2008 Summer

4 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

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Learning from Fantastic Sam’s - Why don’t your kids want to take over your business?

Why is it so difficult to recruit young stylists into the hair replacement industry? Why are so many viable, established businesses going to close because there is no one to run them?

Because we have done a lousy job of making hair replacement exciting and attractive to young people.

We can learn from Fantastic Sam’s!

Fantastic Sam’s has been circulating emails to stylists, salon owners and even Hair Journal editors like me, inviting them to become part of the dynamic Fantastic Sam’s organization. The e-mail directs you to their website where you see a radiant

young woman smiling as the text inquires, “Have you ever dreamt of working for yourself?” And you are invited to, “Take charge of your future” by joining the “leading full-service salon brand in the US.” Fantastic Sams adds that it offers advanced training, support and help recruiting and retaining stylists and a range of other marketing services. I’m sure they get a good response.

But the real question is not ‘why is Fantastic Sam’s successful,’ but rather, why can the hair replacement business not do the same thing? The client satisfaction we can create is greater than simple hairstyling, and the relationships we develop are more profound and lasting. And if it’s all about the money, the income we generate eclipses anything a regular beauty salon does.

So what’s holding us back? Simple. We are a fragmented and distrustful industry.

There is no tradition of collaboration or team effort. So every salon owner is left to go it alone. But if you are a small business owner, chances are your days are busy taking care of clients and you have no time to create recruitment materials. Nor is this your area of expertise anyway.

The solution is simple. We need to band together to create a recruitment campaign that presents all the positive aspects of hair replacement, uses case histories from the most successful among us, and, on a rotating basis, our best spokespeople should share their own experiences with potential hairreplacement candidates. Only in this way can we keep our business active and vital and avoid being absorbed by competitors from outside the industry. The time to act is now!

Where are the other 4500? I attend most of the hair conferences around the country and everywhere I go, I see the same faces.

It’s great to visit with old friends, but I have to ask, where are the other 4500 people who make up our industry? What’s wrong with this picture? One tenth of the industry invests in continuing education and networks with its peers to build skills and business connections, while the other ninetenths stay home. Is it because they can’t afford it, or because they do not perceive the value of giving up a weekend to participate in a hair conference?

Even if you have to fly across the country, everyone should be able to attend a profes-

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sional conference, pay for their hotel and stay nourished for under $2000. Is this really too much to pay when you want to discover new products, learn how to use them and explore ways to attract more business? $2000 is about the income from one new client a year. Does this mean that a salon owner does not believe that the skills learned at a hair conference would result in one new client? If so, this is a sad commentary on his or her business acumen.

Alternatively, have our conferences lost their cutting-edge and become mere social gatherings? Personally, I believe the networking and exchange of skills at a personal level is invaluable. I also notice that most manufacturers and distributors are investing more and more to bringing top level educators to the stage. So I have a hard time believing that guests do not benefit from these high quality demonstrations. Something else is going on.

Chances are it’s just plain laziness.

More and more, it seems to me that people simply do not want to make the effort. Is this the result of an aging salon ownership?

Perhaps. But more likely it’s because the pace of life has accelerated and no one has the time or energy for the extras. If it won’t produce extra income tomorrow, it doesn’t belong in my life. This instant gratification attitude is widespread. We need to change this. Personal growth is psychologically stimulating, emotionally gratifying and financially rewarding.

It’s time we got away from behind the chair and once again invested in ourselves!

In this issue we talk with the second of a series of Italian immigrants who left Europe to start a new life in America and ended up building a replacement industry.

Luigi Caruso has been a hairdresser all his life and he is still as passionate about the business as he was on day one. You will find his story on page 7. We also carry a poignant story about a courageous lady with special needs who Amy Gibson took under her wing. And, by popular demand, we bring back one of Jimmy, “The General’s” most popular educational articles about “Customizing A Pre-Custom Unit.” It’s as important today as it was in Summer 2003 when it was first published.

Revivogen Excels at Reducing DHT In the Spring 2008 edition of Hair Journal International, we incorrectly reported that research conducted by BIOalternatives tested Revivogen against Minoxidil. We should have said that Revivogen was tested against Finasteride (Propecia) and Dutasteride (Avodart). Minoxidil was not included in this research design. Also please note that Dr. Alex Khadavi was name incorrectly spelled as Kadahafi.

Apologies to Dr. Khadavi.

Follea Doesn’t have a New President In our last issue, we misspelled Daniel Hafid’s name at the top of the front page.

Please correct your databases while we apologize to Mr. Hafid for this human error

Chris Webb

Editor in Chief Christopher L. Webb

5 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

In the Spring 2008 edition of the Hair Journal, we introduced Anthony Provenzano in the first of a series of interviews with Italians who left the Old World and moved to the United States to help found a dynamic hair industry. Today we profile Luigi Caruso and Carmine Pisacrata, both of whom left Italy when they were barely out of their childhood to seek new opportunities. Their rigorous training, strict apprenticeship and styling flair guaranteed them success in the staid North American marketplace.

As we continue to introduce you to other Europeans who built their career and fortunes in the hair business, you will begin to understand the importance of our Italian colleagues in shaping the hair industry we know today.

NHJ - Luigi, Italy is beautiful. It is a land of romance, art and culture. How could anyone bear to leave it?

LC - This was after the war. There was widespread poverty. Life wasn’t easy and it certainly wasn’t romantic. Families were looking to start afresh.

NHJ - Crossing the Atlantic to a country where you don’t even speak the language is a huge undertaking. How could entire families contemplate such a move?

LC - Remember, Europe was devastated.

America was the land of opportunity.

Everyone wanted to put the war behind them and start over.

But it wasn’t easy to get in. The legal age to work in the US was 16 at the time and if you were younger than that you had to get a special permit. So I was left behind to grow up.

NHJ - How did you get your training as a hairdresser?

LC - This is actually my second profession. My original trade was a wroughtiron worker. I made balconies and gates.

I was already welding iron when I was nine years old.

NHJ - 9 years old!

LC - I caught on as a welder pretty quickly. I went to school during the day, played soccer in the afternoon and worked the wrought-iron in the evening. I had three people working under me.

NHJ - How did hair happen to an iron worker?

LC - Through my father. When my father moved to the United States in 1955, my older brother was already a barber. Italian families always teach their kids that you have to learn a trade and my first trade was an ironworker. But it’s hot in the summer time, cold in the winter… and welding is always very dirty. So my father told me, “You know your brother is a barber; why don’t you learn his trade?” And that’s how I got introduced to hair.

NHJ - How did you like your new profession?

LC - My father’s advice was the best I ever received. It’s a great profession. As he said, “you deal with very nice people, you make them look good, they take care of you and you just go on helping each other.”

NHJ - Is it cleaner?

LC - Before I got into the hair business, I

The Italian Job Chapter II didn’t know what air-conditioning was. I was always too hot or too cold. Back in Italy, we didn’t have electrical power in our home. We didn’t have running water in our house. So from one year to the next, I was clean, making money and staying warm!

NHJ - What barbering skills did you learn first?

LC - How to shave.

NHJ - Everybody seems to have started off learning shaving skills.

LC - That’s right; we all learned shaving first. We started on somebody’s face, not a balloon like here.

NHJ - How did things go with your first client?

LC - Not so well. My first client was a gentleman with a very tough beard. I did exactly what I’d been told to do and when I got to his chin I kept on pushing the razor but it didn’t seem to slide as well on the chin as it had on the sides… and all of a sudden my thumb is red all over! I had cut

him! So I ran out of the store and down the street. My client came running after me.

I’m running as fast as I can because I think he’s going to kill me, but that isn’t of course what happened. After I had apologized and explained that I was new to this profession he said, “Listen I know that you just started. I understand that. Don’t panic, just come back and finish the job.” So that’s what I did. That was my first client experience. It was really scary; I thought, oh my god I’m going to die. But I finished the job and, you know what, he kept coming back to me.

NHJ - And then you upgraded from beards to hair...

LC - Yes, but the way they worked with clients in America was different to what I was used to. In Italy, the client paid a fixed amount every month and in exchange they got whatever services they needed — a hair cut, a trim, a shave. That’s how they did it over there.

NHJ - So the “service plans” we see in the hair replacement industry today are

nothing new?

LC - Not to me they aren’t.

NHJ - How did you build up your clientele?

LC - In those days, people would come to the barbershop in the evening; nobody did anything during the day. But I decided to do things differently; I offered scissor-andcomb hair cuts, which was something out of the ordinary. Back in the 50s and 60s everyone else was doing crew cuts with clippers. Nothing else. It was like zoom, zoom, zoom, — and they called it haircutting! So when I started doing things with scissors and a comb it was revolutionary and I quickly built up a clientele that would come in from nine o’clock in the morning until seven at night.

NHJ - When did you take the next step and open your own salon?

LC - I opened my first barbershop when I was 17 years old. I was working in my cousin’s shop along with my elder brother.

There was another salon nearby that was owned by a gentleman called Rossi. He was not in good health and wanted someone to take over his business to service his clients. So one morning I said to my brother, “you know what, I’m going to do it. I’m going to take over this business. If you want to come with me you can.” He replied, what, are you crazy? You’re 17 years old and you’re going to open a shop?”

And I said, “yeah, and I’m going to call it, ‘Caruso Brothers’ so if you want to join me, your name is on the door already.” And that’s how I started my business.

NHJ - How did hair replacement arrive on the scene?

LC - I joined a sales program. It worked like this. There was this hair replacement company that sent you a blank sheet that you filled in with the names of possible hair replacement clients. You then sent them the prospects’ names and they mailed out sales literature and followed up with a visit to your town to make a presentation in a local hotel or hall. If things went well, they got to sell the client a hair piece and I got a referral fee. But it didn’t take long before I noticed that my hairpiece customers weren’t coming in for their usual haircuts any more. So I went to the company and said, “Hey I get $25 for a referral, but I lose a regular haircut customer. I don’t like that. I want to learn what you do.

Who do I talk to?” And they said, “We can’t teach you that. That’s privileged information.” So I decided there and then to find a way to learn this business for myself. One day, one of my clients who had purchased a hairpiece showed me how they’d done everything. And since his hairpiece didn’t look good, I went ahead and recut it and it looked a hundred times better.

That’s when I knew I could be successful in hair replacement. Back then everybody with a hairpiece had a lot of hair on top and a part on the side and they all looked the same - like mannequins. So when I created different styles, my clients got very excited.

It’s the cut that really makes a hairpiece work, and I was very good at cutting. I quickly learned this was something where you could make some serious money.

NHJ - Your career seems to have been driven by your styling skills. When everyone else was using clippers you began to use scissors and a comb. Then, in the hair replacement market you began to create

individual styles and get away from the mannequin look.

LC - I’ve always believed individual clients deserve their own style. And I’ve always been confident about creating my own style because I was privileged to learn from some of the best barbers that existed. Style is the basis of everything I do.

NHJ - You constantly use the term “barber.” For example, you described your training and your early years as a barber.

How would you describe yourself today?

LC - I always describe myself as a “professional barber.”

NHJ - What is the difference between a professional barber and a stylist?

LC - Actually, where I come from, they used to refer to us as Maestro, but Maestro is the master who teaches everybody and I’m not sure I deserve that.

NHJ - What motivates you today?

LC - It may sound corny, but it’s the affection I have for my clients. Nothing else really matters. You develop friendships with people from the beginning of your career and they’re just as important to me today as they were when I first met them. I have people here that I’ve been working on for as long as 50 years. I started in a small neighborhood barbershop cutting hair with scissors and a comb, and I am flattered that my clients still honor me by coming back.

NHJ - How have things changed over these years?

LC - Some of the changes were started by me. We always did things differently, and I think my clients liked that. Back in 1959, we started to shampoo our clients’ hair before doing a hair cut. In this part of the world this was still not accepted because only strange people would shampoo their hair every day. But for me it was essential.

Back then, the razor was king and people would ask me “why are you charging so much money when you don’t even use the razor on my head.” And I would say to them “I don’t use a razor for one simple reason; a razor really hurts your hair and I won’t hurt your hair. I will never hurt your hair.” We also pioneered unisex – hair needs the same professional skills whether you are a man or a woman.

NHJ - How has the industry evolved over the years?

LC - Styling is the thing that jumps out at me.

I remember when the beautician would comb a woman’s hair down the middle, snip a little off the bottom and then create a birds nest on top. Back then, every woman had a “do” or a “hair do” or “up-do.” They were all the same.

The clients all had long hair, so the stylist would pile it on top of their heads and try to do something with it. Not me; I was the guy who was a sculptor. I gave the hair volume and shape and I cut the hair to support it. My sculpting meant I had to dissect the hair and plan carefully in order to make the haircut fall into place and support itself no matter how long or short it was.

NHJ - What is the biggest challenge facing the hair replacement industry today.

LC - I may get some flack from the people who are our suppliers — and I know every one of them because I’ve worked with all of them at one time or another from New Image, On Rite, American Hairlines – but they have not educated us as thoroughly as we should have been educated. That’s my opinion. The education part of our industry has not succeeded in giving us the skills we need to serve our clientele. The reason more beauticians and stylists don’t get into this industry is because they’re scared.

They don’t know how.

NHJ - But most hair distributors host regular conferences and training seminars.

What more would you like them to do?

LC - I don’t know if you’re aware of this, (cont. on pg. 20) but you don’t need a

6 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

One Woman’s Journey

By Amy Gibson

The fast pace of life and pressures of business can sometimes make hairloss consultants forget the profound impact they have on their clients.

Every day, we deal with issues that are deeper and more extreme than most people realize. Our work is not just about color, or style or texture. We meet clients who are in emotional turmoil over their hair loss and frustrated by the choices they have (or haven’t) been given. I know first hand what this feels like and how difficult it is to rise above it to live a normal life.

Some clients have special needs; men and women whose challenges extend beyond thinning hair. These are the people we are meant to help because they may either be confronting their own mortality for the first time or fighting for the life of a loved one.

These clients are embarking on a deeper journey than any of us will ever know or understand. They depend on our guidance, patience and expertise. It’s our privilege and responsibility to answer the call.

My clients are my mirror. There is not one client I cannot learn something from. Or one that doesn’t make me grateful for what I have - and remind me that the small mountains I may be climbing at the moment are just that… small.

Then there are the clients we are drawn to spend that extra time with - to go the extra mile for - and take with us in our thoughts and prayers. Kim Farmer was one of them.

Approximately two years ago Kim, a fifty-two year old woman from New Brunswick, Canada contacted me. She needed help. She had seen a TV makeover I had done for a woman with Alopecia on TYRA. Prior to the show, she had never known a single woman with her condition, never knew about NAAF (National Alopecia Areata Foundation), and was feeling alone, depressed and trapped.

Kim has had Alopecia Universalis since the age of eleven years and has battled the depression and low self-esteem that accompanies this condition. She has gone through the gambit of shots, creams, sleeping with shower caps on, and wearing scarves. Amy, you say “We are more than hair. It’s so hard to remember that. Losing my eyebrows at 16 was really hard for me and to draw them on was even harder. I can remember going to school with my forehead quite red after about 10 tries to get them even and still looking just OK. Kim’s modest pay as a bus driver only allowed her to purchase one inexpensive wig a year. She would only “switch” wigs when the kids were on school break so they would not notice the difference. She was always fearful of them discovering her secret.

My heart goes out to people like Kim Farmer. I have always wanted to create a non-profit business to make wigs especially for people like her. I honor other people who have accomplished this. My

c o m p a ny, Crown & Glory Enterprises, can only give away so many wigs a month. But one day, when I have the resources to focus on this, I will. In the meantime, I am going to do my best to nurture support and clients like Kim who turn to me for help.

But back to Kim; Kim’s kids on the bus are her pride and joy. She is a committed bus driver and dedicated to their safety and furthering their education. I admire her convictions and I connect with her struggle to be a complete woman without hair.

There’s another thing I relate to. Whether it’s a co-worker, child, a producer, friend or an intimate partner, the anxiety is the same - will they discover my secret?

Recently my boyfriend noticed my reaction as a woman with gorgeous hair got off the elevator. “What’s going on? he asked. “You took such a deep breath just now I got worried.” Until that moment, I had been completely unaware of my reac-

“Then there are the clients we are drawn to spend that extra time with - to go the extra mile for - and take with us in our thoughts & prayers.” tion. You see, there are still times when I have feelings of loss and grief. They just don’t pop up as often or last as long as they used to, but they’re very real – and they take my breath away. I am no different to Kim. I think the reason I first gravitated to Kim was the fact that AA hit us both at about the same age. I understand her frustration and fears and the fight to continue to feel like a woman. The lonely nights filled with questions and constantly asking God, Why ME? Kim’s biggest challenge with her wigs, aside from the poor quality, was the way the nape of her hair would get caught in her collar and lift up the wig in the back.

She was constantly patting the back down or wearing things that had a hood. Her creative ways to make her wigs last until she could afford a new one, brought back vivid memories of staying up endless nights cutting up an old hairpiece so I could sew pieces of it onto the back to build the nape, or adding sideburns so the wig would look normal for an important audition.

Kim’s daily activities included carrying a mirror in her pocket for quick check-ups, constantly going to the washroom, or asking friends or her daughters if her hair was okay. Like many women, she was not familiar with double sided tape, (it amazes me how many women in this country are unaware this exists) so she would pull the wig down tightly round her head to prevent it being pulled off by one of the kids while breaking up a scuffle, or flying off in the wind.

7 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

For years, Kim was reluctant to have children for fear of passing on her condition, but eventually she was blessed with beautiful daughters who are growing up healthy and beautiful. “I held my breath year by year, praying they would not lose their hair. Now I know God is with me for this big adventure.”

For years, Kim’s friend Ellen would invite her on a Florida vacation. And every year Kim would respond, “Wish I could but haven’t got the money. I need a new wig!” But last year, Ellen told Kim to start saving her money because she was taking her on a mystery vacation. This would be a special family gift, combining Birthday, Anniversary, Mothers’ Day and Christmas! So Kim started saving. On Mothers’ Day weekend, her phone rang and she learned she would be going to California. She was ecstatic…then the dear sunk in. This amazing opportunity also meant she would also have to overcome her fear of flying.

By this time, I had been communicating with Kim by telephone and email, but she didn’t know where I was located.

But as the date approached and the pieces began to fall into place, Kim learned that she would be meeting her email consultant, a hairloss expert who had lived through her experiences and emerged confident and empowered.

Every day, her excitement built; “I’m going to be 52 years soon. Maybe I can wear the ‘Swim Wig’ and finally jump off the top board!”

of it. You showed me this. We are well; not physically suffering like them. You have certainly made a big impact on my life. This is the best I have ever felt about myself. Too bad it took 40 years. I like getting dressed up, buying bigger earrings and matching necklaces. I like being seen, not hiding.

I traveled from Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean across United States in a dreamcome-true adventure. So many good compliments. “I love your hair,” “You look younger; what did you do to yourself. I didn’t recognize you?” The first day back, my fill-in bus driver said, “Boy you look good you must have needed a vacation.” Even the kids on the bus commented how they liked it.

My second day home, I had to do my Bus Driver test. It was the first time I actually liked my picture on the license! I was smiling and look a lot younger; maybe 40 yrs, Ha! Ha! Thanks again. “We are more than hair,” but my Amy’s hairpiece makes me feel like a women again – something I never thought possible. And my husband compliments me every day. Thank you!

Thank you! Kim Farmer.

This is why I say, “Transformation can happen in an instant!”

Our time together was memorable.

When Kim arrived, I gave her a long hug and congratulated her on her courage.

We agreed that her old wig would look best at the end of a mop! My eyes watered as I asked myself, “How could she have been wearing this?” “Didn’t anyone let her know how awful it looked?” But Kim did the best she could with what she had. She is an attractive woman and the struggles of everyday life showed in her face. But these same lines revealed her character and her inner strength shone through the wrinkles.

It was time to get to work. I could see the sudden fear in her eyes, so I turned up the music and asked her if she was ready to have me and my stylist, Kathleen Leonard rock her world! Since I already had Kim’s measurements and her preferred color/style, the wig I had picked for her was perfect. It’s always a challenge working from a picture, but on this important day, everything went our way and Kathleen did a fabulous cut, which made Kim look ten years younger.

We already knew what alternative hair can do for a woman, but this was so much deeper on so many levels.

Kathleen, Kim, and I couldn’t stop crying! Kim turned into a different person in front of our eyes. Her body language changed – her facial expressions were bright, and most of all, she loved looking at herself. “I never thought it could be possible. My family – they’re not going to know what to do with me! Off she went and Kathleen and I sat stunned on the couch.

A few days later, I received Kim’s letter.

Once again, I was reminded why I do this work.

Dear Amy - One thing I have learned lately is I’m not a freak. There are so many people sick on our Island, a lot have cancer. We have a disease we have no control of, but I shouldn’t be ashamed

Amy Gibson started her career as a successful TV actor, appearing in, “Love of Life,” “Young and the Restless,” and “General Hospital” in the 1980’s.

Today, she is a prominent spokesperson for women dealing with hair loss and host of the television show “BB Inc.”.

Having lost her own hair 25 years ago from Alopecia Areata, Gibson launched a company, Crown and Glory Enterprises, that supports women who are dealing with hair loss and manufactures Amy’s own designs of custom human-hair and synthetic-hair hairpieces. Amy has been seen in “People Magazine”, NBC TODAY SHOW, TYRA Banks Show”, “EXTRA”, “The Insider,” “Eye on LA”, “Fox Nightly News,” “KNBC Nightly News” and “Good Day LA” and is a female hair loss and wig consultant for WEBMD.com.

Amy continues her pursuit to help women find and “keep” their essence with her newly formed “Amy’s Dream Team,” A traveling one-stop shop beauty makeover team that will be visiting a different city each month. It’s Amy’s dream come true. She kicks off her tour of the United States in Palm Springs, May 2125 and San Diego, June 4-7. Targeted at teaching women her secrets to feel and look complete, “Amy’s Dream Team” will offer solutions to women who are dealing with the life altering effects of female hair loss and teach them how to live a normal life while wearing a wig.

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8 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

Hair Journal International PROMOTING

Medical Section

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE ARTISTRY OF HAIR REPLACEMENT AND THE SCIENCE OF HAIR RESTORATION

Laser Fighting Hair Loss

three times a week for six to 12 months. The FDA has certified the laser as a class 1 cosmetic device.

Low-light level lasers, in combination with traditional therapy, are a powerful adjunct in the battle against hair loss.

Patient selection is based on an initial medical evaluation to rule out other causes of hair loss.

Then we take a series of close-up photographs of the head, followed by a series of 1 cm video microscopic images of the frontal, vertex and temporal hairlines. These pictures are used for before-and-after comparisons when the patient is followed up at three-month intervals.

By David P. Melamed, MD, MSc. A new era of non-surgical hair restoration technology is here for men and women with hair loss.

We all know that hair loss can be emotionally devastating for women; hair has long been a symbol of feminine beauty and sensuality.

But hair loss in men is no less devastating.

Men report reduced self-esteem, difficulty dating and trouble securing a new job. A balding hairline makes a man look and feel older than he is.

Many men with hair loss have dreamed of the "magic bullet," the special vitamin or treatment that will reverse hair loss. Although surgical hair treatments, such as hair transplantation, scalp reduction, flaps and tissue expansion are available, many patients seek non-surgical solutions. Medications, such as Minoxidil and Propecia are also commonly utilized, but have limited scope and most treatments have been disappointing, usually saving the hair that's already there, but doing little to grow back the hair that's already lost.

For obvious reasons, most patients are skeptical of treatments that promise to reverse hair loss.

But a new era of hair restoration technology, using "cold" laser hair therapy (LHT), offers hope for those who don't have advanced hair loss. LHT alone and in combination with topical and/or oral medications has produced excellent results for men and women. In our clinics, we utilize the Revage-670 laser system and have seen 80% of patients experience appreciable results. Many of our patients have effectively halted their hair loss and revitalized their thinning hair.

Also known as "cold" lasers,� LHT uses therapeutic, soft, low-light-level lasers (LLLL) that were developed in Europe for healing wounds, treating hair loss and other diseases of the scalp. The laser uses a pure visible red light at 670 nm, the optimum wavelength and frequency to stimulate a dramatic increase in micro-circulation of blood supply in the scalp. This increases cellular metabolism and promotes the repair of damaged cells and weakened hair follicles, leading to the cessation of hair loss and the stimulation of hair re-growth.

The exact mechanism of action for visible red LHT at the cellular and sub-cellular level is not clear. However, current evidence suggests the effects are based on enhanced cell proliferation. Specific biological effects can be seen by irradiating a cell. In particular, 670 nm light directly affects the physical state of pore molecules.

The physical state of a cell is affected by changing the permeability to calcium ions.

An abrupt and transient increase in calcium ion concentrations acts as intracellular messengers. This photochemical change affects the mitochondria, and, in turn, messenger RNA synthesis, which ultimately leads to the observed enhancement of cell proliferation.

Karu1 demonstrated that radiation produces specific biological effects in tissue, while Trelles et al. Muxeneder and Mester et al. demonstrated the effects of LLLL in multiple trials, including vertebral pain management, the treatment of headaches and local immune responses. Subsequently, LLLL was successfully applied to wound healing. Researchers observed that LLLL stimulated rapid healing in a safe and effective manner. Thus, many irradiated septic wounds would heal.

This same principle is now applied in LHT. The device repairs damaged blood vessels in the scalp by promoting neovascularDavid P. Melamed, MD, MSc. ization, thereby providing hair follicles with the circulation they require.

Our LHT program uses a laser device with multiple lasers on a rotating head. The rotating head is housed in a moveable hood that is positioned directly above the patient's head. The patient is seated while the hood is lowered onto the head, approximately 2 cm from the scalp.

The close proximity of the laser to the patient's scalp allows for maximum irradiation and minimal dispersion of the laser light energy.

Each patient receives 20 minutes of treatment

LHT is extremely safe. An LLLL device doesn't emit ablative energy. Hence, there is no risk of injuring the patient's epidermis or dermis.

The laser energy does, however, stimulate blood flow, and patients may complain of a transient headache after the first few treatments.

With three 20-minute treatments per week, patients have a nonsurgical, no-risk and safe method for regaining hair. LHT is commonly combined with traditional medical treatments for even greater effectiveness. Most patients receive six to 12 months of treatments followed by weekly or monthly maintenance treatments. The cost of treatment varies from

$3,000 to $5,000 per year, plus the cost of medications.

LHT is effective in treating androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium. Based on the experience in my practice, 80 percent of patients with androgenetic alopecia report increased hair density after the first three to six months of treatment. Nearly all of my patients with telogen effluvium report complete cessation of shedding. The hair growth continues while patients complete the full one year of LHT and will taper after 12 months. Most patients will require monthly follow-up treatments to maintain their results. All patients who take oral or topical medications are encouraged to continue on those as well.

Origins of Hair Loss Hair loss is a multifactorial problem affected by genetics, hormones and environmental issues, as well as diet and daily activity. Many people believe that hair loss is passed down to men through their mother's side or to women from their father's side.

In 1916, a female physician named Dorothy Osborne started the myth that the baldness gene behaves in an autosomal dominant manner

9 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

in men and an autosomal recessive manner in women. However, we now understand that hair loss is a complex trait, and a contribution exists from both parents. Having said this, we also know that the majority of male pattern baldness is androgen related. The extent of expression of testosterone,dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and DHT receptors is hereditary in men and women. One third of the sex hormone-binding globulin changes of age depend on genetic factors, as does the variability in testosterone concentrations.

Diets low in proteins and vitamins also will lead to unwanted hair loss. Essential vitamins for good follicular health include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), biotin and zinc. Additional supplements include boron, methylsulfonyl-methane (sulfur), L-cysteine, L-methionine and lutein. A healthy active lifestyle that includes a balanced diet with nutritional and mineral supplements for hair health will maintain strong hair follicles, leading to thick hair shafts.

Male pattern baldness, also referred to as androgenetic -alopecia, is prevalent in Americans, affecting 30 million men starting as early as their teens and all the way into adulthood.

Patients typically present with a focal distribution of hair loss in various stages well documented by the Hamilton-Norwood classification. This is a clinical grading scale for staging male androgenetic alopecia and describes the progression of male pattern baldness in a range from stages I to VIII. A gradual onset of hair loss occurs bi-temporally from the frontal areas, with progression to a wider area of thinning hair that may or may not have bare patches. Men will experience minimal shedding, and pulling on hair will not yield a lot of hair.

More than 20 million women suffer from androgenetic alopecia as well. Female patients present with similar complaints of hair loss as their male counterparts. But female hair loss is further complicated by telogen effluvium, a more generalized distribution of hair loss more commonly seen in women than men. This condition is characterized by thinning hair, without bare patches, and prominent shedding and frequent telogen hairs when brushing or pulling on the hair.

In both sexes, the hair loss pattern described by androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium is primarily associated with genetic and hormonal factors. Multiallelic genetic factors exist from either parent that predetermine a person's sensitivity to androgens. The hormonal factors affect androgen receptors, thereby reducing normal blood supply to hair follicles. Over time, this leads to atrophy of the miniaturized hair follicles and thinning hair. This process continues unchecked until the hair follicles have completely atrophied.

We can achieve complete reversal of follicular atrophy and hair loss when treatment is initiated within two years of its onset.

Unfortunately, many patients wait 10 or more years after hair loss before pursuing any treatment. Most forms of hair loss that are diagnosed and treated at an early age respond to treatment. However, most treatments started late in the progression of hair loss are less effective and will only reduce or stop the progression.

Medications to Treat Hair Loss Along with LHT, androgenetic alopecia has three commonly accepted forms of treatment: Minoxidil, anti-androgen therapy and hair transplantation.

Minoxidil is FDA-approved and available for men and women as first-line therapy for androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium. It's available over-the-counter in 2 percent to 5 percent concentrations or up to 10 percent solutions by prescription. In use for 18 years, it shows minimal to moderate hair regrowth potential. The benefits of minoxidil will be lost, however, within six months if patients stop using it. Side effects may include itching, headaches, dizzy spells and possible heartbeat irregularities; most will resolve with regular use.

Anti-androgen therapy in the form of Propecia (finasteride) is available for men.

Finasteride inhibits the 5-alpha reductase

enzyme that transforms testosterone into the dihydro-testosterone (DHT) that's primarily responsible for androgenetic alopecia.

Blocking the action of DHT seems to stimulate minimal to moderate hair regrowth. Side effects may include impotence, loss of libido and reduced sperm count. Patients who cannot tolerate side effects are instructed to stop using the medication.

Small-scale, variably controlled studies on young men with mild to moderate male pattern hair loss suggest that combination therapy with minoxidil and finasteride may be more effective than monotherapy.

For patients with advanced hair loss or complete baldness who do not respond to medical treatment, surgery is the most substantial permanent solution. In fact, surgical hair restoration is the only permanent solution to baldness. The process involves a series of grafting treatments that extract plugs of hair or individual hair follicles from the back of the head, where hair grows densely, and implanting them in the balding areas. Most patients require two to three treatment sessions. The cost varies based on the surgeon's expertise and whether he extracts/implants plugs or individual follicles. The latter is more time-consuming and, therefore, more expensive.

If your patients haven't tried a medical treatment, or don't have advanced hair loss, then consider starting traditional medical treatments in combination with LHT. At my offices in New York and Los Angeles, patients receive LHT in combination with topical and/or oral medications when indicated. Patients typically enroll in a 12-month program that includes before and after pic-

tures, a microscopic scalp evaluation, a general medical evaluation and the required course of treatment with LHT. Most male patients with advanced androgenetic alopecia and female patients with androgenetic alopecia or telogen effluvium will receive a variety of topical medications.

We encourage male patients with fewer than 10 years' history of androgenetic alopecia to start finasteride to ensure the best chance of hair regrowth.

The treatment options are many and each can be customized. Fortunately, people no longer need to endure hair loss. The most important consideration for complete hair restoration is to start treatment at an early age and to save hair while patients still have it.

With LHT, we have the enhanced benefits of low-light level lasers that stimulate biophysical repair and neovascularization. This is a remarkable adjunct to the combination of other therapies we now have. It warrants further consideration and integration into practices serious about treating hair loss.

David P. Melamed, MD, MSc., is in private practice at West LA Medical & Skincare, with offices in Los Angeles and New York.

He specializes in nonsurgical cosmetic enhancements and age management medicine. He is a member of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine and the American Society for Laser Surgery and Medicine.

Disclosure: Dr. Melamed indicates that he has no affiliations with any commercial

entities, directly or indirectly referenced in this article.

References: •Karu T. The Science of Low-power Laser Therapy. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers; 1998.

•Trelles M, Mayayo E, Miro L, et al. The action of low reactive level laser therapy (LLLT) on mast cells: a possible relief mechanism examined. Laser Ther. 1989; 1:27-30.

•Trelles M, Allones I. Red light-emitting diode (LED) therapy accelerates wound healing post-blepharoplasty periocular laser ablative resurfacing. J Cosmet Laser Ther.

2006; 8:39-42.

•Muxeneder R. The conservative treatment of chronic skin alterations of the horse via laser acupuncture. Praktische Tierarzt.

1988; 69(1).

•Mester E, Mester AF, Mester A. The biomedical effects of laser application. Lasers Surg Med. 1985;5:31-9 •Osborne D. Inheritance of baldness. J Hered. 1916; 7:347-355.

•Ellis JA, Sinclair R, Harrap SB. Androgenetic alopecia: pathogenesis and potential for therapy. Exp Rev Mol Med. November 19, 2002; 1-11.

•Hamilton JB. Male pattern hair loss in man: Types and incidence. Acad Sci. 1951; 53: 708-728.

•Diani AR, Mulholland MJ, Shull KL. Hair growth effects of oral administration of finasteride, a steroid 5?-reductase inhibitor, alone and in combination with topical minoxidil in the balding stumptail macaque. J. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992; HJI 74:345-350.

10 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

The More Traffic, the More Money!

Steven DiManni

By Steve Di Manni Naturally, I’m not talking about the traffic you curse every day to and from your studio or salon. I mean the traffic inside your studio or salon. The more people that you have coming through your door, the more money you’re going to make.

It just stands to reason that you can only upgrade only so many existing clients, though this is an excellent source of incremental revenue, to be sure.

It also stands to reason that you can only send out so many letters to old leads, offering them “20% off” on something they never wanted in the first place.

(More on this later.)

So the real way to grow your revenues, certainly in the long run, if not the short, is to get more people walking through your door. The question is, how do you do that?

There are two parts to answer that question. The first, is “how do you get people walking into your studio?” And the second, “how do you get them to buy something once they’re in there?”

It’s a very different scenario today It bears repeating, as I have said so many times over the years in this column, that the hair replacement business has changed dramatically over the last decade.

Men are skeptical about what we have to

sell, they’re more knowledgeable, they have more choices, they’ve been deluged by negative imagery about our products and services….and to top it all off, the industry hasn’t done itself any favors by running the same type of commercials today that have been ridiculed by every talk show host in the country. No one wants to be a fool…or be fooled.

Casting a wide net Now that we’ve established that the first priority of any studio owner wishing to grow his business is to get people to walk through his doors, let’s examine the direct marketing philosophy of “casting a wide net”. Or, “opening the faucet”.

In direct marketing, and every studio and salon in this country is engaged in “direct marketing” no matter how often the term “branding” is used, there are two philosophies; One is to cast a narrow net to attract a small but valued target audience. Let’s say that American Express wants to promote its Platinum card, which is geared to households with incomes over $150,000.

Certainly, American Express is not going to do a general mailing. Nor would they run an ad in general interest magazines like Time or Sports Illustrated. In fact, they wouldn’t even do a mailing to their Green card customers, who in general, have a lower income level.

Instead, they would go to mailing lists that feature people with the desired income.

They would do the same with their media selection, running in magazines like Forbes and Architectural Digest. Why?

Because they know that their customer basis is limited and this strategy will result in greater efficiencies.

On the other hand, if American Express wanted to promote their Green card, with a demographic target of households with incomes over $50,000, they would in all probability take an exact opposite track.

They’d run in general interest magazines, they’d pursue mailing lists that feature people holding credit cards like Visa and MasterCard, etc.

When it comes to hair replacement, a good strategy of the studio owner is not to just target the men’s market or the women’s market of individuals who seek to replace their hair. An “open faucet” philosophy would be to target any individual who suffers from hair loss.

That would include people who want to regrow their hair, both men and women, people with “problem hair”, in fact, anyone with any kind of issue with their hair.

At this point, let’s go back to the second half of the issue: what do you sell these people once they come through the door.

We’ll get back to how to get them in the door at the end of this article.

hair augmentation, you’re not going to sell many of these people.

For one, even if you are quite specific as to what you’re selling, many people will come in with either the wrong impressions or the wrong expectations. So you won’t be able to sell them. For another, many people will come in with the wrong need.

For example, many men who come in for hair replacement already have a full head of hair and will not be amenable to any type of augmentation. And how about the woman who comes in thinking she has a hair loss problem when it turns out the issue is really that she has a full head of thin hair? How in the world do you sell her?

More services mean greater opportunities Obviously, if you offer women’s hair augmentation in addition to men’s, you can attract a greater audience. But, if you also women’s hair extensions in addition to women’s hair augmentation, you’ll be able to sell to a greater audience and realize more profits.

But what about individuals who are opposed to both augmentation as well as extensions? Well, the obvious answer is to sell them something else. But what?

Every person is a sales opportunity Let’s say, hypothetically, that you have all kinds of people walking through your door: Men, women, all kinds of people with all kinds of hair loss problems and all different kinds of expectations.

Well, there’s always the “old head rubbing solution”. You can sell a product line that may or may not be FDA approved and that may or may not be available at a wide variety of other venues.

If your only answer is men’s and women’s

There are a wide variety (cont.on pg. 15)

11 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

Salon Extensions are Radically Changing Beauty Standards

By Hannah Mayo Allow your clients to fashionably slip into the Fall season with the endless possibilities that hair extensions can provide. Straight or curly, long or short, blonde or brunette, hair extensions are hitting the streets in full force this year. There is no shortage of creative ideas to help your clients decide how to update their hairstyle; the most popular trends include highlights, lowlights and multi-dimensional haircolor.

Most people think of ‘length’ when they hear “hair extensions,” but professional hair extensions are also a great way to safely add a touch of color to your client’s hair without making a permanent commitment to that color. Hair extensions are also a great option for people with brittle, chemically treated, or thinning hair.

Professional extensions can provide volume and color your clients could never achieve before.

If your first-time hair extension clients are hesitant to take the plunge, try suggesting that they start off with a

There are no surprises with professional hair extensions.

The haircolor you and your client select from your color ring will be the exact color your client will walk out of the salon with.

One of the additional benefits of hair extensions is the total control you and your client will have over his or her style. Your client may come in tired of her look.

Suggesting hair extensions will allow your client to have not only a longer or fuller hairstyle, but also to have multi-dimensional haircolor and highlights. If your client then wants to go back to their original haircolor and style, they are able to simply come in to have their extensions removed and be left with their natural style and haircolor.

Adding professional hair extensions is an important decision for your client. It is critical that you earn their trust and make them comfortable throughout the whole process. The first thing you should do is offer an exten-

Model:Davine Hairstylist: Donna Retif Makeup: Mariko Sakara Photographer – Bobby Quillard Salon: Tranquility Salon, Houston TX Company – SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions

match their hair type and texture. Finding the right haircolor hue and texture is an instrumental step to guarantee that your client will be satisfied with their new extensions. Help her select haircolor options and accessories that will accentuate her natural locks and fit her personality.”

One of the most important steps to review with your client is the bonding procedure with the hair extension system you use at your salon. Many salon clients are worried about possible damage to their natural hair when bonding an extension strand, so they will be happy to hear that you can offer them pre-bonded hair extensions that do not use glues, adhesive or wax. SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions are one example of an extension that doesn’t use glue. It uses a Keratin Protein bond, the same protein that makes up our natural hair. This ensures a healthy, strong and long-lasting bond.

In addition to reviewing the application of the extensions, also be sure you let your client know how they will be removed. They will likely be worried about the damage to their hair when the extensions are taken out.

When using a Keratin bond, the extensions are removed with a formulated solvent to assist in crystallizing and dissolving the protein. This leaves no damage to the client’s pre-existing hair.

Hairstylist: Guilianno Guilianni

Makeup: Ugo Pons Salebelle

just few strands to add soft highlights or gentle lowlights. Kathy Williams of SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions Mid-Atlantic says, “Hair extensions are a great way for your client to figure out what he or she likes before committing to a full-scale makeover. By adding a few strands throughout your client’s hair, you allow them to see a subtle change before making the final decision to do a full head of hair extensions.

Adding a few lighter strands will give a highlighted look, while also adding a few different shades of darker strands will give their hair a more fashionable dimension.”

Some of your clients might be looking for that over the top, funky style. Luckily, companies like SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions offer a line of fantasy haircolors, fantasy crystals and feathers to achieve a unique and a more contemporary appearance. These styles are great for a seasonal look. By adding professional hair extensions, you are eliminating your client’s worry about stripping their haircolor, the use of chemical services and the constant concern of ending up with a surprise haircolor.

SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions

sive makeover consultation. This should include a complete hair and scalp analysis, followed by a detailed explanation of hair extension characteristics and the application process. Explore your client’s likes, dislikes, wishes and needs while also examining how they take care of their hair between salon visits and their lifestyle needs.

Toma Moore, National Director of Education for a top hair extension company, notes, “Before you present your styling options, be sure to inform your client of the different hair compositions available with hair extensions.

Clients don’t want synthetic hair. They want, and deserve, real human hair. As salon hair extensionists today, you have many alternative resources with professional hair extensions. For example, Toma’s company offers only the best hand-selected European 100% human hair. Remind them that using this hair allows for continuous shine and vitality for several months after application. Human hair extensions will react just like their own hair to any salon services or hairstyling products. Also, remind them that their hair extensions should

Following the application of the hair extensions, it is crucial that you and your client develop a maintenance and follow-up schedule. To ensure that your client’s new hair extensions will last as long as possible, they must be properly cared for. Advise them to use a professional salon quality shampoo and conditioner that has been designed for use with hair extensions and be sure to explain how to use a special hairbrush that won’t damage their extensions.

Professional hair extensions provide new style options for all of your clients. Highlights, lowlights, multidimensional haircolor and fantasy haircolor enhancements are just a few of the options you can share. So, when clients come in wanting a change, why not be more creative and recommend professional salon hair extensions rather than chemical haircolor!

EDITORIAL NOTES: Hannah Mayo is a Marketing Coordinator at Marketing Solutions, a company that creates advertising, marketing and PR programs for salons, spas, medical clinics, manufacturers and distributors.

SO.CAP. USA® Hair Extensions is one of the largest professional hair extension companies in the world.

12 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

I

n my previous articles, I discussed and outlined how to use different types of bonds. In this article, I would like to discuss customizing the base of a precustom unit, removing a wrinkle and a cutting technique that I use to cut in all my hair systems. Please understand that I’m not saying that my techniques are the only correct way to cut in hair systems. I would just like to give all of you another method that I’ve found that works well.

Customizing A Pre-Custom Hair System Base Start by cutting the client’s existing hair.

Shave any existing hair in the balding area. (1, 2) Shampoo the client’s head and hair to remove any loose hairs and oils on the scalp. If at any time after this step you need to trim more hair, you should again shampoo the client’s head. Any small clippered hairs left in the bonding area can compromise the bond. Condition the client’s existing hair lightly, being careful not to condition the area to be bonded. This area should be as free as oils as possible, as oil can break down the bond faster.

13 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

GENERAL SCISSORHANDS James Toscano “The General”

INVERT the template before placing on the hair system to cut out the base.

Remove the marker line from your client’s head. I use 99% Alcohol and a Sanek (neck strip). The Sanek is lint-free, so I don’t have to worry about any lint or particles remaining on the client’s bond area.

Shampoo and condition the hair system.

You can leave the conditioner in the hair

Customizing A Pre-Custom Unit – A Tutorial lace. (If you are using a polyurethane (skin) unit, watch where you put the pins.

You may need to have someone hold the hair system on the block while you cut the base. If you are using soft bond, it will come through any pinhole into the hair.)

INVERT (turn inside out) the plastic template. If you would cut the base with the template right-side up, you will ruin the hair system. Align the template on the

(9, 10, 11, 12, 13) When the base is cut, unpin from the block and rinse the remaining conditioner from it. You can now dry the base and bond the hair system with the bonding product and method of your choice. (14) Removing A Wrinkle There are times that, no matter how perfect the fit on the hair system, a wrinkle

be triangular in shape. (24) After this piece has been removed, lay both sides of the base back on the scalp. It should match perfectly. (25, 26) You can now rebond this area.

The General’s Razor-Cutting Technique From temple to temple, make a 1-inch parting into the shape of a horseshoe. (27,

head. Starting at the crown and making sure you don’t pick up the outside portion of the horseshoe you have just cut, take 1/4inch sections and cut to the desired length. Stop cutting when you reach the temple area. (35, 36, 37).

Now working from the front of the client, take a 1/4-inch section of hair around the front perimeter and cut to the desired

Remember - this is SOFT-steel, not a feather razor or a Persona razor. This razor is very slow cutting. It filets the hair and makes the client’s natural hair and the hair from the hair system cling together, making a virtually undetectable hair system.

The General’s Bonus Section Have you ever had a hair system with a

Now we will create a front hairline. Using an indelible marker, draw a front hairline on the client. Have your client wrinkle his/her forehead up. (3) Make sure you stay behind the front muscle in the forehead when using soft bond. If you put the bond on or below this muscle, it will loosen with the movement from the forehead. When tying in the temple area, be sure to go behind the existing hair. When you bring the temple area exactly in line with the existing hair, it makes a very definite line and can make the hair system look “fake”.

section down and just cut the length with your razor (46, 47). Make another section. (48) Starting an inch out from the base, remove as much bulk or density as desired. (49) Then cut the length.

Continue making sections up to the crown of the hair system. Do the same steps on the opposite side. (50, 51) Can we ever know all the “tricks of the trade?” I hope not. You can never have too much education. Don’t ever close your mind to new techniques. When you think you know everything, it’s time to look for a new profession, because this profession is ever-changing.

Keeping up with all the changes can sometimes seem mind-boggling, but it is

Also, when creating the front hairline, try not to make it too “round”. (4) The recession doesn’t have to match. A normal hairline isn’t always symmetrical. Be creative in your design!!

We will now make a template of your client’s balding area. I use the plastic cap that comes with the hair system. I find that I can get a more accurate fit with this method. Tape has a tendency to shrink.

You may need to try several caps on your client’s head to achieve the best fit possible. There may be a little bit of “play” in the top of the plastic cap. It’s OK. It can be adjusted a little later.

Place the cap on the client’s head and trace the marker line at the front hairline and all around the back and sides, making sure the line is exactly at the top of the existing hair. Cut out the template, taking care to keep the edges smooth. Try the temple on the client’s head. (5) This is where you can make any adjustments to the template that are necessary. If necessary, retrace the balding area and then recut the template.

Try the template on the head again. The fit should be exact. (6) Write the client’s name, the date you made the template, front, back, and “Don’t Cut This Side” on the top of the template. By writing the client’s name, you personalize the template; by writing the date, you record the day the template was made; by writing back and front, you know what direction the template should be placed on the hair system; by writing “Don’t Cut This Side,” you remind yourself to

necessary. I pride myself on giving my customers the most up-to-date technology available today. I hope you strive for this, too. This industry is growing so rapidly.

Don’t be left behind. Educate yourself!!!

PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE, AND PRECISION Until next time……

for the time being, as it will help when you place the hair system on the block to cut the base. Brush the hair straight back.

Drag the hair system from the back of a CANVAS block to the front, making sure the front hairs are all back. If you have some hairs coming forward, try to push them under. If you can’t get them all back, take the hair system off the block and try again. Sometimes it just takes wetting the hair more and brushing it back again. Once you have the hair system in place on the block, place a pin in the front

base. Use as much of the front hairline as possible. Once it is aligned perfectly, pin the template in numerous places. Using only the tip of a Personna blade, start cutting the base. (7) You should always be able to see the tip; don’t push it too far into the hair. Using the template as your guide, pull the base material up to the blade as you move around the base.(8) These blades dull rather quickly, so when you feel the base start to “drag” on the blade, turn the blade around and use the other tip. If necessary, use a second blade.

occurs when you are attaching the hair system to the client’s scalp. (15) Follow the next steps to eliminate the crease. Part the hair over the crease. Using a pair of scissors, snip the base up the center of the crease. (16, 17, 18, 19) Lay the right side of the crease back down on the scalp.

Align your scissors along the edge of the base that you just laid down on the scalp.

Holding your scissors in an open position, lay the left side of the crease in between the blades of the scissors. (20) Cut this piece out of the base. (21, 22, 23) It will

28, 29) Put the front and top hair into a clip. Taking 1/4inch sections, working on the outside perimeter of the horseshoe, blend the hair with a soft-steel razor (such as Tondeo) to desired length. (Keep in mind that the ends should be fringy and very uneven, not blunt. Continue blending the hair until the entire perimeter of the horseshoe is completed. (30, 31, 32, 33, 34) Release the hair from the clip. Standing behind the client, you will now be working within the horseshoe on the top of the

length with the razor, taking special caution at the temple areas. (38) Move behind the client again and blend the front hair with the top hair. Taking 1/4inch sections, now blend the outside perimeter of the horseshoe with the inside perimeter of the horseshoe by overextending the hair as much as possible. Trim off any long ends.

You’re done! Now, create a terrific style!

(39, 40, 41, 42, 43,) If you have never used a soft-steel razor, you may need to practice before trying this technique on a client’s hair system.

density that was just too heavy or was not quite right? Here’s a way that will help you reduce the density without leaving “stubbles” like you would achieve by using blending or thinning shears. The hair system will have all different hair lengths, so it looks more like a growing head of hair.

Make a center part in the hair system. (44) Take arrow partings 1/2-inch wide, making sure not to get into the outside perimeter of the horseshoe. (45) Pull the first

James Toscano (“The General”), a Pennsylvania native, is an eighth-generation hair stylist. He graduated from barber school in 1968 and has been building his hair-management skills ever since.

Always in high demand at industry events, he is a Technical Advisor to New Image University and Educational Development & Style Director for Spectrum Salon Systems of Nebraska. He also consults for Professional Hair Labs of Tampa, FL, assisting in the research and development of surgical-grade adhesives for the hair replacement industry. Jim maintains a 60hour workweek, but still finds the time to write a series of educational articles for The National Hair Journal.

HJI

15 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

The More Traffic (cont.from pg. 10) of products that purport to sell hair that are not FDA approved. If you decide to sell them, be aware that you could face backlash or even possible lawsuits if you make unsubstantiated claims. Also be aware that such products are also sold in drugstores and through television ads.

That brings in the question of exclusivity.

If you can sell a product that is not available just anywhere else, you have a greater chance of not only repeat sales, but also the initial sales. As well, if you can sell a product that has FDA approval, you’ll meet far less resistance from the potential client who walks through the door.

A good example is the Regen System that the On Rite Company produces; it’s only sold through hair studios and it is FDA approved. There are certainly other product lines like this available, so keep these guidelines in mind when making your choice.

The same guidelines also apply when it comes to laser therapy. Many studios now offer it. But again, the issue of exclusivity arises. What makes your laser hair therapy different from the person who offers it across town? And how do you promote it?

Which brings us back to the first topic of our discussion.

Getting people to walk through the door Now that we’ve ascertained the necessity for offering different services in order to have something to sell to everyone who walks through the door of your studio or salon, we’re back to the original question of “how do you get new people to walk through your door?”

At the start of this article, I dismissed the notion of contacting old leads with the offer of “20% off ” a service they had already expressed no interest in. However, offering them a new service, whether it be laser or topical solutions or hair extensions is a different story.

In that case, you’re bringing news to an individual who in all probability continues to suffer from hair loss and is still seeking an alternative. It’s something that could be greeted with interest rather than indifference. So it’s an avenue that I would heartily recommend.

And then, there’s advertising. Yes, it costs money. But in the long run, doing the right kind of advertising always pays off.

Beyond “word of mouth”, it’s the only way to attract new customers, other than buying an existing studio in your town.

The right kind of advertising Let’s go back to our concept of “opening the faucet”.

Most studios up to now have run advertising for a specific product or service: men’s hair augmentation, women’s hair augmentation, etc.

But what if a studio were to run an ad promoting nothing more than replacing hair, or growing hair, or treatments for hair loss?

I’m not just speaking of commercials that group women and men together, but rather, commercials that address the issue, hair loss, rather than just the treatment.

Do you think that this type of commercial would draw more inquiries than one that promoted a single product or service?

Yes, in all probability it would.

However, there is a major caveat here: Whether you’re promoting one single service or addressing dual audiences with non-specific services, you have to invest enough money in the advertising in order for it to work.

For too long, studio owners have run just a paltry number of TV commercials, and

then, with no frequency and no reach, have determined that they don’t work.

Study after study, by groups as august as the American Association of Advertising Agencies have proven that a commercial must be seen at least three times by a single consumer in order to register and have an impact.

Obviously, running eight commercials over a single weekend and then declaring the commercial a failure is an absurdity. So if this is your wont, my suggestion would be not to run any advertising and let the chips fall where they may.

However, if you believe, as do such companies as Coca-Cola, General Electric, American Express and McDonald’s that advertising does work, I have two things to say to you: First, you are in good company; second, advertising alone is not enough.

It takes salesmanship Let’s presume that you’ve run a television commercial that is a guaranteed trafficbuilder, whether it is product specific or not. The question then becomes, once the person is in the door, how do you sell him or her?

There’s not a studio owner in America who hasn’t run a men’s hair replacement commercial and found a prospect who was expecting a hair transplant. Or some sort of “miracle hair growing” solution. So what do you do with this person?

Well, of course, you sell them. On something; anything. The more choices that you offer, the easier it is to find a service to sell the person. However, it takes a good salesperson to discover what the individual’s needs are, and how to match a service to meet them.

If a man who is horseshoe bald, for example, comes in for laser therapy, we both know it’s not going to help. But don’t dissuade him. Give him the laser therapy but plant the seed that in all probability it’s going to take hair replacement to give him the desired results.

By the same token, if a woman comes in looking for hair extensions and it’s obvious that her problem is female pattern baldness, offer her the extensions but with some sort of guarantee that if they don’t work out as she wanted, that you’ll attend to her needs in some other manner, meaning augmentation.

Finishing where we started Obviously, I’ve gone back and forth in this article, in an attempt to answer the traffic building question: How do you get them in the door and what do you sell them once they’ve crossed the threshold? And of course, the more you have to sell, the more opportunities you have to make the sale.

But in the end, it all comes down to this: put your money into good advertising and place your faith in the hands of a good salesperson.

Neither is cheap, but in today’s marketplace, any smart studio owner knows that to make money, you have to spend money.

To do otherwise would be foolish. I believe that any studio owner who has borne with me through this yin and yang discussion is rather smart, just for the sake of having done so.

Steven DiManni has worked at some of Madison Avenue’s top advertising agencies for 26 years, rising from junior copywriter to Senior Vice President/Creative Director in his current position. For 25 of those years, Steven has also produced advertising for the hair replacement industry. A long-time consultant for On Rite, Steven has amassed a slew of creative awards, including Clios, Andys, Effies and Echoes. In addition, he is a board member of the prestigious John Caples International Awards and a frequent guest speaker at industry functions.

17 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

Beware the Sun! Melanoma Survivor Walking 70 Miles In Celebration of Five “Cancer-Free” Years!

The deadliest form of skin cancer is melanoma, which, according to the American Cancer Society, will be diagnosed in 62,480 people in 2008. To shine a ray of light onto the devastating effects of melanoma, Kari Worth will be walking 70 miles in just five days marking her fifth year anniversary of being diagnosed with stage IV melanoma cancer and celebrating the gift of living a healthy, vibrant and cancer-free life!

Kari Worth and her father will start their walk in Napa, California and after five days end the walk in San Francisco. To help maintain a melanoma-free life, Kari will be wearing SPF 30+ Blue Lizard Sunscreen for the duration of her walk.

This symbolic saunter begins on May 1st with the conclusion of Kari’s cancer-free journey on Monday, May 5th, which is nationally recognized as “Melanoma Monday.” The final stage and 5th day of the walk will feature Kari and her father crossing the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco and to California Pacific Medical Center to deliver a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Blue Lizard Sunscreen to Dr. David Minor, Kari’s Oncologist.

“At Blue Lizard, we are proud that a stage IV melanoma survivor like Kari, feels truly compelled to spread the word about preventing future incidents of skin cancer,” states Don Kilday, President of Crown Laboratories Inc., manufacturers of Blue Lizard Sunscreen. “Kari is a great example of how one can overcome and become victorious in fighting a deadly disease like melanoma. We are ecstatic to be a part of her journey. For her to use Blue Lizard Sunscreen during the entirety of her walk speaks volumes that everyone should get into the daily act of wearing sunscreen to help prevent melanoma.”

Five years ago, Kari discovered a lump on her back that did not seem normal. When her doctor was able to diagnose the lump, it was found that it was melanoma and had spread to her lungs, femur and neck. Kari miraculously held up well under pressure, fighting off the disease with six months of biochemotherapy and two years of immunotherapy. Kari feels that since she was able to survive, she can be a great advocate for the prevention of future melanoma cases. She has chosen to donate to four organizations and help further skin cancer research including, The Shade Foundation, Melanoma Research Foundation, Melanoma International Foundation and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Kari will be wearing Blue Lizard Sunscreen during her walk because it has several features that set it apart. Most sunscreens protect consumers from UVB spectrum, but it’s the UVA rays that are most harmful. Blue Lizard was formulated in Australia, where sunscreens must protect against 90 percent of UVA rays, just as Blue Lizard does. Blue Lizard has been labeled as “very water resistant,” retaining its SPF after 240 minutes in moving water. The FDA only requires sunscreens to protect for up to 80 minutes in still water. Additionally, Blue Lizard sunscreen has patented Smart Bottle™ technology that enables the bottle to change color when exposed to harmful UVA rays. This serves as a compelling visual reminder to apply sunscreen.

“Melanoma is a monster,” says Kari. “It definitely can be one of the easiest cancers to cure if caught early, but one of the

most deadly if diagnosed in its late stage.

More importantly, melanoma is very preventable with great sun-safety habits beginning at an early age, including the daily use of a sunscreen like Blue Lizard.”

Viral Marketing

by Mark Deo What influences customers and prospects? Is it what a company says about their product or service through advertising, marketing and direct sales? Or, is it what other people are saying about the company’s product or service? Surely the latter. Then why do we spend so much time and money on traditional marketing and selling, and so very little on word of mouth marketing?

From Your Mouth to Their Ears - Most marketing focuses on building a case for a better product or service. This is good and necessary but it ignores the fact that for many, purchasing is part of a social decision. People rely on invisible networks of friends, relatives and coworkers for recommendations. This is buzz. I have spoken before about establishing a unique identity, branding and differentiation.

Buzz is the natural extension of a branding and identity campaign. And it is beginning to take a much more influential role in the purchasing decision.

Why Buzz Works - Today customer are suffering from information overload. They see and hear so many advertising and marketing messages that it becomes difficult to filter out what is valuable and credible through all the clutter and noise. As a result customers are turning to their friends and associates for purchasing advice more that ever. Marketing experts believe that the new customer, Generation Y - those born between 1979 and 1994 - shop by word of mouth.

Buzz works so well because talking is in our genes. As human beings, we need to talk. We talk to connect with people. Sharing information is essential to our make-up. We talk about the latest movie we saw, the car we test drove, the book we read and so on. In the coming years, buzz marketing may that much more important than ever before.

People on the Move Christopher Miller named as new On Rite Vice President of Sales

Hair Journal International is part of The National Hair Group, a business consortium committed to the development of the hair-management industry. The National Hair Group provides information services via Hair Journal International, a business newspaper. The National Hair Society is an educational, marketing and networking, professional support organization. The Group also provides consumer education via National Hair Broadcasting, a weekly broadcast show.

HAIR JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL Ft Lauderdale, 05/08 - Christopher Miller III was recently appointed as Vice President of Sales for the On Rite Company. All sales departments of On Rite will directly report to Mr. Miller, as will the marketing department.

Mission - To provide hair-management professionals from all disciplines with accurate information that will help them make better business decisions and provide superior service to their patients and clients.

“We changed the job description as we changed the job function,” said On Rite President Andy Wright.

“In the past, we had different people in charge of the many divisions within the company, including men’s, women’s hair extensions, and so on. But we soon realized that just as hair replacement studios’ target audiences had begun to expand, that we had to best serve our clients by having one individual responsible for all their needs.”

Christopher Webb cwebb@nationalhairjournal.com

Chris Miller is one formidable individual.

Previously, he enjoyed a twenty- year career in the prestige cosmetic and fragrance industry, as well as experience in the spa and salon arena. His background includes Revlon Department Store Division, Lancôme and Elizabeth Arden. “I know this is a challenging market”, said Mr. Miller. “I also realize it is a niche market and therefore requires a certain level of sensitivity and expertise that I believe my background lends itself to. That’s why I took this position and that expertise I hope will benefit On Rite’s clients.”

“Chris is a great addition to the On Rite team,” concluded Andy Wright. “I believe that his addition will greatly serve our clients. And serving our clients well is the greatest attribution anyone in our business can have. Truth be told, their sucHJI cess is our success.”

Editor In Chief Managing Editor Penny Moss pmoss@nationalhairjournal.com

Creative Director Avi Roth aroth@nationalhairjournal.com

Contributing Correspondents Educational & Technical Isaac Brakha James Britt Bobbi Russell James Toscano Steven Dimanni Women & Fashion Marilyn Dodds Medical Alan Bauman MD Shelly Friedman DO

NATIONAL HAIR BROADCASTING Mission - To deliver reliable, objective information to men and women who are concerned about their hair loss and want an unbiased perspective on the choices available to them.

Division Director Penny Moss pmoss@nationalhairjournal.com

Production Director Mike Ferreri mike@mfaudio.net

Flash Report Slashing the Cost of Razor Blades Atlanta, 05/08 - A consumer’s cost for a clean shave has jumped dramatically as steel prices have increased more than 60% over the past three years. Retailers are even feeling the pinch, experiencing a rapid upsurge of shoppers nicking expensive razor blades and cartridges. It is so bad that Gillette® has announced a task force to help retailers prevent inventory shrinkage. In response, BB&L Innovations, LLC has brought to market the RazorPro®, a device proven to significantly extend the life of individual blades and cartridges.

Mark Deo – has been a contributing editor to the National Hair Journal since 2001. He describes himself as a “business transformation specialist” and provides support to small and medium-size enterprises. He can HJI be contacted at NHJ.

The science behind RazorPro reveals that razors dull not from use, rather from the moisture that remains on the blade; tiny water droplets that remain between each use corrode and chip the blades. The innovative design of RazorPro provides a cup and platform that fits all major brands of razorblades with a device that automatically and thoroughly dries the blades after each use.

Genetic Testing Scrutinized

By Lawmakers

Independent tests by 360 Degrees Testing Lab prove that individual blade cartridges lasted between 31 to 50 days longer when stored in the RazorPro. With the average cost of replacement cartridges reaching nearly $32.00 per package of eight cartridges, consumers who change blades once per week can expect to shave $95 to $200 HJI off their budgets if they use the RazorPro.

Washington, DC. 05/08 - As genetic testing explodes, a federal advisory panel is calling for more stringent government oversight. A report released by the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society advised that all lab tests should come under the supervision of the FDA. It also recommended the establishment of a special registry to document all laboratory tests.

ABOUT US

SO.CAP. USA Introduces Long Hair Wefts

The panel’s concern centers on the commercialization of genetic testing. One company, Myriad Genetics, has spent over $8 million so far this year on radio and television advertising in the Northeast of the country to tell women about its breast cancer screening. As the number and scope of tests expand, the advisory panel wants to be sure that participants receive accurate information that will help them make important decisions. The panel would like to see genetic testing become subject to a stringent form of laboratory evaluation, known as ‘proficiency testing.’

Presently, test laboratories are supervised by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but some people feel that isn’t enough.

Mahopac Falls, NY - SO.CAP. USA Hair Extensions is launching a line of 100% human long hair wefts. Available in two lengths; 12-16 inches and 20-24 inches, both come in straight, wavy, and curly textures. The wefts are easy to apply; hair designers simply cut the weft to the desired length and then apply them with a special hypoallergenic adhesive. These adhesives have been designed to closely match the client’s hair and are offered in six different hypoallergenic adhesive colors including black, dark brown, light brown, blonde, pale blonde and red.

Company president, Ron Cardillo, adds, “Our new wefts are carefully sewn with a special machine that delivers a high level of workmanship to ensure the weft’s strength and durability.”

Genetic testing for hair loss was announced in February, 2008 by HairDx. It predicts the likelihood of future hair loss with a high degree of accuracy according to its president, Andy Gorhen. At only $49 per test, HairDx is a pioneer in consumerfriendly, affordable genetic forecasting. In April, 2008, following further analysis, the company expanded its program to include women.

HJI

SO.CAP. s.r.l. Hair Extensions Company is based in Naples, Italy, with offices across Europe and North America. SO.CAP. USA is headquartered in New York. For more information about SO.CAP.USA Hair Extensions call 877-8554247 or 914-423-6545, or visit them on the web at www.SOCAPUSA.com. They can be reached HJI by email at Info@SOCAPUSA.com.

Sound Engineer Dan Feely dan@danfeely.com

NATIONAL HAIR SOCIETY Mission - The Hair Society was created at the request of forward-looking hair-management specialists seeking educational and marketing support to grow their business. It connects manufacturers, distributors, retail salons and medical clinics and provides an ongoing network for crossmarketing and dialogue.

Membership Director Heather Simon hsimon@nationalhairjournal.com

NE Regional Director Catherine Ingoglia

CA Regional Director Edmarie Masters

European Director Hans Diks SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to Hair Journal International call 1-951-2564385 or send an Email to subscriptions@nationalhairjournal.com. You can also write to us at the address at the bottom of this column.

Hair Journal International subscription billing and renewals are managed by: Receivables Management Corporation PO Box 50650 Indianopolis, IN46250 Tel: 1-800-894-9031 Email: rwarren023@aol.com ADVERTISING To place an advertisement or request a Media Kit, contact us at advertising@nationalhairjournal.com or call 1-951256-4385 LEGAL NOTICE Notice: Hair Journal International, Issue number 46 Copyright ©2007. All rights reserved.

While great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in Hair Journal International, the publisher does not assume liability for decisions based upon it. Readers are advised to seek further independent advice. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or persons making the statements or claims. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claim as its own, and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Hair Journal International accepts no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All materials in this issue are the property of this publication and nothing shown may be reproduced in any form without obtaining the permission of the publisher and/or any other persons or company who may have copyright ownership. Requests should be addressed to: Publisher, Hair Journal International, 39252 Winchester Rd., # 107-383, Murrieta, CA 92563.

HOW TO CONTACT US National Hair Group 39252 Winchester Rd., # 107-383 Murrieta, CA 92563. Telephone: 951-541-2809 news@nationalhairjournal.com subscriptions@nationalhairjournal.com advertising@nationalhairjournal.com events@nationalhairjournal.com Hair Journal International is published Quarterly.

Copyright © 2008. Single copies of most past issues of The National Hair Journal are available prepaid at $10.00 per copy. Special issues are more. Hair Journal International serves primarily the hair replacement , hair restoration and personal enhancement industries.

It sponsors conferences and trade events and produces analysis & marketing research on the hair replacement and restoration industries. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Hair Journal International, LLC 39252 Winchester Rd., #107-383, Murrieta, CA 92563

18 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

Hair Society News www.nationalhairsociety.org

Hello from your Society Coordinator I hope everyone is havan enjoyable ing Summer so far. It was great to meet new people at the Virtual Reality conference in Heather Simon Denver, CO and great to see so many familiar faces. I will be covering the Society member highlights from the conference in the Fall edition.

ple to join The Society. I’ve also had a chance to interview several more members and we are sharing their information in this section. I find it very interesting to find out how members got involved in this industry.

If we have not yet profiled your business, please feel free to phone or e-mail me to set up a time to interview. Until the Fall edition, have a great rest of the Summer.

Say Hello To Our Latest Retail Society Members

Guess Whose Hair Can you guess from the photo above what celebrity’s hair I am wearing? As you may have noticed from my monthly newsletters and in the Journal’s Society section, I have different hair colors and styles. E-mail me whose hairstyle you think it is and I will announce who got the answer right in the next edition.

Michael Carruth

Bill Spitale

Website Growing As you can see from The Society website, several updates are now taking place. I apologize for the delay in getting these upgrades finished. Members and NonMembers can purchase products from the Online Store. There will be more discounted products available for purchase through the Online Store shortly. If you would like more information about joining The National Hair Society please don’t hesitate to contact me at 951-571-3209 or via email at hsimon@nationalhairjournal.com so you can take advantage of discounts, etc .

Directory Planned Would you like consumers to be able to find your business when they search the Internet for hair replacement options?

With our new online consumer directory you will be able to list your company and choose different levels of participation and attract new clients who are looking for hair replacement options. Please contact me for further details.

Amy Gibson

Marilyn Wayne

Carole Nauman

Barb Hohmann

has expanded her client base, and improved awareness by 42 percent. She was recently seen on a TV show in her area called Showcase Minnesota. Amy Gibson made a guest appearance to provide support. The show increased awareness of her business by 42 percent and brought her several new customers. A couple of her clients were on the show. Twila offers permanent makeup, eyelash and eyebrow sculpting, manicures, pedicures, and facial sculpting. Her clients come as far away as Wisconsin and Iowa. She obtains a lot of new clientele from her website in which she has carefully optimized. The website shows up on search engines as one of the top hair replacement salons in her area.

Twila has sponsored Fashion Shows and donated the money to the Susan B Komen Foundation. This has provided positive exposure for her business. All the fashion models were cancer survivors. Twila has donated over $100,000 to charity. She provides brochures and other print materials to local hospitals and dermatologist offices. I would like to congratulate Twila on her successes and thank her for her support for the industry by joining The National Hair Society. Please visit her website at www.fantasiatogether.com.

Gene Pletzer is owner of Gene’s Professional Hair Care in Madison, WI. Wherever I go, Gene is there. He is always participating in everything. Gene is dedicated to helping his clients keep up with the latest trends in the industry. In February, he participated in a Business Women’s Expo. His public relations coordinator wrote the following article:

Twila Donley

New Members Not Pictured: Wayne and Tania Walker from Australia Gene’s Staff

It is always a pleasure to be able to sit in on one of Michael Diebold’s classes. He is a great instructor and is an authority on Amy’s Presence Wigs. Easy Solutions for Same Day Delivery class offered Cyberhair Dealers an in depth approach to getting the basic fit and attachment method that is needed for fast, superior service for delivery of Amy’s Presence Wigs.

Michael emphasized the importance of taking accurate measurements to ensure that every wig fit perfectly. It involved more than simple measurements. You have to know the product and your client’s lifestyle, he stressed. You must listen carefully to your client. This is especially important for women with special needs, like alopecia.

-Written by Jillian Turner 608-238-7651. www.geneshair.com I would like to thank Gene Pletzer and Jillian Turner for contributing to Hair Journal International

I N T E RV I E W S W I T H SOCIETY MEMBERS AC RO S S T H E S TAT E S This Society edition features interviews from members from Arizona, and Massachusetts, Florida. I would like to thank the interviewees for sharing their stories. Please contact me if you would like to be featured in Hair Journal International.

Carl Walter’s Hair Systems is located in Daytona Beach, FL. Carl Walters has been in the industry for 34 years. At the age of 18 before he graduated High School, he attended a barber college to gain expertise. When he finished High School, he wanted to attend the Junior College in Miami-Dade, FL and would need to move from where the barber col-

At Gene’s we resolve to remain Madison’s most professional and knowledgeable in

Debra Read

We are pleased to introduce the latest peo-

Michael Diebold

Gene employs a well- educated staff from around the globe, providing all hair care services including Facials, Manicures, Pedicures, Glamours Hair Extensions, Eye Lash Extensions, and Pure Liquid Hair.

Carl Walters

Welcome

Canadian Society Member and Educator Michael Diebold Instructs At This Year’s IHI Cyberworld Conference in Scottsdale, AZ.

and gained a few new clients from our efforts.

When you measure, write the number down. Sometimes the sizing caps are hard to read. Code them if you have to. When you do a fitting, look for gapping, especially around the ears and make the adjustments, and Michael reminded his audience it is always important to hydrate and aerate a Cyber piece. Not only is Michael an expert at Amy’s Presence but he has also had the opportunity to consult with beginning cosmetologists to inform them where they can direct clients for hair replacement options.

New Society Member, Twila Donley, Owner and Technician of Fantasia Salon and Wig Specialists in Crystal, MN Provides Members With Successful Tips To Increase Profits For Your Salon or Studio.

hair Restoration Therapy. We take great pride in providing all hair restoration techniques applicable to our client’s needs. At Gene’s we are able to repair ALL hair back to its healthiest potential and shine with Keratin Complex Therapy, a pure liquid hair therapy. Gene’s Professional Hair Care is one of the few salons in the Midwest with this ground breaking product, and we want to share it with you. On Valentine’s Day, Gene attended The Business Women’s Expo that catered to women owned businesses in Wisconsin and surrounding states. Our staff performed Scalp analysis and ‘on the spot’ consultations for women and men alike with thinning concerns.

Gene spent most of the day applying the

Before

After TwilaDonley

Twila Donley passed on tips and advice based on her success of expanding her own business. The Amy’s Presence line

Keratin Complex Therapy on our model to demonstrate how beautiful and gently this product restores hair. Over all, our booth received an enormous amount of attention

lege was located. There were 60 students in the class and the man that ran the barber college saw that Carl was gifted. He wanted Carl to run his barber shop. Carl mentioned that he was planning on attending the Junior College in Miami-Dade and that he wouldn’t be able to work for him. It turned out that the shop was a couple of blocks from the college. This was a great coincidence and worked out great for Carl.

Inside Carl Walter’s Hair Systems

He moved and worked for the shop owner while he studied business administration.

When he graduated, Carl joined the Navy for a couple of years. When he finished, he went back to work for the same shop in Miami Dade. The owner of the shop wanted Carl to become a manager and offered to sell Carl half the shop. However, Carl saw opportunities elsewhere and decided to move to Daytona Beach, FL where he opened up his own barber shop in 1974.

There were limitations as a stylist. The barber’s union at the time was recruited by Alan Arthur Inc. Alan Arthur Inc., developed distributors to recruit barbers to become hair replacement centers. Al, was a gentleman that was a supervisor for the South division of the union.

19 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

He helped to organize the hair replacement part of the union and wore a hair system himself.

Carl had one customer at the time who wore a hair replacement system. Al came to Carl’s shop and put a stock unit on him and the client paid a high amount of cash for it right then and there. At this point, Carl was beginning to see the need and opportunities for hair replacement for his customers.

Carl started carrying products from Alan Arthur, Inc for hair replacement in order to become a distributor.

He went to Minneapolis, MN for the training. Alan Arthur, Inc was renamed IHI and there were 30 dealers at the time.

Stylists Elicia Canfield and Kathy Mayer

Carl was interested getting a loan for his business to help him transition from the barber shop industry into hair replacement. He explained to the bank what he wanted to do and they loaned him the money and Carl has been successful within the hair replacement industry ever since.

Carl has been in his current location for the past 12 years. Prior to that, he occupied another building that caught fire due to an electrical fault next door. No one was in the building at the time and the shop was heavi-

ly insured so he was able to buy the building he is in now.

Today, Carl Walter’s Hair Systems occupies a handsome two story building. The lower level is the salon and the upper level has 3 bedroom apartments. He has 3 employees and his clientele consists of 70 percent men and 30 percent women. His female clientele has been growing. His salon offers laser hair therapy, and IHI systems and products.

Carl has been using the HairMax LaserComb and has seen great results. He has been using it for 8 months on a regular basis, 15 minutes every other day. He told me his hair was thicker and healthier.

HairMax LaserComb He continues to use the LaserComb and has even tried it on his skin to help sunspots disappear and he has seen some great results.

Carl’s marketing strategies have worked well for him over the years. He does a bit of everything. Yellow Pages has worked well for him attracting new male clients that relocate to Daytona Beach to retire from the East Coastal States. Most of them are already wearing systems and want to a new service center within the area. Advertising for women in local magazines, brochures and newspapers has been effective. The advertising does not work as well for men. His website has been very helpful in gaining new clients. Most of the people who phone in for an appointment have already been to the website. Thank you Carl for sharing your story. Please visit the website at www.carlwaltershair.com.

National Hair Centers is owned and operated by Lisa Zimmerman. Chris Webb and I, Society member Lucinda Beaty and her assistant Nicole, visited Lisa at her studio in Phoenix, AZ. Lisa gave us a tour of her impressive two story

Nikki Walsh is President of PK Walsh Co, Inc. She has been in the business for 15 years.

Her mother, Kathy Walsh opened the salon in Nikki Walsh 1983 with her sister Pat. Their 25th Anniversary was March 18th of this year. Kathy still comes into the salon and works a day and a half.

PK Walsh Co, Inc occupies approximately 3,500 square feet, has 8 employees, 4 styling rooms, a reception area, two consulting rooms, a stock room and 3 administrative offices. They have an all-female clientele. 85 percent of their clients have thinning hair. When Kathy opened the business, their mission was to help women going through chemotherapy. Today, about 15 percent of their clients are chemotherapy patients.

PK Walsh Co, Inc offers custom design systems using only the finest Russian European hair and has recently started carrying the Follea products. They keep

Outside Sign

Villaverde, plays a critical role helping control this expanding business.

Lisa Zimmerman

building; here are some of the highlights: Hair replacement began in the Zimmerman family back in 1975 when

Hair Transplant Surgery Room

The second level of National Hair Centers consists of a laser therapy room and lounge area where clients relax before their laser therapy session.

National Hair Centers is recognized in the Phoenix area as a full-service facility offering medical and non-medical hair loss solutions. She has been successful in obtaining new clients through adver-

Waiting Room

Outside National Hair Centers

we had the pleasure of meeting him while he was in between surgeries. He will be attending the next ISHRS annual meeting

Lisa’s father Arnold started his hair replacement business. Lisa joined the family business in 1977. Their building in Phoenix, AZ was purchased in 1990, went through renovation and design and then National Hair Centers opened in 1991. In 2000, Lisa Zimmerman took over the business from her father.

tising. She has her own graphic artist on staff and has a marketing person that comes in a couple of times a week.

The 1st level of the building has client waiting rooms, 22 styling rooms, a hair transplant medical area, and a special Virtual Reality VIP area. Each of the stylists has their own section in the work rooms. Lisa has 35 employees to help run the business. Lisa’s assistant, Sarah

Lisa also sits on the board of the Transitions Group. I would like to thank Lisa for allowing us to visit her center and taking the time out of her busy schedule to give us a tour. Please at visit the centers website www.nationalhair.com.

Laser Hair Therapy Room

Sarah Villaverde

in Canada. National Hair Centers has two dedicated Virtual Reality stylists and their clients have a special VIP area. VR

up with the latest cutting edge technologies to service their clients and offer laser therapy using the HairMax LaserComb and onsite laser hair therapy.

Their marketing strategies have worked

PK Walsh Reception Area

clients receive special upgrades and ID cards. Most of Lisa’s VR clientele are men although her Virtuesse clients are growing.

95% of Lisa’s hair transplant clients are men. Dr. Barry Weiss is Medical Director of National Hair Centers. He is a member of the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) and

Waiting Area

Styling Room

well over the years. They have continued with a comprehensive marketing plan and followed through with it. They have been advertising in the Boston Globe for years and have an established presence in their newspaper. PK Walsh Co, Inc is also a member of the Transitions Group. I really appreciate Nikki taking the time to speak with me and for sharing the information with Hair Journal International. Please visit their website at www.pkwalsh.com.

Lee West is a licensed hair replacement specialist and is located in Phoenix, AZ at Alternative Hair. She has been involved in LeeWest the hair replacement since the 1960’s and was first licensed in Texas. She later moved to South America and joined the Marine Corp. When she left the service, she decided to go back into the hair replacement business in Daytona Beach, FL in 1978 with Society member Carl Walters.

She worked for Carl Walters for 5 years and then relocated to Arizona in 1985 and Lee started her own business in 1989. works for herself and leases a space from Alternative Hair. The salon has a waiting room and two private work rooms. 90 percent of her clients are men, though, like most salons, she is seeing more and more women. She is gratified that most of her new business comes from client referrals.

Her hair replacement training has come from New Image, and IHI. Lee likes to travel. I spoke to her before she was headed off to Jordan and Syria.

She is currently working on her new website and will let me know when she is finished. I would like to thank Lee for sharing her story. She can be reached at 602954-8687.

Society Updates Please e-mail me or phone me with updates about your contact information so I can upload the information to the Member Directory part of the website and our Society monthly mailing lists. If you haven’t submitted a photo of yourself, please do so I can upload it to the website. I can be reached via e-mail at hsimon@nationalhairjournal.com or by phone at 951-571-3209.

Until the next edition of Hair Journal International, have a great Summer!

20Hair Journal International Summer 2008

The Italian Job

(cont. from pg. 5)

license to cut a hair piece on someone’s head. There’s no special instruction. Take Hair Club for men for example. They pay someone whatever they pay them, but they don’t really know anything about hair.

This is not a complaint because God bless them, they’re doing incredibly well, but their commercials provide the consumer with no information or education. I’m sure Hair Club could do much better if they educated their clients about taking care of their hair at home. There’s more to hair than a hairpiece. I work closely with doctors and I’ve noticed a chart many of them display that illustrates how hair grows, how it’s fed, and the growing and resting phases of hair growth. They don’t teach that at beauty school, but every hair stylist needs to know this stuff. Even the best schools don’t provide instruction in healthy hair maintenance or hairloss.

Don’t you think a hairdresser or barber who works with hair pieces should know what hair is like? I think it’s mandatory.

NHJ - So your complaint is really at the State Board level. There is no instruction in hair growth and care?

LC - Yes, and that’s why we need to do more ourselves. You’ve seen what happens at the hair shows. You get people trying to do hair on-stage. They don’t even shampoo the models’ heads. They cut their hair, apply a hairpiece and sure it looks great, but it’s not the right thing to do.

There’s much more to hair replacement than that, and this is what needs to be taught.

NHJ - Describe your salon and explain why you designed it that way.

LC - I guess I’ve gone full circle haven’t I? NHJ - Why aren’t young people entering hair replacement today?

LC - A large part of the blame is attributable to television commercials and the movies. I’m not talking about the old movies; I’m talking about movies since I’ve been in this country. They think wigs and toupees are funny. We’ve all seen the jokes - you’re in an elevator and somebody takes their hat off and their hairpiece comes with it. And what about that Budweiser commercial? The media loves to make fun of people wearing hair. But hair is important to people; they shouldn’t be laughed at. Hair is part of who we are.

NHJ - Is hair as important to people today as it used to be?

LC - Hair is the only thing that really changes our appearance. Clothes may improve your looks, but the real, intrinsic change comes from the hair.

NHJ - Is hair-management still a good career choice?

LC - I’d tell any stylist to get into this industry. The hair replacement industry is the greatest business; you make a nice living for yourself and your family without doing anything different than you’re already doing every day - cutting hair. You want to get hairdressers into the business? Believe me, all you’ve got to do is show them the way. If you show them the way they’ll come and they’ll do it. You can take a hairdresser who’s living from payday to payday and have her making $200,000 a year very easily. All it takes is 200 customers. If you get 200 customers and you do the right things, you’ll make $200,000 a year. There are a lot of hairdressers that make a serious amount of money and become respected business

From Avelino with Love In the 50 years since Carmine Pisacreta arrived from Italy, everything has changed, yet nothing has changed.

Carmine Pisacreta of Mr. Carmine’s International Hair Forum in Yonkers, New York, and Stamford, Connecticut is truly a rags to riches story, a Horatio Alger tale if ever there was one. Yet at the same time, there’s nothing clichéd about Carmine.

After all, how many Italian immigrants who began their careers working in a barbershop do you know that evolved into one of the biggest proponents of aggressive marketing in the industry?

doned his first love, styling. He hired others to make sales and to telemarket and track leads. Because for all his marketing expertise, he realized that the product he produced was essential to his success.

Born in Avelino, Italy, Carmine’s mother passed away after giving birth to him. A hard life as a child led Carmine to come to New York while still a teenager in 1958.

Life still remained hard as Carmine worked long hours sweeping out a barbershop for only $10 a week.

Carmine Pisacreta

But hard work and low pay did nothing to quell Carmine’s ambitions. He got a raise after a short time, and then another, learning the barber trade as he went. It was in 1960 that Carmine had his first encounter with hair replacement, cutting the hair of a customer who wore a “toupee”, and then later, learning to cut in the toupee itself.

Carmine was fascinated. It was something totally new to him. At the same time, it was something that very few people knew how to do. He had found a specialty that would make him stand out. And her pursued it with the same vigor and drive that lead him to the world’s greatest city in the first place.

Carmine’s proficiency soon became apparent as he began winning one styling competition after another. There was first place in the Creative High Styling Contest in 1974; another first place in the National Men’s Hair Styling Show for hairpiece styling in 1976; and in the same year, the Grand Award in the IBS Freestyle Competition in Hair Replacement. The awards that Carmine racked up went on and on. And so did Carmine.

Luigi Caruso in his Hair Studio, Pittsburgh, PA.

LC - It was actually my wife who designed it that way! She’s the genius behind our decor. When you walk in our entrance, you see a magnificent red leather couch and a 50-inch plasma TV. The wall is all natural stone that was put in by hand. The next thing you see is a display of men’s barbershop products; brushes, creams and shaving lotions from Provasa, Italy and True Freedom Hill, the first barbershop in the world in London, England. Then we have two private rooms for hair replacement and nearby, a pedicure machine. To the left of that, you have a barista bar for cappuccinos and espressos. You’ll also see a 5’x4’ picture I took of Luciano Pavarotti - he signed one of his handkerchiefs for me, but I keep this autograph in a safe place.

NHJ - It’s ironic that you started off as a metal worker and you came to the United States and you moved to a steel town.

people in the community alongside attorneys and doctors.

NHJ - Luigi, is there any question we should have asked?

LC - The thing that I would like to stress to everybody is that you can make a great living in this industry, but the best thing is the people we meet. If you’re a nice person, you will attract nice people.

NHJ - We’ve talked about young people not knowing about the opportunities in this industry. Who’s going to run your business when it comes time to retire?

LC - I have my niece, her name is Laura NHJ - So it’s going to stay in the family?

LC - Yes.

Luigi Caruso is proud founder and owner of Luigi Caruso’s Hair Studio of HJI Pittsburgh, PA.

In 1981, Carmine and his wife opened their first studio, Mr. Carmine’s International Hair Forum, in Yonkers, NY, the precursor to two more studios opened in that same decade in Stamford, CT and Manhattan.

Upon opening his studio, one of Carmine’s first acts was to join the fledgling HRS marketing cooperative. He soon became instrumental in establishing a media co-op of five New York metro studios, put together for the purpose of running television commercials in the tri-state area.

Always at the vanguard, the co-ops first television commercial appeared six weeks after Hair Club ran its first TV spot.

As Carmine’s business grew, he took the lead in helping recruit other studios to join the marketing co-op. “You have to spend the money to make the money”, he often said. Yet at the same time, he never aban-

Along the way, Carmine and Alba raised three children, one of whom, Angelo, has his own salon in Manhattan. Carmine is also very involved in civic activities, having founded the Eastchester Soccer League, as well as serving as the chairman for the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Center, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Cancer Society. He has also been honored as Man of the Year by the Sons of Italy, Sportsman of the Year, and Grand Marshal of Columbus Day Week in Eastchester.

Today, Carmine still remains very active in his Yonkers studio, cutting hair there everyday as he did when he first opened the studio. Now living in Greenwich, CT, Carmine also finds time to tend to his garden, make wine, play bocci and enjoy his grandchildren. It’s a long way from Avelino but in HJI some respects, not very far at all.

CLASSIFIED SEEKING HAIR TRANSPLANT PHYSICIAN for an established American clinic in Dubai. Experience a must. Minimum 2 year commitment.

Dermatologist, plastic surgeon or ABHRS certified. Email CV to:medicalpartners@aol.com

FOLLOW MY CURSOR! Fed up with people who don’t follow instructions? Had enough of people who insist on having the last word?

Then, “Creepy Girl” just might be your new best friend. Log in to http://cubo.cc/ and introduce yourself.

Move your cursor and watch how Creepy Girl follows it. Land it on her nose to get her attention. Then visit Motion Portrait’s website to see how you can create your own animatedimages to illustrate hairstyles and makeovers. This could be a potent marketing tool!

21 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

CyberWorld 2008 Scottsdale, AZ 2008 The sun shone for Cyberhair over the week-end of March 8-11. Salon owners dug out from record snowfalls back home, drove through the Sonoran desert and braved airport delays to meet in Scottsdale AZ and learn what was new from the world of Cyberhair.

One intrepid German visitor, who refused to let a diverted airline flight interfere with his plans, even took a midnight taxi from Tucson and rode through the night to appear redeyed, ruffled but enthusiastic at the opening breakfast on Sunday morning.

Industry icon, Jeffrey Paul opened the session with a rousing call to provide hairloss

customers with modern solutions and cross-marketing choices. Jeffrey drew on his own experience to demonstrate how the hairloss industry has evolved from barber shops and beauty salons to day-spas and today, medi-spas. Medi-spa customers, he indicated, are concerned about total personal-image enhancement, and this creates opportunities for cross-referral relationships between hair replacement salons and specialists like cosmetic dentists, laser vision ophthalmologists and even fashion consultants.

Hair Journal editor, Chris Webb, reviewed the changing hair loss “landscape,” reiterating the opportunities in cross marketing and the creation of strategic relationships with other specialties. He illustrated this by reference to genetic testing that has recently become available which allows men and women to explore their probability of future hair loss. International Hairgoods, he pointed out, was uniquely positioned to cross market since it had sister companies in the medical, cosmetic surgery, and even cell multiplication fields.

(front) Sandy VanScoy, Lisa Zimmermann, Jonalee Schmidt, Gery Campagnola, (back) Denny VanScoy, Bob Schmidt, Tina Howell, Dino Howell

Jeffrey Paul

(front) mardy Harding, Kathleen Leonard, dee Mitchell (back) Warren Harding, Dave Lamoreux

Jim Hill

Darla Smith

Mary Martinson, Lindsey Fitzgerald Darla Smith, Kate Haas, Larry Friedrichs, Peter Gensler J.M. Elison, Faye Walters,Tina Howell, Dino Howell, Carl Walters, Jean Proulx

Other guest educators and presenters included: Michael Diebold, Crystal Knocker, Missy Hewitt, Ashley Knable, Lindsay Fitzgerald, Twila Donley, Michele Schumm, Lee Schaeffer, Kathleen Leonard.

Guests noted that the properties and availability of Cyberhair are becoming even more valuable as the world shortage of high quality human hair is showing up in price increases, delivery delays and the uneven quality of many human hair systems.

Congratulations! To the Award Recipients at CyberWorld!

Peter Gensler and Darla Smith were pleased to recognize the following prizewinners:

Darla Smith, Kate Haas, Crystal Krocker, Missy Hewitt, Ashley Knabel, Peter Gensler

Cyberhair Award: Larry Friedrichs, Daryl Grecian, Joanne Friessen, Mary Phelan Amy’s Presence Award: Twila Donley, Patty Turkal, Jeffrey Paul Micro Point Solutions Award: Carol Craig, Saschah Bianchin, Beth Orenstein

Denny VanScoy

Michael Diebold

And then there’s Muckers …

Cyberhair dealers, of course, managed to find time between the presentations to engage in their annual Muckers competition. This year the Muckers Cup finally changed hands; the 2008 champion is

22Hair Journal International Summer 2008

Nightmare on Hair Street

By Monique Smith & Lindsey Hendrickson I have always experienced fine thin hair, some days there was nothing I could do with my hair at all. I learned ways to hide the thinness by styling it a certain way. A good friend of mine who is a licensed stylist suggested that I get hair extensions. I was excited, thinking I would finally get the chance to have this thick, beautiful hair.

As the stylist applied the hair extensions, I noticed she was using “glue”. My first application was great; I could curl them and treat them just like it was my own hair. After a few days, after the newness had worn off, they felt very heavy and gave me extreme headaches. I had a hard time blending them as they always looked stringy; trying to brush my hair was difficult even with a special loop brush. I had my extension for about two months and struggled with them every day. I went back to the salon and it took three hours to remove them. The stylist convinced me there was no damage and I could do it again.

The second application of extensions was worse; they were more of a struggle than the first. I had already lost some hair from the weight of the extensions, breakage and the glue, and chemicals used.

When I had them removed the second time, the stylist did not want me to come to the salon to do it. We went to her home, I thought it was odd but I was desperate to get them out.

My hair was completely damaged and broken. The dreadlocks could not be combed out; they needed to be cut out. I was at a point where I did not know what to do. I sought out advice from an extension expert. According to her I had no choice, but to put them back in my hair to hide the areas that had been thinned out more than normal. The new “hair extension expert” proceeded to apply extensions to the little hair that was left.

Neither of these stylists informed me of any risks associated with hair extensions.

There was no maintenance contract given to me, nor did they discuss the pros and cons with me. I assumed like many others, that 1,000’s of people get extensions…so they know what they are doing.

After all they are “licensed stylists”.

Wrong: Six months into this and I did not know what to do. I was desperate and my hair was a mess. I finally went to a hair restoration specialist, who in fact cringed when she saw my hair. She could not believe the damage that had occurred in only six months.

I have learned that no matter what kind of hair you have, God gave it to you for a reason. Love your hair. If you choose to lengthen or add volume to your hair with extensions, be sure to do your homework first. There are quality products out there, but it is up to you to do the research.

Choose the stylist as carefully as you choose the hair. Applying extensions is an art - and not every individual is born an artist! I am thankful everyday that I made the decision to go see a hair restoration specialist, she has managed to save my self esteem as a woman.

This story is not uncommon, on average this happens to about 80% of hair extension clients. One of the biggest misconceptions is that hair extensions are the only option to fix fine, thin hair. In fact, there are hundreds of options from products, pieces, units and basic hair mainte-

nance… and even properly applied extensions.

It may or may not be determined that hair extensions are the answer for you. There are pros and cons to each type of hair extension. Information that should be discussed during your consultation include; hair and extension maintenance, application and removal frequency, any chemicals, glues or products used, hair type and your lifestyle.

Lack of information and improper care are the biggest reasons people often have a bad experience. Hair extension baldness is the most common problem that results from improper application and removal of hair extensions. There may be times that the damage will be un-repairable. If you notice any type of breakage, dreadlocks or your stylist does not allow you to see the back of your hair; you probably need some help. There is no easy solution in fixing the damage that extensions can cause. Creating the best and healthiest environment is the ultimate repair for your hair and scalp. A hair restoration specialist can recommend the right products and services that can, over time, restore your hair and repair the damage.

Be sure to ask the proper questions, review all of your options and consult with more than one person. Also, ask the stylist if you can contact and see other clients with extensions. Do not be afraid to get told that you cannot have them; it may be a blessing in disguise. Do not go with the cheapest stylist and product either, that can cost you a lot more in damage and repair later.

Do your research and educate yourself…it pays off in the long run.

For more information on Lindsey’s Story visit www.Moniquessalon.com and click on Lindsey Hendrickson’s Story.

SO.CAP RAISES

$371, 700 FOR

CHARITY

Mahopac Falls, NY, 04/08 - Ron Cardillo, Sr., president of SO.CAP.USA presented a check for $371,000 to representatives of the National Breast Cancer

Foundation at the International Beauty Show in April. The money was raised through the company’s second annual “Pink Hair for Hope” program. Pink Hair for Hope provides a way for everyone in the professional beauty industry to show their support for the work of the NBCF in a unique and stylish way.

Clients and hairstylists alike sported pink hair extensions provided by SO.CAP.USA Hair Extensions by donating $10 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

23 Hair Journal International Summer 2008

TRICHOLOGY – THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY Dr. David H. Kingsley, PhD, FIT, LTTS, IAT Most of you have heard of the terms Trichology and Trichologists, but what do they mean?

What is a trichologist and how can trichology be useful to your business?

Trichology and Trichologists I view trichology as the bridge between cosmetology and dermatology. A certified trichologist is a person who has qualified through one of the three major trichological academies. He or she specializes in hair, hairloss, and associated scalp conditions.

Trichologists look at hair-loss problems in a holistic way and so are trained in the life sciences; and evaluate patients on the basis of personal history, lifestyle, genetic factors, and environmental conditions. With this information, they can then suggest individualized treatments, give nutritional advice, and recommend lifestyle changes to improve the health and appearance of the hair and scalp.

Additionally, trichologists will empathize with their patients. They will spend time advising them on how best to cope with their condition as an integral part of any treatment regimen.

Like other para-medical health specialists such as nutritionists, trichologists will work closely with their patients’ physicians to find out whether any medical problems are associated with their hair loss, such as thyroid disease or anemia.

History In the late 19th century, trichology became a branch of dermatology and most trichologists were also dermatologists. In 1902, the Institute of Trichologists was formed in Britain. Slowly the membership shifted from dermatologists to cosmetologists (presumably, because at that time there wasn’t much help for hair loss except rub-on lotions and potions) and consequently the discipline became dubbed as “glorified hairdressing.” In 1975 another Institute was set up, this time in the USA, called the International Association of Trichologists. It is now based in Australia. In the 1990’s, The Trichological Society was founded in London. Since the 1980’s, trichology has begun to shift back towards a “paramedical” discipline, with a few trichologists like myself attaining a PhD. The Good Why is being a certified trichologist or working closely with a certified trichologist important for your hair-replacement or surgical hairrestoration business? Well, first, if you decide

to become certified yourself, it will give you more insight and knowledge into the causes of hair loss and help you analyze a client’s condition more effectively - the International Association of Trichologists offers a correspondence course to attain certification. It also gives you a prestigious certification and authenticity in the eyes of your clients, the media, and other professions (such as physicians). Being a certified trichologist, or working with one, also gives you the chance to offer another level of service. You’ll be able to keep the clients you were previously unable to help (because they had too much hair) by offering a trichological assessment and treatment. A trichology regimen could be used to help reduce itching and flaking for someone wearing a hair system; or help transplants heal more quickly after surgery. Offering trichology services will also attract more female clients.

am the only trichologist in North America with a bona fide doctorate.

The Future of Trichology The great thing about trichology is its flexibility and its wide range of expertise. I envisage trichology being part of the next wave of haircare from the cosmetic industry. Even now, hair-replacement companies and hairdressing chains are looking for ways to get ahead of the competition. Look no further than trichology to educate and improve the knowledge base of your employees!

I also see hair-surgical companies using trichologists to advise their patients on more than just transplants, but also other medical options and lifestyle changes that will enhance the long-term satisfaction of their patients.

Dermatologists now use inexperienced (hair knowledge-wise) nurse practitioners to see a lot of their hair-loss patients. Why not use trichologists? Trichology can bring both the cosmetic and medical disciplines together for the better of all our patients and clients.

For more information about trichology visit the following websites: Dr. David Kingsley’s Website at www.HairAndScalp.com, the Institute of Trichologists Website at www.trichologists.org.uk, the International Association of Trichologists Website at www.trichology.edu.au, or The Trichological Society Website at www.hairscientists.org.

The Bad Unfortunately, the discipline of trichology is fraught with problems. The main problem is that it is unregulated and therefore, many people call themselves ‘trichologists’ even if they haven’t been properly certified by–or qualified through–one of the three trichological associations mentioned above. Obviously, we need some type of regulation. But there are so few certified trichologists in the USA that the time and cost to attain this is prohibitive.

Therefore, if you do decide to use or associate yourself with a trichologist, I suggest you thoroughly check his or her credentials. Ask which organization they officially granted them certification, and then check with that institute’s website to make sure that they really are affiliated - I am affiliated with all three major Institutes.

Dr. David H. Kingsley, PhD, FIT, LTTS, IAT qualified as a certified trichologist in 1980 through the Institute of Trichologists (London) and attained his Doctorate through the University of Portsmouth. He was subsequently honored by the Institute of Trichologists with a Fellowship for his academic research and his important additions to the subject of trichology.

Dr. Kingsley has published many medical papers and presented his work at medical conferences. He authored “The Hair-Loss Cure: A Self-Help Guide”, the winner of the 15th Annual Writer’s Digest Award for best nonfiction book.

The Ugly Incredibly, many trichologists have the audacity to call themselves ‘doctors.’ Please note that a valid PhD can only be gained through a reputable university. It took me three years of intense study to be certified as a trichologist and a further seven years (part-time) to attain my doctorate through the University of Portsmouth in the UK. So I’m sure you can imagine my dismay when I see or hear of uncertified people, with little or no knowledge of trichology, calling themselves ‘trichologists’ or even worse, ‘doctors.’ Double-check a trichologist’s credentials if they claim to be ‘doctors,’ as only a handful of trichologists worldwide have PhDs. To the best of my knowledge, at the time of writing this article I

Dr. Kingsley is president of the British Science Corporation (US) and director of the Dr. David Kingsley Science Corporation (UK). His professional Affiliations include: Trichology - Institute of Trichologists, International Association of Trichologists, The Trichological Society.

Medical - American Academy of Dermatology, North American Hair Research Society, International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery.

Miscellaneous - International Society for Quality of Life Research, The New York Academy of Sciences, National Hair Society.

Dr. Kingsley may be contacted at: info@britsci.com or through his web site: HJI www.HairAndScalp.com.

SAVING FACE IN BEVERLY HILLS! When Looking Good is More Than a New Hairstyle Beverly Hills, 05/08 - It is refreshing to see that even in this chilly economic climate there are still a few warm hearts in the world!

In May, 2008, Brent Moelleken, M.D., F.A.C.S. performed a special facial enhancement procedure on Laura who is suffering from facial wasting caused by the auto immune disease lupus. Called “Live Fill,” this cosmetic procedure was offered through Dr. Moelleken’s non-profit foundation, “About Face.”

“Live Fill was the only way to add mass to Laura’s already emaciated face,” explained Dr. Moelleken. “The lupus had caused substantial facial wasting and would continue to do so unless some really dramatic measures were taken.”

Lupus is an auto immune disease that is characterized by an overabundance of antibodies that cannot tell the difference between healthy cells and germs. The surplus antibodies begin attacking the person, usually focusing on joints, tendons and, in Laura’s case, dermal tissue. Currently, lupus affects about 1,500,000 Americans and each year more than 16,000 new cases are diagnosed.

“Lupus has no known cure and, as doctors, we can only treat the symptoms that are presented to us,” says Dr. Moelleken. Laura will be slightly swollen after the procedure, but within two weeks her face will have noticeably more volume and, most importantly, it will stay that way!

Brent Moelleken, M.D. is a Beverly Hills plastic and reconstructive surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is an attending physician at UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Hospitals. He has studied at Harvard and has his MD from Yale University. He has been practicing in Beverly Hills since 1995.

He has numerous studies and papers on his American Society Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) award winning superficial cheek lift and over 70 published articles and abstracts, including many in the Journal of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. He is a surgeon on ABC’S hit show “Extreme Makeover,” and Discovery Health Channel, and has over 75 television appearances including Dateline, ABC, CBS, NBC, Extra, and numerous national and international shows. View HJI these at: www.drbrent.com