Ingrid has alopecia and Janny has trichotillomania. Both have something to do with HAIR. Ingrid creates hair on the head and Janny in the face.
I am Lenie van der Zande, communications specialist and Virtual Assistant (VA) for Janny / Permanent Mooi. It was my pleasure to conduct an interview where this hair specialist and the permanent make-up artist talked about having hair. Hair on the head or facial hair like eyebrows. Both Ingrid and Janny know what it’s like to have no hair.
And then when you are sick and go bald because of alopecia or because of the all-destroying but oh-so-important chemotherapy treatments, what is most important? Hair on your head with a hairpiece or hair on your face with permanent make-up? You can read a good conversation between Ingrid Adriaensen and Janny Hanegraaf about HAIR in this blog.
Ingrid wears a hair work or hairpiece. Definitely do not call it a wig, because, says Ingrid: “You wear a wig if you want to be Father Christmas for a while or at carnival. A hairpiece you wear to be yourself.”
Ingrid has alopecia, having suffered from hair loss for over 20 years. That is why she wears a hair work. Janny always has a strong urge to pull out hair. She plucks and pulls the hairs on her head and even the smallest hairs on her eyebrows.
For both, the hassle started around a period of hormonal change. “I was an adolescent when it started,” Janny explains, “I was insecure, suffered from eczema and was always itching. One was biting nails, I was pulling my hair.” Ingrid knows that for her, alopecia revealed itself during pregnancy, “When you face physical changes, it can affect your hormone balance, such as puberty, pregnancy and menopause.”
“And,” says Janny, “because of those those hormone changes, you’re just much more sensitive. Men too.”
This is quite true according to Ingrid: “It is often thought that men think it is normal to go bald, the opposite is the case. It is becoming more socially accepted, balding men and so you feel less discomfort as a man. It’s different with women,” Janny: “I myself wore a hairpiece at a young age to mask bald spots. That was no fun, but balding on the street, in my eyes that really couldn’t be done as a woman.”
Ingrid sees many women in her practice: “Clients often say ‘I’ll be fine, I’ll get better’. But losing your hair makes you visibly ill. Most women want hair back on their heads anyway. You just feel much better then.” “Without hair, you immediately feel sicker when you see yourself in the mirror,” adds Janny. “And then when your eyebrows disappear too, your face doesn’t speak. Your non-verbal communication is so important. No eyebrows, then your story is less powerful and sometimes you are not taken seriously. The listener’s attention and eyes go to the lack of eyebrows. Not to what you are telling. I think it is very important to have eyebrows as well as eyelashes. I always say ‘if possible, self-trim those eyebrows for as long as possible.’ And I tell men that too.”
“The whole picture has to be right,” Ingrid believes. “The body has to be balanced, because a full head of hair and a face without eyebrows, is out of balance. It’s hard to judge, it’s mainly about how the person in question feels.”
Janny: “It is sad when you lose your hair due to illness or chemotherapy. In a restaurant, you prefer to sit against the wall, you let someone go first when walking up the stairs, you do everything you can not to be noticed and hide your baldness. All day long you’re preoccupied with it. Your appearance is out of balance, you feel insecure. You lose your facial expressions, are not taken seriously. With eyebrows and eyelashes, your appearance and expression is complete.”
I look at two convinced ladies. In unison, they shake no. Janny: “Well a hairpiece without facial hair is not finished.” Ingrid: “No hairpiece and yes eyebrows is not it either. As mentioned earlier, the balance is person-dependent. And with this talk, we certainly don’t want to push anything on anyone. As soon as you are hampered in your life by illness, you can do something about it. You notice it best yourself as soon as you are out of balance. You look in the mirror and no longer see yourself in that reflection. That affects your whole body and then you are constantly under tension.” Janny: “Then you get even more out of balance, because of the stress hormone that remains in your body. And that definitely affects your recovery process and overall well-being.”
“As long as your hair is right.” says Ingrid. “Yes, as long as your eyebrow is right,” I say. And what can also be done is not necessarily permanent make-up for your eyebrows, you can also learn to draw them properly and symmetrically. I have a nice tool made for it, free to download from the website. And if you can’t figure it out, I’m very happy to help. All you have to do is call.”
Do you have any questions or want good advice about hair work from Ingrid and her hair institute in Rijen? Then get in touch with her via the contact form.
Interview: Lenie van der Zande
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