1. < Cancer: Managing Symptoms

Wigs: Prepping for hair loss due to chemo: Where to start?

Posted by ahurlbert30 @ahurlbert30, Aug 13, 2020

Hey all, just prepping for the loss of my hair. I’d like to get a couple wigs but don’t know where to start. I can’t tell online what is decent and what is not.
Thanx

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ahurlbert30 | @ahurlbert30 | Sep 4, 2020
In reply to @mylife1 "Only cut you hair about 2 inches from your scalp. Not all hair falls out &..." + (show)
@mylife1

Only cut you hair about 2 inches from your scalp. Not all hair falls out & even a small amount of fuzz will protect your scalp from getting itchy while wearing a wig. Also, once your hair starts to grow in, it quickly appears longer while the new growth just makes it thicker .
Get a wig prescription from your oncologist. Even if your hair doesn’t fall out, wigs worn everyday don’t last that long. Get a new wig every time your insurance plan allows so you have a couple on hand.
Get a wig from a wig salon. There are many to choose from and you can try on until you find a couple that you really like. Don’t settle. There should be many that look very natural & you might even find you like them better than your real hair. If your insurance plan allows a larger budget than the cost of one wig, buy a halo too. It’s basically a wig with no hair on top. You wear it under a hat during the summer.
Prior to buying a wig, I wore baseball caps. The kind without the adjustment strap & the hole in back. I bought many by Adida’s @ Marshall’s or TJ Max. I also bought strips of hair (bangs) that attach to the back of the hat with Velcro to cover my bare neck & lower back of my head. You can buy the bangs through the online cancer wig companies like headcovers.com. This combo was so easy to put on, rotate between caps & no one ever suspected I lost hair or even had cancer.
You may also want to prevent hair loss from chemo by doing cryotherapy. Even if your infusion center doesn’t supply equipment to do it, you can purchase or rent the cold caps online. If there isn’t any info about that on this website, join inspire.com as they have many old discussions from members who have advice.

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Thanks for all the great advice!

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ahurlbert30 | @ahurlbert30 | Sep 4, 2020
In reply to @mylife1 "Baseball cap with bangs on back" + (show)
@mylife1

Baseball cap with bangs on back

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I am a huge baseball cap fan so this is great!

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ladyluck | @ladyluck | Jul 30, 2021

Try calling the American Cancer Society , wigs dept. They will mail you a catalog of all their women"s wigs and other products they sell for breast cancer survivors. 386-274-3274. They have a great selection. Good luck.

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oswald3055 | @oswald3055 | Jul 31, 2021
In reply to @ladyluck "Try calling the American Cancer Society , wigs dept. They will mail you a catalog of..." + (show)
@ladyluck

Try calling the American Cancer Society , wigs dept. They will mail you a catalog of all their women"s wigs and other products they sell for breast cancer survivors. 386-274-3274. They have a great selection. Good luck.

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Some insurances will cover wigs as a prosthetic. Mine was.

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emeli13 | @emeli13 | Aug 1, 2021

If you must order online there is a site called Peggys Pearls. They are very knowledgeable and customer service was great for returns..
You can call and ask questions. She also has You Tube videos.

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grandmapeggy | @grandmapeggy | Aug 2, 2021

I got a wig before my hair fell out but after
chemo started I was not interested in wearing it. It was not comfortable for even a little bit on my bald head. I opted for scarves and hats.

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happy2bhere | @happy2bhear | Aug 3, 2021

This charity is not well known. It is FREE Rachel Welch wig of your choosing. Through local hair salons. Ordered got in 10 days. She even helped style it for me. Not too many participate. I had to go to Oceanside from LA— not one salon in all of LA. I only wore it a couple times. I guess dealing w chemo and side effects I didn’t go out much and a cap was so much easier. Got some cute ones. And in LA- several patients walked by so proudly -bald. They looked gorgeous! http://friendsarebyyourside.com/ways-to-help.html

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Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 3, 2021

You all have some really great ideas. I bought a few, but ended up not wearing them, I had a really active job and they wouldn’t stay put. I had my hair cut to 1” prior, and it all went away after the very first treatment. I just went bald and donated the wigs to a local cancer group.

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1 reply
emeli13 | @emeli13 | Aug 3, 2021
In reply to @auntieoakley "You all have some really great ideas. I bought a few, but ended up not wearing..." + (show)
@auntieoakley

You all have some really great ideas. I bought a few, but ended up not wearing them, I had a really active job and they wouldn’t stay put. I had my hair cut to 1” prior, and it all went away after the very first treatment. I just went bald and donated the wigs to a local cancer group.

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I needed the security of having the best wig possible and I was fitted for it in NYC at Andrew DiSimone when I still had my hair. Looked exactly like my real hair in both color, texture and style. That was my security blanket. Then ordered online a backup wig from Patty's Pearls. But the majority of the time I was most comfortable with bamboo cotton turbans from Headcovers.com or nothing at all. I just found wigs uncomfortable to wear all day, especially in the summer.

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