A year into a global pandemic, we are seeing signs of hope. We are surviving, adapting and thriving.
Many in the industry have gone above and beyond to help clients navigate the health crisis and receive the services and treatments they need. Others have developed a new understanding of their clients needs after contracting COVID-19 and suffering its associated hair loss.
By Kelly Carson, AHLC Editorial Consultant
Christal Mercier, President and founder of Hair Dreams by Christal Inc. in Missouri City, Texas, is a COVID-19 survivor who says she’s personally experienced the full range of emotional trauma.
disease that causes COVID-19. We’ve faced quarantines and tight regulations on our businesses. We’ve faced economic hardships as cities and states closed our doors. But a year later, we’ve survived. We’ve adapted. And we’ve thrived.
“I lost 70% of my hair from COVID. While I always had compassion for my hair loss clients, this gave me a new outlook and extreme empathy for what hair loss sufferers go through,” Mercier said. “Now I now know first-hand what it is like. Losing my hair made me more determined to change peoples lives, one hair addition style at a time.” In the wake of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the Gallery of Salons Rescue Team launched to serve hurricane refugees who were living in area shelters. “Right after Hurricane Harvey, a group of different salon owners and stylists came together and offered free services to hurricane victims that were living in shelters,” Mercier said. “We set up at the shelter and helped over 700 people. Our motto was, You might have gone through a storm, but you don’t have to look like you’ve been through one. “
Thriving
a year – a year of uncertainty and fear of the unknown Iast’sthebeen world came to grips with the novel coronavirus, the
WE’RE FINDING WAYS TO DO MORE THAN JUST SURVIVE
Thriving
In 2020, Mercier launched the Hair Loss Support Group, an online community that meets at 7 p.m. CDT the second Monday of each month via Zoom. https://hairlosssupportgroup.com “When people with hair loss sit in my chair, they are depressed, angry, frustrated, they don’t feel whole, feel worthless and shame. Once COVID hit they weren’t sitting in my chair and I knew they still needed support. Zoom participants can choose to show their faces or not. I have members whose significant others don’t even know they have hair loss. People don’t have to suffer in silence. Even if CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 THE LINK MAGAZINE
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