Rachel Rivera [00:00:04]:
Again, it's so emotional. When you first get started and you're getting your hair for the first time, we're giving you something back that you haven't had in years. So for some people, they're seeing hair in the front of their hairline that they've never seen before, and it's something amazing. And then when they see themselves in the mirror, it's really such a life changing experience. I can't explain it. When I see it for the first time, it's amazing. For me, this is why I love what I do. And then at the same time, when they're looking at themselves in the mirror, it is literally you're taking off a minimum of ten years off of somebody's life.


Rachel Rivera [00:00:39]:
They look so much better.


Kevin Rolston [00:00:55]:
Welcome to Hairpod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Ralston, and each week I get to interview people from different walks of life whose lives have been touched by hair loss in some form or fashion. Many of our guests have experienced hair loss themselves and found a way to get their confidence and their hair back. I'm really excited for this episode because I get to speak with my own personal hair system stylist, Rachel Rivera about her experience styling hair systems. Rachel has worked with Hair Club for 13 years and has over 21 years of hair experience. She is truly a hair wizard and always leaves my hair looking natural and flawless. It takes a lot of skill to work with hair systems, and I imagine all of Rachels clients feel just as lucky as I do to work with somebody as caring and knowledgeable as her. Getting a hair system is a process.


Kevin Rolston [00:01:52]:
The initial steps can feel vulnerable for some people, but the best results are worth it, at least for me. Having hair system has been life changing, but I honestly don't know if I would have had the same experience without such amazing stylists. They do so much more than just cutting hair. For many of the guests that we've talked to here on the show, myself included, stylists guide us with empathy as we navigate our own hair loss journeys. It can be daunting to think about going from thinning hair, bald patches, or even no hair at all to having a full head of hair again. But a great stylist will make sure that you look and feel great and that you're not dealing with it alone.


Rachel Rivera [00:02:39]:
We always get our hair a little bit longer and it always. It's good because if you ever came to me and you decided at one point you wanted it to wear just a little bit longer. We could absolutely do that. But it gives me the opportunity to work with and I be able to cut in the style that you like or even the style that anybody's looking for that they would want to have.


Kevin Rolston [00:03:01]:
How hard is it to do that? If somebody comes in with a photo, how do you match that? Do you go on descriptions and how do you make sure that you're cutting the style that the client wants?


Rachel Rivera [00:03:11]:
We always suggest pictures. That's the biggest thing. So if somebody can't find pictures, we always have them look at, hey, YouTube Pinterest, anything that they can look at and see, any model, any pictures for age relations, whatever they want to look at. And then I'm pretty good at copying whatever I see. I love visuals. I'm a very visual person, so I can always copy what they're looking for.


Kevin Rolston [00:03:34]:
Now, how do you work with clients? Because there are a lot of people that they really don't know what they're talking about when it comes to hairstyle and they don't know what's going to look good. Look, I'm one of those people. That's why I trust you inherently to say, give me a hairstyle that looks good. Because as I was a kid and I saw what was the early beginnings of hair systems, there too often were guys who got hair systems that just didn't match their age, their look. And there seems to me to be kind of an art form because you want something to look realistic. To me. What's amazing with my hair system and what I have, you look at me and you dont think that that guy has any kind of help. It looks just exactly like my natural hair.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:20]:
So how do you work with somebody to do that? Because ultimately that would be the goal.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:24]:
And im sure a lot of times.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:25]:
You know better than somebody whos coming to you, even with a picture, they want to look like Brad Pitt in 1994 and theyre a 62 year old guy. And youre just like, thats just not going to be consistent. How do you work with that client, Brian?


Rachel Rivera [00:04:37]:
Absolutely. You know, we're big on making suggestions. You know, I always like to go with, again, when these situations, it's always different. So you always want to go, according to one, how much hair the actual client has their own natural growing hair as well as a style that's going to accommodate their face and how it looks. So we're really big on suggestions. If I see you and you want, you know, the 1990s, Billy Cyrus Mullet, and I'm not thinking that's a good look for you. I'm going to suggest something different. Hey, I appreciate your style, but let's take a look at something like this.


Rachel Rivera [00:05:11]:
What do you think along the lines? So I usually try to have my artillery of hairstyles also, so that they can kind of take a glance and we can come together to find that nice middle ground.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:23]:
The other thing that I find amazing, that I never would have known, is how you can match up the color so it looks natural. Because on the side of my head, I've got my real hair that is right there. And, you know, I've gotten different levels of gray since I've even been coming to you. But you seem to be able to look at what I have on the side, and then what is in my hair system, it seems to match up perfectly. How do you wind up doing it? How do you just eyeball that and you can get the color exactly right?


Rachel Rivera [00:05:49]:
Well, from the beginning process, I know when. When you first set in and we first did your measurements. What we do is we have a selection of colors that we use, ultimately, to help blend it with your color. So a combination of those colors, we come together and we create what's going to be your hair now with time, of course, as you remember, we've just added a little bit more gray into your own hair. It's just me paying attention to the things that are going on with your hair and paying attention and adding those little things that we need to customize it because we always want it to be flawless.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:22]:
Cause that was one of the things that I always noticed with hair systems from back in the day when I was a kid, is you would have an older guy, and he'd have gray hair on the side, and he'd have a jet black top.


Rachel Rivera [00:06:32]:
Oh, yeah.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:33]:
It looked like he was just putting on a hair cap. And it looks so fake. And that's the difference, to me, of the old hair systems to what you have now. It's completely seamless. It is cut to fit the sides, and it goes right up all the way through the top.


Rachel Rivera [00:06:46]:
Absolutely. We've broken the molds. When you think about those old heads of hair and, you know, rest in peace, I talk about Burt Reynolds. He started to look good a little bit later on, but his hair was very heavy and thick. And those are your old style toupee is that came along in the beginning of time, and we've broken all those barriers, and all we've done with time is just created something that's going to be thinner to match and blend with. Your own hair flawlessly. It's amazing.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:19]:
The way that Rachel colors and styles my hair. To look completely natural and to perfectly match the existing hair I have still blows my mind. This is the extra challenge of working with a hair system. Everyone's hair loss is a little different. The amount of hair loss, the textures, the colors, and each client's goals for a hair system are unique to each client. When you factor in just how emotional hair loss can be for people, you start to get a sense the special combination of skill and compassion these stylists need to have.


Rachel Rivera [00:07:57]:
You always want to build a good rapport, a good relationship, and make sure that your clients are very comfortable with what they're doing. This is a very emotional process for everybody involved, so it's always my job to make somebody feel as much at ease as possible. The entire time that we are doing this process, I always make sure that I explain everything that I'm doing so that I'm not leaving my client behind at all. And those usually are the steps before we start cutting their hair. I always make sure I explain what we're doing today as we're doing the hair, and we're doing all of our process. I'm explaining everything to them as we're going along.


Kevin Rolston [00:08:35]:
If you had a client that was a little bit more self conscious, and they don't want the whole world to know that they have gone from not a lot of hair to a hair system, is there a way to gradually ease that person into society so that they don't have the self consciousness that they might otherwise have?


Rachel Rivera [00:08:54]:
Absolutely. We've created these. It's funny because at one point, we called them graduals, which is what they were, and realistically, what it is. It's hair that we have added into their own growing hair, the exception of it being very finer and thinner and even a smaller area, so that as they start going on and on, we can start increasing as we go.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:16]:
Wow. And what would that go like? If somebody has, say, 60% to 70% hair loss, how do you walk them through? And then how long of a process would you recommend before they finally go with a full head of hair and a hair system?


Rachel Rivera [00:09:29]:
We always want to make sure that it's at their comfort level realistically, but we'll make a suggestion on kind of where to start, and usually that's where I have that input with my client. Hey, tell me, where do you think you want to add that hair first? And as we go along the lines, hey, are you ready for a little bit more hair? Or even that client will come to me and be like, hey, you know what, Rachel? I think I'm ready to add just a little bit more hair. And can we do that for the next time? Absolutely.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:59]:
I love that there are so many more options available now and that I can feel confident knowing that if I start needing more hair, it's going to be a smooth and easy process. To add that in, we talk a lot on the show about barriers to seeking a solution for hair loss. It seems that hair systems specifically are often a solution people shy away from because theyre worried that its going to look obvious or they might face some social scrutiny. Even if it does look natural. When you first journey into an unknown territory, trying anything new is always a little scary. People often really dont understand how hair systems work, and the only frame of reference that they have are those old toupees that we mentioned earlier. The reality is the science behind hair systems has advanced. The hair is better, the adhesives are better, and they are totally customizable, not only for people's hair loss and hair types, but also for their lifestyle.


Rachel Rivera [00:10:59]:
Well, let's talk about you now. So, Kevin, you have a smaller head of hair, which is nice. You have, for the most part, most of your own growing hair. So realistically, all we're doing is we're covering your areas that are thinner. When I do the liquid adhesives, liquid adhesives depend on activity level. And, you know, what anybody does on any given day, what we've chosen for you is something a little bit lighter. And depending on how we put it on, it can either be perimeter, which is only around the edges, or we can do all the way full and cover the whole head with adhesive.


Kevin Rolston [00:11:31]:
And what is the difference? Lets say, for instance, my activity level. Im somebody likes to go to the gym three to five days a week. What kind of adhesive level do I need to get?


Rachel Rivera [00:11:41]:
Well, when youre, if youre that heavy, you work out, youre a heavy sweater. Typically, we go with something just a little bit stronger, because ultimately, we want to make sure that your hair is holding on for as long as possible. So anywhere between that four week timeline is really what were looking for before we have to make any changes to the hair. So realistically, we would go with something a little bit stronger, depending on activity level. If your scalp has a tendency to be a little bit drier and you hold really well, then we'll use something a little bit lighter.


Kevin Rolston [00:12:11]:
Evan, and tell me a little bit about maintenance. What would you recommend when somebody has a hair system, how does it compare to having real hair that they used to have and what the treatment cycles are like and how do you keep it looking as good as it possibly can?


Rachel Rivera [00:12:25]:
We always say our middle of the road maintenance is always right around your one month timeline, because, remember, most of the time when our clients are coming in, their own hair is growing as well. So what we want to do is we want to make sure that we're achieving a really nice, consistent look as far as growth is concerned. So we always want to make sure that we get them in at a minimum, or, you know, just get them in and have their hair cut and make sure that their hair is always looking good. So minimally, you're looking at about a month timeline.


Kevin Rolston [00:12:55]:
Okay? About a month in between visits. And when I come in for a visit to see you, tell me about what we're going to be doing each time. Because when I come see you, it's not every single time that I get a new hair system.


Rachel Rivera [00:13:06]:
Now, sometimes when you're coming in, we call it reversing the process. So the hair that we've added on to you, we actually remove the hair. And then what we do is I'll give you your haircut, I'll cut and blend your style into however you want it, and then I will leave the room with your lovely head of hair, and I will walk around and I will clean it up for you and get it nice and ready. Any colors that we need to add, if I need to tone it. If maybe you were on the sun for a little bit or on the boat and your hair turned a little bit lighter, we tone it out, make sure the hair looks good when you come back in, and then I put it back on for you.


Kevin Rolston [00:13:42]:
So tell me a little bit about care and maintenance. How often am I having to wash my hair? Do I use conditioner? What is it like with styling? Are there any differences in having real human hair? When I have a hair system?


Rachel Rivera [00:13:53]:
Absolutely. When you're going the human hair route, I always like to explain to people that it is just like having your own natural growing hair. You have to wash it, you have to condition it. Conditioning is especially big with our hair because the hair that we're adding for you does not have any natural moisture to it. So you are having to put in what it is lacking. So you want to wash it and style it like you normally would your hair. When you wake up in the morning, your hair is going to look crazy. It's going to look messy, and it's your job to wake up in the morning and use the proper products to style the hair.


Kevin Rolston [00:14:27]:
And what is that typically? Just a brush comb. Just like any old head of hair.


Rachel Rivera [00:14:31]:
Is what you're using for most people, yeah. Like in your case, your hair is short, so you want to just put a little brush to it, put a little styling. If you want to blow dry it, absolutely. You can. If you don't want to. That's completely up to you. I have some of my clients, they love to blow dry their hair and then put a little product. Some people don't need a little bit.


Rachel Rivera [00:14:49]:
Just a little bit and add a little taffy.


Kevin Rolston [00:14:51]:
Doctor Justin. Yeah. The one thing I've noticed that's so amazing is when you do have a hair system, it is exactly just like having the old head of hair that you grew up with. There's really no difference. You clean it the same way about the same time, you styled the same way, use the exact same products. It really is the exact same thing. But tell me about getting to know your clients. And for me, a client myself, getting to know your hairdresser, what seems to help for me and the reason why I love coming to you? One, you're fantastic with my hair.


Kevin Rolston [00:15:20]:
I believe I've got the best hairstylist on the planet, but you know a lot of things about the person's, their skin, for instance. One thing for me is you seem to identify pretty quickly, and you helped me figure out that my skin gets dry pretty quick. And I assume every client you have, it's going to be different. And having a great hairstylist is somebody that's going to help you understand. Because I was getting some red spots, there was some irritation that was going on, and I think it took a little bit of time before we found a sweet spot, at least for me, for maintenance on exactly how frequently to wash my hair and how to wash it. Do you notice that with every single client that everybody is kind of different and you have to design specific instructions for different people?


Rachel Rivera [00:16:05]:
Absolutely. It's always my job to pay attention, especially to the skin. And I kind of look at it in a way. When you're putting on adhesives on somebody's hair or any kind of liquid polymers that we're using, you want to make sure that you're paying attention to the scalp. So I'm going to. I'm going to look for any little signs of maybe dryness or redness, any mild irritations. Because what that tells me right away is that there's something that we need to change, paying attention to those things, make sure that our clients don't have any issues going forward with their hair. So, yes, I pay attention to the scalp.


Rachel Rivera [00:16:39]:
I'm looking at it. I'm making sure that your scalp is always looking good. And if it's not, maybe looking its best. There's something that we can always change.


Kevin Rolston [00:16:47]:
So this is quite a revolutionary thing where I think a lot of people don't even fully understand what it is like to get a hair system. We've talked about when the person sits down and when you first begin, but I if nobody's ever seen the process, it truly is amazing. And I can tell you the perspective of being a client. The first time I ever sat down to get a hair system, it is a little unnerving because the first thing that happens is I lost the hair on top of my head. We decided to take it all off. Now, do you have the option to leave some of the hair that you have on top of your head? If you want? And what do you think is better to go all the way and remove all the natural hair that you have to put your system on, or is it good to have a little bit of both?


Rachel Rivera [00:17:28]:
I mean, in my opinion, if you're asking me, I will always tell you to trim off what you have on top for the simple fact that it just makes it easier for the process to adhere, for it to go smoothly. Now, you absolutely have the option not to. I will always talk to you about those options before we get started, and then we'll decide on the best solution. I will always give my recommendation and be like, hey, listen, it's going to keep growing back. No one's going to see it. Let's just put the hair on. Let's take it off. That's the best way to go.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:00]:
So, to me, you talk about the first day that you go in to get a hair system. You are building a level of trust, because what hair you do have, it goes bye bye. And you take it off and you're sitting there and you've got that toilet bowl seat looking hair that is kind of going around like the doctor Phil. And at that point, you're like, oh, man, have I just made the biggest mistake of my life? I could not go out into public looking like this. And then all of a sudden, you come in with the hair system, you put the adhesive on, it goes on. And then now you've got this long, gangly hair, and then you're like, okay, well, I have hair, but now it's just so unruly and so crazy. And then what happens next is the wizardry. It is the masterful part of seeing just how you craft that hair that, like I had said, is down around my ears.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:45]:
And then the next thing you know, it is a short, stylish haircut where the front bangs are flat. I flipped up, and it is revolutionary what it does in just that hours time and sitting in the chair and transformative for anybody in there, I will tell you. To me, I feel like it takes ten to 15 years off of your look. And I know my first reaction was just disbelief. I was so thrilled. I was stunned. I couldn't believe I was seeing what I saw in the mirror. Have you gotten emotional reactions from people for the first time? They ever got a hair system that sat there and you saw the fear in their eyes to the transformation you gave them?


Rachel Rivera [00:19:23]:
100%. It is always the most. Again, it's so emotional. When you first get started and you're getting your hair for the first time, I always relate it. We're giving you something back that you haven't had in years. So for some people, you know, they're seeing hair in the front of their hairline that they've never seen before, and it's something amazing. So you see them and they look in the mirror, and we're going over this process, and it's. It's funny that you say that because I always explain to people, I'm like, we're going to go through three different looks here.


Rachel Rivera [00:19:54]:
You're going to go from how you look now. You're going to go to the monk look, because after we've shaved your hair down, before we place it, it's going to look different, and then you're going to look like a rock star before we cut in your style. So they are very well aware of all of that going in. And then when they see themselves in the mirror, it's really such a life changing experience. I can't explain it when I see it for the first time. It's amazing. For me, this is why I love what I do. And then at the same time, when they're looking at themselves in the mirror, it is literally you're taking off a minimum of ten years off of somebody's life.


Rachel Rivera [00:20:31]:
Yeah, they look so much better.


Kevin Rolston [00:20:36]:
It was really fun to get to talk with Rachel about all this. I'm sure you've gathered I am a very big fan of hers. I'm a big fan of hair systems and the stylists who help people like me look good in them are heroes. Having a hair system has helped me to feel like myself again, and the guidance and care that I receive from stylists like Rachel were monumental. Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpod. Check us out at Hair Club on Instagram or search Hairpot on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this episode, wed love it if youd share it with them. If youre enjoying the show, make sure to subscribe and consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.


Kevin Rolston [00:21:19]:
We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcast dot hairclub.com. we are here to build people up and share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone. And when you share, review, and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time. It.