Wig Shopping

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louiseg
louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
edited October 2010 in Health and wellbeing

I start my chemo in about 3 weeks and thought I would go wig shopping soon :)  I know the Cancer Council in WA has a hire service and was wondering if anyone has used this and what you think about hiring versus buying a wig?  As we only need them for a relatively short period of time I think I will try to hire one if I can find one that I like. Does anyone know how much wigs cost (my hair is just past my shoulders in length).

Take care,

Louise

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  • Leonie Moore
    Leonie Moore Member Posts: 1,470 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Good to be of assistance.  We all gather little tips about treatment along the way and this is the best avenue to share them.  Add me as a contact if you wish and I will be able to keep a track of how you are going.  It is nearly 4 years since my diagnosis, I work full-time but am so looking forward to retiring next year on my 55th birthday.  I never thought I would look forward to turning 55 but the "little carrot" of retirement is a good incentive.   I think it is also a wonderful 5 year "present" to give to myself.  I will be able to do a lot more to promote BCNA through my role as Community Liaison Officer. Take careXLeonie

  • grover
    grover Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Louise,

    i actually bought my wig from curly sues in morley, it was about $250 and i was able to claim some back from my private health fund. the girls in there are amazing and i was able to try on different styles. i chose a short bob. they put it aside for me, and when i went back they even shaved  off the remaining hair for me

    take care, kathy

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Thanks for that Kathy.  I don't think my health insurance would cover it as I only have Hospital cover.... anyway I will have a look at the Cancer Council wigs first and if I can't find anything I'll go to Curly Sue's.  I keep joking with my boys that I'll come back with an afro or mohawk!! (maybe bright purple!!!!)

  • Grace
    Grace Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Louise

    The wig-shopping is the fun part of this rollercoaster journery. I live in Far North Qld and had no trouble at all with itchy wigs. They are soooo soft these days and really comfortable and stylish. You can also get little caps that fit under the wigs now - instead of the baby-singlet.

    I got my wig supplied to me for free through the Cancer Council. I don't understand why you are having to buy/hire. I even had it fitted by an experienced hairdresser and had the wig trimmed (fringe) to suit me.

    A bright purple, afro, mohawk sounds pretty damned good to me! You go girl

    All the best ...

    Grace xoxo

  • w.a. kaz
    w.a. kaz Member Posts: 80
    edited March 2015
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    hello and good luck wig shopping. my kids didnt like me in a wig so I wore a black beanie- looked like a right bogan and lucky it was winter. There are some lovely summer hats about and a little trick is to wear a light thin scarf (not triangle but long rectangle,-10 cms wide) covers the top of ears and tail at back substitutes ponytail, then pop on summer cap/hat and nobody will know your bald. Also I hope you get a chance to do the Look good Feel Better program as they are great for head gear. i just met a lady from Vic that started making head gear after her chemo so will track down her business card tomorrow and post her details to you. bye for now   :)

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Ladies

    Thanks for all of the advice.

    Grace, as far as I know the Cancer Council don't provide wigs free of charge other than by hire here in Perth???  I will have a look at what they have though.

    Tanya, I had a look at the Rene of Paris wigs - they look great!  So natural looking.  Did you get one?  Did it look artificial or natural?  I know I have a costume wig that I had for a party and it looks so artificial, so I wouldn't want one like that!

    Kaz, I am doing the Look Good...Feel Better workshop on 18th October (chemo starts on 27th) so hopefully I will get some more good tips from there :)  Thanks for the info though - I will keep the cap/scarf idea in mind!  It's going to be coming in to summer by the time I lose my hair so not sure how itchy the various options will be.  I guess I'll just have to wait and see and see which one works best for me :0)

    Bye for now,

    Louise x

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Ladies

    Thanks for all of the advice.

    Grace, as far as I know the Cancer Council don't provide wigs free of charge other than by hire here in Perth???  I will have a look at what they have though.

    Tanya, I had a look at the Rene of Paris wigs - they look great!  So natural looking.  Did you get one?  Did it look artificial or natural?  I know I have a costume wig that I had for a party and it looks so artificial, so I wouldn't want one like that!

    Kaz, I am doing the Look Good...Feel Better workshop on 18th October (chemo starts on 27th) so hopefully I will get some more good tips from there :)  Thanks for the info though - I will keep the cap/scarf idea in mind!  It's going to be coming in to summer by the time I lose my hair so not sure how itchy the various options will be.  I guess I'll just have to wait and see and see which one works best for me :0)

    Bye for now,

    Louise x

  • Tanya
    Tanya Member Posts: 380
    edited March 2015
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    Lousie

    Now they looked pretty real, people actually used to ask where I had my hair done and got really embarrassed when I told them it was a wig.  I used to say "dont be embarassed, the fact that you thought it was real is a compliment".

    I live in Far North Queensland where it gets hot too and I wore mine most of the time..  The lady from the Sydney shop used to send me them on consignement to try before I bought one!!!

    I am sitting here racking my brain to the name of mine.  I think I had an Emily which had really light streaks, and I had another one too but cant think of the name.

    Good luck.

     

    Tanya

  • Tanya
    Tanya Member Posts: 380
    edited March 2015
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    Lousie

    Now they looked pretty real, people actually used to ask where I had my hair done and got really embarrassed when I told them it was a wig.  I used to say "dont be embarassed, the fact that you thought it was real is a compliment".

    I live in Far North Queensland where it gets hot too and I wore mine most of the time..  The lady from the Sydney shop used to send me them on consignement to try before I bought one!!!

    I am sitting here racking my brain to the name of mine.  I think I had an Emily which had really light streaks, and I had another one too but cant think of the name.

    Good luck.

     

    Tanya

  • Tanya
    Tanya Member Posts: 380
    edited March 2015
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    Lousie

    Now they looked pretty real, people actually used to ask where I had my hair done and got really embarrassed when I told them it was a wig.  I used to say "dont be embarassed, the fact that you thought it was real is a compliment".

    I live in Far North Queensland where it gets hot too and I wore mine most of the time..  The lady from the Sydney shop used to send me them on consignement to try before I bought one!!!

    I am sitting here racking my brain to the name of mine.  I think I had an Emily which had really light streaks, and I had another one too but cant think of the name.

    Good luck.

     

    Tanya

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Tracey

    I went on-line last night and ordered a couple of wigs from the US - they are the Rene of Paris ones and are really cheap on-line!  I paid $193 for 2 delivered to Australia!!

    While I was on the various websites (there are a lot that you can order from) I did notice that they sold the caps to go under the wigs and also the mannequin heads to put the wigs on.  I didn't get any but may do closer to the time if I feel like I will need them...

    Incidentally, I decided not to go with the purple Afro - I thought that might scare people a little too much!!

    Louise x

     

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
    Options

    Hi Tracey

    I went on-line last night and ordered a couple of wigs from the US - they are the Rene of Paris ones and are really cheap on-line!  I paid $193 for 2 delivered to Australia!!

    While I was on the various websites (there are a lot that you can order from) I did notice that they sold the caps to go under the wigs and also the mannequin heads to put the wigs on.  I didn't get any but may do closer to the time if I feel like I will need them...

    Incidentally, I decided not to go with the purple Afro - I thought that might scare people a little too much!!

    Louise x

     

  • tracey d
    tracey d Member Posts: 8
    edited March 2015
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    i got my wig through the cancer council and although it is brand new i had to pay a small fee of $50 and when i am finished with it i can return it and get back $20 so thats ok.

    im attending the look good feel better program later this month and yes it is supposed to be really good and lots of fun, so i cant wait.

    i have been trying to look around for some sort of cap to wear under my wig as it is a bit itchy, so as of yet i have not been able to find one but the sounds of the singlet was a good idea.

    talk again soon  Tracey

  • Tanya
    Tanya Member Posts: 380
    edited March 2015
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    Hi Tracey

    There are liitle caps made out of stockings that are good too.  Have a look on line, they are only a couple of dollars and they are comfy too.

    Tanya

  • louiseg
    louiseg Member Posts: 412 ✭
    edited March 2015
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    I got the Jade one in Mochaccino colour and the Jackson in Iced-Mocha.  I hope the colours are ok?!?!?  It seems like they look different on every website that you go on!  The Jackson one was $104 and the Jade one was $68, and then I paid $29.95 for postage (they also gave me a 5% discount which I think pretty much everyone gets on that website from the looks of things!).

    I can't wait to get them now!  Hopefully they should be here by the end of next week :)

    Louise

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