Hi Bel!
We have so many people in exactly the same boat as you, and it's definitely an extremely stressful experience to go through. Your hair is something you've no doubt spent countless hours on every single week, and being able to flaunt it and have a GREAT hair day is super important to just about everyone - I am sure you know that as a hairdresser yourself!
Your health insurance company should cover you for a certain amount on the purchase of your first wig (but they might call it a cranial prosthesis!), so give them a call and find out what they need, it can save you a fortune!
Some places offer overnight shipping/delivery so if you're in a pinch you can try that - Buying locally gives you the confidence to try things on and find just what you need - this is definitely the hardest time of year.
During hairloss, a lot of people have VERY selicate skin so make sure you keep protected from the sun, and try soft terry towel or velous headwear when you go to bed - it will stop you gettng hair everywhere when you sleep! You can wear them during the day around the house etc too, as they're lighter and softer on your skin - especially in icky hot weather and warmer months.
Many people trim their hair before they begin to lose it, but it really just depends on what you think would work best for you! Cutting your own hair into a style suited to your new wig will graduate the transition a little bit, but it just depends how much preparation time you get.
When choosing your new hair, remember that longer hair will tangle more easily and require more care - but as a hairdresser, I think you're going to be the perfect caretaker of a sparkly new wig. Going a shade or two lighter than your usual tone can also help you look sparklier, as we find a lot of people get a little more pale during treatment and the slight lift in colour can compensate.
I saw Bindi's fabulous comment today and was so happy I found this awesome site, I am going to make sure we spend a little time each day reading through people's questions to see where help can be offered whenever possible. I read the terms/guidelines and I saw that we're not allowed to try and offer items for sale or anything related to goods/services, so I will be absolutely certain that we don't break any forum rules and will not link or suggest any products for sale. I'm purely here to help and happy to answer any questions I think our experience can assist in! Let me know if there is ANYTHING I can answer for you, I really don't think there is such a thing as a 'silly question' and if we can make life even a tad easier we're all for it!! :)
