Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1483267
N ot a m e m b e r ? J o i n at a s so c iate d h a i rp rofe s sio n a ls .c o m 39 to come to the salon for maintenance are a couple of key points you want to ask your client about. "I had a woman who was in her 60s and had thinning hair," David recalls. "She really wanted to wear the hair when she wants to wear it, so extensions were really not her thing. So, we created a topette for her, which is going to address the thinning hair at the top and will cascade out to the sides and back of her hair to create the fullness and the body and still maintain her style, which is a short bob with bangs. It keeps it very simple for her." David also had a client who was dealing with thinning hair and wanted long, 22-inch extensions. "Her hair was thin to begin with, [so we wanted to] create length and body for her," he says. "In her case, because she's a little bit active and she doesn't like to be at the salon too often, we created what we call our couture-link extensions, which are like little cylinders. We insert hair in between the cylinders and her own hair and attach it that way. This gives her more longevity in between servicing, anywhere from 2–4 months." EMBRACING A NEW ROUTINE The transition to baldness is a perfect time to focus on healthy regrowth, if that is a feasible part of your clients' hair journey. "Going bald is such a great opportunity to have a fresh start and really make sure that any regrowth going forward is at optimal health," Houston says. In the meantime, taking care of the scalp should be a focus. "Sunscreen is vital when our scalp is exposed, and it's very important to protect this delicate area from any potential damage," she says. "Scarves and hats are super helpful when spending a lot of time in the sun. We also want to be sure we're being gentle with any regrowth, avoiding any harsh processing or overuse of heat styling so that we can have the healthiest, most beautiful version of our hair." Waldman agrees that you should encourage clients to care for their scalps. "More attention needs to be paid to keep the scalp as healthy as we can to cultivate the strongest, healthiest hair possible," he says. "Shampoos, conditioners, and treatments that stimulate blood flow and are antibacterial are great to get nutrients to the follicle for healthy hair and keep it free of blemishes that could impede growth." If you are sending a client home with a wig or extensions, David emphasizes the importance of educating them on proper care and maintenance. "Let's say they came in for a consultation [and we decide on extensions]. They come back to me in three weeks when their extensions are ready and we put them on," David says. "With that comes education; I'll tell them all the dos and don'ts, what products to use, what brushes to use. And sometimes we invite them back a week or two later . . . for a complimentary wash and style. We'll show them how to wash and maintain it." FINDING STRENGTH THROUGH CHANGE There's no doubt that any physical change comes with its fair share of challenges. Because of the emotional bonds many people have with hair, experiencing hair loss or going bald can be particularly distressing and anxiety-inducing. As a hairstylist, you not only have the opportunity to guide your client through this time with knowledge and comfort, but also to help break the stigma associated with hair loss. "As a hairstylist, I can absolutely understand utilizing your hair as an outlet to express yourself, but I also think it's important to challenge the way we tend to tie our hair to our ideas of beauty and femininity," Houston says. "So, while there's vulnerability in going against those negative stereotypes and preconceptions, I've also found that once you work through it, there's such a sense of strength and liberation on the other side. Bald truly is beautiful." Notes 1. NYU Langone Health, "Our Approach to Treating Hair Loss," accessed October 2022, www.nyulangone.org/ conditions/hair-loss. 2. N. Hunt and S. McHale, "The Psychological Impact of Alopecia," PubMed, (October 2005): 951–3, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC1261195. 3. N. Hunt and S. McHale, "The Psychological Impact of Alopecia." 4. S. Gupta, I. Goyal and A. Mahendra, "Quality of Life Assessment in Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia," International Journal of Trichology 11 (August 2019): 147–52, www.ijtrichology.com/text.asp?2019/11/4/147/264727.