I love my wig, I think we’ve established that. But, now comes the rainbow of wonder. I wonder if… you know that rainbow.
As anyone who reads this blog knows I have always pointed towards wearing bonded hair as my personal end-all-be-all solution towards moving past this wretched hair loss nightmare. Many women are able to boldly make that leap, arms wide open and flinging themselves into the air only to find they have wings, and they fly with brave beauty and grace onto the other side and into bluer horizons. Others, like myself, stare off the cliff and look for the ladder, the rope, the bridge.. anything else. So I got a rope, no shame in that and am inching my way towards emotional freedom.
Wearing a wig is a process. Period. You have super highs and you have those “sometime” moments at the end of the day after wearing it for 10+ hours when you are thinking, “Get this off my head STAT.” Moments of realization that this hair beauty has to come off at the end of the night, and you are bummed that this hair isn’t more “part of you.” Then come the soaring highs, the ability to leave the house WITH hair, not just any hair but amazing hair. The ability to “do” my hair in 2 minutes flat, no longer a slave to furiously trying to battle with the blow dryer to make my crappy hair looks less crappy. I have peace of mind. But.. it’s not cleaning the house hair, or jogging hair — those things I feel aren’t the most comfortable with a wig, and for me the jogging part would be impossible with the wig entirely. Now let me point out, I do clean the house with my wig at times, but if I’m doing the hard scrub cleaning, it’s not going to be the most comfortable for me with a wig on when you are contorting yourself in 10 different ways to get behind the toilet. So the wig comes off and the old me resurrects itself, which can bring me down. That’s why I still look over the fence peering onto the other side, wondering if wearing bonded hair would be better. It has it’s own set of issues for sure, and in another article I’ll explore the Pro’s & Con’s of Wigs Vs. Bonded Toppers.
Ultimately, I think both provide freedom with each having their own set of lifestyle “minuses” and “pluses.”
So far my wig minuses are few, and the pluses many, but I still have those *sigh* moments, where my fiancé reminds me, “Be thankful for where you are now, and that you made this amazing life changing step, just be happy.” I am happy dammit! Is there a pot of gold at the other side of MY rainbow of wonder or a pot of sand ? I don’t know. That’s why it’s a rainbow of wonder.
This is a journey, a process, it will take time for me to fully accept the 2.0 version of me, or the 2.1 or 2.2 or 2.3. But without a doubt, getting a wig was the best thing I’ve done for myself.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’d love to read a blog about the pros and cons of bonding vs wigs. I am one of those people that will probably leap into bonding first (and even maybe early). I am concerned though because I don’t see too many drawbacks with it and I want to know ALL of the limitations and challenges that I may be faced with.
Congratulations on taking a first step for yourself.
It’s definitely a journey, a process, no matter which path you take. Jumping right into bonding was the step for me because of the limitations you described with needing to take a wig or clip-in topper off at night. But this hasn’t been entirely easy by any means, as my recently blog would suggest. I have my lows also. Whichever path you take is going to have it’s own set of challenges. But I agree with your fiance…we should both be happy that we had the courage to take the next step, whether big or small, that truly is changing our lives. 🙂
I’m glad that things are going well overall! I think a blog weighing the pros and cons between a wig/clip-in vs. bonding is a great idea. I’ll be happy to weigh in on the bonding side of things!
Jena
I’ve done the bonded hair when I was young – you can do more physical activities with it but now that I’m older and don’t do much of those outdoor events – so enjoy wearing a wig and taking it off when I get home (I’m a single mom).
Any advice on wig and hairpiece shopping. Which are the most natural and long lasting. This is all very new to me.
I am happy that you are moving along out of the stagnet freaked out phase a lot of us seem to go through. You are still so young and it is past time to be really happy. After all, it is really just hair 🙂 Yes, I know I know! I KNOW how lonely, embarrassing etc etc.
I wear lots of hats. Gonna get a nice topper someday. I even go out now with my hair as is. There are sooo many women that I see lately that have hairloss and they don’t hide or appear to stress over it. It’s an epidemic out here! I expect that someday soon bald women will be sexy like bald men are now.
Thank you always, from my heart for sharing with us Y. Your shares have given many of us in various phases and stages of this journey hope, compassion and laughter and for those things I am eternally grateful :)) it’s a new day and I’m happy that you are enjoying your new hair and new life and that you are getting on with it !
I fully understand where you’re coming from! I am planning on going the same route as you, and don’t want to jump into bonded hair because it just seems so complicated, and I don’t exactly feel up for the challenge right now. I’m not sure if you’ve done Susan’s program – Crowned Beautiful – but I bet that would offer all of the specifics to make the journey easier. Or going to someone to do the bonded hair for you initially would be easier too, I would think. I hate that this hair thing is such a never-ending journey!
But you’ve made a great leap by getting a wig and wearing it out! I bought a wig (a cheap one) but have never actually worn it out of the house. I’m planning on going to LA probably in a few weeks to visit the places you mentioned in your last blog post. So thanks for writing about your wig journey!
I’ll write a blog on pros and cons of each.
Y, I’ve used both, and they both have their pros and cons, one of the best pros of bonded hair is having great hair all the time.
The good thing about normal wigs is you can just put it on and take it off whenever you want to and it lasts a lot longer because you don’t sleep in it, but then you don’t sleep in it.