As we gear up for a busy summer season, natural hair extensions will be making their way onto sandy beaches, fashion photo shoots, and the heads of brides everywhere. But for those of us who fight the daily hair loss battle, managing our hair during any season is a challenge.

As warriors in the hair loss battle, we’re on the constant hunt for hair therapists who can handle our all-encompassing issues. Our hair loss is often connected to some form of physical illness or is a result of a genetic lottery, which can turn our quest for enjoying a simple summer day into one of distress and discomfort. Only those who wear hair prosthetics know what it means to face each day wondering if this is the day someone will point out that we’re losing our hair.

It’s no wonder then that we’re constantly searching for the best natural hair extensions solution we can find. And it’s even less surprising that search is never-ending.

The reason? Once the diagnosis of hair loss is upon us, the only constant we can expect is change. Changes to our hair loss patterns, changes to our hair texture, and changes to our mental and physical state because of the diagnosis. This means the solution we have today may not work tomorrow, and we need to have a hair replacement specialist available to us that can manage those changes. The goal is to create for ourselves the healing environment we need.

So what can clients do to ensure their hair and scalp are well taken care of at any given time? Make sure to do these three things before your next appointment with a hair extensions professional:

Choose a Hair Extensions Specialist Who Will Always Work in Your Best Interest

What’s most exciting about being an artist? Having the opportunity to share our creativity with the world. But nothing makes us less secure about our achievements than feeling as though we’re in competition for recognition or client base.

I wrote recently about a client who lost over 70% of her hair because she was too afraid to talk with her hair stylist about the damage of chemical over-processing. The unfortunate truth is that the environment in which this client received service was a proven battleground filled with rivalry and unprofessionalism. The constant battle for “butts in seats” and the pressure for the salon’s hairstylists to “turn and burn” radiated to the client’s chair—it’s no wonder she felt she didn’t have a voice in her own hair health.

The business of hair may generate billions of dollars per year, but like any other enterprise, some professionals are still discovering their genius and as a result, may feel threatened by the success of others. They have yet to learn that the individual talent of all stylists that helps make every client her best.

But there are also industry stylists who will forever remind us that we all have something unique to bring to the table. One look at the Instagram account of renowned make-up artist Renny Vasquez reminds stylists everywhere that “I am enough.”

As clients, we can’t allow the ills of an entire salon or the personal issues of our hair extensions specialists to affect our health. The greatest power clients possess in managing their hair health is to not allow any service provider to talk them into a service with which they aren’t comfortable. I’ve assisted countless women who’ve incurred severe hair damage from providers unable to properly perform a particular service. Ego should never pressure us to stay with a provider or receive a service that doesn’t feel right for us. Keep in mind that a true artist is too focused on her own success to worry about one less person in her chair: if it’s time to consider other options, she’ll understand. And as a true healer, she’ll be happy to know that her client’s hair is always in the best hands.

 

Choose a Hair Extensions Specialist Who Can Think Outside the Box

The best answers are often discovered when we’re not looking in a familiar place. For clients with ongoing hair challenges this often means we must be as creative in our hair solutions as the specialist we seek.

The best hair extensions for thinning hair result from a combination of the creative art-and-science skills of a true artisan. The process involves in-depth analysis of a client’s hair and scalp and can result in a host of solutions. I’ve said for years that our hair is as unique as our DNA, so we shouldn’t feel relegated to a one-size-fits-all option. Clients should feel they’re entitled to ask questions and explore solutions for hair extensions that may not be offered at their current salon. I highlight the importance of a “one size does not fit all” approach in Finding Our She-Compass, noting that “hair reconstruction uniquely addresses the specific hair loss and scalp disorders of each client. Even if two clients had the same diagnosis I would need to provide two completely different solutions.”

One of the first lessons we learn in cosmetology school is that if we see something, say something—if a client’s hair and scalp look as though they’re suffering it’s our duty to get an expert involved right away. Like our medical brethren, we too learn that the golden rule of caring for our clients is to “first do no harm.” Never should a client be made to feel as though her hair stylist’s salary is more important than her own hair health. Our duty as clients is to seek out the help we need and expect to receive it.

 

Choose A Hair Extensions Specialist Who Knows That Knowledge is Power

I’ve always believed that hair industry specialists “are designers, creators, and visual architects that bring a unique set of skills to the men and women who seek our services.” We are uniquely trained to bring forth a client’s truest vision of herself.

One of the easiest ways to spot a professional hair stylist is to see how she uses information. Is she up-to-date on the latest techniques and tools? Does she regularly consult with other professionals to exchange ideas and keep her creative juices flowing? Can she apply the information she’s learned in a way that adds value to her clients?

In the case of hair extensions, some of the most important information is exchanged during the in-depth consultation.  It’s the ideal way to connect with your hair stylist and preserve your hair health. This is the time to offer up information on all medical issues, procedures, diagnoses, and medications. After decades of practice I believe that the giving and receiving of information is the best gateway to a successful hair extensions service, yet countless hair extensions horror stories remind us that many don’t consider it necessary to work directly with a professional.

WATCH: Hair extensions horror stories are a direct result of not working with a properly trained professional.

It’s important to keep in mind that even the hair extensions services with which we are most familiar can still be an invasive procedure, particularly for those of us dealing with hair thinning. Avoid the hair extensions horror story—choose a stylist who values information and education.

 

https://youtu.be/S3nJ3cqnXds?t=4m47s

WATCH: Even the most familiar hair extensions can be an invasive procedure – avoid the hair extensions horror story by working with a hair professional who can think outside the box.

Bottom line: follow your instincts, do your research, and ask questions. Getting hair extensions can be a wonderful experience, but it’s the choices we make beforehand that affect our end results.

About the Author

Helen Owens is an award-winning veteran hair replacement and restoration specialist. She has appeared in a host of media outlets as an expert on hair loss and women’s issues and is an advocate for helping women survive the challenges associated with losing their crowning glory. A healer for many, she has contributed to several books and is the author of the award-winning title Finding Our She-Compass: 15 Life Lessons for Women Voyaging Toward Restoration, Reconstruction, and Renewal.