Hairdresser�s wigs boost women self-esteem
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday May 19, 2017 11:14
When a woman’s hair is too fine, too frizzy, too dry, turning grey or falling out, her self-esteem is seriously affected. This deep personal relationship between hair and self-esteem is evident throughout history and beliefs. That is why hair matters to most women irrespective of age, race, weight or religion.
In order to boost women’s self esteem and integrity, Sekopi Baitshentse found it imperative to come up with an innovative way to make wigs of different sizes and styles. In an interview with Arts & Culture Baitshentse said having been a hairdresser for over a decade, she was able to attract a number of customers who had different hair challenges.
“I have been plaiting different women for a couple of years throughout my profession. I heard some women complaining that it was hard for them to put on hairpieces as their hair was too long and they did not want to cut it. They said even though my clients who have long hair did not want to cut their hair, they find it difficult to make attractive hairstyles,” she said.
She added that even though some women spend a lot of money in salons, their hair could not grow as long as they desired irrespective of how many years they invested their money trying to grow it. Baitshentse also explained that some women lost their hair due to different ailments such as cancer.
“The other reason I decided to make wigs for my clients is because they are easy to use. Even though they just look like hairpieces, wigs lasts for as long as the owner wants to use them as long as she uses the right comb and takes good care of it. Whereas one can sleep with their hair pieces, with wigs you have to take it off at night and put it back on when you want to,” she explained.
She added that wigs were not prone to sweat like hairpieces, as the material she was using was light. Baitshentse said she uses wing cap, also known as stocking, when making her wigs.
She said when exploring ideas to come up with a solution that could address those challenges, she realised that since she was brilliant at plaiting hairpieces she could buy them and make wigs. Even though she started her project as a trial, her ability to plait hairpieces made it easy for her to make wigs.
Her wigs vary from straight (long and short), singles, Afro to Curly.
“I buy 100% human hairpieces and make my wigs with them. The reason why I use 100% human hair is because they are durable, can be washed (shampooed, conditioned, ironed and blow dried),” she said.
She explained that each wig was designed and handcrafted to meet her clients’ specifications. Baitshentse said she assists clients throughout the entire process of designing the wig. However, she said her wigs were all size fits all.
“For patients with cancer, we understand that on average, it takes up to a year for their hair to grow back and it’s common for the hair to return a different colour and texture. That’s why it’s important to find a wig that is both comfortable and durable. I also make wigs that they can wear during cancer treatment. I use durable and breathable caps to ensure a comfortable wig wearing experience. I design my wigs with a stretch material to allow room for new hair growth,” she said.
Even though she is still working at home, Baitshentse said she hopes that she would be able to have her own workshop where she will operate her saloon and manufacture as many wigs as possible. She added that even though she was still new in the business, she was hopeful that it was going to excel as she already had a many clients.
She said she was selling her products to individuals, saloons and stores. She added that she hopes to export her products to the international market. Baitshentse is a qualified hairdresser having graduated from Botswana Technical College and Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Training Education.