chemo and wigs

kit45 · July 2008

Hi everyone,
i start chemo on 7/14th and was wondering if most went the wig route or hats/bandanas/scarfs? I bought hats and some bandanas in preparation and am having my hair cut very short this week. I'm not a wig kind of person or at least don't think I am. I'm scared as most of you but looking forward to a light at the end of the road. I read all posts and hope everyone is doing well. Kit

Unknown · July 2008

kit, I bought a wig but seldom wore it, favoring hats more.
If you don't feel you are a wig person, then by all means, don't invest in one. To get a nice looking one can be big bucks.
Or you might contact your local ACS. They might provide one and that way you could decide whether or not it was a 'you' thing.

sylva · July 2008

Hi Kit, It's good you are getting ready. It helps to have the hair short, then when it starts falling it's no so much hair all over. My hair started falling after the second chemo treatment. I cut my hair twice. First, before starting the treatment, similar to the wig, and the second time as soon as it started falling, I have it shaved. I bought a wig, that I like to use when I go out, inside the house I use the bandanas and hats. It can get "hot" during the summer.
I finished with the chemo two weeks ago, and I had some "interesting" days, but in general my body took it ok. I wish you the best, and as you say, there is light at the end of the road, once you start with the schedule, you'll be surprised how things start rolling and one day soon you will be done!!!!

red65 · July 2008

Hi Kit,

I bought a wig at the Image Recovery Center located in my hospital. They have a great selection. My insurance covered most of the cost. I picked out the wig before I began chemo so it would match my hair closely in color and style. It's nice to have the wig on the days you want to look like yourself again. I don't wear the wig at home; mostly just to the grocery store and family functions. Its been 2 months since I finished chemo and my hair is growing back. Yeah! I prepared myself for the worst when I started chemo and you know what? It wasn't nearly as bad as I had dreaded. Not that it was a blast, mind you, kind of like a bad case of the flu, at least for me anyway. Wishing you the best!!

mmontero38 · July 2008

Hi Kit: Reading your post brought back many memories. I also started on the same day as you but last year. I went through 8 rounds of adriamycin /cytoxan and lost my hair 2 weeks after the first infusion. My onc had warned me prior to starting treatment so I invested money in a wig. Honestly, I only wore it 4 times, 2 weddings, first day back to work, and the day my hairdresser shaved my hair off. Not knowing any better, I invested a lot of money in the wig so don't make that mistake. When I was home, I wore nothing and if I went out I wore baseball caps. I want you to know that during chemo my hair started growing back but very sparse and fine . I finished chemo in Nov and had my 1st hair cut in February. It grew back pretty fast and very curly. Good luck to you and keep us posted. Hugs & prayers, Lili

Unknown · July 2008

Hi Kit, I bought a couple wigs that I liked(I singed my first one while opening the oven)and wore them to work, and social ocasions. I was actually the most comfortable wearing a bandana which I did for shopping, errands. I bought some cute little cotton "sleep caps" in different colors for night time and around the house from the ACS catalog. I was very nervous about chemo too but found that although it is unpleasant, at the same time it is very doable. Good luck and keep us up to date, Eil

kit45 · July 2008

unknown said:
Hi Kit, I bought a couple wigs that I liked(I singed my first one while opening the oven)and wore them to work, and social ocasions. I was actually the most comfortable wearing a bandana which I did for shopping, errands. I bought some cute little cotton "sleep caps" in different colors for night time and around the house from the ACS catalog. I was very nervous about chemo too but found that although it is unpleasant, at the same time it is very doable. Good luck and keep us up to date, Eil

Thanks everyone, for sharing your experiences. I keep you all in my prayers and your words will be with me as I begin next week. Kit

dancingfan · July 2008

Hi kit45,

I bought a wig and have been happy with it. I bought a style that matched my original hair style. The only down side to the wig is that it is hot to wear in the summer. Also if you buy a real hair wig you have to curl and care for it as if it were your own hair. I bought a synthetic wig. You have to be careful with that too. You can't wear it if you are using the grill or you cannot get near the oven door or anything with real hot air as it will melt the fibers! I usually wear my wig to appointments or sometimes when I go shopping. Once I wore a wide brim Panama hat with a scarf tied around it as a band to the grocery store. I got a lot of stares and wound up telling some people that I had cancer and had no hair! At home I usually use a bandana and sometimes I just go bald. I do not like the way I look bald but it feels cooler in this hot weather and if I am home alone....who cares? I cut my hair short about one week before my Chemo started. After my second Chemo treatment I had my son buzz all of my hair off because it was falling out everywhere even on the breakfast table in the morning... yuk! What every your choice is it will be the right one for you! Best wishes....dancingfan

NorcalJ · July 2008

kit45 said:
Thanks everyone, for sharing your experiences. I keep you all in my prayers and your words will be with me as I begin next week. Kit

Hi Kit (again),

I got some scarves and hats and decided to get some big dangling earrings which I don't ordinarily wear. It' so hot this summer that the wig I got from ACS will probably stay in the closet! I got my hair cut VERY short (boy cut) last week, so now it's not quite as big a shock---my hairdresser says she'll come "do it right" when I'm ready! There are some really pretty scarves and hats out there---get them NOW, and then you can decide what's right for you! You can even leave the tags on until you're sure you'll use them!

Will be thinking good thoughts and prayers for you on the 14th!
Hugs,
Jan

chenheart · July 2008

First off~ ((((((((((HUGS))))))))!!
Wigs are sooo hot that you will probably not wear one often if at all. I ordered the "bangs" from the TLC catalog...it is bangs with an elastic band, so that with a bandana, it kind looks as if you have hair! What I ended up doing was wearing it BACKWARDS with the bandana, so that I had a little flip on the BACK of my head...like I had hair! I liked that look a lot! Some woman in the supermarket actually stopped me and said she admired how perfect my hair looked~ that she couldn't get hers to do that! Had I been a different kind of woman, I would have torn it off and handed it to her! LOL That only happens in the movies, I am sure!

And, although you have cut your hair, it sadly is true that the best thing to do is shave it. There is no amount of tenderness and care you can give your scalp to keep it from coming out~ and it makes a MESS all over the house. Also , may of us, myself included, find that our scalps ache. As soon as you shave your head, it will stop hurting. Almost miraculous!!!

You will see your way through this part of the journey with your grace and dignity intact, and we walk each step alongside you.

Hugs,
Claudia

Kitty3571 · July 2008

First of all, I'm sorry to see you've joined our group and I wish you the very best for your upcoming treatments.

I endured 1-1/2 years of various treatments and although at the time didn't think I would ever make it thru, now when I look back it's all just a fading memory. Not that I will ever forget completely, don't want to - it truly changes your life.

Anway, about the wig thing. I purchased many wigs, some expensive, some cheap - I just had fun with it. At first I got one that looked very close to the way that my natural hair looked but then I thought "this is my chance to be a different person & to look very different - who cares, right?" so I got a blonde, a long red hair, etc....My husband had no idea what he was coming home to. When I left work & got in the car, the wig came off - most days I got used to the feeling of wearing it and other days I hated it -

You will have to experience it for yourself - Just don't be afraid to go bald, it can after all be a beautiful thing! It reminds you that although you look different, you are still here and that is what matters - surviving no matter what we look like.

I understand though, the first time I cried at all about my diagnosis was when I was completely bald. Shaved it right away, didn't wait for it to fall out everywhere, heard horror stories. I, like most people going thru treatment, lost all hair by the 2nd round of chemo. Just expect it and it might not be so shocking when it happens to you.

When it grew back, it came in pure white and I looked shiek - however that only last a couple of months and I went back to being a bottle baby, 39 was just too young to be 100% white. Mine started to grow back before I was finished treatments. Now you could never tell that I ever lost my hair at one time.

I'm 2-1/2 yrs out and seem to be doing well - I wish you well too, you'll make it thru, don't worry too much. Oh and btw - the best part of losing your hair is you lose it EVERYWHERE - Nice side effect if you ask me. No shaving! I'll keep you in my prayers. Kitty

chenheart · July 2008

Oh yeah, it is true, when it is said you will lose your hair, that does mean EVERYWHERE! Eyebrows, eyelashes, nose-hairs, underarm, leg and pubic area! I wish I had known~ it just never occurred to me, with so much else going on! It would have saved my sanity to have had advance knowledge! :-) I dare say, because I expected to lose the hair on my head, it was not nearly as shocking as showering and having a handful of pubic hair in the washcloth!! I thought something was so very, very, wrong...
I can laugh about it now, of course, but then? Sheesh!

Hugs,
Claudia

Jadie · July 2008

Hi kit

I also bought from the TLC catalog. You can probably find one at your cancer center. The prices are really good. I bought a wig from there that had a white head band on it. It was made for comfort. You could even sleep in it. It was the only wig I had that was comfortable. I practically lived in it. I also bought the bangs to wear with hats. Mine had the back flip and long sides to the bangs to tuck behind my
ear. I didn't like scarves. I feel like they are a statis symbol for cancer.

Good luck with treatment. Keep your eye on that light. It will go quicker than you think and you will return to your new normal.

StarWish624 · August 2008

Variety is comforting.
While I am going through treatment, there are times when I feel confident. I wear fun hats and scarfs. BUT, when I am in my quiet moods, I prefer a wig. At those times, I just want to look "normal" and blend in with the public. Having lots of choices on what to put on my poor bald head gives me a chance to feel my best, no matter what kind of day I'm having. (I even have a red wig for when I'm feeling "evil" ;-). Best wishes.

vmccasland · August 2008

Chemo and Wigs
Hi, Kit --

It's August 23 so I'm guessing by now you've made some good decisions about how to cover your head the way that's best for you. You may also be about done with chemo. I used scarves a couple years ago when I was in your situation because wigs just felt scratchy and hot. As you said, the good news is that there's light at the end of the tunnel and your hair will return, possibly curlier than before. I had enough hair about 6 months after the end of chemo to feel comfortable again. To be sure, it was short, but it was hair -- MY hair! I wish you blessings for this leg of your journey. I know it's hard, but well worth the effort.
Valerie

chemo and wigs

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