Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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Rocky - Yup! If I leave my hair down, I look like my mother! Not a bad thing, she's a doll, but I'm 42, not 72!
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Nancy the wig thing was one of the most difficult things for me to figure out… and I ended up with a wig that was too big and shiny even though I went to a special place. Even after my hair all fell out and I told her I thought the wig needed to be altered she said no… then went home even though the shop was till open for another hour. I know that that the wig was too big. I also learned that cotton scarves are the best. Itchy isn't the only issue. You need to make sure the scarves aren't slippery. Silk ones don't work.
I now have the knowledge but don't plan on needing it ever again for myself… so best to share it.
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MamaV-do you think a little tiny trim could make your hair look better? I have seen people write that even though it was very hard to lose any hair it looked remarkably better to get the little irregular tips of wispy hair trimmed off.
I am meeting with my hairdresser next month when I will be 17 weeks PFC and I'm going to have my hair dyed and I know she's going to want to trim some of this which will probably break my heart but if it makes it look better I will do it. She told me a story of a young woman who waited until her hair had grown past her shoulders and she has little white wisps all along her beautiful blonde hair and she finally was able to trim it and it looks a lot better.0 -
I'm thinking the longer my hair gets I will get trims to shape it up and make it easier to handle rather than waiting till it is long enough to style in way I'm more used to. Growing out any hair cut sucks, but I think when you are starting from scratch it is worse!
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Kim: I am with you on this one. Actually, I may keep it short--I get so many compliments on it.
Nancy: I had a synthetic wig as well (a very good one) and everyone complimented me on my new haircut. It was highlighted the same as my former hairstyle.
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Hi Terry, I am the mom of a Jason and he is just the best thing ever- and he's 24-Great name! congratulations on the arrival of your little grandson.
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I am 4 months PFC and went topless last week. Although my hair is very, very thick, it's very soft and has a mind of it's own. I do get compliments on it but would never wear it this short. As for the wig, it was a gift from my aunt and it was $350.00. Although it was very pretty, I still hated myself in it. I wore it once to a wedding and couldn't wait to get in the car and take it off. I only wore chemobeanies the entire time. I think my aunt is upset that I didn't wear it more often but I just couldn't.
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Yesterday I went to work for the first time without my wig (my avatar is from yesterday). I am done! I am about 5 1/2 months PFC and while my hair is much shorter than it was pre-chemo, I feel liberated having had the courage to do with this new look. Will be donating all of my head coverings to the American Cancer Society. So happy to be done with the hair thingy!
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Joan, congrats on going out topless...I agree, it is liberating, and becomes more so as you continue to go that way.
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I'd like to add that I look at photos from a year ago, or last Christmas, or my trip to NYC this past March, ect. , and my hair is pretty short. I don't cringe at those pictures at all. I see a woman smart enough to get out there and continue to live her life and make the most of those special times. Yes, it's great to have more hair now, but I actually look back and admire myself for how I've handled things.
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JoanQuilts the ACS, at least the one in Chicago won't take used wigs. If you run into that there are other places that will. You can ask them or your treatment center if they know of a place.
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Good to know, Lago. I may even put them up for grabs here on breastcancer.org
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MamaV we are pretty much at the same time frame. I have had I think 4 trims all together. I actually had one today, she basically just evened it up. Hardly anything at all took off, but it feels and looks so much better! Even before cancer I was always told if you want your hair to grow you have to keep it trimmed. I really think you would be pleased if you did. Just have someone you trust do it, and make sure to tell them you just want it evened and do not take any off. Mine is 6 inches long, almost to my shoulders!
Also is anyone else having problems with this site? When I get on a topic it is taking me to the last page I was at, but not the last post I read, like it used to, so I am having to reread alot to see where I left off.
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Joanquilts: My ACS does not take used wigs, however, another one about 60 miles away does, and was told I could drop my wigs off at mine, and they would make sure they were sent to one that did take used wigs. Another suggestion: At the cancer center where I got my infusions, there is a box you can put headcovers/wigs in to donate. I brought some in once during my last infusion and when I went back the next day, they were all taken. I have more to donate.
I have had my hair trimmed twice and I am 4 months PFC. I may need another one before Thanksgiving. It just gets so "unruly". It's getting curlier and curlier! Not used to these tight curls!
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I donated all of my wigs -- and I had about 7 different ones -- to the ACS and felt good because I rode the elevator with an older woman in a scarf, on her way to pick up a free wig.
I bought really inexpensive ones from TLC, medium-priced synthetics from ewigs.com, a synthetic from a local cancer center and two from my hospital's cancer center, plus an expensive real-hair ones from ewigs. I have to say the most expensive, the real hair, was the worst. It was impossible to style; I even left it with my hairdresser for 2 days and still didn't like it. My favorites were a single style, in two colors, from ewigs.com. They looked better than my real hair, now 9 months PFC, but I'm just glad to have real hair back. It came in gray and curly, but I've had it cut and colored and like it better.
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I got three synthetic wigs for free. The one with the lace front looked the most natural. I wigs overall look best in the shorter lengths though. I had shoulder length hair before chemo and I tried to match it in a wig. It just always looked fake to me and felt like a hat so I jsut decided to wear a hat instead 99% of the time.
BTW 2 years PFC now and I again have shoulder length hair. Getting ready to bring my wigs to ACS soon. I'm not sure what I was waiting for. Got my nipples last week so looking good except for the madonna cones that are hard to hide under clothes.
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My synthetic wig has been great. Lots of people think it is my hair, just a different style. Human hair wigs have to be "styled", synthetic ones are less work.
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With the synthetic wigs, does it look the same day after day? You don't style it, put it in a ponytail, etc,? When you wash it, does it just bounce back to the style?
Thanks everyone for your tips, it will help me when I go shopping for mine. I wish I could just do the hats/scarves thing at work. Very small office so it's not the people I work with but the clients who will come in. They come in for a 6-month or yearly review (financial) and I hate the thought of explaining my situation every single time as I know they will ask.
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My synthetic wig ($96) looked the same every day. I didn't feel the need to wash it very often, but when I did, it went right back into shape each time. On the left is a photo of me just as I started chemo before hair fall-out, on the right is me in the wig in June of 2011 just before my last of six treatments. For the first month or so, as I wore the wig, I would trim a little here or there...it was originally a bit longer all around and fuller.
I rarely wore hats or scarves in public, it really wasn't my style but at home I loved the comfort of them and wore one particular favorite little cap a lot of the time tho it wasn't that flattering, just felt great.
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Mine was like that too until it got past my ears and longer and weight pulled it down and it went back to normal
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You are lucky - I had one and didn't realize but I couldn't even boil pasta water.. it fried the ends... going near the fireplace.. even being served a steaming plate of hot food at a restaurant or getting too close to candles.. crinkles up the ends.. bought a second one (Revlon.. they aren't cheap.. like $275)... it was so worrisome compared to my real live hair which I love...
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Mermaid - yes, I was also worried about frying the wig. They warned me when I bought it about some things such as be careful about opening the door to the dishwasher right after it stops running, lets lots of steam out. Also, be careful taking things out of the hot oven. Just not used to having to think about things like that. I didn't wear it much in the house, though. Mostly just to work.
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Speaking of frying wigs. August in 2011 I arranged a get together dinner in Greektown for all the gals on the Illinois Ladies thread. All of a sudden the waiter comes out with the flaming cheese "OPAH!". The ladies with wigs ran to the other end of the table.
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Lago: ROFLMAO
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Here are my hair regrowth pictures set to music. My last chemo was May 17, 2012 and I am almost 6 months PFC and completely topless:
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Let me tell you - it took a really long time. I had about 1/2" forever.. then it seemed to go to a slightly longer length and stay there... and then boom... My last chemo was April, 2010. My hair is just below my shoulders in teh back now. AND I LOVE IT............
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p.s. Take Biotin, it really helps.
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Joan, ha, ha, loved that video ending.....your hair growth is coming along so well!
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Joan: Loved the video. Especially the ending. I take Biotin as well and am 4 months PFC. My hair actually looks like a "hairstyle".
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i am just past 16 weeks PFC- last nite i had my daughter in law trim my ends! she took off almost 2 " from the sides and behind my ears --but it wasn't worth keeping! she also touched up the ends where i still had sparkle! and neatened up my neck....she commented that it seems to be growing in evenly in regard to coverage...
this morning i toyed with going wigless but it's sposed to get cold and -well- i'm a wimp! soon....
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