the link, issue 3

MESSAGE FROM THE AHLC BOARDMembership: CommitmentMarsha Scott, Vice PresidentAt a time when the American Hair Loss Council was struggling to rebound from a very negative place in the hair industry, I decided to accept the position as President of the American Hair Loss Council. It was a decision I made at the time based solely on lending my support to a not-for-profit asso-

ciation serving the hair restoration industry, which has deep personal meaning to me.

It did not take long before I realized the decision I made was the right one. To this day, I feel a sense of accomplishment. The American Hair Loss Council has provided me and my business with a network of my peers, including service professionals in the industry, manufacturers and vendors serving sufferers of hair loss and the hair replacement industry.

The American Hair Loss Council and I have come a very long way since my decision to be president. The Council, along with the hair replace-ment industry in general, has experienced many changes. One major purpose of The American Hair Loss Council is providing accurate information to sufferers of hair loss. Just having the means to pass that information along in using all of the social media available to us, the industry grows by leaps we never thought possible. Whether medical or non-medical information is needed, millions of people are able to access any information with the security and privacy most of us never thought possible.

It is an “ever-changing” industry and it is always exciting to have first hand involvement in those changes. Being a member of the American Hair Loss Council makes that involvement possible. I am so glad I decided to be involved… to join the AHLC.

Membership Information:For more information call 570.462.1101 or visit www.ahlc.org.For a membership form visit www.ahlc.org or email [email protected]

The Link, The Voice of the American Hair Loss Council is the official, quarterly publication of the American Hair Loss Council. For information on advertising or contributing to content, please contact us: The American Hair Loss Council 30 South Main, Shenandoah, PA 17976 615.601.AHLC (2452) or [email protected] The Link Staff: Senior Editor: René Meier

Managing Editor: Janine Thornhill Design and Layout: e-zign Design Group, www.e-zign.comCreative Director: Terrell Thornhill Contributors: Diane DeStefano, Hair Replacement Specialist, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Jennifer Dunphy, VP Sales & Marketing, Vayu Media, Atlanta, GA

Dave Fatula, Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH

Leigh Gardner, National Sales Manager, Capilia & Térapo Médik, Pompano Beach, FL

Gerry Hergert, Abstrax Hair Designs, Tom’s River, NJ

Alex A. Khadavi, MD, Board-Certified Dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at USC/Keck School of Medicine, Encino, CA

Leanne Molter, Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Solutions, Inc., Fairfax, VA

Jeff Pulford, President, Insure Beauty, Salinas, CA

Katalin Reimann, Owner/President, Aesthetics & Wellness, Pittsburgh, PA

Stephanie Williams, International Hairgoods, Minneapolis, MN

AHLC Board of Directors: Peggy Thornhill, President

Marsha Scott, Vice President

Susan Kettering, Executive Director

Betty Ann Bugden, Treasurer/Membership Director

René Meier, Board Member

Joseph Ellis, Board Member

The opinions expressed in The Link, The Voice of the American Hair Loss Council are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Hair Loss Council. The advertise-ments in The Link do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions or attitudes of the AHLC and does not imply product or service endorsement.

The American Hair Loss Council © 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Published by e-zign Design Group. www.e-zign.com

Log into your members-only accounton ahlc.org and click on Downloads.Log into your members-only accounton ahlc.org and click on Downloads.

2 The Link Issue 3, 2012

The Link The Voice of the AHLC

PAGES 24 & 25

ON THE COVER: 24 “Hair We Grow Again!” 13 A Guide to Successful Client Sharing 14 Di Biase Hair USA, An Extended Revolution 29 Socialize Your Business

Medical: 4 A Dermatologist’s Perspective 5 A Guide to Healthy Skin Features: 6 Why Trichology? 10 A Client Speaks Out 17 Hair is Hair, Right? False! 20 It Could Happen to You! 27 On Rite Conference Review 29 Socialize Your Business 30 The Culture of Principle Centered Customer Service 34 Weaving Through Germany

In Every Issue: 2 Message from the Board 9 AHLC Academy Class Listings 16 Exclusive Member Discounts 23 Member Spotlight: Gerry Hergert 28 Industry Announcements 32 New Product Spotlight

Subscription Information: Subscriptions to The Link, The Voice of the American Hair Loss Council are mailed FREE to members of the AHLC within the continental United States. International members are provided digital copies free. Please contact us for additional shipping rates if you are an AHLC member outside the US and wish to receive a printed edition.

Non-member subscription price: $60 anually within the continental United States, $85 International.

To become a member, renew your membership, or subscribe to The Link as a non-member, please contact Betty Ann Bugden, Membership Director, 570-462-1101 or log on to www.AHLC.org.

The Link Issue3, 2012 3


Approximately two-thirds of American men experience some

sort of hair loss by the time they are 35 years old. By the time they reach 50, nearly 85 percent will have noticed a significant amount of hair thinning. But it isn’t only men who lose their hair. Cruelly, with the heavy emphasis in our society on long, flowing locks, almost 40 percent of people suffering hair loss are women; taunted by those TV spots and radio ads, as they notice an ever-widening patch of peach fuzz or smooth skin, where healthy hair used to be.

Current TreatmentsWhile any given salon on any given

street corner or mini-mall will offer at least one “scalp-stimulating” product advertised to help boost hair growth, actual, effective solutions are only obtained through proven treatments like Minoxidil, Propecia and Revivogen.

Minoxidil containing products like Rogaine stimulate the hair follicle into the growth phase, making the hair fol-licle grow for a longer period of time. If Minoxidil is used, however, it must be used indefinitely, since the hair follicle becomes addicted to the Minoxidil molecule, and a heavy shed could occur, once it is stopped.

Propecia acts by reducing the hormone by-product, Di-Hydro-Tes-tosterone (DHT) that causes the hair follicle to become finer and thinner over time until it is lost. When DHT is not present, the hair follicle can grow longer and thicker without being sup-pressed. Revivogen works like Propecia by inhibiting DHT, but unlike Propecia, it is all-natural and it is not absorbed throughout the body and therefore it does not have side effects like decreased sex drive. Generally, these proven, doctor-prescribed treatments take three

to six months to begin working. Their effectiveness works by taking the finer, thinner hairs and transforms them into thicker hair follicles, increasing the den-sity of hairs on the scalp. But no treat-ment can generate new hair follicles. For this reason, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible to stop advancement of hair loss and receive the maximal follicle strengthening benefits. Both Revivogen and Propecia work on male pattern hair loss, but only Revivogen has been proven to work on female pattern hair loss and frontal hair loss in men.

The Emotional FactorAn industry doesn’t swell to a billion

plus dollars in worth, in a vacuum. Hair loss is a personal, often traumatic con-dition, affecting those who experience it on a deeply emotional level. Women, in particular, tend to feel shame and a loss of self-esteem as a result of thin-ning hair. These feelings can sometimes be so pronounced, that women will go to great lengths to hide and even deny their hair loss. At times females just think they have thin hair like their mother, sister or aunt, but they do not realize that the thinning is actually female pattern hair loss and that they can do something about it. Unfortu-nately the longer someone goes without getting treatment for thinning hair, the worse the condition becomes. It is pos-sible to stop hair most hair loss, as long as a doctor can get to it in time.

Modern AestheticsHair replacement systems have come

a long way, baby. Where once people had to resort to stiff, plastic like wigs and obvious toupees in order to mask their hair loss, the modern approach utilizes attachments that blend invis-ibly with the wearer’s actual scalp. These superior systems allow a natural part

and the ability to even swim and shower as if the hair were one’s own. Whether it’s a small patch on the back of the scalp, or an entirely new head of hair, there are pieces that fit all degrees of hair loss and look and feel so natural, no one else will know.

When And Why To Get InvolvedThe quicker a client begins to treat

their condition, the more likely they are to benefit from the treatments. Since the biggest reason for hair loss is male/female pattern hair loss, (repre-senting 95% of all hair loss), guiding a client toward treatments like Minoxidil, Propecia or Revivogen will have great, long-term benefits for clients. If you are the specialist who helped stop a client’s hair loss before it became a larger, more dramatic problem, you will be a hero in their eyes, and that relationship is almost guaranteed for life.

Although dermatologists will help your clients mitigate their hair loss, dermatologists do not practice the art of hair replacement, that’s your spe-cialty. Everyone who’s experiencing thinning hair wants to look better now, and it can feel like torture to endure the three to six-month wait before medi-cal treatments produce visible results. If you partner with a dermatologist, that doctor can make referrals back to you, qualified referrals of people who have already committed to improv-ing how they look. You will help them bridge the gap between insecurity and empowerment while they wait for their treatment to take effect. And since no hair treatment will re-grow what’s gone for good, clients must return to you for the rest of their lives to obtain and maintain hair replacement systems to fill in the hair that will never grow back. Imagine the effect on your business of just ten new referrals per year.

by: Alex A. Khadavi, MD

A Dermatologist’s Perspective



Our skin functions as a single organ, just like the heart or liver.

Skin keeps us together in more ways than the obvious. It protects us, regu-lates body temperature, and it some-times defines the way we feel about ourselves. Facial skin is not separate from skin on the rest of the body. If you scrape your knee, the surrounding skin is affected. In hot weather, your skin flushes and perspires, in cold weather your skin becomes dry and rough.

Wear moisturizer with sunscreen!The sun’s harmful Ultraviolet A and

Ultraviolet B rays break down collagen and elastin in the skin, contributing to wrinkles, sagging, discolorations and pre-cancers. Nothing completely blocks the ultraviolet rays, but for maximum protection against them, wear moistur-izer with sunscreen (minimum SPF 15).

Use an eye cream daily!The skin around the eyes is some of

the thinnest skin on the body and thus more susceptible to wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles. Some eye creams have helped users diminish the appearance of age signs, but the products are more effective when used preventively, rather than correctively. Starting using an eye product in your 20’s is not too early. When applying eye cream, gently pat it on, never rub.

Exfoliate regularly!The skin naturally exfoliates or sheds,

but speeding up the process enhances radiance and luminosity. Most over-the-counter exfoliants, such as products containing glycolic acid or enzymes, are gentle enough to be used several times a week in the comfort of your own home. Microdermabrasion, a more intense exfoliating procedure, should be performed in a professional environ-ment by a qualified technician.

Take a multivitamin!Medical research shows that people

who take dietary supplements generally do not suffer the same health problems as those who don’t. Vitamins benefit health in general as well as the skin and complexion. It is impossible to get all the nutrients your body needs every day through diet alone. The most com-mon form of dietary supplementation is a multivitamin. Choose those with the highest-quality ingredients and the highest absorption rates you can find. Take them daily as recommended. Many vitamins cost less than a cup of coffee a day and the antioxidant benefit they provide, in terms of fighting free radicals (which contribute to visible aging) is worth it. These benefits go way beyond the skin. Vitamins and their antioxidant properties help the body function optimally.

Drink lots of water!

Not only is plenty of fresh water necessary to aid the efficacy of vita-mins and supplements, it’s essential for overall health. The body is composed primarily of water. Drinking water helps flush out waste, allowing internal organs and the rest of the body to func-tion better. Water contributes to skin elasticity and dry skin tends to be more susceptible to disease. I have a formula to figure out how much water you need daily. Take your body weight, divide it by two. The resulting number rep-resents the ounces of water your body needs daily.

Exercise and get adequate rest!Both exercise and rest aid the skin’s

natural healing process, and there is no substitute for either. Regular physical activity stimulates blood circulation and oxygenation, which promotes healthy skin. Just as important is adequate rest.

Experts say the average person should get at least 5-1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep, and a nap wouldn’t hurt. Rest and exercise are important because skin needs to regenerate to be healthy and youthful. Adequate rest and exercise help maintain cell metabolism, which keep the skin regenerating.

Detoxify internally!Although this is more anecdotal than

scientific, many practitioners say it enhances skin and overall health. Detox programs can range from at-home liquid fasts to costlier procedures such as colonics or the ion detox adminis-tered by trained professionals. Identify a process of internal cleansing that works for you. Pollutants, food addi-tives and environmental toxins build up in the body over time. These affect your energy level, your immune system and make you more susceptible to illness and disease. Other factors can acceler-ate visible aging in the face, including smoking, alcohol consumption, caffeine, stress and constant squinting.

Get a facial regularly! This is my favorite, favorite! Once

you try it, you will agree. Once a month may sound extravagant, but one key to the enviable complexions of Euro-pean women is that weekly facials are common. They consider facials a necessity, not a luxury, because they unclog pores, remove impurities from the skin and add nourishing ingredients that fight the effects of environmental pollutants. Facials helps stimulate cell growth for healthier looking skin. Like eye creams, facials are more effective as maintenance, rather than as crisis management.

Prevention is the best thing! Starting young is best, but it’s never too late to start protecting your skin.

by: Katalin Reimann

A Guide to Healthy Skin The skin is the most underestimated and

ignored organ of the body!

The Link Issue 3, 2012 5


Trichology is the “missing link” in our industry. For too long our indus-

try has been fragmented by all kinds of supposed remedies regarding hair and scalp issues and we all know what that has done to our industry. What do they do when their hair is thinning and they have scalp and skin problems? Of course, they look for the “quick fix.” They go to a dermatologist, and we all know what answers they get there, or they go to the internet and what do they see? I call it soup as there is too much to grasp and no real solution from either scenario. We as an industry have done very little to resolve these concerns. If we are honest with our-selves we would know that we haven’t done enough to resolve these issues for our clients. By simply overlooking the problems has allowed them to become widespread. After much searching for answers to this long sought after need I have discovered a solution for scalp and skin problems which produce thinning hair. We can now offer our clients a rem-edy that works for them and can work for you. So, you ask, “what is this and how can it work me and my Studio?”

There is some confusion about the science of trichology. Exactly, what is trichology? Tricho stems from the Greek word “Trix”(hair) and “Logy” from the Greek word “Logia” (study, teaching). Thus, trichology is the science that allows us to identify and treat the many maladies related to the hair, skin and scalp. The science brings together cosmetology and dermatology concepts that allow us to identify scalp disorders and offer solutions to clients in a proven professional approach. Trichology is the biology of scalp and hair diseases and provides a scientific approach to healthy hair care in the form of creams, baths, lotions, sham-poos and serums.

What is the first step to becoming a trained and practicing trichologist? You spend three days of intense, hands-on training that will educate you with the tools necessary to get started. What does this mean in terms of entering this field?. At the end of your three-day training you will receive a license that will allow you to practice trichology. Your training instructor has 30 years of experience in not only the teach-ing, but also the actual research and development of the all-natural products you will be using to treat your clients. The 100 percent, all-natural active ingredients in the products have been carefully selected and imported from various countries and are sold only to accredited trichologists. You will also be provided with the correct formulas for your in-studio treatments in addition to a computer program and ongoing support from the master trainer. The computer program has the capability of visually earmarking any type of prob-lem a client may have and will then give you the diagnosis in a picture form with the accompanying suggested treatment plan. You will also get a printout of each client’s prescription for their “home treatment” using the proper blends of the all-natural products that will vary from case to case (these are not just two or three one-size-fits-all products). This home treatment is the first step in the client’s solution for his/her particular hair/scalp/skin ailment. The software program will, in turn, also provide your client with a printout of the products and care needed for a 30-day, in-home prescription treatment plan. At the end of 30 days the client returns for an evaluation which is done with the aid of the software photo comparison com-ponent which allows you to view your client’s previous examination, track his/her progress and make recommenda-tions for further treatment if needed.

Once you have become a certified trichologist and incorporate it into your business plan, you will find that when applying it to your advertising message, the prospective client will respond posi-tively in hopes that your treatment will solve their scalp and/or thinning hair issues. This will, in turn, create a new profit center as well as fulfilling the long awaited answer to a very neglected area of healthy hair care.

I believe trichology is the answer to the “missing link.” I cannot reiter-ate the importance of training in all facets of our industry enough. I learned this valuable lesson by trial and error method in my studio in Minneapolis many years ago. When I joined On Rite as sales manager 1991, my goal was to bring our industry to a higher level of hair care through training. Hence, I founded the International Hair Acad-emy with the help of Carmine Gizzi, the consummate educator. However, we still did not have the answer to thin-ning hair and scalp problems. In 2006 I taught the “Formula for Success” at the American Hair Loss conference, but still did not have the answers. After retir-ing, my wanderlust took me to Canada where I joined Novera International to continue my quest for teaching. It was this collaboration that brought me the answer I had been searching for, Trichology, the “missing link.”

I am still teaching the “Formula for Success” and with the addition of the trichology training, I feel we are riding the wave of the future in hair care. Are you going to catch that wave or are you going to shrug your shoulders and say, “The cost of change is too high.” I remember a wise old man in the busi-ness once said to me, “Leigh, the indus-try is guilty of doing the same old thing getting the same old result.”

by: Leigh Gardner

Why Trichology?



Dermatologist Formulated Natural Hair Loss Solution

877-512-4247 WWW.REVIVOGEN.COM Special Offers For AHLC Members!

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� Marketing classes with strategies on how to capture leads and create revenue using electronic media

� Networking opportunities to connect with and learn from peers

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What Past attendees said:

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Conference Price: Only $198 per person, $178 for additional attendees from the same studio. Room Rate: $169 per night/single and double occupancy for the Mayfair or Executive Suite

NIU LIVE | WhErE thE INdUstry mEEts!new image labs presents:

Boost yoUr BUsINEss WIth proVEN soLUtIoNs that Work!

� Technical classes to take your skills to the next level

� Medical classes to learn to tap into this lucrative market

� Medical billing

� Accounting classes on how to manage your business through financial controls

� Marketing classes with strategies on how to capture leads and create revenue using electronic media

� Networking opportunities to connect with and learn from peers

� Unlimited access to top industry leaders

What Past attendees said:

“Wonderful information in all the classes.”

“Great experience for my first time. Can’t wait to implement what I have learned.”

“Extremely enjoyable experience. Very informative.”

“The show was great. I benefited a lot for my business.”

NewImageLabs.com | NewImageUniversity.com | Connect with New Image University

OctOber 20-22, 2012 | mayfair HOtel & spa, cOcOnut grOve, miami

Limited seating. For more information call now

800-359-4247

Conference Price: Only $198 per person, $178 for additional attendees from the same studio. Room Rate: $169 per night/single and double occupancy for the Mayfair or Executive Suite

International Hair GoodsJuly 16Minneapolis, MNSucceeding in Today’s Medical Market – FREE

Instructor: Pat Julkowski, Owner & Technician, Creative Hair Solutions, Pittsburgh, PA

Learn valuable information about consulting with medical hair loss clients. Learn how to get involved with medical facilities, how they work and what they expect from you. Pat will share her tools for the medical market. She has taught many hair replacement professionals over the years.

August 13Minneapolis, MNIHI Solutions Seminar – FREE

Instructor: Darla Smith, IHI Technical DirectorGUEST INSTRUCTOR: Dave Meyer, President of Bizzy Web

Learn about the latest hair solutions, attachments and hair products available from International Hairgoods. BizzyWeb is a web design and social media con-sulting company. Dave has 17 years of experience in media relations and internal communications, and has presented his “social media for the real world” talks before thousands of people across the US.

September 10Minneapolis, MNMaking the Delivery From A to Z – FREE

Instructors: Darla Smith, IHI Technical Director and Michelle Schumm, IHI Educator

Learn all of the steps to make the final de-livery from the moment the system arrives at your studio until your client leaves. See a demonstration of a men’s and women’s system attached, cut and styled. Classes held at the IHI Development Center. Contact: 800-328-6182 www.InternationalHairgoods.com

Di Biase Hair USAJune 17-18, Indianapolis, IndianaJune 17-18, New EnglandJune 24-25, ColoradoJuly 1-2, New EnglandJuly 8-9, Grand Rapids, MichiganJuly 15-16, Cleveland, OhioJuly 15-16, New EnglandJuly 29-30, Cincinnati, OhioJuly 29-30, New EnglandAugust 19-20, Dallas, Texas

It is our philosophy to welcome salons and stylists who already have qualifications as certified hair ex-tension specialists. To assure that all new extension professionals receive the education and hands-on training that is important to success in building a hair extension business, Di Biase Hair USA has instituted a certification system, currently a two-day course, that we hope will be both accessible and affordable to stylists across the country. We are currently scheduling classes in various locations and are actively looking at establishing additional classes in as many areas as there may be a signifi-cant interest. If you are interested in certification, please contact Di Biase Hair, 248-489-8900 or email [email protected].

New Image LabsNIU LIVE – Where the industry meets!October 20–22Mayfair Hotel and Spa, Coconut Grove, Miami

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tive products in the industry*Medical classes to teach you how to tap into this

market and work with medical clients as well as insurance companies

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*Financial classes to help you run a successful business

Great networking opportunities round out this valuable (and affordable) conference at only $198 per person, $178 for additional attendees from the same studio. Call 1-800-359-4247 for more information.

CapiliaSeptember 9-11 Mississauga , CanadaTérapo Médik Trichology Program

September 16-18Brossard, Quebec , CanadaTérapo Médik Trichology Seminar

Contact Suzanne Donofrio at NovEra International for more information at 1-877-838-4247

On RiteJune 11, Boston, MAJuly 16, Chicago, ILSeptember 10, Newark, NJOctober 29, Los Angeles, CA

Women’s Medical Hair Loss One-Day Certification ClassCurriculum concentrates on the implementation of solutions for your medically related hair loss client. Contact 800-327-5555 or www.onritedirect.com

August 5-6, Chicago, ILNovember 11-12, Newark, NJWomen’s Hair Replacement Two-Day Certification Classes

Whether your client has thinning hair, full alopecia, damaged hair or if they are just looking for a change, you will know all the techniques to give her a beautiful full head of hair again.Ultratress Hair Extension One-Day Certification ClassA One-Day hands-on instruction class featuring our three attachment methods – Ultratress II, UltraLinks and UltraStrands. Contact 800-327-5555 or www.onritedirect.com

AHLC Academy Class Listings:

Your resource for continuing education and accu-mulating points towards our Master’s Certification. Discounts on class fees may be available to AHLC members. Ask when registering for classes.

ahlc.org



Every time I look in the mirror I see a reflection of a younger-looking, more confident, happier version of myself. Words cannot express my gratitude to my hair replacement specialist for replacing the years of shame and low confidence with feelings of possibility, higher self-esteem and overall content-ment. I am an Asian Indian female in my late 30’s and have been dealing with thinning hair for over fifteen years. It is particularly hard for an Indian woman to deal with hair loss, especially when its onset starts early because Indian women are touted to have the most beautiful hair in the world. In fact, a good major-ity of hair used for hair weaves and hair systems comes from the hair of Indian women. When-ever I attended family gatherings or cultural func-tions in my community, I would stress more about my thinning hair for fear that others would notice my thinning hairline. I would shy away from being in direct sunlight or in rooms with bright, overhead spotlights, paranoid of my exposed scalp due to diffuse thinning of my frontal hairline. I have tried just about every non-surgical treatment one could try for hair loss from taking local steroid injections in the scalp, Rogaine®

for men and women, laser therapy, to an off-label use of Propecia® (which is contraindicated in pre-menopausal women) and Aldactone® all for nearly 3 years to no avail. Over the years I have sought counsel from various derma-tologists who are experts in hair loss for women in order to get help with my progressively thinning hair. Their treatment strategies may have helped to slow down the progression of hair loss, but there was no overall improve-ment in new growth. The new hair follicles grew in thinner in diameter

and density which indicates an overall poor prognosis to have a more natural looking hairline. As time passed I felt I was loosing my battle with hair loss and the only unexplored option for me was surgical hair transplantation. After investigating this surgical option, I realized I would not be a good candi-date because I did not have enough hair density in the donor areas on my scalp to transplant to the thinning areas. I also was not keen to choose this option

because of the expense involved (both the direct cost of the procedure, the cost of travel and time loss from work) plus the fact that it was surgical. I had just about resorted to being miserable with my hair loss condition when I saw an advertisement in a local magazine about an alternative solution to surgi-cal hair transplantation for hair loss. I called and made an appointment for a free consultation. I was so nervous going to that appointment because I was skeptical. After spending nearly an hour discussing the options specifi-cally designed for my hair loss areas, materials that would be used to design my custom hair system, as well as the annual costs involved to maintain it, I decided to pursue this option.

I have been wearing this hair system for nearly a year, and I recommend it to anyone who wants a surgical-free solution to hair loss. To be completely

honest, this treatment is not a 100% perfect and hassle-free solution to hair loss, but it comes very close! More importantly, you get the coverage

that best complements your face and existing hair, as well as the expertise of a highly trained and skilled stylist that custom designs a system that best works with your lifestyle. For me, this option has given me my life back! There is no way of quantifying my confidence and happiness level. I look and feel ten years younger. I am able to swim, be out in the sun and go about my normal daily activities without stressing over my thinning hair.

by: Joseph Ellis and Client

A Client Speaks OutThe following story is by a client of mine who is Asian Indian. One thing that I found with working with Indian women is that they absolutely need to see a realistic skin part. The french drawn part is a must when designing for color levels 2 and darker.



A D V E R T I S M E N T

Ask The Hair Loss Expert!

The Ghost Collection is the safest, best performing bonding and scalp care collection currently available

within the hair replacement industry.Formulated by a team of chemists specializing in medical adhesives, The Ghost Collection is free from latex, harsh solvents or any other irritants commonly

found in inferior products.

Two things happened when I relo-cated from northern New Jersey to

south Florida. While working in Fort Lauderdale, I was reintroduced to the professionalism of the AHLC and I ran into several of my old clients who were either on vacation or were winter snow birds. What a pleasure it was to see a flawless and comfortable situation occurring. Since November 2005, I’ve been servicing more than a dozen cli-ents that live in New York, New Jersey, Chicago or California but spend several months here in Florida away from the cold weather.

One of the benefits of being a mem-ber of the AHLC is that you are given a directory of salons that share your same com-mitment; enhancing the image of hair replacement specialists. AHLC mem-bers take pride in their workmanship and possess skill, compassion, and integrity. This directory, is also at www.ahlc.org under Find a Specialist Near You. Is a great tool, use it. It’s helpful knowing that I can share a client with another hair replacement company in a way that the other company would be proud and that the client is completely satisfied. To show our appreciation, we are generously committed to recipro-cating that benefit. To know that our precious clients will be treated with kindness and professionalism elsewhere is a comforting feeling.

Client sharing is so easy to do. When-ever a client asks for a recommendation of a hair replacement studio in another state, simply pick up the directory or go online and see if there is one close to the desired location. Always call the studio with the name of the client you are referring and explain the services needed. Your clients will be delighted when you can confidently say, “No prob-lem, I know someone in that area that can service your hair system.” A simple phone call to their technician clarifying specific instructions, discussing attach-

ments, color formulas and styles may be all you need to under-stand the client. Most owners agree that sharing a specific color for-mula will greatly increase the

chances of flawless service. Communica-tion is the key that unlocks many poten-tial hazards like allergies, sensitivities or even the emotional state of the client. Does the client insist on complete privacy? Has a price been determined and agreed to? Are you equipped with retail products or bonding agents the client will need? Is the hair style long or short, synthetic or human? How often does the client need maintenance? Will he/she need to purchase a new system while in your area? There is never too much information to share. You can even be creative and send a photo of your client via email or text. Every one of the studios that I share clients with understand the importance of clear

communication. I have had the pleasure of establishing working relationships with many hair replacement studios throughout the country. Sharing clients should not be viewed as a threat, but as a professional courtesy.

Thanks to the many hair replace-ment studios that are members of the AHLC. We gratefully appreciate the trust you’ve placed in us to service your valued clients.

Bill M. from New Jersey has been coming to south Florida in the winter months for two years. He is completely satisfied with his technician up north, but has said on many occasions that he loves the service we provide and feels com-pletely comfortable knowing that his hair care needs will be met even while away from home. Not only is the proximity of our salon to his winter home appealing, but he appreciates the enthusiasm, kindness and warmth he receives while he is in our studio.

Jane P, nearly cried when her husband an-nounced they would be spending three months in their brand new condo on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale. The Boston native now says she feels like all her worries about her hair vanished after meeting our staff.

Vincent A., a musician from New York, was not only concerned about his hair for performances, but also worried about his anonymity. We have managed to keep him completely satisfied, by respecting his request for total privacy and make him look great for every performance.

Ron S. says a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders when he happened to walk into our studio while vacationing in Ft. Lauderdale. Re-markably, I was his first technician up north 25 years ago and now I am servicing his hair every time he is in town.

by: Diane DeStefano

A Guide to Successful Client Sharing



I recently had the privilege of get-ting acquainted with the co-owners of Di Biase Hair USA, Dale Aho and Vikki Parman. Dale and Vikki have been huge supporters of The Link since our premier issue. Now it’s your turn to get to know them.

AHLC: Could you give us a little back-ground about your company?

DALE: We are the United States distrib-utor for Di Biase Hair of Naples, Italy. Di Biase Hair was founded by Aniello (Nello) Di Biase, whose family was one of the pioneers in the hair extension industry. With Di Biase Hair, Nello is carrying on the family name and brings decades of experience, talents and ideas.

Vikki has been a hairdresser for 30 years and is known in the industry as a stylist, educator, business owner and sales rep. She lives and breathes hair and hair products! She is energized by the free-spirited personalities that inhabit this wonderful business. In addition to her expertise in extensions, she is also a colorist and is trained in advanced cutting techniques.

I come from a completely different back-ground having practiced as an attorney for over 30 years. After spending my career solving client problems and deal-ing with attorney personalities, I was ready for a new challenge and found it when the opportunity to work with Vikki and Di Biase Hair came along.

With our different styles, backgrounds and experiences, we are able to blend our unique but complementary skills. It’s been a very rewarding experience

AHLC: How would you describe your business objective?

DALE: Of course we want to continue to grow. We just built a beautiful training facility in our home state of Michigan and intend to expand with dedicated training centers in other locations. Through a core of distributors, sales reps and national educators, we are get-ting to where we want to be.

VIKKI: But our mission is much broader. Before I began with Di Biase, I realized that the hair extension mar-ket in this coun-try was being under-served. There were a lot of stylists that would love to be trained but they simply could not afford the training it took. In my opinion, this contributed to some of the destructive prac-tices that have tarnished the image of the hair extension indus-try. Rather than become certified, stylists took other avenues to getting in on the extension business. That being said, we have made it our mission to be accessible. We hold certi-fication classes throughout the country, without extraordinary cost. We provide quality. Not only quality products but quality service and training.

AHLC: What is it that separates the bet-ter hair extension companies from the others in today’s market?

DALE: There are tremendous challenges in the hair extension industry. The pro-cessing is largely a human effort, from selection, to hand drawing, to deciding which hair to include. Nello himself says you have to realize that this a human business; machines are involved

but so much of it depends on human hands and eyes. Not to mention, there are other factors that are beyond any-one’s control such as the proliferation of hair products in supplying countries. Also quality is, to an extent, subjective in any event. But what separates the

by: Janine Thornhill, for the AHLC

New Solutions for the Many Challenges of Hair LossAN EXTENDED REVOLUTION



Di Biase Hair USA, co-owners Vikki Parman and Dale Aho

best is pride, pride in the product, pride in the service and pride in the educa-tion we provide.

For us, that pride derives from the enthusiasm and dedication that Nello brings to his company as well as the extensions his company produces. When you talk to him, you can hear in his voice and see on his face that he has created something special. When he is showing off his hair, with that great big smile, he is like a proud father beaming over a child who has just done something very good. He will tell you to look at the hair for its brightness and feel its softness and texture. Even to smell it for its natural scent of soap. Our extensions don’t have the slightest hint of odor since our processing uses less chemical treatments than many extension companies. It is this pride in workmanship that fuels our company.

AHLC: What role do hair extensions play within the hair replacement industry?

VIKKI: Of course hair loss comes in dif-ferent forms and hair extensions can be utilized with success with most of them. The ability to use extensions depends only on the creativity, training and skill of the provider. Our keratin bonds are flat and light in weight. This makes them particularly adaptable for work in this field.

One segment of candidates for exten-sions are women who experience hair loss due to hormonal causes or other factors associated with aging. For many of these women, adding volume and length can be a rejuvenating experience. We give them back a look that they thought had permanently disappeared. The transformation can be remarkable.

One of our greatest rewards has been working with post-cancer patients, even those who have experienced scalp cancer. One of our national educators, Toma Rhodes, has a special passion in this area and is working with us in building advanced training focused on reconstructive work. For these individu-als, it is of course necessary that hair loss has been stabilized after chemo-therapy. Because our bonds are flat and already light they can be split many

times making the attachment nearly weightless. This makes it possible to work above the occipital adding volume to the existing hair or to cover those spots where the hair has been lost.

Finally, extensions may sometimes be used as a transition treatment pro-gram in some forms of alopecia. This is an area where the benefits would depend on individual circumstances as determined by the treating health care professional.

AHLC: There is a concern that hair exten-sions result in traction alopecia. How would you address those concerns?

VIKKI: There is simply no reason that anyone should lose hair due to extensions. It’s all in the training and certification. When hair loss occurs, it is either because the stylist did not properly apply the bonds, did not prop-erly instruct the client on maintaining the bonds or because the bonds were improperly removed. A house painter should not perform a medical operation and a non-certified stylist should not put in extensions. Either would result in damage.

I believe that competency in hair exten-sion application requires, at minimum, a two-day certification program but ide-ally, the program should be even longer.

It takes time, repetition and guidance to become even basically competent. And you can’t just give a stylist a book to read for theory and client care. It’s important to go through the training manual in detail as well as to respond to questions that are bound to arise.

The problem is that there are many stylists out there who are self-taught, learned from a friend or who watched a do-it–yourself video on YouTube. There are also hair extension companies who contribute to the problem by providing short, inadequate training courses. We even heard from a stylist that paid $100 to an extension company to receive a certification by phone. These kinds of activities are the heart of hair loss occurrences from extensions.

AHLC: Di Biase Hair, USA has been an advocate of The Link since its inception. We appreciate your support and look forward to working with you more. Any closing thoughts?

DALE: We’ve just finished attending the American Hair Loss Council conference in Fort Lauderdale. What a wonder-ful event that was. We were totally impressed with the quality of the mem-bers and learned so much. Anyone with an interest in hair loss would be well advised to join the council and attend a conference.


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Insure Beauty We always offer personal communication, risk reviews including their menu of services offered. Most insurance carriers do not understand the professional li-ability and medical malpractice exposures of workers in your specialized industry. We have developed programs just for the hair loss business. We will offer to review each members menu of services and their current insurance coverage for free. We will offer correct insurance protection at a lower price than they can get them-selves. Also, we can offer a gift to each business desiring our services. If possible, we will offer decreased fees for your members. Of course, we will not charge fees unless mandated by the company or state.

We have excellent medical malpractice insurance programs. Additional coverages needed by larger salons include special property forms covering clients, employ-ment practice liability, cyber liability, mechanical breakdown with special endorse-ments for expensive equipment, fiduciary liability and employment benefit cover-age. 855.257.0088, www.insurebeauty.com



So you’re clients are thinking of getting additional hair, whether

for hair replacement, extensions or whatever reason and the big question is which hair is right for them? It’s not an “I’ll have what she’s having” or an “Eeny-meeny-miny-mo” situ-ation. It’s a big decision. One that they will have to live with, literally, every single moment of every day.

They wake up with it, fall asleep with it, and take it with them everywhere they go. Naturally they want a perfect match, the puzzle-piece companion they’d be ecstatic to have tagging along on that big date, dinner with old friends, or a fancy-schmancy black-tie event, not that embarrassing mooch they’re constantly apologizing for. We all know those kinds of people, so the metaphor makes sense. They want any additional hair to be on their head but off their mind. They want their hair to be second nature, as in second only to their natural hair, and not by much. They need to find their hair happy place, but unfortunately these days, that can take some extra legwork.

So many hairs, so little time.The upside of the hair replacement

industry right now is that there are so many different types of hair. From syn-thetic hair to human hair, polyester hair to nylon hair, Cyberhair to euro hair, even to options like baby hair and yak hair, just to name a few. The list goes on and on and then rambles on some more. This upside of abundant hair options

also plays a role in the downside. With so many options and no clear way to weed out the riffraff, many of us are left wandering aimlessly through the sea of hair, with no clear direction.

Let’s break it down.There are many things to consider

when chasing down the perfect hair. Your clients want the new to match their existing hair. This means match-ing not only color, but texture and style. Blonde wants blonde. Red wants red. Purple wants purple, etc. Smooth and shiny hair can’t have thick and textured

hair mixed in. It just won’t work. Differ-ent ethnicities have different hair tex-tures. This must be considered as well. Matching requires the use of your sense of sight, as well as your sense of touch. Look at the hair, feel the hair and match it as closely as possible to the hair you were blessed with as a wee baby. Well, okay, unless you were a beautiful bald baby.

Once they have found hair that looks, feels and styles like their own, don’t stop there. Factor in your clients

lifestyle and how they need the hair to perform and behave. Say they’re a swimmer. Every morning they hit the pool and back-and-forth their way through a workout. Your clients need

hair that does as well in water as they do. What if they aren’t into the curling and teasing and styling of their own hair? Or they just can’t be bothered with it? Or perhaps they just aren’t able to? Then they need some easy-maintenance hair that basically styles

itself. Lifestyle is a very important part of the equation.

Where, oh where, is this hair?Because there are so many different

hair replacement brands and types of hair these days, the best way to cut to the chase is to go to the specialists who have a knowledge of, and an inventory

of, as many hair types as possible. You cannot be sat-isfied with “the best match of what we have in stock.” Your client’s true hair-mate is out there, and you are the specialist matchmaker. A proverbial dating service of the hair replacement indus-try. That all-knowing friend

who understands them, and has the expertise to set them up with quality.

So, what have we learned?If you’re a salon or clinic whose cus-

tomers come in looking for additional hair, make sure you have a smorgasbord of hair types to choose from. It always makes for a more successful matching game. Finding the perfect hair match doesn’t have to be as complicated as it appears. Don’t be overwhelmed by all the options; leverage them to your ultimate advantage.

by: Stephanie Williams

Hair is Hair, Right? FALSE!



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MEDICICOLOR: HY10 • LENGTH: 10"

Educational Vignette: General Liability/ Slip & Fall Injury

Background Information: Kenzie is a veteran stylist at a trés chic hair salon in Beverly Hills, CA. Her client, Angie, and her toddler son, Paxton, are rela-tively new clients to both the salon and Kenzie. Angie was referred to Kenzie by her best friend who has been a client for four years. The salon is not child friendly but they are accommodating to the moms and dads that need to bring their children with them to their hair appointment.

Kenzie: Hi, Angie! It is great to see you, and Paxton too! How have you been? I haven’t seen you in a couple of months.

Angie: I’m doing okay and getting by as best I can with this little guy.

Kenzie: The last time I saw you and Pax-ton, he was crawling. I cannot believe he is walking now.

Angie: I cannot believe it either! It seems like yesterday that I was carrying him everywhere and now he is running and walking and creating havoc every-where he goes. It is true what they say about the terrible two’s. It is crazy how fast time flies and I just pray that the toddler stage goes just as fast.

Angie: Anyway, it is good to see you! Both Paxton and I desperately need hair cuts. I know you only cut children’s hair by exception but we have my sister’s wedding next weekend and I don’t have time between now and then with family arriving and all the errands she has me doing for her to get his haircut also.

Kenzie: Of course, I can trim Paxton’s hair. That is no problem at all. Paxton,

do you want to go first or do you want your mommy to go first?

Paxton: Me!

Paxton climbs into the salon chair with a little boost from Kenzie and his mom. Kenzie drapes a black smock around Paxton and turns him to the mirror. She takes out a spray bottle to wet his hair before she cuts it and then all heck breaks loose. Paxton starts screaming bloody murder throwing the ultimate terrible-twos tantrum. He rips off his smock and tries to squirm out of the chair. Kenzie looks panicked and frozen, not knowing what to do.

Angie: Kenzie, I am so sorry. I should have warned you. He hates getting his head wet. He refuses to take swimming lessons, bath time is like World War III and he is deathly afraid of water bottles after his cousin wouldn’t stop squirting him in their pool. Paxton, stop it! Please be quiet. Kenzie will put the squirt bottle away and she can do a dry hair cut on you. Okay?

(Angie is trying to hold her son in the chair with her left arm and gently rub-bing his back to let him know it is okay.)

Kenzie: Paxton, I will put the spray bottle away.

Kenzie opens her drawer and shows him the bottle is going back in its place and is hidden from his view. She closes the drawer and turns back to Paxton. She grabs her scissors and begins to trim the back of his hair. Paxton starts screaming and slides himself off the chair and runs for the front door of the salon.

Angie: Paxton James, get back here young man! I mean it! Stop!

It is too late. Paxton turns around to look at his screaming mother and he trips and falls on the rippled carpet by the front door to the salon.

Angie to her son, kneels down beside him on the wrinkled carpet. Paxton, are you okay? He shakes his head back and forth with tears streaming down his face. He is crying so loudly that his blood curdling screams are heard throughout the salon.

Kenzie: Is he okay? Paxton, are you okay? Are you hurt?

Angie: How could you let this happen? Your damn rug was crimped and my son tripped and fell. That’s it! You are done! I almost tripped on the same crinkled rug last time I was here. And your com-ment to me was to be careful people always trip there! I am going to sue you and the salon.

Kenzie: I am so sorry he fell but this was an accident. Let’s see if we can get him up and make sure he is okay.

Angie: No, he is not okay! I am taking him to his pediatrician. And you will pay for all of my medical expenses! And my attorney fees!

Doctor Outcome: Paxton sustained bruises and scrapes to both knees, his left arm and broke his right arm. He required minimal medical treatment but did incur $2,500 in medical costs.

Can a client sue a stylist and the salon owner when a client trips and falls and injures themselves on the salon premises?

The answer is YES!

by: Jeff Pulford

It Could Happen to You! And when it does, you can be prepared and know what to do.



“Clients can and do sue their stylists...” Will the stylist and salon owner have to pay for the incurred medical costs?

Yes, they will have to pay for the incurred medical costs!

Why? The client can sue both the stylist (whether an employee of the salon or a booth renter) under Premises Liability and will be rewarded compensation for damages since negligence can be estab-lished in this claim.

A slip and fall accident generally refers to a situation in which a person, in this case the Paxton, slips and falls due to a dangerous or hazardous condition on someone else’s property and is injured as a result of this negligence, such as the rippled carpet at the salon.

Hair salons can be dangerous places to both salon workers and their clients. There is often water on the floor, hair products and clipped hair which can be dangerous and is known to cause slips and falls that can lead to sprained arms, twisted ankles, broken bones, etc.

It is the salons responsibility to keep individual and common areas clean by mopping up spills immediately, sweep-ing the hair clippings and making sure all carpets, floor mats, door mats, etc are flat and smooth without ripples as to avoid trips and falls. Not only does this keep the salon clean, it makes it a safer place for both workers and clients.

How can you protect yourself in case you are sued? All hair salon owners and booth renters must carry General Liability Insurance. This will protect you and pay for the premises liability claims such as the example of this slip and fall claim. If you have to pay medical expenses to the client you don’t want to pay them out of your own pocket. The average overnight hospital stay is $24,000. The average first aid claim is $500. If you have to pay out of pocket for medical expenses and attorney fees it could wipe you out and mean the close of your business. With General Liability, your insurance company

will pay for the medical expenses and attorney fees. Not you! Legal and medical costs are so expensive now that, unless you are a billionaire, they can financially bankrupt you personally and your business. For less than $350 a year, booth renters can buy this insurance to protect them and their business. For less than $500 a year a salon owner can buy this insurance to protect them and their business.

Lesson Learned:Always practice methodical cleaning methods. Make sure all common areas are clean. Slip and fall accidents are the most common claim in your industry. If you are taken to court for damages it could cost you a fortune but if you have insurance your insurance company will pay for the court and attorney fees, litigation and damages including medi-cal expenses.

Educational Vignette: Professional Liability

Background Information: Brinley is a long time customer of this salon and Stephanie, her hairdresser, has been doing Brinley’s cut and color for three years.

Stephanie: Hi, Brinley. How are you? Last time you were here you were get-ting ready to go to Cabo San Lucas for vacation. How was it?

Brinley: We had the best time Stephanie. My friends and I rented a villa right on the beach and we laid out in the sun every day for a week. The only down part was the ocean wrecked havoc on my hair.

Brinley grabs her hair from the ends and pulls it up towards her root to point out the damage and breakage from the ocean swimming and sun exposure.

Stephanie: Do you want to do a deep conditioning treatment as well as your color and cut today? I really recommend

one to help put some moisture back into your hair. Swimming, whether in the ocean or the pool, can be really damaging to our hair.

Brinley: How much extra is it?

Stephanie: It is about $65 for the condi-tioning treatment.

Brinley: I am going to skip the condi-tioning treatment this time and just do my usual cut and color. Only since it is almost summertime and I want to be a little lighter shade of brown. Instead of almost this espresso color I have, I want the color to look more chestnut.

Stephanie: Absolutely! That will look really good with your skin color espe-cially since you are still so tan from your vacation. Can I get you some water or coffee or anything? I am going to go mix your color and will be back in a minute.

Brinley: No thank you, but I would love a magazine.

Stephanie: I will be right back with your magazine and color.

Stephanie mixes the color and returns back to the chair and hands Brinley her magazine and applies the color. They chit-chat back and forth about what’s new in their lives.

Stephanie: Okay Brinley, I am going to put the timer on for 15 minutes then come back and check on you to see if it is processed. We may need to go as long as 20 minutes but let’s see how the color is lifting after 15 minutes or so.

Brinley smiles, nods and replies okay.

As soon as Brinley starts process-ing, Stephanie’s cell phone rings. She answers and it’s her boyfriend with an emergency. He is locked out of his car and needs the spare set of keys. He is at lunch and is late getting back to work. He is already on probation at work for being late so many times. Stephanie panics and is really upset



thinking about what will happen if he loses his job then they will not be able to afford the great condo they just bought together. Her mind is swirling with stressful thoughts and all she can think about is racing over to give her boyfriend the spare set of keys.

Stephanie: Brinley, I am so sorry. I have an emergency. I will be back in less than 10 minutes. I just need to drop the spare set of keys off to my boyfriend who locked his keys in the car. Audrey (an assistant hairdresser) has already said she will check on your color in about 5-10 minutes to see how you are doing. I will be right back.

Brinley: Please go do what you have to do. I’ll see you in a few minutes.

20 minutes has pass and Brinley’s color is still processing. Audrey got distracted by a demanding client and Stephanie is just now walking back in the salon door from dropping the keys off to her boyfriend.

Stephanie: Brinley, I am so sorry it took longer than expected. Let’s check your color and get you washed and dried.

Brinley and Stephanie walk to the sink. You can see the panicked look on Steph-anie’s face as the color is washing into the sink and Brinley’s hair color has an orange tint to it. It was over processed.

Stephanie: In a calm voice, Stephanie says, “Brinley your hair has lifted with less chestnut colors and more orange tints. We are going to have to apply a toner to tone down the orange and get you back to the color you wanted”

Brinley looks in the mirror and sees the orange tint throughout her hair. At first she looks calm and the longer she stares at herself in the mirror the more angry she becomes.

Brinley: You promised Audrey would check on me and that you would be back in 10 minutes. Neither of those events took place. I was left with color on my hair for over 20 minutes. My hair is now orange because you didn’t do what you were supposed to do. What am I

supposed to do? I am going to my fam-ily reunion on Saturday. I look like Bozo the clown.

Stephanie: Brinley, please tell me what I can do to make you happy? We will figure out a solution to rectify this problem. The toner really will help tone down the orange. Of course, I will not charge you and I will give you compli-mentary conditioning treatments for the next month as well as some deep leave-in conditionering treatment prod-ucts. We have a new one that just came out last month that will really help con-dition your hair from the dryness and damage caused from all that sunning and swimming in Cabo.

Brinley: Listen I have been coming to you for over three years. This is the first time your personal life has now affected my personal life by ruining my hair but it’s not the first time you have left me in the chair too long. You are always on the phone with your boyfriend and I didn’t mind but now I do! You have ruined my hair! What am I supposed to do? This is unacceptable. I hope you have good insurance because I am going to sue you.

Stylists Golden Rules: 1. Always remain calm.2. Communication is key. 3. Make your customer happy.

What did Stephanie do right?1. She remained calm.2. She communicated with her client by apologizing, offering her free products and explaining the situation to her and how it can be rectified with the toner.

What did Stephanie do wrong?1. She failed to make her client happy.2. She should never have left the salon with a client processing.3. Yes, she made arrangements for an assistant stylist to check on her client but Stephanie is accountable. 4. This incident could have been avoided. 5. Emergencies happen but she should have planned better. She should have

asked two people to help cover for her and check on her client. That way if one gets busy or forgets, she has a backup plan and hopefully out of the two styl-ists one will remember and check on the client. 6. She could have asked a manager, someone she knows will be diligent and check on her client. Managers are also often held accountable by the owners therefore the manager will be most responsible since her or she’s job can be on the line.

Can a client sue a stylist for over pro-cessing her hair?The answer is YES!

How to protect yourself in case you are sued?All stylists must carry the insurance called Beauticians & Barber Profes-sional Liability. This will offer you insurance coverage up to $1,000,000 including legal fees and defense costs. In the case of Stephanie vs Brinley. Brinley has every right to sue Stephanie for over-processing her hair. Even if there is a solution to the problem such as applying the toner.

The professional liability insurance applies to bodily injury, property dam-age, personal and advertising injury as those terms apply or any other injury arising out of the rendering or the failure to render professional services as a barber or beautician including treatment, advice or instruction for the purpose of appearance or skin enhance-ment or personal grooming or therapy but only in connection with the opera-tion of your business as a barber shop or beauty salon.

Lesson LearnedAlways make sure your clients comes first but in case of accidents or mistakes that can happen on a daily basis make sure you have the insurance to protect yourself. The cost is approximately $225-$500 a year and can offer you peace of mind knowing that you have insurance coverage to protect you.



Since attending high school have always had an interest in hair and

hair designs. When I graduated, in 1960, I started beauty school immediately while working part-time. After gradua-tion I worked full time in a salon until I had children. I stayed home with my children until 1972, then I went back to work part-time in several salons. In one particular salon my boss needed a shampoo person. I convinced him to give my daughter, Laura, a try. He had reservations since she was only 14 years old, but I insisted and she has been doing hair ever since! Laura attended cosmetology school at night and high school during the day. She graduated cosmetology school before graduating high school. She could not receive her cosmetology license before she gradu-ated high school. Laura was 16 at that time, and didn’t drive, so she got a ride with an older woman who was attend-ing cosmetology school. They both graduated at the same time and that woman went on to become an office worker and has been a customer of Laura’s ever since.

In 1976 I opened my first full-service salon and named it A Beauty on the Mall since we were located in a shop-ping center and there was a popular club named Tavern on the Mall just a few doors down. The name worked and by adding the letter A in front of Beauty on the Mall it gave me first listing in the yellow pages which was a good thing! This salon boasted 10 stylists and two nail techs, which was the latest thing in the beauty industry. I then attended school for dermatology and received my certification as a esthetician from Christine Valmy in New York and introduced skin care to the salon. As time progressed, the economy increased and we lost our anchor store in our mall which devastated my business. With the loss of ten busses per day traversing

the mall, the Tavern on the Mall was sold to an inexperienced proprietor who turned the Tavern into a Gentle-men’s Club which was not good for my business. Eventually the mall was sold to an aggressive land lord who became a tyrant. This precipitated my looking into relocating.

In 1989 I purchased my own building with three tenants, so now I became the landlord. When we moved the shop we renamed it A Abstrax Hair Designers, here again the letter A before the rest of the name A Abstrax gives me first listing in the telephone directory. Yel-low page advertising was a large part of advertising at that time, representing a seven to eight hundred dollars a month expenditure and I wanted to be first. The word abstract comes from one of its definition’s which is, “Abstract art uses a visual language of form color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world.”

After being in business for fourteen years we started looking around for something to enhance our business, something that we could apply our years of experience in the hair industry to. I also noticed there were a number of men wearing hair that, in my opinion, did not match their color correctly and also was not blended in right. As a cosmetologist, I thought that I could do a better job than that. I had a number of clients with cancer and were suf-fering with hair loss. I wanted to help them in any way that I could. I started looking into hair loss and its remedies. I received an invitation to a conference from the American Hair Loss Council that was to be held in New Orleans. I persuaded my husband to accompany me to this conference, which he did. I believe the year was 1996 and this is the year we purchased our first hair graft.

This is also the year I was introduced to Betty Bugden. Betty convinced me to join the AHLC where I met the rest of the council members and started networking with other people who are in the industry. I found being an AHLC member beneficial as it allowed me to discuss many different aspects of the hair loss business. Last year I received my Masters Certification from the AHLC. I am very proud of that accom-plishment. My daughter, Laura, should receive her Masters Certification this year, hopefully.

We belong to many different orga-nizations such as Children with Hair Loss and are contemplating joining the NAAF which we recently became aware of at our last On-Rite Conference. This is how networking works; we met Miss Delaware, Kayla Martel and Lilliana the child with alopecia and her mother Donna at the On-Rite conference only to discover they live one town over from us. Donna was not aware that Children with Hair Loss will supply Lil-lianna one free wig per year; all she has to do is apply for it. Donna is working with the NAAF council and has no one to service Lillianna’s needs. They were surprised to find someone so close to be able to work with her daughter. They have since set up an appointment with us and we have given her the necessary paper work to file with the Children with Hair Loss for her free wig. Another organization of which I am particularly proud of is the Veterans Administration. We became a vendor for the Veterans Administration, to be able to supply hair to veterans who are suffering with hair loss attributed to their military ser-vice. We have also started networking with the local Oncology Nurses Society which allows us access to local hospitals and their cancer patients. We are also slowly becoming a vegan salon, even using vegan hair color.

by: Gerry Hergert

Gerry Hergert In Her Own WordsAHLC Member Spotlight

Gerry Hergert



Dr. Luciano Barsanti, Instituto do Cabelo, São Paulo, BrazilThe Hair Institute in Brazil promotes non-invasive treatments for hair recovery, without the use of hair implants nor extensions. These non-invasive treatments are based on medicines, laser and electric stimulation therapies.

Twila M. Donley, Fantasia Salon, Crystal, MNFantasia is a full-service salon including solutions for hair loss due to thinning hair, chemotherapy, alopecia, hormonal problems, trichotillomania or other medical conditions.

Gerry Hergert, Abstrax Hair Designs, Tom’s River, NJAbstrax is a full-service hair and nail salon incorporating hair replacement services. Their clientele include men, women and children. Abstrax recently became certified with the Veterans Administration. Helping people is their mission statement.

Sharvita House, Vita’s Hair Studio, Lanham, MD The nation’s capital premiere hair studio for hair replace-ment. Vita’s Hair Studio’s private, boutique-style salon

offers each client individualized and discreet servicing. The owner of Vita’s Hair Studio, Sharvita House has over 17 years of experience in providing the most advanced hair loss solutions.

Alan Humphreys, Hair Vital, Denver, ColoradoI first got into the hair replacement industry in April 1994 as a client. After 6 months I was hired as a consultant. In July 1997 I purchased the business. Through the last 15 years, there has been many changes good and bad. I’ve met some amazing people that

I’m happy to call lifelong friends.

Jack Morlan, Studio 409 Salon & Wigs, West Des Moines, IAJack has been in the cosmetology business for 42 years and owned his own salon for 36 years. For the last 17 years, Jack has worked in the medical hair loss field providing help for those experiencing cancer and other hair loss issues.

Lisa Wood, The Hair Growth Studio, Heywood, Manchester, UKLisa, proprietor, initially came from mainstream hairdressing then found her vocation, and feels privileged to have worked in the hair loss industry for over 21 years. Having vast previous hair experience gives a perfect incite into what would best suit the in-

dividual when making those vital hair style choices at the early consultation stage.

Please Welcome our New and Renewed Members:

“HAIR WE GROW AGAIN!”

Yes, we are growing, without growth hormones, artifi-

cial ingredients or additives, totally organic and natural.

Last quarter we added more members than we have in the

past 10 years. A generational shift is part of the reason.

The new generation and progressive veterans are realizing

that we need a “Hub” for our industry just like any indus-

try does. There is not only “YOU,” one studio owner, we are many.

There is not only one manufacturer, there are many. There

are many ways to do what we do and we should not only

listen and learn from only one organization! The AHLC

is that “Hub” for us where we can get the knowledge and

start our journey. Many studio owners and manufacturers

have realized that and are now on-board, committed and

supportive.

We would like to take a moment to say thank you for all

the compliments we have gotten for the first two issues

of The Link. We owe our thanks to Janine and Terrell

Thornhill for their commitment to our organization and

The Link and for making it more affordable to the AHLC.

Without them it would not be possible for us to offer this

publication.

The AHLC is also in the process of redesigning its web site

to make it more user friendly and help consumers find you.

This alone is a valuable benefit of membership. I urge you

to become a member and get listed in our online directory.

The Link is for you, the AHLC member. It is here to

provide you with the latest information, industry trends,

techniques, events and much more. We would like you to

contribute articles and news that you would like to share

with your fellow members. Please contact us if you would

like to nominate another member to be featured in our

Member Spotlight feature. We also encourage you to like

us on Facebook page. Let’s stay in touch and network with

each other.

Please contact us and become a contributor to The Link!

We need to hear from you!



To become a member or renew contact

Membership Director, Betty Ann Bugden,

570-462-1101 or log on to www.AHLC.org.

Capilia Group, Brossard, Québec, CanadaThe largest hair loss solutions group in Canada and now with our first center in the US, Winners Circle, Madison, WI. Capilia Group is a network of experts in scalp health, prevention and correction of hair loss.

Jon Renau, Vista, CA A family owned business that has become an international leading manufacturer of wigs,

hairpieces, hair additions and hair extensions. The Jon Renau collection boasts over 125 different styles and over 100 salon inspired colors, giving women the freedom to choose. Celebrated throughout the industry for our fantastic color selection and attention to detail, we strive to provide the finest quality, the best value and the highest customer satisfaction. We welcome you to discover all Jon Renau has to offer.

New Concepts Solutions, Fort Lauderdale, FLGiven the current economic situation, many people have become more skeptical of “corporate America” and are seek-ing more personal and professional gratification. For over 2 decades New Concepts has strived to educate stylists and cosmetologists in the latest hair replacement and hair ex-

tension techniques. We feel that knowledge is power, and education is something that can never be taken away.

New Image Labs Corporation, West Palm Beach, FLNew Image Lags is the leader in non-surgical hair loss solutions. Vision, innovation and technology are the hallmarks of the company, resulting in sustained growth for over 40 years. With a well-established national and international client base, the

vast product line includes new and versatile hair effects, hair extensions and acces-sory products. New Image Labs Corporation also features the industry’s only online educational resource, New Image University, and is dedicated to advancing the image of the entire hair loss industry in the 21st century and beyond.

On Rite Co., Inc, Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaWith an unparalleled collection of ready-to-ship men’s hair grafts, Gemtress women’s hair augmenta-

tions, Ultratress hair extensions, more custom-made offerings and the latest cutting-edge technology in base materials and designs that work to your advan-tage in satisfying your clients. On Rite affords you the availability of niche products for ethnic and medical markets. With the industry’s largest customer service department, technical and business education at the Hair Academy, Recover with Confidence® for the medical market and an endless array of marketing programs, brochures, videos, website enhancements and more, we have everything you need to enable you to become a bigger player in your market, and it is all right here.

Professional Hair Labs, Zephyrhills, FLA manufacturer and supplier of adhesives, removers, shampoos and scalp treatments

for the hair replacement industry. As a distinguished brand name within our respective field, both studios and end consumers turn to us for trusted recommen-dations on their product decisions. With an ever increasing client base searching for the best possible products, we can help you achieve the right kind of products that will suit your needs.

Nioxin, P & G Salon Products

Bio & image unavailable at press date: PLEASE EMAIL YOUR PICUTRE AND BRIEF BIO TO [email protected] FOR INCLUSION IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE LINK.

Dr. Alan Bauman, Bauman Medical Group PALucinda Beaty, Lucinda’s HairGregory Bello, Joseph Hair Loss ClinicRobert M. Bernstein M.D., Center for Hair RestorationMark Davidson, Image House, IncFrank DeCarlo, Hair ClubDiane DeMatteis, Scarsdale, NYPatricia Dyer, Prospect, NYDavid Fearing, New England AssociatesCarl Foster Jr., El Hombre Hair Design Dr. Joseph Gallagher, Gallagher Medical InstituteHelena Gibson, City Wigs Hair Studio’sLisa Giunta, Creations Hair Loss RecoverySusan Jernigan Hancock, Jernigan’s Hair & Skin ClinicsCarl Howell, Advanced Hair StudioRicky Knowles, Hair & WellnessDavid J Lemke, Kings Head Hair SalonSara Lou Manning, Custom Design HairSheila Matechuk, Goddess Hair ExtensionsSheryl McCaleb, HPI-Hair Prosthesis InstituteJoseph Neiman MD P.C., Neiman Ctr. for Hair TransplantationLester Propes, Exclusively HisMarty Salvi, Hair Resource Center/Salvi’s StylistsCollette Peterson, LaJolla Hair ClinicLakesha Simpson, Visions of Beauty Hair BoutiqueDiane Donnell Smith, OptionsJill Sugar, Thursday’s Salon & SpaLou Verrone, ETC Hair Replacement LLCTom Waldrop, Natural Hair DesignKristin Webb, Profiles by KristinLisa Zimmerman, National Hair Centers

MANUFACTURERS

The Link Issue3, 2012 25


Working closely with international specialists and leading experts on hair styling trends, we have created seven new models extending the Collection.

Each and every one of the new synthetic models is proving nothing short of a masterpiece.

No less spectacular is the new syn-thetic hairpiece Optima Long, which comes in a length of up to 40 cm, thus enabling clients with thin hair to avoid the complete solution involving a wig.

Top quality and optimum comfort, plus a touch of glamour, class and natural look will turn each and every Model into a personal favorite.

1920 EAST OAKLAND PARK BLVD • FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33306866-681-HAIR (4247) • EUROPEANHAIRIMPORTS.COM

A D V E R T I S E M E N T



The 25th anniversary of the On Rite conference was held in Miami, Florida on March 4-6. It was titled, “A World of Oppor-

tunities Awaits You." There was a great turn out once again. We saw familiar faces along with new ones. Andy started off the conference with an informative group of stories that related to opportunities that helped him grow professionally. It was a great reminder for us to keep our eyes open and be aware of great opportunities when they come your way.

The breakout classes were a good mix of tech-nical and business-oriented options. They provided something for everyone with some repeated classes to help fit everything in. On Rite brought in a celebrity hair stylist, David Lopez, to show us today’s hottest styles and styling secrets for top-of-head and full-cap wigs. Playing off that even more, On Rite produced a fashion show with men, women and kids showing the latest in great looks while wearing hair. Lilliana Hakim, a child with alopecia, was there to show the new line of kids wigs with options of different types of hair. On Rite also had a couple of new hair systems to choose from.

The gala dinner was a big hit. Dinner and dancing produced lots of smiles. An auction was held to benefit the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. As usual, On Rite presented a first-class evening. A winner was drawn from all the registered attendees for $1,000.

Monday, again, was full of education. The lunch was delicious and to finalize the event, for attendees that had made purchases that weekend, On Rite held several drawings for wonderful gifts.

Andy Wright, who has always stood behind the AHLC donated an Academy Class valued at $1,899. New member, Helena Gibson, City Wigs, Solana Beach, California won.

We would like to thank Andy Wright and On Rite for their continued support and for believing in the AHLC.

by: Joseph Ellis & Betty Bugden

OnRite Team: George Kaftan, Bettina Shukat, Marti Farber, Karla Hurtado, Rhonda McCarthy, Chris Prior, Christine Graham and Winner Sar Lou

A pleased Peggy Thornhill welcomes new members as they sign up!

AHLC Team: Peggy Thornhill, Grant Gunderson, Janine Thornhill, Susan Kettering



David Lopez & Kayla MartellPeggy Thornhill, Rhonda McCarthy, Helena Gibson, Andy Wright

Marti Farber, On Rite National Sales Manager

On Rite Conference Review

New Image Labs Corporation and Bald Girls Do Lunch Join Forces to Help Women with Alopecia.New Image Labs Corporation Contact: Elvira Amankwa, CMP, [email protected] Corporate Way, West Palm Beach, FL 33407, 561-697-9494

West Palm Beach, FL, 03.22.2012 — New Image Labs Corporation, the leader in non-surgical hair loss solutions and manufacturer of Club W|Biolon®, a line of revolutionary hair systems specifically designed for female medical hair loss clients, announces the stra-tegic affiliation with Bald Girls Do Lunch, a nation-wide charitable organization empowering women with the autoimmune hair loss disorder alopecia areata. Under the leadership of President and Founder Thea Chassin, the New York based 501c(3) charity has been relentless in “restoring self, improving life and providing alo-pecia support that works”. Since its inception five years ago, Bald Girls Do Lunch has positively impacted countless lives of women with alopecia of all ages and walks of life, both across North Amer-ica and overseas.

The newly formed affiliation between New Image and Bald Girls Do Lunch provides many mutual benefits to both organizations, which will greatly enhance the efforts to serve women with alo-pecia. The scope of the partnership ranges from support of various networking functions to conducting joint events, from providing resources to women with alopecia to educating the public about this autoimmune hair loss disorder. Nearly 2% of the US population has a lifetime risk of developing the disorder which affects males and females equally.

“Our customers, who are hair loss specialists all over the country, serve many female clients who suffer from alopecia. We know about the sensitivities involved and how important it is for the women to have a resourceful support structure to lead successful and productive lives. We are impressed with the great work Thea Chassin has done with her organization in this arena and are happy to support her efforts”, says Tony Sciara, President of New Image Labs Corporation. “There are many synergies between our two or-ganizations. In New Image Labs we have found a trustworthy part-ner who understands our mission and is ready to help us broaden the reach of Bald Girls Do Lunch. With this valuable sponsorship, we’ll empower more women in 2012 than ever before”, states Thea Chassin, President and Founder of Bald Girls Do Lunch.

Why be ordinary

when you can be Extraordinary?

WWW.DIBIASEHAIRUSA.COM • 248-885- 474 838455 Hills Tech Drive • Suite 200 • Farmington Hills, MI 48335 USA

28 The Link Issue3, 2012


Industry Announcements

SEND YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS TO [email protected]

The Search engines (Google, Bing and Yahoo) boil down to one basic

concept: helping users find what they’re looking for. Social media is an excel-lent avenue to not only help users find what they are looking for, but to better engage your audience as well. Further-more the impact that social signals have on the overall search algorithm is con-tinuing to increase as search becomes more personalized.

Large amounts of social shares indi-cate that a mass amount of people not only found what they were looking for on your site, but also liked your site enough to share it with others. It also shows the search engines and the sites visitors that your site is fresh, your site is up to date and that your site cares about what is important to your audi-ence. Viral and social content is like the mass endorsement of the public; thousands of thumbs-up. Social media is digital steroids for your business.

By gaining a massive amount of social shares, you’re not just boosting your search engine optimization signals, you’re also creating content with value for your customer base. Viral content is a win-win for both your brand and your search rankings. Like anything else in life, however, value takes time and tal-ent to create.

Each day more and more businesses are including social media as part of their overall online marketing strategy, and 97 percent of marketers agree that it provides benefits and value to their business, both from brand awareness and customer engagement prospective. While engaging in social media alone can provide impressive results, properly planned tactics can also have a positive impact on your search results. While social signals are something merely

on the radar for most businesses, the bottom line is that marketers who have recognized that the future of search is already here can gain a significant competitive advantage.

The hair replacement industry can greatly benefit from implementing an online marketing campaign, and by leveraging all of the appropriate social outlets that are available. For people with thinning hair and total hair loss, hair replacement is an opportunity for them to regain their confidence and get back to doing the things they love. All too often, they are embarrassed by their thinning hair and will go to all ends to hide it. Social media is an excellent avenue for you to showcase your busi-ness. Show your customers how you can help them with their hair loss problems, and let them know that they are not alone. Social media will show you your prospective customers intent and emo-tion. It will help you to connect with them on a more emotional level, and as we all know, emotions sell.

With all of the various social media sites out there, you will need to evalu-ate which ones you feel will offer the highest return of investment for your time and energy. You will also need to do some research to determine where your targeted customers are spend-ing their time. With over 845 million active users, a Facebook business page is a great place to start your businesses social media efforts.

Facebook accounts for 15 percent of total time spent online and 16 percent of total page view online, so it is a pretty safe bet that your prospective customers are on Facebook on a daily basis. This is one of the best places for your business to get noticed, get people engaged and give them a reason to take

action. A recent Microsoft research study found that 90 percent of people surveyed seek advice from friends and family before making a buying deci-sion. Furthermore, 80 percent will delay such a decision until their pals give their stamp of approval. The power of social media is exponential. If Facebook were actually a country, it would be the worlds third largest. That alone should be reason enough to get a business page started. Even if you think that Facebook may not be the appropriate outlet for your business, chances are, your customers are utilizing it regularly. What better way to take your business relationships to the next level than by engaging with your customer on a more personal level. Make sure that your social media strategy is diverse. People utilize the various social sites for different reasons. Social media will help you to build intersections between different channels so that your message can’t be missed. Other social outlets that you won’t want to miss out on are LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Google+.

Will you want your social media efforts to create a buzz about your business, or to lead to customer acquisition? Each objective requires a different strategy. Before you begin strategizing, you will want to consider your entire ecosystem. Think about your customer persona before saying that you know your customer profile. What do they like? What do they dislike? What is their lifestyle like? Do they have kids? Think it through. This will help you to be on the same page as your customers and better engage them and give them what they need.

by: Jennifer Dunphy

Socialize Your Business



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What makes you special? Why should someone choose to come

to your place of business? What makes you different or unique?

Tabatha Coffey, the self-proclaimed “Brave, Intelligent, Tenacious, Creative and Honest” hairstylist, salon owner and hostess of Bravo’s show Tabatha Takes Over, could and would give you her two cents as to why you are, or are not, special.

Personalities aside…does the mere mention of her name give you a proverbial

“knot in your stomach”? Would you welcome her, her ideas and recommen-dations into your busi-ness? Would you welcome her somewhat unique evaluation and scrutiny of every area of your business, including her direct and blunt evalua-tion of you and your staff? Or, would you arrogantly defy her and all that she could do to help you with her high stan-dards which, many times are confused with micro-managing?

If only we were lucky enough to have our own daily critic! Someone who cares, knows enough and even cares more about your success. That critic would help you by helping you get better every day by creating memories and highlight your uniqueness and that something special about you that make your shop the place to go.

We all want to believe that we are getting better every day, that we are unique and making a difference. We are creating memories and we are leaving a legacy.

My wife and I attended our first AHLC conference in Ft. Lauderdale three years

ago. Our experience was not only mem-orable, but somewhat magical. We were pretty much blown away by the passion, love, care, energy, competency, humil-ity, sincerity, integrity and compassion shown to us by the board and members. Not a hint of arrogance, just the sweet scent of beauty in all its forms.

We have our Tabatha, The Link, The Voice of the AHLC. Listen carefully, your clients need you, your staff needs you. You are helping and inspiring oth-ers to become whole, to be the best they can be and making a difference. Your competency, caring and compassion creates memories while leaving a legacy. You are a part of a family in the AHLC, people of integrity who care and are willing to help.

Making money and helping to make people more beautiful is a small part of it. Making memories, making a dif-ference, helping to make all those you work with more whole leaves impres-sions that will last forever. The grati-tude you show should not necessarily reflect the gratitude that you are given.

We’ve only just begun. Keep making memories and keep making a differ-ence. Creating and fostering a culture of principle centered customer service is not expensive, it’s priceless!

by: Dave Fatula

The Culture of Principle Centered Customer Service



1920 EAST OAKLAND PARK BLVD • FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33306866-681-HAIR (4247) • EUROPEANHAIRIMPORTS.COM

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This was my third year in a row to attend the annual BVZ conference in Fulda, Germany. Their conference is similar to

our AHLC conference. Two other AHLC board members, Betty Bugden and Joseph Ellis, joined me as well as long time member and Master’s Certified Hair Replacement Specialist, Lucinda Beatty.

The BVZ has been growing rapidly. There were over 400 attend-ees, something I personally would like to see the AHLC accom-plish again. We are on the right track, membership is increasing and new benefits are in the works.

More than a dozen exhibitors displayed their latest designs in hair additions and replacements. Most manufacturers went through great lengths to showcase their products with beauti-ful displays and hired platform artists to demonstrate the latest attachment and cutting techniques.

Although this conference is a German event, the exhibitors could not have been any more welcoming and almost everyone spoke English. I could not help but notice the increase of inter-national attendees. “The BVZ is actually entertaining the idea of bi-lingual literature and education at the next conference,” said Mr. Geissler, the former auditor for the BVZ.

Alexander Dening, of Dening Hair Company, said that most of the major wig manufacturers no longer exhibit at the big beauty shows. They make the BVZ confer-ence their annual trade show since this is where the hair replacement specialists come to see the latest trends in the industry. It is obvious the European wig market is fast developing and very competitive in

comparison to the US. It was very refreshing to see how every competi-tor was exchanging compliments over drinks after the first day.

Our journey through Germany had just started with the confer-ence. After we left Fulda we visited Roland Baumgarten, the owner of a successful hair replacement studio in Wiesbaden, followed by a short visit to Bergmann Company in Laupheim. Bergmann has been one of the largest hair manufacturers in Germany for over 100 years.

BVZ ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 2012 by René Meier

Join us on A Hair Journey Weaving through Germany

The BVZ’s annual conference took place in Fulda, Germany, with more than 400 studio owners attending.

The beautiful streets of Fulda

Spot the Membership Director.

Cutting in at the BVZ



The next stop was Albstadt, a small town in southwest Germany. There we were greeted by Peter Volk, the president and founder of the BVZ, and his daughter Ramona Rausch. Peter shared his expertise of custom ordering and a different technique of hair weaving, an often frowned-upon tech-nique to attach a hair replacement system or hair extension. We learned that weaving is still used a lot in Europe. Peter’s technique, will not cause traction Alopecia. I personally have been getting more requests to attach hair in other ways besides bonding, so I was grateful to expand my knowledge.

The trip continued with a visit to the Hohenzollern and Neuschwanstein castles and a thirst-quenching stop at Munich’s beer gardens and famous Hofbräuhaus.

We finalized our journey with my good friend, and expert in our field, Juergen Schillo. He and his wife, Petra, welcomed us in their stylish salon in Saarbrücken. They showed us how they run their business and new tricks of the trade.

This certainly was journey and sometimes even a race on the Autobahn trying to see as much as we could. The knowledge we gained is priceless and you can not learn this within your own four walls. It’s a big world out there and the world of hair is limitless. Maybe next year you will join us on a hair journey through Germany!

Us with Peter Volk and Family

At Roland Baumgarten's studio in Wiesbaden

Neuschwanstein castle

Bergmans Factory, Synthetic Hairt

Bergmans Factory, B lending Hair

Cutting in at the BVZ

Pilsners with Howard Margolan and Jackie Yu at the BVZ The Link Issue3, 2012 35


the link, issue 3

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