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Novi Business Helps Clients Go from Hairless to Care-Less
Novi — A 19-year-old man recently sat in Rebekah Lakies’ styling chair at Salons by JC with hopes of not just hiding his genetic hair loss but also restoring his self-confidence. This college student traveled all the way from Kalamazoo to Novi for a unique “hair system,” provided by Project Hair Company. This system, akin to a toupee, seamlessly blends with the client’s natural hair.
The hair wig and extension market, according to DataHorizzon Research, was valued at $7.7 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $15.7 billion. The 19-year-old, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed that this service allows him to feel confident and look his age, making the $600 price tag worthwhile.
Highlighting the significance of August being National Hair Loss Awareness Month, Diversified Members Credit Union brought attention to the company’s transformative work.
Rebekah Lakies, a hair replacement expert, is on a mission to raise awareness about cosmetic hair replacement features. She emphasizes that there are numerous options available beyond traditional wigs and transplants. “When you make people happy, confident, and you see the whole picture come together after so much nervousness, it’s huge,” Lakies said.
The clients benefiting from these services vary greatly. Some suffer from hereditary baldness, others from burns that inhibit hair growth, chemotherapy, different forms of alopecia, or scars from previous hair surgeries. Services by Lakies and Sara Micallef, the founder of Project Hair Company, include full bonding, perimeter bonding, clip-on “toppers,” toupee-like “systems,” and strand-by-strand extensions that add density to existing hair.
Women especially get “toppers” which clip onto the top of the head to conceal thinning hair or loss near the hairline. These typically cost around $1,000. The company sees approximately 200 clients regularly, including people who travel long distances, even from places like Chicago and Ohio.
Both Micallef and Lakies tailor a personalized plan for each of their clients. They create a prototype using the desired color, length, and texture before installation. These hairpieces can last anywhere from a few months to a year for toppers.
“Usually by the time they arrive in our chair, they’ve tried everything,” Micallef stated, noting that some clients have even sought hair transplant surgeries abroad in places like Turkey. “For many of our clients, their personal image is deeply tied to their hair. This is the first thing people notice and it’s incredibly important for their confidence,” she added.
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