Long before sea moss became a staple in luxury wellness shops, it was a fixture in Shanna Lord’s Brooklyn childhood home.

Born to a Jamaican father and a mother from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Lord was raised in a West Indian household where herbal healing was second nature.

Peppermint was brewed to soothe the scalp. Bitters were taken to purify the blood. Sea moss was consumed without debate, decades before it found its way into glass jars and social media.

“Before sea moss was a hashtag, we were taking it as children,” Lord said. “If something was boiling on the stove and smelled strong, we knew it was good for us.”

Lord performs a scalp analysis on a client at her Brooklyn wellness studio, using science-based techniques to identify inflammation, thinning and potential underlying health concerns. Photo by Jose Dessourees / eye2eyeimages

Today, those Caribbean traditions shape the foundation of her work as founder of SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, a holistic head spa studio on Howard Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. As a certified trichologist, a specialist in diagnosing and treating hair and scalp disorders, Lord blends ancestral wisdom with science to help Black women understand their hair not as a cosmetic concern, but as a health indicator.

“I realized we weren’t going deep enough,” she 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 balanced corporate life with hairstyling for years before the pandemic forced her to slow down. 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.

SLS Hair & Scalp Wellness in Brooklyn serves as a herbal oasis for women seeking holistic scalp care and restorative hair treatments. Photo by Tracey Khan

“Hair loss is rarely just cosmetic,” Lord said. “Sometimes it’s the first visible sign that something inside the body needs attention.”

At SLS Hair and Scalp Wellness, clients begin with detailed scalp analyses, followed by customized treatment plans that address traction alopecia, hormonal shedding, inflammation, and dermatitis. Lord frequently recommends medical referrals when she notices signs of thyroid dysfunction, lupus, or other autoimmune disorders.

“I’ve had clients discover underlying conditions because we paid attention to what the scalp was saying,” she said. “That’s why this work matters.”

Her services extend beyond styling to include stimulating scalp therapy, exfoliating treatments to unclog follicles, customized facials, medicated nail treatments, medical wig making, and a head spa experience designed to promote circulation and relaxation. She also leads a multidisciplinary team that includes natural hair stylists and a medical nail technician who specializes in diabetic foot care.

Still, the throughline remains Caribbean.

Lord created her own line of herbal products reflecting her blend of West Indian remedies and clinical scalp care. Photo by Jose Shanna Lord

Her approach integrates prescribed treatments with herbal regimens, emphasizing internal balance alongside external care. She prioritizes low-tension braiding methods and discourages harsh chemical processes, advocating for protective styles that truly protect.

“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.”

For Lord, this is more than business. It is a legacy.

“I want women to understand their bodies,” she said. “Your hair is part of your health story.”

Inside her Brooklyn studio, Caribbean tradition meets clinical precision, and Black women are learning that caring for their crowns begins at the root.