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Local salon offers hair care, wig options for everyone

MILL HALL -- According to the American Hair Loss Association, hair loss is not a condition exclusive to men; up to 40 percent of American women also experience significant hair loss.

One solution to hair loss is to wear a wig. Some women choose to wear a wig because of a medical condition that's caused them to lose their hair, while others choose to wear a wig to change their hairstyle and to be able to have perfect hair every day without the hassle and time involved in styling it.

As local salon owner Susan Powlus puts it, "It's impossible to have a bad hair day when you're wearing a wig."

Recently, the timeless trend of wig-wearing has become more mainstream due to a surge of women suffering from significant hair loss months after recovering from COVID-19. For those who are experiencing hair loss, regardless of the cause, The Hair Refinery's new Wig Salon has the perfect solution.

Susan Powlus, owner of The Hair Refinery: Hair and Wig Salon in Mill Hall, has been in business for over 30 years. Susan originally made wigs available in her salon for women with thin hair as well as for those suffering from a medical condition that causes hair loss.

Susan has fitted and customized wigs for women undergoing chemotherapy, suffering from alopecia and those with hereditary pattern hair loss, to name a few. She's also recommended wigs to clients who want to make a drastic change in their appearance that can't be achieved by cutting and coloring alone.

Wigs allow women (and men) to enjoy having perfect hair that requires approximately five minutes or less to style. With unlimited lengths, styles and colors to choose from, a wig wearer can literally have the hair they've always dreamed of.

As of 2021, Susan's wig clientele has grown exponentially due to the number of adults experiencing post-COVID-19 hair loss; a completely new and unprecedented market. Because of the influx of new clients looking for a way to restore thickness and fullness to their hair, along with those experiencing hair loss as a result of another medical condition, Susan remodeled her salon to include a wig salon, where clients can book an appointment to try on various styles and colors.

Significant hair loss following a COVID-19 infection is a symptom that is rarely discussed or widely known about. Consequently, cosmetologists across the country are scrambling to find solutions for clients who are experiencing hair loss as a result of the virus. In many cases, the person's hair falls out in clumps after recovering, while in others, it falls out more gradually. In either case, the changes to the client's hair thickness and texture are remarkable.

"I've been meeting new clients who are absolutely devastated by the hair loss they're experiencing," Susan stated regarding the impact hair loss is having on many of her new clients. "It really puts into perspective how important a woman's hair is to her; we don't realize how important it is to us until we no longer have it."

When searching for a solution, one might turn to Amazon for a quick fix in the form of a hair-thickening product to restore its fullness.

In fact, a search for "hair restoration products" will populate over 10,000 results that include products made by manufacturers who claim that their product provides complete hair restoration.

However, the truth is that no product will truly restore hair growth or thickness long-term, regardless of the claims made by the company; it's simply not possible. What is possible, however, is to add more hair by wearing a wig; they don't cause damage to any remaining natural hair, they don't irritate the scalp and as the industry has grown and changed, wigs no longer feel uncomfortable, hot or heavy on the wearer.

Customers entering The Hair Refinery's Wig Salon will find a vast selection of wigs in various lengths, styles and colors, all of which are available for purchase. Appointments are required at the wig salon, as some clients prefer to have privacy during their wig consultation and fitting.

Susan offers guidance and suggestions during wig fittings based on her extensive knowledge and experience with high-quality wigs, and since she is a licensed cosmetologist, she also offers customization services to make the hair look the most flattering while also appearing completely natural on the wearer.

"Many places can only sell you a wig, but since I'm a cosmetologist, I can cut and customize it to suit the client," she said. "I provide wig repair and refreshing services and I also carry the products needed to care for the wig and make it last as long as possible."

Susan explained that with the addition of her new wig salon, some clients have expressed interest in wigs simply because they want a drastic change to their hair that cannot be achieved by cutting or coloring.

"I have many clients who are not experiencing hair loss or thinning at all," she explained,

"Some clients just want to change their look, or they don't want to spend so much time and energy styling their hair every day" she added. High-quality wigs don't need to be styled every day as long as they're properly stored and cared for.

"When a client wants a drastic color change in the salon, I often grab a wig in the color they're desiring from my inventory and try it on them. Some have found that they disliked the color and were grateful that we didn't go through with coloring it and others have found that the color was exactly what they were looking for," she said.

Susan's interest in wigs and other hair enhancements began as a personal endeavor. She explained that her interest came from her own desire to have great hair, but more importantly, to feel confident. She found that many of her clients with thin hair felt the same way.

"I had thin hair when I began working in the beauty industry," she explained. "I developed a reputation for having an understanding of how to work with fine hair types and consequently, gained a great deal of experience through cutting, coloring and styling thin hair, as I was already accustomed to working with it."

Susan continued, explaining that over time, her natural hair continued to get thinner, which is what led her to start looking into wigs.

"As the wig industry grew, I continued along with it and now I'm a routine wig wearer myself," she said.

Susan has since purchased high-quality wigs at the request of many of her clients. The wigs arrive ready to wear, but Susan customizes them by cutting or texturizing them to suit the wearer. By individualizing the wig, the end result looks the most flattering on the client and it also appears to be completely natural.

Hair extensions are another type of hair enhancement that most regular salon-goers are familiar with. Extensions are natural or synthetic hair wefts that are glued, sewn or bonded to a client's natural hair.

This type of hair addition requires the client to have a substantial amount of natural hair to begin with and return visits to the salon every few weeks for maintenance are a necessity.

Susan offers a more cost-effective and natural-looking alternative. Along with wigs, Susan offers hair enhancements that give the same look as extensions, but without the same level of maintenance and additional expense of repeat salon visits for maintenance. When asked more specifically about these types of hair enhancements, Susan explained that some wigs, like hair extensions, allow a person's natural hair to be visible.

"I also wear "pull through" hairpieces, which are wigs designed to blend my natural hair seamlessly through them. These hairpieces have a cap with holes sewn at the crown or around the sides so that the wearer can customize their look by pulling some of their natural hair through the holes," she said. "When I wear that type of enhancement, 50 percent of what you can see is my own hair mixed in with hair from the enhancement."

In terms of the cost of purchasing a high-quality wig compared to other traditional hair services, Susan explained that wigs aren't nearly as expensive as you'd think,

"In comparison to hair color services or extensions, wigs are very affordable and they don't require the expense involved in maintaining the style or the color as your hair grows out," she said.

She noted that shorter hairstyles typically need to be cut or trimmed every 4-8 weeks, while medium and longer styles should be cut or trimmed every 8-12 weeks. When hair color services are factored in, the cost of maintaining a natural hairstyle can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars every year.

Susan has helped countless women who are desperate to achieve the look they desire to feel better about themselves.

"I've spent years looking for the most natural and comfortable way to conceal my thin hair. I've discovered through my own journey as well as through conversations with clients who are experiencing hair loss that we, as women, often underestimate how important our hair is to us," Susan continued, explaining that it's not about being superficial, but rather, feeling confident. "You don't realize how valuable your hair is to you until you start losing it, and many of my clients who are going through that are completely and utterly devastated by their hair loss."

Susan noted how fulfilling it is to see a client's face light up when they try on a wig for the first time after having lost their hair. This alone seems to fuel her passion for wig-wearing, and her passion is contagious.

"I've spoken to wig clients who've received a cancer diagnosis, but were actually more concerned about losing their hair for the time being," she said.

This speaks volumes to the importance women put on their hair; it is often viewed as a part of a woman's identity. When asked about a woman's hair, Maya Angelou once said, "I would say that hair is a woman's glory." Her quote is paraphrased from the Bible, but it is still relevant today.

Susan has helped women from all walks of life to achieve a look that restores their confidence. She's fitted and customized wigs for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, cancer survivors who are still regrowing their hair, women suffering from hair loss after having COVID-19 or who have been diagnosed with alopecia, and women with hereditary pattern hair loss, among many others. Her passion for restoring confidence that has been diminished by hair loss is palpable in her demeanor; she genuinely loves to be of assistance, and with the plethora of options available in her wig salon, any style preference can be easily accommodated.

Susan is also a supporter of "Boxes of Hope," a local non-profit organization that provides hope and encouragement to people undergoing breast cancer treatments. The organization sends care packages, or "boxes of hope," to cancer patients, and also provides educational awareness about breast cancer and breast health to promote informed treatment decisions.

Susan has hosted wig parties since the addition of the wig salon and its extensive inventory, allowing interested clients to come in and try on wigs without their inhibitions getting in the way.

"Wig parties have been a huge success so far, and everyone has a great time trying on different hairstyles that they never dreamed they could have."

If you or someone you know is experiencing hair loss, or if you want to achieve a completely new hairstyle that you never thought would be possible, contact Susan at The Hair Refinery in Mill Hall to schedule an appointment for a wig consultation.

Appointments can be scheduled on The Hair Refinery's website, https://thehairrefinery.com, and also by phone call at 570-726-7583 or text at 570-660-7505.