Wig advice for cancer patient

[alltalknobaby]

My friend has cancer and is very likely going to need chemo soon. She has asked me to look into getting a wig made using her own hair, which is not going to grow back - the chemo is more to delay growth than to cure her. Has anyone had this done, and if so, can you recommend anywhere? Completely clueless about this sort of thing and slightly overwhelmed by google results - not sure where to start! Any advice most welcome. Thanks x

I'm reliably informed that the Hassidic Jewish communities are the best people to ask about this. If either of you are in London, try the Stamford Hill area for the best wig makers.

Unless her hair is very long then there won't be enough of it to make a wig. I think they lose between 4-6 inches during the wigmaking process. However there are great wigs out there made of real hair and if she goes along to a salon they will be able to advise her. She should also be able to get funding towards the cost of a wig as the good ones are expensive.

There are so many styles available I'm sure she'll be able to find one that is close to her current style. There are also icepacks which can be used on the head during chemotherapy which may help reduce the likelihood of hair loss.

you sound like a lovely supportive friend.

slugs advice is very interesting. THat sounds spot on.

Also look for an amazing hat (or have one made - Mumsnet crafters might help ) to wear in the house/in bed /when she can't be fussed with the wig. Not because bald isn't beautiful, but that post chemo heads can be cold and maybe even tender. A soft knitted wool/cashmere/silk hat would be light, cosy, comfy and stunning to look at too.

I don't think its possible to get a wig made of your own hair. But there are lots of fab wigs out there - and the best way to find your local supplier is to ring the oncology unit or Maggies centre if you have one locally and ask - they always know.

Many people find a wig hot and itchy though, so your friend might want to choose some scarves/hats/beanies to wear too

If she lives in London - then Selfridges have a wig department. That's where my mother bought hers. But she found it a bit uncomfortable for daily wear and so only wore in now and again.

We found this website:

www.headcovers.com/headwear/hats-turbans/

That has some good turban type things you can order (as well as some pretty awful one too!). She found that hats and stuff from normal shops did not cover the whole head and so the ones from this site where better.

My mum had an amazingly realistic wig - like others said it was a bit itchy so she also had a couple of soft beanies. The company was mynewhair.org and they did the fittings in a quiet room at the hospital. They did it all before her hair fell out and shaped and thinned it to match her hair. It gave her loads of confidence to go out when she was feeling v sensitive. Hope all works out for her.

Human hair wigs can be very expensive indeed (I'm talking £1,000+). When I went through chemo I had a fab wig that had a parting - ie you could see a line of "skin" at a parting which most wigs don't have which made it look less wig like!

Best wishes to your friend - how terrible for her to be so ill. You're a good friend.

My hairdresser specialises in cutting wigs for cancer patients and is part of the MyNewHair campaign www.haironwheels.co.uk/wig-personalisation.html
that might have some useful info?

Thanks everyone for your advice - I'm really grateful. My friend has very long, thick, blonde hair which she is absolutely determined to have made into a wig, so that is what I'm going to look into first. But I will definitely be having a look at alternatives, and some pretty hats and scarves too.

Thanks again! x

PS MyNewHair really helpful! - thanks FreelanceMama x

I looked into this for a friend too - I was eventually told that it could be done but it would be ruinously expensive and it actually takes 3 heads of normal length hair to make a wig. Very disappointed as my friend had red hair so finding a good match wasn't possible...good luck though, do come back and say if you find someone who can do it

The thought of losing your hair is horrible and although YOU can't use it, there is a charity that can and its such a good cause, it makes the whole process more bareable!
It's called the little princess trust and they make real hair wigs for children with cancer. The hair you donate has to be longer than 7" but can be dyed, permed or straightened as long as it's in a reasonable condition.
Go to www.littleprincesses.org.uk for more info.
I've just started chemo and I'm preempting my hair loss by getting my long hair cut into a pixie cut and donating the off cuts... tomorrow!!