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HOUSTON (FOX 26) - In a situation where stares are common and cures are rare, Christine Lovett just wanted to maintain her dignity. The 54 year old mother and grandmother has been dealing with lupus and its effect for 20 years.
"Lupus is an ugly, inherited disease. It's a blood condition that eventually shuts down all of the major organs," said Lovett. I don't have hair. I'm losing pigmentation in my skin. I'm losing fingers and toes... I'll never be the same, I'll never look the same."
Lupus may have changed her appearance, but it hasn't changed her disposition, "It doesn't matter if you're lying in a bed with needles and tubes everywhere, just keep a smile on your face and rosy attitude," said Lovett.
"The gift of a new look by hairstylist, Mr. A, of Serenity Salon would take Lovett's positive attitude to new heights.
She won a contest for a free hair makeover sponsored by Mr. A's foundation "Defining Your Own Beauty" in conjunction with supplier Boojee Hair. Hair loss would be the biggest styling obstacle. With a hair line no longer available, Mister A made a pressure braid to give the appearance of a hair line. He attached hair extensions to the few patches of hair Lovett had available and then he wrapped it around her head. Next he made a customized wig through a wig cap. It's a process that works for many women of different ethnicities and hair textures who've experienced hair loss from hereditary conditions, styling abuse, alopecia or cancer.
"My salon setting allows women to come in and to not be embarrassed because they're losing their hair, because it's thousands of other women out here who are dealing with the same thing, and going through the same conditions and no one is really talking about it," said Mister A.
Lovett thought it was due time to talk about her hair loss and so she could help others, but when she saw her hair transformation in the mirror, she was speechless.
After taking a long look at herself, she took a deep breath and said "I feel beautiful." She then hugged Mr. A and expressed her gratitude through tears.
"Thank you so much. God bless you. You've given us our dignity back," said Lovett.
She then told FOX 26, "He could be working with the starts but he chose to give us terminally ill people our dignity back. That is priceless."