Marsha Scott Receives AHLC Lifetime Achievement Award

By Katherine Greene, Barret and Greene Inc., Bethel, Connecticut

Few individuals attending the American Hair Loss Council Hair Now 2022 conference don’t know and value the contributions of Marsha Scott, board member over many years, two-time president, and a woman who has devoted her time, energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge to the AHLC, her clients, and the ever-changing developments in the hair restoration industry.

More than three decades ago, in 1988, Scott attended her first annual conference of the American Hair Loss Council.

“I was very excited,” she said. “I went alone and didn’t know a soul. I never had held a hair replacement system in my life and didn’t know anything about this industry at all.”

One year before — in 1987 — she had opened the Above the Rest Hair Studio in Bethel, Connecticut. It was the culmination of a childhood dream. She knew of her own problems with brittle and thinning hair, a consequence of diabetes. But, like so many other women, she knew nothing about how common and potentially devastating hair loss could be.

That first conference was educational and inspiring, leading Scott to come back to Connecticut and change the name of her shop to the Hair Loss Clinic for Women. Just a few years later, she joined the council's board of directors and found herself spending countless hours crisscrossing the United States, taking manufacturer and private courses, and flying to Chicago for periodic board meetings. The first of many honors she received from the association is still framed in her office — “like an Olympic award,” she said.

Over the years, through her involvement with the American Hair Loss Council, Scott has seen multiple changes in the industry, including the advent of new technologies, the attention and emphasis paid to women’s hair loss, the increasing involvement of women in leadership positions and the ever-growing options available for hair replacement.

“Marsha Scott is a perfect example of the type of professional who strengthens the America Hair Loss Council and the industry. She is dedicated to her craft, her clients and her community. Without people like Marsha, the AHLC would not be the industry leader it is today,” said AHLC Executive Director Susan Kettering. Through the years, Scott and her staff have helped thousands of women, including those who have recently received a cancer diagnosis, others who have hidden increasing hair loss problems under scarves and hats for years, and a large cadre of longtime clients who count on the privacy, friendliness, flexibility, generosity, support and knowledge she offers. “I know that Marsha is constantly exploring and learning about new techniques and hair system improvements,” says one customer who spent years driving from New York City to Bethel for her appointments. “Until I Marsha Scott met Marsha, I thought I was the only woman around who had hair loss issues. She taught me how common, if hidden, female hair loss is, and gave me back the ability to care about and take pride in my appearance.” Scott recognizes the importance of the work she and many other AHLC members do, day in and day out, year in and year out. “What we do for our clients is so important and makes a difference in their lives,” she said. “What a good feeling it is to help people. This isn’t about money for me. It’s about problem-solving and helping people know they’re not alone.”