Coping With Chemotherapy-Related Hair Loss: 8 Tips For Choosing The Right Wig For You

If you've been diagnosed with cancer and are about to undergo chemotherapy , you'll certainly have a lot of questions about what to expect, and no doubt one of your biggest concerns will be whether you'll lose your hair.

The likelihood of this happening depends on the medication regimen you follow. You may have heard that not everyone who undergoes chemotherapy loses their hair . But in reality, a very large percentage lose them, and although some people cope with hair loss with great ease, it is not unusual for many to feel deeply saddened or anxious .

At MACO Wig Shop , due to the nature of our work, to make invisible and natural wigs tailored to each woman, we have met hundreds of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and most of them have confided in us that losing their their hair was the biggest challenge they had to face from the beginning to the end of their treatment.

The good news is that wig manufacturing techniques have evolved a lot in recent years and at MACO we managed for the first time in Greece , to manufacture 100% natural wigs where the hair appears to come from the head and not from a foreign body, with the aim of help women cope with chemotherapy-related hair loss.

Below you will find 8 tips from MACO natural wig store experts to choose a wig that you will wear and not be ashamed of losing your hair.

1. Choose a wig that matches your hair style

The safest option is to choose a natural hair wig that matches your current style exactly. At MACO, with 3 stores in Athens, Thessaloniki and Crete, we can make an invisible natural wig for you in 1 to 2 days, in the same color as your hair, even if you want highlights , balayage or any other dyeing technique.

Although some women take wig shopping to the next level and choose to completely change their look, at this stage of your life we ​​wouldn't recommend this. Choosing to have a natural female wig made for you in exactly the style of your hair will allow you to feel like nothing has changed and boost your confidence.

If you still want to experiment with different styles or colors, at MACO you can find a wide range of ready-made wigs , from blonde to brunette and from very short to very long.

2. Do you want to keep the same hair style in the wig ? Show us a photo where you loved your hair. 

If you finally decided to keep the same hair style in your wig, share with us a photo where you loved your hair. In particular, at MACO, we ask women who are interested in purchasing a custom-made wig to send us a photo in which they love the color , texture and length of their hair. So, our experts will try to make an exact same natural wig .

If you don't have photos, that's okay. Make a consultation appointment and through our sample , we will help you choose the color, length and texture of the hair you desire.

3 . Shave your hair and wear the wig right after the shedding starts

Most women who lose hair find that it begins to fall out two to four weeks after the first chemotherapy treatment.

At MACO we generally advise you to cut your hair fairly short before it starts to fall out, as it is "horrible" for a woman to have tufts of hair left on her hands, especially when she has long hair.

If you have long hair we would suggest you get a long natural wig , and apply it as soon as the hair starts to fall out.

It is important to immediately visit one of the MACO wig stores in Athens, Thessaloniki or Crete , order your wig and leave it with us until you feel the first hair fall out. Once that happens, you call us, we make an appointment, we cut your hair very short and we apply the invisible wig you have chosen. In this way we want to help you not see any change in your appearance and start using the wig at the right time.

4 . Never shave your head with a razor

When it's time to wear your wig, you'll need to shave your head. The proper way to do this is to use a clipper. Do not use a regular razor as it may cause irritation .

At MACO Hair Systems - Wigs - Hair Extensions we insist that you keep the standard razors away. It's amazing how many doctors tell women undergoing chemotherapy not to shave their legs, but forget to tell them not to shave their heads. Shaving your head regularly can cause your scalp to become irritated and itchy.

5 . Buy a natural wig from a Wig Shop and not online

A wig can cost from €50 to many thousands of euros. What you should keep in mind is that an expensive wig often means a better quality human hair wig . This category of wigs costs in Greece approximately from €1000 to €2000 and is the only category of wigs that can give a very natural result .

A cheaper category of wigs are synthetic wigs . In other words, these are wigs that are not made from natural hair and which in Greece cost up to €500 . If you choose synthetic wigs you should be very careful because although they may look pretty good on the shelf, during use you will face problems such as hair tangling , inability to blow dry and you will definitely not have the hair you had before chemotherapy.

To buy a wig that is right for you, try to visit a wig store , because online it is difficult to choose the right size and color. If you still can't get to a store and need to order your wig online, make sure the online store has a good return policy.

6. Check if you are entitled to compensation for the purchase of a wig from EOPYY

Before you reach into your pocket, check if you qualify for a discounted wig. Most women in Greece are entitled to Wig compensation from the EOPYY and the process of filing the documents is very easy. For more information on wig compensation from the EOPY, read the detailed article we have written on this topic.

7 . Weigh the pros and cons of wearing a synthetic wig versus a natural wig​​​​​​​​​​​​

Unlike natural (human hair) wigs , synthetic wigs don't last as long, the hair often gets tangled and has less styling flexibility. If you opt for a synthetic wig , be sure to consider how long you plan to wear it and plan to buy more than one and change them over time.

One you are interested in naturalness in wig then you should choose MACO's natural net wigs which help your front hairline look completely natural . These wigs can be dyed to your hair color and with proper application and guidance no one will tell the difference. Although natural hair wigs require more maintenance than synthetics, they last longer and can be styled, cut or dyed just like your natural hair.

8. Learn how to wear , style and care for your wig​

Wearing a wig is not complicated if it is the right size . Women who have not previously had any contact with wigs tend to wear them too low , thus hiding the forehead . For a wig to look natural the size should be correct and the front should fit exactly where your original hairline was.

If you choose a wig from the MACO Shops , after fitting we will give you all the care tips and show you how to care for your new wig. Also, in our stores you will find the special maintenance products that will make the care process even easier and extend the life of your wig.

Conclusion

Cancer has certainly brought many changes in your life , but if you choose the right wig at one of the MACO stores and wear it properly, then your confidence will be boosted and you will have more strength to come out victorious from this battle. Often women walk into our stores shaking and crying, being so scared of what's to come, but in the end they leave knowing that the wig they've chosen looks even better than their own hair

Call us immediately and make an appointment at our locations in Athens, Thessaloniki and Rethymno.