LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Tylher Coleman has finally realized her childhood dream was cutting and styling hair.
“From the time I was 16, I wanted to go to hair school,” Coleman said. “I graduated hair school in March of last year, in 2024, and I instantly went out and I was doing training after training after training.”
The road to get to this training has been long and arduous.
It started in the military. Coleman spent eight years as a member of the U.S. Air Force. That service came to an end once Coleman had her son. However, the attempt to close that chapter of her life led to the start of a very unexpected one.
“Back in 2020, it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have no family history whatsoever down either line of cancer. I just said I’ve never done a breast check. Why not?” Coleman said. “Lo and behold, I find a little lump in the upper quadrant of my right breast. And I was like, ‘Oh, that’s strange. That’s not normal for me.”
That lump soon became painful, leading to greater concern. Despite no family history or any of the “usual” symptoms, Coleman eventually was scheduled for a mammogram, uncovering the truth.
“I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, stage 2, grade 3 on January 18, [2021] at 28 years old,” Coleman said. “I had none of your regular symptoms that they put out to everybody. I didn’t have anything other than the lump and the stinging sensation.”
This started a difficult journey for Coleman, navigating a cancer diagnosis as a single mother to a young child.
“At the end of the day, I’m fighting for my child. If I’m not fighting for myself, I’m fighting for him because the idea of leaving him without a mother is, it killed me,” Coleman said. “I did my best to be vulnerable with him. My child is very smart. I was vulnerable with him from day one. He shaved my head.”
That moment may have shaped what was to come.
Six months and 16 rounds of chemotherapy later, Coleman won her battle with cancer. It left her inspired to help others trying to overcome similar challenges.
That’s why her new studio is named “Her Sanctuary,” meant to be a safe space for both Coleman and her clients.
“This is where I fill the gaps that the medical industry leaves behind for individuals who have gone through cancer or any other type of hair loss, whether that be alopecia. There are so many different forms, chemo-driven, anything medical-related hair loss or just hair loss in general,” Coleman said. “There’s so much that people don’t know about it. As somebody who had to face that journey myself, I saw all of those gaps that were left behind and what wasn’t available and how hard it was for me to find those resources myself.”
Coleman has dedicated herself to helping any and everyone struggling with hair loss, whether it’s cancer or another cause. Julie Munroe has experienced that passion, coming to Coleman as she was losing her hair because of stress after her husband passed away.
“I think there are so many women out there suffering from alopecia, super thin hair, even women that can’t grow their hair longer, that want to grow their hair longer,” Munroe said.
“[Coleman] is so kind about it. She explains everything in detail. I think women shouldn’t be afraid to go forward. Make yourself feel better.”
Coleman told FOX5 she’s been digging into trichology, which studies the scalp and how hair loss happens, as well as how to reverse it. She even has a Wigs for Kids initiative, which she says is the only one in Las Vegas to help kids experiencing hair loss.
“Somebody who’s going through cancer treatment, you are allotted one wig per treatment lifetime. If you have an alopecia diagnosis, you are allotted one cranial prosthesis per year,” Coleman said. “I tried on wigs. I didn’t like any of them because they just didn’t feel like me. They felt fake. So I went bald. I rocked the bald look throughout my journey. So I do topper integrations. I do hair extensions. I’m really big on scalp health.”
Everything has come full circle for Coleman, feeling that her cancer journey led her to her true purpose of helping others.
“It put me on the path to do the humanitarian type of work that I’ve always loved doing. I love helping people. I love putting smiles on people’s faces. I love making them feel good.”
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