Losing your hair is one of the hardest things to bear, especially if you are a woman. It’s our crowning glory, the pièce de résistance when we are looking our best, and even a barometer of how we are feeling.
But hair loss can be just as devastating to men, especially when it strikes at a young age.
Hair loss comes to people from all walks of life and can range from complete baldness to thinning hair, bald patches or short, breaking hair that just won’t grow.
Losing your hair due to a medical condition can make life even more of a struggle for sufferers.
Alopecia, where the hair inexplicably falls out and often doesn’t grow back can hit men, women and children at any time. And many cancer patients will tell you that the worst part of their illness is the loss of their hair through chemotherapy.
Hair restoration has gone through huge advances in recent years, and there are many affordable solutions.
Shirley Johns is one of Scotland’s top hair restorers. She owns HJO Hair Restoration and Aesthetics in Glasgow, and has clients from all over Scotland who come to her for advice.
She said: “Losing your hair doesn’t have to be the end of the world. There are all sorts of things we can do which people can incorporate into their daily lives.
“It’s no longer a case of just putting on a wig or wearing a hat – there are very sophisticated hair integration and hair systems available now which look and feel like real hair.
“Once they are in place, they can last up to two years with regular maintenance and no-one will ever know you are wearing one.
“You sleep in them, wash and style them just like your own hair. In fact you can do anything in them – after a few days my clients just forget all about them, they look and feel so natural.”
One of the most popular solutions for women with thinning hair or bald patches is an integrated lace system.
Real hair is woven into the hair where it creates a totally natural-looking thick head of hair which can be cut, coloured and styled to any length.
The integrated lace hair systems will last for up to two years with regular maintenance, and can also be used to lengthen very short hair.
Dianne Baxter, 49, has beaten cancer twice, but she suffered permanent hair loss following radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
She said: “I have got all my confidence back after having the lace system fitted to cover my bald patches. I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, then years later I contracted breast cancer.
“After the chemo my hair didn’t grow back properly and I was almost bald on the top and my hair was very thin.
“You can’t hide your hair, and every time I looked at myself it was a constant reminder that I had been ill.”
Dianne struggled to find a solution for 18 months before she heard about Shirley’s clinic in Glasgow.
She said: “I burst out crying the first time I saw myself in the mirror with hair again. I then went to my silver wedding anniversary party – I felt amazing and everyone there was sobbing too. I am so grateful to Shirley, she has given me back my confidence.”
Shirley, who has trained with the world’s top hair restorers and wigmakers in Europe said: “Importantly, these systems will not damage what little hair there is left and her own hair can grow underneath.”
One of the most popular solutions for complete hair loss is a bio hair system. This is especially suitable for those who have lost all their hair or most of it from the crown of the head.
They are particularly popular with men who are going bald and for women with alopecia or going through treatment for cancer. They are also great for kids as they are so robust.
John Humphrey, 29, has been wearing a hair system for a few years. He said: “I started losing my hair when I was 19 and I was very self conscious.
“I was a trainer and I’d feel self-conscious standing up in front of people. I was paranoid having my photo taken and I would wear a hat.
“I went to the clinic with no hair and came out with loads. I can do anything with it – it’s like there’s nothing there, it’s just like my own hair. I didn’t want to look like I’d had anything done, I just wanted to look like I had hair.”
The systems are made of real hair and can be cut and coloured to any style or length.
The bio system needs to be maintained every two or three months to keep it looking its best.
Shirley said: “I wish these bio systems were available on the NHS for patients going through chemo or with alopecia. For some people it would make things so much more bearable.”
Shirley, 43, has travelled the world in search of hair loss solutions after she started to suffer from thinning hair herself as a young woman.
She said: “I trained as a hairdresser when I was a teenager, and had my own busy Glasgow salon. However, I started to concentrate on the hair restoration side of things decades ago as I found it so rewarding.
“Giving people the chance to look and feel great about themselves is wonderful – every day is a pleasure.
Shirley is also Scotland’s top hair extensions trainer, with 20 different types available.
She said: “It does worry me when I see so many young girls with terrible hair and scalp damage as a result of wearing badly fitted extensions over a long period.
“It is so important to be careful as extensions can cause permanent baldness and traction alopecia.”
- Contact HJO Hair Restoration and Aesthetics at www.harleyjohair.co.uk or phone 0141 237 5151.