The Consultation:
A reputable hair replacement designer will insist on interviewing each client before agreeing to make a sale. He is not as anxious to take your money as he is to make sure he understands your hair grooming problems, one of which being whether or not a hair system is really for you.
Naturally, all physical conditions must be taken into account. But just as important, perhaps more so, are the psychological conditions. For example, why does a client want a hairpiece? What are his expectations?
A hairpiece is not a fountain of youth. It cannot replace time. If an older man wants a hair replacement reminiscent of his twenties, it simply cannot be done. His skin color is very different from that which he had in earlier years, and both the style and color of his hairpiece would be unbelievable if he insisted on an exact duplication.
Thus, the necessity for the interview--to understand not only the needs but also the desires of the customer. As I many times explain "If a stylist finds he cannot honestly meet or accept either one of these categories, his integrity should demand he be honest about it. False promises only result in dissatisfied customers."
On the other hand, in essence, a hair replacement system can take five to ten years off a man's appearance. It can restore his self-confidence and, as a result, make him feel younger. It is a sensible and practical investment for mature and realistic people.
The Design and Measurements:
Measurement is a skill requiring a great deal of concentration. Using his experience and knowledge, the stylist must create an exact pattern of the client's head size and balding area. If the measurement is left to an amateur, it is almost certain to guarantee disaster and to be the forerunner of a hair replacement system that refuses to hug the scalp and often appears askew!
The pattern is sketched on a piece of clear plastic put over the patron's existing hair and balding area. The plastic material used in creating the mold of your balding area is very durable and preservable which means you do not have to go through the molding process every time you want a new hair system.
The stylist then makes notations that will assist him in the actual design of the hairpiece; Thickness or lightness of the ventilated hair, age and lifestyle of the patron, facial features, whether existing hair is straight, wavy, curly, etc. All these facts are considered before the proper type of hair can be selected. With today's modern styling it is also important to note if the hair has to be longer that the normal length hair system.
After the fitting, the next critical step involves taking hair samples, cut from specific areas of the temples, the back, as well as any other varying area, help make the hair replacement system look as realistic as possible by giving the designer a true idea of the color blend required. (Samples are small--they'll never be missed, not even on a balding head!)
At this stage it is decided if the client needs additional shading in the front of his hairpiece, such as a sun-bleached look of grey seems not not quite as grey as the temples. Lightening the front of a hair replacement system will soften a mature face. Strong coloring looks fine on someone in his thirties, but would be too harsh on a fifty-year-old whose natural color is beginning to show age fade.
Before we leave this subject, also note that it is advisable to have the stylist shampoo and style a patron's own hair at least ounce before beginning production of the hair system.It is beneficial for him to know exactly what the client's hair will and will not do.
The Fitting:
AS soon as your hairpiece is completed, you will be called in for your fitting. The stylist will shampoo your existing hair and then shape and style it to get the best look possible. Only then is your new hair secured into position, ready to be cut and styled right on your head for maximum fit and good looks.
David Hansen
Chicago, Illinois
www.davidhansen.com
