Promoted
The specialist salon transforming confidence with every appointment
March 5, 2023
The Wonderful Wig Company provides high-quality, real hair wigs and support for people experiencing hair loss. And from the success of her flagship salon in Sunderland, founder Nicola Wood has now opened a purpose-built salon in Ouseburn, Newcastle, to take care of more people before, during and after any medical hair loss or transformation.
In May 2016, hairdresser and salon owner Nicola Wood was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
Nicola also suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, which caused her hair to fall out, and over the years resulted in low confidence and body image concerns.
These experiences fuelled her mission to support those facing medical hair loss, by providing bespoke services in the industry.
From first-hand experience, Nicola realised the options for people suffering from hair loss were not good enough; she saw nationwide how finding a good service or even good alternative hair was incredibly difficult, with old-fashioned options and a lack of care or understanding offered throughout the process.
Nicola set out to change this.
She knew the key was a harmonised approach: providing high-quality wigs and alternative hair solutions alongside expert, empathetic hairdressing, to create bespoke styles which clients could wear with confidence.
Nicola founded The Wonderful Wig Company to modernise the wig-wearing experience.
She launched a purpose-built hair loss studio in Sunderland to take care of people before, during and after any medical hair loss or transformation – including chemotherapy patients, those with alopecia and transgender customers.
The Wonderful Wig company is now the UK’s best-rated wig supplier, with more than 750 five-star reviews from customers.
It stocks the very best human hair and synthetic wigs in a variety of colours, styles and sizes to suit every need and every budget.
Nicola and The Wonderful Wig Company have won multiple awards, including Best Human Hair Supplier UK and Health & Beauty Entrepreneur of the Year, at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, in 2022, and the Inspiring Female for Small Businesses honour, at the 2021 North East Chamber Business Awards.
Nicola’s flagship Sunderland studio was the first of its kind in the North East.
It is purpose-designed to offer the privacy, support and expert advice that clients who are facing hair loss need, along with areas for wellness workshops.
Since then, increased demand and a love for the service the salon provides have seen the studio evolve and expand.
At the end of 2022, Nicola launched a new ultra-modern, high-spec salon in Ouseburn, Newcastle.
The aim was to provide the North East with the highest quality wig services from fully accessible premises.
The salon gives a refreshing, empathetic service provided by expert stylists, who have been trained by the very best industry leaders and have a deep and personal understanding of the many conditions which cause hair loss.
They provide solutions with compassion and experience to give each customer a brand new, stunning style, which leaves them shining with confidence.
Nicola’s team are trained to the highest level.
Nicola was trained by Trevor Sorbie and his My New Hair team, with the salon then becoming one of only eight in the UK to hold the highest certification in My New Hair.
The team has also travelled internationally to ensure they are industry leaders and forward-thinking in their approach.
Nicola says: “When I was diagnosed with cancer, after the question, ‘am I going to die?’, my next question was, ‘am I going to lose my hair?’
“So many women face the same worry and concern about losing their femininity when losing their hair.
“So, I set out to create an inclusive safe haven for those who are experiencing hair loss or transformation.
“I’m so proud of the quality support we provide, the expansion that has allowed us to reach more people, and how transformative a trip to the salon is for our clients.
“We truly do change people’s lives through their most difficult time, and look after those who otherwise may be turned away from having beauty treatments, at the time when they need it most.”
Since opening, Nicola’s salons have seen more than 10,000 clients with hair loss.
One client describes the advice and help they received as ‘excellent’, adding, “I have been to other wig places, and none have been anywhere near as good.
“I highly recommend coming here if you need new hair that puts you at ease and feels natural.”
The Wonderful Wig Company is an NHS-approved supplier to 15 different hospitals and trusts across the north of England.
This means those who lose their hair through chemotherapy, alopecia or medical hair loss are eligible for a free consultation and a voucher to go towards the cost of a wig or hairpiece alternative.
In 2022, The Wonderful Wig Company added five new NHS contracts, expanding to help people in Durham and Darlington through pop-up clinics around the North East.
Nicola is passionate about positive community impact.
The Wonderful Wig company helps people with cancer by donating a proportion of its profits each year to a chosen cancer-related charity.
During lockdown, Nicola campaigned to her local MP to be permitted to stay open as a healthcare provider.
Her team all worked remotely, making sure nobody faced another barrier during what was already an exceptionally difficult time.
Nicola and her team provided support and new hair to more than 500 children and their families, connecting via Zoom to reach people with cancer all over the UK in lockdown.
They were one of the only providers that stayed open.
Nicola’s vision is to expand its impact further, by helping other salons working with hair loss.
She has recently set up a non-for-profit charity called the Inclusion Hair Network, with the aim of helping to create safe, skilled and understanding salons across the country for underserved and LGBTQIA+ people.
Through training from their highly skilled and knowledgeable experts, the charity ensures that anyone, from any community, can feel confident stepping into hair, beauty and hair loss salons.