Everything you need to know about Men’s Hair Replacement and how it can benefit your business

How many of your clients are frustrated by their thinning hair? Do you know that by age thirty-five, one out of every three American men will have started experiencing hair loss? By the time they reach fifty, 85% of men would have significantly thinning hair (American Hair Loss Council, 2022). Additionally, more than 800,000 men with hair loss, world-wide, are seeking professional treatment. Beyond the numbers, hair loss can be emotionally painful and can cause stress and insecurity in day-to-day life—especially if a solution hasn’t been identified.

Whether you’re a hair stylist wanting to help a loyal client achieve their personal style despite progressively thinning hair, or if you’re looking to make more money and be more creative, introducing hair replacement into your business model is not only lucrative but extremely fulfilling. It will increase clients’ confidence and styling options, while increasing your revenue. It can also help ensure there is a solution for every client. Hair loss is unpredictable, therefore it’s important to offer a solution for any stage. 

What this article will answer:

• What is hair replacement?
• How will men’s hair replacement benefit and transform my business?
• How does men’s hair replacement benefit my clients?
• How do I integrate men’s hair replacement into my salon?

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What is hair replacement?

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Hair replacement is a service that helps clients get their personal style back, despite thinning hair. This hair loss solution is available for men and women who are seeking a longer-lasting alternative to wigs without hair restoration surgery.

Bondable hair systems with special materials, such as lace or "skin", adhere to the scalp area for a secure feel, creating the illusion of natural hair growth. Once applied, the systems are cut and styled to achieve a modern, on-trend look. Non-shaving techniques, such as long hair bonding, are also available for those who want a secure, realistic look. With this process, stock or custom human hair toppers are bonded on top of existing hair without shaving.

Rather than settling for a stock hairpiece, one can go to a hair replacement center and be fitted for a customized system that is fuss-free until their next visit. Men’s hair replacement systems are meticulously hand-crafted with high quality human hair and give men the liberty to choose their preferred length and hairstyle, which can be changed anytime they like. As a professional, you can control how much hair is needed for the hairstyle a customer seeks.

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How will men’s hair replacement benefit and transform my business?

Hair Replacement Market is on the Rise

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, industry trend forecasts expect the Hair Transplant Market to grow nearly 26% between 2020 and 2026. This industry growth is largely propelled by an increased sedentary lifestyle and a growing prevalence of chronic diseases that result in hair loss, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, stress disorder, lupus, and cancer (Global Market Insights). 

With this rising trend comes a rising demand for solutions. For many, their ideal solution falls somewhere between a generic stock hairpiece and a surgical hair transplant. Hair replacement revolutionizes the alternative hair business because this cutting-edge technology offers a highly realistic solution and the look of natural hair growth without invasive surgery. See for yourself!

Maximize Your Time and Revenue

Let’s start by crunching some numbers—An average client pays a stylist between $300-$500 per year for services, or around $40 per month for a haircut. With hair replacement, a stylist makes an average of almost $7,000 per year for each hair replacement client—How is this possible?

Hair replacement boosts revenue in three key ways: 

1) Hair replacement builds client relationships and loyalty

Imagine you have a loyal client who’s been coming to your salon for years to refresh his usual, signature hairstyle. Like most men his age, his hair is beginning to thin, and styling his signature look becomes more and more challenging. 

Instead of sending him away where he’ll give someone else his business, you can offer alternative hair solutions that allow you to continue the relationship and to continue offering his usual hairstyle, despite thinning hair. By expanding your skillset, you have the tools needed to address his needs at each stage of hair loss, whether it’s keeping hair, enhancing hair, or replacing hair.

In our  Jon Renau Gets Real interview with Bernard Ory—an internationally recognized leader and expert in hair replacement—Ory shares how his alternative hair business was impacted when this technology was introduced. Ory says after servicing his first hair replacement client, “That man stayed a paying client for little over 20 years. The retention rate for these clients is nothing like the traditional hair business.” 

2) Hair replacement provides a sustainable income

If you offer hair replacement services, you can rely on a reoccurring income. Once a client receives his hair replacement system, it’s important to book him for upkeep and re-application appointments. For clients who want a modern cut, they should come in every week to clean up their edges and hairline, and every three weeks to have the system cleansed and re-applied or replaced. Proper care will ensure safety of the scalp and longevity of the piece.

Let’s crunch some more numbers—If your salon offered only hair cutting & styling services, you can expect a reoccurring income of about $40/month per client, which is $480/year per client without too many additional expenses besides care products. If you decide to begin offering non-bondable men’s hair systems, such as clip-in toppers and full-coverage pieces, you can anticipate a profit around $200 on a hairpiece with a 6–8-month lifespan, averaging around $400/year per client. 

If you introduce men’s hair replacement services into your salon, you'll be charging for the hairpiece PLUS the application. With a profit of roughly $600 for the system and $200 for application services, plus consistent upkeep and reapplication appointments throughout the year, you can make almost $7,000/year per client, or up to 14 times more revenue than by offering only stylist services.

Maximizing revenue also means maximizing your TIME. Serving clients with a higher value allows you the freedom to take on less clients. As a hairstylist, this enables you to build an exit strategy for physical setbacks that come with the job, like carpal tunnel or bad knees.

3) Provides the benefit of a built-in referral system

Another wonderful benefit to offering hair replacement is ‘word-of-mouth' marketing. When a client feels transformed by their new hair, he’ll usually want to share his ‘secret’ with others who are experiencing hair loss.

As Mark, one of Ory’s hair replacement client, said in a  Jon Renau Gets Real interview, “I recommend hair replacement to anyone who has the same problem I do; trust me you’ll look great and feel great. Life will be better for you.”

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How does men’s hair replacement benefit my clients?

The biggest emotional question on consumers’ minds today is, “How will you help improve my life?” Certainly, hair replacement gives styling options to clients with thinning hair or helps them achieve a hairstyle they’ve always wanted, but the impact is profoundly greater. Hair replacement technology is ground-breaking because it does not just enhance one's life like a haircut does— It transforms it.

A man’s hair and his identity are tightly woven, and hair loss often leads to anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Lack of confidence bleeds into all areas of life, impacting work performance, relationships, and openness to new experiences. Imagine, then, how it would feel to look in the mirror with a new hair system and see one’s old self again. Giving a man his hair back gives him the confidence to take on his life with a newfound perspective and outlook. It gives him his LIFE back.

David and Lorenzo, hair replacement clients also featured in our Jon Renau Gets Real campaign, shared their first experience with hair replacement. “Now, instead of dreading getting ready for the day and it being a stressful event, I can approach everyday as my true self and love how I look. It really does make all the difference in the world,” David tells us. 

Similarly, Lorenzo said, 

As a professional behind the chair, you’ll experience your life transforming too.

Ory states, “ Although the amount of extra money per hour was life-changing, the feeling of changing people’s lives was much better than I could have ever imagined. I never expected clients to tear up or hug me. Never got that reaction from a haircut or style!”

When we spoke to Kevin Bryan—a second-generation stylist and educator who specializes in hair replacement and hair extensions—we asked him how hair replacement impacted his business. He said, 

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How do I integrate men’s hair replacement into my salon?

Okay, you’re ready to try hair replacement yourself, but where do you begin? We've outlined our three key recommendations that will set you up for success.

Educate Yourself

Hair loss is an individual experience that requires customized solutions. Before implementing hair replacement into your business model, it’s important to understand the different solutions available, pros and cons, and which solution will fit each clients’ individual needs. It is essential to have conversations with your clients about their goals, lifestyles, and preferences in order to offer the right solutions. Always give a consultation, which shows the client that you are invested in their experience for the long term.

Whether a client has beginning-stage hair loss or has been considering alternative hair solutions for a while, make sure they know their options and that you are able to describe the benefits for each. Prepare to recommend hair replacement as an option and present its benefits versus hair restoration or a non-bonded hairpiece.

Jon Renau offers top-tier industry-standard  education both live and virtually, taught by experts with 40+ of years of experience in the alternative hair field. In our Men's Hair Replacement on Demand course, you’ll learn multiple techniques based on your skill level and your client’s needs. From consultation and preparation to application and care instruction, you will learn how to ensure a positive experience for your clients. At Jon Renau, it is our mission to help all our partners succeed and ensure your hair business is the strongest it can be.

Market Your Services Effectively

We cannot stress enough the importance of presenting this information and technology to your clients properly and training your team thoroughly on this new process. Furthermore, having a strong online presence that educates and inspires is your business’ key to success.

Before and after photos, testimonials, and short-form videos for social media can skyrocket your career. Society has come a long way in overcoming the stigma of wearing alternative hair, and with this rising acceptance, people are feeling empowered to share openly about their hair loss. 

When asking a client to be photographed for marketing purposes, “Have clear communication about sharing their images. Approach [your clients] with compassion, encouragement, and trust.  Always ask permission, respect a “no,” and work to create a pressure-free experience." recommends Bryan.

Finally, asking clients for referrals can go a long way. When a man is 'wowed’ by his transformation, he is usually more than happy to spread the word. Consider a referral program as an added incentive. 

Stay on Top of Current Trends & Information in the Hair and Hair Loss Industries

“Staying on top of trends is important for any stylist or barber to stay successful and thriving. Alternative ‘Add on Hair’ is no different. In fact, it’s very often part of the trends.” Says Ory.

We recommend joining the American Hair Loss Council and subscribing to their trade magazine, The Link. This quarterly magazine is a great information hub for what’s happening in our industry and can help you stay current with innovations and improvements that might benefit the wearer.

But it doesn’t stop there. Consider attending hair shows or following influencers and advocates on social media. Hair manufacturers will typically follow current trends and staying connected with these companies can also be a great resource. Follow @jonrenaumen on  Instagram and Tik Tok for expert tips and men’s hair replacement content, or check out Jon Renau’s blog category For Professionals to learn more about growing your hair business.

In Conclusion

If you’re looking to feel more creative or fulfilled as a hair stylist, or are wanting to make more money, hair replacement is the answer. Implementing this technology into your business will maximize your time and revenue, build relationships and loyalty, bring sustainable income, and act as a built-in referral system. Best of all, it will bring a sense of gratification beyond measure to know your work transforms people’s lives.

With a rising acceptance for wearing alternative hair, plus growth and innovations in the hair replacement market, there’s no better time to start than now. By utilizing resources and the  education at your fingertips, marketing your services effectively, and staying on top of current trends, the sky is the limit!