than just the soil hair happens to grow in, shapes everything else she does.
How do you actually use red light therapy in your routine?
"I use red light therapy as part of a comprehensive scalp wellness approach," she says. "Red and near-infrared wavelengths help support cellular energy production, circulation, and a healthier scalp environment. I combine red light therapy with a targeted scalp growth serum and weekly nourishing oil treatment. Consistency is key, and I view red light therapy as an excellent supportive tool for long-term scalp and hair health."
It's not a standalone fix for her so much as the anchor that holds the rest of the routine together. One of her clients described the effect this way: "What I love most is that it gives me a simple routine that supports both my scalp health and overall wellness. It's become a daily habit that I genuinely look forward to."
Why Rouge, and why the Ultimate G4 specifically?
"I chose Rouge because of its commitment to quality, innovation, and evidence based light therapy technology," Elanie says. "The Ultimate G4 stood out to me because it combines both red and near-infrared wavelengths in a powerful, user-friendly device. I appreciate that it can be incorporated easily into daily wellness routines while supporting not only scalp health but overall cellular wellness. The build quality, versatility, and performance made it a natural choice for my entire family."
You talk a lot about consistency. Why does it matter so much?
This is where Elanie gets most animated. "Healthy hair doesn't happen overnight," she says. "One of the biggest lessons I've learned on my own journey is that scalp health is a long game. My transformation didn't happen in a few weeks. It happened through small, consistent habits repeated over time.
For me, that looked like daily red light therapy, regular scalp massages, using my scalp serum and hair oil consistently, and focusing on creating a healthy environment for my hair to thrive. Looking back at my photos from a year ago compared to today, the difference is incredible, and I truly believe consistency has been the biggest factor in those results."
What would you tell someone who's curious but hasn't started yet?
Her answer here is the closest thing to a mission statement. "I'd say just start and give it time," she says. "When I first started using red light therapy, I didn't expect it to become such an important part of my daily routine, but now it's something I genuinely look forward to every morning.
Of course, I also focus on scalp health with targeted serums and weekly oil treatments, but the red light is what keeps me consistent. It gives me 10 to 15 minutes every day to focus on myself and my scalp health. Looking back at my transformation photos from the past two years, I'm so grateful I stuck with it.
If you're thinking about trying red light therapy, my advice is to be patient, stay consistent, and take photos along the way. Sometimes you don't realize how much progress you've made until you look back."
Before we wrapped up, Elanie circled back to the bigger picture, the same one she started with. "One point I often emphasize is that hair health is a reflection of overall health," she said. "Factors such as nutrition, sleep, stress management, hormonal balance, and scalp care all work together. The best outcomes occur when we address the root causes while supporting the scalp with tools like red light therapy."
Nothing about Elanie's routine is complicated or extreme. It's ten minutes a day, a few consistent habits, and a willingness to trust the process long enough to see it through. Her year over year photos are proof that it works.