Extensions of Yourself

Honestly, Melissa changed by life. I am so indebted to her.

I am in my 40s, and have super fine hair, that began thinning at the crown 13 years ago after the birth of my child. I have spent over a decade battling it. I have had every blood test known to man. In sum, it’s heredity, and a hormone imbalance that only menopause will cure. Even so, I’ve tried everything. oils, vitamins, massage, Nioxin, Minoxidil, bio-identicals, Rx meds. I spent a fortune, with no results.

The older I got, the more it damaged my self-esteem. When I looked down, or when you stand or sit behind me, you could see my scalp and thin patches. I became a master of concealment. The side part, strategic hairspray, hair fibers, hair pieces. Clip ins that hurt like heck and damaged my hair further. It was exhausting, sad, and so time consuming!

Finally, I gave up. I started looking into extensions.

Honestly, I was very skeptical. The last thing I wanted was to further my hair loss with “friction alopecia.” I researched nearly all extension stylists in SA. I eliminated the “jack of all, master of none” or one’s that are self-declared specialists who trained via YouTube.

I was almost ready to give up. And then I came across “Extensions of Yourself” and Melissa. What a difference! First of all, Melissa is an educated, certified specialist, trained in a variety of methods, has seen it all, & knows her stuff. And it is quite clear that her goal is to help people, not make $. Her compassion is obvious as is her sensitivity to emotions surrounding hair loss. She truly understands what it is like to feel embarrassed about hair. I’ve never met anyone who “gets it” the way she does.

In a free consultation, she carefully goes over your options, the prices, and what type of service will best fit your life style. There is no hard sell. She was honest and explained to me that HairDreams extensions can be reused two times, so you don’t have to buy new extensions in 6 months. But others, like Great Lengths, are used once and that’s it, you have to pay for both labor, and new extensions every 6 months or so. Her point was: you can opt for cheaper extensions, but it is false economy if you plan on keeping them longterm. I had been to countless salons that pushed the lower end extensions, fully aware that it means more $$$ for them.

After the consult, Melissa encouraged me to think about it for awhile, even when I was ready to whip out my checkbook that very moment! So, I took my time. The cost was reasonable and under market for SA, far less than most salons. I added up all the money I spent on products, the time, the emotional toll it was taking. Two weeks later, I set up my appointment.

The hair salon is intimate. You get personal attention without having to deal with the group of gossiping women. It is just you, and Melissa. The process took about 6 hours. I am hyperactive -- but somehow the time flew by. Melissa she puts earbuds in, and listens to music, leaving you free to work on a laptop (free wifi!), read, or whatever. She doesn’t waste your time taking personal calls, texting, or gossiping with other stylists.

When she was done, I didn’t even recognize myself. I knew I’d feel better, but I didn’t imagine how much decent hair could improve appearance, and in turn---confidence!   It is weird, but having normal hair, can make all your other features look better as well. My natural thin hair emphasized any flaw in my skin,

All in all, it has been a life-changing, wonderful experience with Extensions of Yourself. I told Melissa, “I think I will die with my hair extensions in” and I meant it. I could never go back to the struggle I had before I met Melissa. She is truly a blessing. I will be a lifelong client.

Overall I was disappointed in service and her lack of class. She may have experience in doing hair, but her service is terrible. I would not recommend to family, friends, or even strangers.