Understanding the devastation of hair loss
Why is hair loss devastating? Why is it important to find the perfect wig?
Some women place high value on hair and believes it defines their beauty. It is the desire of most women to have a beautiful healthy head of hair, not only for our looks but also as part of our overall health and hygiene. Hair whether short or long is a part of our overall appearance. It can bring out our best features—that’s why our cut, style, colors and tones are very important. Does this color match my skin tone or does it bring out my eyes? Should I wear bangs or show my forehead? Should I wear a side part, right side or left side, should I wear a part down the middle? Do blondes really have more fun?
We spend our whole life figuring what works for us, so it can be unthinkable to imagine what we would look like or do without hair because it is so much a part of our identity. It’s a part of our femininity, it’s a part of our actions, yes actions. We fling it or pick it, play with it in conversation or flirtations, pull it up in a bun to be taken more seriously. We use our hair as a subtle form of communication. Some are even taught in church “if a women’s hair be long it is her Glory” Corinthians 11:15 so for some we believe the prettier the hair the prettier we are. Hair is accepted as part of our beauty and in some cases our best feature that is why to most women it is so devastating if we should lose it.
When I opened Hairs 2 U, I didn’t want to open just another wig store I wanted to help all the women in the world experiencing hair loss, because I understand their devastation. When some of these women come into the store they are at their lowest point in their lives, they have just received the worst report imaginable—and are now walking into a wig store and having to show their vulnerability to a stranger. This is a surreal moment, it is sad and awkward. Their biggest fears are: nothing is going to look right on me, everybody is going to know I have cancer, everyone is going to know I’m wearing a wig. What do I say, how do I bring it up, do I say I’m going through chemo, how do I act? I’ve seen them cry before they say a word. I’ve seen them come in and act like they are just looking and couldn’t bring themselves to say they needed a wig and leave. I’ve seen them being pushed into coming too soon and jump up in the middle of a fitting, burst into tears and say “I’m sorry but I can’t do this now,” and leave.
It’s our job to snatch their dignity at the door and hold onto it as tight as we can through the love of God and use all of our professional knowledge to calm and assure them it’s going to be alright. Sickness or hair loss does not discriminate; our job is to reinvent their best hair day. If you need a blue streak down the center of your forehead because that’s what it takes for you feel better, no worries, I’ll help you.
I want to make sure when you leave Hairs 2 U Wig Bank you’re feeling confident and assured knowing your hair will not be the elephant in the room. This way, you can worry about getting well and not about your hair.