ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For many women veterans, the fight doesn’t end with military service. Hair loss, often caused by years of physical stress and medical conditions, is a lingering battle. But one Bay Area woman is helping them reclaim not just their hair — but their confidence.
Simone Durant runs The Hair Dive, a hair restoration center in St. Petersburg. There, she works closely with clients experiencing hair loss or thinning.
“It’s very rewarding,” Durant said. “We create custom hair systems or restoration plans to help women regrow their hair and find more fulfillment in life.”
In 2023, Durant noticed a growing need among veterans. “When they come out of service, they experience different things with their hair,” she explained. “They’re looking for answers. They’re trying to reintegrate into society, but it doesn’t always look the way it did when they went in.”
One of her longtime clients, Leslie Ridlon, spent 29 years in the Marine Corps and Army. She retired as a major, but not without physical consequences.
“Being in the military so long, you neglect your hair. It’s always pulled tight, and sometimes it doesn’t grow back,” Ridlon said. The damage became so severe, she eventually shaved her head before turning to Durant for help.
Melody Costa, another client, served nine years in the Navy and is now being treated for sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. A dermatologist at Bay Pines VA Hospital referred her to Durant, who is a community care provider for veterans.
“Whatever treatment plan she has for me, I will follow it thoroughly,” Costa said. “My military training makes me very meticulous.”
Today, veterans make up about 30 percent of Durant’s business.
“They’ve already fought so much. Sometimes they have to fight again,” Durant said. “To be the person who can give them some peace — where they feel good and look good — that means everything.”
Ridlon has been a client for five years. Her transformation speaks for itself.
“Well, look at me,” she said with a smile. “I look great. Is there any question?”
