I am a hairdresser
If you are a hairdresser who is interested enough to be reading this then you are obviously someone who cares a great deal about your customers. I feel that it is extremely important to give something back to the industry that I love and this is a guide written by me for you, the hairdresser.
Trevor Sorbie MBE
Salons are the vital ingredient which allows us to offer the service to people nation wide.
Both professional hairdressers and salons play a vital role in helping my new hair support people with medical hair loss by cutting and styling their new wigs.
We already have a number of fabulous salons that have pledged their support – but we need more!
Becoming a my new hair stylist is a rewarding but challenging experience. Although it will have it’s personal rewards for all involved, you will also be faced with some difficult experiences. For this reason, our training not only covers styling and maintaining wigs, but also how to manage situations you may find yourself in. The training will cover everything from communicating with the client to PR techniques of how to promote the service in your area.
The three steps to support us are really simple:
- Register your salon’s interest in one of the many my new hair training seminars throughout the UK.
- Select your my new hair specialist stylist (or number of stylists if applicable) from your team.
- Your stylist will then receive training from our dedicated team, headed by our founder Trevor Sorbie.
Once training has been completed you become a certified:
Level 1 - my new hair salon and are added to our national database.
my new hair are currently in talks with both the Government and a number of NHS trusts to achieve an equality of service throughout the UK and we will continue to strive for this.
With my new hair being a registered charity we do need to charge a small amount for this unique training. Without this valuable support from you, the salons, it is impossible for us to offer this training, guidance and support.
So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
Over the years I have worked with many wig suppliers, your local supplier will I am sure be able to offer you advice and support. We have also detailed in other sections within this website things to take into account when advising your client
I strongly recommend that you go into a wig supplier and try on some wigs. Also, ask to see the “base” of the wig (turn it inside out) as these do vary and, normally, the more you pay the better quality the base is. For example some wigs have additional fine padding or have fabric which is softer on the scalp. It’s important to look at the different weave on a wig as some wigs can be parted in different directions and others can be worn one way only. Also, some wigs have a natural lining which looks like the scalp, others don’t.
Remember that your client will want the wig to look as natural as possible and it’s important that it has as many comfort features as they can afford because during treatment the scalp can be extremely sensitive.
I have been cutting wigs for years – using them on photographic shoots and hair shows and it really is a different way of cutting. It’s a bit like cutting a hedge or creating a sculpture. It’s really important that you don’t try to cut a wig like a normal head of hair as it’s not! I have put together some hints and tips to help you.
I nearly always use a razor because I feel that sculpting a shape and reducing bulk is much easier using this tool. Also, you get a more natural look with a razor as the edges of the hair are not as blunt as when cut with scissors.
In my experience, most wigs have about 40% too much hair in them and I normally concentrate on first removing the bulk and then customising the shape to suit the face. I do also use my scissors and thinning scissors – it’s a combination of the tools you feel most comfortable with.
The single most important thing about making a wig look real is to ensure that the wig is customised to suit your face shape – in my experience you don’t need to have a real hair wig to make it look real. It’s about getting the right advice and having the wig cut and shaped to suit your face. Also you don’t need to pay a fortune. Most wig suppliers can fit and customise a wig from around £100.00.
As I write these words technology is advancing and the quality and variety of wigs that are available increases all the time. Whether you are someone who simply wishes to match their hair colour as closely as possible or if you would like a complete change, there is something that will be just right for you. If you just walk into a wig shop and try on a wig it will normally not suit you immediately. This is because colour choice, customizing of the wig, and correct product usage are essential for the most effective finished result. There are many different types of wig but here is a brief description of what is most commonly available.
Synthetic hair wigs are made from a fibre – much like clothing fabric. But believe me, once the wig has been customised and styling product added it looks incredibly real and is, in fact, my favourite choice.
Synthetic wigs are easy to take care of and you can wash the wig in warm water, condition it (using a fabric conditioner), and then as it dries it will re-form its shape, this makes it very easy to take care of, especially if you are feeling unwell. This is the least expensive choice, a good synthetic wig starts from £100.00.
I don’t recommend this service as a made-to-measure wig can take up to two months to make and will normally not be ready before your treatment begins. Made-to-measure wigs are normally worn by people who suffer from alopecia which is permanent hair loss or those who are unfortunate and do not experience hair re-growth.
These are made from 100% human hair – generally speaking this hair comes from Asian countries where it is accepted practice for women to sell their hair. This hair is then cleansed, chemically treated, coloured and made into a wig. You need to take good care of a real hair wig and remember that just like real hair, it needs to be blow-dried into style after each shampoo. A real hair wig is more expensive than a synthetic hair wig and requires more care. Prices start from £250.00.
As with all skills the more you practice, the better you will become. In my salon we hold training nights where it’s as simple as taking an old wig from the cupboard and putting it onto a staff member then cutting it and making it suit the person. At the end of the day you can always buy a new wig!
One of the most important things is to have good communication skills. As a hairdresser you are used to having a consultation and communicating with customers. But there is a great difference with a client who is going to lose their hair.
We strongly recommend attending a my new hair seminar as communication is a key part of the training.
We are currently working on an Advanced Skills and Aftercare training program. This looks into communication, amongst other things, in greater depth as we believe this is key to the service our Salons that Care offer. We have already held such sessions in Bristol, Birmingham, London, and will be holding one in Leeds towards the end of November. Please click on the Training Information tab to the right hand side of this page for further information.
If you would like more information on any of the above training seminars please contact us direct.
I am often asked what my thoughts are about charging for a service to someone who is ill. I personally don’t charge for the cutting of wigs but just charge for the actual price of the wig. However, in my salons, my staff do charge. We book around one and a half hours to cut a wig and give advice; we charge the same price as for a cut and blow dry. But the consultation is free and all of my staff have joined our “pro bono” project which means that they will each offer two free services a year (this means that when someone comes in who really can’t afford the service we are able to offer the cutting and styling free of charge, they just pay for the basic wig).
