Overcoming hair loss from cancer with a simple solution for a lasting impact
by Amanda Lacey
Photography Courtesy Shutterstock.com // Abo Photography
It’s not cavalier to say that hair loss from cancer treatment can have a significant impact on self-esteem and the healing journey. Some types of chemotherapy are more likely to cause hair loss than others, so talk with your healthcare team to learn if it’s a side effect you’ll likely experience. While the degree of hair loss can vary from one individual to the next, acknowledging how traumatic—emotionally and psychologically—this experience is crucial.
If you have long hair, leaning into the transition by cutting it shorter before it begins to fall out can soften the shock of it all. Then, select a headscarf or cap so you’re not left scrambling to cover up when you’re already stressed and not feeling good.
Many women say a wig is the way to recapture a sense of your identity. If you feel a wig is right, ask your doctor to write a prescription. Susie’s Wigs & Hair Replacement advises that your doctor can prescribe a wig (technically referred to as a cranial prosthesis).
Hana Designs offers a range of “wig systems” from a bang piece to complete wigs in styles from short to long, curly to textured and more. Blends and materials include synthetic hair and human hair blended with synthetic and total human hair wigs. Hana and her team will ensure your wig is fully customized to help you feel like the best version of yourself. This may range from a custom color, including highlights and shading the roots if opting for a human hair wig, to sculpting and cutting it to your perfect style.
Helping women for more than four decades, Hana Designs has seen clients walk out of the salon with a renewed sense of identity. And Hana, having had stage four breast cancer herself, understands the level of empathy and compassion needed for every client.
“After about a year, we’ll graduate them back to their own salon,” she says. “It’s hard to say goodbye, but it’s wonderful to witness the transformation from how they felt when they first walked in our door to when they walked out.”
Hana Designs
229 W. Littleton Blvd.
Littleton
303.351.5818
Susie’s Wigs & Hair Replacement
3003 E. 3rd Ave, Ste. A
Denver
303.333.9447
