Jennifer Davis Pioneering new paths in hair technology

Being a pioneer is a hard personal act to follow.

Pioneers are constantly concerned with what next feat to undertake that will improve or outshine the former accomplishment.

True pioneers are always scanning the horizon, searching for the next challenge.

Jennifer Davis, 44, has set new trends in cosmetology, and is looking to infuse the latest technology into hair care solutions for her clients.

A veteran of 22 years in the hair business, she is busy replacing hair for people who have lost their cherished tresses to age, cancer or stress.

“There are different techniques we use to leave the hair looking so natural that you could never tell,” she said.

She has discovered that the hair loss process often takes along a person’s self-esteem and sense of security. Insecurity or a false sense of bravado is most times, the result of lost hair especially if the cause was traumatic.

In some places, Davis would be considered a wig maker but her work, however, is much more technical than a chiffonnier. Special needles are used to create a finish that mimics hair coming out of the scalp.

“We use high quality hair. A person comes in and the hair is measured and made to fit that area,” Davis told All Woman.

The technique has been working miracles for cancer patients and Davis is finding this aspect of the work to be especially fulfilling. Persons undergoing chemotherapy consult with Davis who cuts off the hair before it starts falling out.

The hair is saved and re-attached to the patients head in a non-medical procedure which is without any tell-tale bumps or knots. Lupus patients are also at risk of losing their hair and they, too, have been seeking her help.

One attachment technique frequently used is the pinch weave, in which “We use a very light fabric which blends into the person’s skin. There are different textures available. Any texture for any hair, we will match it,” she said.

A natural extension of the hair replacement system is the prosthesis required by women who have lost their breast to cancer.

The mother of four is also concerned about men who have lost their hair but pretend to be unaffected.

“There are lots of men who are hurting inside but their egos won’t allow them to say anything. They cover their head with a cap and sometimes miss important events because they don’t want to be seen,” she said.

In recent months several men have been consulting with the soft-spoken technician. “A man doesn’t want people to know that he is bothered by his flaws.”

“Hair is a personal matter. Normally it is people in the 40’s age group who have the need,” she told All Woman; adding that the hair replacement business is one which calls for extreme sensitivity.

There are some customers who rent her Eastwood Park Road salon for the entire day in a quest to secure their privacy.

Davis has just completed a piece for a customer who has well-conditioned hair but wants it to look good all the time. The healthy looking piece was moved naturally and Davis said the client will be able to catch her ‘hair’ in a pony tail, go swimming and participate in any normal daily activity she would like.

Another technique is the micro point link which is used to attach hair directly to existing hair without any indication of where the link was made.

She is concerned that hospitals and insurance companies are not considerate of how the feel-good, look-good aspect of health affects a person’s general well-being.

Presently there is no coverage of procedures that enhance a person’s physical appearance.

Health practitioners, too, she said, must make time to do the research into the cutting edge options available to patients after treatment.

“They should be able to point people in the direction they need to go. Whether they need to speak to someone about therapy or seek counselling,” she said.

Treatment, Davis said is incomplete unless a person’s emotional state has been addressed.

“They have to invest and investigate ways to help the patient after their ordeal,” she said.

It was the quest to learn more that eventually became the driving force to look beyond her thriving salon, Jennifer’s which she operated on South Odean Avenue before moving to her present location.

After introducing the fusion technique and perfecting the then new leisure curl, Davis kept probing with research and continued training to improve on her skills.

“I am always striving to be the best that I can possibly be. Lots of innovative things come in the beauty profession and when you are up-to-date, you have the edge, ” she noted.

She recently turned down a lucrative job with a company in Minnesota, opting to stay home and push ahead with her work. “I don’t want to dig up my roots here. I am too attached,” she commented.