Consider a cold cap – My oncologist offered a cold cap that could be worn during chemo & for a couple of hours after to help prevent or minimize hair loss. Chemo attacks cells that multiply rapidly, including but not limited to cancer cells. This also includes the cells that produce our hair. The cold cap essentially freezes the scalp to prevent the chemo from attacking the cells in your hair root. As much as I dreaded losing my hair, the idea of sitting through hours of chemo with a frozen cap on my head wasn’t that appealing enough to justify the reward for me. If I have to do this ever again, I may consider it though just to see what happens!
Cut your hair short in advance – Pulling short pieces of hair from your shirt all day is slightly less stressful than long ones.
Shave your head – As soon as you’re ready. You may find it’s better than watching it all fall out.
Wash dry itchy scalp with a moisturizing shampoo – I used head & shoulders with almond oil which worked well for me, but a more natural moisturizing shampoo would be the best thing.
Treat scalp with Coconut Oil, Vitamin E oil or Olive Oil – For additional moisture, if needed.
Notify your doctor of any rash – Or even if the itching doesn’t subside, they can typically prescribe something to relieve both if needed.
Have a party to have friends & family shave their heads with you – Make it fun if you can! If you have friends or family (boy or girl) willing to join you, make a party of it. Having your loved ones be part of this process can help you through it as well.
Involve your children in shaving your head – (If you have them) It’ll be less shocking for them to see their mom or dad suddenly bald if they were a part of the process & you try to make it fun.
Get a drain screen for your shower – Wish I had thought to do this in advance, I spent my shower time focused on catching hair to prevent it from going down & clogging my drain.
Have lots of clean pillow cases ready – There will be days you wake up to a pillow literally covered in hair, you will wonder how you even have any left on your head, seriously. You’ll need to change it every day until the hair loss stops. Even after I shaved my head, the tiny pieces that remained continued to fall out for days following.
Purchase wigs, hats or scarves in advance – So you’re prepared when the time is needed. Most come with a cap to put your hair up into so you can try them on in advance. Have some fun with it, get some color & style variety.
Invest in a good wig – It will do everything for your confidence & when it comes to wigs I have found you get what you pay for. My recommendation is to invest in at least one good wig (read reviews!) & take very good care of it. Get a couple of lesser quality wigs if you like, that you can work with & alternate uses if you prefer. For the most natural look, I recommend a lace front which gives the appearance of a natural hairline along the forehead. In addition, a monofilament wig looks most natural as well & many allow you to move the part wherever you wish!
Get some pre-tied scarves – If you’re like me & don’t want to mess with tying scarves, they sell great scarves that are bunched in the back that you just tie yourself (into a simple knot or bow). These are cute & super convenient. Chemo beanies are a brand of basically a pre-tied scarf, almost a hat really. I have two of these & I absolutely love them! They’re feminine looking & come in some really pretty patterns. They fit well & are nice & light for summer, I wear them around the house most days.
Get some hats & beanies (dig out old hats you never wear!) – As a woman I have purchased several hats in my life but so rarely wear them. I just don’t think I’m “cool” enough to pull off the hat look. But that kind of changes when you lose your hair & hats just look better & make you feel better. Dig out those old hats that have been collecting dust & get some new hats as well! Variety is fun, so change it up. I have some beanie hats that I ordered from amazon by searching “beanies”. Try to stay away from anything that’s more like a knit or wool winter hat & go for something more lightweight, especially for warmer weather.
Paint your nails, wear makeup & jewelry – Doing little things to make yourself feel pretty & more feminine can help boost your confidence. I always wear small stud earrings at home, I even sleep in them & change into nice earrings when I leave the house. Painting your nails or even wearing just a little blush & lip gloss can sometimes help boost your mood a bit. The better you feel about yourself physically, the better you’ll feel overall which can allow your body to fight more efficiently.
Use a mascara primer with your mascara – As your lashes begin to fade, primer is a great booster & can help to pump up both volume & length. I never use primer on the bottom lashes though, I prefer to keep those minimal & use the mascara solo there.
Learn to use eyebrow pencils and or powders – If or when, you lose your eyebrows it’ll help to know how to draw them in so practice while you still have them as a guide! Try pencils & powders, see what you’re most comfortable using so you’re prepared when you need to supplement.
Learn how to apply false lashes – Again, start practicing while you still have your own lashes to use as a guide if possible. These can be tricky & aren’t for everyone. My biggest tip: don’t try to put them on while the glue is still wet, give it a minute to get tacky before trying to stick them to your lid. If you are at a complete loss here & want lashes for a special occasion, you can have them applied by a professional at many beauty salons!
Learn to appreciate the features of your face – Lacking hair just highlights that beautiful face even more, slap some make up on that mug & brighten it up! J
Most importantly, remember your hair will grow back – This side effect is almost always temporary & the hair may even grow back thicker & better than before! I look forward to experimenting with different styles throughout the different phases of it growing back.
*Corresponding post to follow soon: Wig Tutorial for Beginners