Finding a wig you love (in Michigan)

From the moment you know your hair is going to fall out (or has fallen out enough to consider covering it up) you are thinking “how will I ever find a wig I love? In Michigan, no less?”

There ARE replacement hair options on line, of course. And you’ll probably Google that right away and come away with too many choices to decide. How will you know what is right? What’s the best kind of hair? Synthetic or human? What is too expensive? Too cheap?

And the big kahuna: will everyone know you’re wearing a wig?

First, let’s get that big one out of the way. No. It’s very hard to tell today’s well-made, modern wigs from human hair. As opposed to costume wigs, good, well-made wigs whether synthetic, or human hair, are made well enough to hide. In addition, your wig stylist will trim the lace on your lace front wigs to just enough to hold the hair in place, but so it cannot be seen (an online or not-so-good wig shop won’t do this for you – they may send you away with “just trim that off if you want” and you’ll be terrified to do so!)  If you buy it online, you're even more on your own -  your stylist may be terrified to cut into or alter your wig (many need to be shaped, trimmed and thinned out to look good on you.)

A wig should be fit to you – no one-size-fits-all wigs – you should order it in a small, medium or large cap, depending on your head size for the best fit. Even the clips on the bottom of the wig aren’t designed to cinch it down to your head. Be sure the stylist you’re working with measures your head to ensure the best cap fit for you.

You’ll want a Wig Grip headband (and other accessories) that your wig stylist will provide to you with your wig purchase. These are relatively inexpensive add-ons that really make a difference in styling and caring for your wigs. This includes special shampoo, conditioning spray and styling tools that will work for your type of wig.

Finding a wig you love should be an interactive experience. Your stylist should ask you to reflect on the kind of hair you love (or hair you have/had) and explore with you what you’re looking to achieve, what your lifestyle is and how you’ll wear your wig. Finding a wig you’ll love in Michigan is possible!

Working out with your wig (and how to keep it fresh & clean)

Working out with your wig:

If you’re working out in your primary wig, have a few things on hand to help:

HEADLINE IT! disposable wig liners are an essential product for any wig wearer. They come individually wrapped and are small enough to take with you anywhere and discretely packaged for your convenience. There is a nude back layer, which is great for camouflaging the liner under wigs and headwear. The High tech wicking material captures perspiration and keeps you dry!  It will protect wigs and headwear from dirt, oil, and sweat stains. You will get an average of 10 wearings per liner. There are 10 individually wrapped liners per box.

A stretchy headband to pull the wig’s layers off your forehead and nape of neck. If it’s a long hair wig, braid or pony-tail braid the hair to keep it off your back as well. Keeping your alternative hair off your face and neck is key to preserving your wig during workouts.

A backup WigGrip headband so you can put on a fresh one. If you need a WigGrip headband (the velvet style ones are amazing!) ask Jessica for sources.

Use a deodorizing spray to neutralize odors. Take off your wig, and turn it inside out once you’ve worked out, then spritz with a combination of distilled water and a drop or two Purification oil in a small spray bottle (one drop per about 2 cups of distilled water in spray bottle.) Let this dry a few minutes before putting on your scalp again. Purification oil is available from Young Living Essential Oils, and you can ask Jessica at A Wig and a Prayer how to get it. The Purification oil is a blend of essential oils that really works to mask the stinky!

A head/scalp toner will cool down your scalp before putting your wig back on. Use 1 cup of witch hazel to one drop of peppermint essential oil.

If you have a backup wig, use that to work out in instead of your primary wig. Switch to your primary wig after your workouts and wash your backup wig (s) for workout days.

If you have an older wig, you can make yourself a scarf with hair on it that is much more comfortable to work out in. If you have a long-hair wig, you’ll actually CUT up your wig and then sew it to a scarf or bandanna. Here are a few tutorials of scarves with attached hair that you can make.

Working out without your wig:

A stretchy headband for your forehead around to nape of neck and a baseball or sports style cap works great to cover your head while running or working out in the gym.  There are wide ones available OR use a Buff headband-style.

A traditional length Buff or stretchy seamless tube of fabric worn “do-rag” style under a bicycle helmet also works well for outdoor road or mountain biking, downhill skiing (under a winter sports helmet) or snowboarding. You can even rotate your Buff around to create a head sock/balaclava under your winter sports helmet to cover your head, neck, chin, mouth and nose too!

Getting the stink out of your wig:

If you do work out with your wig, you’ll need to wash it more frequently. But just washing it won’t cut it, so try this recipe:

Drop 2-3 drops of purification in 1 tsp of baking soda. Drop the mixture in a sink full of cool (synthetic) or luke warm (human hair) water and soak wig for 10-15 minutes before washing. It will remove any stubborn odors in wig. i.e.-smoke, sweat, etc.

How affordable are wigs for hair loss?

A wig is art for your head. Invest in what makes you feel great!

Wigs and other hair replacement options like extensions and toppettes, vary in price and quality. When you’re first shopping for a wig, it’s best to consult with a professional who can help you look at your lifestyle, not just try on wigs.

When you go to a wig salon with a professional stylist who works with replacement or alternative hair (aka wigs), you should expect to have her ask you about your lifestyle first. How long have you been losing your hair? When will your hair grow back (if ever?) What do you like about your hair (or dislike.)

If you are undergoing chemotherapy, for instance, you might have no hair for six to twelve months, but then, with successful ending of your treatment, your hair will grow back in. If you have alopecia areata, you might only need a topette to cover areas where your hair has fallen out. If you have androgenic alopecia, your hair might have been thinning for years and it’s finally time to add to it with extensions. If you have alopecia universalis, you might never grow hair again.  Your cost investment depends on how long you will wear your hair, how often you’ll wear it when you need it and what kind of care and look you want from your wig.

A styled, colored and customized long hair human hair wig might cost $2-3,000. If you don’t have hair and you’re not expecting to grow any, this investment (which should last you, with care, 2-3years) will cost you just $3 a day for the time you wear it.  But you might want to have more variety in your hair wardrobe and spend just $500-800 for a well-made synthetic wig that you will only wear for six months during chemo. If you’re really only interested in a wig for special occasions, you can get a synthetic wig, including trimming and styling for $200. And some programs, such as through your cancer center, have wigs for a very modest amount of money. This is a great option if you’re wearing your wig only occasionally through your treatment.

Many younger women with alopecia prefer to have several wigs for style variety-including length, style, color and cut – and for them, a wardrobe of moderate mid-range synthetic wigs are a great choice. If you’re wearing alternative hair for the rest of your life, having fun with the style and having the hair you really want is a way to cope with the hair loss in a positive way.

The key is to shop for wigs with your wig stylist at a wig salon, rather than a wig store or online. A wig stylist will take your wig and tailor it to you – thinning out, trimming or altering the wig’s style slightly to suit you. And buying the right size wig (small, medium, or large caps) is really critical if you want your wig to stay in place. Many women are surprised at the quality of synthetic wigs – but within the affordable wig category, quality varies.

A synthetic wig will cost less than a human hair wig, but there are exceptional heat-tolerant synthetics that look amazing and natural. Many long-hair wigs are lighter made from synthetics than from human hair, but they won't last as long.

Whatever your price range, if you need a wig for hair loss, a wig salon can help you feel beautiful again.

A Wig and a Prayer is an Okemos, Michigan (Lansing-Area) wig salon.

How to wear a wig (and love it!)

When you first lose your hair, and start wearing alternative hair like wigs, there are some key things you need to have and know.

A special Wig Grip headband worn under your wig will help it stay in place whether you have some hair or none underneath. The velvet band is comfortable, adjustable and doesn’t slip around.

You’ll want a head for your wig to rest on when you’re not wearing it. It should be a formed head. You can get a travel version that snaps together and slips into the bottom of your suitcase or backpack so you can take it with you on the road.

You might want clips and a strap for styling your wig, particularly when you’re brushing or blow drying (if you have a human hair or heat tolerant wig). You'll definitely want some wig-safe brushes with round nubs on the tips of the soft bristles.

The practical tips on how to wear a wig don't quite cover how to love a wig.

Before you lost your hair (or at any point in your life) what would have described hair you would have wished for? Your dream hair? With wigs, you can have your dream hair! Always wanted long, wavy tresses, beachy and fun? You can have that! Always wanted sleek long hair? You can have that too! Too freaked out to ever cut your hair in a pixie but want to try it? Wigs offer a chance to try on a different look and lifestyle easily.

Loving your wig is hard sometimes. It can be hot and itchy. It can drive you batty after a long day of wearing it (you might want to yank it off as soon as you get in your car - if you do this, it's most dramatic if you do it at a stoplight with others watching from their cars ;D) But loving your wig takes a third eye. Have a friend, spouse or sibling take photos of you in your wigs. Hire a professional photographer. You will notice how great you look with your wigs. Check out YouTube and Instagram for wig-wearing women with style and grace. A favorite video is one we found on an alopecia web site (Alopecia World); a young woman took a video of herself in her 27 different wigs (most synthetic) with different outfits, and then set the clips to music. It's a fun way to celebrate the ability to have a different hair style - color, cut, length and texture - whenever you want!

Follow other wig wearers on social media and you’ll be amazed! They don’t look like they are wearing wigs and you’ll be surprised at how gorgeous you can be wearing your wig, too!  You’ll also note how they style their wigs, including updos on long-hair wigs, using hair extensions added to hats and more creative ideas on wearing alternative hair.

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Instagram is a great place to follow wig wearers – as experienced wig wearers, they have great tips on how to wear wigs, how to draw on eyebrows and apply false eyelashes, have creative makeup tips. They also post about good brands that you can buy right here in Lansing from your wig salon such as Jon Reneau and Follea. Of course, you can also follow A Wig and A Prayer.

Here are a few people to follow: @alopeciablondie @follea @jonrenau @fauxhairfun @tressedtwo  Follea and Jon Renau are two wig brands that A Wig and a Prayer works with for wig clients. You can also search by #alopeciaareata or #hairloss and find dozens and dozens of others who post about their daily lives with wig, toppers, and extensions.

What about eyebrows and eyelashes? Jessica at A Wig and A Prayer in Okemos, MI can show you some options for faking gorgeous eyebrows, and you can get tutorials online on YouTube. Makeup tutorials abound. You'll note that wearing eyeliner is a great fake for not having eyelashes (it masks that pale and naked no-lash look very well.) Especially thicker eyeliner like cat-eye styles; embrace makeup when you have no hair.  There are options such as microblading, that fill in eyebrows, eyebrow tattoing that offer a semi or permanent replacement for lost brows.

Wig and a Prayer is a wig salon Okemos(Lansing-area) Michigan

Where to buy your wigs locally in Lansing?

You've decided you want to have great hair and you're going to buy a wig! Or, maybe, somewhat reluctantly, you've realized the inevitable and you have to buy a wig. Your perspective (in either case) is OK - own the feelings associated with buying a wig. Now what?

Your options for buying a wig in the Lansing area include wig stores, consultants, wig stylist at a wig salon or online. If this is your first wig, you'll want to consult with a wig stylist for your wigs. Having a consultation with a wig stylist (rather than buying a wig online or at a wig store) is more akin to having a personal shopper. The personal shopper asks you questions about your lifestyle, finds things that suit your personal style and your life, and you have a private try-on session to explore your new look. A wig stylist at a wig salon mimics this experience.

Your wig stylist at a wig salon will sit down with you and explore your hair - if you still have your hair (a good time to think about buying your first wig is when you still have hair), you can share what you like about your current hair with your stylist. If you've already lost a lot of your hair, you can bring photos of yourself or pin styles to your Pinterest board to share with your wig stylist.

Your wig stylist will work with you to explore the types of hair that fit your life. If you're experiencing thinning across the top of your head, for instance, you might just need a topette or extensions to add to the fullness that you've lost. If you're losing large patches of hair, you might need a full wig. How long you intend to wear your wig is also a consideration. If you're undergoing chemo, your hairless time might be six months or a year, but if you have alopecia areata or androgenic alopecia, you might need wigs for the rest of your life.

Where you buy your wigs also has an impact on how you care for your hair. Caring for 'alternative hair' (an industry term), is different from caring for your own hair, and having your wig stylist at a wig salon style, color and wash your hair every two weeks might be a better option than having to wash and style your own wigs.

If you've purchased your wig from a wig stylist, you have someone who knows how to customize the hair. Very often, wigs are not perfect for you the moment you put them on. The bangs might be too long, the fullness might be too much; traditional stylists do not know how to and often are afraid of cutting into wigs (particularly synthetic wigs) for fear that they will ruin your expensive investment. A wig stylist at a wig salon knows precisely how to cut wigs and cuts a lot of wigs - so she has a lot of experience.

Where do you find a wig stylist and salon? You can google wig salon in your area, such as "Wig salon Lansing, Michigan", or you can ask your hospital or doctor, or even your own stylist for recommendations. Most stylists are the ones that refer to a wig salon and wig stylist, because they are the ones that sit with you to cut and style your hair on a much more regular basis than your hospital or physician's office. They're among the first to tell you your hair loss is getting to the point where you might need a wig.

If you have a more rare condition (i.e. alopecia areata, totalis or univeralis, or androgenic) you will find a salon stylist owner can help you connect with a community of like-minded women that she knows. Buying online won't give you the support network you need a this challenging time.

Your stylist and salon is a relationship built of trust and caring. Your wig stylist wants you to leave feeling like you are a fabulous version of yourself. Perhaps with even better hair than you originally had!

What can you expect from your first hair replacement or wig appointment?

Because hair is so much a part of us, choosing hair is more akin to custom design than an off-the-shelf solution. Some clients want hair that matches exactly to their current style.  Others use the opportunity to have the hair they’ve always wanted. Some clients want hair only for special occasions, others need to wear their hair every day of the week. Some clients want to try different styles and have more than one wig, others need only a topette or extensions to fill in areas where hair is thinning.

Aero Toppettes like this one from Follea, offer lightweight hair addition options for women with androgenic alopecia where hair thins over a long time. It's perfect if you have some hair and want to blend it in with your own.

Because what kind of hair is perfect for you is so unique, your wig stylist will work with you to select the perfect hair replacement options for you. You’ll sit in a comfortable, relaxed environment, private and serene. You can bring girlfriends or your spouse, or you can come alone. Jessica will ask you about your lifestyle, your budget and your hair wearing needs.

At your first appointment, you can browse a variety of hair catalogs – much like you browse Pinterest or hairstyle magazines at your regular salon, see samples of the types of hair replacement options available, feel the types of hair options and try on samples for fit. Your hair will arrive at the salon (timing depends on the type and style of your hair replacement option) and you’ll return so Jessica can cut and style your wig, hairpiece or extension to fit with your face shape and desired style.

You’ll leave feeling a new hope – and know that your new hair will be gorgeous and perfectly suited to you!

I’m losing my hair and I’m scared, what are my options?

You’re sitting in your stylists chair and she notices something. A small patch of missing hair. And another. Your first instinct is to freak out and head directly for your doctor. A wise choice. Or, you’re in the shower and notice clumps of hair coming off when you wash it. Losing your hair is scary. But there are good options for hair replacement including wigs, extensions, hairpieces called toppettes and integrated hair systems that use your own hair.

Your next stop is googling hair extensions or hair pieces or even wigs. The sheer number of results can be overwhelming. What should you choose? How do you match it to your hair color? Do you have to cover your whole head or just that spot?

Your stylist, who has cut and styled your hair for years, may know of a wig stylist, a specialist who is licensed as a stylist and has training and experience cutting and styling wigs.

A stylist who cuts wigs - synthetic or human hair – can help make that wig or hairpiece make it perfectly you. Almost all wigs require at least a small amount of styling - trimming around ears or bangs, adjusting length or reducing fullness. And few salons have stylists trained or experienced in cutting and styling wigs.

You might not need a full wig! Some clients only need a toppette, where your own hair is integrated into a cap that feels cool, natural and can stay in for weeks at a time, where you care for it as you would your normal hair. You might need extensions to help with thinning hair, or you might find you’re most comfortable with a whole wig. Your wig stylist should go over all of your options, and she should guide you to the best option that fits your type of hair loss and how you feel about your hair.

When you leave, you should feel comfortable, beautiful and confident with your new (or newly augmented) hair!

I need a wig, where do I start?!

It’s the stuff of nightmares. Your hair is falling out in clumps, due to alopecia or chemotherapy. Or it has grown so thin, you can’t continue hiding it under caps, headbands or powdered makeup. You realize you might need a wig. Where you do you start?  If you're in Lansing, or Grand Rapids or Metro Detroit in Michigan (or anywhere else, for that matter), odds are you're going to turn to Google and search for "Wigs in Lansing, Michigan".

The process of searching, evaluating and buying wigs can seem daunting. The price might seem out of reach. You might be afraid of looking like you’re wearing a Halloween costume wig instead of hair. The process of replacing your natural hair with a wig – or, as the medical industry terms it “cranial prosthesis” -  is scary. You don't know if you want a synthetic wig or a human hair wig and you won't know anything about a "lace front cap" and the third result you see is "Cheap Fashion Wigs", surely, not something you want at all!

First, it’s helpful if you have photographs of yourself before you began losing your hair. Gather up photos of yourself when you had a full head of hair, look at hairstyles that you like in magazines, or on web sites like Pinterest. Although losing your hair can be scary, it also gives opportunity for changing your look or having the hair you always wished you had!

A visit to a wig salon is your next step. A private, comfortable space where you can have a private consultation with a wig and hair style specialist is a positive and comfortable way of exploring your options. There are many options for wigs, including full wigs in both synthetic or human hair, toppettes (which clip to your remaining hair), extensions and even integrated wig extensions that incorporate your real hair.  A private consultation will ensure that you’re not overwhelmed by so many wigs, and help you explore options at a comfortable pace. If you want to bring a trusted friend or loved one, or come alone, it’s all up to you.

You probably googled Wigs and ended up at this site. And you know in your search there are thousands (millions) of listings about wigs, but are they good wigs? A great wig is an extension of you. It should make you feel beautiful, confident and, well, you.

You can’t tell that a wig will make you feel your best just from a web site. Nor can you know what hair replacement options are best for you. If you have androgenic alopecia or thining hair, you might be able to incorporate your own hair in to an integrated wig. If you are losing your hair for a short time, such as for chemotherapy, your options might be different than if you have alopecia or hormonal hair loss that can last for many years or even be permanent.

Gather up your photos and ideas, and scheduling a private consultation at a wig salon is your best option for feeling your beautiful self again.

Hair or Not, It's really OK.

It’s hard to believe that its been 2 whole years since I shaved off all my hair in an attempt to briefly understand what it would be like to wear a wig on a daily basis.  It was definitely something that I will never forget.

I have had many people ask me what my experience was like and ask me to write about it. I always meant to write about it sooner, but time got away from me and quite frankly I thought to myself, “who cares?” Who cares what I, a person who has hair, who made the “choice” to shave my head, only to have it grow back immediately with no pain and no sickness thinks? Who really cares?? And seriously, I still feel that way.  I don’t really care about my experience at all. What I do care about is each and every woman that I have helped on her journey through hair loss. I care deeply about every story that I have heard and I am humbled and grateful for the trust that these women have put in me to educate them and provide them with quality hair replacement options.

I have the pleasure of serving women who have no choice. They have absolutely no choice whether they have their own hair or not. Some are sick with cancer and lose their hair to chemo. Others have autoimmune diseases and their hair just falls out without any warning and without any rhyme or reason. There are women who have hereditary hair loss or excessive thinning.  Some, through no choice of their own, have a disorder in which they are compelled to pull out their own hair. There are many different reasons women lose their hair.  The feelings and emotions that accompany hair loss are also entirely unique with each person.

I’ve known women who, when faced with hair loss due to chemotherapy choose to shave their heads immediately before any hair starts to fall out. I’ve also known women who choose to hold on to every last strand.  There are women who are comfortable wearing hats and scarves. Some women are fine with super thin hair. There are women who grieve deeply the loss of their long thick hair while others couldn’t care less. What I have learned through all of my experiences with each woman that I encounter is that whatever they are feeling and whatever they choose to do or not do with their hair is OK.

 I had someone once say to me that a bald head seemed like a badge of courage for a woman going through chemo. Maybe it is. If a woman feels that her bald head is her badge of courage, then it should be. Not every woman feels that way and that is OK too. It shouldn’t be any less a badge of courage if a woman wants to wear a wig while she goes through chemo.

Chemo and sickness are not the only reasons people lose their hair. Some women lose hair for no apparent reason at all. They are not sick, yet if they walk around with a bald head they get looked at with eyes of sympathy and sadness because people assume they are sick. Again, if someone with long term hair loss decides that a wig is not for them and they are comfortable rocking their baldness, then I say, you go girl! If they decide they want to buy some hair to wear, then there is no shame in that either.

I’ve been asked many times why I do what I do. Why do I want to work with wigs? The answer is simple. I love to make women feel beautiful and I love to create beauty.

Should a woman feel beautiful just because of who she is on the inside? Yes. Should a woman be able to walk around with whatever hair she has or does not have and still feel beautiful? Absolutely. Should a woman have confidence because she is smart and capable? Yes. Should a woman be able to go to a meeting with no hair and not get looked at with sad or inquisitive eyes? Yep. Should her colleagues assume she is able to complete the job at hand with excellence? You bet! Do all of these things happen all of the time in the world that we live in? Nope. Is it right? No way! Will they ever happen all the time? I sure hope so.

In my experience with women and hair, I have found that it is so much more about how she feels than how she actually looks. I can tell a woman all day long that she looks fabulous in a short haircut, but at the end of the day if she “feels” ugly and unfeminine, then its not the right cut for her. She needs to “feel” fabulous.

I had many people tell me that I looked beautiful with a bald head. It was very kind of people to say and I’m sure they meant it. However, I didn’t “feel” beautiful. I felt naked and I felt like someone else. I didn’t feel like me. 

So when I’m asked how it was to wear a wig, my answer is always the same; it sucked. (Not great for business, I know!) Sometimes it was completely hot, completely itchy and completely annoying as hell. BUT it always felt completely like me. It felt like I could go anywhere and not have people look at me strange or weird. It felt like I still looked like myself and that mattered to me. The bottom line is, a wig was what I needed. It isn’t what everyone needs and that is OK. If I would’ve been a hat or scarf person, I would have worn them. I’m NOT and that’s OK. If I would’ve felt comfortable rocking my bald head, I would have. I didn’t and that’s OK. Its ok that I liked wearing a wig because it made me feel like“ME”.  

This is what I really want every woman to know when I work with her and her individual hair loss. IT’S ALL OK. If a woman feels like her best self with a hat or a scarf on, it’s OK. If a woman feels like her best self with thin fine hair, it’s OK. If a woman feels like her best self with no hair, it’s OK. If a woman feels like her best self with a wig or a hairpiece on, it’s OK.  My goal is to meet every woman where she is at and support her there. In the end, if that means she doesn’t get a wig, well then that’s OK with me too.

"So, what's with the prayer?"

"So, what's with the prayer?" This question was posed by one of my clients. I figured the blank stare and ensuing silence on my part probably wasn't going to be good enough in the future so I better mull this one over for awhile and come up with a better answer.

The very short answer for why I settled on the name A Wig and a Prayer is that I had a dream about it. I woke up in the morning and there it was right on the tip of my tongue. I thought it sounded clever and it went along with who I am, so I quickly wrote it down and the rest is history. For those of you who like the "bottom line" and you like it quickly, you can stop reading now. You’re welcome.

If you are still reading, the above paragraph told you a little about my personality. I am a big picture person. I have an uncanny ability to find the bottom line in everything. I also tend to be searching for it in everything I hear and read. So that paragraph was for all of my fellow "bottom liners" out there. Those of you still reading are probably just curious or you are more detail-oriented people. That’s ok too. Detailed people write amazing books, tell great stories, read (and follow) the directions and clean up while cooking. Details are great as long as I am able to pinpoint the bottom line in them somewhere. If not, you may encounter my "open mouth; glassy-eyed; for the love of all that is good and holy, what is this person getting at?" stare. Now you know.

Maybe it’s just who I am or maybe it has something to do with being a hairdresser. I spend a lot of time listening to long stories about hair (and relationships and family and work and life.) I have to quickly decipher what someone wants and how I am going to turn them into Jennifer Aniston in 45 short minutes. Let me tell you, women can come up with some LONG stories about their hair only to decide in the end that we will be taking a ¼ inch off the bottom. Either way, I do think that being this way makes me a better hairdresser because I have the ability to understand what someone is really trying to say, when they have said SO MUCH more than that.

The longer version of why I decided on A Wig and a Prayer must begin with telling you a little about my faith. I believe in one God who exists in three persons: God the father, Jesus Christ the son, and The Holy Spirit. I am a sinner saved by grace through the faith that I have placed in Jesus Christ. I believe that the Bible is God's true word and that it lays out His redemptive plan for sinners. It teaches me about God and is my instruction manual for life. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Since I'm not even sure what the previous paragraph means, let me sum that up for you: I'm a big loser (recovering), God loves me anyway (and thinks I'm awesome), Jesus gave his life to secure my spot in heaven (amazing), the Holy Spirit teaches me and reminds me when I'm being an idiot (daily) and I can (and should) go to the Bible before google, (always). But let’s face it, you’re just not going to learn how to clean every inch of your house with only vinegar or a million things to do with a coffee filter in the Bible. Just sayin.'

Getting back to the “What’s with the prayer?” question. Aside from the catchy play on words and the obvious divine intervention via dreams, I used the name because of my faith. I believe in the power of prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

I think that a lot of women who are facing or experiencing hair loss are fearful or worried about it. I know that I am. I'm afraid I will be ugly. I'm afraid I will lose my femininity. I'm afraid my husband will be totally freaked out by me. I'm afraid people will stare at me. I'm afraid people will judge me. I'm afraid I will look weird in a wig. I should probably stop now. I'm sure I could think of more.

Now I will close with a short self-talk. (Feel free to use it yourself if you like): I believe God is who he says he is. I believe God keeps his promises. I believe God is trustworthy. I know that I can pray and "cast all my anxieties on him because he cares for me." (1 Peter 5:7) I believe that when I do this I can experience peace. Now I'm going to go write that on a notecard and post it on my bathroom mirror. What can I say? I have a short memory. 

Why I've decided to shave my head

First and foremost I want to say that I have no idea what it is like to be diagnosed with cancer or to have medical or hereditary baldness of any kind. I am doing this to try and understand the emotions that a woman goes through when she is faced with losing her hair and all that goes along with wearing a wig on a bald head. I do not want to make light of the seriousness of hair loss or to be insensitive to women who are going through hair loss due to a sickness. On the contrary, my goal in doing this is to illustrate the intensity of emotion that a women has toward her hair and the prospect of losing it.

I am realizing that hair loss is a very personal and very different experience for each woman I meet. I have decided that in order to speak intelligently about being bald, then I really must BE BALD. I am going to be talking to women about shaving their heads and wearing wigs and if I have never actually had to do that, it is much more difficult to give advice on the subject. I want to have first hand knowledge and a new level of compassion to share with my clients.

So this is why I have decided to shave my head. This October 10th I will be getting rid of all of my hair. October is breast cancer awareness month. It also marks one year since I went to a wig store with my friend and made the final decision to begin A Wig and a Prayer. I have chosen to share this journey because I want women to see that although hair loss is frightening, it does not have to be devestating. There are gorgeous, natural looking hair replacement options to make you look and feel beautiful!

There....I've said it out loud to the world. I guess I can't change my mind now! If you are interested, I will be sharing more about the whole process and the effect it has on me as a person, a wife, a mother, and a business owner. I'd love to hear your thoughts!