As I have acknowledged many, many times, that I have been very lucky throughout my treatment journey with managing side effects from my regimen - particularly the chemotherapy part. Everyone's cancer is different, everyone's treatment is different, everyone's reactions to their cocktail is different, and everyone's results are different.
One of the common, and highly visible, ramifications of chemo is some or all hair loss. Here too, my experience was a mixture of fortunate and curious. I had very little hair loss, up to and including after the mega-dose given right before my stem cell transplant (the most aggressive I ever had). And when my hair grew back in from that occasion, it returned with more red (less white than before), and a soft and wavy strawberry blonde vs. the previous coarse and curly fading auburn (though predominantly whitening).
As others deal with their own hair-loss hassles, I notice (observing the population primarily at the clinic), that there are any number of fashionable and functional forms of coverage.
- Au Naturel: Many folks opt to manage their newly glabrous heads au naturel. Some even have family and/or friends who shave their heads in a sign of support and solidarity. Bald is beautiful, and this bold (yet cold) approach is courageous and comely.
- Wigs: Wigs and toupees have come a long way since the days of Uncle Ralph's "rug." Some are so realistic that they could fool the most skilled trichologist. Women and men can find choices in a wide variety of colors, lengths and textures. And it can serve as a spirit-lifting boost during a hair-riffic hour.
- Hats and scarves: From Heisenberg's pork pie to a colorfully hued scarf to the personal choice of a hijab, cancer patients can opt for any number of ways to stylishly address their hairlessness - without having to sacrifice any aspects of religious beliefs, cultural traditions, or a desire for modesty and protection.
- Baseball caps: But the old, reliable baseball cap seems to be the most prevalent go-to headpiece. They are unisex in design, affordable to attain, appropriate in almost every setting, and allow for a display of affinity for anything from a famous alma mater to a beloved brand to a home-town sports team. For my Nat hat couture, I align with the latter, and proudly wear my Minnesota Vikings Crucial Catch Cancer Awareness cap to each session at the clinic.
