Flattering Chemo Hats for Flat Head Syndrome (Brachycephaly)

After a recent studio consultation here is information for ladies with flat head syndrome – any form of mild Plagiocephaly/Brachycephaly.

Most often associated with babies, but if it hasn’t naturally corrected itself, understandable how varying degrees of flatness can continue into adulthood.

I can’t get headwear to stay on because of my flat head syndrome

Very few of us have the perfectly shaped heads we see on shop mannequins.  But most of us have some sort of curvature at the lower back of the head / top of the neck.  It helps prevent headwear such as scarf head wraps and scarf tying knots slipping off.  A useful ‘ledge’ under which to tighten and secure our headwear, knowing that it won’t be able to ride up and off the head easily.  There’s much on line when discussing the shape of babies heads, little about adulthood.  Here’s a simple graphic to illustrate the head shapes I’m writing about here.

Picture credit – www. chinandpartners.co.za

What headwear for hair loss feels secure and looks good on flatter head shapes?

It’s likely you’ll need to reassess which headwear styles you can wear, particularly if you experiencing significant hair loss. Here’s why? The majority of my headwear design work is done in stretch fabrics and for many good reasons, but probably the most important is this. A stretch return (elastic stretch in jersey) means that it can stretch over the widest circumference of the head, but then retract for a nice neat fit around the face.  Think pulling a tee shirt over your head, but the neck line then sitting neatly around your neck.

At the fitting trying on stretch fabric styles simply wasn’t working – they wouldn’t stay on and feel secure. This stretch around a flatter head shape meant the hat worked its way off the head over time.  Working in stretch fabric you cut the hat smaller to allow for stretch, so that the hat will hug the head to stay on. So I decided to use the stretch fabric like a woven fabric, cut it to the actual head fitting size and eliminate any stretch ‘tension’.

Styles that worked well were Sabrina which gave volume and width around the head, so a good shape to wear.  And the turban loops crossing over around the head made it more secure, with less stretch tension.

Romilly – in a stretch fabric but cut to actual size, limiting the stretch and placing the draped fabric ‘loosely’ onto the hat for height and volume. So it looked the same draped turban, but felt more secure on the head to wear for prolonged wear.

Can I wear a headscarf with flat head syndrome?

Scarves (we found out!) are not completely off limits, but go with lightweight fabrics so that when you knot them, the knots aren’t too bulky / heavy.  Fabrics need to hold well when knotted and wrapped, nothing slippy, or too heavy.  Reviewing silk, cotton and viscose  – semi-sheer viscose worked the best (see below).  We doubled up the scarf and brought it forward in a turban twist and then tied off the ends at the nape of the neck. Initially I was surprised by bringing the scarf forward that it wouldn’t gradually slip off the head, but by twisting at the front (getting a good neat /snug line around the face) and then knotting off at the back it held. Here is the scarf we tried on the day.

Scarf tie guide / styles

We tried Land Girl retro 1950’s knots at the front but the weight of the knot eventually made the scarf fall forwards and feel insecure. We tried simply wrapping the scarf around the head without a knot, or tightening it in some way, but it still felt like a balancing act and likely to fall off. Simple tie styles closer to the head worked better – too much ‘weight’ with the scarf piled up on the head, only appeared to eventually pull the scarf off.  (With the turbans we could achieve height and volume because the interior hat lining fitted the head shape, and we could then stitch the external turban to it.)

Woven fabric (non-stretch) chemo turbans

Turbans are great for many reasons – they look instantly chic, some ladies may say overly dressy, but on a tired, pale post-treatment sort of a day, in a rich colour they can make you look well.  If you’re a broader build they can also help balance your upper body, so that your head doesn’t look small bereft of hair.  Making in a woven fabric I could achieve all that draped volume – height and width – stitch it all in place, without placing the fabric under tension. So chemo turbans can be flattering, useful headwear for the flatter head shape – effectively reshaping the head, making it look bigger compensating fabric for hair. (You can recognise a woven fabric turban as it ‘stands up’ and holds its shape whether on, or off the head.)

I have to say I wouldn’t have instantly thought of these solutions without a fitting session.  It was really useful to take an hour or so to try the different fabrics, check sizing and discuss colours.  All elements we normally discuss in a session, but in this context it really helped to narrow down what shapes held in place, (and figure out why they weren’t). Volume is something most women with significant hair loss want to achieve, we now know there is no need to sacrifice shape and volume to get a hat to stay on.

Need advice or a fitting?

We are always available to chat via Zoom, or come and see us, arrange an appointment at our studio based just outside Dorking, Surrey, UK. We’re happy to answer your questions and no question is too ‘daft’ or insignificant to ask! The aim of a session is to show a range of possibilities, what might work with your wardrobe and talk about how you want to look and feel out and about. Contact us via the site contact form here or give us a call on (0)1306 640123.