Abu Dhabi A Dubai-based hair replacement centre is offering free hair replacement to children suffering from hair loss due to cancer treatment.
“The idea behind ‘Wigs for Kids’ is that children should not worry about how they look when are in the middle of a health crisis. We want them to feel good about themselves,” said Amin Sheybani, CEO and founder of Vivandi Hair Spa which rolled out the charity initiative last June.
The treatment would have otherwise cost Dh5,000.
Sheybani, 61, said he was prompted to start Wigs for Kids after his 15-year-old niece lost hair while undergoing cancer treatment.
“She was diagnosed with leukaemia some time back. So we performed a special hair procedure which not only restored her looks but also helped her regain her confidence,” he recalled.
Today, Sheybani routinely sees children who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, radiation, Alopecia, burns and other medical conditions.
“For some people, especially youngsters, hair loss could be psychologically more devastating than the prospect of losing their life,” said the Iranian-American who has been in the hair fixing and transplant business for 15 years.
He said all hair procedures are done using real human hair. “We take a mould or template of the area that needs hair replacement. Based on the texture and colour of preference, natural human hair is then transplanted strand by strand into a thickened lace. It is integrated into the original hair or on the head in case of complete baldness, using medical glues.”
The centre is also encouraging residents to sponsor cancer-stricken children and cover the cost of their hair replacement.
“There are a lot of kids who could do with a little need.”
