Chrysalis Custom Hair clients are strong, inspiring women and many wish to share their stories with others who are going through the same experience. By telling their stories, they hope to give other women insight into what the process, from deciding they need a wig to choosing one that is right for them, is like.
Women come to us for a wig to feel confident and retain their sense of selves. Hair loss a deeply personal journey, and we do all we can to ensure they receive the privacy and consideration they deserve during their time with us.
When women are going through hair loss call us, they are understandably scared and overwhelmed. From the very beginning, our team of wig specialists, as well as support experts, help decrease their fear by walking them through the process. It starts when we speak with the women over the phone. We provide them with important details, including what is going to happen during their complimentary consultation.
Some of the women in the stories opted for a custom synthetic wig and others chose a hand colored human hair wig. Regardless of their preference and the way they chose to deal with hair loss, we appreciate these women sharing their struggles and triumphs by writing about them for our stories section and here our some of our client stories.
On March 18, 2015 I was diagnosed with stage two infiltrating ductal carcinoma breast cancer hr/pr +. Thankful for a prognosis that I would get to live I was still devastated when when I found out I was going to lose all of my hair. Not only had this disease so quickly taken over my life the treatment to save it would take all of my hair. I decided at this moment I was not going to go down without a fight. I found chrysalis custom hair online and was thrilled with the results that I had seen in the before and after pictures of the women who have gone before me.
This was such a scary time in my life but I feel blessed to have found such a warm and loving place. Knowing that I was about to lose my hair was difficult however, after seeing my real hair wig being customized and looking at all the beautiful options for my head in the future I was so excited! Chrysalis custom hair has thought of every detail to make you feel special and feminine during your appointment. They even have frosted glass on the windows for privacy and dignity. I have gone through five of six rounds of chemo and yes my hair is gone but each time I go I proudly wear my wig. It never fails a nurse or doctor will look at me in amazement and say “I can’t believe you still have your hair.” I am always thrilled to tell them about chrysalis custom hair! I will forever be grateful. I look forward to many more adventures in life with my beautiful wig made by chrysalis custom hair!
I started having bouts of alopecia when I was 6 years old. I would lose a patch of hair and my mom would help me style it so that no one could see it. She took me to a bunch of doctors who basically said it may be that I have stress issues. I was SIX! Then when I was in high school, I lost multiple patches all at the same time. Two of them were very noticeable so I spent most of high school wearing hats. Eventually it grew back and for 10 years I only had a tiny patch missing here or there. All of the sudden at 32 years old ALL of my hair fell out in the matter of three weeks. I saw dermatologists, I had biopsies, I tried medicine, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, you name it, I tried it. Six months later my hair still hadn’t grown back and my niece was getting married. I was desperate by the time I called Chrysalis. I thought I would cry throughout my appointment but they were so nice and professional. I had a wig colored to match my hair ( I had saved some). I was skeptical that it could really look like my hair. I was absolutely blown away at the results. Obviously, people who know me know that I am wearing a wig but otherwise you really can’t tell it’s a wig! The highlights look exactly like my old hair. It’s so comfortable even I forget I am wearing a wig sometimes. I hope more women like me find this place sooner rather than waiting like I did.
I found Chrysalis Custom Hair while frantically searching the internet way before I began my treatments. Finding this salon was nothing short of the miracle. I came to them a month before my first round of chemo in anxiety and sadness and left with a feeling of hope, relief, and most of all, peace. Kimberly provided opportunities and choices where, days before, there were none. They matched not only my hair color, but the texture and length as well. Lana created an identical match to my color, cut, and style. Not only was the environment amazing with a beautiful presentation of options and information, but Kim and Lana are up for living saints, in my book.
I know I am a very strong individual. Life has included difficult stages that I’ve overcome and moved on from; but this, breast cancer, was one stage I wasn’t prepared for. I was rocked to my core and minimized to someone I didn’t recognize. Losing my hair was a major change I am still living through. I know, if I wouldn’t have had the privilege of meeting Kimberly and Lana, the process of recovery would have been unthinkable.
I completed my last round of chemo in early summer. I have continued my work with traveling and training through it all. When sharing with those around me of my journey, I heard regularly, “Well, at least you didn’t lose your hair.” Not only were they surprised to my response, but they didn’t know when my hair stopped and the wig started. My hair has begun to grow back but my wig will be a part of the picture for quite some time to come.
Finding Kimberly was not a chance encounter. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think two specific thoughts. 1. How much I hate that I lost my hair to chemo and, 2. How much I’m thankful for the hair that was made just for me. Chrysalis is so much more than a custom hair salon for women who are going through chemotherapy. This is a place where healing continues during the process of moving on with our healthy lives.
One of my first thoughts upon being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37 in October of 2015 was how devastated I would be to lose my gorgeous, lustrous long mane of hair. A couple of months later, I received even more heartbreaking news: not only did I have cancer, I had “incurable” stage IV breast cancer. Initially I considered it a death sentence, although it did not take me long to rally and to vow that I would beat cancer regardless of what the medical community believed.
I am so deeply grateful that a friend introduced me to Chrysalis Custom Hair! Shortly after clumps of my hair began falling out following my first chemotherapy session, I received a real treat when I went to Chrysalis to pick up my beautiful long European human hair wig. Kimberly, Amanda and the rest of the staff treated me with the utmost kindness, taking meticulous care to be sensitive to the loss I was experiencing. They were extremely gentle with me both emotionally and physically. I also felt very pampered! The window of the salon is frosted for privacy, they schedule appointments with only one client at at time and they offered me delicious treats.
My wig made me feel pretty when a bald head or even short hair simply would not make me feel attractive. I admire women who rock a bald head or short hair, but that is simply not my style. No one could believe the wig was not my real hair even those who I told! The wig put a strut in my step and gave my self confidence a tremendous boost.
I am thrilled to report that both my first and second scans following chemotherapy were clean, despite my stage IV status! I have been off of chemotherapy for nearly a year, my hair has grown back enough for a pixie and while I wear the pixie sometimes, I still don my wig, as I feel most attractive with long blond hair. I love that I have options!
An elevated self confidence has bolstered my ability to believe that I will defy the odds and beat “incurable” cancer. Much of that self confidence has come from my wig. I would recommend Chrysalis Custom Hair to anyone going through cancer treatment!
After being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer I was ready to fight and win. I’ve seen the pictures on tv of people receiving chemotherapy and losing their hair and to all the strong women that have the courage to wear their baldness as a badge of courage, you are amazing but it was not the route for me. I had no idea where to turn and found Kimberly of Chrysalis by searching on the internet and made an appointment. I have been blessed with the most supportive girlfriends who went with me as moral support. Right away when we met with Kimberly she made me feel at ease. Her shop is very professional and private and her experience in working with cancer patients she understands all your fears and anxiety. We were so impressed on the quality and naturalness that she was able to created custom for me. If I was going to have to go through this journey I was going to do it my way. My new hair was beautiful and people had no idea that it wasn’t my bio hair. I was able to work through my treatment and feel normal on the outside. I’ve finished successfully my treatment with my bio hair growing back while my other hair is in great shape. I was so lucky to have found Kimberly, she made an awful situation bearable and gave me the strength to fight to win.
After 2 rounds of chemotherapy, I awoke one morning and my hair follicles had lost their battle. I immediately went into action. I was going to have my hair go out in a blaze of glory AND I was going to have fun picking a new dream hairstyle! First step…meet with my hairdresser and create works of art. Mohawks of blue and pink, along with messages on the sides of my head as “shouts outs” to my biggest support groups: my college friends from Indiana University; The Windy City Thunder which is my 3 daughters’ travel softball teams, and, finally, 307, 207, 306, & 308 = the room numbers of my 5th & 6th graders. It was a blast!
Once I liberated myself from my old hair….it was time to meet with my dream maker, Kimberly Johnson and her staff at Chrysalis. From the moment I was greeted by Kimberly, I felt utterly pampered and relaxed (and dare I say even excited about the prospect of creating a whole new look for myself… something I had never imagined when I was told I had breast cancer!). After getting to know each other a bit better, and probably giving Kimberly a sense of my personality, we began the process of finding my new style. She had so many options and it was fun to see myself in different colors & cuts. Ones that I would NEVER be able to do with my original hair. Almost like finding my wedding gown, when we found “the one”, I knew immediately. LOVE IT!
Kimberly was able to order and get it by the very next day. At that time, her stylist trimmed, steamed, and made EVERY SINGLE STRAND OF HAIR PERFECT!!! I then felt like America’s Next Top Model. We were taking pictures and I was smiling from ear to ear. I’m still amazed at how comfortable the wig is AND that I can get my hair hair ready in about 23 seconds…AND I look amazing. The best part of all of this is that no one can believe I’m wearing a wig. I don’t know if I’ll give it up even after my treatment ends and my real hair grows back. It IS my dream hairstyle. Thank you to Kimberly and Chrysalis Custom Hair for making me feel beautiful! I cannot recommend them highly enough!
I was 40 years old, the mother of two little girls’ ages 3 and 6, and going through a divorce when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My biggest fear besides fighting the battle was losing my long hair. It’s a very humbling and sad experience to go through chemo related hair loss. Before I started treatment I scrambled to find a wig. I was surprised at how hard it was to find a place that carried the kind of quality wig I wanted. I did find a place that was far from my home and kind of scary to walk into, but at least I had a wig ready before I started treatment.
I have been cancer free for 2 years. My hair did grow back soon after my treatment was done. It’s just different hair. I always had thick, long, blonde hair. At first it was coarse and didn’t grow much and now it’s dark and baby fine. At least I have hair again and can hang out with my kids without wanting to wear a scarf. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m going to be wearing wigs for a very long time. I’m just happy to be alive and cancer free….. and it’s kind of fun to wear different wigs depending on my mood.
I met Kimberly through a mutual friend and her advice and help has been invaluable through this nightmare. Since I wear a wig every day, quality and comfort are super important to me. Chrysalis is such a beautiful place and their products are all of the quality I’ve come to expect. I love the privacy factor. When I’m there I feel so comfortable I can literally “take off my hair”.
Unfortunately, like so many things in this life, there are sides people take with regards to lady hair loss.
Side 1: Flaunt that shiny head, gurrrl!
Side 2: Rock that fabulous wig, gurrl!
I am defiantly in the latter camp.
Within seconds of being diagnosed with lymphoma, I was shopping for fabulous locks. For a while–possibly years, friends have joked about starting a twitter for my ever-changing, most unruly hair. This was my chance to have hairs that behaved, but there was the night I sat in the hallway on our antique oak floor and grieved my famous hair. That was a hard night. Lots of feels. I wanted to live as fully as possible through the 6 months of chemo and the beginning of living fully was grieving fully. Tears kept spilling as I tried to wrap my brains around the fact that my hair would indeed fall out and that I would be bald. Fears were shed with each tear and as I felt peace return, I knew that I’d be getting a wig from that fancy, custom place I saw online—Chrysalis. That was my place.
I arrived at Chrysalis with my mom and a photographer friend in tow…naturally. I wrote this after my visit.
Walking into Chrysalis Custom Hair I found myself a bit more nervous than I had expected or wanted to be. With mom by my side, I was greeted by the kind Kimberly who spent 2 hours with us in their private salon. I left VERY happy and blessed to have backup hair for the road ahead…for the days I don’t want to be seen as the cancer patient…but just Chrissie.
This silver-lining salon was where I found myself getting excited about losing my hair so I could don my perfectly obedient coif. In fact, I may have been singing “I’m too sexy for my hair” in the car ride home…
The next phase was chopping and bleaching the crap out of my hair. Lemons, meet lemonade. As the reality of a future bald season approached, I knew I’d be wise to cut my hair before it broke up with me first.
Then I waited.
It took longer than I thought for the silvery hairs to begin their descent–months not weeks. I was at a lake-house in Michigan lying on a dark blue deck chair when it began. Silk strands were all over the cushion as if a golden retriever had been there instead of me. *deep breath* I ran my fingers through my hair and sprinkled it over the deck. I grieved a bit more that evening.
After a few more weeks I realized my thinning hair made my short do real-cute rather than real-puffy. Again…some lemonade.
And then the day came where I couldn’t fool anyone with my old-man-comb-over anymore. Nope. It was time. I invited my husband to do the honors…after all, I have given him many buzz cuts…he owed me one. I was expecting a tearful, tender moment…instead, I found myself feeling free, happy and giddy. I danced. And THEN…THEN…I realized I GET TO WEAR MY BEAUTIFUL WIG NOW!!! I get to take it off its creepy Styrofoam head and wear it all over town.
And I did.
No one ever thinks they will face losing their hair. When you hear the words, “…and your hair will fall out from chemotherapy,” it’s almost as hard as facing cancer, itself. As a professional trainer, I travel and train university administrators and faculty. Standing in front of others is part of how I make a living. I knew I needed much more than the average wig you could find online. I needed my hair… a unique color of red. Matching the color was going to be impossible but I was not giving up.
I found Chrysalis Custom Hair while frantically searching the internet way before I began my treatments. Finding this salon was nothing short of the miracle. I came to them a month before my first round of chemo in anxiety and sadness and left with a feeling of hope, relief, and most of all, peace. Kimberly provided opportunities and choices where, days before, there were none. They matched not only my hair color, but the texture and length as well. Lana created an identical match to my color, cut, and style. Not only was the environment amazing with a beautiful presentation of options and information, but Kim and Lana are up for living saints, in my book.
I know I am a very strong individual. Life has included difficult stages that I’ve overcome and moved on from; but this, breast cancer, was one stage I wasn’t prepared for. I was rocked to my core and minimized to someone I didn’t recognize. Losing my hair was a major change I am still living through. I know, if I wouldn’t have had the privilege of meeting Kimberly and Lana, the process of recovery would have been unthinkable.
I completed my last round of chemo in early summer. I have continued my work with traveling and training through it all. When sharing with those around me of my journey, I heard regularly, “Well, at least you didn’t lose your hair.” Not only were they surprised to my response, but they didn’t know when my hair stopped and the wig started. My hair has begun to grow back but my wig will be a part of the picture for quite some time to come.
Finding Kimberly was not a chance encounter. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think two specific thoughts. 1. How much I hate that I lost my hair to chemo and, 2. How much I’m thankful for the hair that was made just for me. Chrysalis is so much more than a custom hair salon for women who are going through chemotherapy. This is a place where healing continues during the process of moving on with our healthy lives.
Custom wigs fit the exact measurement of your head and are cut, colored, and styled according to your preference of human hair or synthetic hair wig. Those who want the most natural look prefer custom made wigs. Depending on your timeline some wigs can be made to include your every specification. Wigs can be all lace, have a widows peak added, or be created on any kind or color of fabric you would like. They can be made to have your own curl pattern whether that is extremely curly or just a little wavy. Baby hairs can be built in or added on. You can even have a swirl pattern added if that what you’d like. These ultra custom wigs can take up to 4 months to create. If you need a wig sooner than that Chrysalis Custom Hair has hundred of custom wigs in stock that have already been sewn together. All that’s left to do is customize it to mimic your color and hair style.
A number of online wig shops offer custom wigs. They will attempt to help you get the right measurements and show you wigs virtually. These wigs, once made, are not returnable and the companies will not offer further assistance once you have received the product. Most novices, even with guidance, are not able to get accurate measurements for a perfect fit. Without seeing, touching, and trying on the hair there is no way to tell if it is going to pass as natural looking. Online stores use special lighting to hide flaws such as hair that is too shiny or thick and thus looks “wiggy”. You can certainly get a cheaper wig by ordering online but be prepared to accept that the product that may not be what you were hoping for.
Chrysalis Custom Hair serves the greater Chicago area including Naperville, Evanston, Rockford, Bloomington, Peoria, Springfield, Downers Grove, and Oak Park.
By Appointment Only
565 North York Street
Elmhurst, IL 60126
(844) 384-9447
info@chrysaliscustomhair.com
