Cost of blending in a steep one for plucky hairdresser
Not many of Hannah McKenzie’s clients know that she wears a wig.
Her wavy fringe and neat bun could belong to any 25-year-old.
McKenzie, a senior stylist for Rodney Wayne in Christchurch , has alopecia – a form of autoimmune hair loss affecting the head and body. Her hair is a wig.
‘‘I don’t ever want people to think I’m hiding behind it, because I’m wearing a wig. I don’t want to hide behind my alopecia.’’
McKenzie is very open about her condition.
‘‘What’s driving the wig is me being able to be a professional in the industry. People want to see people with beautiful hair because they want beautiful hair.’’
After four years of showing her bald head, she became ‘‘tired of all of the questions and constant stares and decided to blend in’’.
Now her wig, which cost more than $3000, is in need of replacing because it has developed a bald patch.
‘‘It is specifically moulded to her head and each strand of hair is inserted by hand. Finding the right wig for head is not just a matter of throwing one on but rather a complex process to get a ‘complete fit’.’’
She would be wired up and the exact shape of her head then computerised.
A plastic cap, sized specifically to her measurements, would then be fitted before the real thing was made according to Hannah’s colour, length, wave and parting preferences. ‘‘It’s everything. ‘‘People think I get to change my hair all the time, but you don’t.
‘‘I’ve had this exact hair for five years.’’
While limited with what she can do to her own hair, she makes up for it every day when she plays with other’s hair.
‘‘I would be sitting on the mat, in primary school, braiding my friend’s hair and the teacher would say ‘this is not a hairdresser’, but it is now.’’
There were perks to having alopecia, McKenzie said.
‘‘I don’t have to shave my armpits and legs. Everything has a silver lining.’’
Unlike her dad, who has alopecia – and no hair, eyebrows or lashes – McKenzie still has her lashes and some eyebrow hair, but she prefers to pencil on ‘‘most’’ of her eyebrows.
In opening up about her condition, McKenzie hoped ‘‘younger girls and guys’’ with alopecia would also be able to feel ‘‘all right with it too’’.
‘‘It’s not something that I ever feel down in the dumps about. I make the most of it.’’
To help Hannah McKenzie get her wig, donate at givealittle.co.nz/cause/ hair4han.