Hi all
I saw the ‘wig lady’ today and shebamboozled me withall the different types of wig there are! All the different fibres and the actual insides of them etc… I don’t know where to start.
Any advice or tips would be very welcome, thank you, janey xx
Hi Janey,
i just got a couple of wigs recently (within the last 2 weeks) my experiences at the wig shops was very mixed from terrible to amazing! Where in the country are you?
Lisa.x
Hey Janey,
Are you anywhere near Leeds? I can recommend an excellent wig lady. X
Have you been given a list of approved wig suppliers for your hospital trust? My hospital has 3, so if yours has more than one, you can go somewhere else where you may get more useful help!
As far as I am aware, most wigs are adjustable size-wise. They have little velcro bands to tighten or slacken them. The more expensive the wig, the better the inside bits are. I was more interested in having one that didn’t need styling every morning - just a quick shake and the style comes back! I also chose one as close as possible to my own hair. I’m not adventurous like some of the younger ladies are. I think you will know when you try one that you like. I tried dozens on before picking the last one I tried.
Good luck - you will find one!
Hi Janey
You may find the BCC ‘Breast cancer and hair loss’ information helpful, you can read or order a copy here:
We also run ‘Headstrong’ services around the country which is a hair loss advisory service and you can find out if there is one near you here:
Best wishes
Lucy
thanks guys, I live near Warrington and I have been given a few recommended places by my local hospital, it’s just seems to be there are so many styles and types, monofilament, hand tied, acrylic, humair hair etc etc… I think I will just take my bestie with me and go try loads on and see what’s comfortable, difficulty is they have recommended I go before my hair falls out so I won’t know what feels comfy as I will still have hair!!! X
Don’t forget you can get a wig trimmed. They tend to be very thick, so trimmimg can make them look far more natural, especially if you have fine hair. You need to go to a hairdresser who is trained to trim wigs. A friend of mine currently has a wig that she got trimmed, and it looks fantastic.
Hi again,
The monofilament wigs are good because the inside bits allow you to part the hair any which way you want and the webbing won’t show through. With most of the other types you are stuck with whatever parting is there. Real hair wigs are just like real hair - they have to be washed frequently, then styled just as you would with your own hair, whereas the acrylic ones need washing far less frequently and don’t need styling at all. As RR said above, a specialist wig hairdresser can cut and thin out your wig to your taste. The shop where I bought mine from would have done this for me had I wanted.
I still have all my own hair, and don’t know how it will feel when I go bald, but you can buy caps to wear under the wig to stop any discomfort. Best to get it now to give you plenty of time to wear it round the house or on trips out to get used to it before it actually becomes necessary!
Thank you for all the good advice, am just slowly getting my head around all this!! Xx
I tried 4 wigs on , one of them was very close to my old style , long & blonde ,my mam even said " I’ve got my daughter back !" Cue tears !! However I went for a blunt bob , it was reasonably trendy ( I’m 41) & being shorter it’s so easy to wear , it’s lighter than the long one & doesnt rub on my clothes at the neckline , this cost £230 but got it free with a voucher from the hospital ( I know different hospitals have different schemes) the real hair wigs were £450 but again may just be the clinic I went to . The girl was very helpful so I would try another salon , is Manchester close to you as I’m sure you would find a fantastic salon in the city.
i wear my wig loads , as its not real hair it just needs a quick shake & i put it on in seconds & it doesn’t look wiggy at all , felt self conscious at first tho & as you can see by my photo I’ve shaved my remaining hair off & must say my wig fits much better when bald & heat off head keeps it secure.
Like others have suggested try another salon & persevere until you find one you like x
Ooh Karen I am 44 so pretty close in age, hospital only gave me voucher for £150 which I am sorry to say will only over a very basic wig which looks awful around the parting, all frizzy etc. what make is your wig if you don’t mind me asking? I have long blonde hair too but am thinking shorter for my wig for the weight etc… Also as am rubbish at styling I would like one that needs no styling!!! X
Hi
I live in South Manchester, and I bypassed the “wig lady” at the hospital. Whilst its great that you can get one free on the NHS, and I’m sure for a lot of ladies these are fine, Ive always been a “hair and make up” kind of girl, so my wig choice was MASSIVE to me! The ones provided by the hospital arent as realistic as the one i personally paid for. I was convinced i’d never get one the same as my hair style. But i did!! I went to a wig shop on Bridge Street, Manchester, called Salon Maieur. (I think that’s how you spell it!). This is the wig shop that the Christie USED to use, and they are very good, and have a really good choice. If they have the style you want but not the colour, or vice versa, they’ll order it for you and post it out.
I didn’t opt for human hair, as a) they are very expensive and b) the hair loss is temporary. (Although it feels like forever!)
You are best going to choose it whilst you have hair, so you can colour match it and also so the assistant can see how you wear your hair and can pick out appropriate styles for you. Yes, it’s uncomfortable trying it on with a full head of hear under a little stocking cap! But honestly, you’ll get the gist and once your hair has come out, the wig sits brilliantly!! Once my hair started coming out my hairdresser came round a cut it really really short. And from that minute on I wore my wig!! The day I bought my wig I thought it would need trimming a little, but once my hair had come out, as I said, the wig was perfect!!
Remember, don’t get the wig fringe cut too short. It’s best left so it kind off grazes your eyebrows. As, once you have Docetaxol, and your eyebrows and lashes fall out, the fringe helps to disguise this and the fact that everything is pencilled on!!
PM me if you want handy more info on this shop. Good luck
Mandy xx
Hi, I had coloured my hair blond for years due to the grey. (am 42). I decided to have my hair cut short prior to chemo…it all fell out 21 days after 1st EC. I wore head scarfs and hats during chemo…it was more comfy. I went to the hairdresser/wig man who is based in my hospital…Royal Marsden. Wigs here are £59. I had lost all my hair when I tried the wigs on…I got a short brown one as I thought once my hair starts growing it will be brown with grey. It is by Natural Image and called Zara! I didnt use it at all during chemo as really wasnt well enough to go out, however since chemo has finished I have bought a cotton cap to go underneath it for comfort…I wear it when am out now, and it looks quite natural. My hair is growing back…black and white ish. I think the wig just helps me to blend in…I do get hot though so do recommend the cotton caps. Good luck. If anyone has any advice about what to do when hair starts growing back, would be interested to know…when to cut/ colour it etc.
Kind regards,
Mel x
Hi All!
On 1st chemo 3 yrs. ago I had a shortish dark brown wig, which I soon hated wearing, as I was always worried that my bald head would show at back or sides - so was constantly pulling sides and back down!
For present chemo I’d already decided to go for lots more hair! It works - no worrying about hair being too short to cover and I can style it a bit, with slides at sides so it looks even more natural. I am much happier with this one. It was from the NHS approved supplier - I chose it when I still had hair, then went back next day so he could shave my head and trim the ends to length I wanted.
Jen x
Hi JLR x my wig box says ; Ellen Wille Hair Power,style is Talia Mono , colour is Champagne Rooted, it’s really natural
hope that helps
Karen x
Hi Janey,
There is a charity set up by Trevor Sorbie, called My New Hair.
They give advice on hair loss, selecting and styling wigs, and also on caring for your hair when it grows back
They also train hairdressers to cut wigs. As RoadRunner says, wigs are often very thick and look better when thinned out a bit.
If you look at their website, www.mynewhair.org, you can see if there is a stylist at a salon local to you.
They are often willing to see you when the salon is quiet, or after hours if you would like a bit of privacy.
X
Have just checked the ‘my new hair’ website and as it turns out the salon that my hospital recommends and have given me a voucher for is part of it and have the trained staff and private room etc… Feel much better now and I have an appointment for next week, my best friend is coming too.xx
Brilliant news Janey!
I had incredibly thick hair ( it has come back just as thick!) and although I had had my hair cut short when I went to get a wig, when my a hair fell out it was too big. I eventually took it back and the lady showed me how I could sew it it to make it smaller but I didn’t really feel she was that interested now she’d sold it me. My advice is to find a style you like before you lose your hair but don’t commit and go back when you’ve lost your hair. Choosing a wig etc helps you feel in control of what’s going on but I also felt mine was a waste of money as I wasn’t really happy with it. For me I felt like I was wearing a hairy hat and probably only wore it 5 times and 3 of those were to see my dad as he paid for it! I started chemo in April and although we had a fairly awful summer weather wise last year, I felt happier in headscarves and after 4th chemo did not wear anything unless it was really cold!! Now I don’t expect you to feel that you’ll want to do this, it did take time to get to that point, but it was liberating.
good idea to take a friend, all the very best,
Gaynor xx
Hi
Also check out heathershair.co.uk - a wig alternative. You can wear it under your scarf or hat. I wore my HH everyday and my wig just on the odd night out.
Take care