Wig Help Please ❤️

[katie91]

I’m due to start chemotherapy next week 6 sessions of EC-T spread 3 weeks apart… I’m going to cold cap BUT would like to get a back up wig! I’ve seen some beautiful ones online but can’t justify the £1k price tag, especially if there is a smal chance the cold cap will work to prevent complete bald patches.

I’ve just seen this one which is pretty much the exact same colour/curl as my hair but it’s over £1000 does anybody have any ideas where I can find a half decent but not really expensive wig or topper that have a natural curl/wave too? I’m in the UK.

Thank you

[Jaygo]

Hiya. I think the dilemma is whether you will wear it. I spent £250 on a synthetic wig, then another £100 on an internet real hair wig (which to be honest was always going to be crap).

Both wigs looked ok I suppose, but I hated them. I felt hot, prickly (I didn’t cold cap though, so this will undoubtedly make a difference.) I couldn’t get the wig to feel secure on my head and I felt really self-conscious wearing them. I wore one wig out once. I am more comfortable going out with a bald head than with a wig on.

We are all different, and many ladies have wigs and enjoy them, so I don’t want to be a killjoy. But with the benefit of hindsight I would have spent a lot more time researching and road testing before parting with my cash.

I will keep a keen eye on this thread in case other ladies offer hints and tips that might help me feel more comfortable wearing my wigs. It would be such a shame for them to go to waste.

[loupy]

@katie91 a friend of mine told me early on not to spend too much on a wig after she spent £1k+ on one which she wore once! I brought one in John Lewis, it’s exactly like my hair used to be and looks very good BUT like @Jaygo has said I feel very self conscious wearing it and I’ve got used to going out bald instead….its very much a personal choice though. Maybe go to a local shop and try some on as they do look a lot different on than in a picture on line x

[katie91]

This is the issue with them isn’t it, if they’re hot and itchy on an already sensitive Scalp! And even the cheaper ones are still alot of money aren’t they

After posting this last night I did find some nice “hair toppers” on etsy that had really good reviews but they have clips on so do require some hair to clip into which may help me in the shedding days as I’m sure even with cold capping I’ll still likely she’d a fair bit/thin out and maybe if I do lose too much could wear it under a hat?

How’s your chemo going? Hope you’re doing well xx

[katie91]

Exactly this! I hope I do buy a wig and don’t need it but would rather not be £1000 down

I never even knew John Lewis did wigs!! That’s what my worry is that the ones in my price range will just be itchy and uncomfortable

I might venture into a couple of shops to try some on xx

[Jaygo]

Hi @katie91 yes, and wigs might be easier if not all hair is gone as there is a bit of purchase as it were.

Thanks for asking about my chemo. I’m done. Last infusion was 19 Feb. They pulled me early because I’m not fully responding to it so they’re going to go straight to op now. Probably having Kadcyla afterwards which isn’t ideal.

How are you? xxx

[jan.amityville]

I wore a wig when I had primary breast cancer…Bradley lol

I attended an NHS approved hairdressers and no-one knew it was not my hair as I had a style similar to my own. I did find I got hot as the weather warmed up but by then my hair was growing back and I wore it really short. I paid a few hundred for him but he was short in length

Now I have secondaries I have a real hair wig which I rarely wear as it moves on my head due to me having hair - I have alopecia. I normally wear real hair toppers but be warned they have different cap sizes and if the cap is too small and you loose hair in that area you can’t wear them. The clips also cause friction on your own hair. As my hair will never grow back I always have mine beaded in but she has to come off when I have MRI scans and you wouldn’t be able to cold cap if beaded in

Just some food for thought

I would suggest you see if there are hair loss salons in your area rather than go online or to a store to buy one if that is what you are looking to do. I didn’t even know there was one within a mile of my house until I was looking and there are several within a 10 mile radius and I live in a small town

[dilly]

Hi @katie91 at my hospital you are referred to a local wig shop. You can choose from a range of wigs, and you pay the hospital £80 and they cover the rest of the wig cost. I got a beautiful lace front wig, which looks really natural even though its synthetic (I personally wouldn’t want real hair as it freaks me out).

It might be worth checking with your BCN or Oncology first in case your trust has a similar system before buying anything yourself x

[Tulip29]

Hi @katie91 , like dilly I also got my wig at an nhs registered supplier using an nhs voucher. However, as with other ladies on here, I only wore mine a couple of times. It was uncomfortable and made me feel very self-conscious so I ditched it for some glamorous scarves to match my outfits. With the benefit of hindsight I wouldn’t have bothered with the wig but we are all different. X

[mai3]

Hi. I paid €1700 for real hair wig. It’s amazing. Just like my own. The hse covered €780 and my insurance covered €1150. So I gained. . Lol. Happy days

[Shi]

Sorry you find yourself here, your trust will usually have pre loved wigs that you can purchase for a donation also there are lots of hair product shops around that also have fabulous ranges in wigs too now and are very kind and understanding when you let them know what you are needing the wig for and will let you try on variety. You also need to ask your trust for a wig voucher if you wanted to look at that too some of the Forum users have also been getting amazing ones from Amazon and TikTok. I couldn’t stop ordering wigs during chemo (se of the steroids) I ended up with tinsel wigs coloured bobs, a wig for treatment a wig for going out and few more too. Try on different styles too unless you want one identical to your hair but do try on as many as you can they are so good now, no one can tell sending Shi xx

[loupy]

@katie91 just thought! Have you looked on preloved reloved site? Jo the lady that runs it has loads of wigs and she could send you on - you just message her on instagram - I’ll try and link it!

[loupy]

Instagram

[KChest]

I actually had ventured into wig wearing before I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer as a result of lockdown and a number of Teams video calls that highlighted just how bad my fine and thin hair really was! I know cameras aren’t always my friend but I did look bald already. It has been a bit of a journey getting to learn what works for me but if you look on YouTube you can find loads of reviews on wigs which I find super helpful. I tend to go for synthetic styles because you don’t have to worry about styling them. Just throw and go If you struggle with slippage then you can get some great wig grips on Amazon. In terms of where I get my actual wigs from I tend to order from Simply Wigs, Continental Wigs and Valentine Wigs as the main ones (I’m also in the UK) and they all have clearance sections where you can get some good deals at times. Definitely recommend having a look online and then search for the wig style on YouTube to see if there are reviews/unboxings to help you decide if the money might be well spent elsewhere.

It’s also great fun to be able to change your hair colour as you fancy I often switch between my brunettes, blondes and reds just depending on how I feel or what clothes I’m planning on wearing! I personally don’t care if anyone knows it’s not my own hair and my colleagues have got very used to me rocking up with different styles. I do understand however that I’m possibly somewhat in a minority because it’s basically a revelation for me to have a decent do after so many years of trying to get my own hair thicker with lotions and potions that promised the world but did nothing. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t felt the initial fear of stepping out of the house in a wig. I only wore my first one indoors for a while but honestly, I really do think that most people are so wrapped up in their own lives that they wouldn’t notice. Especially if you are planning to stick to a style close to your natural hair too.

A couple of other tips for looking. If you want/like volume then something called permatease is your friend. If you want low density then avoid anything that talks about this stuff. If you get hot easily (hello chemical menopause) then an open wefted cap will likely be better for you than a closed cap. I tend to also mostly wear bobs in summer or grab a claw clip and do a little updo if I choose a longer style. Apparently synthetic wigs are cooler in summer heat too. I have minimal experience with human hair wigs because I am a little lazy with styling plus the prices make me so I can’t actually really confirm or deny this, it’s just what I’ve read.

As you can tell, I have a lot to say on this subject so if you do have any more questions then I’m more than happy to continue X

[madwife]

If you speak to the MacMillan team they have a wig service and should be able to help. I got a really nice wig from them for £75. Good luck.

[arty1]

Hi @katie91 I was diagnosed 18 months ago and had long red hair prior to diagnosis . I had chemotherapy and found a wig maker who ordered two wigs in for me and then styled them. They were £200 each which is silly money considering I discovered that the Amazon cheap wigs were just as good! I ended up buying lots of cheap £12-20 wigs from Amazon which I wore most of all and regretted the expensive ones tbh .

It’s trial and error but a lot of them really were very good! A lot of people had no idea it wasn’t my real hair x

Arty1

[lola12]

Hi all! Restarting this again as keen to know any links for reasonably priced wigs.

have seen some on Amazon and temu but not convinced? I have long dark straight hair and really don’t want to cut it yet…

Starting my 6 rounds shortly!

[katie91]

Hey @lola12 here is my amazon wig topper so not a full wig it clips onto existing hair. I still have a fair bit of hair nearly 3 EC chemo in! But my crown has thinned alot, it can still be covered with my hair but I love this topper I’ve worn it for the 1st time this week and feel put together with it on!

I’ll find the link for it later but it was really cheap off Amazon xx

Which chemo will you be having? Mine is 3 x EC and 3 x Docetaxel all 3 weeks apart. It’s all been very do-able so far! I have long thick curly hair and just trimmed abit off before chemo it’s still long though and I can get away with a headband on. 1 EC to go and I’m hoping it will hang on as I’ve heard alot of people have seen regrowth on docetaxel! Xx

Picture of topper

[poppy261]

Hi All

Ive got two wigs. One I paid £20 for. I bought from a local hairdressers. Im using it for gardening and tip trips. Not bothered if it gets mucky . I went out today in it, after having a pixie cut yesterday. I also used a sun hat to keep it in place. Worked a treat.

Ive also bought a better wig from my NHS Trusts named supplier. I had two shops I could use.

Its beautiful. I had to try on a few first. But none rocked my boat. This was the last one I tried and matches my hair/style/skin colour wonderfully.

I definitely helped going to a shop rather than buying over the internet. Wigs I thought I’d like, looked awful on me. My complection clashed.

I had a pixie cut yesterday ready for chemo. But I didnt want to walk out of the hairdressers with such short hair. I wasnt ready for that. So I wore my wig with a hairband to keep it in place.

It was great. Both days have been seriously sunny. Typical. But, although I was slightly hot I wasnt sweltering. It was manageable.

Over time I will be fine with the no hair look. Ive bought chemo caps, hairbands and silk scarves, as well.

In truth I can mix and match depending on how I feel. Wig, hairband, cap, nothing, etc.

My main wig was £175. I had £119 NHS voucher from my Trust which was a huge help.

Some days I will be short/no hair and proud. Other days I will want some hair around my face. Thats fine. Some days I will be happy with hats and scarves.

Im happy to be flexible to my needs, wants, moods. In time who knows, I may buy a rainbow wig.

Im going at my pace. In a way I can manage. My hair took years and years to grow. I mean YEARS. Its beyond slow growing. I always had short hair when a child. But always wanted it long.

So to know its going to all fall out was….deep down devastating. As I know it will never be long again. I havent got another 40yrs to grow it.

Ive bought a special under wig band to hold both wigs in place when I do lose all my hair. But presently, my pixie hair was cushioning underneath. Both wigs have adjustable tabs to make them tighter or looser. But I think i will always wear a hairband over the wig as this seemed to hold them in place better and looked nice.

The bands also stopped the synthetic strands touching my face. Which can be a bit….not itchy but irritating on my skin.

Hope this helps. Xxxx

[lola12]

Hi all, I’m back.

Two cycles in although one was only yesterday and my hair has shed considerably since around day 14. I would say I have lost around 60% if my hair. Thankful my hair was thick to start with. Although it doesn’t mean it’s incredibly noticeable now with lots of patches.

I fee I’m in the period where I don’t quite feel ready to shade it and caps are my friends however I do want to get a decent quality real hair wig.

These are expensive however my health insurance will contribute £300. Although, I’ve also heard TEMU do decent ones?

Does anyone have temu links to ones they have used and are good?

Thank you xx