Tiffani and a child receiving a donated wigWIGS BY TIFFANI
Significant hair loss will affect more than half of all women in their lifetime. Whether it's from alopecia, an autoimmune disorder, increased stress, a hormonal imbalance, or a symptom of disease, the psychological effects are profound. A cultural symbol of beauty, identity, and health, many women feel shame and isolate themselves from friends and family. It affects their work, relationships, and self-esteem.
Nhatthuy Tiffani Calix, founder of Wigs by Tiffani, is no stranger to the guilt and embarrassment associated with hair loss. The feelings cut a little deeper for a hairstylist who had built a devout clientele by transforming her clients’ tresses for 13 years and eventually opened up a salon. For Tiffani, it was postpartum hair loss following the birth of her third child, a condition that affects 50% of new moms.
“As a hairdresser, I felt insecure about my hair's appearance and self-conscious about my professional image," she said. Concerned that her clients might lose confidence in her expertise, Tiffani began exploring wigs, customizing each with a fresh cut and color. This prompted her to educate herself about wigs to make them look natural. "I didn't tell anyone I was wearing a wig because I was embarrassed. They are taboo and have negative connotations, or they often look fake. But after I styled mine, no one noticed because they looked like real hair."
After feeling the weight of masking her hair loss, Tiffani decided to post about it on Instagram by removing her wig in a video to let her peers, clients, and loved ones know about her hair loss journey. The response was overwhelmingly positive. After that, she started getting order requests.
Tiffani stayed up until 3am most nights making wigs in her kitchen to fulfill her growing orders after working long days at the salon. Eight months in, she was burning the candle at both ends as a salon owner, raising three children, and having an unexpected side job. She had to choose between her salon or making wigs full-time.
She decided to focus on her wig business, but not without some apprehension. “Making the leap was a scary decision; it was also hard to leave my loyal clientele.” Yet, the timing of her decision paid off. Shortly after, the Covid-19 pandemic closed salons, and her new venture allowed her to work at home making and selling custom wigs ranging from $1,300-$3,000.
To grow her business, Tiffani utilized social media hashtags targeting women searching for hair loss related to PCOS, alopecia, and trichomoniasis — conditions she was unaware of until she started receiving emails describing other medical-related hair loss. As her business flourished, messages from parents requesting wigs for their children experiencing hair loss poured in.
“It was heartbreaking to turn away children with hair loss, but I had no choice as their head sizes were too small to fit the wigs.” Being a mother — and understanding the impact of what they were experiencing from her hair journey — she was inspired to find a way to help. “For children and teens, hair loss can be emotionally challenging. It’s a time when many young people simply want to fit in, and hair loss singles them out,” said Jessica Wu, M.D., Los Angeles-based dermatologist and author of Feed Your Face.
She began making five wigs per month for kids and teens between the ages of 8 and 17 and paid for them herself. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help support her efforts to create realistic wigs for children. “Regardless of whether we received any donations, I was committed to donating five wigs per month,” she said. Fortunately, she underestimated the impact her work had on others. Donations were generous, including one donor who contributed $20,000. With financial funding, more than 200 wigs have been donated to children in need over the past year and a half.
Tiffani and a child receiving a donated wig
Several viral videos increased awareness and contributed to Tiffani’s efforts, enabling her company to grow from one assistant to nine staff members. One video gained over 144 million views on Instagram alone. Soon, national television shows and publications wanted to feature Tiffani and her ‘feel-good story.” One of the most exciting features, she says, was on Good News Movement, which actress and producer Viola Davis reposted on her Instagram feed. “I never thought of my business going viral until it happened. It impacted our reach and has brought more awareness to millions who didn’t know that alopecia can happen at any age. The donations have helped benefit these kids in so many ways.”
Tiffini recalls a child she met who was bullied at school. “Kids didn’t know that she has a condition and made fun of her. When she got one of my wigs, they thought it was cool! They became curious and wanted to try it on. Stories like that make me feel I am making a difference.”
In her photoshoots for marketing campaigns, Tiffani captures her clients with and without their wigs on. “My goal,” she said, “is to tell people they are beautiful with or without hair and to normalize hair loss. I want my clients to feel okay not wearing a wig and know it’s just an accessory, like makeup.”
Wigs By Tiffani's photoshoot featuring children who have received donated wigs
As her for-profit business continues to grow, Tiffani’s philanthropic efforts haven’t slowed down. She continues to donate wigs for kids who need them and recently launched a $10,000 bi-annual scholarship awarded to a child with a hair loss condition to a college of their choice.
Tiffani has become an advocate, using her skills, compassion, and experience to change the lives of thousands of children. She’s also embraced the role of CEO and founder of a thriving socially-driven business. However, she notes that wigs don’t change people’s lives – community and self-acceptance do.
“9 of ten women in my chair say they lost a part of their identity from hair loss. Providing an opportunity for them to see themselves again is what I love most about my business, but I want to spread the message that it’s just hair. You are so much more than your hair.”
