|
Sharon, New Hampshire Kathi from NY |
 |
NewslettersFREEDOM HAIR E-NEWSLETTER winter 2010 This edition explores some very relevant topics that will be of special interest not only to those of you with years of experience in wearing our vacuum hairpieces, but to the uninitiated as well. Under the heading of Salon Services, Karen will delve into Color Maintenance while Debbi Fuller talks about celebrating the differences between hairpieces. Deanna Beattie discusses Hair Density and Rose Kozar re-visits insurance issues. Now go get your cup of tea and a biscotti, sit down and enjoy reading!
Color Maintenance By Karen Peterik, New Life Hair, L.L.C. www.newlifehair.com
At left, my new long, strawberry-blonde curl pattern Blondes take on brassy tones while auburns and brunette’s display an orangey glow - especially where the hair is most exposed. If you have the advantage of being able to grow your hair, you can control this with periodic trims as new hair replaces old. But in our case, if you want to keep your hair looking its best, you will want to have a professional restore the color and condition to its original beauty. Of course it all depends on how and where you wear your hair as well as your lifestyle, but in general, after a year of wear, you will need to have some type of color service performed; if you’ve been through a summer in the sun, maybe sooner. Don’t try it yourself; color can be very tricky and you are caring for a valuable asset. It’s hard to realize that your color has changed because you look at it every day and have gotten used to the change. But if you compare the top of your hair to your original hair sample (the one you approved of during the manufacturing period) you will be amazed at the difference. Some clients grow to like this lighter color and request this change for a new order, but we must caution that by doing so repeatedly, you can end up with extremely light hair and this can cause your face to look “washed out”. In most cases, the original color ordered is still the most complimentary one. There is a really good way to overcome this problem and the end result is extremely natural. Some of you have done the exact opposite at your first styling appointment when you had “high-lights” added to lighten your color and create dimension. Similarly, you can darken your color by adding “low-lights”. The colorist weaves sections of your hair (more generously in the most affected areas) onto a foil and applies a semi-permanent hair color in as dark or even a shade darker color than your original color. (Semi-permanent color does less damage than permanent while still getting the job done.) This method protects the implant site from the chemical used to deposit color into the hair since the solution never touches the roots. When the color is washed out - Voila! Your color is back to having depth and looking rich and lustrous. Have your salon restore the condition of the hair at this time as well by using a deep conditioner. (Our salon uses Kerastase treatments applied at the shampoo bowl.) Another color option is applying a gloss with a toner. Toners are very versatile and can do anything from warming up an ashy color to cooling down a brassy one. In our case, the latter is the problem that needs addressing. (You should already be aware that we do not offer ashy colors because they are produced predominately by men or aging women.) Since glosses merely coat the hair rather than penetrate the cuticle, they are not damaging and actually serve to condition the hair. Because of these properties, glosses will wash out faster than a semi-permanent color, but the good news is that we don’t have to wash our hair very often - every 7-10 days or longer, so a gloss can last 3-4 months and a low-light up to 6 months. My opinion is that we have made a valuable investment in our hair and need to schedule regular care for it just as we do with our dentist and doctor. Lastly, I just wanted to emphasize that color can be very deceptive! You can’t possibly “remember” your original color so take the guess work out of it and always refer to your hair sample, especially if this is something you are going to be very critical of. And by the way, when you do get your first look at your new hairpiece, get ready to see what seems like a darker color. It’s just your color memory playing games with you! You will get used to the new color quickly and if by chance you miss that lighter shade, weave in some highlights for added dimension and personality.
“Every Hairpiece Is Different”. By, Debbi Fuller, Fuller Hair Inc. www.fuller-hair.com
The photo above shows me wearing a piece I got back in 2006 which came in a bit “poofier” than any I had worn in the past. The hair had more body and was not as straight and smooth as one I had bought before. Rather than try to make it do what I was used to, I embraced the difference and had it cut a little shorter. By letting the extra wave have its own way, I ended up having a lot of fun with this piece! It was perfect to take with me while vacationing in Peru . While exploring the mountainous areas in the heat and humidity, it just got curlier and wavier and looked very natural without my having to do anything to it for a week or more. Now that’s low-maintenance hair – perfect for travel! I didn't have to style this fluffy one at all! This photo was taken after wearing it for 5 days, pretty much all day, everyday. I just scrunched it and off I went but you can use products to enhance the curl as well such as Ringlet by Redken.
The photo below shows me with a very different look. The wave pattern for this piece is movement and the length is 10 inches.
In summary, it’s good to think of your new hairpiece as a sculpture. When an artist first looks at a big block of marble, he or she waits to see what the stone itself wants to become. Inside that stone, the essence of the new work of art is just waiting to be revealed and the artist discovers it as he/she works the stone. Your new hair is very similar. A good stylist can tell you what the hair ‘wants’ to become! Tip on Suctioning If, by chance, you have ever felt less-than-confident with your suction upon first putting on your vacuum prosthesis in the morning, this may help. You could try spraying a little water inside the cap before putting it on. We’ve always offer this tip to novices as it allows the cap to slide into its correct position easier than a dry cap which does not slide by design. But clients have reported that it also aids in suction. If you think the cap feels loose, adding water might give you the feeling of instant security. The water will quickly dissipate through the silicone pores as you wear it. Let us know if this tip works for you! Insurance Claim Filing By, Rose Kozar, HairSource Inc www.hair-source.com
“Become a strong, assertive advocate for yourself!”
Some carriers provide you with the option of talking with a “patient liaison”. Take advantage of that call – but be prepared in advance. Here are some reminder notes:
If you’ve been successful getting reimbursed for your prosthesis, let your dealer know how you did it. We can share this information with others and include it in a future newsletter.
“Which density choice will fit your desired hair style?” By, Deanna Beattie, Freedom Wigs NZ www.freedomwigs.com
What many people don’t realize is that hair density is greatly affected by texture, curl pattern and colour in addition to the actual amount of hair. For example, the same amount of hair in a straight blonde hairpiece will look considerably less dense than a curly brown or curly auburn hairpiece. When your hair sample arrives, don’t just look at the color; study the texture of the hair as well (is it fine or coarse?).Knowing this will help you understand how your density will be affected. The effort you put into discussing these subtleties with your dealer will be well worth your while when your finished hairpiece is styled and you’ve achieved your goal. Four Basic Choices in Hair Density Extra-Light – is recommended for children or when an adult wants a particularly light implant in their finished hairpiece. I would often suggest this to ladies who are over 60 and/or are very petite. Light – is our most recommended hair density. It gives a natural look with a healthy amount of hair for most adults. Med-Light – is recommended to Freedom clients who have always had thick hair or would like to achieve a style that would require a heavier implant. Medium – is recommended to those clients who have had very thick abundant hair and require this heavy implant choice. In New Zealand our beautiful Polynesian ladies would often request this type of implant. I wouldn’t recommend this for those of European descent. “Always remember that too much hair often spells W-I-G!” Here are a few photos that will to exemplify how colour and curl preference combined with density and styling can affect the look of your hairpiece. To the right is Martine Richards, our beautiful Australian Dealer, wearing a light density Hairpiece implanted with straight blonde hair. You can see that her hair is fine and smooth. Even with the luxurious length, the amount of hair doesn’t overwhelm her face. One reason for this is that blonde hair has the smallest hair shaft diameter. Following that is brown with the thickest being auburn. Hair with a strong curl pattern is usually coarser than straighter hair. Weigh all of this in when determining your final density. Below, left, is a photo of Anna Fitzpatrick, a well-known model in New Zealand and lucky for me, a client and good friend. Her preference is long, medium brown hair with light density and movement.
Above, right, is Dana wearing a rich dark brown hairpiece in light density also, but in a light curl pattern. If it looks slightly denser than the other examples, it may be because of the curl pattern. The last thing I would like to pass on to everyone is to always work with the hair you have ordered. It does not come styled – it comes as a blank canvas from all the choices you have made with the help of your Dealer, so you can cut it to your desired hairstyle. Work within the boundaries of your choices and you will have a hairpiece which will bring you joy, security and beauty. Lastly… to those of you with hair growing under your cap… We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your hair shaved as close to the skin as possible in order to give you the strongest suction. It is this direct contact of the silicone in the cap with the skin on your head along with the precise fit that makes this work. Stubbles of growing hair prevent this direct contact and thus you will lose suction. Some clients, in an effort to regain this security, get into the bad habit of wearing their cap lower over their forehead in a place that feels tight. But this will result in hair breakage at the crown because of the action of trying to push the air bubble down that has formed here. Your forehead space will be too short and you bangs, too long. The HeadBlade was designed expressly for shaving the head. It’s available at Walgreen’s Drug stores or online.
Fuller
Hair, Inc.
1-800-486-1653
in the
1-603-835-6753
outside the
www.fuller-hair.com – website
dfuller@webryders.com – e-mail address
Debbi
Fuller - President
Click the links below to download our past newsletters |
||||||
Call Us tollfree at: Fax: 603-835-8013 |
|
