From crying in the shower over hair loss to building her own business, this Adelaide entrepreneur's story is helping other women.
Originally reported by Evangeline Polymeneas for The Advertiser
Every time she gathered her hair into a ponytail, there seemed to be a little less of it to hold. For Adelaide model Stevi Pisoni, that was how psoriasis first announced itself.
Diagnosed at ten, she lived with a skin condition that reached her scalp as well as her body, and the treatment she needed stripped her of her hair and her confidence.
Years later, she decided to reinvest in herself, and built a hair extension line for people who want fuller hair.
Before the business opened in 2021, she struggled with thin hair.
"My whole scalp is dry and flaky all the time," the 32-year-old told The Advertiser.
Her hair had once reached her belly button. By then it was broken, short and sitting above her shoulders.
The psoriasis flared in stressful periods of her life, and through her teenage years it was hard to live with.
"I remember being in the shower and crying," she said.
The condition made socialising difficult.
During treatment she went to the dermatologist's office three times a week for UV light therapy, which she describes as confronting.
That was when she knew she had to find a way to replenish her hair.
"I finally discovered Russian hair extensions which I import," she said.
Discovering Russian hair is what inspired her to start her own business, Stevi Pisoni Virgin Hair, four years ago.
"I know so many woman that have hair loss and (using the hair) … makes them feel womanly and confident again," she said.
What sets her extensions apart is that each pack comes from a single donor, and the hair has not been dyed or chemically altered.
"You can also have any texture or curl — it's the genetics of the hair," she said.
Meaning the extension can be matched to your own hair type.
Most hair extensions on the market are Asian hair, which is naturally black or quite dark, so it has to be lifted in a factory and processed with dyes and silicones to reach blondes and other colours.
It's Stevi's passion to match her clients and meet their hair goals.
Living with psoriasis and hair loss?
Read Stevi's guide: hair loss from psoriasis, and the hair options that work with a sensitive scalp. Always speak with your dermatologist about your scalp first.
Or if you'd simply like to talk to someone who's been through it, send Stevi a message.
Read the original article: "Adelaide model's childhood hair loss inspires hair extension business", The Advertiser, 15 September 2025.