A local owner of a hair salon in Tyler offers change beyond the surface for her clients: she offers them a solution to the emotional reality of hair loss often caused by serious illnesses.

Crystina Garcia is the owner of Positive Hair Restoration. Founded in 1976, she bought the business six and a half years ago when her former boss retired and sold it to her knowing he was leaving it in good hands.

Garcia said that working with clients suffering hair loss is unlike any previous job she had as a hair stylist. Her clients often suffer emotionally as their appearance is completely changed by hair loss, and restoring their image and confidence creates a profound impact. Her clients become clients for life, and they form a strong connection through the process, she explained.

“This is a very sensitive business,” said Garcia. “Many clients have autoimmune diseases that cause their bodies to reject hair. The loss can be really devastating especially for women, because women feel beautiful when they have their hair- it’s a part of them. Hair replacement has completely transformed some of these men and women; it brought back their confidence and makes them feel beautiful again.”

Garcia explained that her business is very specialized and unique. Their primary focus is to offer a variety of hair replacement solutions for their clients, depending on their individual preferences and needs.

“It is not a beauty shop, hair salon, or wig shop, it is a specialized service for hair replacement,” said Garcia. “We tailor custom hair pieces for clients, and have a large variety of hair to choose from depending upon the clients’ specific needs. We cut and style the hair-piece and have options in regards to how we apply the hair system. We also do laser treatments and carry products that slow the process of hair loss.”

Because of the sensitive nature of the business, Garcia explained that she set up the business in a way that makes clients feel safe, and ensures their privacy.

“I have 3 private suite rooms and it’s just the client and I in the room,” said Garcia. “Most people don’t go off and advertise that they wear a hair system, it’s personal and sometimes is secretive. Sometimes we remove the mirror from the room because some clients can’t handle seeing it.”

Garcia said that she then evaluates what the specific needs of the client are, and orders their hair piece. Once a month, the client will come back so that Garcia can service the hair piece or wig. She removes it, shampoos and conditions it, blow dries and styles it and then re-applies the hair system to the clients head according to their preferred method of appliance. 

Garcia shared that one of her clients is a breast and brain cancer survivor who underwent chemotherapy and intensive surgeries to her skull due to a brain tumor.

“In an intensive surgery they had to remove part of her skull had to go in there and put in a metal plate to cover the hole left in the scalp. Her body rejected the metal plate and wasn’t allowing the plate to stay in, it gave her an infection every time. It became better to not have it as it was dangerous to her health. With all the treatments from breast cancer to the brain tumor, her hair wouldn’t grow back on top. She came to see us about getting hair and we made her a custom piece that gives her a full head of hair and it also covers that spot. You would never know that she had any kind of an issue, and today she is cancer free and doing well,” said Garcia.

The best part of the work she does is the positive changes it makes to her clients lives, she explained. Their reactions and the relationships she builds with them make her job fulfilling, she said.

“This is a life changing thing for someone who hasn’t had hair in 10 years or someone who has lost it over time,” said Garcia. “I’ve seen a lot of tears, and have had women cry and men cry and just give me a big ‘ol hug and thank me. They become a lifetime customer so it’s so rewarding. It’s a great feeling to give somebody back what they lost many years ago, and give them their confidence back all back in one day.”