1. In cases of chemotherapy treatment, hair loss usually starts after the 2nd treatment (depending on the type of medication used). This gives you several weeks before you will really need a hair replacement. During this time it is advisable to seek advice from organizations such as "Look Good-Feel Better" chapters who have a lot of experience and knowledge in such matters. Secondly, visit one or two hair replacement specialist who specialize in hair replacements. Remember the best time to visit a hair replacement specialist is before you lose your hair. Why? It will afford the stylist who helps you to see your present hair style, your own hair color, and to possibly measure your head size to be sure your head will fit within an average size hair replacement. If your head is exceptionally large or small a custom wig may have to be made for you, and this can take a number of weeks to make.
2. Look for an establishment that can really support your needs and is knowledgeable in hair replacements. Why is this important to you? For Example, trying on a hair replacement before you lose your hair will force you to stuff all your hair under the cap; but after you lose your hair the bulk of your hair is gone and the cap may feel looser and the establishment should know this and must be able to alter the cap should this happen down the road.
3. The establishment you buy from should also offer you some education on the care and maintenance of your hair replacement as well as what type of support products (such as shampoos, conditioners, brushes) to use. This can effect the longevity of your hair replacement.
4. Maintenance and re-styling of your hair replacement is another quality to look for because this is a specialized craft and it takes special training and education to be good at it. There will be times you will have to have your wig cleaned and re-styled to look like new again and it can make quite a difference when done professionally. Be sure the establishment you purchase from offers this service.
5. The fit of your hair replacement should be snug but not really tight on the head. Be sure to look for what is called tape tab material inside the cap of the hair replacement. The tape tab areas inside the hair replacement cap allows you to use little pieces of double faced tape that really clings the replacement cap to your scalp keeping it in place hour after hour, all day, all night long. You can even brush and style your hair replacement without any movement or sliding. This is a wonderful feature to have and only by experience can you appreciate the feature. |
6. Once your hair loss is beyond the point of wearing it on it's own, it will be advisable to do what you need to in order to make your experience of living in your new hair alternative a better and more secure experience. Remember, if you are active in your daily life, you will be living in your new hair replacement every day. Anything you can do to make it more pleasurable is what should be done.
7. How long will I need to wear the hair replacement after my treatment ends? From the time your treatment stops, it usually takes about one month or so for your own hair to start growing in. Even at this point hair usually grows at a rate of about 1/4" to 1/2 " per month, and will still take several more months to have enough hair to wear on it's own; even in a new short hair style. In most cases, from the time your hair loss starts to the time it grows back (long enough to wear on it's own) it may take up to 10 to 12 months time, depending on how you want your hair to look before you no longer wear the hair replacement. During this time of using your hair replacement you will be living in it day and night, seven days a week. therefore, you may want to consider owning two of them so you can alternate, or leaving one to be cleaned and re-styled while wearing the other. It's a good thing to have.
8. Will my hospitalization insurance pay for my hair replacement? Most insurance companies today will pay up to 80% of the cost of the new hair replacement. But there is an educated process insofar as how you prepare the paperwork to submit your claim. If you follow these couple of procedures you should have no trouble:
Ask your doctor for a prescription written as follows: "Hair prosthesis due to the effects of chemotherapy".
When purchasing your hair replacement ask the establishment to make out your invoice stating: "Hair prosthesis as prescribed by doctor", then the amount. Submit your insurance claim and copies of both doctors prescription and invoice from the establishment you purchased it from and it should work well. Remember, insurance companies do not consider a hair replacement as a medical treatment and there are some who will turn the claim down if not done in a correct manner as outlined above; even then some still may reject it. |
Arcos International
