Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life!

The average adult changes careers approximately 7 times during their life. Why do you think that is? People settle on careers every day. Performing the same daily tasks can quickly become monotonous if you aren't interested in what you are doing. So many people, probably yourself at some point, have switched jobs just for a change of pace. 

So, why not do something you love? Start in a broad area, gain experience, and eventually you will be able to zero in on something you are absolutely passionate about.  This is the path that David Hansen chose to take that eventually led to his 50+ year (and counting!) career in Men's Custom Hair Replacement.  

Born the son of an Illinois barber, David lived in the back of a barber shop during the majority of his childhood. From an early age he was exposed to the world of hair design, watching thousands of haircuts being performed. At the age of 12 he began to cut hair for his friends and class mates. This was the foundation of his career. As he learned the tricks of the trade from his father, he eventually decided that hair dressing, rather than traditional barbering, was more his style.

 In 1962, David moved to Chicago.  He took a job at Chicago's famous Continental Barber Salon, where he worked with the best stylists from all over Europe. He studied their techniques, which were new to him and the United States, and became so proficient he quickly became the most popular stylist at the shop. Impressed by his boss' many trophies, he asked for some advice on how to win some of his own. He agreed to show David the ropes of not just styling natural hair, but how to create and style men's hairpieces.  He began to enter and win styling competitions, then hairpiece competitions.  It was then, after over a decade of learning different areas under the broad umbrella of the hair world, that David found his absolute passion. 

 David Hansen opened his first Custom Hair Restoration Salon for Men in 1965. He was so enthusiastic about his craft that he continued participating in Men's Hair Replacement competitions, and teaching other barbers and hairdressers his craft. When he would meet someone with skills unbeknownst to him, he would show not jealousy, but an incredible desire to learn from them. He had a desire to be the very best, not for bragger's rights, but to be able to give men who are suffering a hairpiece that was absolutely realistic and completely undetectable.  

His business grew exponentially over the years. Although success was always a friend to him, he observed that as his business grew, the less of a difference there was between his pieces and the inferior ones of his flashier rivals.  in 1980, he downsized, getting back to a more personal relationship with his customers. He vowed to work on each person that walked through the door himself, and that each piece he created would be even more realistic than the next. 

The love for what he does has kept him in business with a loyal and steady clientele ever since. He holds himself to a higher standard, able to find the balance between functionality and style.  Many of our clients have commented that he knows their hair better than they do. He will work on each piece until it is to the exact specifications it ought to be.  By the time a client walks out the door, there is no indication whatsoever that he is wearing a Hair Replacement System. 

The passion David Hansen has for the work that he does reflects in the quality of each piece he creates. His love for his art has given him over 50 years of experience, and over 50 years as the very best in his field. He is an inspiration for me, and all those that meet him.  

Celebrity hairpieces, celebrity hair transplants… You are not alone

Whether you are famous or not everyone is concerned about his or her looks. In this day and age it seems like everyone wants to look their best, not only for others but also for themselves. Many actors wear hairpieces, this help them boost their self-esteem as well as makes them look or feel younger. After all, a good head of hair is associated with youth, and attractiveness, so when hair loss happens, it can come as a surprise.

Some examples of celebrities who wear hairpieces are

 

John Travolta has a very natural looking hair replacement. He wears a lace front system that creates a soft hairline. The color and wave pattern are well matched making the hair blend right into the hair replacement system.

                                                                                                                                      
William Shatner who starred in Star Trek has an excellent hairpiece; I have been following him for about 40 years. The reason it is a great hairpiece is that he has good hair on the sides and on the back of his head. This creates plenty of hair to blend into the hairpiece.  If you do not have that much hair on the sides or in the back, it would be much harder to blend the hair in with the hairpiece. Unless done by a professional, you would have to take a hair sample from the right areas of your hair. From my opinion, he wears a lace front hair replacement hairpiece, showing his recession, which also gives it a natural look.

  John Wayne, known for his in many western films is another exception. He has a variety of different hairpieces. Sometimes he wears good hair replacement systems and sometimes he wears bad hairpieces.



There is plenty of hair replacement specialists out there with different opinions about the right hair loss hair replacement system. You would have to find the one that fits you the best and makes you feel great about yourself. Every man or woman can experience hair loss for any of these reasons whether it be from childbirth, to an infection, or from medication. The treatment is in your hands to decide.

Charleston Heston, known as Moses from The Ten Commandments. This is a bad piece. There is too much hair on the front and top, it is too heavy and not enough hair on the sides, I would suggest he grow out the hair on the sides more. The sides are thin and the top is too heavy. He has never had that much hair in his lifetime, there would be no need for him to have that much hair at his age now. The hairpiece should be lightly ventilated and with a slight wave to give it movement. In addition, it should be a lace front, so it would soften his hairline and look natural with his scalp.

Hugh Hefner, known for Playboy. He does not wear a hairpiece anymore. The man is 88 years old, but notice he has hair on the front, all he needs is a partial hairpiece that he can comb his own hair over. In addition, you would never know it, but if he grows his hair longer on the sides, he can blend it in more into the hairpiece and look more natural. This would also give his face a better frame. I would love to make him a great hairpiece if I got the chance to.


Good Luck & Good Lucking
David Hansen,
www.davidhansen.com
312-943-8171

Things to know when living with a hairpiece

Things to know when living with a hairpiece

When a person starts to wear a hair replacement system, there are certain things they must know in order to have it look natural and last for as long as possible. Here I will explain how it is to live with one and still live your daily life.

When thinking of getting a custom-made hairpiece, it would typically take 6-8 weeks from order date to come in to get it to the right specifications. The specifications would include color, texture, wave pattern of your natural hair and style. Reasons for that are not only to give the natural look but also to prevent any changes to the style when you come in for fitting of hairpiece.

Typically, a hairpiece can weigh about 2 ounces. It weighs that little after the cut and styling with your own natural hair. This is an advantage for you since it will feel undetectable and blend in with your own.

If you have read my previous blogs, I have stated that a tape on hairpiece is the best way and most sanitized way to wear a hair replacement system compared to when you bond on a hairpiece. It takes just a few minutes to put tape on the hairpiece. The tape used would be double-sided tape, and all that is needed is a few small pieces. When put on properly and when applied to a clean scalp, the hairpiece will not budge. Winds would blow YOU away before the hairpiece!

The hair replacement specialist will explain and show you how to place and tape on the hairpiece. If you can spare 3-4 minutes a day and have a wide-tooth comb or a bristle brush, a tape on hairpiece is for you. With time and more practice, you will probably do it with-in 1-2 minutes.  That type of comb and/or brush is best not only for your hairpiece but also for your own natural hair.

For the hairpiece to last the longest and keep looking its best, it is best not to shower and sleep in it. If you leave the hairpiece on, you are shortening the life of it. Your hairpiece is like clothing; you wouldn’t shower or sleep in it if you intend to wear it continuously. It also best not to swim or do strenuous activities outdoors whiling wearing it. Extensive sun can also cause the hairpiece to lighten in color, as much as 3-4 shades lighter. It is best and also suggested to have a synthetic one to knock around in and also your custom made hairpiece for all other activities.

When the hairpiece is in need of a servicing, bring it to your hair replacement specialist. The hairpiece is just like a car, you would take it to a mechanic unless you are a mechanic yourself, and it goes the same for the hairpiece. It must be cleaned with special fluid that performs best only by a professional. Typically, every time you would need a haircut, the hairpiece should be treated just as good.

A hairpiece, if taken care of, would last up to a year and maybe longer, with few or no adjustments or repairs required. The main “repairs” needed for a hairpiece is re-coloring, addition of more hair, and/or replacement of base.  It may seem like a custom made hairpiece is expensive but it would be well worth the money in the end compared to a stock piece, which you would probably have to keep buying month after month and end up paying the same amount. Quality is always better than quantity. Hope this helped to give some answers and feedback. Good Luck & Good Looking

David Hansen,

The Ultimate Mens Hairstylist & Hairpiece Specialist

Chicago, IL

www.davidhansen.com

312-943-8171

How to choose best hair loss system from best person

How to choose best hair loss system from best person

     By researching and investing the time to find the right hair replacement system, you will save money and time in the end. You can avoid disappointment with the finished product with the right start. To start you should have trust in an expert of hair systems. When you have that trust, you will feel safe and you will know “the expert” will help you look good.

         I believe you should stay away from mail-order hairpieces and pre-styled creations. It is preferably best to buy a hairpiece from experts that specialize in manufacturing their own custom-made hair replacement system. Only then will you own a quality, customized product. With a custom-made hairpiece, you’re measured with all the curves and shapes it has to perfect the fit of the hair system, to give it the right fit. With mail order, you get none of those specifications, which means the hairpiece might not “fit like a glove”. The correct hair replacement system is kind of like a good suit. You are measured over all to perfect the fit, so you will look good. You can choose the quality of material by how good you want to look, same goes for hairpieces. You will pay more to look your best, cotton vs. silk as mail order vs. custom-made. The right stylist will give you the correct option in their eyes for the best beneficial result for you, and not only be anxious to see money in the end.

  The steps involved in this is an interview and asking the right questions to decide if a hairpiece is in the right category for you. Asking a client questions about daily life activities will also clarify their wants/needs for the hair replacement system. A hairpiece is not a fountain of youth. Although it does help and take some years off a person’s age, it will not help you look like you did in your twenties. After the interview, the design and measurement are taken into account. Texture and color are also taken into account so that the custom-made hairpiece will look just as natural and blend in with your real hair. Amount of hair is decided on if you need a partial or a full cap hair loss system. Production of hairpiece does usually take 6-8 weeks, but that is only to benefit client into assembling hairpiece to perfection. As soon as hairpiece is completed, client is called in to get cut and styled with hairpiece on for the best look possible. Only then is when your new hair be secured into the right position.

        David Hansen’s sale is not complete until you (the client) is completely satisfied. I look to create a bond between barber and customer. I guarantee that hair replacement systems I create live up to the workmanship and quality of materials agreed upon. If any more questions feel free to ask me, I’m more than willing to give an honest opinion about the matter.  

David Hansen

The Ultimate Mens Hairstylist & Hairpiece Specialist

Chicago, Il

www.davidhansen.com

312-943-8171

Client Testimony - Do's & Don'ts of Hair Replacement

Here are a few words from one of my satisfied, long time Clients!

Before You Buy a Hair Replacement (hairpiece, hair system, and toupee) Care and Maintenance

Before you buy your hair replacement you should learn about what is involved in keeping your hair system clean and looking its best.

1. Make sure you get your hair cut by a professional who is in the hair replacement business. Take your time and find the best hair replacement specialist in your area or travel outside to a different state or city. Usually the larger companies are less personal with their clients and their products are not of high quality. Many times they also hire people right from beauty school who do not have the experience in cutting-in hair replacement. Try finding someone who has been in the business for a long time and they know what they are doing. Ask if you could come in and see them work on one of their clients. If a person is confident in their abilities and the final product they will be more likely to let you observe them at work (you want to know what to expect). Since a hairpiece is a long term investment make sure you find the best specialist possible (unfortunately there are few left). Another advantage of getting a hair replacement specialist cut your hair is that they prepare it for the hair replacement system. It lets them study your hair, its movement, what it will and will not do, its texture and feel. Then ounce the time comes that you need to get a hair replacement system your hair will blend a lot better with the system.

2. To extend the longevity of the hair system you should avoid swimming in the system, chlorine, lake water as well as salt water damages the hair. Also avoid having your hairpiece out in direct sunlight or under florescent light for an extended period of time as this oxidizes the hair making it slowly lose its natural color.

3. Make sure you get regular maintenance done on your hair replacement system. As you notice that it is time to get a haircut make sure you go to a hair replacement studio. Bring your hairpiece along for its regular maintenance, at this time you can also bring your other pieces to get cleaned and styled as well. When you get a haircut from a hair replacement specialist they know exactly how to cut your hair so that the hair system blends in without destroying the hair piece. As you take your hair system in the patch material as well as the hair will be cleaned, the hair piece styled so that it is ready to wear. If you need to clean your hair replacement system in between haircuts make sure you take off the tape first. Turn on lukewarm water, come through the hair piece before submerging it into the water (this will prevent major tangling and pulling out of the hair). Wash it with a gentle shampoo moving your hand in circular motions; make sure you rinse out the entire residue. Only towel and air dry your hairpiece using a brush or comb to style it (you should leave the hairdryer drying to a professional). Once again for best maintenance let the professional handle and wash the hair replacement system.

4. Do not use regular hair spray on your hairpiece. This will speed up the oxidation of the hair piece as well as leave residue on the individual strands of hair. This residue is very hard to take off and looks like white dots on the hair. The hair spray will also dry out the hair making it more delicate and brittle. Instead of using hair spray turn to water. Purchase a spray bottle, fill it with water and mist it over the hair system. After it dries it will lock in the desired style. If you have to use hair spray use one designed specifically for hairpieces. I have one that I recommend on my website www.davidhansen.com you can purchase it by calling my salon at 312-943-8171 or emailing me at davidhansen@davidhansen.com (the hair sprays cost $15-$20 each).

5. Do not wear a base ball hat that is fitted too tightly; get them a size or two bigger. This will prevent dents from forming in the hair system.

If you follow these suggestions and have regular maintenance done owning a hair replacement system should be as easy as one, two, there. You wake up put new tape on (if needed, you do not have to replace tape every day. As long as it is still tacky you do not need to put new tape on) put the hair replacement on your head. Comb or pick the hair through, mist with water if needed and you are on your way out.

I hope this blog was informative for more questions you can visit my website provided below or contact me by phone or email I am always glad to help.

David Hansen
www.davidhansen.com
davidhansen@davidhansen.com