Styling Wigs With Alopecia | Hair Me Out | Refinery29

-When I first found out that I had alopecia. It was really debilitating for me.. If you would've told me that I'm sitting in a room with people that I don't know without my wig two years ago, I probably would not believe you at all. But here we are so I'm excited to see how much more like self-growth I have with it. [ Mellow hip hop, plays ] Hi., I'm Maria Belardinelli, and today I'm getting a red wig.. When I first lost my hair due to alopecia, I was blond, so the wigs I had for a year or so after that were blond because they looked the most natural to me. And then recently I tried on a brunet wig with Mona and I loved the Way I looked in it, so I switched and started wearing that., So I think it'll be fun to have a red wig coming up for festival season and the summer months.. When I was 18. That was the first time I ever figured out that I had alopecia.. I was getting my highlights done for Coachella and my stylist turned me around and said: ,''. Have you ever seen this bald spot before ?''? I thought `` There's no way, I'm going bald., Like I'm 18.. How is that possible? ?'' Came home that night to my mom sobbing. Thought it was going to be the worst thing ever.. I was never going to feel pretty again., But then over the summer was the first time I couldn't put my hair up in a ponytail without seeing the spots on the back. So I sought out finding a wig and I had a really hard time opening up to people about my story, because I was still really grappling with the fact that this was the rest of my life.. So when I was wearing the wig, I kind of stopped a lot of the things that probably would've helped me feel better about myself at the time and bring me endorphins.. And then I found Mona at the Wig Fairy and she started doing my wigs and immediately made me feel so confident and so pretty and so worthy.. So I drop off my wigs here with Mona so that she can wash and style them. The first person. That is going to see my red wig is my mom.. I'M so excited to see her and show her my wig, because my mom really has been like everything. [, Crying ] Like since I first had alopecia like she used to tell me like ,''. I wish it could be me and not you.'' Like she wanted to be there for me. And then now, like I texted her and I'm like ,''. Oh I'm going to see Mona.'' Like I FaceTime her when I'm at the salon and show her like my new styles and stuff and she's been like the biggest source of like empowerment. Ever so, I'm like unbelievably grateful for her., [, Laughs, ], ♪♪ -Hi., I'm Mona Zargar and I'm the founder of The Wig Fairy., The Wig Fairy's known for customizing human-hair, wigs for women going through medical hair loss or natural hair loss.. I have been in the wig world for about ten years. Now. I've been doing hair for over about 18 years and I found my voodoo in doing wigs.. That'S where my happy place is., It's important for me to be in the hair loss community, because I have realized over the years. There is not enough people out there to be helping people that are going through the medical hair loss and it's very unfortunate because one out of ten women are battling. Some type of hair loss every day.. But my goal is at The Wig Fairy is honestly to shine light through the hair loss community because most of us go through it, but no one ever talks about it. So I want to bring out the pretty side of hair loss.. It'S really nice to be able to give a helping hand when I can - and I can't imagine my life doing anything else but this. Today I have my beautiful Maria here.. She looks amazing in anything I put on her, but now it's time for the red wig. So I'm really excited to make that transformation for her. Well hello. -Hi, Mona., [, Laughter, ] -Okay.. Can I get this thing off? [ Laughter, ], -Yeah. There we go. There we go. -So. Let'S get rid of that show this beauty that we got going on here., [, Laughs, ] Thank you. -So. I picked out a couple of redheads for you. -Okay. -Let's, try a couple of different ones and then we'll pull out the one that we like the most and then we'll get to work on it. -Okay., Sweet., -Sound, good -Today, finding the perfect wig for Maria I'm Going to be putting on several different red-tone wigs for her to make sure that the color matches her skin tone. We're going to have Maria sit down and we're going to give her the dream cut.. She has a wig that has a bangs in it.. She has a wig that has a draping in it., So what we're thinking about doing on this new current piece is giving her a little bit longer flowier layers that she can have something a little bit different.. What I do is I love to spritz, the top of the hair before I move forward with any type of cut, because I like to give it that natural body.. Once I do that, then I will take my regular scissors and I will be giving her longer layers around the face.. I end up styling the wig after I do that in order to see where the bangs that I've just cut lay and if I need to cut any more than I do that at that point. ♪♪ To camouflage Maria's hairline where, because she has a lace front And a skin top we're using The Wig Fairy powder with an angled brush that we're going to go into the hairline and have it look more natural that it's growing out of her scalp.? I always recommend our clients to have their wigs cut step-by-step. Instead of cutting it off right away because the hair does not grow and it's nice to feel out the hair for a while and see if you need any more cuts done to it. And now time for the mirror. Reveal. You ready -Yes. -For ..., [ Laughs, ] -your reveal -Yeah Oh. my. gosh. -Can, I -It looks -- Yeah. -Shhwoo -Oh. Wow.. It looks so good. ♪♪ The color's everything, especially with my eyes. -Yeah. -It's, like exactly what I wanted. -Yes, your beautiful eyes., [ Laughs. ], Thank you so much. -I, like this color, a lot. -Me too. Yay., I can't wait to walk into a room and just like [ Laughs, ] [, Snapping fingers, ], I'm here. -command, attention., Yeah, exactly., [, Laughter, ] Ugh, It's perfect.! Thank you! So much Mona. [, Smooch, ], [, Laughs, ], -Good., I'm so happy. ♪♪ -I am obsessed with the new red wig.. I feel so confident and so sexy. [ Laughs, ] -Maria looks stunning, as always in her new redhead wig.. Her eyes are very light and she really pulls off this red hair color. So I'm so glad that she went with this option., So the wig is adjustable at the back here and it's tightened or they'll sew it to be a little bit tighter so that it lays completely flat on your head.. But it's completely secure on my head right. Now., It's not going anywhere.! This, like 100 %, boosts my confidence.. I cannot wait to try new outfits with it to take a million [ Laughing ] Instagram photos. -Maintaining a wig is pretty easy.. Anyone can wash their own wigs and style their own wigs. Since all the wigs that we carry is all human-hair wigs, but we do offer the service that you can bring it into the salon and have it washed, have it colored on a regular basis., A normal wig, typically wears about two to three weeks. ♪♪ -My mom Is going to be so excited when she sees me, and I cannot wait to show her. My 18-year-old self would be so proud of me right now. And I mean my 20-year-old self [ Laughing ] is really proud of me right now. -The Wig Fairy. We carry several wigs here.. Any of our wigs could be ranged anywhere from $ 1,000 up to about $ 3,000 to $ 4,000, and that goes based on length. Hair quality and hair color. -For other women, especially young girls, going through alopecia. Don'T let it hold you back from doing absolutely anything. You want. Try as many wigs as you can have as much fun as you can with it., Make it a creative outlet in your life instead of something to hide from people. ♪♪