Coping with Hair Loss During Cancer Treatment

Blue cotton chemo scarf

Our hair forms a very special part of our identity, helps us feel attractive, and can express who we are and how we are feeling. Suddenly losing it, can be very upsetting, impacting not only our immediate emotional state, but also how confident we feel about the future. Headwear can transform the practical ‘day to day’ and headscarves for cancer patients can provide a stylish twist and bring a personal touch to your wardrobe style during this time.

Where hair loss can be a sign or reminder of sickness, a positive new look offers us the chance to kick back, take control and look good. And while physical attractiveness is far from the be all and end all, and is by no means what defines us, taking assertive steps to claim back what is lost can change peoples’ perceptions, and help us feel good about ourselves.

At Suburban Turban, our headscarves offer a fantastic range of colours, fibres, textures and styles, suitable for whether you’re at home, out and about in town, or spending a day in the garden.

What causes chemotherapy hair loss?

Well, firstly, it is not a forgone conclusion that your chemotherapy will result in hair loss – different treatments affect different people in different ways. That said, if chemotherapy has caused you hair loss, it is because chemotherapy drugs can be indiscriminate in how they fight cancer, attacking not only cancer cells, but also other, perfectly normal cells in your body, such as your hair follicles.

Is chemotherapy hair loss permanent?

In most cases, hair will begin to grow again in the months after your treatment has finished, although you may notice some differences at first, such as in the tone of your hair or its texture.

What can I do about my hair loss?

There is no treatment currently available that can effectively guarantee the prevention of hair loss through cancer treatment, but there are steps that you can take to manage it. Many cancer patients, for example, prefer to cut their hair short once it starts to fall out – having short hairs fall out can be far less distressing than when your hair is still long.

Also, you might even see this as an opportunity for reinvention, whether that means considering a human hair wig – whose shape, tone and colour could be something completely different to your own natural hair – a new wardrobe, or one of our very own women’s turbans, chemo hats or headbands.

What else can help me during cancer treatment?

Skin can become very sensitive during cancer treatment, and strong soaps, creams and perfumes can irritate sensitive skin. At Suburban Turban, we offer a range of gentle skincare products – shampoos, gels, lotions and deodorants – great for when you need to avoid certain ingredients within High St. products.

For more information about headwear – how to measure your head, what styles work well, a personal fitting or simply if you’d prefer to place an order over the phone, please contact us today and speak with our friendly staff.

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