As October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to take the time to not only raise awareness about breast cancer, but also the ways in which we can support those who are affected by the disease. For hairstylists, this means educating yourself on how to speak to clients dealing with thinning hair or hair loss—no matter the cause, as well as how you can better serve them from behind the chair.
For the individuals who experience it, hair thinning (and even hair loss) can be a very sensitive subject. And as their hairstylist, it goes without saying that they’ll more than likely look to you to guide them towards the proper solutions to help them look and feel their best.
As someone with first-hand experience working with clients dealing with thinning hair, Sam Villa Ambassador and Lumos Nox Salon owner Twylla Jane shared, “The most important thing is to make sure they don’t feel judged. Remind them that they’re not alone in their hair loss, they’re not ‘weird,’ and they don’t have to feel like something is wrong with them.They need someone to listen, support, and offer solutions to their problems.”
In the spirit of learning how stylists can better help their clients, The Tease tapped Jane to share their top tips and recommendations for working with guests who might be experiencing thinning hair, or even hair loss. Ahead, they provide insight into what a consultation should look like, cutting and styling thinning hair, and what you should know about post-chemo hair.
As someone with first-hand experience working with clients dealing with thinning hair, Sam Villa Ambassador and Lumos Nox Salon owner Twylla Jane shared, “The most important thing is to make sure they don’t feel judged. Remind them that they’re not alone in their hair loss, they’re not ‘weird,’ and they don’t have to feel like something is wrong with them.They need someone to listen, support, and offer solutions to their problems.”
In the spirit of learning how stylists can better help their clients, The Tease tapped Jane to share their top tips and recommendations for working with guests who might be experiencing thinning hair, or even hair loss. Ahead, they provide insight into what a consultation should look like, cutting and styling thinning hair, and what you should know about post-chemo hair.
The Consultation
During the consultation—or even during the appointment—Jane finds that, interestingly enough, a lot of times clients are already asking for help. “The best time to swoop in and make a recommendation is when they’re starting to lead you in that direction,” they explain. “This can come in the form of self-deprecating statements about themselves and their hair, longingly complimenting people in the salon with lots of hair, or asking what types of vitamins they can take or what they can do to make their hair look thicker. These are great opportunities to make soft recommendations like, ‘Oh, I have clients who are having great success with ________. I also have clients that we do extensions on, and I even offer toppers which can fall over the top and blend in with your hair to give fullness all over as opposed to just the ends. Usually then, I’ll bust out some pictures to show them how natural it looks.” Jane shares that a lot of their knowledge of hair toppers comes from South Florida-based hairstylist Dominique DiBenedetto. They say that DiBenedetto makes a lot of great content on hair loss and that they often recommend her to many guests.
When it comes to hair loss due to chemotherapy, typically people will bring up their treatments and even mention that they’ll lose their hair. “If they don’t, I ask if this type of treatment will affect their hair at all,” Jane says. “Here’s the thing, you’re their hairdresser and there is no one they trust more than you with the future of their hair. And as their hairdresser, I assume you care about them and the future of their hair.” They add that while having these kinds of difficult conversations with your client, it can be very helpful to pull up a chair for yourself so that you can sit face-to-face with them.
As for what sort of things you should discuss with them, Jane says that you should talk to them about when to take their hair shorter. In their experience, the shorter the better, and the sooner the better if they will be dealing with thinning and/or hair loss. They also recommend offering some suggestions and talking to them about how to proceed if and when they’re ready to buzz their head. “I offer to do it outside of salon hours or at their house so they can be as comfortable as possible. I express how empowered they should feel making this decision for themselves, and how shorter hair softens the blow due to not having to hold handfuls of their long hair when shedding,” they explain.
Jane adds, “Supporting people during this time is one of the most rewarding things we can do for our guests, and I thank them often for trusting me to be a part of this. I also offer regrow discounts for them as their hair is coming back in. And, typically, I buzz their head at no charge, but do what’s right for you. They’ve been through enough, and to me, the least I can do is to offer my service to the people I’ve shared so much of life with.”
Cutting Thinning Hair
Typically, when hair is shorter, it tends to look fuller. “The reasoning behind this is that all of the natural hair on the head may not reach longer lengths before breaking or falling out so you have a better chance of abundant looking perimeters and lines at shorter lengths,” Jane explains. “That being said, I find that with impending hair loss, softer lines do better for hiding loss longer. Imagine a sharp stacked bob completely losing its shape and falling flat as hair falls out.” Their pro tip? Add intentionally designed texture to give hair movement and support. Jane also recommends adding heavy fringes as they can be super helpful for hiding hair loss around the front. “The more advanced the hair loss, the less I would cut strong lines overall into a shape as they will accentuate areas with abundance,” they say. “Fortunately, right now, shags, textured shapes, and hair being pushed forward towards the face are all in style as these work great for thinning hair.”
Styling Thinning Hair
When it comes to styling guests with thinning hair, Jane recommends using a hair iron like the Sam Villa TEXTUR Professional Texturizing Iron ($149.95). “[It] will create physical thickness on the underneath and insides of hair to give volume and density,” they say. Another pro tip? Use hot rollers or finish a round brush blow-dry with velcro rollers and secure it with clips while cooling.
As far as other tools and products that are suitable for working with clients that have thinning hair, Jane is a big fan of Xfusion by Toppik’s Regular Keratin Hair Fibers ($35.00) for filling in thin spots. They also suggest using L’Oreal Professionnel TECNI ART Super Dust Volume and Texture Powder ($26.00) or L’Oreal Morning After Dust Dry Shampoo ($31.00). “[They] are both great for adding thickness and texture throughout dry hair,” they say. “They also work like a dry shampoo and will absorb oils as well.”
When Hair Starts to Grow Back
After chemo, hair often grows back differently. While sometimes, it may just be for the first year, there is a chance that it could remain that way forever. “I most often see it come in very short and wavy,” Jane says. “I call it ‘teddy bear hair’ because it reminds me of a really soft and loved teddy bear. They note that the hair can also come in lighter and less vibrant than it was originally, but shares that over time it may return to how it was pre-treatment. “I also notice hair color tends to take a little different the first few times, usually it’s uneven as if the porosity is different all over,” they say. “But over time, it will color as anticipated.”
Jane explains that it can be very traumatic for a client to be anticipating that their hair will be the same after chemo, and then it ultimately isn’t. “Sharing what to expect with each guest helps them not only accept their new reality, but also embrace the knowledge they need to care for their new hair growth,” they say. “Supporting guests through their hair loss and regrowth journey is very personal and emotional and I am honored each and every time someone trusts me enough to let me be their guide.”
Support Breast Cancer Awareness With Sam Villa
Looking for an additional way to show your support? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Sam Villa company is sponsoring the Cold Rinse Challenge for HairToStay and donating a portion of sales throughout the month of October to the organization’s Sydney Berry Fund. For those who don’t know, HairToStay is the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income cancer patients afford scalp cooling, a treatment that can dramatically reduce chemotherapy induced hair.
As part of the challenge, salons will be offering guests a cold rinse after their shampoo/condition and encouraging them to share the experience on social media and make a donation to HairToStay. They can also challenge three others to do the same.
For more of Jane’s incredible tips and recommendations, be sure to follow @twyllabroad or @samvillahair on Instagram.
