Hats, wigs & having no hair

FormerMember over 4 years ago

5 replies
13 subscribers
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My hair started to fall out 2 weeks ago, a couple of weeks after my first chemo session and so I've had it shaved off as I couldn't have it falling into my food, also the sheer trauma of hair washing and it coming out in handfuls was just awful. I have a hat, I also have a wig which my friends tell me looks really good. I know I need to wear the wig more to get used to it, but I just feel really self conscious and its talking hell of a lot of will power to wear it out. Today, with our lovely weather as it is, I chose to wear my hat into town. Once I've been into a shop or too I'm just too hot so walked back to the car. I then sat in my car and sobbed for about 5 minutes because in any other circumstance, where I'd been too hot I'd have taken my hat off to get some fresh air and as it is at the moment I'd felt too self conscious to just whip it off - in the emotion of the moment I'd conveniently forgotten that I could have just undone my coat to cool down, but hey I was on OTT emotional mode! How does anyone else deal with the "no hair" issue? Have you found the perfect wig or an amazing hat shop that you could recommend? Final question I promise, does anyone else just get so irrationally emotional - excuse the pun - at the drop of a hat?

Lolie over 4 years ago

I would highly recommend attending a Look Good, Feel Better workshop. These are conducted free of charge world-wide and about a third of the workshop is devoted to head coverings. There are definitely some tricks involved to wearing wigs, hats and scarves comfortably. Custom fitting is extremely important with wigs, as is wearing some kind of layer under hats (which also allows you to whip them off when they get too hot).

It's still summer here so I generally find turbans and other types of hats too hot. I ordered some really lightweight scarves and wraps off eBay to wear instead. I feel a lot happier having a range of head coverings to choose from.

It sounds like you started losing your hair around the same time I did. I have found myself becoming more comfortable with its absence with time.

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to Lolie

Thanks Lolie, yes I do want to attend a Look Good, Feel Better workshop - it sounds really helpful. Your suggestions are great, especially the idea to wear another layer under a hat so I can whip it off if I get too hot. I do need to give it all more time and am sure that I will become more comfortable with my new look as the weeks go on. Take care & thank you

Lolie over 4 years ago in reply to FormerMember

They're a lot of fun. I hadn't laughed so much since I was diagnosed.

If you can't get to one, they will send a confidence kit and DVD out to you. The confidence kits we were given contained well over AUD 400 worth of high end products and they contained everything you need for skin care and a full face of makeup, so you're set even if you don't own any consmetics at all.

Sparky2 over 4 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Hi there, I have just been on a Look Good, Feel Better workshop. It was amazing! BUT even though there were a couple of ladies there who had lost their hair, the workshop was totally based on makeup. As I said it was fantastic and you should definitely go, just check if there will be any focus at all on headcoverings, wigs etc before you go if that's all you are looking for right now. But really, go anyway, it's lovely! J xxxx have fun! xxxx

FormerMember over 4 years ago in reply to Sparky2

Thank you - yes I'm all booked in for the next Look Good, Feel Better session in March. Have been wearing my wig more often and getting more confident with it and realising that no one is giving me a second look. Thanks for the great ideas & support, its much appreciated!

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