đ Our main Yorkville salon will be closed for our Christmas break starting December 22, reopening on January 2. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! âď¸
đ Our main Yorkville salon will be closed for our Christmas break starting December 22, reopening on January 2. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! âď¸
Elevate Magazine / Winter 2007 / Reader Tested: At a loss⌠& Perfect Fit
Reader Tested
By Celina Harrison, Elevate Reader
Three years ago, I was losing my hair. Now, my new hair is better than natural!
It was just over three years ago that I caught a glimpse of myself in a security camera and noticed the hair on the back of my head was thinning. Soon afterward, people started commenting how light my hair was, which didnât make sense to me at the time, as I have a dark-brown hair. Eventually I realized they meant that my hair was sparse in certain areas, and I became very self-conscious. I felt like that was the only thing people noticed about me. I tried not to think about it, but itâs hard to ignore your own appearance.
Then last year, while reading Elevate, I noticed an article about Continental Hair, a Toronto-based womenâs hair-replacement studio. I decided to check it out and see if there was a hair-replacement solution that would suit me. I was nervous when I first walked into Continental Hair, but owner Michael Suba made me feel completely at ease. Michael fitted me with a postiche â a discreet, easy-to-wear hair system that matched my busy lifestyle. It didnât take long at all to get used to wearing the postiche. Now, it feels so light and so natural that I donât even notice it. I can even swim with it on and love that people canât even tell I am wearing anything other than my own head of hair. The best part is I can style my hair with the pastiche, just like I did before my hair began to thin. My sister is getting married soon, and Iâm even planning to get an updo with my new fabulous hair!
Perfect Fit
With so many different types of hair loss, ranging from full to partial loss, finding the hair system best suited to individual needs is an essential part of achieving a top-notch look. Our quick and easy-to-follow hair-loss reference chart, provided by Continental Hairâs Michael Suba, is a great starting point to finding the perfect hair-replacement solution. Suba also recommends a one-on-one visit to best assess individual needs based on lifestyle and type of hair loss.
Sunnybrook Foundation News / April 2008 / volume 3, Issue 1
Continental Hair is helping patients to look and feel better at Odette Cancer Centre
Over 50 years ago, Peter and Emma Suba established Continental Hair, retailing the finest quality custom and ready-made human hair and synthetic wigs for thousands of clients across Canada.
Their son, Michael, who now manages two locations of Continental Hair, had not planned on following in his parentsâ footsteps until he was diagnosed with Hodgkinâs disease in 1990. After a year of treatment that included chemotherapy and radiation at the Odette Cancer Centre, Michael decided he wanted to make a career for himself in hair replacements.
During a chat with a member of the support services team at one of his follow-up appointments, Michael learned that a box of wigs had been donated to the Centre.
âThe wigs were old and dirty but we washed and styled them,â says Michael. âAfter seeing the reactions of patients, the Centre staff realized that having an onsite salon would be incredibly valuable. I submitted a proposal and opened the second location of Continental Hair in the basement of the Odette Cancer Centre in 1998.
About 90 per cent of Michaelâs clients at the Sunnybrook location are patients receiving treatment from the Centre.
âI gain understanding, respect, inspiration and empowerment from my clients. Whether itâs a patient going through chemotherapy or someone who has survived a fire,â says Michael. âNothing gives me more pride than doing a consultation with a client who is nervous that they will look foolish, and then seeing the look on their face when they realize that they can have beautiful hair.â
Michael has generously donated $50,000 to the capital expansion of the new Breast Cancer Research Centre. The Centre will allow Sunnybrook to respond to changing patient needs with research, screening and treatment areas in close proximity for improved patient care, and a coordinated and comprehensive range of services for our patients based on the latest medical breakthroughs.
âHelping to restore a personâs confidence is exciting for me,â says Michael. âI see their eyes light up when they realize despite going through treatments they can still look amazing. There is something special about helping people feel good about themselves.â
âIâve had ties to Sunnybrook for decades,â says Michael. âSunnybrook saved my life, and I strive in my business to have the same exemplary professionalism as the staff here.â
Often ignored, seldom appreciated, your eyebrows can make or break your look. Hereâs how to make yours bold and beautiful.
This season, thicker brows are in. Those blessed with a generous set can skip the wax and lightly pluck, comb and groom their way to stylish symmetry, but what about those who simply donât have much eyebrow hair with which to work?
âEyebrows are really important to the overall look of the face, because they frame the eyes,â says Dr. Marla Rosenberg, a hair transplant and cosmetic surgeon in Toronto. âSome people, for whatever reason â be it scarring, disease, over-plucking and waxing or simply genetics â have little or no hair in this area. I end up doing eyebrow transplants on people of all ages and for many reasons.â
The procedure is performed under general anesthetic and takes a few hours. It involves removing a small patch of fine donor hair from the scalp â usually from an inconspicuous area behind the ear, where the texture is most like eyebrow hair. The small incision is closed with a few sutures, and the harvested hair follicles are grafted onto the eyebrow area. âThereâs an art to the brows, just like when you go to an esthetician, who shapes them for you,â says Dr. Rosenberg. âItâs quite gratifying to create a shape thatâs beautiful, and we do this by paying special attention to direction and angle.â
Most patients tend to experience slight swelling, redness and sensitivity for a few days. They should apply saline solution and avoid touching, manipulating or applying makeup or lotion to the affected area, says Dr. Rosenberg. âWe always check the patient the next day to be sure nothing has shifted, and they most often go home without a bandage.â About three to six months later, eyebrow hair growth begins. After about a year, the transplanted hair should be regularly trimmed. Results are permanent, and the cost for both eyebrows is approximately $2,500.
When it comes to brow woes, transplants arenât the answer for everyone. Alopecia patients, for example, canât have transplants because theyâre unable to provide donor hair from the scalp. âWe offer a product called iBrowsers, which is specifically designed for women with alopecia,â says Michael Suba, president of Toronto-based Continental Hair. âTheyâre essentially a water-based tattoo. They arenât permanent and are perfect for skin with little or no hair. They look really natural. You canât tell theyâre not real until youâre four inches away.â iBrowsers are waterproof and easy to apply or remove. Each pair lasts two days, and a package of 18 costs $20.
High Brow
Sometimes, you just need a lift, especially when brow discontent is the result of heavy or sagging brow bones or eyelids. âSometimes, people can have an angry, intense look due to a heavy brow,â says Dr. Wayne Carman, a plastic surgeon in Toronto. âThis can actually affect their daily relationships. Although they may think they need to thin or groom their brows to get a less intense look, what they may really need is a brow lift.â Dr. Carman says lifting the brow also opens up the eyelid and redefines the entire eye contour area. Brow lifts are now performed using an endoscope and under general anesthetic. Most patients experience some bruising, or even blackening of the eyes, but this heals in a week or two. The procedure costs approximately $5,000 to $6,000, and the results are permanent.
BROW BOOSTER
Shape, tame or define your best assets with the following brow-beautifying products.
TheBody Shop Eyebrow Kit ($18) contains two defining powders and a brow/liner brush.
DuWop Browwow ($34 US) in Lighter or Darker (shown here) packs brow powder, tinted pomade, champagne shimmer highlighter and brow brush into this set.
Christian Cosmetics Eyebrow Makeup Kit ($30) includes an easy-to-use stencil system and a variety of shades, to fill out thin or light brows. Washes off with soap and water.
iBrowsers are waterproof and easy to apply or remove. Each pair lasts two days, and a package of 18 costs $20
Jane Iredale Super-Shape Me Eyebrow Kit($62) contains brow wax, two mineral brow powders and a lemon lid primer to conceal redness and lightly highlight. The kit is available in three shades: Blonde (shown here), Auburn and Brunette.
Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner ($6) offers smooth coverage, while Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer ($8) contains vitamins A and E for extra conditioning
Earth Therapeutics Dual Tweezer Grooming Set ($10 US) contains a slant-tipped tweezer and a point-tipped tool (for more precision).
Shape, tame or define your best assets with the following brow-beautifying products. source: www.elevatemagazine.com
Beauty Match / October 3, 2008
Cancer is a major reason why so many women visit Michael Suba’s Continental Hair Studio, but a large portion of his clients are women dealing with different stages of thinning hair.
There are three types of hair loss (aka: alopecia)
Alopecia Areata: patches of hair missing on the scalp and body
Alopecia Totalis: baldness of the scalp only
Alopecia Universalis: baldness of the scalp and the body
Michael revealed that hair loss is starting at a younger and younger age (as young as 13 years old) and itâs a very difficult thing for most women to deal with.
Itâs safe to say that most men accept balding as a possible reality, but itâs not something most women donât want to accept or want to deal with. The reality is that alopecia does affect many women.
Michael gave these statistics on hair loss:
Twenty percent of women in their 20s will deal with hair loss
Thirty percent of women in their 30s will deal with hair loss
Forty percent of women in their 40s will deal with hair loss
Basically, as you age your chances of having to deal with thinning grows exponentially and that goes for both men as well as women.
According to Michael, when most women start noticing the thinning, they usually visit their general doctor, then to visit a dermatologist and then a naturopathic doctor, then a âhair growth expert want-to-beâ and finally they give up and go see Michael for a real solution to their problem.
Michael was kind enough to show me photos of many of his clients who have wigs to camouflage their hair loss. The human hair wigs looked very natural.
The length and colour of Michaelâs patientsâ hair might vary, but what remains constant is the huge smile they have on their face thanks to Continental Hair.
Hair that is thinning is pretty traumatic and for much of the population, itâs a reality. But how do you work to combat thinning hair without all the harsh chemicals in regrow treatments like Rogaine? Rogaine is a synthetic treatment that like many chemical treatments can have side effects.
Common Misconceptions and Myths
Frequent shampooing contributes to hair loss.
Shaving your head will cause your hair to grow back thicker.
Hair loss does not occur in women who are in their late teens or early twenties.
Hats and wigs cause thinning and baldness.
100 strokes of the hair brush daily will create healthier hair.
Permanent thinning and baldness is caused by perms, colors and other cosmetic treatments.
There are cures available for androgenetic Alopecia.
Stress can causes permanent thinning of a womanâs overall hair density.
For more information on Continental Hair and to find one of the two locations, visit their Web site: Continental Hair.
Wigs are an important part of the recovery for many women who lose their hair because of cancer treatments. Women have such an emotional connection to their hair, and I cannot imagine how emotionally traumatizing it must be for cancer survivors who have to deal with the reality of their hair loss.
Michaelâs family has been in the wig business since 1964 when his parents, a couple of hairdressers, decided to ride the wave of the 60s. Now, the business is operated and managed by Michael.To understand the importance of wigs in the life of many post-recovery cancer patients, I met with Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair Salons.
Not only is Continental Hair one of first wig salons in Canada, but when Michael opened a location inside Sunnybrook Hospital 11 years ago, his salon became the first private wig salon in a public hospital in Canada. Since then, most new hospitals that have opened in recent years have a wig salon.
Why are women making the trip to Continental Hair Salons?
Simply put, Michael sells quality!
Michaelâs salons might be located in only one city in Canada, but he has clients that fly from across Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and even as far away as Hong Kong to come see him. Since the salon has been in business for more than four decades, it is now recognized as the premier location for wigs and hair pieces.
During the time I met with him, it was obvious from the discussion that cutting corners and cheap hair or cheap manufacturing were simply NOT part of his vocabulary.
Michael also hires some of the best wig stylists in the country to help shape the wigs once his clients purchase them (Iâll be honest ⌠I never even thought of this until Michael pointed this out).
Michael only buys European hair. He doesnât buy Chinese, Indonesian or Indian hair because for obvious reasons itâs much harder to die dark brown or jet black hair a lighter shade ⌠not to mention that going blonde is almost impossible unless seriously damaging the hair.
Michael personally visits the manufacturers that produce his wigs to ensure the quality of the product and also to make sure these are not âsweat shopsâ.
The wigs at Continental Hair Salons are about $2,000-$3,000, but you will receive a few hair care treatments as part of that price and you will also be certain that you are getting a quality product that looks very ârealâ.
When I was meeting with Michael a courier package arrived with hair from Japan. He had me touch it and asked me what I thought. I said it was so soft and such great quality. Then he dropped the bomb on me â he revealed this was a new line of high quality synthetic hair that a contact of his had been manufacturing in Japan. The quality was impeccable and for his clients it means they can get a high quality wig for about $1,500. Another advantage of this synthetic hair is that you can curl it, flat iron it and swim in it without any worries.
Iâve seen wigs and hair pieces in my life and in some cases, I can spot a wig or extensions with my eyes closed, but I have to say that looking and touching the hair Michael sells (even his new line of high quality synthetic hair) makes me a believer that quality is EVERYTHING when it comes to wigs!
Why do women choose to buy wigs?
When I asked Michael that question his answer came as a surprise to me ⌠but it makes complete sense when you think about it:
âWhen you buy a wig, you buy privacy! You donât want everyone around you to know you are going through a difficult medical trauma ⌠you donât want to share this with the entire world. You might also not want to worry your elderly parents and you donât want to attract other peopleâs fear. When people view you as âsickâ they also view you as being incapable. Basically, you really donât want to spend your day explaining your situation ⌠thatâs what a wig buys youâ.
As he explained that, I could already visualize the situation in my head and it really made sense to me. You donât want people to keep asking âAre you ok?â and you donât want people to stare or whisper in your back ⌠this is something that you want to deal with surrounded by your loved ones.
What are some of the prevalent myths and misconceptions about wearing wigs?
The most prevalent myth is that most of us can spot a wig. That is very true when talking about low quality wigs and cheap synthetic wigs, but I can assure you that the wigs at Continental Hair can fool anyone because they really are that good ⌠all the way to the construction of bonnet where the hair is weaved ⌠you can be standing on top of someone with Continental Hair wigs and NOT know.
Another misconception is that human hair is very heavy to wear. That might be true of wigs made back in the 70s, but techniques have evolved and the new generation of human hair wigs are very lightweight ⌠in fact they are often lighter than synthetic wigs.
Wigs for Kids
About 12 years ago Michael decided to find a way to offer affordable wigs for kids undergoing post-cancer-hair-loss. The idea was initiated by a call from the Cancer Society to help legions of kids undergoing cancer treatment, but these wigs were to also help kids suffering from alopecia or those who had lost their hair following a fire.
Another group of kids who benefited from Michaelâs generosity were kids suffering from âhyper agingâ.
Michael explained what âhyper agingâ looked like by giving the example of a patient of his who was 8 years old, but who had the body and system of a 90 year old.
He uses hair donations from Europe and creates âsmall cap wigsâ for kids. The regular cost of a wig can easily reach $2,000-$3,000, but Michael sells these wigs for kids at a nominal fee of about $300.
Michael admits to being in the privacy business, not the vanity business, but from my conversation with him, Iâd say that heâs in the âcaring and compassionâ business because thatâs what really transpired from this meeting. Michael Suba genuinely cares about his clients and he really cares about the role his wigs play in their self-esteem.
For more information on Continental Hair and to find one of their two locations, visit their Web site: Continental Hair
When women lose their hair
Once a silent tragedy, female hair loss shakes loose research, solutions
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter, Toronto Star
Laying flush against Jennifer Morozowichâs scalp is a perfectly concealed device that will cause commotion and confusion. That is, when she passes through a metal detector.
Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair, shows a wig during a party he hosted to discuss womenâs options for thinning hair. (Oct. 2, 2008) Photograph by : Steve Russell, Toronto Star
âThe only thing I hate about the clips is they set off the security alarm at the airport,â says Morozowich who wears a postiche, a customized hair piece attached to her own hair by five metal clips. The hair âsystemâ makes the 38-year-old director of strategic planning for a marketing agency look like she has thick hair.
âIf you listen closely you can hear them click,â she says pressing points on her head. âItâs like a hat. It just sits on your head.â
Morozowich has a form of alopecia, or hair loss, which began thinning her hair when she was 30. âI just one day noticed it had gotten thinner,â she says, describing her hair as fine. She does not have visible patches of scalp and wears the piece for fashion reasons.
Alopecia takes several forms and can range from male and female pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) to alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that can lead to complete hair loss on the head (alopecia totalis) and body (alopecia universalis). Morozowich has androgenic alopecia.
On Monday, with two new studies published in the latest edition of the journal Nature Genetics, scientists blew the lid off the long-held belief that men inherit pattern-baldness from their mothers. Both sets of research findings determined a fatherâs genetics are also responsible.
Dr. Robert Jones responded to the studies and this week began offering clients the genetic test for inherited hair loss. A swab of the inside of a clientâs cheek is examined for two specific genes and costs about $400.
An Oakville specialist in hair loss treatment, Jones says close to half of all women will experience some kind of extreme thinning or hair loss during their lifetime. However, he notes, even if women carry the hair-loss gene, itâs hard to predict severity.
âItâs much more important for females to makes sure they get to the root cause of their hair thinning,â Jones says.
Hair loss can also be related to autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, he says, underlining the importance of seeking a doctorâs diagnosis.
Temporary causes can include stress, pregnancy and medications such as antidepressants and certain types of birth control pills. In most of those situations the hair goes into a resting phase, like hibernation, until the stresses are removed, Jones says. âIt will come back.â
In North America, the hair loss and replacement industry, for men and women combined, is worth an estimated $4.5 billion, says Jones. âIf you take a look at the number of things promoted online, at least 60 to 70 per cent make no difference.â Most herbal supplements, for example, âare bogusâ as hair treatments, he says.
Jones offers a free 144-page book, detailing causes and treatments for hair loss, which can be downloaded at drrobertjones.com.
Inherited female pattern hair loss typically hits women between ages 30 to 60, he says. The topical medication called minoxidil (Rogaine) works, says Jones, and if applied consistently, up to 90 per cent of users will see regrowth.
The best and latest temporary treatment for hair loss is keratin hair fibre. âItâs just tiny microfibres that you sprinkle in your hairâ that bond to hair roots and give the illusion of density, he says. âItâs like makeup.â
He has also successfully performed scalp transplants by relocating portions of the womenâs own scalp with more hair growth.
For Morozowich, her solution awaited at Continental Hair. With locations on Avenue Rd. and at the Toronto Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre on Bayview Ave., the shop sells up to 1,000 custom wigs and hairpieces a year.
âItâs very difficult for all of us to realize that hair loss is kind of normal. Itâs just like people getting grey hair,â says Michael Suba, Continentalâs president. But that doesnât make it any less devastating for women.
Suba says he has recently seen more female clients in their twenties who are being âproactiveâ about their hair loss. In response, he launched an ad campaign in September featuring attractive young women with dramatic thinning where their hair is parted. âSo when they are ready, they will know we are here.â
Morozowich says, thankfully, hair systems have come a long way.
âThe first one (Suba) showed me eight years ago was so awful I cried.â
Sheâs still comfortable with her existing hair, but expects she will have to wear a more permanent piece in about five years.
âI know that it will get to that point, and I am glad there is an option when it happens.â
Three years ago, I was losing my hair. Now, my new hair is better than natural!
Continental Hair is helping patients to look and feel better at Odette Cancer Centre
TheBody Shop Eyebrow Kit ($18) contains two defining powders and a brow/liner brush.
DuWop Browwow ($34 US) in Lighter or Darker (shown here) packs brow powder, tinted pomade, champagne shimmer highlighter and brow brush into this set.
Christian Cosmetics Eyebrow Makeup Kit ($30) includes an easy-to-use stencil system and a variety of shades, to fill out thin or light brows. Washes off with soap and water.
iBrowsers are waterproof and easy to apply or remove. Each pair lasts two days, and a package of 18 costs $20
Jane Iredale Super-Shape Me Eyebrow Kit($62) contains brow wax, two mineral brow powders and a lemon lid primer to conceal redness and lightly highlight. The kit is available in three shades: Blonde (shown here), Auburn and Brunette.
Avon Ultra Luxury Brow Liner ($6) offers smooth coverage, while Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer ($8) contains vitamins A and E for extra conditioning
Earth Therapeutics Dual Tweezer Grooming Set ($10 US) contains a slant-tipped tweezer and a point-tipped tool (for more precision).
Michaelâs family has been in the wig business since 1964 when his parents, a couple of hairdressers, decided to ride the wave of the 60s. Now, the business is operated and managed by Michael.To understand the importance of wigs in the life of many post-recovery cancer patients, I met with Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair Salons.