20 years ago our owner, Larry Gautreau, had a full head of hair. His desire to speak truthfully to his clients at Hairfax, based on experience, which motivated him to do something most of us would never fathom. He shaved his head and opted to wear a hair replacement system instead.
“I didn’t start wearing it because I needed to”, said Larry. “I started wearing hair because I wanted to experience what the clients were experiencing and know the problems that they’re having and try to
find solutions.”
When Larry started learning about the family business from his father, Perley, over 20 years ago, hair pieces were something you would put on and take off at night. For Larry, that wasn’t good enough. He wanted something he could shower with, swim with and wear day and night.
Then VS Now
Bonding Agents
Then: When Larry applied his first hair replacement system, the bonding agent in use at the time had a tendency to crystallize, creating little granules similar to sand, which would irritate the scalp. When over-exposed to heat, the glue would melt and ooze into the hair.
Now: Today’s medical-grade adhesive is applied to the scalp with a brush and dries clear. It is more pliable, doesn’t cause itching and is heat-resistant.
“About every six months, I upgrade bonds- try something different”, said Larry. “I try them all on myself before I ever try it on a client.”
Hair
Then: Synthetic hair was rigid and would stand up if exposed to excessive wind (like when riding a motorcycle). When exposed to heat, it would become frizzy.
Recently: Human hair replaced synthetic as the most widely used material in hair replacement systems. Human hair had a much more natural look and feel, but was not without its pitfalls.
The main issue was that it would discolour and clients would need to visit to have their system re-coloured on a regular basis. The only way to curl natural hair is to perm it, a chemical process that dries the hair and, when exposed to steam (like in a hot shower), the curl would relax.
Biolon Hair Replacement
Now: Biolon hair looks, feels and reacts like human hair. For the purpose of a hair replacement system, however, it is far superior. Biolon does not fade or discolour like human hair does. This allows clients
to go for longer periods of time without needing maintenance on their systems. In addition, it can be curled using special ultra-hot curling irons, yielding a better hold and avoiding the chemical perm
process.
“In the last 20 years, I’ve probably worn 50 different heads of hair”, said Larry. “I am wearing Biolon now, which is the newest thing on the market.”
Fit
“Nobody wants to wear the traditional hair piece and quite frankly, I didn’t want it either.” ~ Larry
Then: A hair piece was just that- a hair piece. It didn’t stay in place overly well and you definitely couldn’t take it swimming.
Now: We design different caps in different shapes, based on the person’s individual needs. Each hair system is custom-made for a snug fit. Integration systems are further secured using clips, while permanent systems are secured to the scalp with a quality bonding agent. Today’s systems are made to stand up to your lifestyle.
At Hairfax, we’re constantly staying on top of the latest in hair restoration techniques, hair loss treatments and associated products.
“If you don’t keep abreast of what’s new, you quickly fall behind.” ~Larry