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Choosing the right hair system – Let’s Keep It Real

Image of a woman who didn't choose the right hair system

Whether you are a seasoned hair replacement wearer, a newbie, or just contemplating getting on board with hair replacement, the most important thing to remember when choosing the right hair system is to ensure that it looks real, natural and age appropriate.

Nothing screams ‘wig’ more than the density of the hair. The aim is to achieve a realistic head of hair and for the hair to look age appropriate. As much as we would all love to be in our twenties again, wearing hair as thick as rope may draw attention: you don’t want to look like you have a sleeping cat on your head! It is preferable to select the density to match any existing hair on the sides and back. Be aware too, that you will be used to styling your hair in a certain way and so when choosing a new hair system, make sure the direction of the hair suits your desired hairstyle. Options range from freestyle (where the hair can be brushed and styled in any direction) to set partings, crown positions and breaks in the hairline. If in doubt, just repeat the mantra “less is more”.

It is vitally important to choose the correct hair colour for your age, complexion and existing hair. Be sensitive to any greying hair you may have and to choose a blend of colours that compliment rather than contrast your overall appearance. Looking like Morticia Addams at a Halloween party may be fine, but taking that look into your day-to-day life may result in a few unwanted sideways glances! Many reputable hair suppliers will be happy to custom match your existing hair to make sure you have a natural look and avoid any mismatched colour nightmares.

Getting the right hair type is imperative. Whether you choose synthetic hair or human Indian hair, Indian Remy hair, Chinese hair or European hair will be largely dependent on your lifestyle and budget. Most hair system wearers go for the human hair option as this gives the most natural and realistic look, but synthetic hair will never fade and lasts much longer. Consider carefully why you are wearing a hair replacement system before making this important choice.

Finally, and in a way the most important of all, is to get your hair system cut-in properly by an experienced stylist. Never forget that a haircut disaster on a hair system CANNOT be rectified as this hair will never grow back and you may end up with a very costly mistake. Research your hair stylist carefully before the first snip is made!

So there you have it, a few basic tips on how to achieve a realistic hair system that even your nearest and dearest will have difficulty detecting.

Keep an eye on our blog posts for more useful tips and hints on how to keep your hair system looking good all year round. You will find all the products you need too in our online shop.

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Pattern baldness: Myth Busting not Ghost Busting

Image of lady with bag on her head because of female pattern baldness

Halloween is here again. Getting up and down to answer the door to tiny tots dressed as witches, ghouls, ghosts and devils may not be your idea of fun, but don’t let the stress levels get you tearing your hair out.

Talking of hair, let’s get a few facts out into the open and bust a few myths about pattern baldness:

There are NO pills, creams, tablets, vitamins, sprays, tonics, oils or any other bizarre concoctions that can cure hair loss. There is NO CURE for male/female pattern baldness. If there was, baldness wouldn’t exist. These so-called ‘remedies’ exist for one reason only, and that is to convince you to part with your cash. Sadly there are lot of unscrupulous companies out there pushing bogus lotions and potions and convincing an already vulnerable group of people that they need to spend thousands to have their hair grow back.

Nothing will cure your male or female pattern baldness. Nothing. You have the option to undergo surgery for a hair transplant/laser therapy, choose a wig or customise a hair replacement system. Each option can provide you with a new head of hair that hasn’t magically grown back following a 21-day course of eye of newt and toe of frog tablets.

But what about vitamins and the various assertions that they can assist with hair growth? With so many studies, surveys and reports, surely there must be some hair related benefits to taking supplements?

Hair loss or pattern baldness has many causes, but the primary culprit is genetics, which can obviously not be avoided; you can’t cheat your genes. Changes in hormone levels; thyroid conditions, auto-immune disorders, stress and severe malnutrition are also responsible for pattern baldness but cannot be simply fixed with a vitamin B supplement. If you are seriously vitamin deficient, to the extent you are losing hair, you will no doubt be very poorly also, and should therefore seek medical advice.

Unfortunately, despite all the claims, there is no conclusive evidence that supplementing with vitamins can thicken your hair, halt the shedding process or help hair to re-grow. There are a handful of studies claiming hair-regrowth success on mice, but as yet, no test has proven successful on a human head!

A healthy nutrient rich diet containing B vitamins, vitamin A, E, D and C, plus omega-3 and 6 could contribute to your overall well-being and probably improve the look of your hair, skin and nails, but such factors cannot change your genetics. However, if you suffer with male/female pattern baldness, improving your diet will probably make no difference to your hair loss.

This Halloween don’t get fooled by the snake oil salesmen plying their trade to the vulnerable: who you gonna call?

For help and advice on hair loss and pattern baldness contact us

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Water, Water Every Hair: Why your water may be the reason that your hair system is drying out

image of lady with dry hair

Many people who wear hair systems, especially those with long hair, experience the annoyance at one point or another that their hair system is drying out. 

There are several factors that lead to a hair system is drying out such as harmful alcohols in hair products, heat styling and blow-drying. But there is one factor that is commonly overlooked: the quality of your water.

What’s in your water?

Hair system wearers take special precautions to protect their hair from swimming pool water because it is well known that chlorine dries out the hair. It also causes oxidation that makes the hair lighten or change colour, but did you know that most of the treated water that flows into your home can contain more chlorine than a swimming pool? Yep, that means we might as well wear a swim cap in the shower every day!

Although chlorine may be great for killing bacteria, it wreaks havoc on our hair: chlorine sucks all of the moisture (and colour) out of your hair creating tangling, frizzing and breakage. Conditioning the hair system using leave-in and rinse out conditioners, hair serums and oils can help reduce the drying effect of chlorinated hair but this isn’t always enough. Even if you even if youre faithfully conditioning your hair and avoiding heat styling and harmful alcohols, the chlorinated water in your home may be undoing all your hard work.

Filter out the nasties:

The best way to protect your hair from chlorine is to filter it out before it gets into your hair and scalp. Purchasing a water filter is a great way to remove the harsh chlorine in your shower. Although this can sometimes be expensive, the benefits – not only to your hair – can in many ways outweigh the cost. This could be the missing link that’s preventing your hair system from being smooth, soft and manageable.

However, if you cannot afford to install a water filter, and wearing a swim cap in the shower is not an option, you can find many other useful tips and hints on how to look after your hair system in our other blogs – here is a good tip for reducing tangles.

A full range of hair care products can be purchased from our on line shop.

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Bad hair day – What a Tangled Web

Image of woman having a bad hair day

Weve all had a bad hair day. You know the one where you wake up and your hair looks like a bird’s nest and nothing that you do helps?

Tangled or matted hair can be extremely frustrating! Especially when you wear a hair system. The hair in a system is already dependent on you to add moisture because it does not produce its own sebum. Trying to get the tangles and mats out of a hair system can lead to costly repairs or even total replacement of your system. So it can be an expensive venture when your battle plan for a bad hair day is not executed properly.

Tangles come from friction on the hair system and the first rule always has to be prevention is better than cure. A major cause of friction comes from sleeping with a pillowcase made from coarse materials. The constant contact with linen leads to hair breakage. Most times, simply using a satin pillowcase will dramatically reduce the level of friction and extend the life of your hair system. Avoid wearing hats or helmets for extended periods of time. This will also help to lengthen the time bonding adhesives stay effective. Friction is also caused by excess combing and brushing. Using a moisturising product like Nearly Natural Moisture Mist will help reduce friction while youre in front of the mirror styling your hair.

On a bad hair day, when the hair in your hair system gets tangled, it can mean a lot more than just a few extra minutes of combing in the morning. By detangling your hair system the wrong way, you may inadvertently be diminishing the condition and life span of your investment.

Here are some simple, safe and effective tips that every person wearing a hair replacement system can use to get minor hair tangles out and avoid the frustrating bad hair day:

  • Before getting into the shower, wet your head and brush all the hairs toward the same direction. This adds moisture to the hair strands and will ease friction while washing.
  • If your hair is tangled before you get in the shower it helps to dilute your shampoo with just a little bit of water before applying. This will also make it easier to rub the shampoo in to the hair.
  • Using a wide-tooth comb or a specially designed Vent Brush in the shower while you shampoo will help prevent hair strands from intertwining and getting caught on each other.

If you need practical hair help then I am ready, willing and able to help and advise you. You can get in touch with me in several ways, detailed on my  CONTACT PAGE >

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A Close Shave

To shave or not to shave, that is the question. But what is the answer?

For many women suffering from hair loss, there is a very real prospect that one day they may have to address the thorny issue of whether or not to shave their head and bare all.

It is a sad fact that more than 1 in 10 women will have suffered from hair loss at one stage or another and this can have a devastating impact on their lives. Women hair loss can be triggered by any number of contributory factors but the truth is that no-one is entirely sure why it should happen. Anything from hormone imbalances, dietary deficiencies, stress, weight loss, cancer treatment or simple hereditary factors can start the hair loss process and in many cases it does not stop.

Whatever the cause of hair loss, the solution is just as unclear. There is an abundance of hair loss remedies out there, some more noteworthy than others, but for many women there may come a time when they realise that there is very little that can be done to reverse their hair loss and a decision needs to be made. Should I go bald and beautiful or should I cover up?

Celebrities like Demi Moore and Natalie Portman chose to shave their heads for the sake of their art; Jessie J chose to shave for the sake of charity, but the thing these women have in common – apart from the fact that they are beautiful – is that their hair loss is temporary.

What happens when your hair loss is permanent?
The brave amongst us may well decide to shave and be done. I applaud those women who face their fear and do it anyway, and are happy in their own skin (or scalp!). What about the less brave, which let’s face it, is the majority of female hair loss sufferers. Covering up hair loss with a wig, hair system or hairpiece is a simple and popular solution. Wigs are worn by young and old alike for many reasons other than hair loss. Some women choose to wear a wig for no other reason than they fancy a change or that it compliments an outfit. There is no longer any stigma associated with wig wearing, and there are thousands of stunning wigs available to choose from.

Whatever the decision about shaving, the one thing that is of paramount importance is to be comfortable with your decision. It may not be an easy road getting there, but once you reach the crossroads and have chosen your path, just rejoice in the decision and trust it is the right one for you.

If you are one of the many thousands of women out there needing practical hair help then I am ready, willing and able to help and advise you. You can get in touch by calling 01494 523834 or filling-in the contact form below. I hope to hear from you soon. Eileen.