We are now "Susan At Antonino Salon" specializing in Human Hair, Human Hair/Synthetic Blend and Synthetic wigs. I am an Oncology Nurse and Breast Cancer Survivor offering products for women undergoing Chemotherapy and Radiation Treatment since 1994. “The Fit of Custom Made. The Value of Custom Tailored.”
CALL or TEXT 248-544-4287 for your FREE consultation on Monday and Tuesday from 10 AM to 4 PM. We are located within Antonino Salon, 191 Townsend, Birmingham, MI 48009.
Showing posts with label CANCER AND HAIR LOSS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CANCER AND HAIR LOSS. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
HAIR LOSS FROM ALOPECIA, CHEMO, OTHER
Are you kidding me? First it was a cancer diagnosis. Then treatment was determined to be chemotherapy. I worked out a plan with my oncologist and began chemo. Treatment was stressful for sure, but going OK. Then a couple of weeks into chemo – My Hair began falling out. I knew I had to find a solution.
My doctor referred me to Susan. Susan is an Oncology Nurse and has experienced Breast Cancer. After chemotherapy treatment she began losing her hair. Susan said that when she was going through this experience in 1992 there wasn’t anyone to talk with to help as a guide to help her feel that she wasn’t alone on this journey. This is one of those times that you can’t understand until it’s you.
“I never want anyone to share my experience,” said Susan. “I founded Susan’s Special Needs in 1994 where we have helped over 12,000 women experiencing hair loss from chemotherapy, alopecia and other medical treatment.
We are now Susan’s @ Antonino Salon here to help you during the loss of your hair whether from chemotherapy, alopecia or other. Depending upon your chemotherapy drug and cycle will determine how long you will be experiencing hair loss. That will help you decide what is right for you - Synthetic, Human Hair/Synthetic Blend, Human Hair.
CALL 248-544-4287 FREE consultation to explore wig solutions right for you. We look forward to your visit. Susan's @ Antonino Salon, Birmingham, MI is by appointment only on Monday and Tuesday from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
8 Simple Tips for Regrowing Healthy, Beautiful Hair After Chemo
BY THE BREAST CANCER SITE
Regrowing your beautiful hair after chemo can be an exercise in frustration because it seems to take forever. While hair can only grow so fast, there are ways to encourage longer, healthier locks.
DON’T OVER-WASH IT
Daily washing can strip hair of natural oils, which makes it more prone to breakage. Skip to every other day, or consider washing even less frequently if your hair type can tolerate it.
STAY AWAY FROM HEAT
Blow driers, curling irons and similar heat-based tools can make your hair dry and brittle. Change up your daily routine to minimize the amount you use them.
DON’T STRESS ABOUT IT
Your emotional state can actually affect your hair quality. Try to minimize the stress in your life by spending at least a few minutes a day meditating or doing other self-care.
RE-THINK YOUR PRODUCTS
In addition to shampooing less often, consider switching products. Shampoos that contain silicones often leave residue, and those with sulfates may be too harsh and damaging.
SKIP THE AFTER-SHOWER BRUSHING
Wet hair is more prone to breakage, so wait to brush it until your hair dries out. If you need to do some detangling while it is still wet, try using your fingers to gently break up knots.
DEEP CONDITION WITH COCONUT OIL
Apply coconut oil to the ends of dry hair for a deep, all-natural conditioning treatment. Don’t overdo it, though, as too much can make your hair greasy. Even if your hair isn’t super dry, consider a weekly deep conditioning treatment.
TAKE A COLD SHOWER
Okay, the whole shower doesn’t have to be cold, but rinse your hair out in cold water at the end of it. This smooths and seals the outer layer of hair, which helps lock in moisture and protect against damage.
BREAK OUT THE SCISSORS
This one may seem counter-intuitive, but regular trims really do help your hair grow faster. A hair with a split end stops growing, so frequent small trims prevent disruptions.
In the Detroit suburb of Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, next to a diner and across from a park, lies Susan’s Special Needs. Inside you’ll find a wide array of products for women going through cancer or radiation, including wigs in the hundreds, scarves, hats, skincare, swimsuits, mastectomy bras, compression bras and breast forms. An emporium of sorts, the other thing Susan’s offers is a safe space for anyone who feels lost amidst a diagnosis or recovery.
For the store’s founder Susan Thomas, a former oncology nurse and breast cancer survivor herself after a 1992 diagnosis, the store is her calling. She wanted to make sure that no one’s journey and fight through cancer would be like her own.
“My true issue was I wanted the journey to be different for those who followed me,” Thomas said in an interview. “My journey through cancer was very stiff, because there weren’t products and services. There was no one to talk to. The purpose of the store is trying to change the journey because it’s the right thing to do.”
Susan Thomas and her husband, Dave Courtesy of Susan Thomas
Despite specializing in cancer as a nurse, when she was faced with her own diagnosis, she felt lost. “Not for one moment did I ever ask my patients how they felt about their hair loss, their mastectomy or where they got their products,” she said.
That’s how the idea for Susan’s came to her. She wanted to create a place that offered not only necessary products, but information, expertise and compassion to cancer patients and survivors. She wanted to, in her words, “take care of the people the way I’d want to be taken care of.”
In a retail era that hasn’t exactly been kind to physical stores, with retailers like Sears and Macy’s shutting doors across the country, Susan’s — which opened its doors in 2000 — is one of those rare exceptions that has offered services that can only be experienced in-person — for more than 15 years now.
“In retail today, there are plenty of stores that would welcome somebody with a Visa card who needed a wig,” Thomas said. “But from my perspective, the success is going to be only as good as they make it. It’s up to me to set the tone.”
The front of Susan’s Special Needs Courtesy of Susan’s Special Needs
Susan’s not only sells wigs, but has someone there to cut the customer’s hair, give a scalp massage and fit them repeatedly until it’s just right. She not only sells mastectomy bras, but has three private fitting rooms where stylists can help find the right bra, breast form or scarf to match the customer’s personality. With a staff of stylists and cosmetologists, someone is always there to give you their full attention.
Her longtime customers can attest.
“I know when I needed my first compression bra, I was sent to the hospital and it was like, ‘O.K., this kind of fits you, it’ll be fine,’” Lynn Cooper, who’s been a Susan’s customer for more than a decade now after breast and lung cancer diagnoses, said in an interview. “It’s a box, you know? They’re salespeople. They don’t know what you’re going through. They just want you to buy the product and get out of their way. At Susan’s it’s an experience.”
What immediately adds to this sense of comfort upon walking into the store is that it looks nothing like a store that sells wigs and medical supplies. It is styled like a Parisian boutique, with murals of the French countryside painted along the walls.
“We didn’t want it to look medical,” Thomas said. “We did not want it to be obvious that you’re walking past medical supplies. We wanted it to be comforting and warm and inviting. We have a fireplace with an electric fire where husbands can have a sip of coffee while their wives get fitted.”
The private rooms, styled to look like salons with plush upholstered seats and tiled wall decor, offer often necessary moments of privacy, as customer Jacqueline Kerr, a high school math teacher who first went to Susan’s in September after a breast cancer diagnosis, experienced herself.
“I had decided to get my hair shaved, and I was very self-conscious,” Kerr said in an interview. “I was able to be alone at that time, and they were very respectful. I was able to find a wig that would match the hair I had at the time, and do it privately.” Kerr goes now back every month to get her wig styled in the store.
What sets Thomas apart from many other people selling the same medical products is the understanding she has of the women — and men sometimes, too — who need her help when it comes to using style and fashion to feel like themselves again.
“I think going through treatment and losing your hair or losing your breast or having reconstruction, it changes you completely,” Thomas, who had to wear mastectomy bras herself in the ’90s, said. “Women see themselves in a certain way, and when that perception changes due to treatment, this store provides the opportunity to restore a healthy perspective of how you look. It gives you the confidence and courage to keep moving forward. I’m just so honored to help them.”
That level of compassion has created a community of people around Pleasant Ridge that see Thomas as their angel, including Cooper.
“There’s the empathy, the compassion — the kindness oozes out of her,” Cooper said. “The knowledge base that she has.... just by holding your hand or touching your arm, comfort goes through your body. If I had a question or just needed to sit, that’s where I went.”
In reality, Thomas often serves as a confidant to her customers, calmly guiding them step by step. Days ago, one woman called Thomas sobbing, and Thomas did what she considers her job.
“She wanted to come in for a wig,” Thomas said. “She worked part-time at Lowe’s. She had no money. Within the first 15 minutes, I had her calmed down because I reassured her that I could help her. I can’t duplicate that. I was able to say, ‘I don’t want you to worry. Whenever you can come in, we will take care of you.’”
If that woman does decide to come in, Thomas and her staff will be ready.
Susan’s Special Needs, human hair
specialists, has been named as the EXCLUSIVE MICHIGAN PROVIDER of a stunning new
collection of Bella Nuova human hair wigs.
This distinctive collection combines high quality human hair with two
CARING TOUCHÔ caps offer one for
fashion and one for medical for utmost comfort and natural look. This exciting
new collection has been designed with Fusion Technology for a natural seamless
looking hairline that looks touchable, luxurious with the ability to be styled
to your exacting specifications.
Bella Nuova wigs are the result of over three years of
comprehensive research and development. After numerous prototypes and months of
detailed testing, the unique blend of European and Mediterranean hair was
created. This proprietary combination is called EuroTerranean hair. 100% human
hair that is soft, less dense, easy to manage and style.
EXPERIENCE THE SUSAN’S DIFFERENCE - It’s not just a wig at
Susan’s. It’s about helping clients feel safe in privacy, welcomed and
comforted when the walk in the door. Our store offers unique wigs not found
“just anywhere”. All of our wigs carry a special brand of Susan’s Custom
Tailored excellence and quality.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Cancer Survivor Gets Her First Post-Treatment Haircut in Moving Video
DeSoto, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2014, had already had a double mastectomy and had undergone her first round of chemo two weeks prior. While at work, she ran her hands through her hair and noticed a large clump fall away.
"This is when the reality of my situation hit me," she told INSIDE EDITION. "My world stopped for a minute."
Now, more than a year since her diagnosis, DeSoto's hair has slowly started growing back - and she has had her first haircut with the help of cosmetics chain Ulta.
In a moving video released by the company, stylist Feliciano Abad gives her a new look.
"My first thought when I saw myself in the mirror was 'I don’t look sick anymore.' I felt like Cinderella," she told IE.
In the video, DeSoto reads out a message before reversing it halfway through - changing its message from heart-wrenching to positive.
"Don't try to convince me that this disease is going to take away my beauty," she says in the video. "I'll never forget this feeling."
DeSoto's hair had slowly started growing back following six aggressive rounds of chemo that ended in November 2014. At first it was white, before turning grey and eventually her natural brown.
"It is a much longer process than I imagined," she said. "I have 2 to 3 inches of growth, and it has been almost a year."
She now has no evidence of the disease and continues to take daily chemo pills, she said.
"I will never be considered 'cured,' as the cancer did spread to my lymph system," she explained. "However, I know that regardless of how much time I have left, I have the rest of my life to be happy. I don't take a single moment for granted."
“I have to tell you I
love my new hair and people come up to me and want to know where I have my hair
done!” Susan’s Special Needs client thank you note.
“Finding
a wig at a difficult time in your life should be a comforting and secure
experience.” explains Susan Thomas Oncology Nurse Clinician and Breast Cancer
Survivor.
It’s
not just a wig at Susan’s. It’s about a team approach helping our clients feel safe
in privacy, welcomed and comforted when they walk in the door. Our store offers
unique wigs not found “just anywhere”. All of our wigs carry a special brand of
Susan’s excellence and quality. Our goal is to educate our clients presenting
them with options and help them determine what is best for them, their
lifestyle and their budget.
A
wig is not just a wig – it’s the talent of our wig stylists, Verna Haak, Karen
Ashmore and Shannon Forgash licensed cosmetologist who share Susan’s passion to
serve and provide the expertise of fitting and styling the wig to customize
each wig for each client-included in price of wig. Collectively they offer 34
years of experience in our unique wig custom tailoring process. Our wig fitting
appointments are approximately 1 ½ hours helping to ensure a perfect fit. The client’s
scalp and wig are evaluated for comfortable fit, wig length, density and volume
– all to meet our client’s expectations. Our stylists review wig care
instructions and provide tips for keeping their new wig healthy.
You
will also find a stylish selection of headwear including hats, turbans, sleep
caps and scarves presenting contemporary and fashionable choices. Visit our New
York Fashion Bazaar.
“What
happens here is pretty remarkable,” says Susan. “We are thankful to be able to
share in this important aspect of our client’s journey.”
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