Embracing Change: Signs It's Time to Consider a Hairpiece or Wig

Hair loss is a natural and common experience for many women, and while there are various treatments available, some may choose alternative solutions such as hairpieces or wigs. Deciding to explore these options is a personal journey, and recognizing the signs that it's time to consider a hairpiece or wig is an important step toward embracing change with confidence. In this blog post, we'll explore the indicators that suggest it might be the right time to explore these alternatives and how they can be empowering choices for those navigating hair loss.

  1. Visible Signs of Hair Thinning or Balding: If you've noticed visible signs of hair thinning or balding that impact your self-esteem, considering a hairpiece or wig can be a transformative option. These alternatives provide an immediate and natural-looking solution, helping you regain a sense of normalcy and confidence.

  2. Medical Treatments Resulting in Hair Loss: Certain medical treatments, such as chemotherapy, can lead to hair loss. If you're undergoing a treatment that may affect your hair, exploring wigs or hairpieces can provide a way to maintain a familiar appearance during a challenging time.

  3. Genetic Predisposition to Hair Loss: If you have a family history of significant hair loss, you may be genetically predisposed to experiencing it as well. Choosing a hairpiece or wig can be a proactive decision to address genetic factors and maintain your desired appearance.

  4. Experiencing Emotional Distress: Hair loss can have a profound impact on one's emotional well-being. If you find that your self-esteem and confidence are suffering due to changes in your appearance, a hairpiece or wig can offer a quick and effective solution to help you feel more comfortable in your skin.

  5. Lack of Success with Other Treatments: If you've tried various treatments, such as medications or topical solutions, without achieving the desired results, it may be time to explore alternative options. A hairpiece or wig can provide a non-invasive and customizable solution that suits your unique preferences.

  6. Temporary Hair Loss Due to Stress or Hormonal Changes: Hair loss triggered by stress or hormonal changes may be temporary, but the impact on your confidence can be immediate. Wearing a wig or hairpiece during this transitional period can help you navigate the changes with grace and style.

  7. Desire for Versatility and Style: Hairpieces and wigs offer versatility in styling that may not be achievable with natural hair alone. If you have a desire to experiment with different looks, colors, and lengths without committing to permanent changes, a wig can be an exciting and liberating choice.

  8. Wanting a Convenient and Low-Maintenance Solution: Hairpieces and wigs provide a convenient and low-maintenance solution for those with busy lifestyles. If you're looking for a hassle-free option that requires minimal styling effort, these alternatives can offer the flexibility you need.

Choosing a hairpiece or wig is a personal decision that can empower individuals experiencing hair loss to regain control and confidence. Recognizing the signs that it's time to consider these alternatives is the first step toward embracing change and celebrating the versatility of personal style. Whether the motivation is to address medical conditions, genetic factors, or a desire for a new look, a well-chosen wig or hairpiece can be a beautiful and empowering solution. Remember, the journey to self-acceptance and confidence begins with choices that align with your comfort and style preferences.

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!