Bald is stupid
tagged under
cancer,
livejournal
Since the onset of doom, I've been fixated on the impending loss of my hair. I <3 my hair. It's long, thick, and the perfect shade of red-brown. Whenever I get it trimmed, half the salon stops by with felicitations. Though I usually pull it back at work, wearing it down always bring admirations from my adoring public. Speaking of adoring, a certain fiance has a tendency to worship my copper tresses.
Now I'm facing the complete loss of all my hair. While not having to shave my legs is by no mean unwelcome, I'm mortified at the idea of being bald. I've asked every doctor if there is any chance of my hair not falling out due to chemotherapy. There are some courses which have lower incidences of depilation, but the odds of one of them being appropriate have approached zero.
My first thought was to have a wig made out of my own hair. It's way past long enough, and there is a more than adequate supply. With this is mind, I went to a custom wigmaker to find out more about it. For a mere $2400, he'll turn your hair into a wig made to the individual characteristics of your own head! If you bring in a prescription from a doctor, he'll do it tax-free as it becomes a medical supply! Compared to the cost of everything else cancer related, that's a drop in the bucket. A barely covered by insurance drop. Perhaps I should think about it?
There are benefits to synthetic wigs, namely cost and ease of care. Human hair wigs, however, look much better and, with proper care, last much longer. Custom wigs, not surprisingly, look the best. As of now, I'm planning on getting a custom my hair wig, because I know that it is the only way I will be truly happy, or at least not completely miserable, with the lack of hair situation. I will also be getting a couple of much cheaper synthetic wigs to cover me during the three weeks it takes to make the wig.
Even with the custom wig, which is certainly the best option in a crappy situation, I don't want to lose my hair. Perhaps I can just cover my scalp with a layer of super glue before the first round of chemo?
Now I'm facing the complete loss of all my hair. While not having to shave my legs is by no mean unwelcome, I'm mortified at the idea of being bald. I've asked every doctor if there is any chance of my hair not falling out due to chemotherapy. There are some courses which have lower incidences of depilation, but the odds of one of them being appropriate have approached zero.
My first thought was to have a wig made out of my own hair. It's way past long enough, and there is a more than adequate supply. With this is mind, I went to a custom wigmaker to find out more about it. For a mere $2400, he'll turn your hair into a wig made to the individual characteristics of your own head! If you bring in a prescription from a doctor, he'll do it tax-free as it becomes a medical supply! Compared to the cost of everything else cancer related, that's a drop in the bucket. A barely covered by insurance drop. Perhaps I should think about it?
There are benefits to synthetic wigs, namely cost and ease of care. Human hair wigs, however, look much better and, with proper care, last much longer. Custom wigs, not surprisingly, look the best. As of now, I'm planning on getting a custom my hair wig, because I know that it is the only way I will be truly happy, or at least not completely miserable, with the lack of hair situation. I will also be getting a couple of much cheaper synthetic wigs to cover me during the three weeks it takes to make the wig.
Even with the custom wig, which is certainly the best option in a crappy situation, I don't want to lose my hair. Perhaps I can just cover my scalp with a layer of super glue before the first round of chemo?
6 comments:
Get the custom wig. Shop around a couple other places to see if you can get a better price, but that number sounds about right. It'll be worth it to have your own hair and feel like you. I have enough Hasidic cousins who've had to do this to know that the synthetic ones just don't look right.
When will you be starting chemo, and when's the wedding? Will you still have your hair for the wedding?
I'm still stuck at home, but I plan on visiting a couple of other shops.
As for your other questions, those are all dependent on the last test results that are taking FOREEEVVVEEEER. When I know, the intartubes will know.
I feel like the Hasidic community would definitely be a place to look for ideas here.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/31/image/la-ig-wigs-20101031
And as I have stupidly shown, hair grows back. Thank goodness!
That was my first thought, too, actually, looking to the Hasidics.
And hey, you're getting married -- some of those women crop their hair really short and just wear the wig (to the point where it looks better than their actual hair). Perhaps that could be a good alternative justification to the whole "having to" because of cancer?
You guys are not the first, by a long shot, to suggest this, so I've had a bit of time to consider it. While I could definitely get a quality wig from a sheitel maker, they wouldn't even consider using my own hair. It would completely defeat the purpose of covering my own hair from the world. Not to mention its very obvious that I'm not orthodox, and therefore not worthy of their time. I am unwilling to hide who I am because it's not "good enough" for someone else. Especially now.
To get back on to my original point, I have no idea if they would be able to do it tax-free.
It'll grow back fast. Promise.
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