Safe Salon Spaces

A lot of women are struggling with alopecia and don’t know what the problem actually is. When they don’t feel safe in the salon to talk about the issues they’re having, then they won’t get the help they need. There needs to be a conversation between the professional and the client that goes all the way from where they’ve been to where they want to go. 

If you’re a haircare professional, are you asking the questions to make people feel safe to talk? Is your salon a safe space, without judgment, that allows women to open up about their hair troubles and goals so that you’re able to really help them, rather than cover up the problem?

Transcript

Patrice B: 0:41

Welcome back to Tacos, tequila Therapy, and the Tea with Your Girl, Patrice B. How are you guys doing today? Thank you, thank you. Thank you to all of those who follow, likes, subscribe, share. Your girl is grateful. I am truly, truly grateful. Okay. And so today's topic was taking it back into the salon, and this one I got me a little glass of wine.'cause we need to have a little sip today. I got a little Riesling on deck because it's a conversation that I've been having to have in the salon with several women, sometimes several times a day. And the thing for me is that the salon should be a safe space for women, but yet some women come into the salon and they may feel uncomfortable. And the reasons why I feel like they come into the salon and they're not feeling safe and they're uncomfortable is one judgment. To not having conversations about hair, the hair, talk to know where you're coming from and what your journey looks like and where you're going to, and a lot of times just not having a plan. Where do you fit in, especially if you have a problem. How does that work? And just not feeling safe, not safe enough to have these conversations in the salon. Should be a safe place to be able to talk about any challenges with your hair because you are there with the professional who can help you. Now this does not go out to those who cannot help you. And when I say that those who are not licensed, those who don't know what they're doing and they're styling, but they can't really help you out if you are experiencing some form of alopecia, because we all know that oil doesn't save the day. But what I am saying is that the salon should be a safe, safe haven to be able to have these conversations. There are a lot of women out here experiencing alopecia and they are battling with it alone. They are covering it up. Some of the situations can be prevented. They could have been minimized or stopped early on, but because they did not have a conversation and a safe space, they have permanent damage, Mitch, because there was nobody to tell you, Hey, sis, don't do that. Hey sis is a better way. And it's gone too far and there's no turning back. Now we cannot help in the salon, you know, things that may be due to your medications or, we can help with it, but things that are gone far when you have medical conditions, who can, right? But there's things and ways of making it easier, and it is not always just to cover it up. And this podcast is just to tell you and encourage you to please trust your professional. They got you. They do, especially if you chose a good one. And that might need to be a whole nother conversation of choosing the right stylist for the need. But when you are in distress with your hair, please have somebody on deck that you can talk to and that you see. Because things that happen are judgment. Not having these salon talks When we, when I say salon talk or hair talk, it should be a hair conversation about what's going on in your life. Have you noticed any changes? And I'm gonna tell you, anybody who is customer that is listening, if you go to a salon, and this is coming from a professional, if they don't ask you where you been and where you trying to get to, I advise you to leave.'cause do you think that they care? They don't. If you are having a problem, if they don't even ask you what is going on, what are you experiencing? They don't care. And your situation may be worse if you guys have not had that conversation, and I know that sounds pretty harsh, but we have women that are out here going into the salons, assuming that the professionals should just know their hair and they don't. Especially if you're bouncing around, you're going to different stylists. You have one who does this, somebody who does that. You gotta have one that at least knows your hair, knows you throughout the seasons, notices when it changes. And you could still have your braider, your weaver, you know, things like that. But the person that really, really deals with your hair not covering it up, should be able to help you. The salon should be a safe space to have those conversations that may seem to be uncomfortable, especially when we're talking about hair loss and the change in how we are not looking the same. I want my stylist to start asking people Do you have any challenges? has anything changed since the last time I saw you? A consultation is very important and when you leave that out, you don't even know the guest. I have new people coming in and I have some people that think that a consultation is not necessary, and I have to remind them all the time, like, sis, I don't know you. How do I get to know you? I love the comments though. You're a professional. I am a professional. A professional that does not know you, and so we have to have a conversation so I get to know you and what you would like to do. So I take that time to have those conversations. Even those who have been coming to me forever, I'm still asking, do you have any challenges? What's going on? Because things can change in such a short period of time. But there are a lot of women experiencing alopecia, and it has gone so far just because they were not comfortable enough in which should be a safe space to have a conversation about their hair. And that makes me sad because this is crazy. There are some women that their situations could have been minimized, changed, stopped if they just had somebody that they could talk to in a safe environment. And I know, I see it. I see that there has been trauma done. You have gone to a professional before who you thought was a professional, and your hair is now coming out. I have seen some, most, some of the most extreme cases of what in the world happened. Part of it is though conversations are happening, what was the plan? Some things are done with no plan. You are mixing chemicals, you know how you have lapsed time of seeing a person and you've gotten something major done and there was no hair care, there was no conversation on it. That's back to the hair talk conversation.'cause if they don't even tell you how to keep it or when you coming back, it's like what are we doing? And I would love for salons to go back to being safe spaces for people to have those conversations about their hair to come in and get the help to have healthy hair. I know so many amazing professionals. Amazing professionals that could just like help you out if you, you just feel comfortable enough to come in and say something to my stylist. We gotta start asking questions because I'm gonna tell you, you gotta ask these people where they been before, we help them to get to where they want to go. Because the history matters. There are women out here whose hair is just falling out and they don't even know why. But they try to handle it at home because they feel like, well, since it's falling out, it happened in the salon, or it possibly would've happened in the salon. I'm gonna figure out my own remedy. I'm gonna consult YouTube. I'm gonna talk to a friend, and they don't even know what the problem really is. And so the struggle becomes real. We are now covering it up without addressing the real issue because they don't even feel like they're in a safe space to address the real problem. It's easier to just cover it up. It's easier to go to a braider who you are not gonna see for six weeks, eight weeks, depending on what you get. They're just gonna do what they do and they send you on their way. Send you on your way. So one who just does weaves will make you look absolutely amazing. But what they'll do is add the hair and blend in your problem areas and then you're all covered. But we still don't know what the problem is. So when you go and take out braids, or you go and take out your weave, hmm, the hair didn't get any better because it was bad going in. cause we gotta know where we are to get to where we are going. And I just want you guys to know that the salon is a safe space. I want my stylist to create safe spaces for clients to have conversations when they are having an issue or even informing them. Having those hair talks like, yes, I wanna know about your kids, but I also need to know about your hair. What else are you experiencing? What's going on? And I know that I'm more detailed than most. Because I feel like I don't wanna waste nobody's time and I don't want to waste mine. So I will ask a thousand questions because that's how I learn and get to know them. And sometimes the adjustment is something so simple and they be like, whoa, my hair feels different. It feels amazing. And it's all about education. When you guys are looking for a stylist, things to look for, are they doing looks that are on hair, be it color, are they changing colors? Is it more extensions? If you are in a space and you're wearing extensions, then hey, go to that stylist. Make sure that you ask questions that also pertain to what you are going for. When it comes to your hair, hair care, please look for that because some of your hair loss issues can be minimized or prevented if you just focus on that main thing. Pay attention to, if the stylist does regular hair, do they focus on haircare? They could be a colorist, they can do an array of things, but some people are very versed in the healthy hair journey for people like really caring for the hair. And some stylists are multifaceted and you'd be amazed at all the things that they may know and ways that they can help you. But if your hair is in distress, don't stay away too long. That's the time that you should be in a salon. More and more could be still within your budget and your timeframe, but there has to be a plan.'cause remember that thing I said a while ago, we gotta have a plan.'cause we gotta know where we coming from to get to where we're going. And I just hope that stylist, salon owners cosmetologists, create safe spaces for these women to have these conversations when they're in trouble. Phone a friend know that they can call on you. And you are responsible enough to take care of them because some of these things do not have to be, but as a client, no. There are plenty of salons who are safe, safe to have that uncomfortable conversation. That can make everything all. I mean, literally, it can make it better. It can ease up your life. Find a salon that you feel safe in to have those conversations. I hope that for everybody. No judgment comfortable in that space. And I'll leave y'all with you gotta nowhere. You are to know where you're going. Believe me, that applies to every facet of life. You gotta know where you are to know where you're going, and with all of that being said, be safe. Enjoy your day, and until next time, don't forget to follow your girl on all the social medias, and, share, follow the podcast. I'm grateful because I know that you had options, but you chose to spend it with your girl, and I'm grateful. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you. And until next time, tacos, tequila therapy, and the tea with your girl Patrice B.