Recommendations head coverings for hair loss during chemo

Hi suze99

I did scalp cooling so only had some hair thinning in the end but I did have a wig on standby and several scarves. 

It is worth having a look on amazon as they have some fairly inexpensive pre tied head scarves and turban type ones that I found washed well. The ones I likes were pretied at the side almost like you have bunches in your hair and they were a stretchy soft jersey material. They also have some soft sleep caps that a friend recommended to me. When I was at the hospital a lot of people seemed to wear the beanie type hats and some were very pretty. I saw a couple of younger girls wearing hats with hair attached. 

I bought a silky pillowcase as well. I found that when my hair was coming out it helped as the hair that was shedding didn't cause any mattes. I found my scalp was a bit sore/itchy when I was shedding and it did help it feel more comfortable. 

At my hospital there was a Macmillan volunteer who would be in once a week and had lots of different styles that she could show you and you could try on which I thought was a good idea. There was one she had which was like a beanie but had loops through where you could thread one of you own scarves. It might be worth asking at your hospital. Your CNS would know. At mine there was an NHS wig lady who came in every Wednesday and would help you try on wigs. There is an NHS voucher scheme. The volunteer lady was in the same day with her scarves. 

I hope this helps and I wish you well for your chemo. If you need anything else, please do ask

Jane

Thank you very much Jane x

You are well suze99.

When I found out that I was to have chemo, the hair loss was a big thing for me, hence using the cold cap. It worked for me as I thinned all over and no bald spots. I got a wig from the hospital and only wore it a couple of times- I found it itchy and hot and it didn't feel like my hair. I think if I had to do chemo again I would use the cold cap again and buy some more of the jersey scarfs from amazon. I liked the way they were pre-tied. I saw a lot of ladies wearing them during chemo and some were really pretty. I remember one lady in particular, dressed really elegantly and a long paisley silky scarf in pinks and blues tied at the side and thought how glamorous she looked. At the time I looked pretty rough! 

I bought a lot of turbans from e-Bay.  They were a fraction of the price of the exact same turbans elsewhere.

My hospital has a wig library but I already knew that wigs tend to be hot and uncomfortable and I started my treatment during the heat of summer.

I had about 30 turbans, so they became accessories to some degree.  I found my head sweated a lot so having plenty meant I could wear several each day.

That said, I was never particularly upset about losing my hair.  Losing my eyebrows was awful but you can now get eyebrow transfers online which look a lot like feathering.

Thank you for your replies.

I have bought a couple of scarves in preparation. 

Does anyone know if it's possible to buy fake hair that can be attached to a hat or headscarf? 

Thank you

Sue 

Yes it is. The wig lady showed me some at my hospital. Like clip on fringes that you can attach to your scarves. You can also buy caps/hats with hair attached. 

Have a look on amazon and it will give you an idea

Jane

Hi there, I am planning on trying the cold cap as like you the hair loss scares and bothers me enormously. Was the cold cap unbearable almost ? As if it is that bad I may just shave everything off as I think it’s the hair falling out that scares me more than the actual loss if that makes sense. Honest opinion would be much appreciated

Honestly, after the first few moments- it was ok. Not pleasant but not in anyway unbearable. It is worth trying and if at any point you do not like the sensation- they can turn the machine straight off. 

This was my experience. 

(1) The Changing Faces of Cancer- Scalp cooling, Hair loss and Regrowth. - Macmillan Online Community

Jane

Hi 

I was recommended to take a couple of paracetamols before and I had no trouble with the cold cap. Some people get brain freeze but I didn’t .  My hair thinned but kept 75 percent of it. So give it ao. I agree the hair loss is really hard to deal with. I am now on another treatment which you are not meant to loose your hair and I am but you do get used to it and there are some great head wear out there . The hardest thing for me personally is not wanted to be identified by my current journey but to still be  me but I am sourc some headwear which works. Amazon seems a lot cheaper than the specialist sites and it’s all made in China anyway  Plus the reviews are useful . I wore cashmere beanies during first chemo which were lovely and uniglo do a good range of colours at competitive prices compared to what cashmere normally costs . Worth the investment . 

It was not unbearable for me at any point. My sessions are eight hours long so it was on for nine hours in total. As others have said, the first few minutes are a shock - I’d practised with a bag of.frozen peas inside a bob hat, and it was colder than that - but never unbearable. I just got used to it after ten minutes or so. I set myself an hour to decide whether to keep  it on. Unfortunately for me it didn’t work well so I took a decision to crop my hair really short and wear my wigs. I’m glad I tried though. I’ve spoken to other ladies who saved most of their hair so I guess I was just unlucky. My treatment is high dose Paclitaxel and Carboplatin.

i believe it’s worth a try. Good luck xx