Wigs! Hair loss with TC chemo

Take heart, it will grow back. It might not grow back the same color or texture that it was before.

I lost every hair on my body-started 5 days after first TC chemo. Eyelashes, nose hair, “down below”-all gone. About a month after chemo finished all started to grow back. I once had dark blonde wavy hair, it came back almost black with bits of brown and gray and very curly. I don’t recognize myself in mirror! It was easier to just wear a ball cap-wigs were itchy and irritated already sensitive scalp

I must admit, I feet more like a “warrior” without wig

I bought a human hair wig…my insurance reimbursed the full amount with a script from my doctor for a “cranial prosthesis.”
My hairdresser cut and styled it and it is very close to my own style and color. I am just too vain to wear scarves and hats so I wear it every day. I have triple negative breast cancer so my treatment is lasting a long time and I am happy I got it.

My hair started growing back even during last taxol. Had lost part of eyebrows and all eyelashes. I wore a wig once in awhile but found some cute chemo caps on Amazon very comfortable and cute and I wore them alot . My hair came back more course.
Good luck on your journey. Before you know it your hair will grow back.
I am 2 years out from surgery had TNBC, full head of hair now.
Sending hugs.

Make an appointment at a wig store and go try some on. The shop owners have a good sense of what will look good on you. Plan to spend $200-400 for a good wig. You need a nylon stocking cap and a rubber headband to hold it in place. The wig also needs this to stay in place. Your hair stylist can cut bangs or shape to your liking. Ask about heat resistance because they can get frizzy if you are putting your head near a very hot oven. Don’t bother with real hair. Buy the spray, shampoo and conditioner made for wigs. If you wear it every day, it may start to look less fresh after about a year. Nobody would know it is not my real hair. I feel it may be a couple of more years or maybe never, before I will get my old hair back.

Hey, I don't know where you're located but my friend in the Chicago area got a really comfortable custom wig made from human hair at a salon called Chavie Russel wigs. they also helped her with getting insurance coverage for it which I didn't know was a thing! Going out bald is definitely the most comfy but with a proper custom fit the wig and non synthetic materials its really manageable. They actually also have an insurance guide ill add here if you're not in the area but can be helpful: https://www.chavierussellwigs.com/blogs/the-wig-blog/chicagos-top-insurance-providers-for-wigs-what-you-need-to-know
hope this helps...good luck!

I thought for sure when my hair fell out I was going to go the wig route. I had a neighbor who gave me a wig so nice wig kind of cute. But I found it to be not that comfortable. What I ended up doing was buying these soft cotton caps, I cannot remember what they were called, but I think I ordered them off of Amazon Amazon. They were very thin cotton caps, and I could fold the bottom edge back, giving it a finished look when I was wearing it. The other advantage was when I went to chemo I could pull it back down over my eyes and fell sound asleep for the entire time! They came in cute colors and I wore them a lot. Mostly outdoors for protection from the sun. Otherwise I went around the house totally bald and the early morning and evening hours might even go outdoors totally bald. I look just like my brother! I was very surprised that it really didn’t bother me being bald. I do think one thing that helped me was early on a man in my neighborhood, and actually overtime a few men, would comment to me how good I looked bald. I actually did look good bald I always think them for telling me that. Even now when I look back at some photographs or I’m standing there totally bald, I did look good bald! My hair finally grew back and I’ve kept it pretty short ever since then because it’s so much easier than dealing with long hair. everyone of us is different for me. I found the wigs to be really uncomfortable. That was just me. My only other thought is that in hindsight, and believe me at hindsight only, when I look back that period of time was so very short! Didn’t seem that way during it, but in hindsight, it was the blink of an eye where I was hairless ! Good luck with whatever your choice is!

I went and picked out my “wanna be’s” aka wigs before I started shedding. I wanted the wig shop to know what I looked like prior to treatment and see me when I felt good!!

I also got the prescription for the cranial prosthetics.

I ended up buying 3!! A halo - just a band of hair for when I am wearing a hat. It’s great for warm days and easy to wear and doesn’t itch because there is no hair on the top!! I bought a “fun” wig for the days I felt sassy. It’s a darker color and has bangs! Lastly I bought a natural wig that that was very close to what my hair color was. It is very nice!!!

I also bought the no slip headband. It does keep the wig from slipping! Both the natural hair and the faux hair each use their own shampoo. I also invested in the hair brush. It has different bristles.

When I am home though. I either just wear a hat or one of my many scarves. Especially when you first start shedding, the scarves are handy to “catch your hair”. I never shaved my head just cut it short. I have a few spots of hair that remained!! But the scarves helped from hair being everywhere!!! I was always vacuuming..

As for eyelashes and eye brows. Get a lash serum and use it every day!!! (Knock on wood) after 4 treatments, I still have all of mine!

I also used a cold cap that I bought off of Amazon. I like to think it helped me keep the eye area!!

My wig was a waste of time. My hair grew back very quickly. The American Cancer Society will get you one through a beautician if you want one.