Choosing Your Best Wig (for chemo patients)
Since I started wearing my many wigs during chemotherapy, I've found myself giving little impromptu wig seminars for patients in waiting rooms, the infusion center, and online. Several people have suggested I write a guide for chemo patients who want to go wig shopping, so here it is.
The first thing to do is consider whether you even want to wear a wig during chemo. It's not required that you do - you can wear hats, turbans, scarves, or even go bare headed. Having met a few patients who found wigs cumbersome and uncomfortable, I know that they are not for everyone. If you are unsure, start with one wig and see how that feels for you before you invest in any more.
Wigs offer lots of benefits to chemo patients. Chosen well, they can present a look of normalcy that you may want when you are feeing anything but normal. If you have chosen not to tell co-workers or acquaintances about your diagnosis, wigs can help keep your secret. And if, like me, you want to have some fun with wigs, exotic or brightly-colored wigs can bring cheer to an otherwise dreary day.
Once you have been prescribed a type of chemotherapy that leads to hair loss (not all do) and know you want a wig, start by asking your physician for a cranial prosthesis prescription. Yep, cranial prosthesis means wig! Call your insurance company and find out what they pay on these prescriptions and how you submit your invoice. If your insurance company provides particularly good coverage, you'll do well to use the prescription for a well-made wig with a higher price tag.
Shopping for Your New Hair
If you want a wig that matches your original hair, your best bet is to start looking before you lose your hair. Go to local wig shops if you can, because they'll be able to examine your hair color and style to find a good match.
Always have the wig styled for your face, either at the shop or by your own stylist. Most wigs are made with the assumption that you'll fine-tune it during styling. It's the styling that makes all the difference in achieving a natural appearance.
If you are not going to be able to wig-shop before hair loss, but you have a snippet of your original hair, bring that along for color matching purposes. Remember that if you are in stealth mode, you can always go with a wig that matches your hair color and texture, but just looks like you got a new style.
Some online wig shops will send you hair color swatches for a fee or deposit. While this is one option to match the color you want, it does stretch out the time it takes to get your wig, so I'm not sure I'd recommend this for your only wig or your "everyday" look. I lost my hair about 17 days after my first infusion, to give you an idea how of much time you might have.
Take a moment to explore styles and colors that you may not have previously considered. Beauty supply shops, cancer center gift shops, and wig stores usually let you try on a lot of wigs to see what you like. If you decide to go on a wig shopping adventure, bring a friend or two. That way, instead of relying on the opinion of the salesperson, friends who know your personal style can give you advice.
Once you have the basic wig or wigs that you need to feel comfortable, you can start having fun! Because I wasn't concerned with maintaining a specific look (though I did get a couple of "Faux Alix" wigs) I shopped online for wigs, purchasing many of my hairpieces from Chinese wig manufacturers via eBay. When you do that, you're taking a risk, but it worked out well for me. I'm now a wig diva with a wig wardrobe of many colors, and I love them all.
Attributes of a Wig
Before you head out on that first shopping trip, you need to know a few things about what defines a well-made wig.
From the perspective of a cancer patient, a well-made wig is often a monofilament wig. Monofilament wigs are made by hand-knotting each strand of hair to a transparent cap. They tend not to be itchy and they breathe more, instead of trapping heat around your scalp. The transparent effect of the cap means that these wigs look especially natural along the part line if you have no hair, because your natural scalp shows through. Some wigs are 100% monofilament and others have a monofilament top. Because these wigs are labor-intensive, they are more experience than standard machine-wefted wigs. However, you will find a wider range of styles and colors in non-monofilament wigs.
Many people ask me about human hair vs. synthetic hair. They assume human hair is better (after all, they are more expensive) yet I don't recommend these wigs. They require more care, needing to be washed often and requiring frequent styling. In contrast, a synthetic wig holds its style and needs only occasional washing. As a bonus, synthetic wigs are usually more affordable, too. However, you don't want to get near a high heat source (like leaning down to peek into your 400-degree oven!) while wearing a synthetic wig or your bangs might melt! So, for welders and chefs, perhaps, I'd say go with human hair.
With synthetic hair, not all fibers are created equal. I prefer Kanekalon fiber, featured prominently in wigs from Japan. It is soft and silky like my former hair. Touch a lot of wigs to see what feels best, then at the tag or inside label to see what fiber it is. I have a few wigs that have horrible fibers. They are hard to style, feel rough, and shed hair strands all the time. I only keep them because they have more exotic colors that I can't find in the fibers I want. Balance what you want with how the wig feels.
Wig Accessories
One cool accessory for your wig is the Comfy Grip. It is a soft, gel-like band that you put near your scalp line, where it will be covered by the edge of the wig. Then you put on your wig over that. The Comfy Grip helps keep the wig in place, even if you are jogging, and helps dissipate heat across your scalp. You can find the Comfy Grip at online stores like headcovers.com.
In terms of wig care, you don't need much for synthetic wigs. Here are the basics that I recommend:
- A wig comb - this is a very wide-toothed comb to smooth fibers. Don't use a brush or regular comb as these are likely to pull fibers out and shorten the life of your wig.
- A water-resistant head form - Styrofoam is acceptable. You just want something to place your wig on after washing it, so that it dries with a good shape.
- Mild detergent - You don't need fancy wig shampoos, though you can buy them if you want. Swishing your wig in water and a mild detergent usually does the trick. (Just remember, don't comb it until it is completely dry, or the fibers may stretch and snap.)
Keep the hairnets that the wigs come in. If you choose not to keep your wigs on mannequin heads (I have so many that I cannot do that) stuff some white tissue paper inside the cap part of the wig so that it doesn't crease at the top. Put the hairnet back on to hold the shape and slip the wig back into the plastic bag it came in or a wig box.
When I started building my wig collection, I had no idea that it would become such a crazy adventure. I learned more than I expected about what looks good on me and what does not...mostly, that I had many more attractive looks available than I had thought. At a time when my spirits were often low, crazy hair often perked up my mood and led to friendly conversations with people who might have never talked to me otherwise. The biggest surprise was finding out that people thought my hair was real, which just goes to show that not all wigs look like wigs - and that styling is key.
Best of success to you on your wig adventure!
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