To Wig or Not to Wig?

Losing your hair is probably the hardest part of chemotherapy. From the outside, I looked fine and healthy. UNTIL, I lost my hair. Then I actually looked sick. First off, I am not a vain person. Most days you will find me no makeup, yoga pants (and lets be honest...I don't do yoga) and hair in a ponytail. I did have long, thick hair before cancer. Not because I love long hair. Mainly because I have no patience for sitting in a chair having my hair "did". Oh, I use to love it and it felt so good to be pampered. THEN, I became pregnant with our second child and my patience flew out the window. I did have my hair trimmed over the years--But no real cut.


I was lucky enough to find a great (and reasonably priced) wig boutique. My wigdresser (totally made up word) was fabulous and her mother had also been through breast cancer. I purchased a wig that actually looked natural on me. But it was hard to imagine me in the wig, since I still had my hair.

It took @20 days from my first treatment to start losing my hair. It was coming out in clumps. It was cut short to hopefully make it through my oldest sons 13th birthday party. (there was LOTS of hairspray used to keep it in place) Two days later, I realized we had to shave it off and I would need to start wearing my wig, baseball caps or a scarf.

At first, I wore my wig when I left the house....except in the car rider line, then I just wore my baseball caps. I was still having trouble tying a scarf on my head. Then I decide if people wore pajamas to Wal-Mart, I could just wear my baseball cap, with no hair, to Wal-Mart. Today the decision on wearing my wig depends on where I am going. I do not wear my wig to my oncologists office (almost everyone is bald there), but I do for other drs appt. Wal-Mart and Kroger only get to see me in a baseball cap. BUT Publix and Target are "fancier" places so they get the wig. Its to the point that if I have my wig on, my 4 year old will ask, "we go to target?"


My oldest son bowls in a kids bowling league. I have not been to bowling since I started treatments. Today, we needed to go for practice. Then the question arose....To wig or not to wig? Yes, I would see people there that I knew. Some would know about my breast cancer, others would not. After much debate with my 13 year old, the decision was made...NO WIG. So now the bowling center will be classified as a baseball cap wearing place.