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Beauty and fashion are integral to Janira Obregon's world. The 27-year-old model and disability advocate, who lives in Queens, NY, regularly frequents hair and nail salons. But every visit is a struggle. “Most hair salons aren't that accessible,” says Obregon, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia at birth. Although she has some use of her hands, both her legs are paralyzed, and she has muscle stiffness.
“At hair salons, I have to be carried from my wheelchair to the washing station, then to the dryer, then back to my seat. It's a big hassle for me.” Her aide usually carries her, but sometimes she has to rely on salon staff. “Most of the time, workers are accommodating and help pick me up,” Obregon says. “But I had one experience where they clearly weren't expecting someone in a wheelchair. The manager stared at me in shock and asked, ‘What do you need?’ in a very put-upon voice. It was awkward. I stayed for the cut and never went back.”
Getting a manicure or pedicure is also challenging. When Obregon is in the chair for a pedicure, her feet rarely reach the water bowl. At the manicure table, she has to lean all the way forward so the manicurist can reach her hands. “Going to the spa is supposed to be a pampering experience, but I often find it uncomfortable,” she says.
Over the years, Obregon—who has modeled in New York Fashion Week and for the Runway of Dreams Foundation, which helps people with disabilities express themselves through fashion—has found more-accessible salons. “Some places have wall hair dryers that I can slide my wheelchair under,” she says. She now goes to a nail salon that gives her manicures and pedicures in her wheelchair. “They place the pedicure bowls on my foot plate and the manicure bowls on my armrests—both are pretty wide,” she says. “When it comes right down to it, I don't need that much accommodation to have a successful salon experience. It just requires someone who is patient, understanding, and willing to work with people with disabilities.”
People with neurologic conditions that affect their mobility and ease of movement often have to visit several places, as Obregon did, to find beauty salons that accommodate their needs and treat them with respect and care. When someone's disability isn't readily apparent to others, a visit to the salon can be even more difficult. Lainie Ishbia, 48, a social worker and fashion blogger in Huntington, MI, with the rare neuromuscular disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, usually has to explain to the salon staff her limitations because they're not immediately visible.
Assertiveness is key for anyone who requires assistance or accommodation, says Ishbia, an ambassador for the Invisible Disabilities Association. “If you have a disability, you may feel ashamed to say that you need something,” she says. “But if you don't speak up and make a salon realize that it needs to do something different, nothing will ever change.”
Ishbia's condition primarily affects her hands and feet. “I have neuropathy in my hands, so it's difficult to grip and open things,” she says. It's also hard to keep her hands still. “And my feet are fused with metal plates to prevent injury, so they can't really turn on command.”
Lately, Ishbia has been using Google Translate to explain her condition, and how to accommodate it, to nail technicians not fluent in English. “I type in ‘I have a neuromuscular condition, but you won't hurt me by doing my fingernails or toenails. There are just some things that need to be done differently,’” she says.
At one salon, Ishbia had to climb four steps to get to the pedicure chair. “I can walk up steps, but I need a handrail because I don't have good balance,” she says. “In order to get myself up, I had to lean over and hold on to the chair to brace myself. Thankfully I have a strong core. Many other people with my condition wouldn't have been able to do that.” Ishbia wears leg braces that she removes once she's in the pedicure chair, which can unnerve some salon employees. “It's hard to communicate that although I have a problem with my feet, the technician doesn't have to do anything different.”
During manicures, “it's as if my hands have ADHD,” says Ishbia. “They can't stay still while the polish is applied or while I wait for them to dry,” she says. “I have switched nail places and technicians countless times. I rank going to a nail salon just slightly above getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist. But my fingernails and toenails need more care than I can provide on my own.”
Hair and nail salons are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to have ramps for wheelchairs (if there are steps) and enough space for wheelchairs to pass through. Well-trained staff is also important, says Rosana Vicario, owner of Studio 11 Nail Spa in Durham, NC. “It's all about taking some extra time. That might mean soothing an anxious client who has Alzheimer's disease or inspecting between the toes of a client with mobility problems to make sure there are no cuts that may not heal easily.”
Morgan's Salon in San Antonio, whose clientele includes people with autism and intellectual impairments, keeps the lights dim and the music soft and relaxing. Customers can access fidget toys and retreat to a quiet corner if they need a break. The salon also conducts free consultations before a first appointment so clients can familiarize themselves with the salon and staff can determine their needs and sensitivities. “We take as much time as necessary,” says Katrina Venzor-Vargas, director of the salon. “We don't want anyone to feel overwhelmed or get upset. We want their visit to be positive.”
To that end, the salon has a portable sink, a salon chair with a footrest that allows for an easier transition to and from a wheelchair, and scent-free products.
Barber's Blueprint in New York City has created a safe space for children and adults with sensory disorders and special needs. “There is a lot of noise in hair salons from blow-dryers, music, and people talking to one another,” says owner Arthur Ishakov. “If you have sensory problems, a haircut is often an unpleasant experience. It can feel painful.”
For those clients, Ishakov turns the music off and doesn't use blow-dryers or electric razors. He also provides noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys. “Most of my clients do just fine if given some time,” he says.
Jessica Noonan, a hairdresser in New York City, makes house calls for people who can't travel to or handle the bustle of a salon. “I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, so I'm sensitive to the needs of people who are neurodiverse,” she says. Before the first visit, she has clients fill out a form listing any physical or sensory challenges—a cape might be too tight around the neck, for example. For clients who can visit her salon, she offers appointments before it opens and provides cards that clients can flip if they prefer to get their hair cut in silence. “Salons can be very chatty, and some clients, even those without disabilities, don't like that,” she says. “I want them to feel as comfortable and welcome as possible.”
There are adaptive accessories for people who choose to do their hair or nails at home. Ishbia recommends a blow-dryer stand that goes on the counter for people who don't brush or curl their hair while drying it. She uses a three-in-one blow-dryer, straightener, and volumizer brush, because neuropathy makes it difficult for her to brush her thick, curly hair while blow-drying it. “You don't need an expensive one—look for one that's extremely lightweight, so it's easier to hold,” she says. Another adaptive grooming item Ishbia suggests is a tabletop nail clipper, which has a large lever pad mounted on a stable nonslip base. “These are designed for people with poor hand control,” she says.
Even with the tabletop clipper, it's still tough for Ishbia to do her nails on her own, which is why she continues to go for manicures and pedicures. “It's humbling and sometimes even humiliating to go to a nail salon,” she says. “But my hope is that if I always speak up, I'm making it easier for people with disabilities to get their needs addressed in hair and nail salons in the future.”
Veronica Lorenz, a makeup artist in Los Angeles, created an eyeliner product for people with “less-than-perfect application skills” (perhaps because of a disability) and plans to design a brush that conforms to the shape of the head and can be used easily by people with a weak grip. Lorenz, 55, has been using a wheelchair after six surgeries to remove spinal cord tumors. “I don't have any feeling in my right arm and hand and only limited sensation in my left arm and hand. I haven't even tried to venture out to hair or nail salons. Until I get out of my wheelchair, I plan to have people do my hair and nails at home,” she says.
“When you get dressed up and your hair, makeup, and nails are perfect, you feel better about yourself than if you're running around in sweats with your hair unwashed,” says Lorenz. “Women with disabilities are entitled to that same self-confidence. We need to make sure the beauty world is accessible to us so we can feel good about ourselves and get ready to conquer the world.”
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