Thanks for all your help with the moving house question. We’ve decided to go for it. The cancer wasn’t in my lymph nodes so we’re feeling more positive about things.
Now I’ve had my mastectomy, I am a bit worried though about the chemo. It sounds silly after having a brreast removed but in a way the loss of my hair scares me more! I’ve to see the chemo specicalist in a couple of weeks but I already know I’m going to have 6 sessions followed by radio.
I know things like cold caps exist and that not all women lose their hair, but if I do I don’t want to wear a bandana or scarf as I’ve always had my hair long. Is there a good site or shop where you can buy realistic wigs? Does the hospital pay for it? What are people’s experiences of wigs?
With regards to wigs try www.headcovers.com or there is one called wigbank. I personally think going into a local shop is better, as can try on with the help of the people in the shop and get one that suits and fits better. You can search on the net for local wig shops. I am not a bandana or scarf person either, so my wig is ready. Unfortunately my hair is shedding its load very quickly now, and should be getting it shaved off tomorrow, as think I need to cross this hurdle to move on. Very emotional though about it. The NHS gives £40 refund if you keep receipt, well that is round here anyway. But the hospitals do sometimes provide wigs cheaper too, so ask your hospital if they do this.
Chemo is not as bad as I feared. I was terrified about it, but have just had my 2nd session yesterday, am on FEC x 3 and Taxotere x 3, so 1/3rd of way through now. Had no side effects so to speak of really to date, apart from my hair. It is doable, although rather be doing something else, but you will get through it, I promise.
Anyway, hope this is of some help. Good luck with your move too. Hope the op was OK and you are recovering well.
As above I found wigbank.com they are around the country started in Edinburgh. They have donated wigs costing £5 to £20 and new wigs at £40. Profits go to cancer charities. Agnes Lennox in Edinburh has been so helpful. The donated ones you only pay once you recieve and happy with or return and the new ones you pay £10 deposit. I think it is great to know some money going back into cancer. I bought 1st one from wigbank lady 30mins drive away and it’s it great. She told me she had one long wig left so when I infomed my BC Nurse as she hadn’t heard of wigbank I told her to Keep Quiet till I had purchased the long wig. It isn’t actually that long but same colour as mine and even though synthetic looks real. I was dreading the fancy dress wig scenario. I went to give her £40 as thought it was new but she only charged me £10 so gave extra £10 for cancer as still a bargain at £20. Anyway look on wigbank site to see if anyone near you as you can then go to have a look/try first as Dawn suggests, but as said you can always send back. Hope this is of some help.
One bit of advice I did receive when I was buying my wigs was to go for synthetic as real hair takes time to style and you never know what the texture is really I guess… You wouldn’t know if it will frizz in the rain or anything. My synthetic ones cost £70 and £170, the more expensive one is amazing, comfortable and feels like real hair. All you have to do is stick it in the sink and wash with a bit of shampoo, I put conditioner on it too and it comes up lovely when it’s dry.
Hair loss is awful and I cried and cried when I lost mine, but once it’s gone, it’s gone and of course I get days when I’m fed up with being bald and wearing a wig but to be honest it takes me a lot less time to get ready in the morning, my real hair was a frizzy nightmare!
All the best, hope you find something which you are happy with.
I bought my wig yesterday form a shop recommended by the hospital, i got a prescription wich meant i didnt have to pay anything even though the wig cost £210. I am in Scotland don’t know if its different elsewhere. Its synthetic and it has passed the test of my 7 and 10 year old daughter and their friends, a tough audience.
My advice is to try on as many as you can and have someone with you who will be very honest. I has 2 freinds with me who also had fun trying wigs on, we also went and got our make up done and just tried to make a fun day of it.
I would also like to recommend Wigbank.com, Agnes Lennox who founded it sent me 2 lovely wigs to try, I emailed a photo of myself to her and explained that I was going to have my long hair cut into a chin length bob and she sent me wigs that were the exact same style - I have kept one and returned one. Agnes is so helpful and said she is going to try and tempt me to get something outrageous for a bit of fun, I must say I am thinking of buying a couple more from her so I can be short and brunette one day and a vampy blonde vixen the next (I wish!).
My hair has started to fall out now, since Thursday it seems to have gone up a pace, like you I was absolutely dreading it but funnily enough, now it is happening it doesn’t seem so bad and I think I will be able to cope with it better than I anticipated.
Anyway, all the very best of luck and I hope all goes well for you, let us know how you get on re; finding a nice wig.
I’ve had 3 chemos now after mastectomy begining of June and tried the cold cap. So far so good, the worst hair loss was with the 1st chemo but now settled down. Definately thinner but I had to have a trim last week, so whats there is still growing! Got it chopped to a short “posh” bob before starting chemo to help the cap work and to cope better with less hair. But I did get scarves and a wig too so that if it doesnt work I’ve got them there (plan B). Like Lesley I went to local shop in my town (Glasgow) who were recommended and they will cut and style them for you. Tried to match my own style and its pretty close I have to say, but so far havent had to use it. Was great to try on different styles though. You will find out that way what suits you and what doesnt and that can be a surprise (good fun too). My NHS prescription covered me for an artificial one, which the shop also said are the best for wear.
Laughed at the bit about Lesley’s kids, took my 10 yr old daughter to okay the wig, she said she wont go to the shops with me if I’m baldy, but she gave it the thumps up, so it must be ok.
The cold cap is a bit of a nightmare, but I have to say I’m still sticking with it while it seems to be working - one less thing to worry about.
Hope you get on ok whatever you decide to do. (Sometimes wish I was brave enough to not do the cap, but too scared to make that decision after all the other hard things that have happened, if it fails well thats fair enough, I tried anyway).
Hi fiona , i would recommend ebay the wigs are great i bought 5 from there and they are so realistic ,i also got from wigs r us on internet .But my favs defo are ebay .It is quite funny as i had a new look everyday and changed my dress sense as well .Another thing i did was go into primark and buy heaps of cheap t-shirts all different colours and cut them at least i had bandanas all colours for whatever clothes i was wearing
The wigs are not too expensive on ebay they range from about £3-£40 .
Hope i have been of some help to you
Take care enjoy the new looks !!!
Love julie xxxxxx
Was trying to find out about the wigs on ebay, so many on there, was there a particular buyer to bought from as worried some may not be to good but yours sound great. Any info back would be so appreciated. Like the t-shirt idea.
Hi julie, if you type in wigs then click on one of the 1st buy it nows and it will be a shop called vogue wigs it is great .Then another good one is scroll down a bit and you will come to buy it now in germany it is another great shop it is called VK EVENT FASHION .Hope this is a help to you
Take care julie
love julie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Just been onto Vogue site, too, too many to choose from. They look fantastic. Thanks. My only worry is that they are thick enough so you don’t see the netting saw one which you only needed to move a couple of strands as such and you could see the netting and the netting was quite thick. Any help again much appreciated as saw you cannot send them back. I am looking at the long wigs as I have very long hair, for the next weekish.
I got one of the long wigs from there and honest it is the best one i have got if you give me a couple mins i will look at whwt one it was .In fact a
lot of my (normal! ) friends have ordered just to be different .I will be roght back jools xxxxxxxxx
Hi babe the one i got was New seasons tappered brown blonde wigg 20.99 but i got it in more blonde with brown highlights i love it .In fact i am still wearing it and my hair has bn growing back since last oct !
Hope this is a help for you
Keep well
joolsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks so much, that is actually one of the ones I was looking at!! When get back home tomorrow will def be ording a few? I have told my OH that my wigs are going to be a coded message i.e. Red for danger I am in a rotten mood, don’t mess!!
JulieL
Did you know you could seel you real hair to a wig company like banbury postiche. I only know because i went to get a wig yesterday and told them I had had my long hait cut off ready for chemo and they said they purchase real hair!!! Something to consider, I don’t know how much they said people often give the money to charity.
Best wishes
Chris
I did look at a couple of web sites and the ones I did said they only have none colour treated hair (I have only had my hair hightlighted twice in life and last time only couple of months ago) Murphy’s Law. Will look more into it though and see if banbury postiche have a w site. Would be a shame if couldn’t let someone/charity benefit. Thanks for the info. How are you dealing with loss of long hair? (mine is to my bum) coming out quite a bit now so will cut shortly.
Thank you Chris and Jools for the info, really appreciated, hope you are both ok?