Salon's a cut above for cancer patients

Dian Ward, who owns three hair and beauty businesses in Edinburgh – all named DianWard – has revealed that she was inspired to open a new salon offering treatments for those undergoing gruelling chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions.

She will offer hair growth and head massage treatments, provide wigs, shampoo, cut wig hair and hold specially tailored make-up sessions that allow patients to learn how to pencil eyebrows and eyelashes.

Dian, 35, from Corstorphine, said she decided to open the new salon, next door to her current salon on Glasgow Road, after seeing one of her regular clients suffer extensive hair loss.

She said: "It was horrible seeing her lose her hair and not know what to do. She said she only felt comfortable with me treating her, but eventually she had to go somewhere else as I wasn't able to treat her.

"After talking to another client, a chemotherapy nurse, she said I would be good at developing a specialist salon and it seemed like an excellent idea.

"There are over 500 salons in Edinburgh and it seems incredible that there is nothing like this."

Dian added: "The salon for cancer patients is private, but there is also the option to be treated in the public salon next door, whichever they feel comfortable with."

Regular client Anne Swanney, 62, from Corstorphine, who is currently recovering from breast cancer, said she thought the venture was a brilliant idea.

She said: "I found a lump in 2007 and then had to get a lot of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was sore, tired and my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes fell out. In particular I found losing my lashes and eyebrows hard because you can't hide them behind a wig. If Dian's new salon had been about then I think it would have allowed me to feel more like a woman than a patient."

Although a couple of salons in Edinburgh offer certain treatments – such as wig washing – this is the first time a salon has been built exclusively for cancer patients with such a large range of hair and beauty options.

Dian owns two other salons at Carrick Knowe and Ashley Terrace and said she would expand the specialist practice if it proved to be in demand.

She said: "Hopefully people will see it as a relaxing retreat. We're charging normal prices because we don't want to capitalise on it. We'll show them how to apply make-up and we'll have a range of real hair and synthetic wigs to choose from. It's about offering comfort and making them feel good."