Wig help please
Hi, Just about to start chemo, have bought hats and scarves and not sure if I could wear a wig.
The wigs at our wig library looked really fake and I am in the country and trying to look on the net.
Some suggestions on good brands and whether to get microfilament, real hair etc. thanks, Kylie
Comments
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Try Celebrity Wigs at Bondi or Individual Wigs at Darlinghurst. Both could do mail order. I've had wigs from both places and many people didn't even know I was wearing a wig, they looked so good. After you buy it, go to a hairdresser and get them to lightly trim it to suit your head. That way it will look more natural. They tend to put a lot of hair on them to suit every head! Even if it's just the fringe and a bit on top, to fit your face and head shape!
Chris on this site, got one mail order from Melbourne. Ask her, or phone Jacaranda Lodge at the SAN hospital in Sydney for their number. Chris left brochures there.
All the best. I'm sure you'll find something. You can claim from your health fund too if you have Extras cover!0 -
Hi Kato, I was bald form this time last year. Initially I only wore a wig if going out, as the weather was hot, but from April throught to September I wore a wig most of the time. My second wig was really good, and provided that I brushed my eyebrows on, no one would ever have known I wore a wig. My profile picture shows the wig I wore, and I had 2 of them. My 22 year old daughter made a comment one day, that she could almost forget about my cancer when I wore my wig, because it was so good. I wore it all the time after that comment. I even take it to the hairdressers now, to try and colour match it, and when my curls finally starighten out again, I want my hairdresser to cut my hair into the same style. I found this wig in Melbourne, and have ordered one over phone as well. They tell me that they
are happy to send out 2 or 3, and then you can return
the ones you don't like. The company is Creative Hair
Products, at 156 Swanston Street Melbourne. Phone is
(03) 9654 7383 .
(03) 9654 7809.
Email: chpwig@onthe.net.au
Web: creativewigs.com.au
The wig I am wearing in my profile picture is a monofilament hand made wig called TIA in marble
brown colour. It cost me $377. As Deeay said, they
often need to be adjusted by a hairdresser, but the less
you do to them, the better they are. This one required
no extra work, but my first one did, and it didn't end up
lasting me very long at all. The good synthetic wigs are
great and easy to look after. You wash them and hang
them out to dry. No styling required, but human hair needs lots of work, and they are more expensive. Good
luck with all your treatment, and hope you can find a
wig. Love Chris xx0 -
Hi
For what its worth I just thought I'd add my 2 cents.
I had 16 rounds of chemo from 11/2010- 05/2011. most of my life I had long blonde hair and was terrified of losing my hair. I think psychologically it helped me mentally to prepare for the loss by gathering many many scarves and I bought 2 wigs from wig affair in the picadilly arcade in the city . They are from the Renee of paris line. From memory they were about $450 each. You can claim on your health fund with a leter from your oncologist. (if you are not in a health fund they are on ebay for much cheaper)
I had my hair cut short into a concave bob (thought may as well try a short hair cut its about to fall out anyway) and went into the city with my friend and tried on wigs before my hair fell out so that they could see what type of colour and style I liked.
After my first round of chemo when my hair started to fall out I went to the hairdressers and got my hair clippered off. I felt that I controlled it and I didnt want to be paranoid about having clumps of hair on me that had fallen out.
Now having said all this I only used my wigs a couple of times (wedding/party) and for very short periods. I too found them hot ,itchy and tight. I have a HUGE head and it was adjusted as big as it could go but I still felt like it was squeezing my head and gave me a headache. Also I kind of felt like it stood out like a beacon that I was wearing a wig and I felt really paranoid. most of the time I wore the canteen bandanners which if you contact them they will send to you for free. I had a lot ot variety of colours and they are quite funky. As I was bald from december- may it was quite hot and Ive got to tell you that after years of not going swimming because I didnt want to wash my long hair or get it wet it was quite liberating to just jump in the pool or go in the shower and stick my head under the water. Look Im not saying that there arent going to be tears because there will be and I could cry now thinking about it...but try and look at the postives and remember that we actually want to be happy about the hair falling out because at least we know that the chemo is doing its job and kiiling those nasty fast gowing cells.
One of the things I hated about not having my hair was that I was no longer annonymous and I felt that I couldnt hide. I would hate going out and seeing an acquaintance who I hadnt seen for ages at the shops and they would look at you with pity and say how are you?? and I would just smile and say good thanks!!! I see ladies now with scarves on and I want to go and tell them I know how they feel but theyd probably think I was a crazy lady haha
i agree with chris about the synthetic wigs. You need quick and easy. I think the real hair are much more expensive and time consuming and more designed for long term hair loss ie alopecia It really is only for a short time that we need them. I know that right now it probably doesnt seem that way.
I hoped some of this helped
Good luck with chemo and the rest of your journey,
love Jo xoxo
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Hi
For what its worth I just thought I'd add my 2 cents.
I had 16 rounds of chemo from 11/2010- 05/2011. most of my life I had long blonde hair and was terrified of losing my hair. I think psychologically it helped me mentally to prepare for the loss by gathering many many scarves and I bought 2 wigs from wig affair in the picadilly arcade in the city . They are from the Renee of paris line. From memory they were about $450 each. You can claim on your health fund with a leter from your oncologist. (if you are not in a health fund they are on ebay for much cheaper)
I had my hair cut short into a concave bob (thought may as well try a short hair cut its about to fall out anyway) and went into the city with my friend and tried on wigs before my hair fell out so that they could see what type of colour and style I liked.
After my first round of chemo when my hair started to fall out I went to the hairdressers and got my hair clippered off. I felt that I controlled it and I didnt want to be paranoid about having clumps of hair on me that had fallen out.
Now having said all this I only used my wigs a couple of times (wedding/party) and for very short periods. I too found them hot ,itchy and tight. I have a HUGE head and it was adjusted as big as it could go but I still felt like it was squeezing my head and gave me a headache. Also I kind of felt like it stood out like a beacon that I was wearing a wig and I felt really paranoid. most of the time I wore the canteen bandanners which if you contact them they will send to you for free. I had a lot ot variety of colours and they are quite funky. As I was bald from december- may it was quite hot and Ive got to tell you that after years of not going swimming because I didnt want to wash my long hair or get it wet it was quite liberating to just jump in the pool or go in the shower and stick my head under the water. Look Im not saying that there arent going to be tears because there will be and I could cry now thinking about it...but try and look at the postives and remember that we actually want to be happy about the hair falling out because at least we know that the chemo is doing its job and kiiling those nasty fast gowing cells.
One of the things I hated about not having my hair was that I was no longer annonymous and I felt that I couldnt hide. I would hate going out and seeing an acquaintance who I hadnt seen for ages at the shops and they would look at you with pity and say how are you?? and I would just smile and say good thanks!!! I see ladies now with scarves on and I want to go and tell them I know how they feel but theyd probably think I was a crazy lady haha
i agree with chris about the synthetic wigs. You need quick and easy. I think the real hair are much more expensive and time consuming and more designed for long term hair loss ie alopecia It really is only for a short time that we need them. I know that right now it probably doesnt seem that way.
I hoped some of this helped
Good luck with chemo and the rest of your journey,
love Jo xoxo
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Hi
For what its worth I just thought I'd add my 2 cents.
I had 16 rounds of chemo from 11/2010- 05/2011. most of my life I had long blonde hair and was terrified of losing my hair. I think psychologically it helped me mentally to prepare for the loss by gathering many many scarves and I bought 2 wigs from wig affair in the picadilly arcade in the city . They are from the Renee of paris line. From memory they were about $450 each. You can claim on your health fund with a leter from your oncologist. (if you are not in a health fund they are on ebay for much cheaper)
I had my hair cut short into a concave bob (thought may as well try a short hair cut its about to fall out anyway) and went into the city with my friend and tried on wigs before my hair fell out so that they could see what type of colour and style I liked.
After my first round of chemo when my hair started to fall out I went to the hairdressers and got my hair clippered off. I felt that I controlled it and I didnt want to be paranoid about having clumps of hair on me that had fallen out.
Now having said all this I only used my wigs a couple of times (wedding/party) and for very short periods. I too found them hot ,itchy and tight. I have a HUGE head and it was adjusted as big as it could go but I still felt like it was squeezing my head and gave me a headache. Also I kind of felt like it stood out like a beacon that I was wearing a wig and I felt really paranoid. most of the time I wore the canteen bandanners which if you contact them they will send to you for free. I had a lot ot variety of colours and they are quite funky. As I was bald from december- may it was quite hot and Ive got to tell you that after years of not going swimming because I didnt want to wash my long hair or get it wet it was quite liberating to just jump in the pool or go in the shower and stick my head under the water. Look Im not saying that there arent going to be tears because there will be and I could cry now thinking about it...but try and look at the postives and remember that we actually want to be happy about the hair falling out because at least we know that the chemo is doing its job and kiiling those nasty fast gowing cells.
One of the things I hated about not having my hair was that I was no longer annonymous and I felt that I couldnt hide. I would hate going out and seeing an acquaintance who I hadnt seen for ages at the shops and they would look at you with pity and say how are you?? and I would just smile and say good thanks!!! I see ladies now with scarves on and I want to go and tell them I know how they feel but theyd probably think I was a crazy lady haha
i agree with chris about the synthetic wigs. You need quick and easy. I think the real hair are much more expensive and time consuming and more designed for long term hair loss ie alopecia It really is only for a short time that we need them. I know that right now it probably doesnt seem that way.
I hoped some of this helped
Good luck with chemo and the rest of your journey,
love Jo xoxo
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I really appreciated everyones help. It is great to know that others feel the same way. I live in a very small town of 500 people, but have only just moved here. It is very hard as I don't know many people, yet they come up and say "I hear you've got breast cancer", but don't even introduce themselves or stop to chat. I have decided that since everyone seems to know my business I will wear scarves in town and try a wig if I go somewhere special. Thanks again, Kylie xx
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Hello,
I am also one of the ones who got a wig and only wore it once. I felt more selfconscious in it than I did wearing scarves and also agree that they are too hot on the head.
All the best,
Julia
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