Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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Nkb, I didn't think about that - true hers is growing in a lot more even than mine!
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Hi Onvacation!
Did you end up doing the pumpkin patch? How are you otherwise?0 -
Hi MLB! How are you doing? I didn't do the pumpkin patch. I am doing great, just trying to get on with getting on!
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Ok couldn't figure out how to add a pic, but I think I added a pic as my avatar. Went out to the grocery without a hat or wig - first time! Got a few stares, but not a big deal!
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Onvacation
Glad to hear it! You're a brave one. I haven't summoned the courage to do the out and about without a hat yet. With friends and family no problem though.
While I'm grateful to be getting herceptin TX still (until some time in January) along with SIMAs etc., its all becoming old you know? I just started a new job which I'm loving and my new boss is great about everything so thats a load off. Nice to have a paycheque rolling in again LOL!
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MLB - congrats on the new job! Always makes it easier when you love your job and your boss!
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So, here I am in the growing out stage and I feel like a teenager again. I like my hair, I hate my hair! So, I broke out the wigs last night to see if I could go out this way. My full length long brown one (posted a pic a few days ago) was just too much hair so I think that one is out. I did put on my other wig which was blonde and to the shoulders and it wasn't half bad. The blonde wig was a halo wig where I would wear a scarf or hat on my head. It had removable bangs too. Since its blonde it wouldn't look like I was trying to pretend to have longer, better styled hair, but perhaps it would be fun like wearing a new accessory. I'm not sure yet as I am almost at 1 year PFC and still no hair cuts, only hair color.
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Here's a timeline of my hair...took a headshot about once a month. It was only in the photos I realized my hair really was growing. Now I don't think much about it at all.
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My hair had a slight wave as it was growing in (previously bone straight), had no chemo curls. It's similar to what it was before chemo, altho it holds curl a little better and is a little thicker.
One thing tho, is my eyelashes and eyebrows are still a bit sparse. Just yesterday I got a prescription for Latisse for my eyelashes. Does anyone have any tips for using it? It looks like an every night application on the rim where the eyelashes meet the eyelid.
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DivineMrsM - - - your hair looks great! I'm envious. My last chemo was 9/6/12. So Thursday, I was officially 8 weeks PFC. Haven't gone wigless yet. My goal is to take it off before my birthday - 12/20. Wish me luck!
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DivineMrsM, your hair looks great! You re a beautiful lady :-)
SlKsMom, I know how you feel. My last tx was 8/2. But with herceptin it seems to be taking forever! My hair isn't quite 1/2 an inch yet. I was hoping to go topless by my b-day 12/13, but not looking so good. Kind of wanted to be about an inch before i bared it!0 -
Divine mrsM-my hair is between your august and sept of 2011 except that the very back and sides over my ears is at least 2 inches long and wispy! at my cowlick/crown it is very short....i missed th e haircuts jcpenney was giving and i can't see to cut the back myself- and really hate to lose any of it---it has a very strange texture and is pretty poker stright on top but the sides over the ears and in back is curly-go figure! i think i should have it "neatened up" tho...
last weekend we drove to wisconsin for a funeral- 12 hour drive one way- i went topless except when we stopped to potty or gas then i put on a cute denim ball cap-didn't like that my ears were sticking out!
i want to ditch my wig but am not ready to--hoping by Christmas...
now i'm on arimidex and am worrying when i see you all talking about thinning!no fair!
kim-onvacation- love your look thanks for posting the pic!
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Thanks Margo - I haven't totally ditched the wig yet. Still wearing it to work. I went to Sams with my mom today without a wig or hat, no one said anything. It is kind of freeing! Wish it was just a little bit longer. I think after the Thanksgiving holiday I will just show up to work without the wig!
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For those of you who wore wigs; were they human hair or synthetic? I really, really, don't/can't spend over $200 for a wig and am hoping I can find one natural looking for that cost.
My hairdresser offered to go with me to a beauty supply and pick one then she will cut and thin it. Before I go I want to know if all synthetic is going to be awful or not.
Thank you for any input, Nancy
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Nancy44
I only spent about $80 on mine and it was synthetic. Everyone said it looked very natural. I did have my hairdresser thin it and trim it because it was too long. My main thing was trying to get as close as I could to my own colour. I originally was going to go for a $400 real hair wig but was glad I didn't.0 -
I got a synthetic one also, it was pretty expensive, but I wore it a lot, and pleased with my purchase.
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I wore a synthetic wig that cost $96 and looked very much like my own hair. Most people didn't realize it was a wig, or forgot it was a wig if they knew. I did not find it awful at all. I was told synthetic wigs are much easier to care for than real hair. I only washed mine a couple times over the six months or so that I wore it, but the synthetic bounces right back into shape when you do.
It is so lovely that your hairdresser's offered to accompany you to find a wig and then taylor it a bit more by shaping and thinning it.
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Thanks ladies; I feel better knowing that I can stay within my price range and find something natural.
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Synthetic is easier to care for. I've seen some really nice synthetic. I refused to spend $1000+ on a natural hair wig. I'm glad I didn't since I ended up looking great in scarves.
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Mine was synthetic, and while it wasn't cheap (about $300), it looked very natural. I wore it almost daily for 7 months. It was a monofilament lace cap wig by Jon Renau. I figured I saved at least that much by not having to pay for haircuts and color for over a year.
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Nancy44....Check with the american Cancer society, I got my wig for free. Where i live they have a wig room with hundreds of wigs. i brought my best friend and had a ball trying on wigs.I just called the 1800 number and they take your info and someone local called and I made an appointment. no one bugs you while you trying them on.
I started with scarves and hats then decided to give a wig a try.Now I am sporting my new chemo curls
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I bought a synthetic at a wig shop. It looked very natural and they thinned and styled it for me. They also fit it at the time of purchase and for six months after. I was extremely pleased with how natural it looked. Cost was $200.
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nancy- i have two-both synthetic--one was $45 from TLC -which is american cancer society's catalog--
the other was free from Crickettsanswerforcancer.org -i think it's org---google it --i got a Gabor which is very nice- had to fill out an application and pick a wig valued at under $100
i did wear a "cap" under the wigs during summer to wick sweat! the caps are from tlc also and not very expensive-
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Mine was also synthetic and around $400. I saw it for less on the internet, but since insurance paid, I was able to go to the store and have them help me with it. My best friend came to the store and and we made a day of it trying them on, taking pictures, etc. She was so into the wig thing that instead of shaving her head in solidarity (which I refused to let her do), she bought a beautiful wig and wore it on her wedding anniversary. That was way more fun!
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Hi Ladies, I just got home from my first mammo since I was diagnosed. Thrilled to report NED but not without a little drama and some tears. The radiologist thought she saw something on my left breast. They then did more pictures and applied more pressure to flatten the tissue,well she still was not satisified so they did an ultrasound. The radiologist said that given my history she just needed to be sure. She said it was fatty breast tissue. After all this I saw my BS -all is good YIPEE--next mammo in one year. I have a headache from all this, going to relax and eat a big dinner. Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement.
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Decent synthetics are hard to tell from the real ones these days, Nancy. My "cranial prosthesis" was synthetic, a monofilament top that was super lightweight & blended with my scalp - probably about as comfortable as you can get in a wig. Mine was thinned & trimmed too & I think that's key. Seems most wigs just have too much hair. I got many compliments on it, too. Wore it from 2nd chemo, right up until 19 weeks post chemo whenever I went out. I will say that synthetics are much easier to care for - wash & let air dry without losing their style. You cannot use heated styling tools. Human hair wigs must be styled just like you do your own regularly.
That's good of your hairdresser to offer to help you choose - take her up on it!
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To all of you who chimed in with advice about wigs, I thank you. I was so afraid of spending money on the wrong thing. I seem to be handling the "big things" as they come but suddenly the idea of hats, scarves and wigs is overwhelming.
I feel so selfish worrying about that when I know so many others are struggling with much bigger issues. I am grateful that so many of you are willing to share what you've learned.
Be well, Nancy
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Chiming in ... read so many pages can't even remember who asked ... Emma maybe? I finished chemo July 2011 - that makes me 1 year and 4 months PFC right? Well I HATE MY HAIR! Color and texture are great - got my color back, had wavy hair before and it's wavy now - even softer than it was probably b/c I damaged it so much. BUT - it's all different lengths and growing it out looks like a hot mess. So, I put it up every single day. I use bobby pins, a rubber band and a little clip - try to look like an up do. I miss my long hair sooooo much. So happy for all of you who are embracing your short hair. It's just not me. I'm need about 3 more inches for the front sides to reach my shoulders. Maybe then I'll trim all of it to be one length. I don't know. It really makes me sad. I hate how I look. So vain, I know, but I feel ugly when it's down. I haven't cut it and I'm not cutting it until next fall when it's long enough to do something with it! Geesh - sorry about that rant! Sometimes I just gotta be real about it!
As for wigs - my husband took me to the wig shop and insisted they make a custom wig for me - they even took a lock of my hair to create the same color and texture. It really is beautiful. It was real human hair and was $1600. I know it was probably way tooo much money, but I wore it every day - all day long - for over a year - thanks to 7 months of chemo and 5 months to grow hair into something presentable. When it comes to this damn disease, I say do what you need to do to get through it!
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MamaV, I think we have been in the same boat with our hair growing out. I had the "I hate my hair" feeling the other day and wore a scarf from days gone by. You're 4 months ahead of me and I do admit, my hair is growing pretty fast, but yikes!!! The various lengths are rough. Some days I would style it with product and a flat iron and would look stylish and other days I think I looked like an old lady. My longer hair made me look younger or maybe shorter hair just makes me look old :-). I'm only 48 now and when I see my look on ladies they tend to be grey :-).
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My advice when wig shopping is to take an honest friend with you. You know the type - the one who is always saying what's on her/his mind without regard for ones feelings. That's who you want with you. Someone who's brutally honest and not a "yes man".
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