Novi business Transforms Lives by Offering Hair-loss Solutions
In Novi, a young man of 19 came all the way from Kalamazoo looking for a unique solution that would save him from his genetic hair condition – and restore his confidence. He turned to a pioneering salon, the Project Hair Company, known for its innovative ‘hair system’ – a toupee-like hairpiece that harmonizes with the wearer’s natural hair. They provide a ray of hope for many, at a cost of $600, a price that most clients gladly shell out for the confidence this transformation brings on.
A testament to the growing popularity of hair replacement solutions is the $7.7 billion the hair wig and extension market amassed in 2022 alone, anticipated to more than double to $15.7 billion, as per DataHorizzon Research. Meanwhile, the U.S hair replacement market grabbed a hearty chunk of this pie with its impressive $1.5 billion in earnings, as noted by Grand View Research.
Two names stand out in this innovative business – founder Sara Micallef and hair loss expert Rebekah Lakies. Their one-of-a-kind services pander to individuals grappling with hereditary pattern baldness, chemotherapy-induced hair loss, rampant alopecia, and even burns that arrest hair growth. They don’t just offer a gamut of hair replacement methods but also personalized plans for bringing the change that clients wish to see in themselves.
Their manifold services tailored to individual needs include full bonding, perimeter bonding, clip-on “toppers”, “systems” akin to toupees and add-on extensions that enhance the density. Women particularly favour the “toppers” that casually clip on to the head, concealing signs of thinning or hair-loss that hint at the hairline, costing around $1,000.
With their clients coming to them from disparate corners of Chicago, Ohio, and Michigan, the pair attends to close to 200 clients on a yearly or monthly basis. The youngest of their clientele is as tender as 16 years old.
Micallef and Lakies work in alliance with their clients, curating a hair prototype that matches with the colour, length and texture the client desires. They then install the hairpiece, which can last anywhere between a faltering couple of months to a full-blown year, depending on the type of product.
“We have clients whose own spouses have never witnessed them sans hair. Hair is not just a part of them; it is an integral part of their personality and identity. It is fundamental to their confidence,” Micallef revealed. She goes on to share how some of their clients previously flew to places as far as Turkey seeking hair transplant solutions, before they discovered the promising solutions offered by the duo.
