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Chemotherapy Hair Loss: Tips On Choosing The Right Hat Or Wig

Hair loss is often associated with cancer. The drugs that are used in chemotherapy are the actual cause. Some people who experience this hair loss during choose to embrace it, while others prefer to keep such a clear outward sign of cancer treatment private. And for many, especially women, baldness can simply be embarrassing.

If you are experiencing hair loss (or are just preparing for the possibility), you've got two main options when it comes to covering your head: hats and wigs. Buying hats and wigs to cover up hair loss is a little different than buying them simply to be fashionable, however.

Hats

Choosing an attractive hat to cover up hair loss is not as simple as just picking something up at a department store. Hats to properly hide hair loss need to have some specific features. First of all, of course, you want a hat that gives enough coverage to hide the hair line. Certain hat styles are more likely to cover the head than others – bucket hats and cloche hats, for example. But it's possible to get high-coverage hats in many styles now; look for companies that market their hats towards people with hair loss.

In order for a hat to look natural without hair underneath it, there's another design point to look for: a hat with some extra height in the top. Normally, the top part of a hat is raised off the scalp by your hair; without hair, many ordinary hats will sit too low and look a little odd. Buying a special hat with padding (or adding a little padding to a hat you already own) can help give the illusion of hair where there is none.

Wigs

There are two main types of wigs out there: synthetic wigs, and human hair wigs. Many cancer patients assume that human hair wigs will look more natural – to the point where family members may volunteer to donate their own hair for a wig. But each type of wig has its advantages and disadvantages. Human hair wigs can be styled to look differently from day to day, making them very versatile. Some people find the ritual of taking care of their hair every day to be calming.

However, there are some good reasons to choose a high-quality synthetic wig. In addition to hair loss, another side effect of chemotherapy is tiredness – sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Needing to spend time styling your wig every day can be a burden in that situation; synthetic wigs are more low-maintenance. While the curls will come out of human hair wigs and need to be re-set, synthetic wigs can be permanently curled.

If you choose a synthetic wig, the most important thing is to get one that is close in quality to human hair. Look for monofilament construction, where the hairs on the wig are distributed evenly like hair on a scalp. And if, on the other hand, you choose human hair, consider that a shorter style will be easier to take care of as well as being less expensive.

For more information, contact a company like Ferrari Hair Service.


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