A reader of the site, Stella, had sent me an email with a bunch of questions that I made into what ended up being yet another rather long video, it’s about 11 minutes long, so grab a snack and pull up a chair đ
This video answers the following questions:
1. How did you know or decide between topper and a wig. Did you not chose topper because of the clip and the damage and discomfort to the hair?
2. I have tremendous amount of itching and burning. Did you or do you experience that? If so how is that with wearing hair?
3. I know that you have recently stopped taking spironolactone and birth control pill. How did it go?
4. Does wearing the hair cause more shedding?
5. Before cutting your bio hair really short how did you deal with it when wearing hair. would you leave it down or put it in a loose ponytail.
6. I feel that with taking this leap to wear hair is a finality to that hope. Once I start wearing there will be no way for me to go back. Did you have that feeling too?
Does anyone out there who has begun their hair wearing journey regret their decision? Wish they’d tried harder to hang onto their bio hair? Feel they’ve done everything they can? Would do anything different? (Ok, so that’s more than one question, lol!)
At this point in my HLBS (to coin Lina’s term!) journey, I really don’t feel I have much choice but to start wearing hair. It’s getting more and more difficult to cover up, when I don’t use Toppik you can totally see my scalp, and even when I *do* use it, I still feel it looks like crap. đ The thinning has REALLY accelerated the last few months for whatever reason, but I’ve been dealing with this for over a decade. At this point, even a crappy, synthetic wig I think would look better than my bio hair. đ
Anyhow, I made an appointment at a Hair Loss Restoration Clinic about an hour from here, this coming Tuesday. I’m looking into the Virtuesse system. I contemplated wigs, goodness knows there are beautiful ones out there – but I really want something that is “mine” – so am looking into a bonded system. I feel like if I’m going to make this leap, I might as well go all in and have something I can “own” and maybe even pass off as my own. I just feel like in a wig, I wouldn’t be able to do that….I’d be way to self concious about it falling off, being obvious, etc.
The problem in both areas is the cost. For a bonded system, I’m looking at about $360 a month, for four systems per year. That is all maintenance included, I would be going in every 4-6 weeks to have it cleaned and aligned, and would get a new system every three months. For the wigs that I like, they start off at a minimum of around $600, and need to be replaced about once a year – and I prefer the high end ones, which can run several thousand dollars. [click to continue…]
Sometimes it takes a while to realize that what we needed was there all along. I struggled for the past 6 months trying to figure out how to exercise in a wig. Many women do it, but it was a mental barrier I struggled with and ultimately, my solution is to not wear a wig to work out and to realize I can be okay, just being as I am without the security of my wig during times it is holding me back, rather than helping me move forward.
I wrote to a friend earlier today, that hair loss is a journey, wearing hair is a journey, and accepting oneself as is, and for all that entails, is the hardest journey of all. And then I thought, oh snap, there it is⌠acceptance on ALL levels.  Accepting that wearing wigs isn’t going to be absolutely perfect, but pretty darn awesome, accepting that for me I can’t wear a wig to workout and I’m just going to put on a hat or headband and be okay with it. Accepting that this IS my life, this is my path for better or worse. I vote Better!
Hi Everyone — Just a little update! Sorry for my delayed replies, I’m playing catch up from last week, where I basically checked out and now have a pile of stuff to do. XOXO
So I got a haircut this past Monday that did not turn out the way I wanted at all. My hairstylist whom I’ve been using for years, sort of went on her own path and deviated from what I needed to have done. I keep beating myself up for letting this happen, I should not have trusted that she would do what I needed and I should have paid closer attention. I really have only myself to blame. Lesson learned. Now I’m having to try and figure out how to get by not using my hairline with my wigs, something I’m not familiar with at all since I’ve always used my hairline (ear to ear) when wearing all my girls. *Letting out big BIG sigh* Â So this is my jacked up hair cut video update.
For some reason in the video at the part line front section it appears dark, it doesn’t appear that way in person, not sure how the lighting in my office was hitting it, but just know that isn’t what it looks like in person, it’s pretty natural. Didn’t want you guys thinking I was wondering around in the world with a dark spot in my front hairline. LOL
This has been a hard week on me because of this, it was rather devastating to have something like this taken from me, something I technically have control over and now feeling like I have to wait months and months for my hairline to get back to a usable length is driving me nuts, absolutely nuts. I could have cared less if she shaved circles into the top or back, I just wanted my hairline kept long. That’s it, my only one real requirement for the cut. I suppose after my hairline grows back I’ll look at this as an “experience” and know that even if all my hair falls out, I’ll still be able to work the wigs. So I guess there is a positive here.. somewhere, somewhere, somewhere in here. Have you found it yet? Â Don’t mind me, you’ll find me at the bottom of a bottle tonight đ
Hi everyone, I did a car cam update yesterday whilst on my way to meet a friend from The WHLP for lunch. I’d like to say it was a short quick update, but I don’t know what it is with me and my babbling issues, once I start talking about my hair, I just can’t shut up. LOL. I find that the car is the easiest place to give updates, because I’m usually stuck in traffic doing nothing đ Last Thursday I made a trip to Follea, and found myself a new beauty to bring home. She deserves a post dedicated to all her loveliness, so this will just be a little preview of my golden princessâŚ. Tatiana. She’s been the star of my week, and all my other girls have been sitting on the bathroom counter darting dirty looks at her as she leaves the room each morning đ
In other news, I definitely think I’m going to have my hair stylist gal come over next week to cut more hair away from head. I wanted to do it before, but even more now after I saw the video because you can see my short hair behind my ears at times in the video and it’s more obvious with Tatiana than my other girls because of the stark color contrast. So adios to more of my follicles next week, they have trip to trash can ville in store for them. C’est la vie.
Hi Everyone.. made a little video the day before yesterday giving a little update on me, including talking about my recent haircut I just got. Yes it is true, I got my hair cut short. Like… short short. Like… I’m committed to not wearing a ponytail, short. Like…goodbye dry thin crappy hair, au revoir, don’t let the hair brush yank ya on the way out, short. đ
My hair loss journey has me committed to wearing a wig at this point. I decided that I need to have more than one wig, I canât even imagine the panic I would endure if anything happened to my one and only â so this past Saturday I had an appointment to order a custom piece and wanted to share my experience with you.
I went back to the place Iâve always gone, they provided me with the wig I have now and the two postiches (toppers) that I own. My wig is a lovely human hair wig but it is processed and I wanted to inquire about a virgin human hair wig since Y raves about hers and we all know how lovely and realistic hers are! Two of my biggest dilemmas were: 1) showing Michael and his staff at Continental Hair my shaved head and 2: the cost. I decided that as far as the cost, I need a second wig for my peace of mind, so I would put the wig on my credit card.
So Friday night before my apt. I washed Eva (thatâs what I named her), I waxed my upper lip and eyebrows â yeah, I get the irony. You think I was going on a date, but nonetheless Eva and I had to look our best. Eva was drying on her head in the bathroom when my mom called saying her and my dad were coming over for a few minutes â shit! Wig is wet and how would I cover my head â I didnât want dad to see. I was just about to put on a buff and then decided â what the heck, let me test drive showing my head , so they come over. Dad starts smiling and then says: âyou look like a boyâ (what a weiner â thatâs dad), then he said: âno, you look healthy and goodâ, then he hugged me and said he loved me. Quick visit over and I was still standing â yay.
So I go to bed and it went something like: toss, turn, toss, turn, up to pee, time check, back to bed, toss, turn⌠I even had a dream and I saw Michael, I was bald and saying something like, duh, ummh⌠You guessed it, zero sleep. I finally get my tired self out of bed in the morning and head to Toronto, half way there I was coming up with excuses on why I was going to call and cancel my apt. so I could turn around and come home. I told myself to calm down and do this, for me. [click to continue…]
Hello to my wonderful sisters. I thought I would update you on my hair wearing process. Today marks exactly 5 weeks since I first shaved my head and have worn my wig âfull-timeâ. The few posts that I have made I noticed a lot of struggles out there and I wanted to let you know that I have not abandoned you, on the contrary, you are all on my mind.
So, quick recap: I shaved my head because after 25 years of battling hair loss, I had a âmelt downâ this summer (hair loss plus a lot of life stuff), I was 3 months after major surgery and boom â a bout of TE set in â well, no hair to lose any more and out came the clippers (I was drinking wine at the time, hmmm). Well didnât cry when I did it and havenât yet shed a âhair tearâ. Well, that night I was brave, next morning I looked in the mirror and went, hmm â is that what I really look like đ
Well, no going back right? I had to wear my âjust in caseâ wig. Maybe God knew I would chicken out and get frustrated and not wear the wig after a day or two and thatâs why he gave me the strength to shave my head â this way I had to commit to wearing hair. I will tell you the honest truth in my experience â I was frustrated with the wig, it takes getting used to: used to feeling like you have hair, seeing you with hair, accepting the fact you wear hair (thatâs the toughest). So, first few days, wanted to rip it off, couldnât look in the mirror because it didnât look like me. How funny is that? I havenât looked like me in a number of years â hair or expression. I avoided mirrors for the first few days. I finally washed the wig â much better, positioned her properly on my head (made a big difference), got the wigrip that Y suggested (life saver). [click to continue…]
I want to first write that I am not a fan of hair transplants for women, I personally
think that most women with androgenetic alopecia are NOT candidates for
this procedure. Having said that, I get emailed all the time from women looking
for a good hair transplant surgeon.
If you are deadset on having a consultation, please visit the International Alliance
of Hair Restoration Surgeons. The IAHRS (http://www.iahrs.org)
is an organization that selectively screens skilled and ethical hair transplant
surgeons. Read
my thoughts about hair transplants here.
