For most cancer
patients, especially women, this is one of the hardest things they have to deal with regarding side effects of cancer treatment. The health insurance in Slovenia
does offer a certain amount of money for patient’s wigs, I think it is around
80€. It is a very nice help, since I noticed that a lot of people feel very
uncomfortable wearing only beanies or scarfs. But for me it wasn’t like that.
What I
did regarding my hair?
The day I got my
diagnosis, my oncologist also told me that I will be losing my hair very soon after
I start with my chemotherapies. I didn’t really feel sad because I am really
not that emotionally attached to the way my hair looks. For most of my life I
had quite short hair. I do have very thick hair and at the time I was growing
them longer, to be able to make a nice hairstyle for my wedding. Ha ha, not
happening.
First thing I
did was to buy a shaver off of Amazon, because we didn’t have any at home. Then
I was waiting for my hair to start falling out.
By the way, the hair
loss doesn’t happen because you have cancer but because of the cytostatics, the drugs you get during chemotherapy. The cytostatics attack the rapidly
dividing cells, which are mainly cancer cells. But it does not target cancer cells
specifically, so all cells in the body which are rapidly dividing are affected. And
the cells in our hair roots are one of the most rapidly dividing cells in our
body - hence the hair loss.
So, it was Friday
at the end of August, after my first chemo. It was hot and I had long hair.
That Friday I started to feel that my hair is just not that strongly attached
to my head anymore. When I was running my fingers through my hair, every time I
pulled a good amount of hair out. So, I decided that that is it and my hair had
to go. I didn’t want to have ten lonely hairs hanging out of my head and look desperate
and even more sick than I actually am or feel. And I secretly wanted to shave my hair
from the beginning of my treatment anyway. I found it really fun. It was my
unfulfilled wish from my crazier teenage years and this time, my parents couldn't really be angry with me. I was so happy to shave my head, you cannot imagine
the excitement I felt.
I waited for
Simon to come home to help me with the shaving. And so, the shaving begun.
First, I just cut off my ponytail, to make things easier. So far so good.
Secondly, I cut
my hair a bit more because it was still quite long.
Then I went in
with my new shaver. And here is when the things went south. As I mentioned, I
have very thick hair. And do not let the Hollywood movies trick you- shavers
are not that strong! I learned that the hard way. I was always imagining how I
will be shaving my hair and the hair will be falling on my bathroom floor and I
will shed a tear and you know… Movie style. Well, that didn’t happen.
My poor shaver could not handle the amount of hair on my head. I tried and the shaver tried, and Simon tried, but we all failed. So, there I was on Friday night, looking very flattering with my hairstyle made with regular scissors. Pictures are attached for your entertainment. I am aware of how flattering they make me look.
Because this
hairstyle was a bit embarrassing even for me, I had to go to hairdresser. Simon
called the one near us and explained the situation, while I was giggly admiring
the art work I made with my hair. The hairdresser miraculously had time to squeeze
me in and in half an hour I was sitting in the hair salon.
The hairdresser made
me a coffee and shaved my hair as it should be done. I think that she was
expecting a bit of crying from my end. Didn’t happen. I found my hair shaving
process very entertaining. The hairdresser complemented the shape of my head
because apparently that is a fear of people in my types of situations. But she
was really sweet and kind and I got my hair-no hair treatment for free.
Epilogue
For a few weeks
I was shaving my head every week or so, because my hair kept growing back. And
then I gave up on shaving. I still have hair! They might be a bit thinning, but
I can still easily pull the “I have short hair” hairstyle and not look sick.
Sometimes I am contemplating
if I rushed into shaving my head because I was so excited. But I tell myself
that if I would keep them long, they would fallen out even more.
Present
It is winter and I am cold, my head is freezing most of the time. I just spent too much on indoor
beanies. And I have newly found respect for my bold friends.
