I wear a hairpiece and I bet you
can’t tell! Millions of women suffer from hair loss in silence, forced to wear
bad wigs or pay huge sums of money for clearly detectable hair replacements.
Too many women don’t know that there are better options for them. Options that
look and feel natural. Options that allow you to go about your daily business
as you did before you experienced hair loss. I was one of those women. I know all too
well the emotional hardship of losing my hair and not knowing what to do about
it, but that all changed once I met a lady that transformed my life. Her name
is Sherri Thomas. To truly understand this woman’s impact on my life you first need
to know what led me to find her.
I was a
young woman in her prime when I was stricken with an unexplained scalp
infection rendering me with permanent hair loss across the top of my head.
There are few things more devastating to a woman than learning that you can no
longer grow the beautiful hair for which you have spent your whole life caring.
After close to a year of self-treatments,
because the dermatologists had no answers for me, my scalp finally healed and I
began to wear wigs. Over the course of
about 5 years I spent a lot of money on wigs and they always seemed to look
better on the heads in the stores than on my head at home. I invested boatloads of money in a well-known
hair replacement company for weekly laser scalp treatments; did not work. I bought an online at home laser scalp
treatment gadget; did not work. The financial burden of constantly replacing
bad wigs was putting a strain on my bank account, but it paled in comparison to
the toll on my emotional bank. The pain of knowing that I didn’t have real
options to cover up my head was always on my mind. I could not escape the
thoughts of being seated in a crowd and someone accidently causing my wig to
shift or worst someone snatching my wig off. Oh the horror! Think about not
being able to just answer a simple knock at the door, or order room service
when traveling, or run outside to get the mail before pausing to turn that door
knob because you’ve forgotten to cover your head.
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| Once I tried a braided wig for Zumba |
Your mind plays tricks on you
when you’re hiding a secret and you know you are not hiding it well. I even
gave up Zumba parties (which I loved) because Zumba gets hot…fast and when you
get hot you sweat. Let’s just say that attempting to cover a sweaty bald
slippery scalp while jumping around to energetic Zumba beats don’t mix. The
last time I went to Zumba I wore a scarf and I got so heated that my scarf
started slipping, almost revealing my bald spot. Although I caught it before
anyone noticed, I was so embarrassed over what could have happened. That ended
my attendance at Zumba parties. Some people say, “It’s easy. Just cut it all
off.” It’s funny that it is always someone with hair that gives that
recommendation. It’s easy to say that for people who still have their hair.
Going bald wasn’t me. I wasn’t connected to my inner Grace Jones. I couldn’t
just become this “bold, bald black woman.” I wanted hair. People can be mean
too. I once had to endure two female co-workers pretending to get something out
of my hair when actually they were trying to determine if I was wearing a wig. I
allowed them to think I was naïve and didn’t know what they were doing, but
what I wanted to do was head butt them both in the lower lip.
It’s amazing what we as women do to each other.
After years
of suffering my answer came in the form of junk mail of all places. One man’s
junk mail is another woman’s Godsend. I was looking through a packet of mailer
advertisements the ones I normally throw away, and one of the advertisements
caught my eye. I recall pictures of balding women. Women like me! Women losing
their hair for all sorts of reasons. I immediately stopped flipping through the
ads and took notice. The House of Raw Elegance Salon, 2955
Patterson Rd., Florissant, Missouri. The ad mentioned hair replacements with no
gluing or braiding. I was curious, “how is this possible?” No glue. No braids.
I loved the sound of that. Glue is icky and braids have the potential to break
or pull out what hair I had left. I didn’t want any part of either of those
things, but the possibilities sounded too good to be true, and we all know what
they say about things that sound too good to be true. It was about to hit the trash.
Then I noticed looking up at me the words free private consultation. The magic word was private. Free is a
good word too, but the idea of being able to speak with someone about my
problem in private without the fear and pressure of other salon onlookers was a
major thing. I must say the thought of a private free consultation was the main
reason I made an appointment and I’m glad I did.
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| Before receiving my handcrafted piece |
Fast forward
to the evening of my appointment. I arrived at House of Raw Elegance
salon in Florissant, MO and from the moment I walked in, I knew this was not
“just a beauty shop” this was truly a business that cares about their
individual clients. I felt welcomed and at home like no other hair salon/beauty
shop to which I’d ever been. The mother
of the owner of the salon, Sherri Thomas, greeted me at the door and showed me
around pointing out pictures of hairstyles, hair shows, and fashion shows Sherri
had done. There was a framed feature article from the Post-Dispatch about her
earlier days as wig-master. There were mannequins on display resting on podiums
adorned with Sherri Thomas custom handmade wigs. There were two separate sections,
a salon for general hair styling clients and a barbershop for men. After giving
me the grand tour I was escorted to the private room where all the magic
happens. That’s when I finally met the one and only—Ms. Sherri Thomas. As I
entered the private room I was struck by the array of impressive licenses and
certifications that embellished the wall. This lady is the real deal. Sherri is a Licensed Cosmetologist, a Licensed
Instructor in the state Missouri and California, a certified Wig Master (from
London), a Trichologist, and a Non-Surgical Hair Replacement expert. To
add to all of that, she also volunteers her services to the American Cancer
Association’s Feel Good Look Better Program for suffering cancer patients.
Sherri understands the struggles of hair loss and battling cancer because she
herself is battling pituitary cancer. That may be why she was so pleasantly down to earth,
warm and hospitable. She was never pushy. Never selling. It was clear to me that she was more than
just a cosmetologist. I felt at ease. I have never felt so comfortable removing
my wig for someone. No shame. No judgment. I’d found a new freedom. She started
the consultation and assessment of my issue. She
asked me about my hair loss
and the services I was interested in. This is very important! She actually listened
to what my desires were. She explained alternatives and what the long-term
requirements would be for the different options. For my needs it would be a closure
for my bald area. I could be done with whole wigs. For me that meant not having
to grab a wig before going out to the mailbox, answering the door, or taking
off a wig before bed. I could go Zumba it up in public without the need for a
head covering. And with a Sherri Thomas custom closure and her patented
application system I could leave it in place until my next visit. Oh, and I can’t forget that Sherri is a national
Health Care provider which means she can take care of your hair loss needs
through your health insurance. She also has in-house financing available. After
everything I’d been through, I knew this was what I needed. There was no need
to look further. We finalized my order that night. She took measurements, and
made a mold of my bald area. We chose hair, the length, and talked styles.
Sherri explained that due to how she creates her custom hairpieces they can be
styled how ever you like. Just like your natural hair. I made my down payment
and left filled with expectation and excitement. It took several weeks for her
to craft the handmade customized one of a kind piece and I waited anxiously
like a young child waiting Christmas morning. And then the day came and after 6
long years of enduring private emotional pain and
turmoil, Sherri gave me my “hair peace” and I emerged from that private room a whole new woman. My hair
was beautiful and for the first time in years I felt comfortable and confident.
It was the beginning of the new me and over the years since I started seeing
Sherri not only has my hair and scalp health improved so has my self-esteem and
willingness to get out into the world and mix it up. Let’s just stay, Stella got her groove back!
Now you
understand why I believe so much in this St. Louis County treasure that so many
women suffering with hair loss know nothing about? She doesn’t just do this as
a business, she actually identifies with the women she helps and runs a true
business that caters and cares for those women. Ladies out there…men with moms,
sisters, wives and girlfriends who’ve suffered hair loss hear me when I say that
I am so grateful that I discovered Ms. Sherri Thomas and her unique services.
As a woman suffering from hair loss she has given me my life back in so many ways. And that is my wish for every woman suffering from hair loss, that they discover their own Sherri Thomas and find their own personal hair peace. Once you find peace with your hair situation you will not be disappointed in how your life will open up again. Please seek out help. There are options available. You too can have your own hair peace.
Sherri Thomas, Tricologist Wig Master, House of Raw Elegance Salon, 2955 Patterson Rd., Florissant, Missouri, 63031 – (314) 299-8926, www.Hrehairsolutions.com
