Braddock hair salon owner helps veterans battling hair loss - CBS Pittsburgh

Nov 09, 2024

By Jessica Guay

November 8, 2024 / 11:27 PM EST / CBS Pittsburgh

BRADDOCK, Pa. (KDKA) — On Monday, people around the country will honor those who served in our armed forces for Veterans Day, but one local hair salon owner is using her talents to give back to veterans year-round.

Shanna Cochran, owner of Salon S.C. in Braddock, loves making people look good, but she wanted to do more for others. She became a certified hair loss specialist after she helped her mother as she struggled with hair loss.

"My mother experienced it. So, to go through that and to just let her be happy and to see that, to pass that onto veterans is amazing," Cochran said.

She's using her new skills to serve those who have served our country and may be experiencing hair loss while also battling post-traumatic stress disorder or other health or emotional challenges.

Salon S.C., which is on Braddock Avenue, is now a vendor for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Cochran wants vets to know VA health benefits may cover hair loss services.

"A lot of veterans don't know that the benefit is even there for them," she said.

Tiffany Simmons served in the Air Force for 10 years and now works at the Aspinwall VA.

"As we start to age, unfortunately, I started noticing my hair was getting a little thinner, and more hair on the floor," said Simmons.

Finding Cochran was a blessing for Simmons.

"Shanna's been fantastic. She actually walked me through the process. She did a consultation just to make sure that I was eating properly, doing everything that I needed to do to be proactive to stop the hair loss," Simmons said.

Cochran offers complimentary consultations to veterans and their families. Just take a seat in her chair and she'll check the condition of your hair and explore options like getting hair treatments to slow or reverse hair loss or getting a wig.

"If you're already suffering from PTSD or any other medical conditions, sometimes just looking in that mirror — whether you have a wig on or something else — where your hair is looking great and you can look and see yourself for where you were prior to dealing with hair loss, it makes a huge difference," Cochran said.

Cochran has family members who served our country, including her father-in-law, grandfather and uncle. So, it's an honor for her to help veterans by getting to the root of the problem and coming up with a plan to help them feel confident again. The S.C. in Salon S.C. stands for "simply confident."

"If you look good, you feel good. And it definitely helps with the stress levels because when you're able to put your best foot forward, it just starts at that and then it trickles down to the rest of your life," Simmons said.

Cochran also runs a non-profit organization called Simply Confident to help underprivileged kids and women look and feel their best.

If you're a veteran experiencing hair loss due to medical or emotional challenges, obtain a referral from your doctor and request Salon S.C. as a vendor for services, or reach out to the salon. Check out its website or call 412-799-8015.

Jessica Guay joined KDKA as a reporter in February 2021. Before joining KDKA, Jessica was a morning anchor and reporter at WJAC in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. She was also an anchor and reporter at WCHS in Charleston, West Virginia, and at WTOV in Steubenville, Ohio.

© 2024 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.