“Even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable to GOD than a whole flock of sparrows.” ~ Luke 12:7
The Bible tells us the very hairs on our head are numbered. Well, I thought to myself, that’s not going to be hard to count in a few weeks…chemo is going to make that real easy. But then, as I thought about it…we are…I am…so important to GOD. HE slips it in the Bible to let us know that we don’t have to be afraid of what may lie ahead of us. If HE can provide food for the birds, and take the time to know just how many strands of hair we have…HE can certainly take care of us.
My daughter BreAna didn’t let any grass grow under her feet. The moment the doctor told me I would lose my hair, BreAna pulled out her phone and said “I’ve got this Mom.” She arranged for her friend JJ to come over & meet with me to look at wigs…styles, color, length, texture…I had no idea there were so many choices.
JJ brought some of her own wigs…she wears them just because she likes them. Come to find out, many women are wearing them just to change their look and style. Hmm…maybe I’ll get use to this and like it 🙂 JJ let me try her wigs on, which was a bit of a task as I still have my long, fluffy hair…Ugh…I can not imagine what I will look like BALD! Seriously, of all things…why do you lose your hair when going through chemo?!
We went online to the Jon Renau (www.jonrenau.com) site, that’s where JJ gets her wigs. The styles, lengths, and colors were amazing. JJ suggested a style I might like so we measured my head and decided to order it. It would be a few weeks before it came in, but I would have plenty of time to get it before my hair started to fall out. I also found out that some insurance companies will pay, at least a portion, of the cost of the wig. They can be pretty pricey so that’s a good thing to know.
Also, choosing between synthetic and real hair…I thought I would prefer real hair, but JJ told me the synthetic hair is great to wear and work with & not as expensive as real hair. The upkeep is very minimal and they keep their style until you wash it again. Sounds like the wig for me! And, when choosing a wig, don’t be too concerned with the length, if it seems too long, you can always cut and style it the way you want it when you get it. The best way to style a wig, especially if you’re going to cut it, is to have it on your head.
There are many wig shops on line, but I really liked the quality of Jon Renau and the many styles he has to choose from. You can purchase a Jon Renau on his site, or some of the other sites such as www.wigs.com and www.wigoutlet.com where they are a little less pricey.
A couple of things to keep in mind when choosing a wig… price. A good wig can range from $150.00 up to $2,500.00 or more; and make sure you get a good wig or two because you will be wearing it for at least a year depending on your treatment and how fast your hair grows back.
We had a sweet visit with JJ and I was so glad to have met her. She was very informative and so caring towards me and my current condition. She told me she would be back to help me with my new wig once I got it, which was very thoughtful and kind of her as she lives about three hours from us. And you know, she did exactly what she said she was going to do. It had been a few months since we met and my hair was just beginning to come out. JJ took the day off and drove down to see me one afternoon. We met at BreAna’s house, JJ with her wig and me with my new wig.
We spent the afternoon washing, lightly blow drying, and styling. JJ showed me how to wash, condition and leave my hair to dry over night or blow dry it. You have to be very careful with synthetic hair when blow drying…low heat and not too close to the wig or the wig cap. Hot flat irons and curling irons are a no, no unless you’re a pro like JJ. The irons can singe, even burn the hair…but not to fear, JJ knew how to fix that too 🙂
There was so much to learn…what type of comb, pick, and brush to use. Choosing these items is important because if you use tightly napped brushes and close tooth combs you can pull the hair out of the cap, and hey…that hair does not grow back! JJ told me I should use a good mild shampoo and conditioner to keep it feeling & looking smooth. As far as gels and mousses….not a necessity. Once the style is set with a blow dryer (the heat actually sets it), just a quick squirt of hairspray and your good. When you take it off at night…put it on the wig stand and it’s good to go the next morning 🙂 Now that was the cool thing about wearing a wig!
Speaking of taking your wig off at night…you’ll need one of those little beanie caps for bed as your head will get cold at night. I got a really nice soft cap that felt really good against my skin. When my hair first came out, I noticed my head was a little sensitive…so after taking my wig off, wearing the little cap at night kept my head from being sensitive. Also, even though I didn’t have any hair, I was told it was important for me to wash my head, with a mild soap. I also, rubbed my head with moisturizer morning and night. I began using Burt’s Bees products…shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, moisturizer, eye cream…they have a whole line of body products and they are wonderful! And the best thing, there aren’t a lot of chemicals in Burt’s Bees products – which was a plus for me…I figured I was going to have enough chemicals in my body when chemo started, I didn’t need to add to them.
It’s important to keep your skin, head, and lips hydrated when going through chemo treatment because the chemicals they give you really dry out your body and your skin. Burt’s Bees was the product I chose, again because it is all natural and because they really do help in keeping your skin from drying out. I was able to get all of my Burt’s Bees products on amazon.com, but Burt’s Bees has their own website where you can find a lot more products to choose from…they even have make-up (www.burtsbees.com).
Although I held out hope that I would be one of those people who wouldn’t need a wig, I would eventually come to the realization that I would most certainly need one. But how Blessed I am to have my daughter, who always tried to stay one step ahead of the game for me in all the things I needed, and the new friend she introduced me to, who made my journey a little more bearable with her kindness and fun loving spirit. If you’re reading this JJ…I want to say again…Thank you, you truly were the answer to my hair scare prayers 🙂 And Thank you BreAna for keeping up with my needs and keeping me stylish and looking normal when I certainly did not feel stylish or normal.
