Hair is going to be different for everyone, people lose it at completely different stages and in completely different ways. I’ve been so lucky and have actually managed to keep hold of some of mine, in fact mine actually stopped falling out after Round 4! #shocker
I didn’t think it was possible to keep hold of it after all the scare stories and media portrayals, but I was wrong. I had enough hair left to get away with wearing a baseball cap and headscarves the whole way through my treatment. If your hair does not fall out drastically then take your time in deciding what to do with it. If you want to go short, then do your research and be clear on what you want when you go the Hairdressers.
Taking care of what you have: Limit your hair washing to once a week and switch to Sulfate and Paraffin free shampoos to limit the chemicals you are putting on your head. It's common sense but just be gentle with it and try not to rub it too much with each wash.
If you do lose your hair then the following are meant to be great for regrowth: Castor and Coconut Oil massaged directly onto the head, I would recommend doing this during the day as they will leave your pillow greasy if you do it over night.
Invest in some good Biotin and Hair Vitamin Capsules. I saw several Cancer babes talking about these and started taking them once I had finished Chemo, they have definitely helped me. Olivia @Cancer.chicks has oodles of good advice on hair loss. She decided to ditch the wigs and totally rocks being bald.
Getting Wiggy With It: Another one to take your time with Huns. There are so many wig websites out there that it can become a little overwhelming. I was advised by a friend who also had a run in with Cancer herself and therefore knew all about how tricky it can be to find the right wig. I had a look online for the hairstyle I was thinking of and she helped me locate a similar wig on SimpleWigs.com that she would later style and cut to my face. https://simplywigs.co.uk/
Do your research and read up on the details of any wig you are interested in, I spent quite a lot of money on a real hair wig from Simply Wigs and I didn’t realise that the hair had a natural wave to it once washed. This meant that every time I washed it I had to blow-dry and straighten the hair and it would still become matted after one wear. The hair didn’t respond well to being in the wind and would get very dry at the ends. I later found some products to combat this in the form of some deep conditioning masks. As its real hair you can use normal shampoo and conditioner on it but its still best to go Sulfate and Paraffin free so as not to damage the hair. Wig Funding: There’s some great advice on wigs on the Macmillan website:
Depending on your circumstances you could be eligible for a grant to put towards a wig via the NHS, you just need to speak to the nurses on your Chemotherapy ward and they should be able to help you with this. I think it differs in amount from borough to borough and whether you qualify but its definitely worth asking about.
I was given a £125 NHS Voucher from my hospital to put towards a wig from Raoul Wig makers in central London. Everyone I spoke to there was super kind and very considerate of my situation, I felt looked after and at ease trying on an array of fabulous styles as it was all done in my very own private room. That’s where I bought my blonde synthetic (Flackers) wig. I never in a million years would have gone for a blonde wig but the assistant was really great at picking out styles he thought would look good on me, so I went for it. I had to add some cash to make up the difference from the voucher, but I was happy as I felt great in it.
Paks is LIFE: I live close to an amazing Wig shop in Stroud green called Paks (there is also one in Wood Green), North London that literally stocks every kind of wig you can think of. From Pink ones to Grey to Real Hair and Synthetic, all at pretty shweet prices. I got my Morticia wig for a tidy £150, its real hair and surprisingly is alot easier to style and wash than my expensive wig #gofigure! I've since bought two more synthetic wigs from there at steel for £25 each #bargains. For the sake of a score you can change up your style monthly if you wanted to and why the heck not. If ever there was an excuse to try something new babes it's now.
Wig Care: There are some good products for both real and synthetic wigs but the one that came most recommended to me was the Ellen Willie range which does both Real and Synthetic hair:
Real Hair:
I would use the shampoo and do a deep conditioning treatment on each wash to help keep the hair in good nick. I used Loreal Elvive to deep condition:
Synthetic Hair:
Get yourself some polystyrene wig heads to store your wigs on as this will help keep the ends from tangling. I got mine in Paks for £3 but you can also find them on ebay for £2.49:
Post Chemo hair care: As well as taking Healthy Hair Burst Vitamins and Biotin pills I am also using the Lee Staffords Hair Growth range which have also been recommended by two of my fave Insta Babes. After 6 weeks using the shampoo, scalp scrub and hair growth treatment, my hair has grown about an inch and a half.
Having my hair start to grow back, though only an inch and a half, has lifted my spirits so much. I didn't know it would grow back this fast and I really think using both the pills and hair growth products have helped.
If I had know the growth of my hair would help lift my mood this much I think it may have helped me when I was losing it.
Losing my hair was so hard but getting it back this quickly has been ace.
If your reading this and your in the crux of treatment please dont lose faith, your hair will grow back and you will start to feel more human again once chemo is over. It comes back quicker then you think.
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