Choosing a wig for chemotherapy

This is a different kind of appointment, and we treat it as one. The practical decisions are straightforward; the timing is what makes the difference, and almost everyone leaves it later than they wish they had.

Come before treatment starts

This is the one piece of advice we would give above all others.

If you come while your own hair is still there, we can match its colour precisely — including the way it changes from root to end — and cut the piece to the style you actually wear. You get something that looks like you, rather than an approximation from a photograph.

The other reason is less technical. Choosing a wig in the weeks after a diagnosis, before treatment has begun, is difficult. Choosing one during the third cycle is much harder. Having it ready and waiting removes one decision from a period when there are already too many.

If treatment has already started, come anyway. We work from photographs regularly and it works well. It is simply easier the other way round.

What matters when the scalp is sensitive

Chemotherapy often leaves the scalp tender, dry and reactive. That changes what a good piece looks like.

The inside matters more than the outside. Seams, clips and stiff edges that a healthy scalp ignores become intolerable. Soft-band constructions and smooth interiors are worth more than any styling feature.

Weight matters. Lighter is better, and it matters more than usual on days when energy is short.

Grip without clips. With little or no hair to attach to, wigs rely on fit and a gentle adjustable band. This is where measurement becomes decisive — a well-measured piece sits securely without gripping.

Breathability. In this climate, on a bare scalp, an unventilated base becomes uncomfortable quickly.

Human hair or synthetic

There is a reasonable case for both here, and we do not push people towards the more expensive one.

Synthetic holds its style through humidity, needs almost no work, weighs little, and costs less. During treatment, when energy is limited, that is a real argument. It is less heat-tolerant and has a shorter life.

Human hair can be restyled, coloured and worn for years, and behaves like hair because it is hair. It needs more care.

A common and sensible pattern: a synthetic piece for the treatment months, and a bespoke human-hair piece later if hair does not return as hoped.

Practical things worth knowing

Ask your hospital whether a wig is covered under your plan or by a patient support programme — some are, and few people ask. Bring someone with you to the fitting if you would like a second opinion; most people do.

And it is worth knowing that hair usually returns. Often differently at first — finer, curlier, sometimes a different shade — and that generally settles within a year.

The questions, in short

When should I get fitted?

Before treatment starts, if possible. Colour and cut can then be matched to your own hair.

When does hair usually fall?

Commonly two to three weeks after the first cycle; ask your oncology team about your protocol.

Should I cut it short first?

Many find it easier. It is a personal choice.

Will it grow back the same?

Usually it grows back, often with a different texture at first, which normally settles.

Where we stand on this

We are not a medical service and we do not give medical advice. What we can do is make the appearance side of this take up less of your attention, so that it is not one more thing to manage.

If you would rather not sit in a salon, we can arrange a private fitting outside opening hours. A number of people prefer that, and it is no trouble to organise.