Celebrities sporting wigs and hair extensions are two of the biggest trends since skinny jeans. For some, however, it’s not just about keeping up with the latest style. According to the American Hair Loss Association, forty percent of hair loss sufferers are women. So what option is there for these women who need more than just an extension? Something for those who don’t feel comfortable with covering their existing hair with a wig? Recently, new replacement techniques that provide natural and individual results have been coming to the fore.
New age hair replacement methods allow women to virtually wave a magic wand and choose the kind of hair they want. These techniques are non-surgical and can be custom ordered, depending on hair type, color, density, wave, curl or length. Instead of looking obviously fake like old school toupées or wigs, these techniques work real human hair into a client’s own hair. Not only are women able to choose their hair, but they are also able to keep up with trends and add highlights, lowlights or even feathers to their hairstyle. Two salons that are offering this very personal approach to hair replacement are Rodolfo Valentin of Cedarhurst and Hair Systems of Long Island in Commack.
Like most salons, Valentin was very busy on a Saturday afternoon, but I was able to watch while Rodolfo consulted two of his clients. They were both ecstatic about the results, one woman exclaimed, “If he touches your hair, no one will ever know it isn’t yours!” And it was true for me.
Rodolfo patented the term “hair infusion.” “This is my creation,” he proudly stated; he started it after making a promise to his late mother, who suffered from cancer and lost her own hair. The first hair replacement he created for her used a crochet method that his grandmother taught him. He also personally travels three to five times a year to different countries in Europe to find just the right human hair. Rodolfo focuses on each of his clients individually and what their personal needs are, whether it’s a style, cut or color, to have their hair styled and transformed as in any other full service salon.
Hair Systems of Long Island has come up with its own method of hair replacement, as well, called the “Graduated Enhancement Method.” They work with your existing hair little by little to create a full, natural looking head of hair. The number of visits depends on how much hair they need to replace, but it generally takes around six weeks. Since the fusing process is done slowly, the results are less dramatic than a wig, therefore more natural and gradual.
“Envision a salon style setting but instead of being in an open storefront, it is located in a business building for privacy,” Christie, the manager at Hair Systems, said. When walking in and out of the building, no one will ever know you just had a hair replacement treatment. “This makes it easier for people to make that first step,” said Christie. They have private rooms for their hair replacement clients, and then, for a more of a social setting after the replacement, clients have an option of a haircut and styling in an open, salon-like space. “Our drive is women, trend and what’s going on in the industry right now.” Christie feels the best part of her job is that she can “always say yes” to a particular style. Most importantly Christie mentioned, “Once we’ve given them back their hair we’ve given them back everything!”