You’re sitting in your stylists chair and she notices something. A small patch of missing hair. And another. Your first instinct is to freak out and head directly for your doctor. A wise choice. Or, you’re in the shower and notice clumps of hair coming off when you wash it. Losing your hair is scary. But there are good options for hair replacement including wigs, extensions, hairpieces called toppettes and integrated hair systems that use your own hair.
Your next stop is googling hair extensions or hair pieces or even wigs. The sheer number of results can be overwhelming. What should you choose? How do you match it to your hair color? Do you have to cover your whole head or just that spot?
Your stylist, who has cut and styled your hair for years, may know of a wig stylist, a specialist who is licensed as a stylist and has training and experience cutting and styling wigs.
A stylist who cuts wigs - synthetic or human hair – can help make that wig or hairpiece make it perfectly you. Almost all wigs require at least a small amount of styling - trimming around ears or bangs, adjusting length or reducing fullness. And few salons have stylists trained or experienced in cutting and styling wigs.
You might not need a full wig! Some clients only need a toppette, where your own hair is integrated into a cap that feels cool, natural and can stay in for weeks at a time, where you care for it as you would your normal hair. You might need extensions to help with thinning hair, or you might find you’re most comfortable with a whole wig. Your wig stylist should go over all of your options, and she should guide you to the best option that fits your type of hair loss and how you feel about your hair.
When you leave, you should feel comfortable, beautiful and confident with your new (or newly augmented) hair!