Hair Enhancement Alternatives

Do you have certain clients who just won’t give extensions a try? Or do you have clients who need hair enhancement, but not extensions? Try one of these methods. Your client will feel better about herself and you’ll see more profits in the salon.

Topical and Ingestible Products

While you may know that some of your clients take the pill Propecia or apply Minoxidil (also called Rogaine) directly to their scalp, the product in this category that is exclusive to salons is Nioxin, which is applied topically but includes a multi-vitamin supplement in the line as well.

“At Nioxin we approach hair thinning as a skin care issue,” says Trevor Attenborough, vice-president of marketing. “Nioxin is a skin-based, anti-aging solution for the scalp.” Attenborough explains that the product aims to cleanse and detoxify the skin on the scalp without stripping the hair.

“The best quality hair you can have is the hair that’s just leaving the scalp,” he adds. “Chemical, environmental and thermal damage affects it after that. So start by improving the skin on the scalp. The resin build-up from ordinary styling products impacts the hair, while our styling products actually benefit the scalp skin.”

Nioxin has provided salons primarily with a retail opportunity with its eight systems that cater to different needs and hair textures. However, the latest offering, Scalp Renew, is an in-salon service. The company suggests charging $50 to $75 for the 18-minute service, which includes ten minutes of processing time.

“The average facial resurfacing treatment is priced at about double what we’re suggesting,” Attenborough sayss. “Spas that already have a resurfacing treatment on the menu tend to push the price to $75 for the scalp, and you can do two of these in the time it takes you to do one hair color.”

Laser

As the latest entry poised to potentially sweep the market, laser light hair therapy is the “one to watch.” Gradually turning skeptics into believers, the technology is based on research indicating that light can promote healing and growth. Clients with anything short of  “shiny bald” heads are candidates for laser therapy; as long as the follicle is not dead, it can be nudged to grow more hair—and better quality hair. Success rates border along the 90 percent range.

“This is cold laser,” explains Robert Ward, president of Surf Side Lasers. “It has no thermal component and cannot harm the operator. Thermal refers to every other type of laser—laser for eye surgery or to remove a tattoo, for example—and the difference is night and day.”