Touched by an Angel
Noelle Salon in Malden helps women combat hair loss
by Chelsea Bain

Hair loss – it’s not just for men anymore.

Find that hard to believe? For women, having a full head of gorgeous, silky hair is a dream. Some people are born with it. Others, unfortunately, are not. Still, while most gals chalk up mornings spent wrestling with untamable manes to nothing but a Bad Hair Day, people often forget that there are women out there who are confronting much more serious hair problems.

Noelle Salon, located in Malden, MA, has been treating women with complicated hair issues for years. It’s easy to understand why - the owner, Noelle Spinosa, is a self-proclaimed “Hair Extension Expert” and is a pioneer in the industry. In other words, if you want good hair, Spinosa is your go-to gal.

Still, while most of Noelle Salon’s patrons lengthen their hair for aesthetic purposes, Spinosa also treats people who are dealing with hair loss due to an illness. And, as expected, the range of women that walk through her doors is staggering.

Many of her clients are suffering from trichotillomania, an anxiety disorder that affects females more than males and is characterized by hair loss from the patient’s repetitive self-pulling of hair. The disease is often undiagnosed and misunderstood.

The effects of trichotillomania are overwhelming; people who suffer from the illness are left with bald spots and no hair on much of their head. And, because it has baffled much of the medical community, victims of the disease remain confused, emotionally-drained, and often isolated.

That’s where Noelle Salon steps in. Using her top-of-the-line human hair extensions, Spinoza is able to treat these women within a few short hours; she uses her clients’ remaining hair to bond micro attachments about a quarter of an inch away from the scalp. After she works her magic, hair becomes long, luxurious and most importantly - back to normal. In fact, some clients are likely to say it even looks better.

Noelle appeared on Fox News Boston this year to talk about her progress with this disease and how she boosts the confidence of these women. “We’re trying to find ways to help them and deter them from pulling out their hair, and hair extensions certainly do help,” she said.

For some, the word “help” may be putting it mildly. In fact, what Noelle does is life-changing.

One of her clients, Nina (who did not give her last name), also appeared on the show, and was clear about Noelle’s impact on her continuous struggle with trichotillomania. “It’s something that I’ve been battling for years, due to anxiety,” she said. Nina was also proud to announce that she has not pulled her hair since receiving extensions.

Noelle’s miracle treatments extend to women affected by other illnesses as well. For instance, most of us are aware of another disease that often leads to hair loss – cancer.

For cancer patients, chemotherapy may be a necessary therapy. However, it’s no secret that the effects of chemotherapy are devastating. Aside from nausea and fatigue, patients who are required to undergo the treatments often have to deal with losing their hair. And for many women, even after they have been cured, their locks do not grow back as thick or as plentiful as they were before.

Spinosa certainly understands the emotional impact of this side effect. “Women who have lost hair through chemotherapy tell me that was the most traumatic event,” she told Fox News Boston.

Noelle can offer these women her hair services, too. In fact, the esteemed stylist often uses small hair systems that rest on top of her clients’ heads and blend in with the rest of their hair. The results are incredible.

Hair extensions at Noelle Salon start at $400 to $800 for hair systems, while hair extensions begin at about $150. The treatments can last up to six months; in other words, clients will not have to make a trip to the salon as often as they go grocery shopping.

“We want to promote healthy hair growth. We don’t want our clients married to our salon. We want to teach them how to take care of their hair,” Spinosa said.

For some, a job is merely a way to earn a paycheck. For Noelle, it’s apparent her salon is more than just a means to make money in order to pay the bills. In fact, the entrepreneur has said that it’s her “passion to make people beautiful.” Thanks to her accomplishments, she has left women who were hopeless feeling confident and full of life again.

It looks like one woman’s passion has led to countless dreams coming true.

Noelle Salon is located at 347 Pleasant Street in Malden. For more information call 781-324-9779 or go to www.noellesalon.com.