A young hair stylist from Swansea has been inspired to help people who've lost their hair for medical reasons after watching her own mum go through gruelling chemotherapy. Mandy Nicholls was diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue last year and she had to undergo several rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy throughout the year. Like many who have the treatment, Mandy began to lose her hair right from the first session. Fortunately, she is now making progress with her treatment and things are looking up.
But it was her daughter, Grace Nicholls, who helped make the gruelling process more bearable. Grace explained it's standard procedure for people who lose their hair during cancer treatment to be issued with a voucher to purchase a wig. But Mandy struggled to find any that were in budget and which suited her. With this in mind, Grace bought her an affordable wig online and used her training and skills to shape it to suit her mum.
Fast-forward a year and Grace has just launched her very own hair salon in Swansea - and is offering free wig styling and cutting services to people who have lost their hair, whether that's from cancer treatment, alopecia or another health condition. You can get the biggest Swansea news stories straight to your inbox with our newsletter.
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Grace, 21, explained: "My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, she had to have about six rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. After the first session of chemotherapy, she lost her hair. The NHS gave her a voucher for £100 for a wig, I think they do that to lots of people, but you can only spend it at specific salons and their wigs are about £200 - and we just couldn't afford that.
"I did some research and saw some wigs online, on Amazon, for about £20. I bought my mum one and it just needed some cutting and styling to make it better. Now I have my own salon, it's called Grace Hair Studio, I'm offering free wig styling and cutting to anyone who has lost their hair for medical reasons. I've had lots of enquiries and want to spread the word and tell people about it."
Grace, from Porthcawl, first started learning to style hair when she was 17. She completed her training in Swansea and launched her salon last year, after feeling inspired by her parents owning their own businesses. She first set-up a "mini-salon" in Sketty with the help of friends - and then when a unit became available on Little Gam Street, off Oxford Street in the city centre, she jumped at the chance to have a bigger, permanent unit.
As well as free wig styling, Grace Hair Studio offers a full range of hair styling services at good rates. And Grace prides herself on creating a laid-back and judgement-free zone where her clients can totally relax.
"I opened my salon two months ago and it's gender-neutral and I only use vegan products," she said. "I offer 1:1 appointments, a lot of my clients have told me that they used to get anxious when going to a salon, especially when a salon is busy and it feels like people are watching. So all of appointments are 1:1, just me and the client. There's no need to feel anxious or worried, I want people to feel relaxed. You can take your shoes off if you want. Just come in and we'll have a chat while I do your hair."
Grace Hair Studio is located on Little Gam Street in the city centre. You can follow the business on Facebook here.
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