Stylist Helps Women With Cancer Cope
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For many women with cancer, losing their hair can be traumatic.
At Bang! Salon, 1425 N. Ashland, stylists are taught how to help cancer patients cope with hair loss and manage it in the meantime.
"It's becoming more and more common, unfortunately," said owner and stylist Eli Mancha.
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Mancha says often times, women become reclusive and depressed but a trip to the salon changes that.
"It helps them a lot to see a stylist because a stylist is there to give them options that will make them look good and feel good with their new change," he said.
Macha also educates his staff and talks to others in the industry about better serving clients with cancer.
"I think it's very important as a hair professional to know not only all variations of working with hair styling, but also the knowledge of the medical conditions that can cause change in the hair." he added
"You are going to have clients that are going through these experiences and in order to relate to them and connect with them and give them the most knowledgeable information, you should be knowledgeable yourself."
Mancha recommends patients stick with short hair so it appears thicker and to go with a lighter hair color so it doesn't contrast to your scalp.
He says vitamin supplements also help with hair growth.
"It's very rewarding for me. You see a lot of appreciation from people because I think that this is something very hard for them.
"Of course, the medical treatments are hard on them physically but when it affects your appearance, it's very hard to stay positive about the experience. So I think it's important to them and I see a lot more appreciation going through this situation if you can help them even in the smallest way."
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the salon is offering 50 percent off for every client that comes in to donate their hair. It will be collected and sent off to Locks of Love, which is an organization that designs wigs for people with cancer.
Mancha recently won as Hairstylist of the Year hosted by the Professional Beauty Association. He has presented his looks globally in Australia, Asia, and across the U.S.
This year in the United States, over 230,000 cases of breast cancer were found in women, and over 2,000 men.
