Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Everyoneisso different in how they handle hair loss. Originally, I had long straight brown hair and black eyebrows and eyelashes. But, I must admit, my hair wasn't "all that" to me and I didn't like the way it looked. Now that I think bout it, it looked dry and brittle and I think it may have been a cancer symptom from vitamin/nutrition/sleep deficiencies and overall exhaustion that I was feeling before I was diagnosed.

Anyway, I felt a huge sense of empowerment and control when I shaved my head. I felt like a unique individual in control of myself. No longer just "one of the crowd".

I bought a couple of wigs, scarves and all the other accouterments...I never used any of it. I took ownership of my bald ass head and eventually my bald ass face too. Sure, I got a few stares here and there...but I got them when I was a punk teenager with a Mohawk and funky colored hair and tons of earrings, etc...

There is no "one" way to deal with it. Just as there is no one way to live your life.

But...I must admit...I was never so happy as when my brows grew back in!

CaitlinB When I went to chemo training my NP told me people with hair like mine usually have a hard time with hair loss. I had beautiful, thick, silky bob just above my shoulders. I looked at her and said I was more worried about my eyebrows. I was so concerned that I bought product to fill in my eyebrows before my initial surgery. I did get the wig (my avatar is me in the wig after my 4th tx). I wore it 2x. It was hot, uncomfortable and too big. I wore scarves the rest of the time (and big earrings). One of the pictures here I'm wearing my scarf. I was 1 month PFC: linky  

If there is a looks good feel better program near you I recommend going. They will give you make-up tips. It really is all about your face not your hair. (If not all the info is one the site).

If you decide to get a wig and you have really thick hair like me I either recommend really shaving your hair down or waiting till it falls out so it won't be too big. Wigs are designed assuming people have some hair so they tend to run big.

Yes, Terry, so sorry to learn of your sudden loss.

I agree with Lago.. make sure you sign up for the  look good feel better program

Caitlin, I agree with the others about shopping for a wig in person.



I am blonde, but a weird, dirty, ashy blonde. The first wig the girl put on my head was blonde-blonde and I almost died laughing because it made me look exactly like one of the Monty Python guys dressed up as a housewife. Just dreadful.



We did finally come up with a wig that looks very much like my own hair and is both elegant and perfectly nice. All the same I haven't worn it more than once. The rest of the time, I have worn big hats, turbans and nice scarves.



I thought the hair loss would be really difficult. My hair was probably my best asset until 9 months ago. It was long, thick etc. I had never had it shorter than shoulder length, ever. I made the wig girl shave it off, and she was way more upset than I was. I decided to take it as a strange adventure and it worked for me, although I am now really ready to ditch the hats, I have to say. On the other hand, I have a feeling that the short hair is here to stay.



Lago makes a good point about eye hair, by the way. What makes us look all cancer victim like is that more than the lack of head hair. If you have a place near you that does eyelash extensions, that might be something to consider. I wish now that I had done that, and if these stupid lashes don't come back soon, I may still go get it done.



I hope your recovery is coming along and that you feel better soon. The pain didn't seem so bad after the BMX, to me, but the general discomfort seemed to hang around a long time. I can happily report though that it does get significantly better, it just takes a while. So, keep the faith.

Lago, LOL on being such a chemo babe. Good for you. I did dress up more during treatment. I would plan my outfits, both for chemo and rads. I found that looking good helped my morale.



I was wondering the other day if eyeliner might not give the illusion of eyelashes. Maybe I will try it, although way back when I tried the whole make-up thing it used to make me immensely frustrated to try to put on eyeliner.

To add to Lago's fantastic tips, bottom line...rock your look, whatever it is.  Wear it with confidence and you will look great.  And while it may seem strange for people to say, "wow, you look really good!" I found it reassuring to hear compliments that suggested I didn't look like a  chemo patient.

Gotta say - even though I did get sick of it, I kind of had fun with the whole scarf & earrings look. I remember my friends yelling "MAAAAARRRRJ" (like a pirate's ARRR) when I would visit them at the pub, or my one friend that commented "It's hard to pay attention to what you're really talking about because I'm expecting you to tell my fortune..."

We had fun with it.  Honetly though, I have become the world's most lazy hair person - just simply can't be bothered anymore! Short 'n messy is my new look.

Caitlin, when shopping for wigs, consider your local American Cancer Society office. Often they have wigs donated by former cancer patients, and you can get them free. Or check to see whether your hospital or cancer center has a shop on location offering products for cancer patients. I got a nice wig at my cancer center's shop, and a nearby stylist trimmed it to my liking for free.

I also ordered reasonably priced wigs from the American Cancer Society's TLC catalog (also online) and several wigs from e-wigs.com. E-wigs will send you a ring of color samples for a small charge, then refund your money when you send the samples back. That's a good way to check color before ordering.

For all my wigs, I've had a professional stylist trim them to suit me. 

IMHO, the natural hair wigs are not worth the money. I bought one expensive human-hair wig, and it's my least favorite. It's not as shiny and I never found a way to really style it. 

I also highly recommend the "Look Good, Feel Better" program offered by the ACS. You get oodles of nice cosmetics (high-end brands) and good suggestions on using the makeup. 

I wore my wig whenever I left the house, too.  I found it easier to throw on a wig than to try to adjust scarves or hats.  I bought two monofilament wigs from the American Cancer Society's tlcdirect.org website.  They were reasonable priced and everyone thought they were my real hair.

When I went to the Look Good, Feel Better program, I was given a certificate for a free wig.  I don't know if it was the salon I chose from the list provided, but I was able to select a brand new wig.   I also bought a really expensive wig from a local salon in the Kansas City area, run by a breast cancer survivor.  That wig was very comfortable and styled well.  I could wear it swimming, too, and it was the color of my natural hair (20 years ago...lol).  I wore it quite a bit until October when my fuzz started to grow in.

What is with the font change?

If I had to do this again, knowing what I know, I would not pay a fortune for a wig.  But I would make sure it fits properly.  After my hair fell out, I figured out that I have a "petite" skull.  So the free wig and another that a friend gave me didn't fit properly, which made them very uncomfortable.  And they slipped around, the cap hit the top of my ears, and they just didn't work well.   So shop carefully and remember that your bald head will be smaller than your hairy one!

Has anyone tried pre natal vitamins and horsetail to help hair grow quicker?

I haven't tried either, but I was under the impression that hormones are what cause the surge in hair growth during pregnancy.  I've read that biotin helps hair grow.