Reopening NJ: Owner of hair loss salon in Wall Township wants her business to be considered essential

WALL, New Jersey (WABC) -- A New Jersey hair salon that specializes in hair loss is back open, and the owner is making a case for why she believes her business is essential.

"I was at work every day. I was at a point where I was like, I'm not going to work if my hair comes off," prosthetic hair client Sheri Valle said.

Chemotherapy and radiation took away Valle's full head of hair six years ago. She now wears a medical grade scalp prosthetic, not a wig.

"It's bad enough to have cancer, but to walk around almost bald is not a good thing as a woman," Valle said.

Now that salons in New Jersey have opened, Valle has an appointment first thing Saturday morning at Transitions Hair Solutions Hair & Scalp Center in Wall.

"You don't hear about it. It's considered ... we fall into the category of a hair salon. But that's not what we are," owner Danielle Marzella said.

They have been without services for three months.

"We just needed to get them back in because we just need to re-balance their scalp and put them back together again," Marzella said.

This is because bacteria can build up.

In the event of another shutdown, Marzella hopes her status changes.

"I do think it's essential," Marzella said. "I think the scalp hygiene is essential. I think the mental health aspect is essential. The scalp prosthetic itself is considered durable medical equipment."

Marzella has nearly 500 clients who use her prosthetics. And as you can imagine, she's fully booked.