Chemotherapy Chemo Hair Loss : Products to Help

Before I started chemotherapy for my breast cancer, I knew it was inevitable that I would be facing hair loss so I went and purchased a wig right away so I would be ready.  It wasn't easy, but I found one at a wig shop that closely resembled my current color and style, except it had bangs.  I hate bangs - hair touching my face has always bothered me.  It's not really an option with wigs, though, because you have to have some hair touching your face in order to cover the wig's edges.  Okay, so I had my wig and was ready.  Not!

My hair started falling out in clumps when running my fingers through my hair about 12 days after my first round of chemo.  The next day, the day before round #2 of chemo, I asked my husband to shave my head - no sense putting off the inevitable.

I put on the wig but it was not only big (I had been told that it would probably need more adjusting once my hair was completely gone), but it was itchy and just plain annoying!  So I searched my closet and found a large, thin scarf.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I managed to tie it on in a decent way.  It was hard, though, to keep it on well without it moving too much.

Thus started my online search solutions.  I had a somewhat difficult time finding options doing online searches so I created this page to compile my finds into one convenient place.  I hope this helps many who are or will ever be in my shoes.

www.4women.com sells BeauBeau™ head scarves. They are designed specifically for hair loss due to chemotherapy, alopecia or other medical conditions. They're unique, fashionable and versatile! These ended up being my favorite as the fit is great and they are very comfortable and can be worn in a few different ways - check out the Styling Options page on their website for great how-to instructions and photos. They have tons of fabric and pattern options - makes it hard to pick just one. I ended up owning three!

www.hatswithhair.com Hip Hats With Hair were invented by a fashion designer. They are made to be more comfortable than a full wig and to look natural and feel good. As we all know, feeling good about your appearance is proven to boost self-esteem. You can also cut and save your own hair before chemo and they will use your hair to make a Hip Hat With Hair - I think that's a very cool idea!

www.softhats.com sells hats, turbans, sleep caps, head wraps, scarf pads and tie backs for cancer patients. Their line includes lots of colors and styles and all are made with great attention to detail from 100% cotton. There is a spring/summer collection, as well as a fall/winter collection.

www.headcovers.com carries hats, turbans, wigs, and scarves as well as breast cancer awareness gifts. They also have a good selection of helpful cosmetics.

www.domadesigns.comThese hats, caps, and headwear are designed to give full coverage of the head. They even have hats that are better suited for warmer or cooler climates. Lots of different options and looks. Each hat is individually handcrafted with soft, quality fabrics. Can be worn with wigs. You can interchange the hats and bands for different looks.

www.Sephora.com   Anastasia Brow Pen is like a fine felt tip marker. It looks natural and allows you to create fine individual lines. I dislike the look of "drawn on" eyebrows and this was very natural looking. It is so easy to use, too - just give it a gentle shake and start drawing. Now that my brows have grown back, I still use this because I like it so much! I purchased mine at Sephora - you can get it online or in the store.

www.Revitalash.com Apply a small amount of Revitalash® once a day to achieve your very own long, beautiful, healthy looking lashes - no matter how brittle, short, fragile, thin or sparse your eyelashes are. Lots of people told me first-hand that this stuff really works wonders. It's not cheap, though. I thought it was worth it because losing my eyelashes and the ability to make my face look better with just a little mascara was worse than losing the hair on my head. My lashed did start to grow back before I purchased this, though. Word of caution and what made me hesitate to buy: one of the warnings, as well as reviews I read, stated that this could cause brown spots on the iris (the colored part of the eye). This is not dangerous, but if you're like me and have light colored eyes, you may not want them compromised with brown spots.