Being diagnosed with breast cancer and told you’ll need chemo and your hair will fall out is hard enough. The last thing you need is drama when you shop for a wig. By sharing a few tips of lessons I learned the hard way, I’m hoping to offer you a less stressful experience.
First, let me say that you can approach this in different ways. Some women choose to go solo. Some bring their partner or spouse. Others decide to make it a party with their close friends.
Here are some pointers culled from my own wig shopping experience, personally wearing a wig everyday for the past six years and owning my wig boutique Wigged Out for the past five.
• Shop for a wig while you still have hair, if possible. It makes it easier to match both your natural color and hair style.
• Think twice about flying solo. You’ll benefit from a second opinion. Wear make-up and dress in the clothes you normally wear. It will help you to better coordinate your natural look.
• Ask your nurse or doctor for a recommendation of where to go. Remember, they see a lot of wigs … and can guide you with that first step.
• Try longer bangs to disguise eyelash and eyebrow loss. I tried bangs over one eye. It made me feel amazingly fun and chic! Plus, people didn't notice my lack of eyelashes and eyebrows.
• Have the wig cut to frame your face. Sometimes there is just too much hair, which can make it obvious that you're wearing a wig. Having the wig thinned out and/or cut to fit your face and body shape can make a huge difference in how it looks on you. Both synthetic and wigs made of natural hair can be cut.
I hope these additional nuggets are useful and make this process a little easier for you. Look for more tips in my next blog post.
Remember, you are not alone. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to post them on YSC’s online community bulletin boards to get advice from other women who’ve walked down this road before you.
Or, you can contact me at http://www.imwiggedout.com or Wigged Out on Facebook.
Editor's Note: See Tina's previous post Wigged Out to learn more including the differences between natural and synthetic wigs.
