WIGS TO THE RESCUE

For many cancer patients, hair loss is the most distressing and feared side effect of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. If you don't want anybody to know you're losing your hair, wigs may be your answer.

Chemo preferentially affects rapidly dividing cells.  Because cancer cells divide more rapidly than normal cells, they will be affected by chemo first.  Many cells like in the hair follicles are also rapidly dividing.  They get affected by chemo as well.  That is why mouth sores and hair loss are so common in chemo patients.
Because the question of hair loss concerns many people facing chemotherapy, there were some attempts made to save the hair on the scalp during chemotherapy by using ice or binding the scalp.  The result was that chemo was not getting to the places it needed to reach to eradicate the cancer.  So avoiding hair loss from chemo can actually lead to leaving cancerous cells in the scalp.
Such attempts were stopped when it was realized that it was detrimental to cancer patients.  The good news is that hair that falls out due to chemo does grow back.  Sometimes it is of different texture, at least initially.

Covering up hair loss due to chemo can range from wigs to hats to bandannas, whatever is most comfortable and least irritating for you.  It is temporary.  Hair usually grows back after chemo is finished.  You don't want anything that will irritate or abrade the skin during chemo as any abrasion or scratch can lead to infection at the time when the body is most vulnerable.

A wide range of factors will influence your choice of wigs: human hair or synthetic; short or long; custom- or machine-made.

• Synthetic wigs are the most popular choice and most widely recommended type of wig for cancer treatment wearers.Most people prefer synthetic hair. It's easier to maintain and less expensive. Synthetic hair also dries faster than real hair. Well-made synthetic wigs may look real. Major drawback of synthetic hair is they fry when exposed to heat. So no curling irons or blow dryers unless they are specifically designed for wigs. Hot rollers can be used, but only at low settings. And avoid exposing the wig to any intense heat sources such as an oven. The blast of heat will cause frizzing. Synthetic hair wigs that are usually worn are extremely uncomfortable, itchy and expensive. The cost of one such wig is about Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000.

• Real hair is human hair. The majority of hair is collected from women in Asia who have long, good quality hair. The hair is then treated and dyed into a range of colours.  Real hair wig needs more care than synthetic hair. As each time it is washed it normally needs blow-drying and styling to look good. Natural hair wigs, meanwhile, come at price of approximately Rs.17,000.

             

• Machine-made wigs are the least expensive and most widely available. Wefts of hair are sewn together in a straight line, cut and assembled into a wig. Many look extremely realistic as long as they are not parted, pulled back or otherwise altered. Some people find these wigs more comfortable because the construction creates vents that allow air to circulate to the scalp.

                                         

• Hand-made wigs look the most natural of the prefabricated choices because individual strands are knotted on to a skullcap rather than wefts of hair being sewn together. These wigs can be parted and styled with accessories because there is no chance the vents will be exposed. The hair also falls and moves more naturally.

                                     

• Custom-made wigs are almost indistinguishable from natural hair. They are usually not a viable option for cancer patients, as they are extremely expensive and generally take more than two months to complete. Make sure that you have final approval on the choice of hair and style

                                         

         

   

Take a look at this little girl who is donating her hair for the sake of the cancer patients:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwQZggdZrOo

Emily James is just your typical little 3 year old princess. She loves nail polish, frilly dresses and when she can get her hands on it, mums lipstick. Emily’s parents suggested the idea to Emily to cut her hair and donate it for cancer wigs. They sat down and explained to her that to donate her hair, she would need to cut it fairly short, and that it would be a long time before she had long hair again. They looked at pictures together of little kids with no hair, they looked at pictures of wigs and they also looked at shorter styles - and she still wanted to make the donation.

Places where the cancer patients can find wigs in India are:

Hair aid:  http://www.hairaid.org.in/

Allure hair:http://www.allurehair.co.in/

Raj hair intl: http://www.rajhairintl.com/

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Author- Akshay Shaligram